IdaDown

The power of the net

2012-01-22T20:07:00.001+10:00

It is simply fantastic, that when you are in the middle of a project, and unsure of what to do, you have access to a huge collection of resourses; they are simply a click away.

Today I was making a tote for Miss H's lunch box, and could not quite remember how to do boxed corners. I did not want to spend (more) hours with Mz QuickUnpick, so instead I did a quick search using Google (or "googled" it - an age where even a search engine becomes a verb).

My search rendered this very nice explanation, complete with photos Craft apple

Within 5 minutes my problem was solved. Viva l'internet.

ready for school

Back into it...Part 2

2011-09-11T20:44:00.000+10:00

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

2011-09-11T11:51:00.002+10:00

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...

2011-08-12T14:43:00.002+10:00

there'd be days like this

Pencil on Strathmore Bristol Smooth

Lucy Jordan

2011-08-11T20:25:00.001+10:00

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!

2011-07-26T13:03:00.001+10:00

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

Headspace

2011-07-25T07:12:00.001+10:00

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

2011-07-13T11:36:00.001+10:00

The first cut is the hardest...

Blue-violet-indigo

2011-06-08T08:53:00.001+10:00

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

2011-05-26T21:27:00.001+10:00

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

2011-05-25T21:16:00.002+10:00

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

2011-05-24T22:33:00.003+10:00

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

2011-05-16T10:24:00.001+10:00

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

2011-05-14T11:32:00.001+10:00

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

Daily struggles

2011-05-07T09:01:00.002+10:00

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

2011-05-01T17:21:00.001+10:00

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

2011-04-24T20:54:00.001+10:00

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

2011-04-23T11:25:00.001+10:00

Some days are just like that

Endless Days

2011-04-22T15:58:00.001+10:00

WIP: Endless Days

2011-04-21T09:10:00.001+10:00

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

2011-04-20T07:29:00.002+10:00

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

2011-04-19T18:27:00.001+10:00

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

2011-04-19T18:07:00.002+10:00

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

2011-04-19T17:52:00.001+10:00

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

2011-04-19T17:37:00.002+10:00

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

2011-04-19T17:25:00.001+10:00

Or Introducing THE CURLY TOPS

Working on White Space

2011-03-09T14:56:00.001+10:00

More tangles

2011-03-08T14:39:00.001+10:00

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...

2011-03-01T15:44:00.001+10:00

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

2011-02-12T08:06:00.001+10:00

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

2011-02-12T07:48:00.001+10:00

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

Taylor Made Rocky Road

2010-12-24T13:11:00.001+10:00

Xmas time in our house means home made rocky road. Of course family tradition means putting your own spin on things.

Ingredients
200g 70% Lindt dark choc
500g Cadbury Old Gold
Pkt mini marshmellows
Pkt Allens mini frogs (chopped in half)
Pkt mixed nuts (unsalted)
Cup dedicated coconut

Method
Break choc into small pieces and melt
Mix all dry ingred into choc
Pour onto dish lined with baking paper
Chill and enjoy.

Her thoughts darted in and out like little fish

2010-12-13T12:40:00.001+10:00

I usually paint my portrait pictures with a combination of guouche, water colour pencils/crayons and or using artists pencils. However, I enrolled in Portraits with Pam Carriker, which shows you how to paint and shade using acrylics. I find water colour so much more forgiving, but doing classes is all about stepping out of your comfort zone.

I decided to work on a spread in my Mole that I had previously added colour to (using up paint on my brush). At this stage I thought that I might like to draw a fairy, and experimented with swirly, curly wings.


Initial sketch

I try to incorportate as many experimental elements into each page. I decided to use an unusual colour pallette (well for me anyway). I wanted to use a bright green with the pink, and also incorporate orange.The first step was to overlay the page with green.

Green paint overlay

I have watched a video tutorial on adding alcohol to acrylic paints for a lovely effect and wanted to give it a try. Unfortunately I could not get it to work, so instead, gently rubbed over the green to reveal the pink beneath. I thought that perhaps the technique was not working because I was spraying my alcohol (100% Isopropyl alcohol) whereas it was "dripped" in the tutorial. Well I got a little carried away with my dripping....Lucky alcohol evaporates very quickly.

