Abfab Art Studio

Plus Size Fashion Tour in Paris, June 2011

2011-01-31T14:37:00.003+11:00

Yes, I've finally settled on the dates!

From 20th June, 2011, I will be hosting One Day and Five Day Plus Size Fashion Adventures in gay Paree, the City of Love & Light!

Pop over to the website to read about all the fabulous things we'll be doing:

http://abfabdesigns.com/plus-size-fashion-tour-in-paris.html

Ciao for now
Teena!

Fabulous fibres & wonderful women Fashionistas

2011-01-31T13:30:00.008+11:00

Oh my heart was soooo happy to meet my 'online' friends when I was in Melbourne over the weekend.

My first Abfab Fashionista Afternoon Tea was a HUGE success, and it made my heart fill with joy to see gorgeous women trying on my fashion designs - all handpainted by me.

I met the charming and most delightful Rosemary of Rosemary's Notebook (with whom I've been corresponding for years - an extra special treat to meet in person!), the gorgeous Meryll who looked faaabulous in the handpainted silk habotai Ruana in hot pink, orange and purple, the beautiful Janine Milson of RealWomen.com.au and the stunning Anca -- all these women looked fabulous and made the day a HUGE success!

Thank you ladies!!!!

Seeing my designs being tried on and discussed was such a treat - as a silk/textile artist working from home, I sell my handpainted clothing online and rarely get to meet a client.

My plus size designs come in 4 lengths - Mini, Midi and Maxi - and for those extra tall gals - the Tall.

Wondering which lengths are available? The measurements from the shoulder to the hems :

35 inch / 90cm
45 inch / 114cm
55 inch /140cm
60 inch /152cm

The Kaftan shown above is approximately 43" across / 86" around.

The St Tropez Tunique is 45" across, stitched in from the side-seam, so 35" across/70" around.

More info:

http://www.abfabdesigns.com/wild-abandon-handpainted-summer-tunics.html

I'd love to hear what you think of these new designs (I'll be posting photos for the rest of the designs this week - stay tuned!)

Cheers
Teena!

Preparing for Silk Fashion & Painting in Melbourne 29 January 2011

2011-01-18T11:27:00.002+11:00

This morning I'm creating new designs and painting on silk in preparation for my visit to Melbourne next week.

I'll be hosting my Silk Painting Workshop :

on Sat 29th Jan 2011

10:00 to 3:00pm

and my first Abfab Fashionista Afternoon Tea at the same location, same day:

on Sat 29th Jan 2011

4:00 to 5:30pm
click the button to book:

It's been a while since I was last in Melbourne and I'm soooo looking forward to my silk events, AND seeing my friends :-)

If you haven't booked yet, and you'd like to attend either event, let me know asap as I need to arrange for wooden frames etc to be shipped for the Workshop - looking forward to meeting you!

See you soon!
Cheers
Teena!

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Fashionista Afternoon Teas with Teena Hughes Handpainted Silk

2010-12-28T11:52:00.000+11:00

I am SOOOO excited to let you know that I have scheduled my first :

FASHIONISTA AFTERNOON TEA!

It will be held in Melbourne where I'll be visiting for a few days, and the next one will be in Sydney soon after.

To find out more, pop over to my website and register today >>

The clothing/wearable art is in size 12 to approximately size 30, so every gorgeous Goddess can try on something!

I look foward to meeting you!

Merry Christmas from Teena Hughes! Happy New Year!

2010-12-20T11:42:00.004+11:00

I just wanted to take a moment to say thank you to all who've visited my blog and website, and taken the time to post comments and kind words - it's much appreciated.

I wish you all a fabulously Merry Christmas - Happy Holidays - Season's Greetings - Joyeux Noel - Happy New Year and Bonne Année!

From my Art Studio to your inbox,
have a fabulous Yuletide!
Teena xox

Come meet me in Miranda in Sydney!

2010-12-04T19:31:00.004+11:00

UPDATE: I wasn't able to attend this event after all, so apologies to all who were interested in meeting me there; I do hope you got my email advising I couldn't attend. On a happier note, I am organising my FASHIONISTA AFTERNOON TEAS in Sydney & Melbourne in 2011 - woohoo! Pop over to the website to read more >>
================

I've just been invited to be part of the Designer Markets in Miranda in 2 weeks!

Woohoo! I have to get cracking - painting and sewing - straight away!

I'm soooo excited - I'll be there :

When: Thursday 16th December, 2010
Time: 10:00am to 9:00pm
Where: Miranda RSL, 615 Kingsway, Miranda, NSW

Come and try on my fabulous handpainted and hand-dyed clothing, with sizes up to about 28 (and maybe roomier) for all you Gorgeous Goddesses!

As soon as I have some of my new designs painted, I'll show them on my website and let you know here on the blog too.

If you're a Facebook user, you might like to pop over to my NEW Facebook Page - if you click the LIKE button you can post messages too:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/AbfabDesigns-Silk-Painting/167426506623036

If you can come, please do send me a message and let me know - it'll be great to meet you in person!!

Have to dash, that fabric won't paint itself!!!

Ciao for now
Teena!

Mooshie loves silk and Paris

2010-10-09T18:33:00.002+11:00

Just downloaded some photos and I had to share this one - my cat Mooshie reclining like a royal on her favourite cushion .... a handpainted silk one I made a while back, where I've written the word 'Paris' on the silk:

Click to see the whole photo :-) then click the Back button.

She does look comfy, doesn't she?

Cheers
Teena

Crocodiles, smiles & fuzzy lines

2010-10-03T19:44:00.001+11:00

Today I was going through my computer looking for some images, and this one of one of my silk scarves appeared ... and it just makes me smile :-)

I used to be a member of an artist group called ARTISTS FOR LIFE, and we focussed on Australian wildlife. We held exhibitions in Sydney which highlighted the plight of many endangered australian animals, and one of my favourites became the ringtail possum.

I love to draw cute animals, and those who know me well know that I draw LOTS of Koalas :-)

This cheery crocodile is handpainted onto white silk habotai, using French dyes and orange gutta. The background has been layed and fused using some of my techniques, and gives it an interesting flavour.

I'm thinking it might be time to paint some more of these scarves - is this something you like?

A good size would be 35" or 40" square; when draped or tied around the neck the actual design isn't obvious, but the patterns and shades can be complementary to your outfit. Some folks might even tie a scarf like this around their hat for a jaunty air :-)

So - let me know - should I resurrect this crocodile design?

Cheers
Teena!

What do bears and cake decorating have in common?

2010-07-30T23:49:00.001+10:00

As you may know, I draw a lot of animals and they all end up with cartoon faces as I like them to have some personality. One thing I don't draw is bears (and no, the koala is NOT a bear :-)

My friend Michelle is the queen of bears -- in fact she makes CAKES of bears, all colours, and they're absolutely stunning! Check them out:

If you live in Sydney and you're looking for an extraordinary bear cake for someone's special occasion, check out Michelle's site and blog ... and be prepared for your mouth to water!

Site: http://InspiredByMichelle.com.au

Blog: http://InspiredbyMichelleBlog.com

Enjoy! Let me know what you think :-)

Textile Teachers Setup Easy Classes Online

2010-06-14T14:03:00.000+10:00

I'm on the Mailing List for Fiber Arts Mixed Media - FAMM - and am pleased to share with you that Susan is about help teachers run their textile classes via her popular Forum.

Image © Fiber Arts Mixed Media

Here's how it works:

You contact Susan about setting up a private area for your class on her FAMM forum, and make your payment (currently only $30 one-off fee per class).
You will now have a mini-forum for your textile class.
You (as the teacher) advertise your own class all over the internet and via your website etc.
Susan mentions the classes on her FAMM mailing list.
Sign-ups for your classes are on on your website, and you accept payments via Paypal or whatever you (as the teacher) decide.
Curriculum is up to you, the teacher; your classes can be run with PDFs and/or videos.
Interaction with your students is via the Private Forum, which makes it easy for all your students to see all the questions and answers.

This is a great opportunity, contact Susan for more details >>

Cheers
Teena!

My new Fiesta hand-painted silk habotai

2010-05-19T08:17:00.000+10:00

You may remember I wrote recently about a new sample I'd made by painting a 3 brushstroke pattern on Habotai silk.

I liked it so much I decided to use it for my new business cards and address labels :-)

I can't wait for them to arrive, they'll be so much fun!

It's a grey old day in Sydney again, I woke up thinking about some of the cute animals I paint on silk, and today I might take videos of me doing just that. Reminds me of all the great kids at the Royal Easter Show who got to paint on silk for the first time.

OK, time to make a coffee, hope you're having a fabulous day!!!

Ciao for now,
Teena

Did you steal my silk photo?

2010-05-03T20:21:00.003+10:00

UPDATE - 5 May, 2010 - eHow UK solved the problem! Thank you eHow for removing my photo, much appreciated.

Imagine my surprise whilst surfing the net this evening to discover someone (not the first) who has taken one of my photos, of my handpainted silk, and used it for their own 'article' on silk painting.
As there is no way to contact this person without creating an account and logging in to eHow, I have decided to share the photo on my blog, so that if anyone recognises the name bungalowbettie on eHow, that perhaps they can pass my message on.

Here is the article in question, and MY PHOTO:

So bungalowbettie - my name is Teena Hughes, I'm a well-known silk artist, and I treasure all my photos on all my websites.

If you would like to use any of my photos, the greatest courtesy would be for you to contact me, ask me, and start a conversation. I'm a pretty friendly person, and I generally like to see me given the credit for my own photos on others' websites.

