I have been holding two separate events happily in my mental calendar, not bothering to write either in my iPhone calendar because I was so confident that I was not going to forget them... and I didn't. I just hadn't realised that they were happening at the same time.
So. I'd made a date with Lady Duck to go to the Fred Williams exhibition at the NGA today, because it was her birthday just before mine, and she's been in love with FW forever and forever. I'd bought her the catalogue, and Colonel Duck was going to do something else for a while as we immersed ourselves.
I also enrolled in a screenprinting class this weekend at Megalo with Minigraff, partly to encourage my friend Jezza to come along & use his awesome design skills in a more physical way, and partly because screenprinting fell through the cracks of my printmaking education, and I've always wanted to try it.
It wasn't until I turned up this morning, bang on time (because Mini runs a TIGHT SHIP AND WOE BETIDE ANYONE WHO COMES LATE (unless they've made a cake)), when I thought to myself 'I'm so loving this. Just think, next Sunday I'll be looking at art with mum... or was it this Sunday? Which means it would be... oh shit... TODAY!'. I dashed outside and rang them, and sure enough, I was between a rock and a hard place.
Bugger. Buggery bugger.
They were in Canberra for another reason, which is good, and to his credit, CD took mum to see the show anyway, because if she'd missed it, she'd always regret it. But I feel like a heel. When I rang up tonight to apologise AGAIN, Colonel Duck answered the phone and said to my meek 'hi', 'Who's that? Our daughter? We don't have a daughter anymore...' and then thankfully burst out laughing.
Phew. If it's any consolation, the class was really, really good. Here's what I made:
Balloon Day, © Ampersand Duck 2011
I thought I might do a run on tea-towels later in the year, along with a few other cat designs. I like how well black cats work with screenprinting!
When I got home, the house was empty. The boys have gone to Kyogle for a week to visit our new {cough} great-nephew. I'm cat-sitting and catching up on various things, including sleep. Best holiday ever!
I started with some gardening. They (the boys) gave me a magnolia tree for my birthday, something I've always wanted to have in the garden. We went down to the nursery and I found a variety called:
STAHWAZ!! How could I resist? I've planted it where it will eventually cast shade on the studio in summer, allow sun in winter, and will look stunning in spring. *happy*
The garden is delightful.
I did a tour of the garden with the cats and took some photos.
Check out my dogwood tree!
I've got the rest of the photos as a flickr set, but here's a couple more:
Time to make a simple dinner and watch Mme Ramostwe do her thang. So nice not to have to get all fancypants with the food, etc.
15 comments:
Loving the Ladies Number 1 etc. Great to see the last things done by Anthony Minghella and Sydney Pollack. Beautiful garden and the cats are great compliments to it.
I didn't know it was your birthday. Why didnt you say - I feel bad...I bet it was the day I saw you! we should def celebrate bi when we catch up. No double booking.
Great dogwood, watch out some florist doesnt come and prune it.
XNP
What is this STAHWAZ of which you speak?
This post made me totally freak out about the calendar. Am about to go over everything in my diaries and calendars, on and offline, again.
The pix of the cats in the garden are just stunning.
Black cats work well in screen prints. Well, yes, but aren't they buggers to draw! (Their blog banner makes them look grey!)
Loving the dogwood - it's one of the things I just don't see here in Sydney.
That magnolia will be gorgeous.
Ooooh. That screen print is so special. You are clever.
Loving the garden and the feline guards of honour too.
Pav, it's my pet name for the Star Wars obsession that has gripped certain parts of my household for the last... ten years. That's why I couldn't resist a tree that will always remind me of the light in my son's eyes bestowed by George Lucas and team.
Ta peoples. It's very rudimentary screenprinting, but I've got the bug.
nice cats (in prints and pics) I must say they do have the look of co-conspirators about them... beware black cats (they are always hatching a plan for world domination).... perhaps the star wars magnolia will hold them in check?
Well your cats seem to have adapted to the new environs brilliantly. Our Bea ran away twice in the first two days of moving and barely came out from under the bed for a week.
And Ramotswe is on telly now? I've only just started reading it. (Chalk that up to the very persuasive powers of Pavlov's Cat...)
I think I would be very happy with a Padge and Pooter Dezinez t-towel for Christmas, as would both big and little Rs so we are sorted!
How you get that lovely 3D zoomy effect with the Camellia shot? And I am so pleased you have a dogwood and now a magnolia. My magnolias give me endless pleasure, even though they are not STAHWAHZ.
Ooh, cool garden! Lovely dogwood tree... I am having a moment of dogwood envy. Glad you're having fun and the cats love it... shame you didn't get to see the Fred Williams exhibition!
Oooh - would love the cat tea-towels.
I have NO idea how I got that photo effect. I was playing around with the macro setting, just got lucky, I guess!
I would like Padge and Pooter tea towel also. Do they love or hate balloons?
This is the beginning of the end I'm afraid Ampersand! I can JUST remember the days when I could keep all events in my head. My mum used to be impressed. I thought she must have been pretty hopeless ... And then another decade or so passed ... And the rest as they say is ...
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