I now have a website

I finally have a website!  https://www.sandraeterovic.com/ was made using a Squarespace template, manipulated to my wishes by the marvellous Nic McGuffog.  It showcases highlights of my illustration, art and craft work over the last eight years.  I feel proud when I look at it, which is helpful.

I do still love my blog, although I feel that there are far fewer people looking at it now.  Most of the noise is over at Instagram.  Instagram is great for instant gratification, but blogs are way better for telling a story.  (Websites too, come to think of it....!)

I will still post here from time to time.

The last couple of weeks.....

Above: Looking through some old sketches/ templates, trying to work myself out.....

 Above: Working on a painting for my show at Boom Gallery in Geelong next month!

 Above: It was very remiss of me not to mention earlier that I am taking part in a beautiful plant themed group exhibition at Long Division Gallery, Schoolhouse Studios, Collingwood.  A detail of my painting Smoke shown here.

 Above and below: more work in progress for Boom next month.

Above: Trying to decide whether to sell or keep this giant version of my Blue Apple Man, which I made as part of my Craft Victoria window last year.  He is 130 cm tall.

Home textiles & a home made textile

Above: there is a rather big pile of cushions in the front room at the moment, along with the Svenskt Tenn fabric that my mum so generously brought back for me from Stockholm, some Indonesian batik, and Angela Dalinger cushion with a naked man on it and a doona/ duvet cover made from my sewing and op shop left overs.  Below: a rag rug that I started so long ago that I don't even remember how to hook fabric anymore.  (Or where my hook is.)  I do remember that it was fun and easy, although obviously not fun and easy enough to bother finishing..... HMMMM.

New things in the shop; and a gift for a friend

The last of the painted table tennis bats!  Thanks again Miss Pen!!!!!!!  Awake Really is the New Sleep II.  This one is in my Etsy shop.

Above and below.  Making their shop debut too: a Love Conquers cushion (in a MUCH smaller size than the ones at Craft Victoria, please note!) and a one-of-a-kind patchwork number, 50 x 50 cm.

This one is definitely NOT in the shop.  I don't know about you, but when I went to university, every second person seemed to be wearing a "Don't ask me about my thesis" t-shirt.  I thought that my friend Drew might enjoy my take on this phenomenon because (a) he happens to have completed a PhD thesis  without resorting to such attire (b) he has a Bristol Stool Chart in his toilet.  Oh, and (c) he has a sense of humour generous enough to find this sort of thing amusing.

New cushions and an illustration for Gardening Australia magazine

Above: a new illustration cushion in the shop, and a BRAND NEW Love Conquers cushion below, a smaller version of the ones that I made for Craft Victoria last Christmas.

Above: illustration for Gardening Australia magazine, March.

New work/ around the place this week

SO pleased to be able to show you this little portrait, above, which was commissioned by a wonderful husband to his darling lady on the occasion of her 40th birthday.  They recently bought a house in Footscray, and are very happy there, despite kind of living on a flight path.  Have a look here for last year's birthday present commission, which I was also very privileged to be involved with.

I have a longstanding fear of canvas (I paint on wood normally, using acrylic) so I decided to buy one and paint on it largely to try and get over that fear.  Here he is above -- pretty boy -- a gift for a friend.  He is actually feeling quite relaxed about being on canvas, after all.  It seems to require more paint but overall it doesn't feel that different.  Maybe if I had made a dreadful mistake it would have been a problem: the sanding back option that one has with wood is one that I really like.

Above: Mouse looking particularly evil the other morning.....

Above: last Sunday I tackled a mending job that I had been avoiding for about a year.  My trusty patchwork quilt has holes no more.  (And can someone please tell me why it was largely the RED fabrics that had not just faded beyond recognition but looked like they had been chomped on?  Are there special moths that like to chew red dye??  I may never know the answer to this question....)

Craft's Christmas 2014 catalogue

My little salami lady friend above is very proud to show you a postcard for Craft's summer range which features my Volcano cushion.

My Campfire cushion (exclusive to Craft) and Volcano cushion with some fantastic friends, above.

 My Lonely Hipster print, above.  Volcano cushion yet again, below.

Below: on the fridge is my Lady and Flowers card (presently sold out but still available as an A4 print) in excellent company!

Wow!!  I am really proud to have my work featured in Craft's online summer catalogue promotion.  Great house, too.....Apart from being in the company of some extremely talented makers, being accepted by the fraternity of Craft Victoria means a great deal to me.  Thank you very much Sarah, Leesa and everyone else at Craft!
Photos by Hilary Walker.  (Sorry about the cropping....)

New things in the shop

My Under the Couch quilt which was part of my window show at Craft Victoria last winter, is now in my Etsy shop.  I have been able to offer it at a somewhat reduced price.  Please click here for more details.

The large central panel is a digital print of a series of my illustrations, based on what I imagine might have been hidden under the couch in my household when I was a kid.  The rest of the patchwork is vintage, and each square is different.  The wadding is made from pure wool.

Above: the quilt in progress, and below in the window of Craft Victoria (what a privileged quilt!).

Some new cushions, and a Blue Apple Man to boot.  Below: this is number two in an ongoing occasional series of patchwork cushions featuring digital prints of my artwork.  Each one will be unique (and relatively large).

Above: the Love Me As I Am cushion features hand embroidered spinach in two shades of green.

Miss November in the Frankie Calendar for 2015, and a bit more

I'm REALLY proud (OK maybe even gobsmacked) to show you my page from the Frankie Calendar for 2015.  My November lady is in fantastic company, as the calendar has a beautiful selection of illustrations from around the world.

Above: a peek at a painting in progress, on a tried and true topic.  I aimed to vary my painting style this time, even attempting to channel the beautiful brushwork of abstract painter Merryn Lloyd.  The jury is out on whether I have succeeded, but it was quite fun (and surprisingly quick to do).

An R-rated fabric scrap (you can see a bit more of the actual print here).  I am being a bit annoyingly secretive with this post, but I will show you more soon.

This week: at the studio and at home

Seedling tag and seed packet painting in progress.

Painting a cut out wooden life size head: like playing God, but also kind of like playing with one of those life size Barbie hairdressing heads that I really coveted when I was a kid.

 Wrapping for an Etsy customer: quite a nice way to use a page from the current issue of Broadsheet...

Studio table in a mess: working on Gardening Australia sketches, portrait sketches, book illustration sketches....

 Spam + Souleiado

Kicking goals while watching the Grand Final yesterday.

Around the place this week

Above: I have decided to use my market peg board as a temporary hallway gallery and apron hanger (until I bang the kitchen door into it and smash one of my mirrors).

 Above: In the bathroom with Tom Polo last Saturday.  Spring 1883 at The Windsor was such a treat!

Above: The kitchen climber is now long enough to tickle the pencil holding man, but he doesn't look very happy about it.

Above: Mirror painting day last Wednesday.  These will be in my Etsy shop next week (please note that some are already on hold).

Above: I think that cake mixes are a crock but painting this one was quite fun.

Above: Please note that my window exhibition at Craft Victoria will finish at the end of Tuesday August 26, a week earlier than was originally advertised.  Most unsold items will still be available through the Shop.

Have a fine Sunday!