Back into it...Part 2

I wanted the journaling for this piece to be juxtaposed. I wanted vibrancy and whimsy. I decided to try my new Derwent Inktense pencils (I was inspired by a recent article by Tam). All that remained was the layout. I was considering several, when I received a message from Kelly regarding a Tangle post I had done.

WHAM! the idea hit me. I knew exactly what I wanted to do.

So I sketched out the design with a 3H pencil, then erased all but a trace with my kneadable. Then I added colour (note the cunning placement of a heart over a bleed through)



I then went over the pencil with my paintbrush.



I added more pencil. The Windsor and Newton paper had burred from the application of water. The paper could not handle anymore, so I blended the new pecil layer with a Dove blender pen



I then added some shadows and the text.

Back into it

Today is a beautiful sunny day. The family are out. A perfect reason to pull out my journal.

I didn't feel like doing anything pretty today. I decided to do a graphite drawing based on what I'm learning from the 5 Pencil Method.

I am going to journal on the opposite page...but for now taking a break...

Pencil on Windsor & Newton Paper

My mamma said...

there'd be days like this


Pencil on Strathmore Bristol Smooth

Lucy Jordan

I have taken an hiatus from the sewing frenzy and worked on a journal page. It's inspires by the Dr Hook song: The Ballad of Lucy Jordan

Here she is (until I can take a better photo)



I was going to finish the picture in colour. I think perhaps I shall leave it in monochrome...

Frog!

I HATE unpicking, but when you've been a goose and sewn the wrong sides together...there isn't much choice.

Headspace

Every day I construct my blog post in my head, but somehow it doesn't make it to "print". Time for a change...

Hannah's Quilt Part 1

The first cut is the hardest...

Blue-violet-indigo

It's hard not to be blue when you wake up every day tired, and muddle your way through the day in a fog

Happy Bog Day

Bleary eyed I stumbled about this morning, getting ready for work. Somehow the magic surrounding birthdays disappears as the every day grind of adulthood sets in.

And then, just when the crust of cynicism seems well and truely hardened, something suprising happens.

At morning tea I treated myself to a half strength, skinny cino (fondly refered to as "dish water" or "why bother") and an amaretto biscuit at my favourite cafe. I was then taken out for a delicious lunch (thanks A) at Govindas, an all vegetarian restaurant in West End. http://www.brisbanegovindas.com.au/

I stopped at M&D's for a lovely afternoon's catchup. Sadly time went all too quickly and it was time to collect H from school.

When I picked H up from after school care, she proudly presented me with a card she had made. Inside was a lovely picture and the message "Happy Bog Day" written in her unsteady hand. I loved it. It was so precious and made me smile.

H regailed me with stories from her day at school, on the (long) journey home. After we had been in the car for about half an hour she said,
"Are we there yet?"
"Do we look like we are?" I ask, to which I get a string of muttering. She tries again,
"How much longer?"
"10 minutes."
"Can I count to 10."
"No to 60- ten times"
....so she did.

Once home H blew up balloons for me and insisted I wear a party hat. Champagne flowed, (for the adults of course), which was the perfect accompaniment to the Blue Castello. A delicious dinner of steak (medium rare- woohoo) and garlic prawns (or surf 'n turf) was served. Every tender mouthful was savoured.

Not ones to rest after dinner, the kids declared as the last plate was scraped that it was time for birthday cake. Candles were broken out of their packet to wish me a "happy dirthay" (H had previously declared that 39 candles were far too many to put on the cake, and had suggested to Dad that two might be better). The sparklers were also a huge success.

After posing with the kids for happy snaps, we tucked onto the birthday cake - a gorgeous light and fluffy Ginger sponge. There was also sticky date and ginger pudding with a smmooth chocolate sauce. Of course it would have been rude not to try both...roll me into bed.

I feel deliriously happy. I've had a great day, and shared it with many friends, both in person, and via the wonders of modern technolgy. I have experienced the joy of celebration through the eyes of my children. They have taught me that there is still magic to be had.

Hs Skirt

Well today I finished my first skirt. H is over the moon and I get all those warm and fuzzies. I have enough material to make two more (yay!!). It has been a steep learning curve and I'm looking forward to the next one going a little more smoothly, with fewer "frogs".




Front


Back

Time for kids

Well this week has been about crafting for the kids.

Firstly it was time to break out the sewing machine. I bought some lovely pink and burgundy pinwale cord about three (or was it four) years ago. At the time I though of making a couple of little tunics for H for winter. Well, I figured I should finally make H something with it before she leaves home!

I rather like the look of a three tier skirt - but had no pattern. My MIL showed me how to take a pattern from one of H's skirts. And I did a quick search on the net for some "how to's".


I have learned that I hate gathers. Seriously I am happy with how it's working out. Not perfect - but I don't do perfect - well not yet anyway. Sorry, no previews tonight, the light isn't good enough. Hopefully I can finish it tomorrow and post some pics.

Secondly it was time to assemble the production line - 30 Mr Cone Clowns needed to be made for H's Grade 1 class speech "my favourite recipe". Of course a talk isn't complete without samples...(which did limit what she could make. Originally she wanted to do Nigella's Hot o Pots, but unfortunately they are not suitable to send to class for a tasting)...




Postscript...

