Art by Serena Lewis

Week 4 Self portrait and some ETSY/blog love.

2012-01-29T20:42:00.000+10:00

Another week has flown by and the weather has been pitiful!

Lots of rain and I'm so over it! More rain to come according to the weather reports. There was flash flooding in some areas of Brisbane which had everyone feeling more than a little nervous after all the severe flooding we had last year.

Aaron's first week of high school went well. He's a man of few words but he did say he liked it better than primary school. I wonder if he'll feel that way when all the assignments start rolling in? lol

In late November last year, I ordered a beautiful necklace from Tracy over at her Pranalight ETSY shop. It arrived before Christmas (early December, in fact) and so beautifully packaged.

Inside was my new necklace! I fell in love with it the moment I saw it on Tracy's ETSY site.
It's beautiful, natural and grounding. I love all the cut-work!

And here I am wearing it!

WEEK 4 - 52 WEEKS OF ME 2012 PROJECT

To see more of Tracy's lovely creations, pop on over to her ETSY shop or visit
Tracy's blog.

In other news, I finally had my Gynaecology appointment only to find that MY Gynaecologist was still on annual leave. They had assumed I was just back for a follow-up appointment. Anywhoo, it was determined that a hysterectomy is a must but, because they classify it as major surgery, I will still need to see my own Gynaecologist because he will be the one performing the surgery. He will also discuss pros and cons plus which type of hysterectomy I'll be having. There are three. So the waiting game continues.....

I've been feeling out of sync the past few weeks which is why I haven't been around much in Blogland, sorry. I feel like my muse has run away too. I have lots of ideas but I just don't seem to be good at the 'doing' part.

I hope to catch up with you all over the coming week.

~ Love, light and peace ~

Week 3 in 52 weeks of ME project - self portrait

2012-01-22T21:30:00.000+10:00

This past week has been quite busy with setting Aaron up for his first day of High School tomorrow.

Uniforms, shoes, books, haircut, food etc.

He's all set now!

It's exciting to see him reach another milestone in his life.

He's very nervous, poor thing, but I'm sure he'll be okay.

We've been putting up with constant modem drop-outs when online over the past year or so. Over that time, it meant many conversations with our internet service provider technicians. Our phone line was tested and retested. Then, as the problem worsened recently, we worked through a process of elimination with various PC equipment. Finally the modem was pinpointed as being the culprit. So I bought a new one today and we're in heaven again. NO drop-outs...YAY!

I almost forget the weekly self-portrait again this week so I had a quick photo session in my room this afternoon.

Week 3 - 52 Weeks of Me 2012 project

With Aaron back at school this week, I may be able to settle back into a daily routine which I hope will involve lots of time for art.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend...
ours is just about over being late Sunday night.

~ Love, light and peace ~

Week 2 - 52 Weeks of Me 2012 - self portrait

2012-01-15T22:53:00.002+10:00

Hi everyone!

I'm still in vacation mode with Aaron on school holidays for yet another week so I do apologise for being AWOL of late. It's been so nice not having to follow a set routine. Surprisingly, I haven't been doing much in the way of art but I have been doing a lot of reading. I've also been doing some house rearranging which has prompted a lot of ideas for future painting tasks involving furniture and fabric.

I recently read Dean Koontz's latest novel - 77 Shadow Street - and it started me on a reading marathon. I'm now re-reading some of his older novels. Dean Koontz novels are a weakness of mine. I just can't resist them. My current read by him is Dark Rivers of the Heart.

YIKES! I almost forgot about my self-portrait for this week! It was fairly late in the afternoon when I remembered so I quickly snapped the shot below. I love lying on my bed to read...it's so comfy! That white blob of fur at the base of the bed is Cody, my dog. He loves my bed too.

Week 2 - 52 Weeks of ME 2012 project

We have attracted a family of butcher birds AND a family of magpies over the holidays. Aaron started feeding them back in December and then I kinda joined in. Now, they come right up to the window, or under the front entrance, to demand their food each day.

There is another member of this butcher bird family but it wasn't in the shot. They seem to take turns at sitting on the fence on guard duty while the others eat. The plan is to feed them until their babies are a bit older.

The bird in the shade is a young magpie. It's parents are nearby.

We experienced a terrible heatwave this past week. It was SO hot and humid! I sure wish we had air-con. Yesterday brought some rain, and again today, so things have cooled down a little thank goodness. How's the weather in your neck of the woods?

~ Love, light and peace ~

My workspace and my word for 2012

2012-01-05T12:21:00.000+10:00

Prior to new year I bought a trestle table to use in the studio so this prompted some reorganisation.

I packed away all my acrylic paints which I had on those shelves now holding my sketchbooks. I figured that I haven't used my acrylics all that much since I've been mostly sketching. However, if needed, my paints are still easily accessible from a cupboard in the garage.

For now, I want to focus my workspace around my sketching in ink, pens, coloured pencil or watercolours.

I placed all my coloured pencils into jars in groups of colour and, yes, I do plan to remove the jar labels at some point. I'm more set up now for sketching so I'm a happy little Vegemite! :)

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MY WORD FOR 2012

My regular readers will be aware that I haven't had a very good run with health over the last year and a half and these medical issues are still ongoing. A hysterectomy will be needed in the coming months to resolve a uterine condition and that will be one major health hurdle dealt with at least.

SO, my word for 2012 will be HEALING.

Each night, I will light a candle and say a prayer before going to bed. I will ask the Universe/God/Creator/Non-physical Source for HEALING for myself, for others, for abused animals and for Mother Earth. I hope this nightly ritual will bring about positive outcomes for all.

~ Love, light and peace ~

A new year, a Buddha, a self-portrait and a sketch

2012-01-02T11:45:00.000+10:00

Hi everyone!

We had a lovely New Year's Eve watching movies and then, at midnight, we toasted out the old year and welcomed in the new one while listening to Auld Lang Syne on the radio. That song always brings a tear or two to my eyes. Beau and Aaron went off to bed but Brad and I stayed up a while longer. I dragged my tired body off to bed at 2AM only to be up again just after 5AM. It seems I can't shake my early bird habit no matter what time I go to bed.

Just prior to the new year, I bought a Buddha for my kitchen. I'm amassing quite a collection of them now. I love the Tibetan/Indian style of Buddha best because he has a calm, peaceful and tranquil aura to me.

I think this Buddha goes quite well with the reds in my kitchen too. May he help me to remain calm amidst the chaos of cooking the evening meals in the kitchen.

In 2009 and 2011, I attempted the 52 weeks of Me project which entailed taking a self-portrait each week. I've never been a photogenic person in photos and I'm usually the one in the group with my eyes closed....nearly always captured mid-blink. So I took on the SP project as a personal challenge and a way of battering down those insecurities about my looks. I managed 19 weeks of self-portraits in 2009 and, last year, I managed around 34 weeks of self-portraits until my health issues arose and put a spanner in the works. Hopefully, this year I will do even better.

I snapped this photo earlier today for WEEK ONE in the 52 Weeks of Me 2012 project.

OH, and as promised, here is the quick sketch I did on our day trip to Burgess Park last week. I got to use my new KOI watercolour field set for the first time. YAY!

I'm not the greatest at landscapes so I found some leaves to sketch.

I finally settled on my word for 2012 and will post about that this week.

I hope 2012 is off to a great start for you all!

~ Love, light and peace ~

Last post for 2011!

2011-12-31T06:59:00.000+10:00

New Year's Eve has ARRIVED!!! What are your plans? New Year's Eve has always been a big deal in my family. We used to have HUGE family parties at my parents' place until they moved. It will be just me, Brad, Aaron and Beau this New Year's Eve and we will be enjoying a movie marathon...and maybe play some board games too as we wait to bring in 2012 at midnight! I'm EXCITED!!

As promised, here are some photos from Burgess Park, our favourite picnic spot in the country. It's about a 1 hour and 10 minute drive from home.

It's so, so peaceful here and I always feel better after visiting this beautiful spot.

We parked near the Queensland Bottle tree which is one of my favourite tree species. We laid out and relaxed on the picnic rugs and just breathed in that fresh country air. Blissful! Beau brought along his pastel paper and coloured pencils and started a new art piece. I even managed a sketch which I'll post tomorrow.

The bridge right beside Burgess Park. It spans Christmas Creek.

There is a path down to the creek so Beau and Aaron went for a swim. The water level had dropped significantly since the last time we were there so I guess it was more wading than swimming. Last time, the water level was quite high due to all the rain we'd had.

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It's already New Year's Eve here and I haven't yet decided on my word for 2012. Have you?

I want to take this opportunity to wish you all a very Happy and Safe New Year! Thank you all so much for your amazing support throughout ~~2010~~...DUH!....I mean 2011!

You guys are THE BEST!!!

~ Love, light and peace ~

Mikayla's finished Christmas ornament

2011-12-29T10:35:00.000+10:00

Hi everyone!

Well, Christmas is over for another year. I had a lovely time on Christmas day. We had a bit of a movie marathon, pigged out on nibblies, and then ate a delicious roast dinner. We were so full, there was no room in our tummies for dessert so, we will be having the Christmas pudding with custard for New Year's Eve instead.

Just thought I'd show you all the finished ornament I painted for Mikayla, my beautiful granddaughter.

I glued Christmas-themed craft paper onto a Papier-mâché box and used double-sided tape to attach the ribbons halfway up each side of the box.

It's a wrap!

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I've had more bad days health-wise lately so, yesterday, when Beau offered to drive us out to our favourite picnic spot in the country, how could I say no? The weather was perfect and it was so peaceful and relaxing...just what I needed. I had told everyone to lather up with sunscreen before we left the house to go to Burgess Park but I ended up being the silly one who forgot so I copped a good dose of sunburn. It didn't spoil the day though.

I'll post pics from our day trip tomorrow.

~ Love, light and peace ~

Merry Christmas to all!

2011-12-22T06:21:00.002+10:00

It's been a busy week catching up with some last minute Christmas shopping. I'm all done now. YES!

I put the finishing touches on Mikayla's Christmas ornament and just have to attach the ribbon now. I'll try to get pics of the end result to show you.

Number 3 son, Reece, and his girlfriend, Sarina, are currently on holiday in Manila, Philippines after spending a week at the beautiful island of Boracay, also in the Philippines. They are taking the opportunity to visit with some of Sarina's relatives whilst there too. It's great because Reece is able to keep in regular touch by email...don't ya just LOVE the internet?! They seem to be enjoying themselves and, after Manila, they will spend some time in Bangkok and Singapore before heading home for January 7th. Unfortunately, it will be the first time he won't be with us for Christmas which is sad but okay. We at least have the internet so will no doubt be in touch on Christmas Day...maybe even Skype if I can get the darned thing set up.

I may or may not be back to post again before Christmas day but, just in case, no matter what your plans are for the Christmas holiday season, I wish you all peace, joy, happiness, good health and lots of laughter. xo

~ Love, light and peace ~

Birthdays and a Santa ornament

2011-12-17T21:58:00.000+10:00

Hi everyone,

I'm sorry I've been absent from Blogland lately. I've had quite a few ups and downs with my medical ailments and, at this stage, no end in sight. My blog also had it's 5th blog anniversary on December 15th but my plans to do something special failed due to my health issues.

Aaron also graduated from Primary school and will start High School in the new year. He will officially become a teenager on December 23rd...yep...the big 13!!! Mikayla turned ONE on the 10th!! Michelle arranged a fabulous rainbow-themed party for Mikayla and we all had a fantastic time!! Mikayla loved all her presents and lapped up all the attention.

Isn't she adorable?!!

I decided to make a start on Mikayla's 2nd Christmas ornament today. Last year, Mikayla was only a couple of weeks old on Christmas day....my, how the time has flown.

First, a quick sketch using chalk pencil.

Next, the first layer of acrylic paint.

Then, another layer with more details....almost finished here.

Just a little more to do and then I will spruce up the rest of the ornament.

This is the ornament I painted for Mikayla's 1st Christmas last year.

I haven't done much in the way of sketching lately. I've been feeling quite down but hope to drag myself out of the doldrums soon.

For now, I have a lot of catching up to do.....

~ Love, light and peace ~

A mug I covet...

2011-12-06T05:09:00.001+10:00

I didn't get a chance to post yesterday. Bad pain day unfortunately. I'm off to see my regular doctor again this morning as my gynaecologist is away on holidays for nearly 8 weeks!

Anywhoo, I did this mug sketch a couple of days ago and I still haven't done any journaling on the page....maybe today.

Pencil-free sketch using Pigma Micron & ZIG Millenium pens, Derwent Inktense water soluble pencils and Mungyo watercolour crayons in A5 sketchbook.

