Petalplum by Ellie Beck | Artist
Petalplum by Ellie Beck
Reviews
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25.01.2022 Landscape colours from my dye pot. I am very interested in immersing in the colours I can create from what’s around me. Which sometimes means appreciating the caramels browns when you were expecting pink. Except for the second from bottom (which is madder pink), all of these are from my garden. On linen. Some with alum mordant, some with no mordant - I only use alum when needed and as minimal as possible. Colours are from peach wood (delicious soft candy pinks), add iron for purples and greys. Caramel browns are from plum wood (in my stories last week). Earth pigment painted onto the fabric using nature brushes.
24.01.2022 so excited for my friend Melissa McDermott - she launched her new website this morning! YAY! I've so enjoyed helping Mel to build & create her beautiful new silversmith site, with delicious handcrafted jewels to wear. GO check it out and show Mel some internet-love https://melissasilversmith.com/
24.01.2022 Making creativity prompt cards - a reminder to finish just one of those wips (work in progress) lingering around. What will you finish this week?? Also - love this spontaneous little rustic leaf print I made (printed onto papers from my natural dye pots) from an already dried inked leaf my son used last week for his art project. Use what you have, make things, break the rules, have fun, make mistakes & mess.
23.01.2022 These colours dyed with avocado seeds, peach tree wood, and some accidental iron water, which I love. Packing up weaving loom kits and thinking of what you’ll make with these blush tones. I always keep the little end tendril bits... ponder what to do with them all, what do you do with all the little bits of left over yarns ?
23.01.2022 Just a little heads up that we'll be taking pre-orders for our beautiful hand crafted weaving looms. If you want to be on the wait list form - sign up via this link. We're only making a small batch of looms this year, in time for Christmas gifting. https://petalplum.ck.page/2456903397
17.01.2022 How have you been, my dear friend? I've had such a lot of things happening - behind the scenes - and doing lots of writing. Which I always love. It brings me deeper sense of understanding my Self, my creative process, my business, my work, my ideas. Do you find that happens to you? When you're immersed into the depth of the flow of creative work - whatever your creative work might be. You uncover all sorts of 'things' about it all. This photo is from my archive. I rec...ently realised I could use my own photos as my ‘stock’ for photography, because I sure have a lot of random photos and maybe you've never seen them before. And most of the online stock photos I ever see don't really represent me. Tip for your creative self - trust your self, your work, what you do, what you make, and allow yourself to be your own expert, without having to outsource things. See more
16.01.2022 Having a little Monday-itis already..! My free online Slow Stitching course is a beautiful way to slow down and create moments of quiet calm in your days. Craft is helpful for easing anxiety too.. https://petalplum.thinkific.com//slow-stitching-make-a-wra
15.01.2022 A small moment in our day - my girl and me painting with simple natural paints. I love this process of mark-making using leaves, twigs, sticks, nature-found objects. It works on fabric and paper.
14.01.2022 Hello Friends, I fear my brain and my soul will never have the right words to share.... life is big & hard, uncertain & scary. But amongst the grief, turmoil, depths of unknowing there is goodness, generosity, & stitch by tiny small slow stitch our communities & planet will find a way through to a new way of being. I think a quilt - my version of, anyway - is perhaps a way to represent life. Lots of small scraps or pieces of fabric, sewn together, joined & puzzled-pieced, to... somehow make a whole. The small mistakes in one square or one stitch might look shocking when we look closely & focus on it. But when we step back & view the whole, then those bumps, wrinkles, wonky sections fit in, become part of the story. Some bits can be repaired, some bits forever a reminder of the ‘mistake’ or the wrong fabric choice or the thread that got knotted. Some bits we want to ignore & not show to others, some bits we want to show off & point out. I had a seizure 6-weeks ago (completely out of the blue), & a second 2-weeks ago. Currently I feel like it’s pushed my rows of stitching (life) way off course - a giant bump in the quilt. But I know that’s how many of you are currently feeling too, about life, about the fact we’re still sitting in this scary state of unknown. Anyway - I’m just writing to say ‘hey, look at this quilt I still haven’t finished’ & ‘hello, because I miss you’ & I’ve spent the past weeks sleeping with a foggy head. And wishing you to find joy, peace, generosity for yourself & those around you. To seek moments of love, goodness & beauty even in the hardest days. Take care of yourself. Rest. Sit quietly in compassionate peace. & here’s hoping there’s more slow gentle creative stitching & making for us all tomorrow, next week, next year.
13.01.2022 feeling a little stuck? A creative challenge for you - https://mailchi.mp//feeling-a-little-stuck-a-creative-chal
12.01.2022 GIVEAWAY -Art Bundle worth $4500! https://www.art.bundlesforgood.com/art-giveaway/
11.01.2022 Tell me what you noticed today. The quiet mundane parts of life that aren't always pretty or beautiful, but are necessary too. The balance of life is about sitting somewhere within the sweet and the bitter. Also > I have decided that for the rest of my birthday month (May) when you purchase two of my online workshops you’ll receive a third one for free (*3rd of equal or lower price). {send me an email with your 3rd choice of course, once you’ve purchased 2, & I’ll add it to your student portal for you}.