What happens when you pour instead of dripping.

I added a little more pink on the left hand side for balance


Colour Balancing.

Now I am ready to get down to the nitty gritty of the tutorial. I coloured her hair, and covered her neck and face with titan buff. I also added some burned umber to the edges of the pages. Note: RHS is not that dark. The page has curled from the moisture, and so threw a shadow when I photographed it.

Foundation colour added to face and hair

Using burned umber mixed with titan buff, I started to add the shading. I also coloured her shirt.At this stage, I also decided that I no longer wanted to do a fairy (incase you were wondering).

Adding shading

I continued adding more shading and added a print to her shirt. I also added her irises so that she no longer looks like zombie girl.

Final details added.

And finaly, I added my journaling. In the end, after much cursing, I actually liked the process and am going to practise painting with acrylics.

Calm in the Storm

2010-12-13T11:18:00.004+10:00

My good friend Kelly was sharing a visualisation with me, for those occasions when everything feels overwhelming. This has really helped me, and I wanted to immortalize it in my journal. Thanks Kelly.

This page has two techniques; the background using acrylics and a wax resist for the ship.

Part A: The background
With all my pages, I started by drawing the basic image that I wanted, in this case the waves.

Use a a mixture of Payne's Grey and Phthalo blue for the "stormy sky"
Use Phthalo blue to paint the waves.
Using Naples Yellow, and a filbert brush, paint over the still wet Phthalo blue, to create the greener shades.
When paint is dry, dab on White on the crest of the waves.
Add lightening with a yellow and white pencil

Part B: Wax Resist
I like this technique, because it incorporates some of the background colour into the image, which is particularly useful when adding collage elements. In this case I stamped an image, but this would work equally well for b/w collage images, or a black and white drawing.

Step 1: Stamp image onto paper (I used an old envelope)

Step 2: Outline key features with indelible ink (Copic Multiliner 0.03)

For the next two steps, you add colour and white with pencil. Because you are creating a wax resist, you need to use a soft pencil, such as Prismacolor.

Step 3: Colour in dark areas, and areas of shadow. Here I used French Grey 20% for shadow

Step 4: Colour sails with white

Step 5: Add a wash of background colour (mix colour with water.)

Step 6: Wipe off excess colour with a wet baby wipe. Trim and use in your journal.

Visual Journalism 101

2010-12-09T12:55:00.001+10:00

Well I finally managed to finish my first Visual Journalism page from a class I am doing with Pam Carriker (unfortunately the class is now closed to new members). It was a lot of fun - really concentrating on the background elements. Usually I have an idea, and draw the foreground, and then have to work out how to include a background. I feel very inspired to do a few more and include quotes that I really like.

Usually I take step-by-step photos, but I got so caught up in the process that I forgot.

Doing it Teesha Style

2010-12-06T14:01:00.000+10:00

Awhile ago my friend Goog introduced me to the whimsical stylings of Teesha Moore. My first Teesha Style page was combined with an experiment in acrylic gel transfer.

And then, as often happens, I became distracted with other projects. Goog suggested that it would be fun to do a study of a different artist each month, and do some journal pages in their style. December is dedicated to Teesha.

Here are my two pages. Because I am working in a smaller journal than suggested in Teesha's tutorial I used double pages to complete each piece of art.

It was great fun doing these pages. At this point in time, the key things I gained from this exercise are:

looking at images with a new perspective...wine glasses become dresses...stacks of swizzle sticks make hats.
not to shy away from colour. Prior to doing these pages, I would never have chosen such bright colours for background.
confidence to do large, bold journaling. Teesha has a lovely video showing how to approach lettering. I found this immensely helpful.

I am looking forward to our next study in January.

Maud and the Fawn

2010-12-05T12:53:00.000+10:00

I decided to join the Monthly Challenge over at Willowing. I have always love deer and developed a special affinity with does after becoming a mother. I think of them as protectors; nurturing the soul in times of mayhem. Step into the cool glade with a doe, look into her eyes and everything seems alright.

