tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-175766382024-03-07T20:50:45.478+11:00Dragon FragmentsThe chronicles of Erica, a textile and mixed media artist living in Sydney, Australia, as she meanders her way through a life filled with fabric, clay, paper, glass and dolls ..... and dragons
Ericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12774262576127715201noreply@blogger.comBlogger223125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17576638.post-12143683370785734852012-12-21T13:04:00.000+11:002012-12-21T13:04:36.154+11:00ApologiesApologies to my dragon friends.<br />
I'm afraid I fell off the dragon wagon.<br />
I kept meaning to catch up but didn't quite make it.<br />
<br />Husband retired quite unexpectedly when the company he worked for was sold, so that has created some very big changes around the house (but good ones!) (....mostly)<br />
<br />
I've also done some damage to my knee which resulted in having an arthroscopy to remove torn cartilage. <br />
I've been frustrated that the operation doesn't seem to have improved my knee and now the surgeon is strongly recommending that I have a knee replacement, so I think I will be telling him to go ahead when I see him again mid January.<br />
<br />
I still have lots of ideas for dragons, so will continue to make them, I really want to finish my 2012 collection of 52 dragons but it may take a little longer than expected.<br />
<br />
I hope all of you have a very peaceful ...thingy...(fill in the blank - solstice / zombie apocalypse / holiday / christmas) and a happy new year. <br />
<br />
See you in 2013!<br />
<br />
Of course if the Mayans turn out to have been right, then none of the above will apply LOL<br />
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<br />Ericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12774262576127715201noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17576638.post-25179981107517120832012-07-30T10:00:00.000+10:002012-08-01T21:26:21.083+10:00Week 30 - Dragon at the Wood ShowThis weekend we went to the Sydney Timber and Working with Wood Show at the Olympic Park, Homebush.<br />
There were some Serious woodworking machines there which would qualify for the Extreme Woodwork category in anyone's olympics (big smile)<br />
<br />I've never seen so many drills, files, planers, sanders and assorted attachments in the one place before.<br />
<br />
Needless to say, Himself had a good day while I was starting to go a little gah-gah at it all.<br />
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I did come That Close to joining a wood carving group but restrained myself for the moment.<br />
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Dragons were being carved at several club tables and I thought this one would be a nice inspiration if I should ever find my wood carving tools (I know I have a set somewhere)<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7690483444/" title="Week 30 - wood carved dragon by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 30 - wood carved dragon" height="500" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8015/7690483444_316e266330.jpg" width="375" /></a></div>
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apologies to the artist as I did not get a name to go with the carving </div>
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(and that brings me up to date with my postings, sorry if you have been seeing what appears to be old earlier posts popping up, I back dated them so they would be in order)<br />
<a href="http://technorati.com/tag/miniatures" rel="tag"></a>Ericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12774262576127715201noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17576638.post-5332662604808986062012-07-23T10:00:00.000+10:002012-08-01T21:03:43.110+10:00Week 29 - The Keeper of the CottonsI found this little dragon about to take a nose dive into my jar of thread offcuts.<br />
After swooshing delightedly around the jar, she climbed out and appointed herself the Keeper of the Cottons.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7690353476/" title="Week 29 - The Keeper of the Cottons by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 29 - The Keeper of the Cottons" height="500" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8163/7690353476_35a0893638.jpg" width="377" /></a><br />
<br />
I do hope I won't have to ask permission to use my threads, she seems to have claimed them all.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7690353842/" title="Week 29 - The Keeper of the Cottons by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 29 - The Keeper of the Cottons" height="402" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7247/7690353842_50e1816e40.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7690353996/" title="Week 29 - The Keeper of the Cottons by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 29 - The Keeper of the Cottons" height="377" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8001/7690353996_82e8b920cd.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7690354152/" title="Week 29 - The Keeper of the Cottons by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 29 - The Keeper of the Cottons" height="377" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8014/7690354152_a726178a28.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
The Keeper was first sewn in felt, then merino wool was needlefelted onto her body and wet-felted to help mat it together. Her wings were wet felted then mohair was needlefelted onto the wings and spine.<br />
She also received some trim from the thread offcut jar, which is probably why she enjoyed diving into it.<br />
<a href="http://technorati.com/tag/miniatures" rel="tag"></a>Ericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12774262576127715201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17576638.post-33741952643824441412012-07-16T19:23:00.000+10:002012-08-01T19:25:13.038+10:00Week 28 - Darwinia the dragon from the top endMy friends have been travelling the outback - first to Uluru (Ayers Rock) then they hopped on the Ghan railway to Darwin in the Northern Territory, and then across to Broome in Western Australia.<br />
<br />
I'd already warned them about the <a href="http://dragonfragments.blogspot.com.au/2012/02/week-8-dragaroo.html" target="_blank">Dragaroo</a>, so was surprised when they managed to capture a little outback dragon for me.<br />
Her name is Darwinia and despite the cold Sydney winter she has settled in very well with the other dragons (she says she is quite comfortable as the desert can be very cold)<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7690059264/" title="Week 28 - Darwinia by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 28 - Darwinia" height="378" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8430/7690059264_4af751a509.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7690059390/" title="Week 28 - Darwinia by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 28 - Darwinia" height="458" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7121/7690059390_1d846ec2e9.jpg" width="484" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7690059524/" title="Week 28 - Darwinia by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 28 - Darwinia" height="422" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8421/7690059524_9b43676658.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
A lovely souvenir, thanks Marilyn and Di (and GB)<br />
<br />
<br />Ericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12774262576127715201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17576638.post-10571078413503249462012-07-09T19:06:00.000+10:002012-08-01T19:08:57.749+10:00Week 27 - Hidden dragon at HawkesburyThis weekend our miniatures group displayed some work at the Hawkesbury Hobby Show at Richmond Showground NSW.<br />
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On one of the woodwork stalls we met David Stanley who was carving a wonderful relief of a dragon hiding in leaves. He also had the same dragon beautifully worked in pyrography and coloured.<br />
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David is from western Sydney and has a web site called <a href="http://whimsicalwood.com/" target="_blank">Whimsical Wood</a> where he very generously has the pattern for his dragon available as a download.<br />
His talent was obvious as we watched him working but I was blown away when I went to his web site and looked at the rest of his art, he is a brilliant illustrator and woodworker.<br />
<br />
so.....I know this is a bit of a cop out, but will you forgive me if I Promise Promise to make something from David's pattern and show it here later?<br />
<br />
after three weekends of showgoing I'm wearing down (and I caught a 'flu thing at Katoomba) oh excuses, excuses.....<br />
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here is Davids "Young dragon hiding" and here is the <a href="http://www.whimsicalwood.com/Scrollsaw%20and%20Fretwork%20Pages/pyrographypatter.html" target="_blank">link to his pattern</a> - I'd love to know (and see) if you use it. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB2U4eAMaM3EvV-MZYYSRvJKIhF8HYI-BN5EkpJ8n6LQoOxBxiG2g988v_ofji6JozM9ccrPa7QvkyXURk2pQioi9PrEl-Bt7JLs6qZKUoz7VNUSSnD3qwNWP_5oAGNGZvY0JvLw/s1600/Young+Dragon+Finished_2_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB2U4eAMaM3EvV-MZYYSRvJKIhF8HYI-BN5EkpJ8n6LQoOxBxiG2g988v_ofji6JozM9ccrPa7QvkyXURk2pQioi9PrEl-Bt7JLs6qZKUoz7VNUSSnD3qwNWP_5oAGNGZvY0JvLw/s400/Young+Dragon+Finished_2_02.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://technorati.com/tag/miniatures" rel="tag"></a>Ericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12774262576127715201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17576638.post-55697043929684292562012-07-02T10:00:00.000+10:002012-08-01T18:26:29.066+10:00Week 26 - Winterfest the felt dragonWhy, because Winter Is Coming and we all need a warm dragon to snuggle up to.<br />
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I played around with a new dragon pattern, hand sewn in felt, then covered in merino wool.<br />
First a little needlefelting to attach the wool then finished by wet felting.<br />
The wings were wet felted and attached later.<br />
