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It's all about the pillows...


I love pillows…

I love their coziness, their luxurious voluptuousness and the possibilities of beauty and comfort they provide. It may have to do with the word “pillow” itself…what do you think of when you hear it? Big, soft, fluffy pillows piled on top of your bed; piles of gorgeous pillows in fabulous colours and textures on a deep-seated sofa…perfect for reading or napping on a cold, rainy day. Or perhaps it is the pillowy hug from the woman you love or the mother who held you when you were tired or sad.

Wherever you find the word “pillow” it is usually associated with comfort. I have always carried my pillow (or “pullump”, as the five-year-old Aussie kid in me says) on any trip, be it a short road trip or a fifteen hour flight across the Pacific Ocean.

As a little girl, when my dad would come home from work he would call out “get your pullump Christine, we’re going to Queensland!” Oh the heaven of it! A huge pile of pillows and blankets in the back of the van and a thousand mile drive ahead of us. Too bad I had to share it with my two little brothers - but that’s another story.

Then there was the bliss of being wrapped in the loving, pillowy bosom of my nanna when we finally arrived in Queensland and climbing into a bed that was encircled by a "romantic” mosquito net and made up in clean, white, cotton sheets and pillows. One of my daughter’s few memories of my dad includes bringing her pullump into bed with him and nanna for a morning snuggle.

I have this huge collection of of gorgeous fabric and vintage blankets that just keeps expanding; spilling off the shelves, into drawers, out of drawers; piling up in corners…

So when I asked myself the question “what do I want to do?” I thought…”I want to make pillows.” I will make beautiful pillows to make people happy.

Saturday, 29 December 2012

Drift Exhibition and Market - December 2012



This was the event, and these were some of the creations generated by the event.  Once again Mariko and Bryan at Feedlot Studio on Gabriola came up with a wonderful idea and followed through with it, creating a wonderful opportunity for all of us to showcase our wares.  The weekend was a great success for all of the artists and artisans as well as a big success for the Nanaimo Art Gallery.

Inspired by the vintage image Mariko used for the ad postcard I created a group of pillows especially for the show.  I was especially smitten with this beautiful, chiarascuro image so I created a pillow in it's honour.  

As it was a winter show I decided to use some of my vintage woolen blankets and a vintage (very moth eaten) Hudson Bay woolen coat.  I then decided to stay with the idea of Drift, and create images of things drifting such as the sailboat drifting through the ice, the hot air balloons drifting in front of the snow capped mountains, the maple leaves and the French school girls drifting around underneath their huge umbrellas.

I have never done anything like this before so it was an adventure, but I discovered I loved the creative aspect of it.  I had to find the image, draw it onto a piece of cardboard and then cut out the template to trace onto the blanket.  Many layers of different stitching in a variety of colours brought the image into relief.

Well that is enough for one year.  Happy new year to everyone, and may we all go on to a joyous and creative 2013.

Salute....

Christine




This is the original pillow with the postcard in front.
Close up of the ship with the rigging,this has an envelope closure at the back of the pillow.  (sold)
The pillow case was made from a vintage RCMP blanket and the icebergs and boat were pieces of another beautiful, soft white wool blanket.

Hot air balloon drifting in front of the snow capped mountains. (still available)

The basket and balloons were highlighted with coloured beads.
Beads and lots of rows of coloured stitching bring the picture into relief.




 
This is the most beautiful pastel stripe blanket, envelope design with opening at front.  It is a huge 26" x 26" gorgeous, curl up with a cup of tea pillow. (still available)
Drifting maple leaves.


This image of the French girls with their umbrellas is from a vintage fabric design.

Oooh la la.... dancing with the stars. (still available)

Vintage Hudson Bay coat made into this gorgeous 26" x 26" pillow.

(Sold)

I loved these crisp navy and white strips of blanket pillows, very chic. (sold)

All that is left of a basket of wooly blanket scotty dogs,

The Drift pillow in it's new home, love it against the white.

Could have sold at least 6 of these, will definitely be making more


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