I'm easy to find, after all you found my photo on my website ... so how about contacting me and doing the right thing?

Trust me, we'll both feel a whole lot better if you do.

PS - here's my webpage where this photo has been for 2 years:

Cheers
Teena

on.

New Haori Jacket in Handpainted Silk

2010-05-03T08:18:00.001+10:00

Above: I have handpainted sandwashed silk with my Coral Sea colours before turning it into a loose-fitting Haori Jacket.

It feels gorgeous on, and is bright and colourful - now I need to make one of these for ME :-)

More photos, same coat:

Above: the neck and collar

Above: Oh it feels so faaaabulous on!

You can see more colours on my Haori Silk Jackets page >>

http://www.abfabdesigns.com/haori-jacket-handpainted-silk.html

Hope you're having a gorgeous day wherever you are!

Ciao ciao
Teena

How to steam silk in a bamboo steamer

2010-05-01T12:22:00.001+10:00

Above: I've put the handpainted silk down on white cotton sheeting, rolled it up in a sausage shape, and placed inside the bamboo steamer.

The pot of water needs be on highest temperature, boiling well, but not splashing upward.

I steamset this silk for an hour, which was recommended by the dye manufacturer.

Above: Ms Moshie Cat having a well-deserved morning nap :-)

Having fun with Handpainted Sandwashed Silk

2010-04-26T17:34:00.002+10:00

I thought you might like to see some photos of silk I've been painting - all sandwashed silk, so thicker than habotai, it's very thirsty and soaks up a LOT of dye :-)

Above: Turquoise, Purple, Magenta and Orange French dyes with a dash of green.
This closeup shows about 18x18inches, or 45x45cm.

Above: The silk was so vibrant as I painted it!!

This piece is about 20x40inches / 50x100cm.

I also painted a sample piece of sandwashed silk with some fun 3-stripe patterns and came up with this lovely little fiesta of colour below:

Ahhhhhhh it's sooo much fun to paint on silk :-)

Ciao for now

Teena!

Day 3 Royal Easter Show

2010-04-14T07:43:00.000+10:00

Wow!!! What a HUGE day I had today!! I'm absolutely exhausted, my back can't believe it's over and we're home safely :D

Above: My wonderful booth, filled with amazing colours, happy faces and lots of laughter :-)

Above: boys love painting on silk too :-)

I've never taught so many people so quickly in my whole life, what an adventure it has been!

Today I drew lots of cute animals on silk for people to paint with the silk dyes, and we all had a blast!

As I packed up at the end of the show, I could hardly believe I'd met so many warm, interesting and funny people in a 3 day period. I took lots of photos and it will take me some time to get them online, but I will post a couple here too.

To see more photos, pop over to :

http://how-to-paint-on-silk.com/royal-easter-show-april-2010.html

Ciao ciao from a very tired but very happy Teena!

Day 2 Sydney Royal Easter Show

2010-04-13T21:57:00.002+10:00

Just got home from my second day of three, demonstrating silk painting at the Royal Easter Show.

I met an absolutely huge number of adults and kids today who tried their hand at silk painting. We played with cold wax, seaweed outliner, French dyes and painted starfish, moons, fish, cats and shapes of all sizes :D

There were even a couple of 2 and 3 year olds who had a try, with their Mums helping them.

Everyone loved it! It was such a fantastic thing for me to be part of, to share my love of silk and silk painting with so many people ...

If you came by my booth today - THANK YOU for making it such a super duper fantastic day!

The photos I took will be online by the end of the week, over at http://how-to-paint-on-silk.com

One more day to go, which is also the last day of the Show ... until next year :-)

Ciao for now
Teena

Day 1 Royal Easter Show

2010-04-12T19:46:00.001+10:00

Just got home, absolutely exhausted, and happy :-)

I was demonstrating silk painting all day, and let adults and kids join in. It was so much fun!

Too tired to upload photos tonight ... and two more days to go.

Thanks everyone for dropping by the ARTS HALL 3, to see me in Demonstration Area D!

Hugs,
Teena!

Maharajah's Purple Elephant

2010-02-28T09:09:00.004+11:00

I've uploaded a few more photos and a video from the painting phase of the Maharajah's Garden Elephant painting on silk, which I thought you might like.

Handpainted sandwashed silk

Abfab Designs & Abfab Seaweed Outliner

And here's the video of me sewing the hems on the wallhanging and choosing the baubles to attach to the top:

I bought the hot pink baubles in Paris on my last visit - I'm so pleased they look so good on the purple elephant wallhanging!

If you're in Australia, keep an eye out over the next two years for this Travelling Suitcase Exhibition -very colourful and wildly imaginative! :-)

You can see a larger photo on my website, and hopefully I'll have the rest of the photos online soon :-)

http://how-to-paint-on-silk.com/maharajahs-garden-exhibition.html

Silk Painting in Paris with Teena - 27 June to 4 July, 2010

PS - Would you like to join me in Paris in June? Each year I host a week-long Silk Painting Adventure - and a week-long Plus Size Fashion Adventure - woohoo! This year I'm also going to be teaching half-day and one-day silk painting for those who can't spend the 7 days. I can't wait to get back there mid-June to end-July - it will be great to see my friends and my students!

Maybe you'll join me?

Teena

My Maharajah's Garden Elephant

2010-02-21T08:22:00.003+11:00

Dropped off my artwork for the Maharajah's Garden Exhibition (by ATASDA - Australian Textile & Surface Design Association) and was pleased to have it all finished - phew!

Here is the wallhanging being ironed before I sew the hems and add the hot pink baubles:

I made a little video while I was sewing, and oh my the colours are soooo vibrant and gorgeous!

My friend Michelle told me about the painted elephants and the Jaipur Festival and I'm so glad she did, otherwise my elephant wouldn't have been purple! :-)

Here's the final video before I dropped it off at Nola's in North Epping:

Hope you're having a faaabulous weekend!!

I'm planning and doing lots of marketing for my upcoming trip to Paris where I host a week-long Silk Painting Adventure - and a week-long Plus Size Fashion Adventure - woohoo! This year I'm also going to be teach half-day and one-day silk painting for those who can't spend the 7 days. I can't wait to get back there mid-June to end-July - yayyyy!

Maybe you'll join me?

Teena

Steaming silk in a bamboo steamer

2009-12-18T17:06:00.000+11:00

Over the weekend I popped over to Natalie's place with my bamboo steamer under my arm :-)

Natalie's a friend of mine, and had attended one of my silk painting workshops in Sydney. I'd promised I would come visit when she was ready, and show her how to do the steaming.

What's required:

a bamboo steamer - mine is 12" across
a large pot or wok to balance the steamer on
some old white cotton sheeting to wrap the silk in (must be white)
a timer

What we did:

filled the saucepan about 4" deep with water and put it on to boil
we lay the cotton sheeting (about a metre) on the table
next we lay the small silk scarves on the cotton
we made sure none of the silk was touching any other piece of silk
we carefully rolled up the fabric into a sausage shape
we then coiled the sausage shap around in a circle shape so it would fit inside the steamer
I lined the steamer with an old white pillow case (to protect from splashes of boiling water)
next we rested the the curled sausage shape into the steamer and put the lid on

As soon as the water was boiling, we carefully placed the steamer on top of the saucepan.

We set the timer for 20 mins, and then checked every 20 minutes in case we needed to top up the water - this will depend on the size of saucepan or wok, and the amount of water you put in.

It was a very small bundle of steaming so we let it steam for 1 hour. If you have more silk, you need to steam for 2 or 3 hours.

After the steaming is done ...

After about 10 minutes we unwrapped the silk and lay it out to rest, to give the dyes time to settle overnight.

Wash the silk - but never never never SOAK!

The next day Natalie put the silk pieces into a zippered lingerie bag into the washing machine, and used mild soap powder on the lingerie cycle.

As soon as the silk is finished washing, hang up in the shade - never in the sun.

When the silk is almost dry (very slightly damp) you can iron with a hot iron. This ensures there will be no wrinkles, and the silk will continue to feel soft and supple.

We had faaabulous fun and I'm looking forward to seeing the photos :D

Cheers
Teena!

New banner for my Abfab Silk Blog!

2009-12-14T12:11:00.001+11:00

FINALLY!! I DID IT!!

I've had it on my To Do List for ages, and I finally made the time to do it ... and I'm sooooo pleased I did :D

I created a new Banner for my Blog, using my AbfabDesigns.com banner - and incorporating the word BLOG so it's easy to tell the difference between the two. Here's the snapshot I just took:

So - what do you think? Is it an improvement?

I'd love to hear your thoughts :D

Ciao ciao
Teena!

Unique Christmas Gifts for everyone

2009-12-12T10:59:00.001+11:00

Are you looking for a unique Christmas gift?

Look no further - some of my handpainted silk items might be just what you're looking for!

Kids' unique gifts:

Handpainted silk cushion covers look great in any kid's room:

Find the cushion covers here:
http://www.abfabdesigns.com/handpainted-silk-cushion-covers.html

Travel Troll Dolls - for adults and kids :-)

Find the travel troll dolls on this page:
http://www.abfabdesigns.com/handpainted-silk-travel-troll-dolls.html

Handpainted silk bookmarks - so easy to post as gifts!

On this page:
http://abfabdesigns.com/handpAInted-silk-bookmarks.html

Long handpainted silk scarves

http://www.abfabdesigns.com/handpainted-silk-scarves-01.html

If you have any questions, or any requests for a personalised design, contact me today.

Happy Holidays!
Teena!