<br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/miniatures" rel="tag"></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7689820378/" title="Week 26 - Winterfest the felt dragon by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 26 - Winterfest the felt dragon" height="402" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8424/7689820378_dc498a1528.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/miniatures" rel="tag"></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7689820488/" title="Week 26 - Winterfest the felt dragon by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 26 - Winterfest the felt dragon" height="429" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7257/7689820488_994709e0b4.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/miniatures" rel="tag"></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7689820644/" title="Week 26 - Winterfest the felt dragon by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 26 - Winterfest the felt dragon" height="443" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7274/7689820644_790317ea14.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/miniatures" rel="tag"></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7689820800/" title="Week 26 - Winterfest the felt dragon by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 26 - Winterfest the felt dragon" height="420" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7111/7689820800_ec3b773ac3.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/miniatures" rel="tag"></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7689820250/" title="Week 26 - Winterfest the felt dragon by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 26 - Winterfest the felt dragon" height="377" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8146/7689820250_22f400ed6e.jpg" width="500" /></a><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/miniatures" rel="tag"></a>Ericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12774262576127715201noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17576638.post-52634073951659289772012-07-01T18:09:00.000+10:002012-08-01T18:11:19.928+10:00Winterfest Medieval FairAnother beautiful clear sunny winter weekend, and we were off to the Winterfest Medieval Fair at Parramatta Park, in Sydney's west.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7689347092/" title="Winterfest 2012 by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Winterfest 2012" height="406" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8283/7689347092_6d1e121685.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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I love these fairs, if I were just a smidgeon younger I'd have my flowing gowns with a sword swashbuckled to my belt, but being of more mature years I'm content to go along and watch.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7689356332/" title="Winterfest 2012 by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Winterfest 2012" height="375" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7131/7689356332_c97d836798.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7689357236/" title="Winterfest 2012 by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Winterfest 2012" height="375" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7269/7689357236_ea82c6482f.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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The re-enactors take their hobby very seriously (well, don't we all)<br />
Days of practice fights, the armor and costumes are very genuine and the swords very real.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7689358696/" title="Winterfest 2012 by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Winterfest 2012" height="375" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7270/7689358696_6b024463c9.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7689359292/" title="Winterfest 2012 by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Winterfest 2012" height="408" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8028/7689359292_92e1d880e1.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7689359502/" title="Winterfest 2012 by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Winterfest 2012" height="500" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8007/7689359502_83591bd341.jpg" width="319" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7689358010/" title="Winterfest 2012 by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Winterfest 2012" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8010/7689358010_93cd987dbd.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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Aren't these outfits great!<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7689354552/" title="Winterfest 2012 by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Winterfest 2012" height="375" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7121/7689354552_8c0c6bacc7.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7689353978/" title="Winterfest 2012 by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Winterfest 2012" height="375" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7133/7689353978_a0ebc275b3.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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and great accommodation:<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7689351736/" title="Winterfest 2012 by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Winterfest 2012" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8142/7689351736_bfd065e2f4.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7689350828/" title="Winterfest 2012 by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Winterfest 2012" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8006/7689350828_5578f732c0.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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and fabulous birds:<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7689349952/" title="Winterfest 2012 by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Winterfest 2012" height="375" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7259/7689349952_034fc9c72b.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7689349202/" title="Winterfest 2012 by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Winterfest 2012" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8157/7689349202_fa31a5901c.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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and of course you need an 'orse:<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7689346616/" title="Winterfest 2012 by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Winterfest 2012" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8013/7689346616_833173f9ee.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7689345778/" title="Winterfest 2012 by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Winterfest 2012" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8158/7689345778_5518327c72.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7689344900/" title="Winterfest 2012 by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Winterfest 2012" height="455" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8289/7689344900_b16ce8f105.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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and clever fights:<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7689348728/" title="Winterfest 2012 by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Winterfest 2012" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8282/7689348728_c5a3546b83.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
with the winner receiving a rousing cheer from the onlookers:<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7689352668/" title="Winterfest 2012 by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Winterfest 2012" height="375" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7251/7689352668_18914fdbd5.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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and we can't forget the villain in the stocks, being hit with wet sponges:<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7689360568/" title="Winterfest 2012 by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Winterfest 2012" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8013/7689360568_a92bec132c.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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There were some people selling resin dragons but not as spectacular as this hanging:<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7689359792/" title="Winterfest 2012 by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Winterfest 2012" height="482" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7118/7689359792_ee8a146897.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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Would I get away with presenting this for the dragon of the week?? ...hmmm probably not....<br />
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<a href="http://technorati.com/tag/miniatures" rel="tag"></a>Ericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12774262576127715201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17576638.post-21389742643814445552012-06-25T10:00:00.000+10:002012-08-01T15:13:29.247+10:00Week 25 - Angus the Winter Magic hatchlingOn a very sunny, clear, brilliant blue sky and cold winter Saturday we went to the annual Winter Magic solstice festival at Katoomba in the Blue Mountains just west of Sydney.<br />
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The first of these festivals we attended was in 2006 and we've gone each year since but I felt maybe this year was not as good as others, the variety wasn't there in the parade even though you could tell those taking part had put a lot of effort into it.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7688859690/" title="Winter Magic 2012 by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Winter Magic 2012" height="474" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8010/7688859690_3dfc6ffc11.jpg" width="461" /></a></div>
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This year also the crowd seemed thicker than ever, which I wouldn't have thought possible and we had trouble finding a good spot to take photos. <br />
Maybe that's part of the problem, I want to see everything through the camera lens, *IF* we go next year I might just leave the camera at home.<br />
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The traffic also didn't help, roadworks have been going on for the last goodness knows how many years on the highway leading into Katoomba, and the railways decided to choose this Saturday to do trackwork on the main line. It took our family 3 hours travelling from the central coast to meet us up there.<br />
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Being the year of the dragon, the organisers used the dragon as their theme. Shops had dragon art work in their windows, a big Asian dragon sat on top of the Carrington Hotel and lots of dragons in the parade.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7688852650/" title="Winter Magic 2012 by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Winter Magic 2012" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8016/7688852650_95839d5645.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7688852140/" title="Winter Magic 2012 by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Winter Magic 2012" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8160/7688852140_1cfc5857b0.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7688853420/" title="Winter Magic 2012 by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Winter Magic 2012" height="500" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7270/7688853420_3f65d8b3be.jpg" width="375" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7688853048/" title="Winter Magic 2012 by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Winter Magic 2012" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8290/7688853048_68337ec2cb.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7688853852/" title="Winter Magic 2012 by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Winter Magic 2012" height="375" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7272/7688853852_3c1d6e194e.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7688857058/" title="Winter Magic 2012 by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Winter Magic 2012" height="474" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8021/7688857058_ae65170e94.jpg" width="475" /></a></div>
<br />
As we were starting to wind our way back down the hill I spotted one of the craft stalls I've been buying from for the past 6 years.<br />
<br />
Rod and Eryn Barnett live in Victoria and travel to Sydney each year for the festival.<br />
Rod sculpts fantasy characters which they then cast in ...something heavy... and Eryn colours them.<br />
You can see their work at <a href="http://www.weefolkgardenart.com/main/" target="_blank">Wee Folk Garden Art</a> <br />
<br />
I have about six of their sculptures and this year I came home with Angus the hatchling.<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Angus is resting after
having just broken out of his tough dragon egg shell.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7688964874/" title="Week 25 - Winter Magic hatchling by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 25 - Winter Magic hatchling" height="377" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7124/7688964874_977a29f1a7.jpg" width="500" /></a> </span></div>