I love this mug but it doesn't belong to me. I just covet it from the sidelines. It actually belongs to my daughter, Michelle....a gift from her sister-in-law. I am drawn to its colour and detail every time I see it and maybe one day I'll be lucky enough to find one very similar.

Here are some of the different process stages -

I participate in the Creative Every Day group where we check-in once a week.
to view the creative posts of other CED members
click here.

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Mikayla's (granddaughter) first birthday is this Saturday and we're all looking forward to celebrating her big day with her. I'm just praying I don't end up in hospital before then. It's hard to believe a year has nearly passed since she made her grand entrance to the world. I had the honour of being a witness to her birth and the experience is something I will treasure always.

~ Love, light and peace ~

My prize has arrived!!!

2011-12-04T21:12:00.001+10:00

As you know, last month I participated in the Art Every Day Month challenge. I met some wonderful artists and I even had the opportunity to enter a giveaway held by one of the AEDM members - Tracey Fletcher King.

I WON!!!!

And yesterday, my prize arrived....

Thank you so much, Tracey!!

I received a beautiful card featuring a print, plus a ring and pendant, also featuring Tracey's amazing art! I couldn't be happier!

Am I a lucky girl, or what???!!!

You can visit Tracey's blog HERE.

Her painting subjects vary and include exquisite teapots and teacups and gorgeous flowers.
Well worth a look-see.

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In other news, I did manage a sketch today which I will post tomorrow so stay tuned, my friends.

~ Love, light and peace ~

Summer has arrived!!!

2011-12-01T19:59:00.001+10:00

Today was the official start to our Aussie summer. Thankfully it wasn't a scorcher and we were even blessed with a little rain.

Bradley and Reece had a blast at Elton John's concert last night! Reece even managed to get a couple of Brad's CDs signed by Elton so that was a real highlight. Brad's voice was a little scratchy today which is fully understandable after all the screaming out and singing along he did at the concert. He also got to meet an internet friend, Darren. They met via the Elton John Fan Club site and they have been email buddies for a while now. Darren was also sitting in the front row at the concert and they finally had the chance to meet face-to-face....SO cool!

It felt strange not having to sketch for AEDM today, however, I did create a mosaic highlighting some of the sketches I did for November.

I meditated for 15 minutes today and hope to make it a daily practise. It's been way too long and I have missed it. Rita has taken on a 21 day meditation challenge so, while I haven't registered officially, I will be participating unofficially on the sidelines.

I'm feeling so tired at the moment after only getting 3½ hours of sleep last night. The boys didn't get home from the concert until close to midnight and I had waited up to hear all about it. By the time I got to bed, it was around 12:30 and then I was up again at 4AM to get Reece organised for work. I'm looking forward to jumping into my cosy bed tonight.

~ Love, light and peace ~

Day 30 - AEDM & Nablopomo - Mexican bull & Elton John

2011-11-30T18:01:00.001+10:00

The final day in the challenge has arrived!

YAY!!!!

I experienced yet another day of not feeling well but I managed to muddle through.

Today's sketch was of my Mexican Bull ornament. I bought it some years ago at a cheap Dollar Store and it's still a favourite of mine. I think it has character. It wasn't labelled as Mexican but that's just the feel I get from it, plus the fact that it is on display in my kitchen beside a bottle of tequila.

Pencil-free sketch using Pigma Micron pens and Derwent Inktense pencils in A5 sketchbook.

to view the creative posts of other AEDM members for Day 30
click here.

I will probably post again tomorrow just to be on the safe side for Nablopomo being that it's based in a different time zone. Then I will have a day off! I'm quite proud of myself for posting each day in November.

I hope you have all enjoyed visiting my blog this past month.

To my fellow AEDM'ers - as you won't see a daily link on the AEDM site any more, you may like to Follow me so that you can stay up-to-date with my weekly or daily happenings. I'm so happy I participated in the AEDM challenge because it encouraged me to get back to regular sketching and I have also met some wonderful people whom I will continue to visit. I plan to link weekly to the Creative Every Day group so I'll still be around to some degree at Leah's site.

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Tonight, Aaron (my 12 year old son) and I are home alone for the evening as Beau (#2 son) is working very late and two of my other sons, Brad and Reece, have gone to see Elton John in concert. You may remember me posting this sketch back in May to acknowledge Brad's big win of FRONT ROW tickets!

pencil-free sketch using pigma micron pens in large moleskine sketchbook

Here is a photo I snapped of Brad (on viewer's left) and Reece prior to them heading off for the concert late this afternoon. EXCITEMENT RULED!!!

~ Love, light and peace ~

Day 29 - AEDM & Nablopomo - Bird of Paradise

2011-11-29T19:51:00.001+10:00

I've not been well at all today and I think it shows in my sketch below as, by late afternoon, I found it very hard to concentrate.

Earlier in the day, I painted these words on MDF board which I had previously painted white. It's going to be a backing board for a piece of art my 24 year old son recently completed as a gift for a friend. Beau asked me to paint the words because he felt I'd be more steady-handed than him.

My sketch in three stages

Pencil-free sketch using Pigma Micron pens, Derwent Inktense water-soluble pencils and Uniball Signo white pen in my Moleskine pocket watercolour sketchbook.

to view the creative posts of other AEDM members for Day 29
click here.

WOW....one day left in the monthly challenge!!

~ Love, light and peace ~

Day 28 - AEDM & Nablopomo - Tea for One

2011-11-28T20:06:00.001+10:00

Hi everyone,

I really didn't think I was going to manage my sketch today as I had a doctor's appointment this morning and then Michelle (daughter) and Mikayla (granddaughter) called in for a visit. It was so lovely to spend time with them. You must get sick of me saying this but I love my little granddaughter SO much! Her smile is infectious.

As for the doctor's appointment, I don't need a back scan as he feels this particular back pain is associated with my gynaecological issues. It looks like a hysterectomy will definitely be on the cards. :(

Before I knew it, late afternoon had arrived and I needed to start the curry for dinner. I don't know how I did it but I actually managed to squeeze in some time for a very quick sketch.

The subject for my sketch was a little 'Tea for One' set. The top half is a little teapot and the bottom half is the teacup hence the two handles. I've always thought these sets to be really cute.

Pencil-free sketch using Pigma Micron pens and Derwent Inktense water-soluble pencils in Moleskine pocket watercolour sketchbook.

to view the creative posts of other AEDM members for Day 28
click here.

TWO days left in the monthly challenge!
I'm excited!!!
It's been fun AND challenging at times.

~ Love, light and peace ~

Day 27 - AEDM & Nablopomo - Chinese garden lantern

2011-11-27T19:56:00.001+10:00

Hi everyone!

WOW! Day 27 which means only THREE more days to go! The month has gone by very fast, ailments and all.

My lower back pain was even worse today. It only allowed me short periods of time at the computer or sitting in general. I will most likely be getting a back scan some time this week.

Anywhoo, today, I decided to sketch a Chinese Garden Lantern which was prompted by the fact that I bought a new shrub for our back corner garden. I went for an Orange Jessamine shrub which is very similar to Jasmine with its little white flowers. We have these shrubs in the front garden bed and, when they are in bloom, the fragrance wafts in through the windows. I love it!

I've always liked the look of these Chinese lanterns in gardens. I don't own one but it is on my wish list.

This was a pencil-free sketch using Pigma Micron pens and Derwent Inktense pencils for colour...oh, and a Uniball Signo white pen for highlights. I liked using the double page format so much yesterday that I went with the same idea today. It's in my Moleskine pocket watercolour sketch book.

to view the creative posts of other AEDM members for Day 27
click here.

It was a very hot and humid day...a clear reminder that summer is only days away. I know I'm in the minority when I say that I prefer our cooler months but that's how I feel. I hope tomorrow will be a little cooler.

~ Love, light and peace ~

Day 26 - AEDM & Nablopomo - African Milk Tree

2011-11-26T19:48:00.001+10:00

hi everyone

after my good health day yesterday, lower back and abdominal pain had me feeling off kilter again today. if it's not one thing, it's another.....so not fun. i didn't get around to sketching again until afternoon.

another pen sketch was in order.
i was quite excited about doing a double page in the landscape format.

the subject - one of our potted african milk trees

though it looks like a cactus, it is actually a succulent and belongs to the euphorbia family. this particular variety is called a euphorbia trigona. NOTE - euphorbias are highly toxic.

after the pen sketch was finished, i used my derwent inktense pencils and some AS artists watercolour paints to give it some colour.

and then....the final layer with more details.
pencil-free sketch using ZIG millenium & pigma micron ink pens, derwent inktense pencils and AS watercolour paints in my moleskine pocket watercolour sketchbook.

OH...i also used my uniball signo white pen.
i don't know how i overlooked it but, AFTER i took the final pics, i noticed that i'd neglected to colour the very top right shoot. it has since been coloured.

to view the creative posts of other AEDM members for Day 26
click here.

~ love, light and peace ~

Day 25 - AEDM & Nablopomo - Bali Buddha

2011-11-25T19:49:00.001+10:00

i was feeling much better today.

brad (my eldest son) and i went out mid-morning to run a few errands and pick up a few groceries. it was quite a hot, humid day and the promised rain didn't really eventuate. just light drizzle early morning which only added to the humidity factor.

come afternoon, i decided to do a pen sketch of the buddha i have in my bedroom.

he came from bali and is made from wood. he used to be a dark brown colour but i painted him aqua.

out came my derwent inktense pencils for a bit of colour

"If we could see the miracle of a single flower clearly, our whole life would change." ~ Buddha

to view the creative posts of other AEDM members for Day 25
click here.

"The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, worry about the future, or anticipate troubles but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly." ~ Buddha

~ love, light and peace ~

Day 24 - AEDM & Nablopomo - egret sketch

2011-11-24T19:58:00.001+10:00

hi everyone

thanks so much for all the well wishes yesterday

i think my migraine came about from a mix of stress and hormones. stress because i was setting up my son's new laptop and there was a bit of a hiccup trying to get it to recognise our wifi connection. the wifi on/off switch didn't get any reaction at all. after what seemed like forever, i magically did something that finally had it recognising our wifi again....just don't ask me what i did because i have no idea myself. i can tell you there were many screams of frustration and possibly a few tears during the whole debacle and, of course, a migraine. i was not well today either thanks to migraine fall-out but, by the end of the day, i was feeling much better.

it's funny that most of my sketches this month have been, last minute, end of day tasks. today was no different and i chose to do a pen sketch of an egret in my moleskine pocket watercolour journal. i used some derwent inktense pencils for the colour.

then i went and ruined it with my messy writing. i was just not in the right frame of mind and should have listened to my inner voice that was screaming NO, DON'T DO IT! ah well, lesson learned and, it's a journal after all, so it will do.

the reference image i used is credited to pd photos.

to view the creative posts of other AEDM members for Day 24
click here.

until tomorrow

~ love, light and peace ~

Day 23 - AEDM & Nablopomo - bali fish & migraine

2011-11-23T19:08:00.001+10:00

i'm fending off another migraine so this will be a quick post and run

i finished my sketch journal page this afternoon BEFORE the migraine reared its ugly head so here 'tis

to view the creative posts of other AEDM members for Day 23
click here.

until tomorrow

~ love, light and peace ~

Day 22 - AEDM & Nablopomo - another fishy post

2011-11-22T20:02:00.001+10:00

you may recall that yesterday i started this fish ornament sketch

today i played a little more.
first, a second layer of watercolour to strengthen the colours.

then some shading and detailing with my pigma micron pen and uniball white pen. this (pic below) is where i ended up today. it's very close to finished and then, i'll just add some journaling to the page.

i can hardly believe we're already at day 22 which means only 8 more days left in the challenge!! i sure hope i'll be able to see it through to the end. i must admit that there have been days where it would have been easier for me NOT to do my daily art due to health issues but the commitment to AEDM has a strong hold on me. it also has a lot to do with the wonderful people i have met in the AEDM group. they are all so encouraging and supportive and i can't thank them enough.

to view the creative posts of other AEDM members for Day 22
click here.

~ love, light and peace ~

Day 21 - AEDM & Nablopomo - fishy sketch

2011-11-21T20:03:00.001+10:00

i've been sick all day yet here i am....how's that for dedication or am i just plain crazy?! i'm going to quickly post what i did today and then I'm going to lie down. I'll catch up with blogs tomorrow.

today, while moping around and feeling sorry for myself, i decided to do a pen sketch of a balinese metal fish ornament i own. with the way i was feeling, i could only manage the first layer of watercolours but there will probably be at least two more layers before i'll call it finished.

i didn't notice until afterwards that the colours i used on the fish are very similar to the colour palette i used for my mandala. i've also noticed that my fish is a little elephant-like and desperately needs some 'snout' adjustment. lol

my subject

to view the creative posts of other AEDM members for Day 21
click here.

until tomorrow

~ love, light and peace ~

Day 20 - AEDM & Nablopomo - mandala & paperbark

2011-11-20T20:23:00.001+10:00

a very quick post today showing more stages of the mandala i've been working on

i wasn't really happy with the end result but this IS what i worked on today.

to view the creative posts of other AEDM members for Day 20
click here.