Teena's videos

2009-12-04T09:08:00.006+11:00

Examples of Videos I have made with Photos

I was going through some of my videos today in preparation for a project I'm working on, and I had such fun watching them again I thought I would post them here.

I do hope you enjoy them!

Champagne cruise in Paris with Teena:

Silk class 30/5/09

.

Silk Painting Cushion Cover Black 'n Blue

Silk Painting in France

.

Silk Painting bright colours

.

Have a great weekend!
Cheers
Teena!

Handpainted silk scarves Hearts & Paris

2009-11-14T12:48:00.004+11:00

These are 4 scarves I've just handpainted .

I stretch two scarves at a time on wooden frames, then lay them flat on the table so I can draw the designs and start the hand-painting process. For the photos, I've rested the frames upright against the wall so you can see the designs clearly.

Above: I mixed black dye with my seaweed concoction to make an outliner, once the silk dyes are handpainted, they flow on the silk until they reach the outliner then stop. It acts as a 'resist'.

Above: I'm filling in the areas with dye which flows to the edges of the heart, and then stops.

.. can you see a theme emerging?

:-)

That's right, finally painting some with a French theme - Paris in particular.

Today I'll be steaming them in a special steaming machine for 3 hrs, then washing them 3 times each to ensure all the excess dye is removed.

Once they're dried and ironed, they should be nice and bright and luscious!

Lustrous handpainted silk scarves
9x54inches / 20x140cms
Hand-rolled hems
Handpainted by Teena Hughes

The scarves are for sale on my website - please pop over and have a look :-)

http://www.abfabdesigns.com/handpainted-silk-scarves-01.html

Ciao for now, back to painting!!
Teena

Handpainted silk scarves 9x54in

2009-11-12T11:16:00.001+11:00

Yesterday I painted 4 new designs, steamed them (in the silk steaming machine) and today was washing and ironing day :-)

Here a few quick photos of the new designs:
Crab Salad
PigletTales
Honolulu
Geometric 1

The scarves are 9x54inches in silk with a light sheen, gorgeous accessory for any outfit.
The one shown above is 'Honolulu' - flowers bright and beautiful, in memory of my visits to Hawaii.

The photo above isn't very good, but shows the four different designs - left to right - Pigletales, Crab Salad, Geometric 1, and in front, Honolulu.

As I get better photos, I'll upload them here and on my silk website where they'll be for sale:

http://AbfabDesigns.com - Wearable Art - Scarves

Ciao ciao, back to painting!!
Teena

Sketching the Eiffel Tower

2009-11-10T10:41:00.000+11:00

I made a little sketch of the Eiffel Tower the other day, wasn't sure where I'd use it, but it appeared and looked cute.

I enlarged the tiny sketch, and now have a sketch which fits a normal sheet of paper - I might draw it on my silk scarves as a new Paris theme, or add it to silk cushion covers.

I'm going to leave the sketch on my desk and see where it takes me this week - and wherever my thoughts end up it'll be a new adventure :-)

PS - I've redesigned my Paris website, and am uploading about 100 pages this week - very exciting!

http://A-Night-in-Paris.com

Ciao for now
Teena!

Hunting for haberdashery

2009-10-31T21:46:00.001+11:00

Today was a hot summer's day so I popped into one of my local cafés - Vicini - for a latte and to give some thought to what I might like to get up to today :-)

Sipping my hot coffee my mind turned to the idea that's been bouncing around in my head recently - making funny little handpainted silk dolls. Nothing pretty, definitely fantasy-like, some with big pointy teeth perhaps.

This got my creative juices flowing and I started to plot and plan colours and things I'd like to attach to these dolls, like wondering what I'd use for head adornments in place of hair. I decided I'd better head over to Spotlight fabric and haberdashery in Birkenhead Point, Drummoyne ... full of anticipation!

This store is quite close by, and I often peruse the fabric aisles, touching fabrics as I go. I also like to spend time poring over the clothing pattern books, a long-time favourite past-time, and today was no exception.

In the photo above you can see the bibs and bobs I bought, a nice little eclectic group of goodies. As soon as I have made one or more of these new dolls, I'll post photos online :-)

Hope you're having a gorgeous weekend!
Cheers
Teena!

Thoughts of Moline Fabrics in Paris

2009-10-29T17:25:00.002+11:00

I've been going through my fabric stash (how did I get so much?) and came across some fabulous braids and baubles I bought in Paris last year, and of course I went hurtling back through time and space to that gorgeous store ...

I remember being lost in wonderland as I browsed through this Moline store in Montmartre, under the shadow of the famous church Sacre Coeur (Sacred Heart). There are several Moline stores in the one little street, and as I explored the one which housed the haberdashery - buttons, braids etc - I was quickly falling in love with everything I saw :-)

So today when I saw the baubles in my sewing stash, it was the hot pink and lime green ones which winked at me knowingly ... and I located some beautiful lime green silk I'd been saving.

I'm thinking it will make a delicious slip-on top, with the baubles adorning the neck ... and now I can't wait to make it!

OK - I'm going to sketch my ideas for a top. Hope you're having fun whatever you're up to!

Ciao ciao
Teena!

The postman brings Surface Design journal

2009-10-27T17:01:00.001+11:00

Just collected my mail at the post office and imagine my surprise when I saw the big envelope with the fabulous colourful stamps!

Straight away I KNEW what is was, and I couldn't wait to get home!

Woohoo! The Fall 2009 The Surface Design Journal! Gotta run - I'm heading to the kitchen to make a latte, then putting my feet up, and reading all the fabulous textile news :-)

Sorry - can't talk - I've got some reading to do!

Ciao ciao
Teena

How I handpaint silk cushion designs

2009-10-27T11:33:00.000+11:00

Had fun yesterday painting a black and blue design on silk charmeuse - a bit pop art - and I've created a video of the photos I took. Watch this quick video to see how I did it:

I love making these videos and picking some fun funky music to go along with the painting :-)

Hope you enjoyed this!

Cheers
teena

Crisp cotton voile waiting to be transformed

2009-10-17T14:24:00.004+11:00

I have some crisp cotton voile just waiting to be turned into beautiful summer clothing, and thought you might like to see the colours ... yes, four of my trademark colours:

hot pink
orange
lime green
and turquoise blue.

Unfortunately they didn't have any purple the day I bought these or that too would be part of this rainbow :-)

Cotton voile is a fine light cotton perfect for tops, shirts, even sarongs as it lets the air flow through and is beautiful to wear on a hot summer's day or evening.

My mind is wandering hither and yon, thinking of cool summer tops and floating coverups ... perfect for the hot summers we always have in Sydney, as well as for resort wear, cruise wear, beach wear ...

As I make each piece and upload it to my website, I'll post a link so you can see what I've been up to!

Ciao ciao
Teena!

Lunch with Fran and Koki

2009-10-13T14:12:00.002+11:00

Lunch with the Girls!

It was so lovely to catch up with Koki and Fran this week, listening to their news as we had a few lattes and a yummy lunch at Piccolo Padres in Rozelle.

The café has a delightful little back courtyard with a tiny fishpond - golden koi were swimming around lazily under the trickling of the little waterfall, and the fronds of the palm treess rustled on the gentle summer breeze. The music is generally easy-listening and not too loud, so that helps tremendously when there's a lot of talking and listening going on :-)

Our two hours went by so quickly and we kept chatting on the footpath, but had to get back to our cars before the ever-vigilant parking police (grrrr).

See you soon girls! It was fabulous to see you both, let's not leave it so long next time!!

Teena

Lunch with Jan & Paul

2009-10-08T17:59:00.003+11:00

It was great to catch up with Jan and Paul today - I hadn't seen Paul for many months (possibly even 6 or 7) and he was in fine spirits.

Jan was in great humour, as always, and we 3 had a great laugh and caught up on all our news.

Friends and laughter ... who could ask for more?

The weather is still crazy - winter woollies for a few days then t-shirts for a few days.

We're planning to catch up for Christmas which will be a lot of fun I'm sure!

Teena

2010 WORLD’S BEST TEA COSY

2009-10-05T11:11:00.000+11:00

2010 WORLD’S BEST TEA COSY.

$500 prize!

The Tea Cosy capital of the world, Miles, (in Queensland, Australia) is again seeking the world’s best tea cosies, following the great success of the 2005 & 2006 World Tea Cosy Making Competition which attracted entries from Australia, England, Scotland, Ireland, U.S.A., South Africa, New Zealand, and France.

There will be 3 categories: TRADITIONAL; OPEN; COLOUR CODED = PINK (all proceeds to be given to Breast Cancer/Research). The winner of each category will receive A$200.00, with an extra A$300.00 to the overall winner. A selection of tea cosies is presently touring Queensland, per. courtesy of Ontour onexhibition from the Queensland Arts Council.

Entry is FREE – all cosies remain the property of Miles Regional Arts Council : no tea cosies returned (unless by prior arrangement with Ann) . Tea Cosies will be sold, with the money raised to be given to charities at the discretion of the Miles Regional Arts Council. All tea cosies MUST be accompanied by an entry form, which you will find on our web.

http://www.dogwoodcrossing.com

If unable to access this, please draft your own entry form which must include NAME, ADDRESS , CATEGORY and your story/history of the entry. M.A.I.D. 4. T. is a partnership between Western Downs Regional Council and Miles Regional Arts Council Inc. Tea cosy to be sent to Mrs. Ann Gibbons, "Mirrabook", MILES 4415, Queensland, Australia by end of June 2010. Winners announced September 2010. For more information, contact Ann Gibbons on 07 46271707 or tedgibbons@bigpond.com

TEXTILE ART FESTIVAL QLD June 2010

2009-10-04T11:08:00.001+11:00

TEXTILE ART FESTIVAL:

June 25-27, 2010.

