Thursday 21 September 2023



Homes 
I want to comment on the changes to plans for social housing in Victoria the state I live in...
Firstly I should go back to the political campagning one party the Greens made for the homeless state and exploitation of landlords in some cases where rental prices outstripped any income for renting etc etc....the media after about a year suddenly found story after story..but no solutions.
It was and still is a scarey time for so many...not just the young, us the older baby boomers are and have been terrorised by so much uncooperative government  support.'
The Greens made enough noise that finally shifted the assistance to provide much needed funding and incentive to get states moving. 
But it took 2 years !!! while the cruelety continued...some houses in Victoria were built for social houses and a mix of social and other...investments to rent ...
Now we have some movement along with some pulling in penalities for the air bnb industry .
It is quite interesting to watch how the media latched onto the air b nb penalty instead of homes for people living in appalling conditions and poverty.
The nation is exposed to how little they care for their fellow people....who have a bias thought towards all people in this predicament it is their fault their desicions led them here....
Just fascinating this weird old snobbery from the mother country comes out with neon lights...
The other fascinating thing is seeing how the media as it is fed hates change.... not too much forward thinking going on... unless it infalets prices and lines others pockets.
Greed not sharing or caring to move forward as one nation....
But homes are now starting to be bult some replacing old derelict social blocks of flats in inner suburbs which rattles the status quo.
So many vacuous thoughts forget each of us is a person ..a human being... 
They scream of needing dogs to travel with them instead on public transport and eating places and pubs... 
See things need to change and hygiene and consideration as a whole needs to start and stop  this spiteful nature  









 

Monday 10 April 2023

HOMES I need to speak about


I try to gather my thoughts together in regards to the HOUSES that many cannot call their own anymore.
Be it firstly for rentals and secondly for home ownership.
So 
I draw homes
I write to political parties
I write to politicians
I write to ABC
and have done before the media started to take a strong interest ....but 
NOTHING HAPPENS
well that is wrong as in the state I live in some not for profit govt housing is built and continues to be built.
However the housing disgrace is growing bigger than housing.

It is weird as something in the instinct says 
THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE .

The picture has had a film over it from the beginning of the property surge during or near our first lockdown in 2020....
Like a marketing splurge 
It began in one capital city and wandered up the East Coast 
then into regional beachy areas of east coast
and into regional areas
now ?










 

Friday 3 March 2023

Theodora

This is a mix of hand painted on rough water colour paper....that was where it began
It became tea towel too....
or a framed poster....or a stitchery.




 

Saturday 11 February 2023

Button From Theodora Cleave

BUTTON....
INSPIRATION...
COLOURS...
FABRICS...
RIC RAC & RIBBON
Now what to make with the button as a wonderful accessory with gorgeous fabrics from French General & Tilda.
Ric Rac has always been a favourite of mine to trim with to set a story ...
Colours the buttons are painted and have their own colours and often need a plain colour between the fabric and the button....
  





 

Saturday 4 February 2023

Christmas Decorations new packaging

The packaging for some of the buttons and Christmas decorations is now made it to the web.
I have released 2 boxes of Christmas decorations each my designs in 4cm scalloped edge circles.
These have many uses, not only for decorating Christmas trees, but swags and wreaths, bon bons, frame, hoops, add to sewing projects .......and of course special gift tags to tie on wrapped presents. 





 

Sunday 29 January 2023

Stitching Illustrations


 For release on or about 7th Feb 2023 are 4 Stitchery Illustrations sets of gorgeous designs for applying to stitch, maybe a little applique, felt will lend itself in some of the designs...blend together felt, fabric and applique.

The designs are great to stitch each one as a separate and make a quilt....or pillows or cushions, bags etc framed or into hoop/s Small designs aas most of these are can be translated to use in small projects like pin cushions, needlekeeps, mini pillows , journal covers etc etc.....

I paint my illustrations using rough water colour paper and the paints I use for my buttons so not watercolour paints but acyrlics.

The stitchery Illustrations do not come with any stitching or colours or project instructions. 