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<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Meanwhile back at the parade:</span></div>
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<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">lots of bands and drums:</span></div>
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<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">lots of dancers:</span></div>
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<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">lots of large furry creatures mauling small children:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7688855128/" title="Winter Magic 2012 by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Winter Magic 2012" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8159/7688855128_898c6b1b43.jpg" width="500" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">lots of small furry creatures being very cute:</span></div>
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<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7688855810/" title="Winter Magic 2012 by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Winter Magic 2012" height="375" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7261/7688855810_5fd5dcced6.jpg" width="500" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7688856236/" title="Winter Magic 2012 by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Winter Magic 2012" height="375" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7261/7688856236_93e78c13f0.jpg" width="500" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">and lots of steampunk:</span></div>
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<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7688857916/" title="Winter Magic 2012 by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Winter Magic 2012" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8288/7688857916_c48a8fa372.jpg" width="500" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">follow the picture links to flickr for more.</span></div>
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<a href="http://technorati.com/tag/miniatures" rel="tag"></a>Ericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12774262576127715201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17576638.post-29338267311751985522012-06-18T10:00:00.000+10:002012-08-01T13:23:55.746+10:00Week 24 - The Jubilee Dragon<span style="font-size: small;">Once again my very talented friend Alison left me speechless with her gift of the Jubilee Dragon.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Not that I'm a Royalist but my roots are in the UK - particularly the top bit known as Scotland (big smile) and I will always have a soft spot for the red, white and blue..... colours I hope will never disappear from our Australian flag.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Alison, you are wonderful, how do I ever thank such a generous friend?</span><br />
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<big smile=""><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7688541064/" title="Week 24 - The Jubilee Dragon by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 24 - The Jubilee Dragon" height="500" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8013/7688541064_bef1e80e7d.jpg" width="382" /></a></big></div>
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<big smile=""><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7688540776/" title="Week 24 - The Jubilee Dragon by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 24 - The Jubilee Dragon" height="500" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7271/7688540776_8a17e46915.jpg" width="382" /></a></big></div>
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<big smile=""><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7688540578/" title="Week 24 - The Jubilee Dragon by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 24 - The Jubilee Dragon" height="463" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8158/7688540578_af99f47e89.jpg" width="500" /></a></big></div>
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<big smile=""><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7688540390/" title="Week 24 - The Jubilee Dragon by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 24 - The Jubilee Dragon" height="500" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8017/7688540390_bd81b3f404.jpg" width="382" /></a></big></div>
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<big smile=""><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7688540092/" title="Week 24 - The Jubilee Dragon by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 24 - The Jubilee Dragon" height="500" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8164/7688540092_3e172039ea.jpg" width="382" /></a></big></div>
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<big smile=""><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/miniatures" rel="tag"></a></big>Ericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12774262576127715201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17576638.post-68333206901968107162012-06-11T10:00:00.000+10:002012-07-31T21:53:35.968+10:00Week 23 - Cordell the Dragon<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7683474276/" title="Week 23 - Cordell the Dragon by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 23 - Cordell the Dragon" height="356" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8284/7683474276_e7ff0cb50a.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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Back in February I produced <a href="http://dragonfragments.blogspot.com.au/2012/02/week-7-cordelia.html" target="_blank">Cordelia</a> (known as Cordy).<br />
Cordy had evolved from a piece of freeform cord weaving which had already been started.<br />
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I wondered how it would be to use this technique again, starting from scratch, with a dragon in mind.<br />
I have to say it was a lot harder than improvising as I had with Cordy.<br />
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I wanted to make a long Asian style dragon. He didn't hold his shape very well so I finished up covering a piece of aluminium sculpting wire and feeding it through the centre of his body.<br />
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I did have fun though, with the stitching and shaping and had to stop myself from getting too carried away with him.<br />
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...and the name?<br />
I thought the male equivalent of Cordelia would have to be Cord.<br />
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On looking up the meaning of Cord, I found it was the abbreviation of Cordell, an old french word for a rope or cord maker ... how perfect was that! <br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7683474154/" title="Week 23 - Cordell the Dragon by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 23 - Cordell the Dragon" height="382" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8165/7683474154_5d5e230c01.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7683475646/" title="Week 23 - Cordell the Dragon by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 23 - Cordell the Dragon" height="377" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7132/7683475646_87917f97f0.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7683475374/" title="Week 23 - Cordell the Dragon by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 23 - Cordell the Dragon" height="377" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7250/7683475374_a5acffa65e.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7683475126/" title="Week 23 - Cordell the Dragon by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 23 - Cordell the Dragon" height="500" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8291/7683475126_bab859f0a4.jpg" width="377" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7683474924/" title="Week 23 - Cordell the Dragon by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 23 - Cordell the Dragon" height="377" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7266/7683474924_8046099f11.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7683474714/" title="Week 23 - Cordell the Dragon by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 23 - Cordell the Dragon" height="500" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7253/7683474714_17af2f08eb.jpg" width="377" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7683474526/" title="Week 23 - Cordell the Dragon by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 23 - Cordell the Dragon" height="500" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7117/7683474526_31d31ac124.jpg" width="377" /></a></div>Ericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12774262576127715201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17576638.post-69018662935748780052012-06-04T10:00:00.000+10:002012-07-31T20:42:27.400+10:00Week 22 - The Tuesday DragonI belong to a little group that meets each second Tuesday. One of my friends used to teach doll making to the group until she decided they knew enough to dispense with her teaching and were giving her too much cheek! She named the group The Tuesday Travelling Torture the Teacher, we've cut all the T's down to TT for short.<br />
So... friend was travelling and stayed with another dollmaker who showed her a clever way to make a dragon. As soon as she arrived home we had a TT dragon day.<br />
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These are the dragons they made and brought along for our model:<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7683047214/" title="Week 22 - The Tuesday Dragon by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 22 - The Tuesday Dragon" height="500" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8027/7683047214_5d81a13e80.jpg" width="307" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7683047540/" title="Week 22 - The Tuesday Dragon by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 22 - The Tuesday Dragon" height="500" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7123/7683047540_a676a69839.jpg" width="377" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7683047734/" title="Week 22 - The Tuesday Dragon by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 22 - The Tuesday Dragon" height="500" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8019/7683047734_fb0782e97b.jpg" width="369" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7683047380/" title="Week 22 - The Tuesday Dragon by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 22 - The Tuesday Dragon" height="425" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8027/7683047380_4b0896b14a.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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He has egg-shaped styrofoam balls for his body and head, with smaller round styrofoam balls cut in half and added to the top of his head and nose area for shaping, and two halves for his feet.<br />
We inserted pliable aluminium sculpting wire for tail and neck.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7683038034/" title="Week 22 - The Tuesday dragon by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 22 - The Tuesday dragon" height="442" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8021/7683038034_c74792e169.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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Before attaching the small half ball to the top of his head, we inserted nails to protrude as horns, you can see this clearer in the small finished photos above.<br />
Then wrapped wadding to pad the body and neck.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7683037894/" title="Week 22 - The Tuesday dragon by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 22 - The Tuesday dragon" height="482" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8431/7683037894_e5a5762fa1.jpg" width="491" /></a></div>