10.01.2022 https://petalplum.com.au//a-different-way-of-pricing-in-th
10.01.2022 The kids and Sam are going away tomorrow for 3 nights; when Sam asked me if I’d be alright at home alone it took every ounce to not LOL at him. Expect a newsletter / words from me in the next few days, while I have time.space.self, and some stitching of this quilt, and I have something extra special I’m hoping to work on for you too. What are you up to ?? Have you had any of that much needed quiet self time lately ?
10.01.2022 Yesterday I taught a private group natural dye workshop and golly it was SO SO good sharing, connecting, exploring and seeing others experience the magic of natural dye for the first time. I have missed teaching workshops so much these past months of cancelled or postponed classes, and hope that I can start them up again properly, soon. In the meantime I’m inspired back into my dye pots >> because that’s what always happens when I spend time seeing this joyful fun int...riguing creativity through someone else’s eyes. Aren’t these colours and patterns just stunning !! What are you up to this weekend ? What are you making to creating ? See more
10.01.2022 Today - like any other day but so very different too. Terrazzo under my feet. Zinnias on my kitchen table. Watching the updates about the US election. Trying to not think too deeply about the head scan thing I have tomorrow. Gathering inspiration for quilts (these floors at my local fruit & veggie shop in our beautiful Art Deco town). Soaking up the deep love and affection from my husband. Putting hands in soil and seeds for a future self to enjoy. What about you? Is today just any other day but also absolutely completely different too?
09.01.2022 Working from home - multi-tasking, mothering, and still smiling :yay Julia Ostro juliaostro https://www.instagram.com/p/CC4WychnwBe/
09.01.2022 How’s your creative self going at the moment? Are you one those people who, during ‘stay-at-home’, has been making & creating? Or, are you one of those people (like me!) doing lots of other things and wondering when that quiet creative whisper will have time / energy / space to come and play?? I decided enough was enough - life has crept in, and even though I AM creative and doing maker-y things in my days..... they’re not quite the ones that are filling me up in th...e right way. In the quiet contented soul-filled way. Do you feel that? It’s why I’ve decided now is the time to re-launch Unfurl & Bloom : my online course about immersing in creativity, working through blocks & challenges, not getting hung up on mistakes. And actually doing the work of showing up and leaning into trusting your Self. I’ll be sitting right beside you throughout the whole course.... doing the work and leaning in to my creative self. And I’m so so ready for it. The course starts on Monday, but signups close Saturday so I have time to welcome you all beforehand. All the details are on my site... link in profile. Or ask any questions you want here. I hope you can join. * I am also offering payment options for those of you with reduced or compromised income due to this current world strangeness. So, please feel free to send an email and let’s chat. See more
07.01.2022 It’s my birthday on Sunday, and tonight I am going out with a group of female friends - the biggest gathering I’ve sat down with for such a long long time, and I am so excited to sit and talk and laugh with these women. Being in the stillness and insular feeling of the past 15-months {first from our very mild ‘stay-at-home’, then my seizures & subsequent can’t drive for 6-months & too tired to talk to anyone or go anywhere), it feels strange yet also time to surround myself w...ith nourishment; in a way different than my husband and children can provide. While I have known and loved Sam for 23-years, it wasn’t until the lock-down last year that I actually realised he can’t provide all that I need from human connection. And indeed we need a community, a bigger ‘family’ of friends and loved ones to walk this journey of life with. PS - showing off my bottom of social media isn’t something I’d usually do, but I feel like this is a butterfly taking flight into the glowing future. Photo by @arimessina dress from @_foundling
05.01.2022 First day of Spring - freesias from my garden, local lemon , jelly mould & poetry from my grandmother’s house. Big breaths change of seasons new growth & tasting the blossom on the scent on the breeze. I am writing my newsletter that will be sent tonight - if you want to jump on the list to read my writings about ‘holding space for our selves’ and why it’s so important. (I also give away a monthly prize of a $100 voucher from my online shop to one lucky subscriber).
03.01.2022 Sitting on the couch stitching this, little moments around life, with kids beside me, all of us snuggled under the quilt I’m stitching. It’s already been gifted to my sister for her birthday (back in June), but I took it back immediately to do the hand quilting. Have a beautiful Sunday my friends - what are you up to today?
03.01.2022 These colours and patterns from my dye pots this past week making me happy & inspired for new making. It’s cold outside and the water I plunge my hands into is quite freezing (or else very hot steamy dyeing water), but when the results come out like this it’s worth the strangely coloured (you botanical dyers know what I mean) very cold / burning hands. Also > what could be more marvellous than a friend who sends you a copper pot (to dye with or simply enjoy as a pretty prop)...; the same woman who gifted me the most beautiful hat more than a year ago. My creative work goes in seasonal cycles and it seems the glorious persimmon tree shedding it’s magnificent leaves is inspiring me to be at both my dye pots and my stitching practice daily. And less time on the computer or device - which is always good for mental health, creative output, energy and all round-feelings of nourishing my mind & body (which are still working through this strange time since seizures and daily medication).
02.01.2022 Lovely to see my words and a piece of my stitching here amongst such beautiful work. Oh stitching my mending my soul. Thanks for sharing Robyn
01.01.2022 HI, I'm gathering creative businesses to share a Christmas gift guide on my website and socials. I'd love, if you're a maker, artist or creative, to comment below or send me an email. I'm hoping to include as many people as I can, who are aligned with my ethos. Shop hand crafted, locally and lovingly made this, and every, year xx