"Visitors in 2009 loved this event" and why not? Much to enjoy including fantastic festival competitions.

http://www.textileart.com.au

This exhibitiion is owned and operated by Expertise Events: phone (020 9452.7575. The venue will again by Brisbane Exhibition Centre, South Bank.

TAWFA 2010: Australian Wool Fashion Awards

2009-10-03T10:45:00.000+10:00

TAWFA 2010: The Australian Wool Fashion Awards

Entries now open for TAWFA 2010. Will this be the year I finally enter?

I hope so!

The presentation parade will be held 7th April 2010 at the Royal Easter Show, Sydney.

http://www.tawfa.com.au

18th Tamworth Fibre Textile Biennial 2010

2009-10-02T10:41:00.000+10:00

MOMENTUM

The 18th Tamworth Fibre Textile Biennial touring exhibition has these venues coming up in NSW in 2010:

6 Feb – 14 March 2010 Western Plains Cultural Centre, Dubbo Regional Gallery;
26 March – 2 May 2010, Hawkesbury Regional Gallery and Museum.

More information is available from http://www.tamworthregionalgallery.com.au

Contemporary Aboriginal Fibre Art

2009-10-01T11:15:00.000+10:00

FLOATING LIFE

Contemporary Aboriginal Fibre Art is on at the Queensland Art Gallery until 11 October and includes a catalogue – it showcases the Qld Art Gallery’s collection.

http://www.qld.gov.au/exhibitions

As well, you can see EASTON PEARSON (fashion design) from August 20 – 1 November 2009 (exhibition catalogue available).

And – PAPERSKIN: Barkcloth Across the Pacific will be exhibited at Gallery 4

QAG from 31 October 2009 – 14 February 2010. This show ‘explores the uniqueness, breadth and aesthetic strength of Pacific barkcloth’ and showcases over 40 ‘outstanding examples.. from the 18th century to the present.’

This show will tour to Te Papa (Wellington, NZ) in 2010.

SILK IKATS of CENTRAL ASIA

2009-10-01T10:33:00.000+10:00

SILK IKATS of CENTRAL ASIA

from the Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia is showing to October 11 at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Art Gallery Road, The Domain, Sydney.

This is a "stunning collection of 50 exotic and vibrant silk robes and textiles created in the late 19th century in the remote region of Uzbekhistan…. This exhibition offers a rare insight into 19th century life in the oasis cities along the Silk Road."

There are associated programs including special tours, free lectures, free films, "Education’ and ‘For Kids’.

Entry is $8/$5 concession;
tickets available online: http://www.artgallerynsw.gov.au

Info line: 1800 679 278

Artcloth: Engaging New Visions

2009-10-01T10:23:00.002+10:00

If you get time, check out the ARTCLOTH exhibition at Fairfield City Museum & Gallery.

Stein Gallery

Artcloth: Engaging New Visions

29 August 2009 - 11 October 2009

Curated by Marie-Therese Wisniowski.

This exhibition wil be opened at 2.00pm Saturday 29 August by Joan Truckenbrod, Professor of Art & Technology, The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, USA.

The ArtCloth movement considers the use of cloth as an art medium. Techniques used include dyeing, shibori, melt-off, discharge, batik, printing, and digital imaging to create cloth of rich visual depth and complexity. This is a movement gaining significant momentum in England, Europe, Asia, New Zealand, Australia and North America. Marie-Therese Wisniowski, the Curator of this exhibition was able to engage a group of 20 enthusiastic and prestigious international Artists who are at the cutting edge of Art Cloth. It is first at the Fairfield City Museum and Gallery. It will then travel around Australia.

Image; Ken Kagajo, 'Discharge-thundercloud'

School Holiday Art Classes in Inner West, Sydney

2009-09-28T13:32:00.005+10:00

Great news! This week I'm starting my new KIDS' CLASSES!

Kids can learn to draw and sketch cartoons in short classes after school AND during the NSW school holidays!

I used to teach kids' art classes when I lived up north, so it'll be a lot of fun help kids find their creativity again.

I've been drawing ever since I picked up my first pencil, and kids love to doodle and sketch, so I'm going to show them easy way to draw cartoon-like animals, people, places and things, and I can't wait!

You can read more here:

http://how-to-paint-on-silk.com/kids-classes

Looking for something for your kids to do for a couple of hours? Bring them to me - classes in Annandale during the school holidays.

Cheers
Teena!

Silk Painting Workhop with Cold Wax

2009-09-28T13:17:00.004+10:00

Had a fabulous day on Saturday for my latest How To Paint On Silk With Cold Wax Workshop!

The students were fabulous, we all enjoyed ourselves and laughed a LOT :-)

You can see more videos from this workshop on my How To Paint on Silk website:

http://how-to-paint-on-silk.com/recent-workshops/2009-september-26-cold-wax

On the same website you'll see I'm also starting my Kids' Cartooning & Drawing Fun Classes this week - woohoo! Can;'t wait!

Teena

AbfabDesigns website updates

2009-09-13T10:58:00.005+10:00

I've been painting and sewing and updating my website ... in no particular order.

Being left-brained/right-brained is certainly clever hahaha and I never run out of things to do :D

I've updated the Interior Design section of my website:

The intro page - see image above:
http://abfabdesigns.com/handpainted-silk-interior-design.html

Handpainted Silk Cushion covers
http://abfabdesigns.com/handpainted-silk-cushion-covers.html

New page Handpainted Silk Room Dividers
http://abfabdesigns.com/handpainted-silk-room-dividers.html

New photos on Handpainted Silk Lampshades
http://abfabdesigns.com/handpainted-silk-lampshades.html

I'm so pleased I've finally done this - phew!

Have a gorgeous Sunday everyone!

Teena

I love my new textile Moo cards

2009-09-02T13:20:00.003+10:00

My new Moo Cards

Ohhhhhhh I can't help it, I love Moo cards!

My latest ones are based on photos of my handpainted silk designs, and they're bright and cheerful and perfect to use as business cards, swing tags, little bookmarks (with a hole punched and ribbon added) ...

Aren't they cute??? Ok Ok I know I'm biased :-)

Teena

Interview about cold wax with silk dyes

2009-06-30T16:52:00.000+10:00

What a wonderful day was had by all at the recent Silk Painting Workshop in Sydney. Even though winter has set in and it was pouring all day long, we surounded ourselves with fabulous silk in bright bright designs.

I interviewed one of my students while she was learning to painting on silk with cold wax and silk dyes - it's only a couple of minutes long, I hope you enjoy it:

Next Silk Workshop in Sydney - Sat 18th July, 2009 - http://www.AbfabDesigns.com

How to paint on silk video

2009-06-05T11:49:00.003+10:00

Silk painting workshop video

I've just turned the photos I posted here yesterday into a music video - I think it's really cool :-)

.If you can't get the video to start, click this link:
http://animoto.com/play/B709315xUuW4G2f1LPxAOw

Let me know what you think!

Cheers
Teena

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Silk Painting with Cold Wax - slideshow

2009-06-02T12:02:00.013+10:00

The Silk Painting Workshop on Saturday was a lot of fun, and my students' results were fantastic!

Above: Student Annie creating a fabulous Mondrian-style piece of artwork on her silk chiffon scarf, using cold wax mixed with fibre-reactive dyes.

I've never met a bunch of totally fearless women when it came to their first ever lesson of painting on silk - it was a joy to watch!

Above: Student Jan painting flowers on her silk chiffon scarf, using cold wax mixed with fibre-reactive dyes.

I've used some of my photos to create a slideshow:
- hover your mouse over the photo to stop the show and read the Description
- move mouse away from slideshow and it will start again.

Above: If you'd like to speed up the slideshow, or slow it down, use the controls in the bottom left corner - use the hyphen or minus button for 'slower', and the plus sign + for 'faster' - cool!

I've also created a sample presentation/slideshow using SlideSix.com - and here's my first attempt - there are only 3 photos, and if I''m happy with the way it works, I'll add the rest to the presentation/slideshow. Let me know what you think!

Here is the Presentation - click the Play Now button(which appears underneath the presentation) to get started:

.
I hope you enjoy these photos!

Ciao for now
Teena!

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Handpainted silk cushion covers

2009-05-24T15:40:00.007+10:00

A lovely warmish wintery day here in Sydney, and I've been having fun by painting new silk for charmeuse cushion covers.

In the photo above, the silk is 55x110cm (22x44"), and I'm half-way through painting with silk dyes. No gutta, nothing apart from the two colours.

I love hot pink and lime green, it reminds me of watermelon and summer days, the smell of fresh cut grass and jasmine vines.

While I'm painting on silk I just love listening to French music and letting the colours flow, making new shades as two intense colours blend and merge with each other ...

In the photo above, you can see more detail of the finished silk charmeuse.

Above: Step 1 - I draw a design on the silk charmeuse with my home-made black gutta-like substance made from Sodium Alginate (seaweed) and black silk dye.

Above: Step 2 : I have painted the silk half way and am now starting on the second half, laying down layers of colours.

Above: Step 3 - the finished handpainted silk, with lots of layers of colours, looking yummy and vibrant. When the colours are set, the silk will become rich and shiny with the various hues.

These cushion covers will be available to purchase on my website tomorrow:

http://abfabdesigns.com/handpainted-silk-cushion-covers.html

I hope you enjoy the bursts of colour as much as I do!