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Then we wrapped the whole dragon in strips of T-shirt fabric. This wasn't easy, the fabric I used was too thick and hard to drape. It needs some experimenting. I finished by unwrapping him when I got home and doing it all again.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7683042640/" title="Week 22 - The Tuesday Dragon by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 22 - The Tuesday Dragon" height="425" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8424/7683042640_7bf122868c.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7683042484/" title="Week 22 - The Tuesday Dragon by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 22 - The Tuesday Dragon" height="500" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7126/7683042484_18f4f4b149.jpg" width="416" /></a></div>
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We were then supposed to paint the whole body with a watered solution of PVA glue to stiffen this layer. Not many of us got to this stage, and those who did found their dragon was taking too long to dry so couldn't go any further that day.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7683042150/" title="Week 22 - The Tuesday Dragon by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 22 - The Tuesday Dragon" height="377" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8166/7683042150_907cbf9ea8.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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When our dragons were dried and hardened, we wrapped them again in a very stretchy open fabric which was bought from the car supplies shop, it's sold as hand wipes. The nice thing about this fabric is when it is cut into strips for wrapping, each side of the strip curls over and forms a ridge.<br />
Once again it wasn't easy to wrap, when finished it was also painted with the fabric stiffener solution.<br />
I wasn't happy with the nail horns which by now had been lost amongst the wrapping, so I stuck a thin straw onto each nail to lengthen it.<br />
..and realised that once again I'd forgotten the wings! maybe I'll add them later, maybe not.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7683052908/" title="Week 22 - The Tuesday Dragon by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 22 - The Tuesday Dragon" height="500" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8002/7683052908_e3458e3a60.jpg" width="371" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7683053106/" title="Week 22 - The Tuesday Dragon by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 22 - The Tuesday Dragon" height="500" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7127/7683053106_d25fa15dd5.jpg" width="428" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7683053276/" title="Week 22 - The Tuesday Dragon by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 22 - The Tuesday Dragon" height="500" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8022/7683053276_3655131ec6.jpg" width="355" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7683053448/" title="Week 22 - The Tuesday Dragon by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 22 - The Tuesday Dragon" height="414" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7131/7683053448_37e77750f2.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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<br />Ericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12774262576127715201noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17576638.post-69341249876613615942012-05-28T16:53:00.000+10:002012-07-31T16:56:59.175+10:00Week 21 - Ali's glass dragonMy friend Alison makes glass flamework beads.<br />
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I started learning glass beadmaking about the same time as Ali.<br />
After burning a hole in the kitchen table and producing a collection of blobby little beads, my remaining glass still sits as pristine glass rods, whilst the talented Ali has risen to amazing heights with her glass making.<br />
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She makes wonderful beads and I was quite stunned and over the moon when she gave me her first glass dragon.<br />
I've had it for a couple of months now attempting to take photos that would do it justice, glass is so hard to photograph.<br />
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I hope you enjoy seeing the work of a lovely lady and good friend.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7682411878/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Week 21 - Ali's flamework dragon by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 21 - Ali's flamework dragon" height="500" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8433/7682411878_312778b8e8.jpg" width="377" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7682411766/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Week 21 - Ali's flamework dragon by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 21 - Ali's flamework dragon" height="500" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7261/7682411766_80c389747d.jpg" width="377" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7682411558/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Week 21 - Ali's flamework dragon by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 21 - Ali's flamework dragon" height="489" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8290/7682411558_e7d46f50dc.jpg" width="492" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7682411380/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Week 21 - Ali's flamework dragon by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 21 - Ali's flamework dragon" height="473" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7125/7682411380_498990784a.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://technorati.com/tag/miniatures" rel="tag"></a>Ericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12774262576127715201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17576638.post-70512068338393820632012-05-21T19:43:00.000+10:002012-05-28T19:47:47.304+10:00Week 20 - Mikey, the Michaelmas DragonDoing a little dragon surfing I came across a blogger named Angela who keeps the blog <a href="http://rhythmofthehome.com/archives/autumn-2010/michaelmas-dragon/" target="_blank">Rhythm of the Home </a>where she kindly gives a free pattern for a Michaelmas Dragon.<br />
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Now, my religious inclinations being what they are, I had no idea what Michaelmas was or why it required a dragon.<br />
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Angela gives a little background on her page indicating that in medieval times Michaelmas celebrated the turning of the seasons especially harvest time in September. (autumn in the north which makes it just right for the present time in the southern hemisphere)<br />
mmm. OK ....that sounds good.....then I did a little further digging and found that it didn't take long for "the other lot" to cotton on and St. Michael the Archangel got into the act with his earthly representative St. George... and we all know what St. George was famous for!<br />
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Nasty piece of work, that George..... I've no sympathy for any dragonslayers. <br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7285449366/" title="Week 20 Michaelmas dragon by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 20 Michaelmas dragon" height="377" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7084/7285449366_3d548a3c9b.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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I created some fabric with my needlefelt machine, layering sheer pieces and wool scraps onto a commercial felt background.<br />
It proved not to be the best back to use as the needles chewed into the fabric and I wasn't able to sew a good seam without tearing it.<br />
I backed the fabric with an iron on interfacing to give some stability then cut out the pattern.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7285449216/" title="Week 20 Michaelmas dragon by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 20 Michaelmas dragon" height="331" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8016/7285449216_c5027cabf0.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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I joined the pieces by hand with a blanket stitch.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7285449510/" title="Week 20 Michaelmas dragon by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 20 Michaelmas dragon" height="500" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7092/7285449510_78ae49f7de.jpg" width="384" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7285449668/" title="Week 20 Michaelmas dragon by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 20 Michaelmas dragon" height="389" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8026/7285449668_2b77c31895.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7285449816/" title="Week 20 Michaelmas dragon by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 20 Michaelmas dragon" height="383" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7075/7285449816_64041dcdbc.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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AAARGH - when I went back to get the link to Angela's blog, I suddenly realised I'd forgotten to give him wings!! <br />
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I'll have to add them later or Mikey will have no way of escaping from nasty George.<br />
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<br />Ericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12774262576127715201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17576638.post-14936987623401421912012-05-14T18:16:00.000+10:002012-05-28T18:18:40.018+10:00Week 19 - Dragon hair pieceSomewhere in the past I saw a great dragon on a hairpiece that had been worn at a costume ball.<br />
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I used a plastic Alice band, covered in fabric and my dragon pattern, sewn and glued very firmly onto the fabric covered band and then painted the whole lot in metallic paints.<br />
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Unfortunately my hair is too short to settle it in securely and the dragon is a little top heavy. I didn't want to frighten everyone by showing what it looks like on me.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7285272206/" title="Week 19 - dragon hairband by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 19 - dragon hairband" height="377" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8160/7285272206_ba2cf7da49.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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I had to call on my support staff to model for me.<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7285272360/" title="Week 19 - dragon hairband by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 19 - dragon hairband" height="377" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7094/7285272360_1b9c6b6b5d.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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<br />Ericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12774262576127715201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17576638.post-67118798433628763582012-05-07T16:56:00.000+10:002012-05-28T16:57:50.417+10:00Week 18 - Mini dragonsThis was the weekend of the Sydney Miniatures Show - our miniature group had a display (which I will post later to my miniature blog - having problems at the moment because our PC is in for repairs and it is not easy typing on a laptop, my cursor keeps flicking to the wrong spot)<br />