I think that it can be fun to share to creative process, so here is how this assemblage came into being. Maud has become my favourite girl to draw at the moment, so I knew she had to be in my picture. The tree is inspired by a Ficus macrophylla or the Moreton Bay Fig. At the beginning I wanted to draw a doe, and so I decided to browse some images online to get a reference for the animal. I wanted it to be semi-realistic rather than cartoonish. Given the scale of Maud, I quickly decided that perhaps a fawn, laying next to her would fit into the overall picture better. And then I found the perfect fawn picture. It was so adorable that I had to draw her.

I started by sketching out the images in my Mole, and adding shading to the fawn and tree (HB pencil)

The next stage was probablly the most scarey - and seems to be shared among many of my art friends ADDING COLOUR. The fawn, tree and border were coloured using artists Colour Pencils. I love the way that they do not completely cover the paper and that some "light" shines through. To me it adds a textural quality.

After working on the fawn and the tree, my next task was to colour in Maud. In this case, because she has such a large area to cover, (and because I wanted to experiment) I decided to do an underwash of watercolour. I used my Watersoluble Crayons. I also use Colour Pencil to colour the ferns, and added random flowers and leaves around the twisted vine border.

Once the underwash was dry, I then added the details with Colour Pencil.

At this point there was some dilemma; real forests are super dark and gloomy. But given that Maud's hair is black, I decided to start with a light wash and see how I went. I used the Watercolour Crayons to create the wash.

After consultation with a fellow artist (Kelly from Yesturday) I decided not to go any darker. A skill for another day. Finally I added Maud's signature socks.

Maud and the Faun

Conquering your Fears

2010-12-04T13:23:00.000+10:00

As an artist (yes I feel that I can say I am an artist) I face a multitude of daily fears, and I know I am not alone. The fear of the blank page, the fear of adding colour; the fear of failure. This journal page is about positive affirmations. Reminding yourself that it is better to try and fail, than never try at all.

Face your fears

Maud the Mermaid

2010-12-04T13:07:00.000+10:00

Or The Impact TV can have on Young Minds

About 5 months ago the family was watching the Disney move Splash. It had been ages since I had seen it, but figured it was one of those harmless films that would be ok for Miss 5 and Master 3 to sit through. All was well until the end of the film, where the ??secret service?? government agent type people (ok I wasn't really paying that much attention) are chasing Tom Hanks and Daryl Hannah (aka Allen Bauer and Madison). The kids started to get a little scared. We comforted them by saying "Its all going to be okay" and other such platitudes. Almost at the end, Tom and Daryl leap into the water, and the "bad guys" fire shots into the water. Again we made soothing noises, and indeed the film ended well. The kids were happy and we thought no more about it.

Until a week ago.

I was collecting Miss 5 from after school care. As we were leaving, another mum arrived, still dressed in her army fatigues. After Miss 5 politely established that yes she was a soldier, Master 3 boldly walked up to her. Smiling he asked:
"Are you a soldier?"
"yes I am" she replied, bending over to his level, and returning his smile.
"Have you killed any mermaids?" he asked very seriously.
"No I havent killed any mermaids, or anyone for that matter" she kindly explains to him.

Satisfied he starts to walk away. In the meantime I AM MORTIFIED and hurridly try to explain that this comes from watching the movie Splash. She reassures me that it's ok, and that children get all sorts of funny ideas about soldiers from the tv (and I am left wondering what other strange questions she has been asked).

You just don't know what things are going to stay with your children.

Maud Lin Mermaid

Sequin Waste

2010-12-03T21:50:00.001+10:00

I am working through an online workshop at the moment, which calls for sequin waste. Well I am sure I could purchase some somewhere, but didn't feel inclined to leave the house, or spend money. So with a little patience, a scrap of plastic, and a hole punch, I made my own.

A hand held single punch would have been easier, but I couldn't find it. So I used my Provocraft Silent Setter instead.