Teena :-)

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Sketching new handpainted silk clothes ideas

2009-04-05T13:13:00.006+10:00

[Click to zoom photo]

Sitting in Piccolo Padre Café this morning, and had my watercolour pencils and notebook with me, so I sketched a couple of colour combo ideas ...

I'm desperate for some new clothes, and it's time to make some, so I doodle for a bit and decided what I really want is something bright - obviously :-), something to slip on which could be smart casual or dressy, depending on what I wear with it. Something really comfortable and which drapes well, and looks faaabulous!

Of course what I've ended up sketching is my TeenaTop design, which I always come back to as it's so simple in its shape, yet has unlimited potential for all kinds of colour combinations, as well as all kinds of types of silk to choose from.

You may remember I've been painting on white sandwashed silk most recently, so I'll use that. It feels so cool and delicious - I love it!

So that's my personal project for this week - a gorgeous new TeenaTop or two :D - and I may just go for the purple and orange which I've sketched above.

PS - if you're wondering about the watercolour pencils, I bought them in an art shop - I colour in my design, then with a slightly damp paintbrush I wash over the colours, they merge and smudge a bit, just like real handpainted silk. You can see my little water container in the photo, top left.

Can't wait to get started!
Ciao for now,
Teena

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Walala Wasala African Textiles exhibition

2009-04-03T19:29:00.002+11:00

Walala Wasala African Textiles exhibition

I've just been invited to the Opening Night of this wonderful exhibition - I love the bold bright colours of ethnic fabric, and there are many stories around this marvellous collection.

"The Walala Wasala exhibition sheds a light on the African continents’ tradition of fabrics in telling African stories and tells of innovation and development efforts.
It is hard to find anywhere, a more colourful recording of history.

This distinctively African method of communication provides an on going record of what is considered significant in the context of a particular time and place. The everyday cloth also offers insights into some of the changes occurring in modern Africa.

The eighty textiles presented are from Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Tunisia, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Zanzibar. Many were acquired through the propaganda fabric sections of political parties in power."

From: 23rd April, 2009
Where: ACU National Gallery @ Strathfield, NSW, Australia
Gate 3, 25 Barker Road, Strathfield

I'm really looking forward to it!

Teena

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The forgotten art of handwriting

2009-03-24T13:56:00.005+11:00

Musing on the forgotten art of writing notes and sending them in the post (snail mail)

This morning I popped into one of my fave cafés - Piccolo Padre - and did something I haven't done for a long, long time. I handwrote a card to a friend overseas ... I didn't use email, Gmail, the internet. And I bought stamps, and then posted the card after I enclosed (attached?) a few bits and pieces.

I used to love writing, sending letters, receiving letters from far away mysterious and exotic lands, the postage stamps would conjure up all kinds of daydreams, sweeping me to far distant places ...

And then I fell in love with the internet.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm a techie girl through and through and couldn't live without my computer and the world of the internet - BUT - lately I've been missing the little ritual of receiving a letter, putting the kettle on, and settling down to read the news from a friend in another country.

So - I've bought a new printer (for the envelopes and loooooong letters) and have every intention of writing more, to more friends. And I hope they'll write back and send via snailmail :-) (you know who you are!)

Maybe you should try doing the same - you never know what joy it may bring - to both of you.

Ciao for now
Teena!

Join me for a Silk Painting Adventure and a Plus Size Fashion Adventure in Paris, France!
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Plus Size Fashion in Paris, France

2009-03-23T12:23:00.005+11:00

Today I'm updating the info on my website about the Plus Size Fashion Adventure in Paris, France - you can join me from 20-27th July, 2009.

Most people think French fashion is for lanky models on catwalks - but not so.

I've found some faaabulous Plus Size clothing stores in Paris and will be sharing them each morning of the Adventure in July. In the afternoons we'll visit cafes, museums, shoe stores, interesting historical shopping arcades ... oh I can't wait!

PS - I used to live in Paris and I just love showing other people around the city I love!

Join me for a Silk Painting Adventure and a Plus Size Fashion Adventure in Paris, France!
http://www.abfabdesigns.com/adventures.html

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Fabulous necklace from India

2009-03-21T17:56:00.003+11:00

I bought a new necklace recently, from India - it's beautiful with authentic beaten coins.

Very heavy, very dramatic - I love it!

Teena

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Breakfast at Croquembouche Cafe Botany

2009-03-21T12:43:00.005+11:00

This morning I met my friends Natalie and Paul at Croquembouche Patisserie in Botany, as we're on a quest to try as many French cafes as we can :-) Paul is testing the hot chocolate (in a traditional breakfast bowl) in the photo above.

Above: I chose the Pain au Chocolat (chocolate croissant) and a bowl of latte - a coffee drinker's dream! Yum yum.

Above : Natalie and I are both drinking from our coffee bowls while we looked at all the gorgeous pastries in this cute little patisserie. It was a hub of activity, evidently their specialty is the Croquembouche cake and we saw one being collected - it was gorgeous!

If you're in the district, it's well worth a visit.

Teena
Yum!

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I cut my own hair

2009-03-18T14:00:00.002+11:00

I didn't have time to go to the hairdresser so I cut my own hair this week - if I don't put any hair products on, it does look a wee bit like an old-style basin cut (by putting a basin on one's head and then cutting), so I don't leave home without the hair gel or wax haha

My back's feeling MUCH better and I feel fabulous again - woohoo!

This week I'm concentrating on several client websites, using my favourite Content Management System (CMS). It's always exciting to help people realise one of their dreams by putting their ideas online as a website.

This week at singing class we learnt 'River Deep, Mountain High' where we got to belt out the lyrics. We are all amateur singers, and it's such a feel good thing to do on Monday nights! I highly recommend it :-)

Have to dash, ciao for now!
Teena

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Life after Fashion Exposed

2009-03-15T22:16:00.005+11:00

The last few days have been a bit of a blur after the Fashion Exposed! finished in Sydney.

I knew I had a sore back standing on cement floors at the Expo, but by the time the show finished I was in a lot of pain and had to rest for several days after having my back manipulated. It was such a passive time, after the crazy couple of weeks leading up to the fashion show.

Gave me lots of daydreaming time :-) And lots of time to enjoy the antics of my cat Ms Mooshie. Here she is resting on the sofa - she has such a sweet nature and is a great friend to have at home while I work ... or rest.

Another day I noticed Mooshie testing out the softness of silk I was about to wash :-) and she does look mighty comfortable:

Isn't it marvellouos that cats know how to relax instantly? I want me some o'that :-)

Teena

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Fashion Exposed 10th March 2009

2009-03-10T23:43:00.001+11:00

Day 3 of Fashion Exposed! in Sydney

What a wonderful journey and adventure, being part of this huge expo in Sydney. Over 550 participants from all over the world, visited by buyers and visitors from all over the world. A marvellous time was had by all! Here's a quick video I took :

ooooooooooo

Here is one of the silk charmeuse tops I've painted:

In the photo below you can see some of my handpainted silk charmeuse cushion covers, and new sandwashed silk painted with my new patterns:

It was such a buzz to see all my silk in an expo like this for 3 days, and the contacts I made are invaluable.

Now I just need a couple of days to recuperate!

Cheers
Teena

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Fashion Expo 9th March 2009

2009-03-09T19:49:00.004+11:00

Day Two @ the Fashion Expo!

What a great adventure it is to talk to and discuss textiles with so many lovely people!

I've been meeting people from all over the world and loving the vibe of being at an international fashion expo.

So many gorgeous clothes, shoes, lingerie, leather bags, jewellery ... and much of it designed by local fashion designers - I'm loving it!

If you're in Sydney, you've got one more day - it's on from 9am to 4pm - the public is welcome, simply sign up online to register, and collect your free ticket at the entrance.

http://www.fashionexposed.com

Just click the button for "Register to Visit"

I''m at Darling Harbour Hall 3, at the back - just look for the BRIGHT COLOURS :-)

Ciao for now,

Teena!

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AbfabDesigns Postcards arrived!

2009-03-04T13:57:00.003+11:00

I am soooo excited! My new AbfabDesign postcards have arrived, ready to hand out to Fashion Exposed fashionistas!

Woohoo!

I'm very happy with them :-)

Only 4 more sleeps ...

Teena

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Using Embedr to play your art videos

2009-03-02T07:40:00.003+11:00

I just read about a new video widget where you can create a Playlist of favourite videos, and them embed the widget - here's my first attempt, using my own videos:

Let's see if it works!

Get your own at http://embedr.com

cheers
Teena

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Photo of new handpainted silk

2009-02-27T09:40:00.004+11:00

Here is a set, washed and ironed piece of silk I painted yesterday 84x94cm - it will become the front of a silk top over the next few days, and I'm loving the design which came from my subconscience to the paintbrush! Yum!

Silk : sandwashed white silk
Dyes : Procion

Can't wait to wear it!

Teena

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Handpainting sand-washed silk

2009-02-26T12:04:00.004+11:00

What a delicious fabric this sand-washed silk is!

Drapes beautifully, and very thirsty as I paint the Procion dyes on.

Still, the results so far are stunning!

A few months back I sketched a Haori jacket, top and pants, just doodling over a coffee in one of my favourite cafes (above). Today I've just started painting these two colours - hot pink and orange - for this new Haori jacket and I can't wait to see it made up! Woohoo!

I'll post a photo tomorrow!
Teena

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Fashion Exposed 8 March 2009

2009-02-22T13:43:00.003+11:00

Fantastic News!