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There were lots of castles and the middle ages were well represented but nary a dragon to be seen amongst the displays - we will have to do something about that for next year!<br />
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These two little guys caught my eye on the sale tables and had to come home with me.<br />
They are only about 1 inch tall but that didn't stop them from shaping up to each other, now we have settled the territory issue they have made themselves comfortable with my other miniature dragons.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7284963768/" title="week 18 miniatures by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="week 18 miniatures" height="363" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7239/7284963768_e90dfc70b1.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/miniatures" rel="tag"></a>Ericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12774262576127715201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17576638.post-61023144224826069952012-04-30T16:41:00.000+10:002012-05-28T16:43:07.870+10:00Week 17 - A Clutch of Celtic DragonsOne of my favourite dragon designers is <a href="http://www.smallwork.com/" target="_blank">Melinda Small Paterson</a><br />
I have a collection of her patterns, they are not for the faint hearted as there are lots of tricky pieces, one that I do enjoy making is the <a href="http://www.smallwork.com/cdraga.html" target="_blank">Celtic dragon</a> so here is my little clutch of Celtics.<br />
(there are a few variations on the collective noun for dragons - I like clutch)<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7284928474/" title="week 17 by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="week 17" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7098/7284928474_b183b3ff3c.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7284928638/" title="week 17 by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="week 17" height="437" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8142/7284928638_5b7409c595.jpg" width="500" /></a>Ericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12774262576127715201noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17576638.post-14124697007978811232012-04-23T21:26:00.000+10:002012-04-28T21:28:16.022+10:00Week 16 - The Dragon Boat - part 3I've just found the final posting of my Dragon Boat project still in the drafts folder, so I thought it would make a perfect entry for this week.<br />
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The boat was originally created in 2010 as a means of travel for a Voyage of Imagination exhibition.<br />
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The details on how it all came about and process can be found here:<br />
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<a href="http://dragonfragments.blogspot.com.au/2011/02/dragon-boat-part-1.html" target="_blank">Dragon Boat part 1</a><br />
and<br />
<a href="http://dragonfragments.blogspot.com.au/2011/02/dragon-boat-part-2.html" target="_blank">Dragon Boat part 2</a><br />
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These next two photos show the tail.<br />
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Unfortunately I didn't take photos of the head in progress, but these finished pictures should give you the idea.<br />
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What looked like the neck in the photos from the previous post, became the lower jaw of the head.<br />
The upper head and face was formed as a padded mask and wrapped around the neck/jaw.<br />
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After the face was attached I felt it still looked a bit bare so I added padded pieces ...not sure what to call them....if they were on a chicken they could be the wattles....but it gave the neck line a little more body.<br />
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Being a sea dragon I wanted a seaweedy look so did some free machine embroidery in orange cotton on water soluble Solvy and attached pieces to his mouth and chin, then made some more pieces for his tail.<br />
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I added some more fins to the side of the body with long trailing free machining threads using a technique I'd learnt in a Carole Wilkes workshop (and love using whenever I can)<br />
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I worked over the surface adding beads and cording and hand embroidery - all of which in retrospect, for ease of working, should have been done before it was assembled - isn't hindsight wonderful!<br />
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It was a very difficult piece to photograph so I hope the next gives you an idea of the finishing boat.<br />
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Having problems with Flickr at the moment, so these were uploaded to blogger.Ericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12774262576127715201noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17576638.post-48541663509593111432012-04-16T17:36:00.000+10:002012-04-28T17:38:44.255+10:00Week 15 - Plastered!<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
We enjoyed a wonderful day entertaining the grandchildren at
the <a href="http://www.sydneyfamilyshow.com.au/" target="_blank">Sydney Family Show</a> held at what is now called The Entertainment Quarter,
but oldies like us remember it best as the old showground, home of the Royal
Easter Show all the years we were growing up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The Royal has now moved to Homebush Olympic venue and is exorbitantly
expensive to visit, so we opted for the free entry of the Family Show.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/6974530560/" title="Sydney Family Show by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Sydney Family Show" height="375" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7057/6974530560_03fa1a2668.jpg" width="500" /></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7120611709/" title="Sydney Family Show by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Sydney Family Show" height="375" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7254/7120611709_10275dba43.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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It wasn’t as good as the Royal, I guess you get what you pay
for. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think it was geared towards the
under twelves who were there in great quantities on the rides and games and it
would have been relatively inexpensive for their parents, but not much to
interest the adults or older children.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Our littlest grand was fascinated with the animal nursery
where she hugged a goat, had her first pony ride and her first carousel ride.</div>
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<br /></div>
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On the way out we passed the <a href="http://www.plasterpainting.com/">Plaster Painting Studio</a> which looked
fun, so biggest grand and I bought a couple of plaster casts to take away and
paint later at home, of course I chose a dragon. </div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7120611169/" title="week 15 plaster dragon by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="week 15 plaster dragon" height="377" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7082/7120611169_9c0101f1be.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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I thought this little dragon was sleeping but on closer
inspection, he had one wary eye open watching me.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/6974530274/" title="week 15 plaster dragon by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="week 15 plaster dragon" height="378" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7058/6974530274_41c80c2433.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7120611229/" title="week 15 plaster dragon by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="week 15 plaster dragon" height="377" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7121/7120611229_a6c83e0862.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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It was relaxing, being a kid again and painting a model, I loved my plaster of paris moulds when I was a child.</div>
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Not too sure if I like him best before or after I added the iridescent medium over the bright acrylics. </div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/6974530336/" title="week 15 plaster dragon by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="week 15 plaster dragon" height="421" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7116/6974530336_b1bd334482.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7120611471/" title="week 15 plaster dragon by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="week 15 plaster dragon" height="472" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7207/7120611471_056b8cee6f.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<a href="http://technorati.com/tag/miniatures" rel="tag"></a>Ericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12774262576127715201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17576638.post-13082557362353811312012-04-09T17:37:00.000+10:002012-04-12T17:38:37.995+10:00Week 14 - collageI needed a break from sewing this week and with the first taste of autumn in the air the garden was calling to me - in fact the plants and the weeds were getting quite abusive to each other, so I spent a few days sorting them out.<br />
<br />
<br />
As relaxation I tore up pieces of paper from old magazines, threw them in the air and hoped they would land in the shape of a dragon.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7070048231/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="week 14 collage by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="week 14 collage" height="500" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5325/7070048231_d7dda2dee7.jpg" width="332" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/6923968398/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="week 14 collage by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="week 14 collage" height="500" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7055/6923968398_5bca0b0f97.jpg" width="339" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://technorati.com/tag/miniatures" rel="tag"></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://technorati.com/tag/miniatures" rel="tag"></a>Ericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12774262576127715201noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17576638.post-51703045951136230592012-04-02T10:26:00.000+10:002012-04-02T10:26:32.370+10:00Week 13 - Wired<a href="http://technorati.com/tag/crazy+quilting" rel="tag">
</a><br />
Definition of wired:<br />
active, bright, cagey, clever, heedful, jazzed, on guard, on the ball, psyched up, switched on, vigilant and wary!<br />
<table cellspacing="5" class="the_content"><tbody>
<tr><td valign="top"><br /></td><td><br /></td></tr>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
I’ve been wanting to make a dragon from wire.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/6890867976/" title="Week 13 - Wired by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 13 - Wired" height="463" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7259/6890867976_436168b4ea.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There are so
many great wire sculptures out there for inspiration but a week is not enough time to develop
an idea like this and see it through.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I look on this effort as the beginning of an idea and will
be making another (or maybe several others) later in the year, and taking more