Love is Patient

2010-11-30T10:48:00.000+10:00

I love my kids dearly, but some days it seems like they never stop talking :)

Maud Lin Mum

Introducing Maud...

2010-11-29T13:16:00.001+10:00

I would like to introduce Maud, Miss Maud Lin.

Know when to fold 'em...

2010-11-22T21:06:00.001+10:00

Well it seems that "You Suck Monday" is contagious - possibly due to post weekend exhaustion. Today I managed to draw an "old, mermaid prostitute" instead of a luscious siren. My second attempt was going swimmingly until I accidently gave her a black eye. Remedy- eye patch? Well I decided it was a sign of extreme tiredness and have put it aside. Perhaps a small dab of Titan buff will save the day?! But for now, I am walking away.

Finding your own style

2010-11-21T22:03:00.002+10:00

You have to try many different styles before you find your own

I am on a journey of discovery; artistic discovery. I showed someone my art journey and they commented that it looked as though it belonged to several different people, because the styles were so different. But I feel that the only way to truely discover my own style, is to try out as many different styles as possible. I want to learn as much as I can. I want to be challenged. I want to be excited. And in the end, I think that my style will be a merge of all the bits that I have come to love on this amazing journey.

The Adventures of Red Mole

2010-11-20T07:56:00.001+10:00

This page was inspired by the lovely Goog over at Journey of a Mermaid.

Mr B goes to Sea

2010-11-18T21:52:00.000+10:00

When my daughter was little I used to read a series of Mr McGee books to her (by Pamela Allen). Two of her favourites were Mr McGee and the Flea and Mr McGee Goes to Sea. When my son Benjamin was born, we would call him Mr B. Naturally my daughter would say Mr B Goes Sea. Well, Mr B is now three, and the name has stuck. It was the inspiration for this journal page.

I really like many of the pages I have seen online, that use a diamond stamp pattern. So I quickly cut one from an old eraser and using Vintage Photo Distress Ink, stamped up a border.

Because the Distress Inks are water soluble, I painted over the images with Acrylic Gel Medium. That way I could keep adding layers, without the ink running. I added a shadow using Red Tinted Graphite Paint.

I added a twisted frame - technique taught by Pam Carriker

I then drew my image using an HB pencil. I was recently watching a video by Suzi Blu (Self Guided Portraits) where she shows a technique using gesso over a drawn image. Well I adapted this technique and used my favourite staple: white gouache.

I then coloured the background using a mix of gouache paint, and water soluble crayons.

I used Derwent Graphitint pencils to create a "moody" sea and coloured the person with coloured pencils. The title was done using Collections Tiny Tiles.

Finally I added some journalling, and launched Mr B out to Sea.

Fairy Princess

2010-11-14T18:11:00.002+10:00

The conversation started like this: "Mummy, I have drawn you lots of pictures, and you haven't drawn me any!" And so began the process of doing a fairy princess, for my 5 year old princess.

	The image was drawn lighltly with w/c pencils on Stonehenge Paper. I chose this method, since incorrect lines were easily erased, and the outline would blend with the fill colour, once water was added. The picture was then coloured using w/s crayons. A small amount of white gouache was added to the crown to increase its opacity.
	Wings added. Unfortunately I decided to try some alcohol on the wings (RHS) hoping for a suble mottled effect. Instead it left dark blotches.
	The background was added
	And then, Miss 5 pointed out that she was floating in the sky. And so, I added grass
	I am not usually a glitter person, but since this is for my daughter, and I wanted to obscure unsuccessful wings, glitter was added to the wings, crown, shoes and wand.
	A few flowers pencilled in, and voila, she is finished.

Gel Transfer Techniques

2010-11-12T14:41:00.002+10:00

Having not been able to successful execute a Gel Transfer (to my satifaction) I decided to look for variations in the method that would give me a more satisfactory effect.

I found a technique at Dream, Create, Inspire which seems to work very well for me. Her tutorial is excellent, so I have only briefly outlined what I did.

I use Matisse Gel Medium, a product readily available here in Brisbane, Australia.