In today's world so many many projects are available on line if one does not have any in cupboards in forms of patterns ....and as these have multiple uses one would be stitching into oblivion....I share my talents for a modest cost and you can create from there. Realising of course the copyright is owned always by me Barb Smith of Theodora Cleave.com  



Wednesday 28 December 2022

New Ways


New labelling is edging it's way into my work....
I have bagged the trees into a 6 pk and I love the look...
I will be expanding the labelling and boxes too...
That is primarily how I will work.

 



 

Friday 9 December 2022

Funny Times Christmas







 Christmas day is becoming closer.
It is always a weird time for me...
I work for many months on Christmas and feel the happy times each day for many months...if not all year !
Buttons & Decorations don't just come from another source ..like clip art modifications etc These are what I see in my mind's eye....
They wander about !
Colours too

Once my work winds down and the rush to get orders on their Merry way is the top priority....it gives SPACE.
What to do with this space that has lost the drive..... it is now dripping slowly to a halt.
Presents for friends and the need to post quick !!!
Then Christmas day looms way too early and I am over it now, so, I am just going to sit down and do nothing.



Friday 2 December 2022

Christmas races faster now


As I work long before Santa has his sleigh packed and the reindeers brushed and bells on their collars...
My time now slows down from a frantic focus of red paint and Santa buttons and decorations ...to a what comes next.
The pace changes quickly & it often leaves me wandering around looking at the neglected jobs but doing none !

Although, this year, I am working slowly on the way I will work for next Santa season. 

It is involving stickers and boxes and a set of ...buttons ...decorations.

For me this is so exciting ... the stickers arrived yesterday and boxes to trial have been ordered in.

Then comes designs of what will go inside these boxes and what size fits....

The preparation time will flip and flop a bit..

but the focus is part of this...also once I begin to work towards Christmas again that time has really passed. 


And I wish for a Happy Healthy time for all and I also wish for permanent homes for everyone.
Do not leave people out on the streets .
Let's all work together now to resolve this...




Saturday 19 November 2022

DECORATING ..it is nearly that season

I think of all of the people who have this year been flooded from their homes and livelihoods and just their lives.
Who are faced with enormous decisions, tears of loss of the way life was...
and the soggy mess, the still constant threats of more water !!!
And the people who are rescuing beyond belief.....
selfless people who make me feel so useless but also so proud....of them 
The people who are repairing roads, working on 24 hr shifts so we can move about our country again.
The people who are clearing and rebuilding and cleaning
It takes all to make a country.
Now our leaders are doing a fab job, not like the days of just turning up to the office in suits & frocks and well wasn't life simpler then and pay is the same today ...
You take on these careers to lead us and you have...

Life has changed for each of us events of recent past have brought change to the way we think, live and serve people.....
The balance is still happening sometimes it gets a bit lopsided....
With my fiddly pretty stuff... the world was not always a pretty picture but I held onto that and create today more things to bring a tiny bit of happiness and joy....I hope.
As one says "My Intention is ....."

 



 

Been some days ....

It is the height of creative time...
Santa Is going to come ...
as he always has in my mind....
The HOPE, 
the WISHING, 
the GIVING, 
The RECEIVING
The MEMORIES
The DECORATING
The MAKING,
The BAKING
and please bring Goodwill to all you meet.




 

Saturday 8 October 2022

Merry Christmas Angel

 The Merry Christmas Twig Angel
has flown onto French General charm Squares
of florals....
add ric rac
and place inside a hoop

Saturday 1 October 2022

French General Fabrics and Theodora's buttons

Spring
at last with less rain ...so far is just wonderful.
The days are warm.
The birds are so busy.
Butterflies have arrived.
The lilac is beginning to bloom.

I have been engrossed in using some new French General fabric charm squares with my buttons.
The fabric is perfect for the buttons.....
I have not used the pastels in a new range and I wanted to use them for Christmas Santa buttons etc...
Wonderful as the fabric, some ric rac etc, often a water colour painted paper tag, little stamped ribbon of fabric...buttons.
This session was with pastel flowers and street houses...and a reindeer !