Day 117

Melissa Gaggiano Photography

Playtime & Sewing

Photography by Melissa Gaggiano.

     Yesterday I sat on the floor with the girls and we played with playdough. Playdough is a great way to play no matter what age you are. Like doodling, playdough stimulates the brain. You fiddle with the dough and almost without thinking you have created something. So the next time the kids are bored or you're feeling creatively blocked pull out the playdough and roll away.


Playdough ornaments by Melissa Gaggiano.

     A piece of good news. I had my sewing machine repaired the other day. Luckily it was a simple issue. So last night I sat down with a piece of felt and continued on what I started a few weeks ago when the sewing machine stopped.
    One of my favourite craft bloggers, Jennie of A Little Vintage, makes classy plush dolls with a combination of mediums - sewing and painting. She inspired me with a tutorial on a freehand drawing/embroidery stitch while using a normal sewing machine.
    So that was what I was practicing last night. The stitches are crazy and all over the place but I love it for that. It has an organic feel to it [not too perfect]. It even reminds me of the writing style of the Gumnut Babies [anyone remember May Gibbs and her Australian creations?].

    Follow this link to see Jennie's [above mentioned] tutorial...

http://alittle-vintage.blogspot.com.au/2012/02/drawing-with-your-sewing-machine.html

Sewn flower by Melissa Gaggiano.

Knackered

Illustrations by Melissa Gaggiano.
Inspiration Jem, flowers, dolls.

    End of the week arrives and not a moment too soon. But perhaps a couple of days late for those who are feeling burnt out already. There have been early mornings and evenings with very little rest. Busy doing a little bit of this and not so much of that. My sewing machine bit the dust just as I was on the verge of trying new creative ideas combining drawing and sewing [swear, swear, profanity]. I knuckled down and read module 3 of my photography course at 5 in the morning [and it actually made sense]. I practiced taking photos and discovered that with enough light ISO 1600 can look good in monochrome, but this setting must be used discriminantly. I read about a Melbournian photographer - Athol Shmith. I tried reading Out of Africa, but have only gotten as far as page one. Did I mention my sewing machine is out of action - yeah! that really sucks.
On the upside I've got saturday night pizza to look forward to. Yum-yum!

Photography by Melissa Gaggiano.



Darn It

Photography by Melissa Gaggiano.

    Well, darn it! My sewing machine just bit the dust. And I was right in the middle of learning a different stitch. Will have to turn my creative outpourings in another direction this week. Luckily I still have my photography and drawing.