time over it.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7036962889/" title="Week 13 - Wired by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 13 - Wired" height="499" src="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6223/7036962889_5029bf0087.jpg" width="479" /></a><br />
<br />
Not too sure about the face - he seems to have a foxy look rather than a dragony one.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/6890868280/" title="Week 13 - Wired by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 13 - Wired" height="500" src="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6041/6890868280_f2ebf96f3f.jpg" width="379" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I also wouldn’t advise going to the hardware store and
buying stainless steel tie wire, no matter how pretty and shiny it is - and even though the web site says soft and easy to
use – mmmm, maybe if you are a hulking great navvy stringing wire fences around the paddocks! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It was a job to cut through and very springy
giving me a couple of slash cuts – but I suppose you can’t expect a wire dragon
to be as sweet and amiable as a fabric one. This one certain has a prickly side
to him.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/6890868186/" title="Week 13 - Wired by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 13 - Wired" height="500" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7270/6890868186_8d27642bac.jpg" width="379" /></a></div>Ericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12774262576127715201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17576638.post-77721832007610029332012-03-26T08:00:00.000+11:002012-03-26T08:19:47.698+11:00Week 12 - The Dragon TamerI saw a flash of pink in the garden, and a shy little dragon jumped in fright as she saw me. I called to her but she quickly turned her back to run away.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://technorati.com/tag/miniatures" rel="tag"></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7008014519/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Week 12 The Dragon Tamer by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 12 The Dragon Tamer" height="500" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7110/7008014519_b55dce4b74.jpg" width="377" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7008014597/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Week 12 The Dragon Tamer by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 12 The Dragon Tamer" height="573" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7189/7008014597_8a731173fd_o.jpg" width="488" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
I noticed someone else watching her:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7008014943/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Week 12 The Dragon Tamer by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 12 The Dragon Tamer" height="377" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7106/7008014943_11f1416c01.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
<br />
"Shhhhh, be vewwy vewwy quiet" he said "I'm hunting dwagons"<br />
<br />
"You're not hunting anything in my garden sir!"<br />
<br />
He laughed "No of course not, it's just that I've always wanted to say that. I watched a lot of cartoons in my younger days. I'm a dragon tamer, not hunter. Young dragons are very timid creatures, I teach them how to adapt to living around people - well, some people, the nice ones who understand them" he said, looking me up and down.<br />
<br />
"How do you catch them to tame" I asked<br />
<br />
"Oh easy peasy" he replied "I just have to hide my net behind my back, and coax them down with a piece of nice coal for their flame"<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/6861899016/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Week 12 The Dragon Tamer by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 12 The Dragon Tamer" height="500" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7201/6861899016_d9696797ab.jpg" width="377" /></a></div>
<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/6861898934/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Week 12 The Dragon Tamer by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 12 The Dragon Tamer" height="650" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7042/6861898934_68c4c36186_b.jpg" width="490" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
The little dragon peeped curiously over the edge of a hollow log and watched us talking.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7008014715/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Week 12 The Dragon Tamer by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 12 The Dragon Tamer" height="377" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7089/7008014715_7e29f9d20c.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
She wriggled closer and perched on an old kitchen colander hanging from the fernery.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/6861899386/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Week 12 The Dragon Tamer by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 12 The Dragon Tamer" height="301" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7084/6861899386_bdaa8cc428.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Her curiosity soon got the better of her and she alighted on the dragon tamer's shoulder without him even needing his net.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7008014991/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Week 12 The Dragon Tamer by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 12 The Dragon Tamer" height="435" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7130/7008014991_8073a93e5b.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7008015079/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Week 12 The Dragon Tamer by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 12 The Dragon Tamer" height="650" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7185/7008015079_c733525eaa_b.jpg" width="490" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Before long she was accepting coal from his hand and chattering happily in dragonese as she chewed it. After a tiny burp of flame, she settled onto my hand and preened her pink and golden scales.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7008015315/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Week 12 The Dragon Tamer by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 12 The Dragon Tamer" height="377" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7059/7008015315_7ef5a10311.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/6861899532/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Week 12 The Dragon Tamer by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 12 The Dragon Tamer" height="377" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7224/6861899532_5e0036dc4c.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/6861899612/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Week 12 The Dragon Tamer by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 12 The Dragon Tamer" height="377" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7061/6861899612_19d0eb67f8.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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Of course, someone else in the family fancies themselves to be a dragon tamer too and had to get into the act<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7008015531/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Week 12 The Dragon Tamer by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 12 The Dragon Tamer" height="377" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7252/7008015531_d00719a8ba.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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The dragon tamer is my own work and the dragon was designed many years ago by Australian dollmaker <a href="http://fionamcdonald.blogspot.com.au/" target="_blank">Fiona McDonald</a> and sewn by me.<br />
<a href="http://technorati.com/tag/miniatures" rel="tag"></a><br />
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<a href="http://technorati.com/tag/miniatures" rel="tag"></a>Ericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12774262576127715201noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17576638.post-28755668154209759212012-03-19T16:12:00.000+11:002012-03-21T16:14:58.274+11:00Week 11 - VerdantiaVerdantia of the Green-mist Forest<br />
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<a href="http://technorati.com/tag/miniatures" rel="tag"></a><br />
After the recent rain and summer humidity our garden is verdant - which is how I came to find Verdantia wandering around the fernery. She tells me she is visiting from the Green-mist Forest where, as you can see, she hides very successfully and so far has been one of the hardest dragons to capture on film.<br />
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<a href="http://technorati.com/tag/miniatures" rel="tag"></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7002022161/" title="Week 11 Verdantia by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 11 Verdantia" height="500" src="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6095/7002022161_7828c4f0ff.jpg" width="377" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://technorati.com/tag/miniatures" rel="tag"></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/6855906992/" title="Week 11 Verdantia by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 11 Verdantia" height="500" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7214/6855906992_211fbd863c.jpg" width="377" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://technorati.com/tag/miniatures" rel="tag"></a><br />
She was excited to meet Cat who chased her out into the open where I was able to take a clearer photo.<br />
As you can see Cat was not impressed and threatened to give her a smack if she came closer.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7002021977/" title="Week 11 Verdantia by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 11 Verdantia" height="362" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7240/7002021977_b0fe43b20e.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7002021889/" title="Week 11 Verdantia by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 11 Verdantia" height="482" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7099/7002021889_c73f72f809.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7002021829/" title="Week 11 Verdantia by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 11 Verdantia" height="377" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7224/7002021829_5c3b7c7d2a.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
MAKING VERDANTIA<br />
Remember poor <a href="http://dragonfragments.blogspot.com.au/2012/02/wip-beheading-dragon.html" target="_blank">Audrey</a> who was beheaded - the body sat accusingly waiting for a new head.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/6855906362/" title="Week 11 Verdantia by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 11 Verdantia" height="500" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7189/6855906362_71db80b73f.jpg" width="306" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7002021365/" title="Week 11 Verdantia by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 11 Verdantia" height="500" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7222/7002021365_2b95ae20cf.jpg" width="359" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7002021331/" title="Week 11 Verdantia by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 11 Verdantia" height="500" src="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6120/7002021331_d89c87faf0.jpg" width="314" /></a><br />
