BeautyScope 417: Stick Insect

sticky green leaf

hugs my mirror

with tiny claws

weirdly wondrous design

BeautyScope 416: Flower Rubbish

even the detritus

of nature

is beautiful

BeautyScope 415: Powerful Bird

powerful lights

extinguished

collapsed

what are they?

a new worm?

BeautyScope 414: Flower Sillhouette

ants hanging upside down?

multi insect bungy jump?

or gum flower exploded

BeautyScope 413: Umbrellas and Flames

right near the watery

umbrellery environment

fiery flames emerge

BeautyScope 412: Tree Roots Highlighted

like limbs discarded

tree roots 

emerge from the mulch

BeautyScope 411: Wisteria Plied

binding and twining

holding each other tight

strong wisteria

heads up to do its job

BeautyScope 410: Roses Undecided

roses dithering

sitting on the fence

hedging their bets

BeautyScope 409: Rainy Sunset

Photo by Aiden

fiery rain

starts streaming from the sky

aurora apocalypse

BeautyScope 408: Beached Bluebottles

oo yuck!

someone left all these 

bottles on the beach

oh wait, they're bluebottles!

hmm, still yucky

BeautyScope 407: Mist waterfall

light beams

and mist create

a forest water fall

Creative Catchup

Greetings everyone!

I thought I'd catch you up on a few creative projects I've been working on lately.

Here is a youtube video I made with my new microphone.  Prior to now I've not had a microphone that will record my singing without blowing out.

Finally I treated myself, and I'm very happy with it.

So I attempted to do a youtube video, but my miming skills leave a lot to be desired.

Instead of scrapping it I thought it would be funny to share it with some weird trying-to-be-cool graphics to suit!

This illustrates something I feel is important in creating, remember to play and give yourself the freedom to make mistakes. When you do, just laugh and move on. Creating should be fun, not a serious chore! After all, you are creating something new. Who says it's wrong? It's never been made before!

Another venture I've been involved in over the last couple of years is a photo shoot which turned into a book. Talk about embracing imperfections!

I was asked to pose for a exhibition of queer people in Canberra. They asked us to suggest a location where we felt at home. I chose the arboretum, because for some reason that is where I feel most Canberran, which is big for this nomad. I didn't like the photo that emerged due to my scowly expression. They had me staring into the setting sun...squint, squint!

However they said it looked "strong" and "elegant", so I stifled my objections and perfectionist tendencies and ran with it. What do you think?

A couple of years later they have come out with a book called "Queerberra" and recently had the book launch.

During that month the photos from the book were randomly projected on a wall high in the foyer of one of our hotels. It is a surreal experience seeing yourself this way.

Here is a photo Cris took at the book launch after waiting phone poised until my photo flashed up. Such dedication and arm pain!

Finally, here are a few photos of some other creations.
This outfit started life as a wrap around dress which was too small. I picked it up secondhand of course, because I loved the quality of the fabrics. The top is a strong jersey and the bottom a thick linen. I removed the ties, added a button, enlarged the armholes (by cutting and leaving them raw!) and stitched down the front. I wear it with a singlet underneath to preserve my modesty and it all works really well!

Here is the detail of the scarf I knitted. It showcases the beautiful yarn so well and I feel very elegant in it. Do you see leaves or feathers?

The next outfit is a dress I made from a tablecloth and overdyed with eucalyptus and iron. It developed some holes due to the age of the tablecloth, and so I boro stitched some dyed silk on top. How to make something rubbish into something useful.  Just have a go!

Close up of the patching.

Here is the scarf I am wearing in the above picture. It was a lovely pale pink silk which I couldn't resist at the op shop. But it really did nothing for me, so I dyed it with the above dyes and careful folding with bulldog clips. Didn't it come out well? And a much better colour for me!

Cris snapped this shot of me with the photographer of "Queerberra" getting her signature.

See my scarf?

Breaking news

Australia just voted for marriage equality and it passed into law a couple of days ago. We have joined the rest of the enlightened world. Go Australia!

So mainly I want to encourage you to 'av a go' as we say over here, and try something creative.

You never know, it might be great!

Do you have anything you would love to create but are hesitant about? Have you had a go and found it worked out?