Apply gel to surface of the picture (or book page)
Lay image down on page
Gently burnish (I used the back of a spoon)
Immediately remove the paper.

I used the method to transfer a copy of my daughter's picture into my Mole

I also copied (another) pic of me. I really need some more inkjet images

Wonders of childhood

2010-11-11T21:09:00.004+10:00

I am stepping out of my comfort zone and trying to capture the childhood delight of colour, and the freedom to express myself in loose drawings, that are not planned.

	Images were added with a modified acrylic transfer technique, and then sealed with acrylic matt medium. Blocks of colour were painted around pictures with gouache. Frames were added with panpastels.
	Paint pens were used to frame each picture and to add text to the pink frame.
	Final tweaking, including redoing the top lefthand border and my layout is finished.

In fleeting moments we glimpse the memories of childhood delight.

Honour your Inner Child

2010-11-11T06:48:00.001+10:00

In Week 2 of Art, Heart and Healing Tam showed us how to alter a children's board book and do an acrylics transfer with an image of our baby/ toddler self. I decided that I wanted to do my art in my Moleskine since I have already experimented with altered books. As soon as I saw the video, I knew I wanted to do layout on the "inner child".

I drew the design in my sketchbook

Transfered it to my Mole, added colour and a background

I continued with the background and then lastly added the gel transfer. I used Collections Letter Tiles for the title, and got Miss 5 to write the word "child" for me. I was happy with everything, except the Gel Transfer

But it ended up looking like the creature from the Black Lagoon

After painting over the image, I added a new picture. I applied Gel Medium to both the page and the image.

To secure the image, I applied pressure with a brayer

I painted water over the area immediately

At this stage the image is quite clear

The paper starts to lift quite quickly

I gently rubbed off layers of paper

As more layers are removed, the image becomes more blurry. It is also easy to rub too much, and holes appear. I decided at this point, that too much detail was lost.

So rather than do another (!!) Gel Transfer, I simply glued down another picture. When it was dry, I covered it with crackle glaze, then added some brown w/x crayon

The finished page.

Because some days are like that

2010-11-10T19:51:00.001+10:00

It had been one of those days. The kind where you wish the world would stop spinning and you could get off. Major things...No. Its always the accumulation of minor things that drive you crazy. Anyway, I decided that I needed to distract myself, and direct my attentions elsewhere. So I decided to do a healing page.

I drew the picture with HB graphite, and then painted lightly over the image with with Gouache

I then started to add colour using w/s crayons. I usually use them as paint stick, but in this case applied directly to the paper

As one area dried, I added colour to the next

Finally I finished her hair, and added the background (green Gouache.) To tone down the colour I added cross strokes of white. I then decided that her eyes and nose were not right, so painted over them with white.

Once dry, I redid the eyes and nose, using a combination of Pencils, watercolour pencils and w/s crayons.

Highlights and tears were added using gel pens

Background was added to: imperfect stamping, Tattered Angels Chalkboard Glimmer mist -pink

I added a Pam Carriker inspired border and a title

And finally I did some subtle journaling on the RHS in pencil

November Calender

2010-11-07T18:30:00.000+10:00

I was reading Goog's blog and found this lovely calender post. I really liked the idea of making a record of the month's most "stand out" events, by limiting the entries to one or two sentences. At the moment, I am working in a small Moleskine, so rather than inch size squares (2.5cm) I had to use rather smaller ones. As luck would have it, I had these tiny, varied tags downstairs in my stash, which fitted perfectly. I also finally got to use these gorgeous butterflies that I bought a few (er..ok, maybe about 10) years ago. They are actually the decorative pattern on serviettes that have been cut out. So now I just have to remember to write in it each day.

My Prince Charming

2010-11-07T18:02:00.001+10:00

I have been dying to try out the Gel Medium Transfer Technique from the Willowing Class, however, due to technical difficulties, I have been unable to use my inkjet printer. And then, Master 3 came home with a really cute picture from daycare. I just knew I had to use it in my journal.

I am really happy with the result. The image would have been perfect had I not been a little impatient, and rubbed a little too vigorously.