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and a little more inspiration

this is an australian paperbark tree. it is native to australia and is a member of the melaleuca family. i love the papery bark and i think it would work well in mixed media collages.

until tomorrow

~ love,light and peace ~

Day 19 - AEDM & Nablopomo - mandala & inspiration

2011-11-19T17:53:00.001+10:00

hi everyone!

how has your weekend been so far?

it's saturday evening here and, so far, i've had a nice, relaxing day apart from the pain in my hands and arms. if the body pain keeps up, i may have to try a different non-steroidal anti-inflammatory tablet because i think my body has already adapted to this one. of course, i am hoping the magnetic underlay will do its stuff within the next month or so.

we didn't get to watch the second part of harry potter and the deathly hallows last night so we will be watching it shortly. i last watched it at the cinema and can hardly wait to see it again.

for my creative venture today i decided to get to work on my mandala

so i first transferred my mandala design to my large moleskine watercolour journal using SARAL transfer paper. it worked a treat.

then i went over the transfer line using my black uniball permanent ink pen

next, the colouring process began

of course, you knew there was going to be green, blue and purple in there, didn't you?! yep...it's one my favourite colour combos. there will be one or two other colours as the progress continues. i'm kinda deciding colours as i go along. i hope to get more work done on it tomorrow.

to view the creative posts of other AEDM members for Day 19
click here.

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for inspiration, here are some purple flowers i snapped while walking aaron to school on friday. i don't know the name of this flower but they bloom in lots of clusters on a medium-sized shrub. anyone else know their name?

if you look closely at this one, you will see a bee

and now i will be off to enjoy the movie

until tomorrow

~ love, light and peace ~

Day 18 - AEDM & Nablopomo - cody, inktense & plumbago

2011-11-18T20:04:00.001+10:00

it will by a quick post tonight because the boys are anxiously waiting on me so we can watch 'harry potter and the deathly hallows - part 1'. they are hoping to watch 'part 2' straight after so we need to get an early start.

so today i decided to do a quick sketch of my dog, cody
he is a chihuahua/shih-tzu/maltese cross

i started out with a pencil free sketch using a pigma micron pen

then followed up with some colour using my derwent inktense pencils

then the final details and some words

cody turned FIVE on november 10th!
the poor thing suffers severe separation anxiety if i go out and that's even if my sons are at home. he's terrified of storms and loud noises too. i feel so bad for him. he's like my baby and he follows me everywhere. i love him so much!

i also did some swatches in my sketchbook for my derwent inktense pencils.

it's not easy to judge what colour a pencil is going to deliver just by looking at it so i figured the swatches will be a great reference.

to view the creative posts of other AEDM members for Day 18
click here.

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i'll leave you with a couple of flower pics i snapped this morning while walking aaron to school

this is a plumbago flower

~ love, light and peace ~

Day 17 - AEDM & Nablopomo - daffodil & magnetic therapy

2011-11-17T20:23:00.001+10:00

aaron was home sick with a tummy bug today, poor thing.

this has been my first whole day at home this week and i still didn't manage a sketch until late afternoon. i was having a bad body pain day as well as one of those lethargic days.

my darling mum bought me a bio-magnetic underlay and pillow cover for my bed to hopefully help with the pain. she swears it has helped her over the past nine years. mum took her magnetic underlay off their bed a few months ago and, it only dawned on her a few days ago that, she and dad have been getting a lot of aches and pains since. needless to say, mum ordered a new magnetic underlay for their bed too. i'll give it a good month or two before i pass any judgement.

the daffodil was my favourite flower as a child and i still hold a soft spot for daffodils to this day
pencil free sketch using pigma micron pen and derwent intense pencils in pocket moleskine watercolour sketchbook

i found out years later that the daffodil is also the birth flower for march which happens to be my birth month

to view the creative posts of other AEDM members for Day 17
click here.

i hope you've all been enjoying a wonderful week!

~ love, light and peace ~

Day 16 - AEDM & Nablopomo - mandala, sketch & magpies

2011-11-16T20:12:00.001+10:00

thanks for all the well wishes regarding my migraine yesterday.
it left me feeling a little cloudy-headed today but it's all good.

one of my readers has been having an intermittent problem accessing my blog. she will sometimes get a message saying "this blog does not exist" and i was wondering if anyone else has had this experience with my blog? my daughter was telling me today that, while it hasn't happened with my blog, it has happened recently with another blog she visits. hopefully, it's just a temporary blogger glitch because i'm totally stumped.

today i was back at michelle's so we could finish off the triptych revamp.

again, i got to spend quality time with beautiful, little mikayla.
grandchildren are so special!

i played with another mandala this morning. at the moment we are just working on creating designs and we will then be colouring and detailing them over the next couple of weeks.

to view the creative posts of other AEDM members for Day 16
click here.

for a few weeks now, we've been getting regular visits from a family of magpies.
i love birds!

the babies are the brown colour and they are just about the same size as their parents. the funny thing is that they will stand beside their parent squawking like crazy until the parent picks up the food we have thrown out and feeds it straight into their mouth. i don't get why the baby just doesn't bend over and pick up it's own food....too funny!

i'll be at home all day tomorrow so will hopefully be spending more time in the studio.

until then

~ love, light and peace ~

Day 15 - AEDM & Nablopomo - mandala in progress

2011-11-15T20:46:00.001+10:00

hi everyone

a very quick post tonight as i'm battling a migraine which started taking hold late afternoon.
i think it started from neck tension.

we (brad, beau, michelle, mikayla & i) went out for lunch with my parents, my brother billy, and his lovely wife, debbie. we all have a great time!

after getting home around 3PM, i printed out the templates for the mandala class which started today. i played around a little but didn't get too much done with this migraine making an appearance.

to view the creative posts of other AEDM members for Day 15
click here.

i think an early night is in order which i plan to do as soon as i collect my other son, reece, from the bus stop.

~ love, light and peace ~

Day 14 - AEDM & Nablopomo - Triptych revisited

2011-11-14T22:36:00.001+10:00

it has been quite a busy day

first, a doctor's appointment and then off to my daughter's house for the rest of the day.

i had painted a triptych for my granddaughter's room back in july but, recently, my daughter decided on a colour change in mikayla's room.

this was the original triptych that i painted

and this is kinda where it's headed - deeper and more vibrant

the colours in these photos were not the final choice.
i will post the end result later in the week when it's finished.

today, i helped mix colours and painted a little bit but my daughter, michelle (pictured below), did most of the painting while i had the pleasure of playing with my beautiful granddaughter, mikayla.

to view the creative posts of other AEDM members for Day 14
click here.

mikayla took her first steps last week and will be turning ONE year old in december!
she brings me so much happiness!

~ love, light and peace ~

Day 13 - AEDM & Nablopomo - alpaca, crochet & sticks

2011-11-13T19:45:00.001+10:00

it's been a nice, relaxing sunday here.

i spent part of the morning catching up with blogs and browsing my reference photos for a sketch subject. i finally settled on a photo that my son, aaron, had taken back in 2009.

an alpaca....too cute!

i started the sketch using graphite pencil but found i was second guessing myself too much so switched to my trusty pigma micron pen and things went smoothly from there on. i couldn't resist adding a touch of colour with my derwent inktense pencils.

and here is the original reference image.

for some reason, the white alpaca in the background makes me think of The Beatles.
must be that dashing hairstyle - lol

to view the creative posts of other AEDM members for Day 13
click here.

i was quite tickled that paula invited me to participate in a task for the artist's way group that she has been hosting on her blog. check out the post here.

thanks, paula! xo

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i also found time today to do a little more work on my striped blanket throw

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i think my son, aaron, has caught the creative bug because, this past week, he has been busying himself making various items from paddle pop sticks.

he paints them up himself too...very effective all grouped together, don't you think?

i hope you had a nice, relaxing sunday too

~ love, light and peace ~

Day 12 - AEDM & Nablopomo - recycling an old painting

2011-11-12T20:11:00.001+10:00

i've had some finished paintings stored in the garage for a few years now. i had originally painted for art workshops that i was teaching at the time. the subject, level, and style of the painting was to suit my students' requests and needs....and not something i would have chosen myself.

so, i thought it was high time i took the plunge and gave one of them a facelift

i picked out some decorative papers and glued them in place with matte medium

now the fun will begin once i decide what i'm going to do from here

maybe a mermaid given the theme on the decorative paper?

time will tell

to view the creative posts of other AEDM members for Day 12
click here.

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i love trees!

they have such beautiful auras and represent life and hope in many cultures.

i thought i'd share some pics with you of a native australian eucalypt called the scribbly gum tree.

those scribbles are actually made by the larvae of the scribbly gum moth

kinda cool, huh?

til tomorrow

~ love, light and peace ~

Day 11 - AEDM & Nablopomo - a rose and a rest

2011-11-11T19:42:00.001+10:00

hi everyone

today, i finished off the rose i started yesterday

here is the finished page...dated yesterday because that's when i started it

i am loving my derwent inktense pencils!

to view the creative posts of other AEDM members for Day 11
click here.

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for the majority of the day, i was lying on the couch with my feet elevated as they were very sore and swollen. i think it was due to all the walking i've done this week. hopefully, it will be better tomorrow.

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for some reason, my chilli plant has decided to go all mutant on me. my chillies should look like this. note how they are nearly three times longer than they are wide?

well, for some unknown reason, they are now looking like this!

this one obviously tried to get some length but it just didn't happen.
it's a mystery i tell you.

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on a sad note, at 11AM today, we stood and paid our respects to our fallen soldiers in one minute's silence for Remembrance Day. the bugle on the TV played The Last Post and it never fails to bring tears to my eyes.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old;

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning

We will remember them.

my heartfelt and sincere thanks to the men and women of our armed services

~ love, light and peace ~

Day 10 - AEDM & Nablopomo - sketch & art supplies

2011-11-10T20:01:00.001+10:00

another busy day has passed and i'm now feeling SO tired! i'm surprised myself that i've still managed to meet the challenge each day...can't say i'll make it all the way but i will certainly try.

another late afternoon sketch was the order of the day...this time, a rose

pencil free sketch using pigma micron pen in small moleskine watercolour sketchbook

and, of course, i played a little more with my new derwent inktense pencils. still some layers to go before i'll call it finished but this is what i managed today

to view the creative posts of other AEDM members for Day 10
click here.

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we were over at garden city (a large shopping centre) for the day and i couldn't resist popping into riots art and craft store. yep...i bought even more treats for the studio. heck, i'm sure the kids won't mind living on bread and water for the next week or so.

a wood burning tool and some watercolour tube paints
the wood burning tool is for making stamps

a 12 pack of A7 (approx. 3" x 4") mini sketchbooks featuring a variety of different papers

and a new pack of mungyo gallery watercolour crayons (love 'em!) and more water-brushes

until tomorrow

~ love, light and peace ~

Day 9 - AEDM & Nablopomo - sketch & inspiration

2011-11-09T21:12:00.001+10:00

i didn't get a lot of time to sketch today as my son, brad, had to see the ophthalmologist at the mater hospital. i took my sketchbook along and sketched for a little bit in the waiting room and then i finished and coloured it when we arrived back home later in the afternoon.

pencil-free sketch using pigma micron pens, derwent inktense pencils and watercolour crayons in A5 watercolour sketchbook

after brad's appointment, we walked down to the southbank parklands and, while there, i popped into oxlades art essentials store and treated myself to set of derwent inktense water-soluble pencils (used later to colour the sketch) and an ~~electric~~ battery-operated eraser. i've never used an electric eraser before but, apart from the obvious, i'm thinking it will also be very handy for lifting out highlights in graphite sketches.

i LOVE the vibrancy of the inktense pencils!

to view the creative posts of other AEDM members for Day 9
click here.

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i took the following shots at southbank parklands today

bougainvillea

palms

tranquil setting

and this magnificent orange flowered tree

it's been a tiring day especially with all the walking as i'm still not over my asthma attack. i don't think it will be too long before i head off to bed.

i hope you're all enjoying a great week!

