Life On The Go

I recently joined a Facebook group called 

Life On The Go. 

The group was created by the lovely Paula 

who is so inspiring with her daily habit of taking photos. 

The idea with the group is to photograph our daily life  

using our mobile/cell phones. 

I thought it would be fun 

to share my phone pics here too!

Day 1 prompt - Door

This is the what greets our visitors at the moment.

I LOVE snowmen! 

Day 2 - Love

We have no room to put up our regular Christmas tree this year 

as we are chockers with furniture after Beau moved back home. 

So, Michelle gave me a little table-top tree to use. 

I bought a tiny tree decoration kit and I must say 

I am in LOVE this little Christmas tree!

Day 3 - Key

My connection to my house and car 

with some Celtic and Goddess power thrown in for good measure.

Day 4 - Calendar 

As you already know,

I'm a big supporter of animal welfare causes 

so I buy Greenpeace calendars. 

Their calendars are big and beautiful!  

This is the one for 2014.

I couldn't resist this 2014 Wolf calendar either. 

I view wolves as my Totem animal. 

LOVE 'em!

Day 5 - Bell

My Buddha bell 

Day 6 (current) - Ring

I'm a sterling silver, silver, white gold kinda gal and 

here a few of my silver rings.

All of the above were taken with my Samsung Galaxy S3 mobile phone. 

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I was so saddened to hear the news of Nelson Mandela's passing this morning. 

What an amazing man he was and he will be remembered with love.

A true inspiration!

~ may he rest in peace ~

My heart is crying....

My heart is crying for the victims of Newtown, Connecticut. 

Such a devastating and senseless tragedy.

~ Love, light and peace ~

Day tripping, sketch, crochet, BIG NEWS and a humanitarian

I hope you're all enjoying a beautiful weekend.

The weather is perfect here!

Last weekend, we took a drive out to our favourite spot - Burgess Park, Lamington near Hillview.

It was such a lovely day....

...and we found the perfect spot when we got there too

it was so relaxing...laying on the picnic blanket under the canopy of this beautiful tree

and listening to the steady stream of water below us

I would love to camp overnight one time.

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Lately, I've been getting back into my crochet and I'm happy to say that my granny stripe blanket throw is getting some length to it now.

FAMILY NEWS! - I will be getting out the knitting needles and some baby wool very soon so I can start knitting up some baby bootees. Michelle has given me the okay to go public with their big news so YES!! I'm going to be a Grandma for the second time come November!!! YAY!!!

Michelle has informed me that she wants lots and lots of bootees this time around because she loved the ones I did for Mikayla.

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I have been a little lax with my sketching of late but, yesterday, I found some time to sit down with my Moleskine journal.  This is a pencil-free sketch using only my Faber-Castell Artist's PITT pens.

Reference image credited to Harold Hopkinson at PaintMyPhoto.

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On the health front - All the swab tests, chest X-ray and blood-work came back clear.  I mentioned to my doctor about the possibility that my chronic cough could be due to the Coversyl blood pressure medication.  Thanks for the heads up Gloria and Cindy.  So, now I am taking a different blood pressure medication and my cough is starting to ease although it may take a good week or so to clear completely.  I had to postpone the angiogram due to the cough but it is now booked for the 31st.  Hopefully, things will progress more quickly from there on.

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Wishing all you Mums out there a very HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY for Sunday!!!!

~ love, light and peace ~

a funny pooch, inspiration, motivation, sketches & a self portrait

I just had to share.

I couldn't stop laughing out loud while watching this pooch.
Too funny!

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 And here is an inspirational story on TED by a young woman who, at the age of four, escaped to Australia by boat with her family.  I hope her story makes people who are against the 'boat people' really stop and think.  These refugees are real people who have suffered greatly and are only looking for a safe and better life.  In case the video doesn't work, here is the link - Tan Le - My Immigration Story.

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I was quite devastated yesterday after attempting to watch a movie called Earthlings narrated by Joaquin Phoenix. It shows atrocities committed against animals around the world by human hands. I guess it is hoped that people will take a stand and make a difference.  It shows the truth of it all. The movie is over an hour and a half long but I could only make it to 17 minutes before I was crying my eyes out and feeling physically ill. I just couldn't watch any more and don't know if I will be able to. It truly hurt my heart and soul and, if you're the type of person who empathises deeply with animals like I do, I would advise you NOT to watch it. Some of the images are still haunting me and, no doubt, will continue to haunt me for some time to come. Seeing things like that can truly make me hate the human race for what they do, or choose to ignore, when it comes to the animal inhabitants of this planet...and even their own kind, let's not forget the Holocaust.  We are all God's creatures and animals deserve our respect, compassion and love too.  I just can't comprehend how some of us can be so indifferent and desensitised to another creature's agony and suffering?  It's those people who really need to watch this film from beginning to end as hopefully it might restore some of their humanity. I can only pray that things change for the better.

I now feel motivated to get back to focusing my art on animals.
I also want to consider other ways I can make a bigger difference apart from my donations and bringing awareness via my Animal Love links.

 My actions are my only true belongings.
— Thich Nhat Hanh

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Speaking of art,
here are a few recent sketches in my journal.


The birds in our family - Maelik (pronounced 'mail-ick'), Surya (pronounced 'sue-ree-ah') and Jacob.

Budgies are native to Australia and, over the years, have fast become a popular pet around the world.  In America, they are known as parakeets because they are a member of the parrot family.  As far as talking goes, the male budgies are much easier to train whereas it's not very common for the females to talk.  One tip - If you want to train a budgie to talk, it is best being on its own in a cage as another budgie companion will just distract it.  That's why they say not to put a mirror in their cage either.  These little birds are full of personality.


The finished page I started the other day.

Here, my main focus was sketching directly with ink pens - no pencils - so I only added a hint of colour to the background.

And a collection of Asian influences around my home.
The leafy plant is called Lucky Bamboo and lives in a large vase of water.

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Week 8 in the 52 weeks of me 2012 project.

Contemplating what to sketch next perhaps?

We're having a very rainy weekend here with humidity and temps alternating between muggy and cool.
I'll just have the coolness please.


OH, I received a date for my hysterectomy surgery!
March 22nd - the day before my birthday which means I'll be in hospital on my birthday.  Ah well, at least I won't have to cook. lol

Btw, I think Blogger heard the outcry about people being frustrated with the NEW Word Verification.  I've noticed that, while it is still the two words, they have done away with the indecipherable B&W wonky word...YAY!! While I still hate Word Verification on blogs and refuse to use it on my own, at least Blogger has opted to make the words easier to decipher.

I hope you're all enjoying a beautiful weekend!

~ Love, light and peace ~

Goal almost reached!

Hi everyone,

I'm finally beginning to feel almost normal again after my condition flared up last week.
Thanks so much for all the well wishes. xo

Photo courtesy of D Sharon Pruitt at Flickr

NOTE - this picture is not related to the story in this post. 

I came across Amy's plight via Sandy's blog and I believe that the more people who know about it the better chance they have of reaching their goal.
They are almost there!

 Amy is dealing with Stage 4 Melanoma and they are desperately trying to raise enough money to rent a home for her.

Please take the time to read their story and help if you can.

Even small amounts add up quickly.

Thank you. xo

~ Love, light and peace ~