It's too easy sometimes, especially as a busy mum, to get caught up in regret for all the things that you can longer squeeze into your life. I often find myself dwelling in that place of meloncoly - feeling left out.

And then there are days like this. Days when I get to make things for my kids or we get to do something together. And then, at the end of all the madness, when I am tired and questioning my sanity for getting involved in these crazy projects, I sneak in to kiss my lovelies good night, and a sleepy B reaches out for a hug and kiss , and H sighs contentedly in her sleep. At that moment I feel a deep sense of completeness. Its in fleeting moments like this that everything seems worthwhile.

Sunshine kind of day

The irony of living in the sub tropics: I spend all summer avoiding sunshine, scuttling from one airconditioned area to the next. In the winter I seek out the sunny spots and bask in the glorious warmth. Of course in winter there is no humidity which makes all the difference.

After a lovely walk with the dogs this morning, I sat out on the patio and enjoyed some breakfast, prolonging the ineviatable return into the dark, cold, gloomy house, where chores await me (houses are built for the LONG hot months).



I am trying to capture moments of bliss and joy, to keep me going through the dark days. My favourite memory at the moment is sitting with the kids on my bed, each doing our own thing, with the sun streaming in at the window.

Indigo

Some days you just can't seem to let the sun in.

Daily struggles

Anyone who has had to make major life changes will tell you that it isn't just hard, it's bloody difficult. It's nearly impossible. But somehow, somewhere, they dig down deep, and find the strength. I salute those people.

Me- I need to find that place of strength. I need to retrain myself. I need to stop using food as a means to an end. It's a source of pleasure, of soothing, of distraction, a way to stay awake...

I want my art to fill that niche. But I am perpetually tired. I can't concentrate on drawing/painting when I'm tired. I can't draw with two kids in my face, demanding attention. So how do I overcome "I can't", and find "I shall" I must" "I can"???




"Holding back the tide"

Life gets crazy

Between illness and the madness of packing up a house (for impending renovation) there has been little time for art. However I did manage a couple of pen doodles - working on an idea

The B-Words

Trying to get kids to tidy their room is an uphill battle. I had such a cute conversation with Mr B today, that I had to immortalise it in cartoon.

Sadness

Some days are just like that

Endless Days

WIP: Endless Days

I almost never post WIPs, but in the spirit of the new blogging process, I thought I'd share my new CurlyTop drawing, featuring some of my new flower designs.

Bridge Building

I am a perfectionist. I fuss over things. I want to take photos of my art with my good camera, perfect them in Photoshop and then post them to my blog. But all of this is very time consuming- and I am time poor. So my blog lays silent...

Well a good friend of mine has a saying that always makes me smile "...build a bridge and GET OVER IT!!" So here I am building my bridge - using photos from my iPhone, and just getting it done.

And guess what? It feels great!

ps Not totally without editing software (did I mention the perfectionism?!). I use PS Express iPhone app.

Some flower patterns

When I draw the Curly Top backgrounds I like to use lots of floral elements. Inspired by Australian flowers, I have designed 2 elements.

1. Ginger


2. Grevillea (flowers and leaves)





I am working on two more, which I hope to share in a few days.

A twist on Mooka

Inspired by Mookaand variations by Linda Farmer, I decided to try a few variations of my own.

I have also just purchased a set of:


and naturally had to deviate from the usual black.

(yes, it IS green)

The Curly Tops are back

I loved creating a whole scene using Tangle elements. Strictly speaking not true "ZT" since I plan out the whole layout in pencil first. But since it is for my own enjoyment I don't see that as an issue. I just get to be twice as relaxed.

ZT's for Kelly

Going back to working on ATC's. These two are for my friend Kelly. The two elements I seem fixated with at the moment are bridges and flora. The bridges with the 3D holes are inspired by Jo in NZ

ZT inspired by Dr Seuss

Or Introducing THE CURLY TOPS

Working on White Space

More tangles

Kelly suggested trying some ATC size tangles using a new pattern called jax. Here are my two attempts.







I think I like the first one more, as it has more white space. At times it feels like you need to fill every centimetre.

The first thaw...

For the first time in ages I managed to do something arty. It took about three days to complete and I found it most satisfying. At last I feel as though the thaw might be starting.

Lost and Found

The last six weeks have gone by in a fog. I got used to having two days a week to myself - and it was glorious. I went from that to being surrounded by family 24/7. Noone stops me doing art, but I find that not having my own head space means I can't find my "art mojo". I look longingly at my art supplies, even sit at my desk, but no creative juices flow forth.

And so I found myself lost and adrift. And it seems that after awhile I was forgetting where and how to start.

I had a quiet day, and decided to try a profile picture of a lady.


I usually love the process of painting, building the layers. But that old critical voice, who I thought had been silenced, reared her head. And now I have a picture and no ideas on "what to do next". It's as though the art ideas part of my brain has become frozen.

So I decided that the path back could lie in a simple sketch book. I have an HB and a 3B next to my bed. I plan to practise different faces, if not every night, at least every second.

Here is my first

The Burden

This was the second ever sketch in my Mole. I roughed out the figure of the woman - around July 2010 - and then was unsure what to do next, so she got left...

Just after Christmas, I started going back through my Mole, finishing off pages. The style of the lettering was inspired from watching a video by Milliande