~ love, light and peace ~

Day 8 - AEDM & Nablopomo - sketch & inspiration

2011-11-08T21:00:00.003+10:00

unfortunately, i'm not a happy camper today.
yesterday, i bought a BOOST juice - green tea mango mantra - my favourite! i've had this same juice heaps of times before but, after drinking it yesterday, i immediately started coughing and wheezing and feeling heavy in my chest. WEIRD! i'm still dealing with the asthma fallout.

needless to say, i was only up to doing a small sketch in my moleskine watercolour sketchbook.

first the quick pen sketch using my pigma micron pen

then some watercolours and journaling

for reference, i used some photos i took last week of some morning glories growing wild near the creek just down from our house.

aren't they lovely?!

to view the creative posts of other AEDM members for Day 8
click here.

i think i'll get an early night now so until tomorrow

~ love, light and peace ~

Day 7 - AEDM & Nablopomo - art journal page & inspiration

2011-11-07T21:08:00.000+10:00

today was crazy busy so i didn't get a chance to achieve much at all

i also got to spend some time with my gorgeous granddaughter, mikayla.
SO much fun!

anywhoo, a background for one of my art journals will have to suffice for AEDM today

i used the end of a paintbrush to write words into the wet gessoed background then, when dry, i applied some acrylic colours.

serene

blues and greens RULE!!!

love

joy

still heaps to go but this is as far as i got

before i do any more art i will need to do some serious tidying up at my art desk. what a MESS!!! how's a girl supposed to work like this?!! me thinks i need to get some tips from my dear friend rita who is always so neat and orderly.

to view the posts of other AEDM members for Day 7
click here.

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more inspiration for you

my desert rose (b. Adenium Obesum) is flowering!

now i'm off to watch another episode in the final season of SMALLVILLE.

i'm looking forward to catching up with blogs tomorrow.

~ love, light and peace ~

Day 6 - AEDM & Nablopomo - messy abstract & inspiration

2011-11-06T20:43:00.005+10:00

hi everyone!

for some time now, my 12 year old son has been asking me to paint an abstract for his room. he wanted one like the one i did for my own room a short time ago.

my abstract

aaron's room also has a blue/green colour scheme but i created his with more drama than mine....and minus the purple at his request.

as you can see from the end result below, they are similar but different

i had a pretty bad pain day with my right arm so i think that showed through too

i managed to snap some of the stages to show you

it's 30" x 15" in size on gallery-wrapped canvas

finished and in place on my son's bedroom wall

to view the posts of other AEDM members for Day 6
click here.

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and look what happens when i stand still for too long

my dog, cody, comes over and parks himself right on top of my foot!
he's so cute ~ lol

~ love, light and peace ~

Day 5 - AEDM & Nablopomo - mandala in progress

2011-11-05T20:21:00.001+10:00

another frustrating day of procrastination!

in the end, i settled on creating a mandala which is obviously not finished yet.

the mandala is 8" diam.

i've always enjoyed creating mandalas and, days ago, when i saw a FREE mandala course was being offered via willowing's ning site, i immediately signed up for it. the course starts on november 14th so, if you're interested, you can sign up here.

(ADDITION - so sorry, everyone! rita just brought it to my attention that you need to sign up before you can actually view the mandala class link. the sign up is to willowing's (tamara laporte) NING site where you will find lots of goodies and a supportive art community. once you register to willowing's art community, you should THEN be able to access the FREE mandala class link provided above)

to view the creative posts of other AEDM members for Day 5 click here

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more inspiration

an australian bottlebrush flower

i hope you're all enjoying a beautiful weekend!

~ love, light and peace ~

Day 4 - AEDM & Nablopomo - Mexican Friendship Circle

2011-11-04T20:36:00.000+10:00

i have to admit that i struggled all day with procrastination and, in the end, i had to quickly make a decision and do a very fast pen and watercolour sketch which is still unfinished.

my mexican friendship circle

to view the posts of other AEDM members for Day 4
click here
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the kids and i went to visit my brother in hospital this afternoon and we were very relieved and happy to hear that all the tests from his surgery came back clear. he may be minus one kidney but he is now cancer-free...YAY! the bestest news EVER!

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here are more inspiration pics

they are called canna phasion lilies

the leaves kinda steal the limelight from the flowers don't you think?

these ones graced the gardens at our local shops
such rich, vivid colours!

i'm hoping i will be able to get more on task with the art every day challenge as the days go on.

~ love, light and peace ~

Day 3 - AEDM & Nablopomo - another sketch

2011-11-03T19:50:00.003+10:00

thank you all for the great feedback on yesterday's post!

i'm afraid today's post will be shorter as i'm battling a rotten migraine probably due to the heart stress test i did earlier today....my neck is so stiff and sore. good news - they didn't find any abnormalities! YAY!

anywhoo, before the migraine reared its head, i managed to quickly start another life sketch. i just need to splash on some colour, more details and writing. again, i sketched directly with my trusty pigma micron pen.

the sketch is of my buddha belly plant (botanical name - Jatropha podagrica) which has been flowering for a few weeks now.

the leaves are 2½ times the size of my hand!

to view the posts of other AEDM members for Day 3
click here.

btw, my brother's surgery for the kidney removal went reasonably well.
we pray all the test results will be clear.

now, i'm off to lie down and will hopefully wake up minus a migraine

~ love, light and peace ~

Day 2 - AEDM & NABLOPOMO - sketch

2011-11-02T19:53:00.000+10:00

i decided to do a quick sketch of the lantana mandala i photographed yesterday

so, out came my small moleskine watercolour sketchbook, my pigma micron pens, some felt pens (textures) and watercolour crayons. i sketched directly in pigma micron pen and followed up with the felt pens before moving on to watercolours.

i tried to keep it very loose

and i was fairly pleased with the end result

considering i rushed it due to lack of time this afternoon

a couple more lantana photos for inspiration

hard to believe that, in queensland, these shrubs are viewed as noxious weeds

to view the posts of other AEDM members for Day 2
click here.

~ love, light and peace ~

Day 1 - AEDM & Nablopomo - Catching up

2011-11-01T16:14:00.000+10:00

hi everyone!

i'm sorry i've been MIA over the past two weeks but i've had a lot happening.

there hasn't been a lot of art going on but......

i have been busy creating websites for myself and long time art friend, judy white.
so there's been a lot of uploading and banner creating going on.
it's been a fun challenge which i will continue to enjoy.
i'm quite excited to have my own domain name!

my website
judy's website

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i've missed a few weeks in the 52 weeks of Me project so, to avoid another week of nothing, i quickly snapped this pic earlier today

week 44

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and, to make up for my absence of late, i've signed up for the art every day month and nablopomo challenges which means i will, hopefully, be posting EVERY SINGLE DAY for the month of november. i've been snapping pics here and there which i hope will serve as inspiration for some sketching.

the art every day month covers all forms of creativity such as art, photography, knitting, crochet, cooking etc. so i figure i can manage that.

click on the images above to find out more

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on another note, i ask that you please say a prayer for my brother who is having one of his kidneys removed tomorrow. it all happened very fast this past week when tests showed a large tumour. naturally, i've been very worried about my bro and i'm praying that all will go well for him.

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i leave you with a pic i snapped while out walking this morning

~ a mandala from mother nature ~

isn't it beautiful?!

it's a LANTANA FLOWER

~ love, light and peace to you all ~

another abstract and a self portrait

2011-10-17T17:32:00.004+10:00

i was in need of another abstract for my bedroom so, this morning, i prepped up a canvas with some gesso which i applied quite thick with a fan brush.

after it dried, the fun began while i listened to enigma on my ipod yet again.
LOVE their music!

i must admit that i'm quite enjoying the abstract experience
and
it was especially fun flinging paint onto the canvas.

the end result

finished and on display in my room

week 41 in the 52 weeks of me project

yesterday was quite tiring so i stole a few moments to rest on my bed with cody

on the medical front

the results from my surgery are in and, unfortunately, it's not as good as i had hoped for. apparently, i'm on the way to endometrial cancer. the gyno gave me two options. one - a course of progesterone which, after six months, will hopefully rid my uterus of the crazy cells. two - a hysterectomy. i go back in three months for another biopsy and, if the results show no improvement from the progesterone, a hysterectomy will be a definite. wish me luck.

more bad news in that i've been dealing with high blood pressure issues for some time now and it's finally reached the point where i need to be medicated. my dad has suffered with high blood pressure for many years so it could be a hereditary thing, who knows.

but there IS some good news! so far, i seem to have dodged the bullet as far as the rheumatoid arthritis goes. all my blood tests and x-rays to date still show NO sign of RA. YAY!! that said, my rheumatologist still seems convinced that i have signs of RA and that it will present in tests at some point. i remain hopeful that i continue to be clear. heck, i have enough going on already, thank you very much.

so life goes on...

i hope you all enjoy a beautiful start to the week!

~ love, light and peace ~

you CAN do it and you're SO worth it!

2011-10-12T10:40:00.000+10:00

the next time you think you can't do something in your life or you feel worthless

WATCH THIS VIDEO

it's SO inspiring!

read more of nick vujicic's story

for another inspiring video, pop on over to gloria's blog here and watch how a creatively-minded man brings light to the darkness.

~ love, light and peace ~

breakfast, waterfalls, self portrait & skydiving!

2011-10-09T15:14:00.000+10:00

hello dear readers,

i hope you're all enjoying a beautiful weekend! our weekend started out with storms, winds and heavy rain throughout saturday clearing to a beautiful fine day for sunday. i had a delicious sunday breakfast of natural greek-style yoghurt, strawberries and blueberries drizzled with a little honey. i don't like honey normally but i found it was a nice compliment to the tang of the natural yoghurt. my mum has been singing the praises of honey for quite some time now so she will be pleased to know that i actually had some.

on saturday we had the waterfalls and flooding in the back-yard again. i'll be glad when houses fill in the vacant lots behind us so that decent drainage will be installed. thankfully, this was only one day's worth unlike the flooding back in january. see this post.

week 40 in the 52 weeks of me project

i am still in love with my latest abstract painting!

i was anxious all morning while waiting to hear from reece. he and his girlfriend, sarina, were skydiving for the very first time!!! YIKES!!! i was particularly worried about sarina because she really didn't want to sign up for it when the event was being planned but reece talked her into it. we were all feeling for her. at last, reece called to say that all was well and i'm eager for him to get home so i can get ALL the details. he did say it was an AWESOME experience! sarina was glad she did the jump but felt quite sick afterwards so had to lie down for a while, poor thing. i can't wait to see the footage and, needless to say, i'm very relieved that they both have their feet firmly planted back on terra-firma.

~ love, light and peace to all ~

creative play, messy art

2011-10-03T20:56:00.002+10:00

i've been wanting to do an abstract painting for my room for some time now

inspired by alisa burke,
out came my supplies and the messy art began

my favourite colour combo - blues, greens and purples

not quite finished yet...but close

a little softening with white and....VOILA!

on the wall in my bedroom

it was difficult trying to get an accurate photo so you will just have to trust me when i say that it looks much better in reality

simple, messy but effective

it felt so good to be painting again and i'm already planning the next one....

~ love, light and peace ~

week 39 self portrait

2011-10-02T21:01:00.000+10:00

week 39 in my 52 weeks of me project

here i am all geared up with my headphones and ipod shuffle just before i threw myself into an abstract painting session earlier today. i was listening to a kinda new age/alternative group called - 'ENIGMA'.

ENIGMA has been around for many years and i love, love, LOVE their music!

expect to see photos of my finished painting very soon

~ love, light and peace ~

Happy October!

2011-10-01T22:52:00.000+10:00

october has arrived and it's a lovely time of year here in queensland, australia. beautiful, warm days that aren't too hot or too humid.....yet! my money plants (crassula ovata) have been flowering since june when i took these photos. i have them sitting at the front entrance to the house as it's supposed to bring good luck according to feng shui. i love their plump leaves with the red edges!

my chilli plant is flowering and sprouting chillies again too...YAY!

aaron has been on school holidays over the past couple of weeks and we've been quite busy shopping, spending time at michelle's, watching movies at home, and generally kicking back. he starts back at school on monday and i'm going to miss him. one of the movies we went to see at the cinema was - 'RED DOG'. an australian film based on a true story about a red kelpie dog who goes in search of his master and the people whose hearts he touches throughout. it's set back in the 70's so it brought back a lot of memories for me.

aussie lingo, aussie humour, aussie mate-ship, 70's music.....LOVED IT and yes, i cried!

it's definitely one i would watch again.

click on image to see more about the movie and a trailer

have you watched any good movies of late?