I then used water soluble crayons to add some colour. I also added some gel medium over his face to brighten it.

And then I was stumped. I really had no idea what else to add to the page. And then I stumbled across the journal pages of Teesha Moore. The whymsical style immediately appealled to me. I decided to finish my spread using the ideas I learned from Teesha's tutorials.

Border and whimsical person added

Doodling etc added to elements

Finally I added the journaling.

Beez in the Bellfry

2010-11-05T16:57:00.000+10:00

A few weeks ago I was chatting online with the lovely Goog and Kelly. I was telling them that when I am in the "art zone" I feel all buzzy. This led to the idea that perhaps there were bees buzzing around in my head. Well after much laughter, we decided it would be fun to make some ATC's based on the theme of bee ladies. When I started doing my ATC's, all I could think of was this little ditti (which I made up, based on the Jolly Phonics alphabet songs my 5 year daughter sings, and a mishmash of sayings):

There are beez in the bellfry,
bzz, bzz,
beez in the bellfry,
bzz bzz.
There are beez in the bellfry, buzzing all around.

The letter is B and the sound is ba.

Beez in the Bellfry

Looking for Joy

2010-11-05T16:32:00.001+10:00

Awhile ago I thought I'd experiment with painting over a patterned background. I glued a piece of scrapbook paper into my Moleskine, and used Caron d'ache water colour crayons. I think I will add some more shading around the girl.

Looking for Joy

Willowing Page 1: Step by Step

2010-11-05T09:38:00.002+10:00

I love looking back at the process of creating - its amazing how often I forget how it looked at the start. This layout was done in my Moleskine.


Image drawn with pencil in Moleskine	Face coloured in using water soluble crayons and oil pastels

Hair and face finished	Background colours added, over stamped, gold brayered over background. Words added

The trouble with tribbles...

2010-10-28T19:29:00.000+10:00

The problem with multiple WIPS is that there are no pictures to share. Hope to post something tomorrow...

Introducing....Cerulea

2010-10-25T17:22:00.002+10:00

La Sirene dans le mer.

Cerulea loves to swim in the ocean where the jellies are. She is a little shy, but believes in possibilites.

I have included a little photomontage of the process.

Step one: paint background

Step 2: collage background

Step 3: cut out and glue on picture

Step 4: Add hair and texture

Step 5: Add background pics

Step 6: Painted background picture

Step 7: Added wax

Art, Heart and Healing

2010-10-24T18:29:00.000+10:00

While continuing my search to learn as much as I can, while I am leave, I came across classes run by Tam at Willowing. Tam offers some amazing classes. To my delight I found that she is offering a free 4 week course titled: Art, Heart and Healing. It is amazing opportunity. About 1000 other people think so too.

Anyway, Week 1 was about silencing the inner critic. Although I do not have all the right media, I thoroughly enjoyed the process.

It's okay if it all goes Pear Shape: 'cause no matter how low the candle burns, there will always be a flame

Adding Beeswax without an Iron

2010-10-24T17:39:00.004+10:00

I finally got around to adding the beeswax to my painting. I just wanted to share with you the technique I used, since I do not have access to the quilting (or any) iron.

I used a sheet of beeswax - designed for candle making. The reason was that it was a cheap way to have a play, at around Au$3.50 a sheet. I also thought that it would be really quick and easy to melt.

I wanted to emulate Suzi as much as I could, so I used a metal pallete knife and a heat gun (designed for use with embossing powders etc). Instead of melting the whole sheet, and applying with a paint brush, I tore off tiny pieces of wax and stuck them in various spots over the painting. Each piece was about 0.5cm in diameter. I then heated the wax until it melted, and smoothed it out with the pallete knife. Sometimes it was necessary to keep the heat on the knife as I spread out the wax. I also tilted the painting to allow the liquid was to travel further. Any areas that went cloudy were simply reheated.

I am delighted with the result - yay for Suzi. I really like how the different elements are unified like she said they would be. I did not put wax over her body or face, since I have not coloured her with Prismacolour pencils. I also left the largest jellyfish uncovered, so that the other two would appear further in the background.

