What do you think about sculptures that last only a short time? 

This burnt manuscript paper (sheet music) has some gorgeously sculptural forms but will fall to ashes as soon as it is touched. Still, it has all the qualities of a sculpture in that a material has been made into a dimensional form which occupies space. it is strong enough to tough and move and put on a plinth in a gallery.

I've been thinking a lot recently about the perceived value of things in general and art in particular, and how wasteful ​

Flying diagonally across Australia on my way to India revealed some harshly beautiful landscapes, many of them quite abstract in their other-worldliness. I wasn't in the best position to take photos, the plane's window acting like a slightly blurry filter, but I wanted to share my intrigue anyway. Some of the land forms I as able to identify, but many jut remain enigmas of the never-never. The biggest treasure- seeing the Aussie icon Ayers Rock from the sky! I cross-checked with maps later to find that those places that seemed so abstract and wondrous from altitude 10,000m do in fact exist, with names and eco-systems and history to their credit. This country remains fascinating from any possible angle. ​Enjoy!

Yellow wattle with your sun-filled powder-puffs
despised on strange shores where you mercilessly mutate
and suck dry precious soils
but here
celebrated on coats of arms
bright and singular amongst the eucalypts
bringer of spring
first of all the plants to show:
warmer days are coming!

I found these beautiful pieces of silver cutlery in an antiques shop over the weekend, and what unique bangles they made! My metalworking tools came in very handy, but I might have to make some smaller bending forks and maybe invest in a jewellers' anvil for this more delicate work. Lots more ideas buzzing in my head...watch this space!

I always feel a little sad when something has reached the end of it useful life.
A house, a car, a piece of clothing...al started out as a dream, a plan, and it  was once brand new.
Maybe it is my Calvinistic roots, maybe it is an inherent capacity to look for creative opportunities. 
But however, a down pillow has a nostalgy to me, a feeling of homely comfort and memories of the 'old' days.
I have an old one that was, without me having any idea of what else to do with it,  
about to get binned when I decided to at least try to revive it.

Making another pillow with the stuffing would have been too messy, as the fluff was already coming out and going everywhere. So it had to stay intact. I did consider giving it to the boys to go have a real pillow fight in the park and destroy it properly, while having the added benefit of making a big mess, but that might be the last resort if this didn't work.

 I traced the design on with a pencil and after painting two layers of acrylic paint, it
has evaded the dump and will now be allowed to offer some decoration to a teenager's
bedroom. The great thing about the acrylic is that it sealed the fabric quite well,
stopping the endless fluff from sticking through. I just found another old pillow that is about to expire, maybe it will become a Beetle partner in the Volkswagen family.

I found these beautiful Corinthian pillar tops for free on Gumtree this week. Not only is this a great find that will, with a sudden idea and a few licks of paint, become something useful in its new life, but I met a new friend with inspiring Aussie childhood farm stories and a shared love for God, fixing things and the simple pleasures in life.
I keep on being amazed at how generous the world becomes when we allow ourselves to start exploring the fast untapped creative capacity built into us!
Nothing happens by chance, there is beautifully unique design and purpose and potential in us and all around us, and it shows!
Take a small creative step today, pleasant surprises are sure to follow!

Pics will follow when the remake has been done **

Here is a first pic, more to follow...

Today's treasures...funky textures and colours on alley doors as I was hunting down a particular art material, time-travelling at a charming old cottage in Gold Creek just before a staff meeting, and a fresh young Amanita Muscaria mushroom in the city on the way to the orthodontist with my daughter.
Beauty is all around...if we're only willing to stop for a moment and observe. If life seems a little dull, it may be that we need to really look again.