~ love, light and peace ~

to michelle's house we go

2011-09-27T07:26:00.000+10:00

on friday, aaron and i walked to michelle's house

it was a beautiful, sunny day

so i snapped some pics along the way

an enjoyable 30 minute walk

in a lovely australian bush setting

in the midst of suburbia
how lucky are we?!

we had a great time at michelle's place but i didn't get a chance to take pics during our visit because michelle and i got busy sewing a little summer dress for mikayla

i did snap this pic of michelle and mikayla waving us goodbye

as aaron and i set off on the path home again

~ love, light and peace ~

SEVERUS SNAPE

2011-09-22T08:38:00.002+10:00

pencil-free sketch using pigma micron pens and gouache

i recently finished reading the harry potter series of books and enjoyed them thoroughly. it was only after i watched the last movie - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part Two - that i had the strongest urge to read the series and i'm so glad i did because you always get so much more detail in books. i cried buckets in that last book....my eyes were sore from crying. am i a sap, or what?!

without going into too much detail and spoiling the plot. severus snape was the man we loved to hate and, in the last book/movie, more was revealed about this man which shed some new light on his character. i have to say that out of all the harry potter characters, snape was the one who left the biggest imprint on me, hence my choice to sketch him in my journal. it was a toss up between him and dobby, the house elf. i am still enjoying the challenge of sketching with only pens, not pencils. a little risky, yes....but the little mistakes just add more character and, besides, perfection is overrated, don't you think? well, that's my story and i'm sticking to it. lol

alan rickman played the role of snape perfectly!

are you a harry potter fan?

if so, which character did you feel most affected by?

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we woke to a very foggy morning on tuesday and it turned out to be a hot day

i always find fogs kinda eerie and this one was particularly so because i felt like i was alone amidst it. you see, i drop reece at the bus stop at 4:45am most mornings and there is barely any traffic on the road at that time.

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the weekend approaches...

at this stage, i don't have anything in particular planned so it will be

a play by ear but i'm hoping i will find time to do some art.

whatever your plans,

i hope you enjoy a beautiful weekend.

~ love, light and peace ~

check out these scratched beauties!

2011-09-20T07:45:00.002+10:00

© Judith Edwards-White

i am truly blown away by the realism and beauty that my good friend and talented artist, judy white, achieves in her scratch-board art. as you know, i love animals so just couldn't resist ordering some of judy's note cards which she has recently made available.

great art at affordable prices....gotta love that!

If you're interested, Judy's note cards are available HERE.

caring for animals

2011-09-13T15:07:00.001+10:00

If you have men who will exclude any of God's creatures from the shelter of compassion and pity, you will have men who will deal likewise with their fellow men.
--Saint Francis of Assisi (mystic and preacher)

in 2008, i sponsored a rescued bear for six months and, recently, i felt the yearning to do it again. his name is 'BOUNCER' and he is an 'asiatic black bear'. as a cub, he was found by wildlife rescuers after he'd been caught in a trap. bouncer's forearm was so badly mutilated that the whole limb had to be amputated. today, he is fit, happy and healthy as he is now cared for in a beautiful, lush jungle enclosure along with other rescued bears. this was all made possible by the beautiful people at the FREE THE BEARS FUND INC. who run the sponsorship program and it makes me feel good to know i have helped to make a difference.

i'm using the image above for WEEK 36 of the 52 WEEKS OF ME PROJECT

you too can help make a difference by giving a small donation to any animal cause of your choice...perhaps there is one in your local area? i have listed links for a few worthy causes in my sidebar if you're interested. the animals will love you for it.

"If a man aspires towards a righteous life, his first act of abstinence is from injury to animals."

--Albert Einstein

i hope you're having a fabulous week! mine has been a little up and down with fatigue, pain and new medications but i'm hopeful things will get better. life IS good!

~ love, light and peace to you ~

the plover lady, a self portrait and a baby

2011-09-09T14:43:00.000+10:00

it's the time of year when the masked lapwing plovers are out in force protecting their baby chicks by warning, or swooping, anyone who comes within their perceived boundaries. it amazes me how bold plovers can be and it's not uncommon for them to take up nesting residence in the middle of building sites, busy street intersections, or even a patch of dirt in an open field. this can make life quite unnerving for both them and the people passing through their claimed territory. it's a common perception that plovers will attack and jab you with the poisonous spike on their wing but, in truth, it is extremely rare to hear of a plover actually making contact at all when they swoop.

pencil-free sketch using pigma micron pens & watercolours in A4 sketchbook

reference image was used with permission and courtesy of michael dahlem

i'm known as 'the plover lady' in these parts probably because i find myself constantly defending plovers against kids who seem to take great delight in going out of their way to harass or harm them. in the four years we've lived here, i know of instances where kids have killed plover babies or have broken the wings of the adult birds, on top of their constant harassment. i've had to call the RSPCA out a couple of times to take away injured birds and it makes me wonder what some parents are teaching their kids in regards to respecting the life and well-being of all creatures, great and small. for 6 - 8 weeks each year, i'm sure we could all be a little more understanding to the plovers' needs.

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week 35 in the 52 weeks of me project

quiet reflection

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mikayla enjoying a delicious gingernut biscuit- too CUTE!

see more mikayla pics on michelle's blog - here.

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i hope you all enjoy a beautiful weekend!
our weekend starts tomorrow....YAY!

~ love, light and peace ~

ripple blanket & a self portrait

2011-08-29T15:37:00.000+10:00

after a rainy week, off and on, we've been graced with some beautifully warm days. winter is nearly over and we will welcome spring on september 1st.

that said, i will miss winter because i hate the unbearable heat and humidity that comes with our summer months. no air-con makes it so much worse and i feel like i'm melting away.

i've nearly finished the ripple blanket throwi started last month

i'll be all set for next winter

all wrapped up in crochet goodness,
though i think i look a little bit witch-like with my unkempt hair.
week 34 - 52 weeks of me project

have a great week!

ADDITION - if any of you are interested in trying this cool ripple design, click here for an easy to follow tutorial by lucy at Attic 24.

~ love, light and peace ~

teddy bear love and a self portrait

2011-08-24T06:52:00.004+10:00

i'm not a teddy bear person nor have i ever been big on soft toys, for that matter. as a child, i loved dolls and polished stones! however, about eight years ago, i spotted these soft, raggedy type teddy bears and i just HAD to have one to call my own. she was small and i named her 'emily'. i later bought the larger version and named her 'madison'. 'paige' who belonged to michelle and was the same size as emily ended up living with me years later.

a few times over the years i have come close to sending them off to st. vinnies to be recycled on to a new owner but, when push came to shove, i just couldn't do it. there is just something about these soft, cuddly bears that touch my heart-strings so i think it's safe to say they'll continue to have a home here for a few years yet. lol

the rainy weather this week has been perfect for staying indoors and catching up on some reading, watching DVDs with brad, and getting a little more sketching done (see above). while watching the 'smallville' series on DVD with brad, my hands are always working the crochet hook magic too. my ripple blanket throw has come a long way so i'll take a pic soon.

my son, beau, bought me a huge, fleecy blanket the other day. it's deep purple and SO soft and warm. here it is with yours truly snuggled up in it. as you can see, cody loves it too! i've missed a few weeks of self portraits but i'm plodding ahead with them regardless. it will be interesting to see just how many i actually manage to get done out of the 52 weeks.

throughout winter, the lawn has been graced with patches of clover. viewed as a weed but pretty nonetheless and the bees surely love it when spring makes an appearance. hard to believe winter is nearly over.

today, michelle, mikayla and i are going on our weekly shopping trip. we leave early enough to have brekkie out and then, we browse a variety of stores before we hit the supermarket. i look forward to our shopping trips....our girl's day out. LOVE IT! btw, mikayla is over eight months old now and is crawling and pulling herself up to standing against furniture and taking those tentative baby steps while holding on. too CUTE!!!

i love this little munchkin SO much!!!

photo by michelle ©

have a great day!

~ love, light and peace ~

a bed of nails and a fun creative drawing exercise

2011-08-20T16:10:00.000+10:00

it looks like the weather is settling in for a week of rain or so the weather reports say. it has been a mostly cold, grey day with the sun trying to peek out here and there.

it seems like a day of movies for me as, mid morning, reece put on 'braveheart' and i couldn't resist being drawn into three hours of drama, violence and heart-wrenching emotion that had me sobbing away at several stages throughout.

earlier in the morning i had finished the third harry potter book - prisoner of azkaban - so we watched the corresponding movie after lunch and, yes, i cried in that one too.

after dinner tonight, we plan to watch 'city slickers 2' as we watched the first city slickers movie last night. hilarious stuff!

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i've been dealing with painful hands and feet for some time now so i bought myself a pair of MASEUR sandals which i thought might help. in my 30's, i lived in maseur sandals and wore out quite a few pairs. it would only ever take a day for me to wear in a new pair.

pencil-free sketch using ink pens and watercolour

in large moleskine sketchbook

i'm now learning that my feet aren't quite the same as they used to be because, it's been over a week, and i'm still trying to wear them in. sometimes, they feel okay and i think my feet are finally used to those spikes while, other times, it truly does feel like i'm walking on a bed of nails. they aren't cheap so i will persevere a little longer before giving up on them.

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CREATIVE DRAWING EXERCISE

okay, so here's a fun and very simple drawing exercise that anyone could do.

get a piece of blank paper and pencil at the ready,

close your eyes....and, yes, keep them closed while you relax
and allow the pencil the freedom to go wherever it likes on the paper.

now, open your eyes, and gaze at the page.

just relax and try not to put too much thought into it.

do you see something among all the scribbles catching your eye?

take a darker pencil or pen and redefine it. add some new lines if needed,

then erase the scribble lines you don't want and....

VOILA! you have created a fun drawing without even trying.

i did this one some time ago and left some of my scribble lines in place

and this one was after i'd done some redefining and erased the excess scribbles

both drawings were done in an A4 sketchbook

why not give it a go yourself?

~ love, light and peace ~

books i've read recently

2011-08-18T20:20:00.008+10:00

i've had my nose into the first two harry potter books over the past couple of weeks and then we watched the movie for each. i'm now onto the third book in the series - harry potter and the prisoner of azkaban.

speaking of books, here are some others i've read over the past couple of months

the poisonwood bible is the story of a bapist missionary who takes his family to the belgian congo in 1959, post-colonial africa. it is told through the eyes of his wife and four daughters and spans three decades.
i go against the general consensus here but i have to say the poisonwood bible has to be the most boring book i've ever read. try as i might, i just could not connect with the characters and i had to force myself to finish it. definitely not my cup of tea.

the thirteenth tale is a story of the strange and secretive march family who lived in angelfield house. the mystery surrounding the family starts to unravel when famous writer, vida winters, asks young biographer, margaret lea, to write her memoir.
the thirteenth tale was a little slow but mysterious enough to keep me intrigued.
however, not one i would rave about.

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the book thief is set in nazi germany and encompasses the life of a young girl, leisel meminger, who is left with a foster family when her mother can no longer care for her. the story is narrated through the eyes of DEATH who takes an interest in young leisel when he comes to claim her younger brother. leisel forms a very strong bond with her foster father who is a very kind and caring man. the reader sees what life is like for this young german girl who forms strong emotional attachments to the books she steals and to the people in her life.
i did enjoy this book although it was a little slow and confusing in areas. it was sad but it also showed humanity, love and compassion. despite the horrors and the ending, i would read it again.

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contest, reilly's first book, is about a father and daughter who find themselves locked in the new york state library where the father must fight aliens, from different planets, to the death. there are some hair-raising moments and non-stop action. i LOVED it!

i liked 'ice station' and 'temple' though not as much as the first book. reilly's books are more targeted towards teenage boys so they are full of over-the-top action and combat. you certainly learn a lot about military weaponry too. the books do have good plots with lots of twists and turns that keep you on the edge of your seat. definitely not for everyone but i do intend to read more of his books when i'm in the mood for this type of action.

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as for what else i've been doing with my time......

lots of crochet and i even managed to do some sketching

so stay tuned....

~ love, light and peace ~

feathers and a decoy

2011-08-13T09:37:00.007+10:00

hello friends,
i can't believe it's been over two weeks since my last post!!!

i need to get my act together!

the other morning while walking aaron to school, we saw a large amount of feathers littered in one spot and it was pretty obvious that a poor magpie had fallen prey to a cat overnight.

i always feel sad when i see things like this. i know there are feral cats out there but domestic cats are often responsible for this type of thing too when their owners allow their cats to roam free at night. they can do so much harm to the native wildlife.

i picked three of the feathers to take home and sketch,
my way of honouring the magpie's life

pencil-free sketch using ink pen and watercolour in A5 sketchbook

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the results are in. after seeing my rheumatologist on the 25th, he confirmed that i have rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis AND carpal tunnel syndrome in both hands. i wasn't surprised because mum suffers with both rheumatoid and osteoarthritis and RA can be hereditary. RA is an auto-immune disease where the immune system gets confused and starts attacking its own joints, body tissue and, sometimes, organs. the rheumatologist said that, nowadays, they treat it more aggressively with drugs used to fight cancer as they've found it gives better results for up to 70% of patients. the drugs are given in lower doses than what is given to cancer patients but scary nonetheless.

i've been dealing with a lot of pain lately, particularly in my right hand and elbow, and it can bring me to tears and keep me awake at night. the daily feldene doesn't seem to be helping much at this stage. i hope the methotrexate helps but i'm told it may not show any improvement for 5 to 9 months.
wish me luck.