Suzi Blu

2010-10-24T17:27:00.004+10:00

I am in art student mode. I have some time away from work, and want to learn as much as I can. I also want to be able to do the art in my own time. Mother to two young children means that attending art classes is often not practical. So I went online to search for classes.

I have enrolled in this super, fabulous online class -La Sirena with Suzi Blu. I am learning so much about drawing faces and mixed media. I am learning about my inner artist. Yes, she was actually there the whole time. Who knew.

April

2010-04-24T21:41:00.003+10:00

Well the April page is on it's way. I have all the components, and now I need to find a window of opportunity to put it all together. And then it struck me...my inability to gather the mental energy to "get it together" is because there is an element that I want to include that I am not sure exactly how to do, or how it will turn out. The fear of failure is holding me back. And yet, I know that once I take the plunge the process will be enjoyable and fullfilling- regardless of how it finally turns out. So, tomorrow I believe I need to take myself firmly on hand, have a stern chat and a gentle kick in the kibosh. No more excuses.

February Journal Page

2010-04-14T12:10:00.003+10:00

Well, as it is already April, I am a little behind in my posts (but not my journal). February was a rather sad month, as my dear Grandmoth passed away. This page was a tribute to her - she was a very fiercly independent woman - it broke my heart to see her wither away at the end...

For this entry, I experimented with pastel on watercolour paper. I did like the extra texture on the trees, but missed the smooth look for the background. I finished the piece off by framing it with a red/orange card -which is not as skew as the scan makes it appear.

January Page

2010-02-03T16:07:00.000+10:00

I finished "January" today. Very liberating. Instead of being shackled by indecision and doubt, agonizing over the perfect composition, I simply grabbed a few bits that I could, and assembled the page, inbetween minding Master Two. I know it's not perfect. And I have to remind myself that the process is just as important as the outcome (if not more so). And so I find myself ready to hand over my journal for our swap, satisfied with my creative process, and rearing to go for "February".

Pen and pastel chalk

Silly Monkey

2010-02-02T19:42:00.002+10:00

I found this gorgeous monkey pattern by Melissa Mall (innerchildcrochet.com). I made my own little chap -size 1.75cm hook, 5 perle cotton. My daughter has requested a purple one. I rather like him sans eyes.

Art Journal

2010-02-02T19:33:00.000+10:00

A friend and I decided last year that we should keep an art journal, and swap monthly. January 2010 saw it put into action.

Here is a snippet of the front cover. I decided to hand sew and quilt the cover, but make it removable to make journalling easier.

Groundhog Day

2010-02-02T19:13:00.000+10:00

Joined in the #groundhogalong at Ravelry, organised by June (planetjune.com). I used 8 cotton perle, and size 1.5mm hook. Bruce stands (sits) 2.5cm high.

Back to blogs

2010-02-02T19:10:00.000+10:00

Since I mostly surf the net using a mobile device, it has become inconvenient to try to blog, and upload pics etc. Found a blogger app..so going to give it a try

Sad, but true

2009-05-05T10:08:00.002+10:00

Well I am embarresed to see that the last time I posted it was MD, which is next weekend. Ah there have been many and varied reasons.... Hmm, since last year, I have accumulated more UFOs. Seems summer is the time for creative energy, and winter is the time to finish all those summer projects LOL. Crochet has been put on the back burner, initially because my hands just got too sore (as I do insist on using teeny tiny hooks) but then because of the heat. So I have a sheep, a cow and a monkey all calling out to me. I have also been dabbling with drawing, started my writing again...gosh...just too many things and not enough mental energy. So, I live vicariously through others, and dream of the day when I will complete my hobbies.

I am mother...Annals of a domestic diva??...

