Where have all the Tea Cosies Gone?

This is the title of the exhibition I will be giving a talk at tomorrow (8th May 2008), at Bundoora Homestead Art Centre.
I will post images when I've taken some.

Thursday May 8 @ 2.00pm
The Teacosy* Revolution; To Infini TEA and Beyond!
Tara Badcock, tea cosy revolutionary, explores the tea cosy's role in society. 'The maligned and much forgotten hero(ine) of the tea party seems destined to the fate of an outdated and redundant object of ridicule. Yet, consider the function and aesthetic significance of a tea cosy and you will find more than tea stained knitting and lumpy woollen padding with faded, rotting embroidery. A tea cosy for me is the conversation around the teapot, an object of domestic worship and a catalyst for debate and modern threads of contention'.

Exciting find in an Antique Shop yesterday......

I'm so excited about finding this tea set in an antique shop in Deloraine yesterday. I'm sure its a Chinese tea set made of very fine ironstone ceramic, unglazed and in nearly perfect condition. It looks so new that I cannot even start to understand how I would date the tea set...I'm not familiar enough with the design-dating concept...it could be 1920's or earlier...or later, for all I know?!

Anyway, its very beautiful and exquisitely designed and made with only a miniscule chip on one of the cups...so now I can practice my Chinese tea ceremony, pouring tea back and forth into pot and cup until it' 'ready' to drink. A friend gave me some Chinese rolled-leaf oolong tea she bought in Shanghai last year, so this will be perfect!
A tea cosy for this teapot...well, I think I'll make myself an embroidered silk tea-set-cosy instead, something to keep it safe and clean with!

I invite you all for a virtual cup of Oolong with me!

Tara's Birthday Tea Party at Binnalong Bay

For my birthday today, my lovely darling partner Rainier took me for a 'mystery drive' today and we ended up on the east coast of Tasmania at Binnalong Bay for the afternoon...it was lovely, the light was gorgeous and we had tea on a small, white sand filled beach with only a distant fisherman in sight...such a glorious 'day out' and a much needed and appreciated break from working life for both of us...I highly recommend it, ha ha!!!
Cameo shot of my favourite antique silver teapot that's been with me for about ten years!

A friend's film: Ou est passe le 14 juillet?

While not strictly containing any tea cosies, this film by a friend, Nathalie Latham, contains a 'Marianne' hat I made as one of her props.
Hope you enjoy it (it's in French, though easy-ish to understand)...
You can see Nat's other films on the same Google site too:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5496506108973006463

This is one of the main inspirations for my Teacosy* Revolution:

I hope you can view it, its on Youtube and is an absolute classic!!
Tea parties have never been the same since I saw this at a very early age...love the beards and the Victorian-ish dresses and hairdo's!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kY00CksZdVg

Tea cosy pattern from Weldon's Practical Crochet magazine of 1880-something

More from my farm auction hoard...a Weldon's Practical Crochet pattern magazine tea cosy to make.
If anyone would like a free copy of this 1880's pattern mailed to them, then please email me at the address at the top of this blog.
Please also pass this blog link on to anyone you think will be interested...the more people who have a chance to share these things, the better! Hopefully we'll all have a go at making this and can share the images later?!

I LOVE this song: Moriarty - video "Jimmy"

Moriarty - video "Jimmy"
Video sent by naiverecords

Une géniale innovation graphique pour Moriarty et ce 1er clip "Jimmy" issu de l'album "Gee Whiz But This Is A Lonesome Town". Réalisé par www.groupusqule.com.
1st video from the debut album "Gee Whiz but this is a lonesome town" out now.
Directed by Le Groupusqule www.groupusqule.com
Moriarty on tour check www.myspace.com/moriartylands
En concert le 21 mars à La Cigale (Paris)

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Jimmy Jimmy Jimmy won’t you please come home where the grass is green and the buffaloes roam
Come see Jimmy your uncle Jim Your auntie Jimmie and your cousin Jim
Come home Jimmy because you need a bath
And your grandpa Jimmy is still gone daft

Now there’s buffalo Jim and buffalo Jim
And Jim buffalo now didn’t you know
Jim Jim Jimmy its your last cigarette
But there’s buffalo piss and it’s all kind of wet
Jambo Jimmy you’d better hold your nose
All roads lead to roam with the buffaloes

Buffaloes used to say be proud of your name
Buffaloes used to say be what you are
Buffaloes used to say roam where you roam
Buffaloes used to say do what you do
If you remember you’re (unkown / a gnome / a Noam)
Buffaloland will be your home

Well you’ve gotta have a wash but you can’t clean your name You’re now called Jimmy you’ll be Jimmy just the same
The keys are in a bag in a chest by the door
One of Jimmy’s friends has taken the floor
Jimmy Jimmy Jimmy won’t you please come home where the grass is green and the buffaloes roam
Dear old Jimmy you’ve forgotten you’re young but you can’t ignore the buffalo song