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our neighbours own a couple of staffordshire bull terriers and every time we go around that side of the house, they go all vicious and try to break through the fence to attack us.

actually, they did break through the fence going back a few months and i was SO grateful that we were all indoors at the time. i quickly mended the fence when it went back into it's own yard. just the other week, one of the staffys bit beau after it escaped into the street when it's owner arrived home. beau was mowing our lawn and it obviously didn't like it. thankfully, beau was wearing long pants but he did end up with a huge lump and graze on the back of his leg. i was so upset and wanted to tell them immediately but beau didn't want to cause any neighbourly upset. i just pray that it doesn't happen to a child.

last week, aaron went to hang out some washing on the line and the neighbour's dogs started their usual vicious barking and trying to break though the fence at him. so, aaron came up with an ingenious plan...
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i belly laughed when i went around the side of the house to see THIS!

aaron had created a decoy!

and it worked quite well too because their dogs were going crazy vicious trying to attack the decoy while aaron was able to hang the clothes in relative peace.

i marvel at the way aaron thinks sometimes. LOL

anywhoo, i hope you all enjoy a beautiful weekend!

~ love, light and peace ~

busy hands

2011-07-27T15:44:00.001+10:00

i am crochet obsessed lately!!

i find i can no longer sit idly in front of the tv so i have been keeping my hands busy with a crochet hook and some wool.

i currently have not one but two throw blankets on the go

although the granny stripe is pretty and eye-catching,
i love the ripple pattern best of all.
do you have a preference?

now don't be shocked but...

i actually opened my sketchbook the other day and played with some watercolours on a background so there's hope for me yet.

here i am at my art desk feeling quite happy and smug about it

i chose this pic for week 29 in the 52 weeks of me project

brad, aaron and i went to see the last harry potter movie yesterday.
i LOVED it and it has made me want to finally get around to reading the books. i've seen the last three harry potter movies in full but have only ever caught glimpses of the earlier ones when the kids watched them. i'm now looking forward to the complete harry potter experience.

i've been a bit under the weather this past week but seem to be on top of it now.
just in time for my rheumatologist appointment tomorrow.
wish me luck.

i hope you are all having a wonderful week.

~ love, light and peace ~

pyjama day, inspiration and mikayla

2011-07-17T16:56:00.005+10:00

it's been a nice, relaxing weekend so far and, today, i declared it a pyjama day

so grabbed the opportunity to take this week's self portrait.

week 28 in the 52 weeks of me project

brad is joining me
i think he would stay in his pyjamas all day every day if he could...lol

i'm not normally a pyjamas all day person.
actually, this would be only the third time i've worn pyjamas ALL day long.

i'm wearing the bed socks i just finished knitting recently

with the medical issues, knitting, crochet and decorating projects over the past couple of months, i've barely touched the sketchbooks although i am beginning to feel the urge again.

especially after buying these two books for my collection recently
cathy johnson is truly an inspiration and a very giving and helpful artist!
her flickr albums are here
her art journal workshop blog is here

i've also been taking an AWESOME watercolour class here with another of my favourite artists, alisa burke. i've downloaded all the videos, just need to find time to watch them and put what i learn into practice. i am blown away by the inspiration out there on the net, particularly in blogland, so i guess there's really no excuses for me NOT to create.

hey, check out my gorgeous granddaughter!

michelle took this pic of mikayla last month.
can you believe she's 7 months old now?!!
it was a cold, windy morning so michelle rugged her up nice and warm.

~ our own little eskimo ~

have a blissful weekend, dear friends!!

~ love, light and peace ~

Triptych finished!

2011-07-15T06:47:00.007+10:00

i was on a deadline because michelle wanted mikayla's room all pretty for her house inspection yesterday so, this meant, late nights (after midnight) and early morning starts....5am to be precise! i've been getting up at 4am anyways because reece heads off early and i drop him down at the bus-stop for 4:45am.

here is the finished triptych!

michelle's design which i painted

here it is in place on the wall in mikayla's room

michelle made the large tissue paper pom-poms

aren't they great?!!!

with michelle's creative flair and my painting skills,

i think we make a pretty good team

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i got a new mobile phone!!

a HTC Wildfire touch screen!

i LOVE it!!!

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just look at these two...curled up, sleeping peacefully

well, don't let this peaceful scene fool you for a minute because, if someone knocked at the door, they would instantly come to life and act like ferocious guard dogs....OR....if someone were to go into the kitchen, they would instantly come to life, race into the kitchen and watch that person's every move with beseeching eyes, hoping they'd be pitied and given a morsel of food. seriously, you'd think they were never fed! LOL

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aaron was home sick yesterday and will probably be home again today, poor kid. if he doesn't pick up today, i think it will be a trip to the doctor for him.

today, i plan to rest up a bit after the crazy, busy start to the week.

how has your week been???

~ love, light and peace ~

self-portrait, triptych and more

2011-07-12T10:52:00.002+10:00

another busy week has passed and, unfortunately, i spent two days of it in absolute agony every time i moved my right arm. i suspect the damage may have happened when i helped michelle move a chest of drawers out of mikayla's room as we had to lift from the top and carry it, holding our elbows out to the side like wings. the next evening i started getting severe pain in my right shoulder. i think i may have pulled a muscle but it completely debilitated me to the point where i had to get a lot of help from aaron and bradley to do basic chores. it got so bad, i ended up taking some strong anti-inflammatory medication and thankfully, by the following morning, the severe pain had eased by half and has now ceased altogether. YAY!

i'd arrranged a doctor's appointment for saturday and, as my car is a little risky to drive right now, aaron and i walked up to the clinic which isn't too far from home. the pic below was a section of the route we took. it was nice to be walking through the nature strips again...it's been awhile.

WEEK 27 in th 52 weeks of ME project

i had nerve studies done on my hands last thursday as, you may remember, i've been dealing with painful hands and feet for over a year now. the results showed that i do have mild to moderate carpal tunnel syndrome in both hands but the pain is worse in my right hand due to whatever arthritic condition i have. so, this will mean wearing splints at night which should hopefully stop the carpel tunnel syndrome from getting worse thereby avoiding surgery down the track. my doctor also wants me to see a rheumatologist so, hopefully, we'll get to the bottom of my ache and pains once and for all.

as promised, here is a pic of the new quilt cover set i bought on sale last week. the blues and greens are still there but there is now some pink/magenta thrown into the mix. i'm still changing things about but here it is so far. i plan to do a different painting for the wall behind my bed. it will include all the room colours or maybe i'll re-paint the rose painting i did years ago so it leans more to magenta pink.

an evening shot

i got my weeks mixed up so you get an extra self-portrait this week....lucky you! lol

michelle recruited me to paint a simple design on a triptych for mikayla's room.
michelle is very much involved in the designing process and here is the middle canvas so far.

school holidays are over so aaron started back today.
i miss him already.

i'm off to get ready to head over to michelle's place where we will be doing more work on mikayla's room. it's looking beautiful so far.....pics coming soon!

~ love, light and peace ~

keeping busy

2011-07-06T16:50:00.009+10:00

i managed to escape the nasty gastric bug aaron had last week but the decorating bug still has a firm grip on me. i bought a new quilt cover set the other day when pillowtalk were having their sales and i've been changing a few things around in my bedroom. pics to follow in a later post.

michelle must have caught the same decorating bug because she has been busy with mikayla's room. i have been given the task of re-painting this little, shelf-sitter fairy who has been in the wars over the years with a few breaks and glue back togethers. i helped michelle paint this ceramic fairy back when she was a young girl so it has a lot of sentimental value for her. now, michelle wants the fairy to have a fresh, new look so she matches in better with mikayla's room colours which will be mostly lime green and fuchsia/magenta pink.

here she is with the first layer coat of colours
lots more to do yet

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have you ever made paper flowers?

i was taught to make them from normal-sized tissues by a friend of the family way back when i was a young child and now they have made a giant-sized comeback using florist tissue paper....particularly for wedding decorations.

recently, michelle found a 'how-to make paper flowers/pom-poms' on martha stewart's site and wanted to make some for mikayla's room. we used gift wrap tissue paper which worked well but you need to be very gentle when pulling the papers apart for the petals. the more layers of paper, the fuller the flower will be.

they look quite effective, don't you think?

and we had quite a bit of fun making them

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we are in for quite a cold snap over the next few days so i've been busying myself with the sticks again. the knitted slippers i made have been keeping my feet toasty warm at night so, this time, i'm knitting myself a pair of pink bed-socks.

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btw, i was asked why it will take so long (october 7th) to get the results from the biopsies taken during my surgery. you see, i'm going through the public hospital system which means i won't have to pay for anything. the down-side is that there is a longer waiting time. however, IF my results showed something needing urgent attention, i would be notified and called in sooner to get the news....hence, the reason i'll be happy to wait until october as this will mean there were no issues for concern.

for those who celebrated, i hope you all had a wonderful fourth of july and canada day weekend!

~ love, light and peace ~

a makeover

2011-07-02T15:29:00.001+10:00

i'm feeling better each day as far as the surgery side of things goes, however, aaron has been sick with a gastric bug (my poor baby) for days and he has graciously passed it on to me now. i've only just started coming down with symptoms so, with a bit of luck, it won't get too good a grip on me.

anywhoo, over the past week, i've been playing about with the colour scheme in my lounge room.

a room which has been at odds with me for quite a while because it's been a hotch-potch of everything. nothing matched and i decided it was high time it did, so i started with this stand and mirror set.

and here they are now

i chose purple, blue and yellow green as my colours for the lounge room

even the metal fish got a makeover too
their purple parts used to be orange

there's more to do in the lounge room but things are meshing so much better now which is making me VERY happy!

have you noticed that i seem to be craving a lot of purple lately?

what's your colour of the moment?

~ love, light and peace ~

home from hospital and doing okay

2011-06-28T16:18:00.002+10:00

after a couple of hiccups to start with, surgery went ahead and i am now at home recuperating...YAY!!! i'm feeling some pain but i expect to be back up to par over the next couple of days. unfortunately, i won't know the results of the biopsies until early october unless of course they find something sinister, in which case i will be called in sooner. naturally, i would prefer the wait until october.

thanks so much for all the well wishes via comments and emails. you guys sure know how to make a gal feel loved. much appreciated ~ xo

prior to going into hospital i knitted a pair of these

what are they you ask???
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knitted bed slippers, of course!
to match my purple PJs and slippers

i chose the pic below for WEEK 25 in the 52 WEEKS OF ME challenge

it makes me think of those raggedy dolls legs! LOL

i've been lax at keeping up with everyone's blogs with all that's been going on in my life lately but I am going to make an effort to catch up while i'm recuperating. i can't wait to see what you've been up to.

~ love, light and peace ~

bed socks keep the tootsies warm!

2011-06-20T13:42:00.002+10:00

hi everyone!

BRRRRRRRR!!!!! winter is sure making itself known this past week with morning temperatures around 6°C/41°F. i know that's nothing compared to what some of you experience in winter months but our homes are built for summer so are not normally central heated. when we lived in wyoming, it was always snug and warm indoors during the winter months thanks to the central heating whereas, here in brissie, if it's cold outside, it's cold inside.

so i've been knitting up some bed socks for the boys.
this is the pair i knitted for aaron. it's a very basic pattern and simple to make.

sure to keep his tootsies toasty warm

and they match the crochet bed throw i finished for him recently

and here is little mikayla wearing the crochet jacket and bootees i made for her. michelle makes those fancy headbands.......TOO CUTE!

MY! how this little munchkin is growing!

i've now started a crochet bed throw for myself

i decided on a granny stripe this time
and i can't wait to progress further along with it.

MEDICAL UPDATE - my surgery is scheduled for june 27th and, if all goes well, i should come home the same day so, naturally, i am praying that will be the case. i'm SO nervous! i had a regular D&C many years ago but, this time around, i'm more concerned with the abnormalities on my ultrasound that they will be checking out as well. i will need to rest for a few days afterwards so the kids better get used to me dishing out orders when i get back. lol

i hope you all had a lovely weekend!