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I picked up another unfinished work (oh, yes! I have quite a collection) and suddenly thought what a wonderful tummy it would make for the Audrey body. This is the piece I used:<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/3407483067/" title="couldn't resist playing by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="couldn't resist playing" height="400" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3298/3407483067_1095741c25.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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made from some revolting elasticised green fabric :<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/3391056216/" title="Voyages by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Voyages" height="375" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3445/3391056216_1c71ec9237.jpg" width="500" /></a> <br />
The origin of this piece was <a href="http://dragonfragments.blogspot.com.au/2009/03/voyages-of-imagination.html" target="_blank">blogged here.</a><br />
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First a new head!<br />
A new upper jaw - padded wadding, then covered with white stocking<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/6855906610/" title="Week 11 Verdantia by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 11 Verdantia" height="379" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7231/6855906610_ce50cf5208.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/6855906574/" title="Week 11 Verdantia by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 11 Verdantia" height="319" src="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6031/6855906574_247c6dc156.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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Fangs were added using thin wire covered with stocking, the same process as used on Audrey.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7002021595/" title="Week 11 Verdantia by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 11 Verdantia" height="353" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7222/7002021595_a5da56f0d2.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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The lower jaw was put together when I suddenly thought it would look better with teeth too, so I unpicked the stocking, sewed in some large plastic beads and pulled the stocking back over them.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7002021541/" title="Week 11 Verdantia by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 11 Verdantia" height="362" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7223/7002021541_6debb1a6fa.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/6855906400/" title="Week 11 Verdantia by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 11 Verdantia" height="341" src="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6221/6855906400_ab26fa609d.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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The stockings over the fangs were then stiffened with fabric stiffener and the teeth and mouth gessoed and painted.<br />
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The body was then wrapped in the said revolting green fabric.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/6855906218/" title="Week 11 Verdantia by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 11 Verdantia" height="500" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7231/6855906218_1399b80d48.jpg" width="352" /></a><br />
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but first the spine - these large wooden beads came from a car seat cover that fell apart - hoarding sometimes pays off!<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/6855906146/" title="Week 11 Verdantia by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 11 Verdantia" height="377" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7127/6855906146_55d8fb8376.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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the next two photos show the spine with the fabric pulled over the beads:<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/6855906078/" title="Week 11 Verdantia by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 11 Verdantia" height="500" src="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6031/6855906078_2d3c9cb80f.jpg" width="377" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/7002021009/" title="Week 11 Verdantia by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 11 Verdantia" height="500" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7211/7002021009_8731ec135d.jpg" width="377" /></a><br />
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The wings took some experimenting, adding extra wire to the body frame, stitching the fabric and pulling it up into ruches, adding hand made cords.<br />
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Then the fun part of painting over that awful fabric. I used acrylic paint, straight from the tube with no water, dry brushing it just over the ridges of the fabric.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/6855907346/" title="Week 11 Verdantia by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 11 Verdantia" height="500" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7203/6855907346_3ec0f0e28e.jpg" width="377" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/6855907234/" title="Week 11 Verdantia by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 11 Verdantia" height="377" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7050/6855907234_79996982df.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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I'm very happy with Verdantia, though she certainly took longer than a week to make.<br />
(Have you noticed the dragons are getting bigger - hmmm, wonder if there is some plot hatching to take over)<br />
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<br />Ericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12774262576127715201noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17576638.post-53723246946438255512012-03-12T12:23:00.000+11:002012-03-12T12:23:05.171+11:00Week 10 - Oceania<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This week New South Wales has been deluged, rivers have
flooded and submerged towns all over the state. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjExEgyYh2yGyGjkObz_6n-N6a15ej_NANsd3dGRRUFOZoaYTWtX32ZhIgsDrSW9ARV5cqhRIjPOHo276gknWZYdxNAmwTHDWfnbOGx3gb0bDDm23jTWJKlGP3YbfO-XX0mS34_sQ/s1600/SMH.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjExEgyYh2yGyGjkObz_6n-N6a15ej_NANsd3dGRRUFOZoaYTWtX32ZhIgsDrSW9ARV5cqhRIjPOHo276gknWZYdxNAmwTHDWfnbOGx3gb0bDDm23jTWJKlGP3YbfO-XX0mS34_sQ/s320/SMH.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sydney’s main water supply, Warragamba Dam, has filled for
the first time in 14 years and last week water was released from it into the Hawkesbury
and Nepean River systems which overflowed in numerous places flooding a lot of
the outlying suburbs.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In Sydney itself, streets flooded where they have never done
before shocking Sydneysiders who have never experienced the inundations that we
normally associate with country towns and rivers.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1Hfv7WKe6-JLhjN5MXeMwkeIUbqrcdk41N7gFRD1yDOeZMehbIHl-Tn-TxiaJKHSl291W2pRANLiXBKGOtiElMxgXehqBJKydWCWygRO-cXwfPALTz0AeFkfTxefhJ_tlEMXnHA/s1600/marrickville.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1Hfv7WKe6-JLhjN5MXeMwkeIUbqrcdk41N7gFRD1yDOeZMehbIHl-Tn-TxiaJKHSl291W2pRANLiXBKGOtiElMxgXehqBJKydWCWygRO-cXwfPALTz0AeFkfTxefhJ_tlEMXnHA/s320/marrickville.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
(this was taken at Marrickville, an inner Sydney suburb - flood photos <strike>nicked</strike> borrowed from Sydney Morning Herald newspaper - I'll give them back when you've finished looking)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
And in the middle of all this, I booked a harbour cruise! We
had been given the cruise as a present and time was running out to claim
it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I fully expected to be sitting in
the rain but the day turned out glorious, one of the rare sunny days we’ve had
for weeks.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/6828021142/" title="Bridge, Opera house by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Bridge, Opera house" height="375" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7064/6828021142_42fbdc14e9.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Surrounded by a week of both good and bad water I started to
make a flying dragon.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/6828322226/" title="Week 10 - Oceania by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 10 - Oceania" height="376" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7043/6828322226_ecf939713e.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
He sat on my sewing table and we discussed what sort of
wings he should have.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/6828322014/" title="Week 10 - Oceania by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 10 - Oceania" height="338" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7061/6828322014_b49fbd2a18.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Phtttt to wings!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>he
exclaimed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I need a pair of flippers”
as he spied an old doll support and started to climb to higher ground.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/6974445183/" title="Week 10 - Oceania by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 10 - Oceania" height="500" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7194/6974445183_4c30ce897a.jpg" width="482" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So Oceania the water dragon was born. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/6974445359/" title="Week 10 - Oceania by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 10 - Oceania" height="500" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7042/6974445359_176f7c9680.jpg" width="376" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Another rare sunny day today and the family have all gone
fishing. I asked Oceania if he would like to join them but he said he prefers
to stay away from hooks and lines and is now basking beside the pool.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/6974445755/" title="Week 10 - Oceania by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 10 - Oceania" height="500" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7046/6974445755_9c3588653f.jpg" width="352" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/6974445865/" title="Week 10 - Oceania by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 10 - Oceania" height="500" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7191/6974445865_6c112fe333.jpg" width="377" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/6828323302/" title="Week 10 - Oceania by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 10 - Oceania" height="500" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7176/6828323302_3d9106c11f.jpg" width="377" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/6974446141/" title="Week 10 - Oceania by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 10 - Oceania" height="500" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7207/6974446141_70bd047fc6.jpg" width="377" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Making Oceania</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This is my original pattern for a flying dragon named M’yth.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I needed a way to attach Oceania to the wooden dowel of the
doll stand, by chance the plastic inner tube of a cotton reel fitted snugly
over the dowel, so Oceania had a small operation to insert the plastic tube.