I've been accepted to be part of Fashion Exposed on 8-9-10 March, 2009 in Darling Harbour (Sydney) - woohoo! I've got two weeks to handpaint and sew my own designs to make around ten new tops and coats in silk - quite the challenge, and I'm soooo excited!

Will take plenty of photos as I create my new fashion designs. Have to dash, the sewing machine is calling!

Ciao ciao
Teena!

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My handpainted silk koalas

2009-02-18T15:14:00.003+11:00

Pssst! Click the photo above to zoom in :-)

Everyone who knows me knows that I love koalas and I've been sketching and painting them for years.

I did a few silk paintings this week, 40x50"/100x130cm, using Procion dyes and my home-made black gutta-like substance for outlining.

I hope you like this one :-)

Teena

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Handpainted Silk Bookmarks Video

2009-02-15T16:54:00.003+11:00

When I was creating silk bookmarks recently, I took some photos (as I always do) to create a journal of the process - here are some of my photos in a quick video with music - I do hope you enjoy it :-)

Cheers
Teena!

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How To Paint on Silk Video 0005 Black gutta + music

2009-02-15T16:47:00.004+11:00

I thought you might enjoy this short video with music, showing my use of home-made black gutta (with sodium alginate) and strong colours.

I hope you enjoy this little video clip!

Cheers
Teena

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I've been Tagged!

2009-02-15T10:27:00.003+11:00

Woohoo!

I've been tagged by Deborah Younglao - my first "tag" - luckily Deborah told me what I needed to do.

Here are the rules for tagging:

1. Put a link in your posting about the artist that tagged you.

2. Write 5 -7 unusual things about yourself.

3. Tag 5 - 7 other bloggers and let them know.

Wow - this might be tough - I don't actually follow many other blogs, so let me put my thinking cap on ....

These are the other blogs I'm tagging - please pop over and visit them :-)

Deborah Younglao's blog is her journey of creating several small silk paintings each week, and it's always a delight to see the beautiful scenery she creates.

Karen Zabawa is a delightful photo-journalist and her blog showcases the beauty of the part of Canada where Karen lives, as well as keeping her followers up-to-date with travel tips

Carolyne Lee - like me - is a Francophile, someone who loves all things French. Carolyne's blog talks about her favourite city (same as mine - Paris) and home away from home - and various things French. Carolyne has my Paris website http://A-Night-in-Paris.com as one of her favourite sites - thanks Carolyne!

Hmmm - I need to dig out the links for other blogs I've enjoyed - I'll be back with more later.

My dear friend Petiepops is arriving soon to take me out for a belated birthday lunch - yum!

Ciao for now
Teena!

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How to Paint on Silk Video 004 Make your own gutta

2009-02-15T09:41:00.003+11:00

I have made a video showing you how to mix Sodium alginate (seaweed-based, also known as Manutex) to make your own gutta at home.

The beauty of this product is that after the colours set and you wash the silk, the alginate/gutta disappears without a trace. If you colour the alginate with dyes (like I do with black) the dye remains and the alginate disappears.

I've been looking for the perfect gutta-like substance for years!

Here's my video ...

I'm so pleased to be able to share this with you, and I hope it helps someone else.

Have a fabulous day!
Teena

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How To Paint on Silk Video 0003 Black gutta, hot pink & orange

2009-02-14T13:40:00.003+11:00

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

Just uploaded my new video which shows my handmade black gutta and two of my favourite colours:

Hope you enjoy it,
Ciao ciao
Teena

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Adding silk painting videos to my blog

2009-02-02T12:50:00.001+11:00

I've just had some fun trying to add my silk painting videos to the bottom of my blog layout.

By jove I think I've done it!

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Handpainted silk ballerina with wax hot and cold

2009-02-02T12:04:00.007+11:00

Today I was thinking about a silk painting I did in France in June 2007.

In the photo above, I had drawn the design (copied from a photo) onto white silk (24x24inches) with a very soft pencil, and started by adding cold wax to block out the parts of the painting which I wanted to remain white. You can see parts of this in the skirt and the ballet shoe.

In the photo above, you can see the many uses of cold wax and hot wax in the almost-rain-like drops in the bottom left corner (cold wax), which had been gone over with shades of blue and water in several layers. The hot wax was used in the fine detail in the skirt as well as the darker bottom right corner.

Above : you can now see the large patterned drops, some had been white, some were painted a soft pink on top of the white, then new cold wax applied, in a multi-layering technique.

Above: you can now see more detail of the bottom right corner, where a fan brush (in French, brosse eventail) with hot wax was used to make the almost-circular fine sweeping brushstrokes. Again, the wax was applied in a multi-layering effect to bring out the shadows and lightness to create a three dimensional feel to the silk painting.

This entire painting was so different from anything I had painted before - I was in a small master class (only 2 other people) with Lydie Ottelart in Chambon-sur-Lignon for the annual French silk painting festival. Lydie's a professional silk artist who uses the wax techniques to great effect, and I had a wonderful time! Thank you Lydie!!

I'll upload more photos from this trip to France over time to share with you.

Cheers
Teena!

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Inspiration from Sydney Harbour

2009-01-31T07:54:00.004+11:00

Good morning!

Yesterday I decided I needed a little adventure, so I decided a summer's day on Sydney Harbour would be perfect.

I took two ferries to go from Chiswick to Circular Quay (heart of Sydney) and then over to Manly Beach on the ocean. Ohhhhhh it was bliss! Riding ferries always makes me feel like I'm on holidays, the fresh sea air clears out all the cobwebs, and the fantastic views, seagulls, waves and brilliant colours make me think of painting on silk. (What doesn't? I ask myself :-)

I painted a couple of silk bookmarks with the Sydney Opera House on them, and today I'll be sketching and painting more Sydney-inspired goodies - yay!!!

How has your week been?

Cheers
Teena

Silk - habotai 8mm
Dyes - Procion
Gutta - home made Sodium Alginate with black Procion dye

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Happy Australia Day

2009-01-26T11:10:00.005+11:00

Today is a public holiday in Australia to commemorate the landing of the first British colonists' ship in Australia in 1788.

I'd like to take this opportunity to wish all Aussies a Happy Australia Day, and to say thank you to the original owners of Australia - the Aboriginal people - who have a rich and diverse culture.

As an artist I have seen many paintings done by Aboriginal artists, and I love the rich earth tones used from things occurring in nature - the red ochre of the soil, for example.

Some of my painting have been influenced by Aboriginal style, and I'm proud to say I'm an Aussie. When I travel and live overseas, I love to talk about this amazing country and our multi-culturalism, which can grow and prosper if we all agree to be kind to our fellow human beings of all colours and all races.

(Pssst! That's my 'Kangaroo Waving' handpainted silk painting.)

Have a great Australia Day everyone!
Teena

A new blidget - blog widget

2009-01-25T18:53:00.003+11:00

Today I've added a new BLIDGET to some of my websites.

If you'd like to add my blidget to your own blog or igoogle, simply click the bottom of the blidget and copy the code.

I love all this technology!

Teena

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Teena's videos for painting on silk

2008-12-29T10:32:00.005+11:00

Someone asked me today if I had any videos on silk painting, and I thought it would be a good idea to list them in one place:

YouTube:

If you can't see the video above of me painting on silk, you can also click this link
- http://www.youtube.com/v/knN6s51abpg

If you can't see the video above of me painting on silk, you can also click this link
- http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6qGnHWhzfc

Animoto:

My silk bookmarks - http://animoto.com/play/0ibK0B3hszSWHPpjFDKrkQ

Painting on silk with my black gutta - http://animoto.com/play/dTgPbam07y1jzRt0y1VP2A

Want to make your own 30 second free video with music? Only takes 5 minutes! I love it!

Enjoy!!
Teena

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Silk Painting Classes in Sydney

2008-12-26T13:14:00.003+11:00

Hi!

Happy Boxing Day!!

I've just finalised my schedule for silk painting classes in Sydney for the next six months, and you can read about them on this page:

http://abfab-australia.com/silk-painting-class.html

There's a good selection for Beginners and Intermediate students to choose from, in an easy-to-reach location in Annandale - you'll find a map on the page.

I look forward to seeing new faces and meeting new people who love silk as much as I do!

Ciao ciao
Teena!

=

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Shopping for Silk in Paris

2008-12-23T12:01:00.002+11:00

I wrote a new Abfab Silk Newsletter today, and mentioned MOLINE, the famous series of Paris stores which house EVERYTHING you'd ever need in the way of fabric, textiles, haberdashery etc - exquisite!

Wish I was there RIGHT now :-)

Here's the photo I posted :

The rich colours of the silk are simply mouthwatering!

To read more, pop over to my Newsletter - and if you'd like to sign up, please do so - the more the merrier!

Teena

Teena in lilac - Cairns 2004

2008-12-20T17:15:00.003+11:00

I was going through old photos looking for something this afternoon, and spotted me looking VERY lilac :-)

The photo was taken in Cairns on 14th April, 2004 - and yes, my digital photos have date 'names', I can't help myself haha

I remember buying the pants and shirt over the internet from a textile dyer in Victoria - I just tried her website but unfortunately the domain is no longer active. It's summertime right now in Australia, and I'd love that outfit in my wardrobe right now. Alas and alack, it's in storage.

Certain clothes, aromas, fleeting memories can transport me to places and times long past. The waft of jasmine on a summer's evening takes me hurtling back through space and time to my childhood bedroom, where I had a jasmine vine growing outside my bedroom window. Other memories of those day include fresh cut grass, that yummy green aroma of hot summer.

Nothing arty to report today, just idle musings about life ...

Hope you're all having a gorgeous day or evening, wherever you are in the world.