~ love, light and peace ~

52 weeks of Me catch-up and news about upcoming surgery

2011-06-14T15:41:00.005+10:00

more self-portraits which i've taken over the past few weeks. unfortunately, i missed out on week 22 due to being sick but i've decided to continue anyways.

WEEK 21 - here i am in, tilly, my car

WEEK 23 - here i am holding mikayla in the newly refurbished parents room at the local shopping centre

a hazy pic as the lighting was very low and i couldn't use the flash

WEEK 24 - on my bed with cody

MEDICAL UPDATE - i saw the gynaecologist on friday and, due to some abnormalities on my ultrasound, i will be having a diagnostic hysteroscopy, dilation and curettage in the next 30 days. it will be a day surgery as long as there are no complications. i am so NOT looking forward to it but i guess i don't have another option. i can only pray that they don't find anything serious. please wish me luck.

on top of that, the doctor wants me to see a rheumatologist to confirm whether or not i have rheumatoid arthritis. my blood test came back negative but the deterioration in my hand Xray does suggest i have it. apparently, 80% of RA sufferers show the RA factor in the blood, while 20% don't, so i may be in that 20%. i'm holding off on the rheumatologist for now until i get this other stuff sorted out.

i am still not over this rotten asthma and the constant deep coughing certainly puts a drain on my system and leaves me feeling quite depressed. the doctor gave me antibiotics but, as yet, they haven't helped much. i hope i'm over it before my surgery date.

i've still had no urge to paint or draw but i have been knitting up some bootees for mikayla and some bed socks for the boys. pics to follow in a future post....

~ love, light and peace ~

My last official 'Pay It Forward' gift has been received by Norma...

2011-06-12T16:17:00.001+10:00

.....so i'm in the clear to post it to my blog now.

norma told me that she loved the mexican bird of paradise and silly me didn't know there were different varieties so i painted this one which, apparently, is the hawaiian bird of paradise....NOT the same thing. sorry, norma.

acrylics/mixed media on 8"x10" gallery-wrapped canvas

norma let me know the package arrived yesterday and she was very happy with the goodies i sent so i can breathe a sigh of relief at last.

i've included some step-by-step images of the painting process below

i roughly sketched the subject directly onto the canvas, then proceeded to apply the first layer of the background colour using a paint 'wash and dab' technique

after the second background layer was applied, i roughly blocked in the first layer of flower and leaves

then i started some shading, lighting and detailing

another layer with more detailing....and then, to finish, i collaged some decorative card-stock on the left side and did a little detailing on the paper design also

the side view showing the edge design

the 'pay it forward' challenge called for 5 recipients and i'm happy to say that has now been completed....YAY!! thankfully, there was no deadline with this challenge because it took me over a year to complete all the gifts. heck, how was i to know it was going to be such a crazy busy year at the time i signed up to participate?! i would like to extend a special THANKS to all my gift recipients for their patience....

...and a happy weekend to all!

~ love, light and peace ~

Sick but still hooking....

2011-06-08T20:04:00.004+10:00

hi everyone

i've been sick with flu and am now dealing with persistent coughing asthma. :(
i have a doctor's appointment lined up for tomorrow to check blood results but to also see if i need antibiotics to help me beat this thing. i'll be so happy when i can breathe normally again.

i've had no urge to sketch or paint but i have been hooking some crochet projects in front of the TV

i recently finished making this white crochet jacket for my granddaughter, mikayla

i made matching bootees but didn't get a pic

i also hooked a crochet bed throw for aaron

he loves it

and look who is sitting up now! YAY!

it makes me feel warm inside seeing all the cot bedding i made set up in mikayla's cot

the mornings and nights have been cold with winter officially here now. Brrrrrrr! i've been making hot porridge for breakfast every day. the kids love it.

lately, i've been reading in bed each night so expect some book reviews in future posts.

i think i'll be heading straight to bed after criminal minds tonight.

last week, we saw special agent, emily prentiss, leave the series in a dramatic way.

i wonder who they will bring in to replace her?

~ love, light and peace ~

Sir Elton John's the man!....and another self-portrait

2011-05-24T15:25:00.004+10:00

the exciting news i mentioned in my previous post was more to do with, bradley, my eldest son. last week, he won (via a radio competition) front row tickets to see SIR ELTON JOHN in concert when he tours australia in november!!! FRONT ROW TICKETS!!!! needless to say, brad is super excited!!!

i acknowledged brad's big win with another pen sketch in my journal

pencil free sketch using pigma micron pens in large moleskine sketchbook

i was extremely nervous touching only my pigma micron pens to the page being that it was a person i was drawing but i was determined not to use a pencil or eraser. brad said i got a good likeness so that did wonders for my confidence in using only pens to sketch.

pencil free sketch using pigma micron pens in large moleskine sketchbook

week 20 in the 52 weeks of me 'self-portrait' challenge found me in the studio placing a canvas on the easel. the finished painting will be for my bedroom but i've been wasting a lot of time umm-ing and ahhh-ing deciding what to paint on it.

i haven't been feeling the best since the weekend and, as i type, a migraine is looming but i've taken some pills to keep it at bay....i hope. i'm going to rest as soon as i've published this post.

i hope you're all having a great day or evening whichever the case may be.

~ love, light and peace ~

At last some pen sketches....and another self-portrait

2011-05-20T11:08:00.003+10:00

GEEZ, it's friday already?!
the days just seem to fly by lately.

i've been keeping busy with crochet, sketching and reading...

....and repairing our insinkerator waste disposal unit!

YEP....it's amazing what i have learned being a solo parent over the years.

last week, a glass fell off the drainer and shattered in the sink causing bits of glass to fall down into the waste disposal unit. YIKES! VERY carefully, i fished out what i could with my bare hand and, yes, i did get cut up a little and had glass splinters for days afterward BUT i couldn't just leave it in there.

pencil free sketch

using pigma micron pens in large moleskine sketchbook

after fishing out all the glass from the top section, the waste disposal just hummed and wouldn't work which meant some finer pieces of glass had obviously reached the innards of the unit under the sink. OH NO!! definitely NOT my level of expertise....or so i thought. thank the heavens for GOOGLE! after some research, i found a site that gave me some info on how to clear a jam within the unit itself. it involved using a very large screwdriver which i used to manually crank the motor back and forth until i could turn it a full 360° freely. i was SO relieved when i turned the waste disposal back on and it worked......YAY! it was a simple and effective fix that saved me a lot of money because i'm sure i would have paid quite a bit for a tradesman to come out and do the same thing. i have to say i was feeling quite proud of myself.

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recently, brad and i finished watching DVD episodes of 'the darling buds of may' which starred david jason, pam ferris and catherine zeta-jones to mention a few. it was a TV series which first screened between 1991 and 1993 and followed the lives of the larkin family who ran a farm in kent, england. the larkins are such a close-knit, caring, happy and fun family that they almost make you wish you were a part of them, hence the mention in my journal.

pencil free sketch

using pigma micron pens in large moleskine sketchbook

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i'm terrible for procrastinating on what subjects to sketch...so much so, that i waste time and end up not sketching anything at all. so now i'm trying to just pick a subject and go with it before i talk myself out of it. the belt below is the one i always wear with my jeans. boy, oh boy, that braiding certainly had me confused but i managed to do okay in the end which proves that mistakes can be rectified when drawing directly with pen.

pencil free sketch

using pigma micron pens in large moleskine sketchbook

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my self portrait (below) for week 19 was a bit of a fluke actually. the bright morning sun was shining through my bedroom window which obviously confused the camera causing this ethereal effect. i had no idea either that i was sitting centre of the window frame behind me. it just all worked out without even trying.

in meditation

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i have some exciting news to tell but you will have to be patient as i have a sketch to do for it first.

so for now, i will leave you with a pic of cody...this time on my pillow which is one of his favourite places to be. i love him so much.

it looks like we are going to be in for a rainy weekend....

...what's the weather looking like in your neck of the woods?

~ love, light and peace ~

i'm still here in the land of the living

2011-05-14T20:20:00.001+10:00

hi everyone!

WOW! i can't believe it's been so long since i last posted!
thank you for the emails and comments of concern.
it's nice to know i was missed.

michelle and alex moved house over the easter weekend so we were all busy helping out. we then had a lovely barbecue lunch on easter sunday at their new house. everyone had such a great time and we also painted some ceramic easter eggs that beau brought along. the paintbrushes supplied with the kit were useless so we used cotton buds to paint the eggs......so accuracy and perfection was not high on the agenda.

from L to R - Aaron's (youngest son), Mum's, Brad's (oldest son who is legally blind), mine, Beau's (second eldest son), Alex's (son-in-law), Michelle's (daughter) and my Dad's.

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amidst the busy schedule, i have been managing to take a weekly self-portrait

WEEK 16 - my shadow self

WEEK 17 - i enjoy relaxing on my bed in my pj's with a good book and a glass of red wine
Btw, a wonderful book which had me in tears more than once.

WEEK 18 - here i am wearing my new flannelette pj's which were a gift from aaron for mother's day. i hope all you mums out there had a very special mother's day.

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as some of you know, i've been undergoing some medical tests lately some of which have revealed a problem or two. i'm now on the waiting list for some surgery but they tell me it's nothing major to be concerned about so that's a relief.

on top of that, an x-ray revealed some erosion in my right hand which explains the pain i've been coping with for ages now. i am being tested again for rheumatoid arthritis which may well be the reason for my painful feet too. i was tested for rheumatoid arthritis over a year ago but it was clear so i guess it's a waiting game to see what the blood results reveal this time around. for now i'm on daily anti-inflammatory medication which the doctor says will be long term.

still more tests to go but i'm trying to keep a positive frame of mind.

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my granddaughter, mikayla, is growing and maturing so fast now. she's just over 5 months now and so beautiful! a sheer delight to be around. michelle and i took her for a stroll in the pram the other day and i snapped the following pics.

one minute....awake

the next minute....asleep

i have been sketching a little here and there but will leave that for another post

i hope you are all enjoying a beautiful weekend!

~ love, light and peace ~

a throw blanket, book review and another mug shot

2011-04-17T11:13:00.004+10:00

YAY! i finished the ripple design blanket throw that i started for mikayla in february.

i think i did well on time considering it's size.
here it is laid out on my queen size bed.

i just need to weave in all the tied off ends now

this is a knitted bedspread my mum finished off in recent months for their spare room. i actually knitted those leaf motifs over 30 years ago when i had planned to knit myself a bedspread. i changed my mind about the colour so passed it onto mum and, over the past year, she took up the challenge to finish it.

this is my mum's own unique style of bedspread which came about when she started to crochet the light green centre for something else but found that crochet caused her hands to hurt from the rheumatoid arthritis so she decided to use the piece for the bedspread centre. the rest of the bedspread is knitted apart from the light green border. quite effective, isn't it?

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WEEK 15 in my 52 WEEKS OF ME challenge

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i just finished reading 'The Beach House' by Mary Alice Monroe.
i'm not really one for romance novels any more but i did find this one to be an enjoyable and interesting read. the beach setting was the main reason i bought the book. i particularly loved reading about the loggerhead turtles which are intricately woven into the plot.

Cara Rutledge, a strong, independent woman receives a letter from her mother beckoning her to come home for the summer so they can spend some quality time together at the family beach house and perhaps rekindle their bond as mother and daughter. The choice is made easier given that Cara has just lost her job and boyfriend but, in heading home, Cara knows she will have to face the demons of her past. In reconnecting with her mother, Cara learns that true love involves sacrifice, family is forever and that mistakes of the past can be forgiven.

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i haven't been online much at all this past week due to family medical issues and the odd migraine thrown into the mix. i now have a few medical tests lined up myself for different things....hopefully, the news will be all good.

we've had some light drizzle this morning so that puts off my plans to mow the lawn. i might try and get some sketching done instead.

what are your plans?

~ love, light and peace ~

self portrait and treats

2011-04-10T14:56:00.004+10:00

oooooooops, i did it again!

yesterday, in the spur of the moment, i decided to hack/cut my hair!
i chose to make it my self-portrait for week 14 in my personal 52 weeks of me challenge.

i'd been feeling like a change for about a month now as my hair was getting to a length that made me feel a little frumpy. michelle was talking about cutting her hair when she visited on friday and i think it rekindled the desire to just go ahead and DO it! the back was a little tricky but i managed it okay and i coaxed aaron into trimming away any uneven stragglers at the back. yes, i'm trusting, aren't i? he's only 12! what can i say...when my mind is set on something, i tend to throw caution to the wind.