I’ve done this before to the feet of dolls but never to an unmentionable place
on a dragon……ouch….</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/6828323644/" title="Week 10 - Oceania by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 10 - Oceania" height="376" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7204/6828323644_c72c0c4094.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The fins were free machined scraps of fabric in between two
pieces of tulle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I added ‘rat tails’ to
the edges of the fins by zig zagging past the fabric until I had a long tail,
then hooking a toothpick under the cotton to give me support to feed, zig zagged back over it. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Short video
here because that is very hard to explain in words.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" data="http://www.flickr.com/apps/video/stewart.swf?v=109786" height="300" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400"> <param name="flashvars" value="intl_lang=en-us&photo_secret=b90291937f&photo_id=6828213798&flickr_show_info_box=true">
</param>
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<param name="bgcolor" value="#000000">
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</param>
<embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.flickr.com/apps/video/stewart.swf?v=109786" bgcolor="#000000" allowfullscreen="true" flashvars="intl_lang=en-us&photo_secret=b90291937f&photo_id=6828213798&flickr_show_info_box=true" height="300" width="400"></embed></object><br /></div>
<a href="http://technorati.com/tag/miniatures" rel="tag"></a>Ericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12774262576127715201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17576638.post-13891862021948734222012-03-03T16:19:00.000+11:002012-03-03T16:28:23.338+11:00Week 9 - Bibbul-mun, part 3<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN">PART 3 - The naming of Bibbulmun</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/6801941768/" title="week 9 Bibbul-mun by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="week 9 Bibbul-mun" height="500" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7059/6801941768_9b21ec183c.jpg" width="347" /></a></span><span lang="EN"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/6948051591/" title="week 9 Bibbul-mun by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="week 9 Bibbul-mun" height="500" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7049/6948051591_bf9db8718b.jpg" width="440" /></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/6948051675/" title="week 9 Bibbul-mun by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="week 9 Bibbul-mun" height="377" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7201/6948051675_7c3383748d.jpg" width="500" /></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN">I was going to name him Balingup after a town in Western Australia famous
(or infamous) for the magic mushrooms that grow in the forest around the town. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN">We drove through Balingup in 2005 on our way back from Walpole and Pemberton to
Perth (but didn’t stop for mushrooms)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN">Then I read that there is a </span>Bibbulmun Walking Track
which passes along Balingup Brook, then meanders to the south through the Balingup Golden Valley Tree Park, the track is well known internationally and quite a challenge.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
I liked the sound of Bibbulmun but wasn’t
sure about using the name as it had been the name of an aboriginal tribe and it
seemed a little frivolous to bestow it on my dragon.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
I did a little more research on the
Bibbulmun people and came across their history which had been written up by
<a href="http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/bates-daisy-may-83" target="_blank">Daisy Bates</a> (1863 -1951) who had been an anthropologist and welfare worker among the Aboriginals.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Her study of the Bibbulmun people was recorded in her book The
Passing of the Aboriginal – the chapter <a href="http://ebooks.adelaide.edu.au/b/bates/daisy/passing/chapter7.html%20" target="_blank">can be read here</a> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I found her story to be very
moving, she states the “The first landing of the white man was the beginning of
the end.” </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Could I then equate fact and
fiction and compare this to the beginning and end of dragons. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In honour of both
a vanished people and vanished creatures I named my dragon Bibbul-mun.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/6801942004/" title="week 9 Bibbul-mun by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="week 9 Bibbul-mun" height="377" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7190/6801942004_e171afb79c.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
The Bibbulmun Track stretches nearly
1000kms through jarrah, marri, wandoo, karri and tingle forests, interspersed
with sections of coastal peppermint and heathlands. It traverses some of the most beautiful and
wild areas of the south west of Western Australia………</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
……… imagine how many dragons are hiding
there!</div>
<a href="http://technorati.com/tag/miniatures" rel="tag"></a>Ericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12774262576127715201noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17576638.post-1754149448583332592012-03-03T16:15:00.001+11:002012-03-03T16:20:01.248+11:00Week 9 - Bibbul-mun, part 2<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN">PART 2 - The Transforming of Bibbul-mun</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN">First I removed the mushroom from the base – the base now took on the
appearance of a pair of wings –hmmm, put that aside for later….</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/6801939244/" title="Week 9 Bibbul-mun by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 9 Bibbul-mun" height="377" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7181/6801939244_de022d2e3a.jpg" width="500" /></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN">I wet felted several shapes, none of which turned out to be right, so
finished by needlefelting clumps of wool as I went along.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/6801939306/" title="Week 9 Bibbul-mun by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 9 Bibbul-mun" height="377" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7065/6801939306_4a5d3ab3f6.jpg" width="500" /></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/6801939358/" title="Week 9 Bibbul-mun by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 9 Bibbul-mun" height="377" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7043/6801939358_39711f14d2.jpg" width="500" /></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN">I used an undyed scap wool for the base to conserve my coloured wool. Sometimes this can be a false economy as you then have to cover the white but as this was quite large I thought it worth doing.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/6801939426/" title="Week 9 Bibbul-mun by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 9 Bibbul-mun" height="377" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7192/6801939426_a89eec7429.jpg" width="500" /></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN">The legs were formed over wire which was then inserted into the wool body
and more wool needlefelted around the join for stability, again not completely
successful, the legs are still a bit wobbly even after adding all the
embroidery.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/6801939480/" title="Week 9 Bibbul-mun by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 9 Bibbul-mun" height="377" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7056/6801939480_ab961a99cb.jpg" width="500" /></a></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">The arms were formed on one piece of wire inserted all the way through the
body, this whole process has been a steep learning curve of what not to do, as
the arms (naturally) both moved together – well, duh Erica, what did you
expect! Any future dragons requiring an
armature will be built up over the armature and not the other way round!</span></div>
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<span lang="EN"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/6801939530/" title="Week 9 Bibbul-mun by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 9 Bibbul-mun" height="377" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7048/6801939530_50047a204e.jpg" width="500" /></a></span></div>
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<span lang="EN"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/6801939602/" title="Week 9 Bibbul-mun by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 9 Bibbul-mun" height="377" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7066/6801939602_7a1873dc58.jpg" width="500" /></a></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">Not sure what he looks like here – I keep thinking of the Adipose from Dr.
Who…..</span></div>
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<span lang="EN"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gramarye/6948049447/" title="Week 9 Bibbul-mun by gramarye, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 9 Bibbul-mun" height="377" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7191/6948049447_79384fdc55.jpg" width="500" /></a></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">The embroidery was added next, and this is something I could have kept
adding to for weeks, I may go back and do more later. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN">Then the “mushroom” neck and head were added, I decided not to try to make
the head look any more dragonlike, or to emphasize the eyes as I had with
Cordelia – it would detract from his camouflage and ability to hide himself! </span></div>
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<a href="http://dragonfragments.blogspot.com.au/2012/03/week-9-bibbul-mun-part-3.html" target="_blank"><span lang="EN">on to part 3 </span></a></div>
<a href="http://technorati.com/tag/miniatures" rel="tag"></a>Ericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12774262576127715201noreply@blogger.com0