Teena!

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Silk Painting Coffee Table Book

2008-12-17T09:41:00.005+11:00

A website enquiry about one of my other websites got me thinking about a project idea which I keep pushing to the back of my very busy brain ... but this week I decided that to FINISH, I need to START :-)

I gathered photos of my silk painting adventures - recent and past - and started putting them in a square book template which will be perfect to sit on a coffee table.

Each photo above will appear on its own page - above you can see the 25 page book layed out - each page will have a description of the type of silk, dyes and other embellishments, techniques used - and I must say it was a lovely feeling to see this in one snapshot of my life (as shown above)!

The silk paintings or pieces of silk from scarves, wallhangings etc each hold a special memory for me, and this is like my own personal mosaic of some of the silk paths I've followed, some of the silken threads which have gently pulled me from country to country, adventure to adventure.

I have many more photos which I might add to this book or make a follow-up, but I'm pleased as punch to have got to this point ... now I need to FINISH it :-)

Pages in book : 20+
Size of page : 7.5 x 7.5 inches
Availability : as soon as it's ready :-)

You can zoom in a wee bit by clicking on the image above.

I'm so happy with it!
Teena

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Bold handpainted silk bookmarks

2008-12-08T13:58:00.004+11:00

I love my new handpainted silk bookmarks!

Oh I've had such a fabulous time this past week, drawing and creating my new bookmarks

Each one is a fabulous mini-painting, which I've backed with white to help the truly bright colours show up, and then laminated to protect them. Oh what fun I had!

To view all the other BOOKMARKS, pop over to my website http://abfabdesigns.com/handpAInted-silk-bookmarks.html

Hope you're all having a gorgeous day!
Teena

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Baby shower gift

2008-12-03T18:35:00.005+11:00

Silly me! I had run out of wrapping paper when I went to wrap the baby gift, so I quickly made some on the computer, printed four sheets of paper, taped them together and voila!

Here you can see the wrapped gift and the gorgeous little baby card:

We had a wonderful picnic down by the lake with about 15 women friends - everyone made something to eat to share, and it was such a feast - what a truly wonderful way to spend a summer's lunchtime in Sydney!

I hope you've had a gorgeous day as well ...

Teena

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Handpainted silk angel fish

2008-12-03T06:00:00.005+11:00

A friend of mine is having a baby shower today and I've painted one of my Angel Fish to be framed to hang on the wall of the baby's room.

I've used Habotai silk, and my own homemade black gutta (outliner) made from alginate (seawood) and Procion fiber-reactive dye in black.

The rest of the colours are a mixture of fiber reactive dyes Drimarene K and Procion.

I have a series of cute little animals which I'll share with you soon.

I've also made an Animoto video of the silk bookmarks I've made this week, and include it here for you:

http://animoto.com/play/0ibK0B3hszSWHPpjFDKrkQ

And now it's time to laminate some of those bookmarks!

Have a gorgeous day,
Cheers
Teena

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New handpainted silk chiffon scarves

2008-11-26T13:33:00.006+11:00

Yum yum!

I painted new silk chiffon scarves this week and have put photos on my website at AbfabDesigns.com - I love new designs! Here's a sneak peek:

The one above is hot pink, orange and yellow tips on the flowers.

They're 21x21 inches / 54x54 cm square, and are perfect for:

tying around the neck
tying around the hair
tying around the brim of your hat
tying to your handbag
popping into your coat jacket breast pocket
click HERE to view the others!

I'll be painting new BOLD designs over the coming weeks, and yes, if you order quickly you'll get them before Christmas!

Ciao ciao,
Teena!

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Sodium Alginate as Black Gutta

2008-11-18T22:02:00.004+11:00

My version of Black Gutta

Hi there! Tonight I mixed up a new batch of Drimarene K / Procion fiber-reactive dyes - yum yum - and also I made a new batch of sodium alginate (seaweed) to use as gutta (pronounced "gootah").

I took some photos while I was painting, and I quickly made a mini video which I'll share with you here:

Click here to play the video

Here are a couple of photos of the piece of silk I painted

In the photo above I kept adding drops of black dye to the sodium alginate/water solution, until I was happy with the way it looked on the silk. You can see the numbers 1, 2 and 3 as I was adding a few more drops at a time until I reached the right level of black.

UPDATE Feb 18, 09 : Using this new black gutta-like substance with applicators and fine nibs - http://abfab-art-studio.blogspot.com/2009/02/how-to-paint-on-silk-video-004-make.html

PRODUCTS USED

Silk: Habotai
Gutta: Sodium Alginate with black dye
Colours: fiber-reactive - some Procion / some Drimarene K

Oooooooohhhhh I love this crazy style of painting - I had lots of fun!

Teena

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Silk artist Jean-Baptiste

2008-11-08T17:45:00.004+11:00

I just spotted one of my favourite fellow silk artists on YouTube, and I've been jumping and jiving to the music in this gorgeous 7 minute video! Hope you like it ...

PS - if you can't see the video above, click this link to view it at Youtube.

I've been working on a couple of silk videos too, sharing my techniques, and I simply must get them online a.s.a.p.

Psst - remind me to tell you about the Silk Painting book I've been writing!!

Ciao for now
Teena!

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A Rainbow of Paintbrushes

2008-11-05T09:27:00.002+11:00

I love colour - but then you already knew that, right? :-)

The photo above is a shot of some of my paintbrushes - when I travel, I lay them out on a couple of bamboo placemats, then roll them up and tie securely with ribbon.

The benefits are twofold - the brushes arrive without their bristles being jammed up against anything in your suitcase, and once unrolled they are ready to get to work.

As you can see in the photo, I put down white paper towel and a chopstick (generally a square one so the brushes won't roll), and then the first time I dip the brush in dye, I put a small amount of that colour on the paper. This is a visual aid, so as I'm about to pick up or put down a paintbrush, I can easily see which colour goes where.

The photo above is of the last hot chocolate I had in Paris the day I flew back to Sydney. I popped into Cacao et Chocolat around the corner from where I was staying, and the aroma of the chocolate was too much to bear. I had an incredibly rich, thick and creamy hot chocolate while I daydreamed about the wonderful time I'd had meeting so many French silk artists in one visit - ahhhhhhh it was delightful!

My new silk chiffon scarves have just arrived, so I'll be painting lots over the next few weeks, getting ready for Christmas - ooooh I can't wait to paint my new designs!

The scarves are 21x21 inch / 54x54cm, and deliciously light - yum!

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Why cat's don't type

2008-10-14T11:15:00.003+11:00

Just saw this and it cracked me up :-)

My Ms Mooshie cat would sit patiently, but this kittie couldn't wait hahahahaha - you must watch it to the end!

And Nora the piano-playing cat- shown below - is simply marvellous! Such skill - she's superb! My French cat Chantilly (meaning whipped cream in French) used to run up my back when I'd answer the door in my French apartment (back in the 80s). As she grew, and became heavier, I could no longer wear her around my neck as I painted on silk - so she's sit on the side of the stretched silk frame and chew (or try to) on the ends of my paintbrushes - I loved Chantilly, she was gorgeous, and of course spoke French and Australian :-)

Ciao for now!
Teena

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Yum yum pashminas in Paris!

2008-10-08T19:02:00.005+11:00

Look at these yummy colours - I bought these two pashminas in Paris in June - one is hot pink and orange, the other is hot pink and dark pink - I love them! Psssst! click the photos to zoooom in ...

Above: buying scarves, pashminas etc at the foot of Sacre Coeur

On this particular day, my friend Sigrun and I were visiting a new silk artist friend who has an art Studio (Atelier) to the side of the Sacre Coeur (Sacred Heart) church in Montmartre, and we both spied these fabulous pashminas. They were so inexpensive, and when I got back to Sydney and winter had really kicked in I was pleased to be able to wear them and keep toastie-pie warm :-)

The little sidestreets at the foot of the Sacre Coeur are filled with fascinating stores, including lots and lots of fabric like the photo above, where you can find everything you've ever wanted. Well, almost :-)

I just love walking this district and being surrounded by colour and textiles and the sheer possibilities - yes, that's the word I'm looking for - the possibilities to be found in the textiles and trims.

Ahhhhhhhh, Montmartre .... j'adore!

Teena

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Beautiful fabric trims from Paris

2008-10-06T15:51:00.004+11:00

Aren't these fabric trims GORGEOUS?

I bought them in Paris - a metre (yard) of each, and they are SO bright and fabulous, I can't wait to use them. Maybe they'll trim the neck of a new silk top, or maybe I'll finally get around to making that handpainted silk handbag I keep talking about :-)

Either way, these trims need to be SEEN!

A silk artist friend in Paris told me she thought they came from Morocco - I haven't found anything similar online yet - but if you do, please let me know - I'd love to buy more!

Ciao for now
Teena!

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Handpainted silk cushions by Teena

2008-10-06T15:26:00.007+11:00

A while back I posted photos of a silk charmeuse cushion I'd been painting, and I've finally got around to taking photos of the finished cover on a cushion - it looks gorgeous (but then - I am kind of biased :-)

The front has a turquoise background, and purple petals - all handpainted by brush using fibre-reactive dyes and the outline I created with white cold wax:

The back of the cushion cover (below) I swapped the colours around and painted the background purple - they both look cool :-)

I particularly like the free-hand feel to the design - no sketch, just a simple flower, then painted it.

Once the design was set (overnight), I washed and sewed the cushion cover, and I'm so pleased with the quality of the silk, and the luscious feel to it - it is marvellous against the skin, and I think I'll paint a few more of these to throw on my sofa and bed.