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aaron and i had to get blood tests on friday and, afterwards, we had a treat at 'muffin break'.

a boysenberry muffin and a hot chocolate for aaron

a cappuccino and a warmed scone with jam and whipped cream for me

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judging by the pic below, me thinks i need to get out more often

cobwebs on my car's side-view mirror!

perhaps i have a shy passenger hiding behind the mirror?

~ i hope you've all been enjoying a lovely weekend ~

love, light and peace

blue star, narnia, mikayla and another self-portrait

2011-04-05T15:13:00.003+10:00

another busy week has passed so time to post again before readers start to wonder where i've disappeared to. i've had bouts of feeling sick again...more likely due to menopause. headaches/migraines, backache, painful hands and feet have become a normal part of my life. this growing old gracefully thing can sure suck at times. anywhoo....

recently, aaron and i were browsing a local LOOT homeware shop when i spotted and fell in love with a blue star, tealight holder. it's glass windows are held together with black metal....quite bohemian. i just HAD to have it and, as luck would have it, they had it marked down in price. YAY!

the glass windows have a design moulded into them giving a very pretty effect

pencil free sketch using ink pen and watercolours in A5 sketchbook

we watched the latest movie from the narnia series on the weekend and, in one part of the movie, they were looking for a blue star....what a coincidence. i sketched the 'dawn treader' using only ink pen and watercolour. while my pen sketches are not perfect by any means, i do like the loose effect i get with using pen instead of pencil. it can be quite a challenge too. i use a .005 pen to lightly mark out the subject and then i move onto a .03, .05 and sometimes an .08 to strengthen lines to varying degrees.

pencil free sketch using ink pen and watercolours in A5 sketchbook

a week or so back, michelle (my daughter) took some lovely photos of mikayla (my granddaughter)....she is SO darned cute!! i played about a little with one of the pics in corel paintshop photo pro. mikayla looks like a beautiful, living doll with those sparkling eyes, don't you think?

if you'd like to learn how to get sparkling eyes in photos using corel paintshop photo pro, HERE is the link to the wonderful tutorial i used.

....and here is my week 13 photo for the 52 weeks of me challenge

aaron helped me change my room around on saturday so it now looks different to what you see in the above pic. i packed away my TV, DVD and VCR players as i can't even remember the last time i used them in my room. i prefer to read in bed rather than watch telly. so, with them packed away and moving other things about, my bedroom feels so much more spacious now. I LOVE IT!!!

so that's about it for now. i've been trying to visit blogs when i can manage time at the computer as i love seeing what you are all up to. so, if you haven't already had a visit from me yet, expect one very soon so pop the kettle on.

have a fabulous week!!

~ love, light and peace ~

mind your morels and more

2011-03-28T06:49:00.003+10:00

at the end of last year, i noticed these weird looking things growing in the soil just outside my back door.

i'd never seen anything like them before and they looked totally alien to me but i knew they had to be some type of fungi. so, after some research on Google, i found out that they are called 'morel mushrooms' and this particular type is called 'morchella esculenta'. apparently, these mushrooms are highly prized in the culinary world....who knew?? i'm not sure i would ever eat them as they look freaky to me, however, some people actually go out hunting for them.

i did a quick pencil free sketch in my pocket moleskine watercolour notebook

using black pigment ink pen and watercolour

and look who is 3½ months old now...

Mikayla Rose!

it was my birthday on wednesday and i got to spend most of the day with Michelle and Mikayla as it was our regular shopping day. Michelle treated me to a delicious Subway lunch and i also received a free muffin from Muffin Break and a free Boost juice on my frequent customer cards. YAY!

it's hard to describe just how much love i feel for this little munchkin....but it's definitely GIANORMOUS!!!
my heart just swells with love when she's around

my self-portrait pic for week 12 of my 52 weeks of me challenge

i had a little play in Corel Paintshop Photo Pro X3

i hope you are all in for a glorious week!

~ love, light and peace ~

toadstool inspiration, more sketching & self-portrait

2011-03-22T16:48:00.001+10:00

as it turned out, i was sick on St. Paddy's Day topped off with a migraine which had me lying on my bed feeling very sorry for myself for most of the day. hence my self-portrait for week 11 (52 weeks of me) - a photo of me, lying on my bed, sick and feeling sorry for myself.

funny thing was that, even though i was sick, i was itching to sketch!

i had taken this photo of two toadstools early that morning before i felt sick.

so delicate and fine

and they became the subject for a quick sketch

again, no pencil....just an ink pen and some watercolour in my pocket Moleskine watercolour journal

i found it quite therapeutic too

we had some light rain recently so, a few days later, i found even more toadstool inspiration

i wonder if any fairies sheltered beneath them overnight?

it was kinda sad to see them wilt away to nothing when the heat of the day set in

i also managed another sketch for the Julia Kay Portrait Party Flickr group

drawn freehand using F, 3B and 6B graphite pencils in my Moleskine large sketchbook
Reference image here.
Erica's Photostream here.
Julia Kay Portrait Party here.

i've also been busy trying to finish up my last official 'Pay It Forward' gift and, after that, i still have an unofficial one to do. thanks so much for your patience, Norma and Nicole.

i hope you are all enjoying a beautiful week!

~ love, light and peace ~

some dragonfly inspiration

2011-03-18T07:11:00.010+10:00

despite feeling out of sorts this past week or so, i still managed some sketching time

i dragged out one of my older sketchbooks for a dragonfly reference

and set about creating a new page in my sketchbook

ink pen & watercolour in A5 sketchbook - pencil free

i have felt so inspired to sketch more since taking Alisa's class

a few days after this sketch, i was outside taking photos of my Bird of Paradise flowers when i noticed this beautiful dragonfly resting on one of them. i strengthened the colours a little in Paintshop Photo Pro for this image. he was truly spectacular!

he was so cooperative too as he allowed me to get quite close

Dragonfly medicine teaches us to pierce through our self-created illusions and reminds us to let our colours shine by using the light within.

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now....if you have a fear of snakes (Janet, pay heed)....

DON'T READ ANY FURTHER!

we had a morning visitor at our back fence a couple of days ago

thankfully, he was a Common Tree Snake so non-venomous

it was sunning itself which is typical during snake season and we think this one may have been shedding too. Beau, my son, took these photos as he had the longer zoom lens on his camera although still a little blurry because of the distance. the snake would have fled if we had tried to get close.

just last month, i nearly walked upon a red-bellied black snake which IS venomous. Michelle and i were walking the back path to collect Aaron from school one afternoon when, suddenly, Michelle grabbed my arm and pulled me back. a red-bellied black snake lay just up ahead on the path sunning itself. of all days for me to leave my camera at home! i think it was more afraid of us than we were of it though as it quickly fled into the long grass the moment it spotted us. red-bellied black snakes are non-aggressive and will always try to flee....they will only bite if they feel cornered with no way out. their bites can be deadly if untreated. sadly, my sister lost one of her small dogs to a red-bellied black snake which had found its way into their backyard last year. Angel and their other small dog would have naturally been curious and protective of their yard against the intruder but, unfortunately, Angel paid for it with her life. the snake had bitten both dogs and they rushed them to the vet but, while the vet managed to save one, the venom had advanced too far for them to save Angel. i remember crying for days just thinking about it....Angel was such a beautiful, little dog.
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on a brighter note, i made this carrot cake with cream cheese icing last weekend for Michelle's birthday.

it was DELICIOUS!

it's time for me to go get Aaron up for school so i'll finish off here.

i'll be back over the coming days with more inspiration

~ love, light and peace~

self portrait catch up - 52 weeks of me

2011-03-11T11:35:00.004+10:00

i had a terrible migraine last night and i'm still feeling a little out of it today so please forgive me if i say anything that doesn't quite make sense.

how has your week been?

i have been fitting in some sketching time so i'll post some over the coming days.

today, i mainly wanted to focus on catching up with my self-portraits.

i had taken them. i just hadn't uploaded them to my blog so here they are....

WEEK 8

i used this pic in my blog banner

WEEK 9

WEEK 10

i recently bought Corel Paintshop Photo Pro X3 so played a little with the features this morning. a nifty little plug-in called Time Machine ages images so i set this one for 1875. a bit of a contradiction considering i'm sitting at a modern day computer.

i thought a photo of Mikayla would look super cute in the same year

i'll be back tomorrow with, hopefully, a clear head

~ love, light and peace ~

going nuts!

2011-03-08T10:31:00.001+10:00

this was a shape study I did in ink pen and watercolour crayons

i am thoroughly enjoying the process of working directly in ink pen

i used one of the reference images i photographed back in 2009

the idea of placing colour swatch boxes on the page is very appealing to me

i have felt so inspired since taking Alisa Burke's Sketchbook Delight class

it's like a lightbulb has turned on and i am seeing with new eyes. everything i see is now a possible sketch subject. i was so picky before.

The nut does not reveal the tree it contains.

- Proverb from ancient Egypt

~ Love, light and peace ~

she sells seashells by the seashore

2011-03-04T11:54:00.003+10:00

i adore seashells!

for years i used to collect them every time we went to the beach

actually, i'm surprised i haven't sketched any shells before now

inspired by Alisa Burke's online Sketchbook Delight class, i finally gave some of my shells a place in my sketchbook. this week's class was about using line to shade with pen.

i sketched all these shells using an ink pen only

for me, there's something freeing about putting pen directly to paper rather than using pencil first

i used a uniball white pen for some of the highlighted areas which gave an interesting cast over the black pen

"I do not know what I may appear to the world but, to myself, I seem to have been only like a boy, playing on the seashore, and diverting myself in now and then finding a smoother pebble or prettier seashell than ordinary, while the great ocean of truth lay all undiscovered before me." - - Sir Isaac Newton (1642-1727)

~ love, light and peace ~

making a ripple effect blanket

2011-02-28T20:46:00.001+10:00

Today was very hot and humid and, call me crazy but, I sat and did some crochet at lunchtime. Woollens and hot weather don't necessarily go hand-in-hand but I'm trying to get this done before winter (June 1st).

It will be a blanket for Mikayla when finished.

I'm using a ripple stitch and I absolutely LOVE the effect!

After a lot of searching, I found a very easy-to-follow pattern for ripple stitch over at Attic24. All I needed was the basics and it was all systems go from there. Here's a hot tip...be sure to cast on the initial chain stitches quite loose so that it sits nice and flat when the ripple pattern forms.

I've started rolling the wool I buy into balls after getting a hot tip from Tammy who makes beautiful baby afghans among other things. Shop-bought wool can unravel when you don't want it to and end up in terrible knots which can be near impossible to undo. I find the wool also rolls out so much easier as I work.

This blanket is sure to keep my little granddaughter cosy and warm throughout the winter months and knowing this makes me feel all cosy and warm inside.

~ Love, light and peace ~

i have been sketching

2011-02-24T13:44:00.008+10:00

Recently, I signed up for, Sketchbook Delight, an online class with Alisa Burke

and I'm loving it!

I set myself various creative challenges at the beginning of the year but I have discovered that my heart keeps going back to plain, simple sketching. I love keeping a sketch journal! My problem is that I don't sketch often enough because I procrastinate too much about just what to sketch, I am too much of a perfectionist when it comes to sketching, and there are a lot of distractions in my life. Excuses, excuses, excuses....I'm over it! I want to keep a daily sketch journal that's not about creating perfect masterpieces but rather, a record of memories, my days, events, parts of who I am, likes, dislikes and anything else that takes my fancy. I yearn to loosen up and work faster with my sketching and I felt that Alisa Burke's class was just the ticket....I was right! I like that Alisa loves working with pen a lot! Alisa's class isn't about formal sketch studies, it's more about finding our muse, developing our own style and creating loose, free-flowing and pleasing sketches.

At the beginning of 2009 we noticed a tiny two-fronded common fern springing up in our backyard lawn....a gift from nature which I immediately fell in love with. Beau suggested potting it so I did. The pic below was taken back in April of 2009 after it had grown a little but...

CLICK ON ANY IMAGE FOR LARGER VIEW

....look at it now!

So thick and dense......I just love it!

So, after being inspired by Alisa's class, out came my sketch book and, working directly with pen, I set about sketching one of the fronds that had broken off the fern.

I then added another sketch in pen, then some watercolour and info to the page. It's still a little tight for my liking but I'm hoping to loosen up more as time goes on.

Pen and watercolour in A4 sketch journal

Another very quick sketch of the doll I bought from Michelle when she was making and selling dolls a couple of years ago. Her name is Rachel and she lives in my bedroom.

Pen only sketch in A5 sketch journal

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Recently, Michelle and Alex bought a play gym for Mikayla and, judging by the look on little Mikayla's face, it's a winner! She loves it!

LIFE IS GOOD!

~ Love, light and peace ~