CrumpArt

Yesterday I had to get up at 5:30 to be at work by 8. Difficult, especially as I’d attended Kristina’s show opening for perceive.identify.archive at Off the Kerb gallery on Friday night. It was well worth it — the show is amazing. Kristina has started filling the room with her paper yarn (I taught her to spin!) from floor to ceiling and will continue to do so over the next two weeks.

Anyway, I had to be at work that early to do a stocktake. Always ridiculously fun. I got to leave earlier than everyone else though (although, as it turns out, not quite early enough to get to where I was going on time…) because yesterday was Mixtogether #2!

I spent some time this week making my favourite kind of handmade book for the gift swap — single folio blank journals sitting inside a cloth-covered clamshell box. Although I made it without all the fancy tools in that tutorial… just my trusty scalpel, a heavier knife, a steel ruler, a cutting mat and a bone folder.

Here it is open — some of you may recognise the spare Alice screenprints from first-year uni that I used for the covers of the books.

The outer is linen coloured book cloth (my favourite!) and the inner of the box is stunningly beautiful printed paper, both purchased from Melbourne Artist’s Supplies on Little Lonsdale St near RMIT in the city, for those interested.

My book, along with some relief printmaking supplies (ink, cutting tools and a couple of wood blocks for carving) went to the lovely Serena from Reeniesu. This is her on the right, and Nikki on the left. I promise to post a relief printing tutorial soon, Serena.

I haven’t had a chance to take photos of the adorable gift I received yet because I decided to surprise the Mister with dinner from one of our favourite old haunts, Global Vegetarian on North Road in Ormond, as I was in the area. As such, it took me quite a while to get home, what with the waiting for the meal and the waiting for the public transport, but the look on his face when he realised what I’d brought home was worth it. Then we sat down and watched the brilliantly wonderful Hedwig and the Angry Inch, which I’ve been wanting to see for a ridiculous number of years, but has been quite hard to find. We both adored it, and Mr C also has a new mancrush in John Cameron Mitchell.

Then it was to bed, with our awesome new underlay that I received as a prize through Mini Jumbuk from work. That’s $600 of free right there, for true. It’s so awesome that I haven’t actually made it out of bed yet. Yay for laptops! Have to get up now though to go to the country for my grandmother’s 96th birthday celebrations — happy birthday Grandma!