Or not, and laughed about it? I'd love to hear about it.

Til next time,

keep on creating!

Love,

Jazzy Jack

BeautyScope 406: Daytime moon

the moon

in a daytime sky

an exercise in shading

BeautyScope 405: Glassy wave

some days waves

are just like molten glass

and I want to

photograph them all!

BeautyScope 404 : Dreaming bird

a weedwalker dreaming

stalking the jungle

as a flamingo

BeautyScope 403: Tree toes

 

 

trees wiggle their toes

in the water

ahh, delicious!

BeautyScope 402: Lichen rocks

lichen embellish rocks

with their stunning

embroidery

BeautyScope 401: Misty baby trees

 

tiny trees

circle the hill

like shiny

baby teeth

BeautyScope 400 : Rockpool play

kids absorbed

staring into

nature's screen

BeautyScope 399: Rock face

day in day out

I swallow seawater

it would be nice

to change my diet

BeautyScope 398: Starry lineup

 

every night

I peep through the branches

to see stars

peering at their reflections

BeautyScope 397 : Basket cat

watch out

look sharp

there's a peeping tom!

BeautyScope 396 : Root weaving

 

underneath

where no one sees

the trees weave

a mighty web

and hold firm

Floriade 2017

 

Greetings everyone!

To continue my series on views around Canberra, I have a post full of photos from our annual flower festival, Floriade.

 

Right next to the park where it is held, is this water jet named after Captain Cook. It has recently been refurbished and shoots higher than ever. We love it! 

 

 

 



Miles led the way to the ferris wheel this year. That was his goal. You will notice in the video Aiden didn't join in. He has struggled this year with asthma, and had to wear a mask.



 



The festival is mostly tulips with underplanting, planted out in interesting shapes. Believe it or not, this is a tulip not a rose!



 



Miles decided that he had "renewed my fear of heights" once the ride had started. That dubious look and clutching hand are not posed for the camera!

 



However he did admit that the views from the top were magnificent.



 

You could see the patterns beautifully, and even see the water jet.

 

This year being a significant anniversary year (the number of which escapes me), they planted out the lake as they used to do in the old days. It is so pretty, and one of the highlights for me.

 

 



This is a Spring planting in the normal park just outside the gates. I think it is almost better! Shhh.

 



And we escape out of the bamboo maze...phew!



 

 

This was taken near another lake which happens to be in the local cemetery. One of my places I go for some quiet time.

 

So here is a video of us tripping the light fantastic at Floriade 2017.

 

Oh, and I thought I'd share my poem about the Captain Cook Water Jet:

 

piercing the lake's surface

the water jet stabs skyward

taunting and tilting at the clouds

a spike of liquid

with delusions of grandeur

~

 Jazzy Jack

13/02/01

 

Til next time,

keep on creating!

 

Love,

Jazzy Jack

 

BeautyScope 395: Rock gold

for just a moment

the setting sun

scumbles gold

across the rocks

BeautyScope 394: Rock cobwebs

 

a tiny spider

spinning madly

decorates a corner

with rock art

BeautyScope 393: Shelly impact

a tiny shell

can paint a line in the sand

by holding ground

BeautyScope 392: Wave perfection

 

 

I didn't realise I was analysing waves

until I did

this one is close to perfect

with its cylindrical form

its colour

and ah! its spindrift

Where do we play?

Greetings my beautiful friends!

Recently I've posted a lot of photos from our beach holiday cabin, which has led to people understandably assuming we live there. So this post is designed to correct that, and give you a glimpse of our play space in our day to day lives.
We live 10 minutes walk away from a creek space which drops out of a dam holding up our local lake.
Here are a few shots of the local area. It is the wildest space in our vicinity, and while I love the beach more, it is a good second best. The bird calls are really lovely.

Taken during Winter near our lake.

 

 

Such serene reflections

 

Plenty of birds

 

Cockatoos fly around in gangs shrieking and swooping

 

Green spring blossoms!

 

Trees and water...hard to beat

 

My favourite pond below the dam

And of course I have a video to share on this topic

 

 

I hope you enjoyed your visit?

 

Til next time,

keep on creating!

 

Love,

Jazzy Jack