Hope you like it! I'll be posting more photos soon of the other designs I've been working on.

Ciao for now!
Teena

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How to wear a scarf

2008-10-05T09:59:00.008+11:00

Hello! Happy long weekend from Sydney! If you're in Australia, don't forget to let your clocks LEAP FORWARD into summer time!

This morning has dawned cooler and wet, so I ducked out to buy some croissants and came home to make a yummy thick creamy latte, with my old Italian espresso pot, and it was so rich with flavour.

Daydreaming as I often do, I've been thinking about writing some step-by-step guides on how to tie a scarf, as so many people are at a loss when it comes to making their gorgeous scarves look great.

So I've decided to write an email series of instructions - how to tie either a square or rectangular scarf in a different way each time - with sketches and photos. It's something I've been thinking of for such a long time, and it'll be great to get it started! It's right next to the 'write a mini book on how to wear scarves', on the To Do List :-)

I'll let you know when you can sign up to get your tips in your email inbox.

I love this photo above, reminds me of a particluar day in my Studio, sun streaming through the windows, everything all set to go on a new silk painting project - oooooh that's such a fabulous feeling!

OK - that's it for now ,
Ciao ciao
Teena!

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New silk scarves on the way to Sydney

2008-09-24T18:56:00.007+10:00

I am breathlessly awaiting the arrival of beautiful new white silk chiffon, gossamer-fine scarves to paint on and sell on my website!

They are 21 inches square / 55 cm square, with hand-rolled edges - a perfect size for a little dash of colour, splash of panache to add to your outfit. I even tie them to my handbags for a little added thrill of gorgeousness :-)

But I wax lyrical - I easily get carried away with aniticipation - they should be here in about 2 weeks and then I can start painting them - ooooooohhhhh goodie!

Below is a photo of a larger silk chiffon scarf I've already painted, to give you an idea of how the chiffon drapes beautifully from the shoulders.

PS - I've updated my old Silk Newsletter software, jumping headlong into the 21st Century! If you'd like to be updated when new silk arrives, when new clothing designs are available, and when I have new tips and tricks for silk, please pop over to the Silk Newsletter sign up page:

http://abfabdesigns.com/newsletter.html

Ciao for now,
Teena!

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Red wine, luscious lattes, and vodka tonics in Melbourne!

2008-09-21T19:50:00.001+10:00

What a weekend I've just had!

Visited my friend Anca in Melbourne and we drank and ate our way through several days filled with the laughter of friends, old and new. Aaaaaaaahhhhh it was soooo good for the soul!

My one coffee tip - we popped into the Car Park Cafe at Camberwell Markets, and Handsome Harry served up a fabulous latte to go with our yummy lunches (I had the best foccacia I've had in yonks!).

When I left Sydney on Friday it was a delightful 28degC - Melbourne was cooler, with some rain, and we were definitely tempted to light the fire for dinner on Saturday night. Oh yes - a manicure and pedicure for us both on Saturday morning was definitely a treat well-deserved :-)

Talk of websites, keywords, internet marketing whet our whistle and we came up with lots of ideas for future adventures - woohoo! Ms Mooshie was certainly pleased to see me after 2 days of being a lady of leisure in the penthouse :-)

Later!

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Handpainted silk Australian designs

2008-09-02T18:02:00.007+10:00

One of my newsletter subscribers asked me today if I had done any handpainted silk using indigenous designs, and so I went back through some photos to find some paintings I did in the early 1990's - not really indigenous designs per se, but a sort of theme nonetheless.

At the time I was a Member of ArtistsForLife, a Sydney-based Australian group of artists whose paintings and exhibitions focussed on endangered species and all Australian animals and wildlife - the Exhibition was in November 1992.

Shown here are a couple of those paintings.

This first one is called KANGAROO WAVING, and you're right - the photo isn't very good - but it was a long time before digital cameras and this is as good as I have.

I love the colours here - the rich red brown of the earth, the bright blue sky with red and yellow highlights. I remember painting all those little triangles around the outside which took forever, but I did like the effect when it was finished. :-)

I liked the black kanga painting so much I did another one using a grey kangaroo - I also increased the size of the triangular border for a different effect, which I quite like; I also added some boomerangs across the skyline for a bit of fun:

My favourite though is always my Kevin Koala, in one of his many reposes, always comfortable, always cute and cuddly, nestling in the crook of a gum tree:

I remember this particular Exhibition very well - it was at the Australian Museum in Sydney, and it was very exciting to hang the paintings in the day, then return for the opening ceremony.

Imagine my surprise when I returned that evening to find the tv cameras set up in front of my paintings! Evidently they thought the 'feel' of the paintings was indigenous, and they chose my paintings to be in the background when the special guest, Burnum Burnum opened the Exhibition. Here's a photo of me with Burnum Burnum, and I'm wearing a handpainted silk sleeveless coat I made to match the paintings.

Above: Teena Hughes and Burnum Burnum at the "Artists For Life"
Exhibition on Endangered Species - Opening Ceremony, Nov 1992.

This is a photo of the silk stretched and being painted before it was cut and sewn into the coat shape:

Above: Habotai silk stretched on wooden frame,
design for coat drawn in gutta, French dyes

Oh what wonderful memories these photos bring back!! A wee trip down memory lane, indeed. I hope you enjoyed it too!

Cheers
Teena

Join me for a Silk Painting Adventure in Paris France July - August 2009!
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Handpainted silk cards and journals

2008-08-31T10:40:00.005+10:00

Today is the end of an era - albeit a small one ... I'm moving out of my art studio, as the lady who rented me a portion of her floorspace has decided she needs the space back. It's raining and cold in Sydney today, so I don't plan to spend too many hours carrying my stuff down the stairs; the sooner my little car is packed, the better. I've been looking for a new apartment, and now I'll look for a place big enough to have my Studio in - a new adventure!

This week I've added some gorgeous gifts to my Abfab website - you can buy journals, greeting cards and wooden jewellery/jewelry boxes all with my handpainted silk designs! How cool is that? You can view them here:

http://abfabdesigns.com/gifts.html

Better head out to the Studio - ciao for now,
Teena!

Join me for a Silk Painting Adventure in Paris France July - August 2009!
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Handpainted silk Koala

2008-08-23T08:47:00.007+10:00

As you may know, I always draw koalas - it's just something I love to do - so whenever I have a piece of silk to test new products and techniques on, I inevitably draw a koala.

Thus I drew this little fellow in Paris ...

I had purchased a fabulous fountain pen/brush at the silk paint suppliers, Shop Text Ponsard, and I couldn't wait to get it home and put some black dye in it and test it out. Yo can see the black outlines above - it worked perfectly!

I was also testing some gorgeous gold powder and you can see the embellishment on my name above, as well as inside the curl and on the small triangles - this is fabulous! Can't wait to play some more!

Teena

Join me for a Silk Painting Adventure in Paris France July - August 2009!
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Silk at Moline in Paris

2008-08-23T08:12:00.004+10:00

I'm still sorting through almost 1,000 photos I took in Paris in June, and a truly memorable day was the one I spent in Montmartre with my friend Sigrun, going through the beautiful Moline fabric stores. Moline has several stores within walking distance of each other, each with a specialty of its own.

Of course I wanted to find the SILK one, which had these two store models to draw me in.

Click the photo to zoom in on the detail - these frocks are made without sewing, and you can see lots of fine detail which has been cut into the silk for display. You'd never see this in Sydney!

I also marvelled over the fabulous way the rolls of silk were displayed in their wooden wall units - an ingenious fabric strip with large holes punched in it, to slot the end of the roll into and allow it to unroll easily. Marvellous!

Teena

Join me for a Silk Painting Adventure in Paris France July - August 2009!
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Where to buy Silk Saris in Sydney

2008-07-12T07:39:00.001+10:00

A while back I visited some silk sari shops with friends in Liverpool (Sydney), and I've just found the details of a shop MUCH closer to home, so thought I'd post it here so I won't lose it.

From the Sydney Morning Herald:

You never know who you'll run into when you're out looking for curtains. The man behind the counter is Brij Bhushan Lal (pictured with Devi Manjula). He's a retired Hindu priest, author, fortune-teller and fabric wallah who's kept the Indian community well-stocked in saris for more than 20 years. His mind-boggling range of colourful, sheer chiffons and shimmering silks are a dream come true for decorators on a tight budget. Just throw them over a curtain rod or clip to a cheap IKEA wire fitting. It's Bollywood for dummies.
Bottom line From $30 for a two-metre chiffon drop.
634 King Street, Newtown, 02- 9516 3146

What a riot of colour! I must go check it out sometime soon.

Teena

Join me for a Silk Painting Adventure in Paris France June 2009!
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A week in Paris already

2008-06-14T18:45:00.006+10:00

It's hard to believe but I've been in Paris for a week already!

At 7:15am this morning my friend from Iceland rang to say she was at the door to my building in Paris - woohoo! A silk artist to play with! (And one of the top silk artists in Iceland ...)

We're already talking about courses for next year, and hoping I can attend her exibition in Milan around the same time :-)

I was in Galleries Lafayette the other day and saw an exhibition of scarves - 'foulards' - painted by famous designers - here are a couple - click the photo to zoom in!

Above: by Christian Lacroix

They were beautiful, and each one so very different.

Above : by Castelbajac

Tomorrow the Silk Painting Adventure in Paris begins at 6:00pm with a Champagne Cruise on the River Seine ... oh don't you wish you were here?

A bientot! More soon!
Teena

Join me for a Silk Painting Adventure in Paris France June 2009!
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