Welcome to Life Images by Jill

Welcome to Life Images by Jill.........Stepping into the light and bringing together the images and stories of our world. I am a photographer, writer and multi-media artist.
Focussing mainly on Western Australia and Australia, I am seeking to preserve images and memories of the beautiful world in which we live and the people in it.

Welcome!

Welcome!
PLEASE CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO GO TO MY RED BUBBLE STORE.

Monday 27 November 2023

Art Market in the Garden

 Hi everyone, I hope you and yours are doing well. 

Just a short post from me today. I am winding down from a busy few weeks and weekend. On Sunday I had a market stall at the Stirling Street Art Centre in my hometown. It was there annual Art in the Garden market. A great place to buy products created by local artisans - everything from soap and candles to clothing, art pieces, pottery, wood carvings, garden objects - you name it you could probably buy it at the market. I've been so busy getting products ready for the market. 

I was there with my eco-printing-dyed upcycled-clothing, scarves, prints and greeting cards, along with my photography prints, cushion covers, tote bags and greeting cards, as well as some paper flowers I make for every market and Christmas baubles filled with dried wildflowers.

Above is a pic of me with my stall. Unfortunately it was a hot hot and windy day, with a side serve of flys. Amazingly people weren't put off by the weather and still came to the market. It has been so hot the last couple of weeks - an unseasonly very hot - heat wave - start to summer, with bushfires already raging. It's goig to be a bad summer. 

Below you can see a few samples of my eco-print products. 


Eco-printing on paper


Cyanotype sun prints on paper, Christmas cards, and tote bags

My latest craze - printing with coreopsis flowers from my front garden - the colour of summer


Also I have ecoprinted scarves, upcycle shirts and tote bags


I loved this little white denim mini skirt and lace edge cotton upcylced top printed with ecualyptus leaves - but unfortunately it didn't sell. Maybe next time.


Eucalyptus loves wool - but not all leaves print orange - these are eucalyptus karri leaves I source from a friend in the great southern who has them growing on her property - they love wool. 


I still have so much to learn - I'm off to a 3 day workshop in Albany for summer school early next year.  

Thank you so much for stopping by. I value your comments and look forward to hearing from you. 

You might also like - some more about ecoprinting and cyanotype from past blog posts - 

I am still packing up and sorting out from my weekend, but I will try to visit your blogs in return. Have a wonderful week. 
I am linking up to the link-ups below. Please click on the links to see fabulous contributions from around the world - virtual touring at its best!
   

Saturday 11 November 2023

Remembrance Day - 11th November

The 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month attained a special significance in the post-war years after World War 1 . The moment when hostilities ceased on the Western Front in 1918 became universally associated with the remembrance of those who had died in the war.  On the first anniversary of the Armistice in 1919 two minutes' silence was instituted as part of the main commemorative ceremony at the new Cenotaph in London.


After the end of the Second World War, the Australian and British governments changed the name to Remembrance Day. Australians observe one minute's silence at 11 am on 11 November each year to remember those who died or suffered for Australia's cause in all wars and armed conflicts. 


























In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

   by John McCrae, May 1915



In the photo below you can see one of two remembrance walls at the Australian War Memorial in our capital city Canberra, where are recorded on bronze panels the names of over 102,000 Australians who have died in conflicts. On these two walls you can find the name of your family member and place a poppy beside their name, as we did when we visited. This is the closest we can come to the burial place of my great uncle who died in WW1 at Gallipoli and my husband's uncle in WW2 in Burma, so I was very grateful to be able to do this. 



You can learn more about Remembrance Day and the significance of the poppy here -


Remembrance Day is commemorated in Australia, United Kingdom, New Zealand, United States, Canada, Belgium, France, and the Cayman Islands. However, We have all be affected in one way or another by war, either directly, or through family members or friends. 

A video/musical tribute. 



Do you observe Remembrance Day or similar in your country? Who will you be remembering this Remembrance Day?  

As wars continue to be raged across the globe, I despair that we have learnt nothing from the past. I despair for those who are caught up in these conflicts, for the loss of familes, loved ones, home, community, life as they knew it. And those that return home afflicted physically and mentally. Why can't the powers sit down and find a way through without killing, bombing and destruction. There must be a better way. 


Thank you so much for stopping by. I value your comments and look forward to hearing from you. I will try to visit your blogs in return. Have a wonderful week. 
I am linking up to the link-ups below. Please click on the links to see fabulous contributions from around the world - virtual touring at its best!

Monday 6 November 2023

Eco-printing and Coreopsis

Hi everyone, I hope you and yours are doing well. 

This time of year - November and December - summer - the Coreopsis in my garden comes alive. I love it.  The bees love them too. 


But as well as making a fantastic bright border plant in my front garden that I have to do nothing to other than cutting off the dead heads, and which comes back year after year - even in winter the green leafy plants are there - coreopsis is fantastic for eco-printing. 


The last few weeks I have been busy getting ready for Art in The Garden artisan markets for Christmas at the Stirling Street art Centre in Bunbury - it's on the last Sunday in November - less than three weeks now - so I don't have long to finish. 

Today and one day last week I have been printing with my coreopsis. Here's a few pics for you to enjoy.

These are on cotton up-cycle shirts - 


They are also fantastic on silk and wool scarves - 


I'm going to make some tote bags - but I haven't finished making them yet so I will have to come back later with those. 

Just a short post from me today - busy busy!

Do you know about eco-printing? I have blogged briefly about it before here - Eco-printing- magical absorbing art. I've learnt a lot more since then. There are some complicated processes, but I like the simplicity of printing with my coreopsis. 

There are lots of websites where you can find out more. too much for me to tell you even the basics here! I've been doing it for a few years now, but still have lots to learn. 

I continue to be heartbroken by the tragedy around the world. My friend has just returned from one of the war zones - thankfully safe. 

Thank you so much for stopping by. I value your comments and look forward to hearing from you. I will try to visit your blogs in return. Have a wonderful week. 

I am linking up to the link-ups below. Please click on the links to see fabulous contributions from around the world - virtual touring at its best!