2008-05-11T16:09:00.008+10:00

Well Mother's Day was interesting. It started with two night feeds with Baby, who has a stuffy nose and is not a happy chappy. Then the morning was broken with the dulcet sounds of "mummy!" so a sleep in was out of the question, and into the lounge with Miss 2, to watch Dora the Explorer and other age appropriate delights. Of course soon after Baby woke up and joined the action. Mid morning, after a quick trip to drop off flowers to Mum and do some shopping, the domestic diva entered the kitchen: a storm was brewing. A cooking storm: bacon, eggs, roast tomatoes, mushrooms, croissants and blueberry pancakes. I was in the middle of my finest coordinated cooking effort, having delivered Miss 2 some pancakes, when after a coughing fit, she started vomiting. A quick pause for the diva delights...clean the floor...send Miss 2 off for a shower...back to cooking. Brunch was laid out, I was poised, ready for consumption, when Baby decided that he was ready too. I got to eat my food one handed. After lunch both kids fell into a deep sleep, and finally there was quiet. So I decided to make the most of it and went to have a sleep myself.

And now the day is drawing to a close, the air is starting to chill, the light is fading...Miss 2 wants cuddles, Baby is trying to eat tissues from the tissue box, I have a roast on and the dogs are pestering me to be fed.

Ah motherhood, would I swap these experiences for more sleep, quiet dinners out, no nappies, no vomit..? Are you kidding? HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY.

To mothers everywhere...

2008-05-11T07:55:00.005+10:00

Bear Necessities

2008-05-07T17:26:00.003+10:00

One of my first craft loves is teddy bears. The bit I hate the most is the assembly (jointing with cotter pins), so I have a few bear skins in my sewing box! I thought that I would add a few pics of my other hobbies, and found a picture of the bears I made for my wedding - all hand sewn. I bought crystals for the bride's veil, to match those on my own.

One flew over the cuckoo's nest...

2008-05-04T17:07:00.003+10:00

Who knew that one could become so attached to chickens! It seems you name something, spend time working how to tell one from another, and WHAM!! you are hooked. So when I came home from picking up SM and discovered Charlotte sitting on the pool fence (ie NOT in the coop) and Ginger nowhere to be seen, I was quite upset. A quick scout around with the torch (flashlight) did not reveal the illusive chicken. SM patted my hand, and said, "Don't worry, mummy. We'll find Ginger tomorrow."

Hubby came home and did another quick search. Nothing. Conclusion: she escaped and was living the high life or a neighbours dog got to her...

The next morning I went outside to let my girls out of their hutch when I saw Ginger running around in the pool area - where she had obviously spent the night. I was most relieved! Needless to say, as soon as hubby woke up, the chickens has their flight feathers snipped.

So much for the long weekend

2008-05-01T16:38:00.009+10:00

Well the long weekend has been and gone. I thought that I would get a chance to work on
Instead I looked after my SQUIRREL MONKEY and MR BUSY, when I wasn't helping build

Which now houses

Unfortunately these 3 are not impressed!

UFO vs WIP

2008-04-25T15:53:00.003+10:00

This long weekend (ANZAC Day) I am going to tackle some of my UFOs. They have been lurking in zip lock bags at the bottom of my WIP bag.

2008-04-23T20:51:00.003+10:00

I have been a tad bad...I have started a new project before finishing Sheepish. My poor eyes needed a break from 3 strands of black cotton!! And so begins "Udderly Mooverlous" Hopefully pics soon. As if life wasn't busy enough the "old Geiser" - the hot water variety - needs replacing, so crafting will have to take a back seat...

Frustrated

2008-04-20T08:28:00.005+10:00

Well it has been two weeks and I still haven't had a chance to finish my sheep! It is driving me crazy!!! A combination of looking after the kids, working with black (which is very hard to see, especially with tired eyes at night, and doing two at once (to make sure pattern is correct) has meant my poor little one is taking FOREVER! So I guess less moaning, more crocheting!

Anyway, here is a preview of Sheepish Shaun. He still needs another arm and leg, and a tail. Not sure whether to put a top knot on his head. Will have to make one and see what it looks like

Sheepish

2008-04-16T22:24:00.007+10:00

I am busily making a sheep -a part of my farmyard series (cow to follow). I have discovered 2 things: crocheting with 3 strand cotton and a 1mm hook (US size 10) gives one very sore fingers; and that black is a nightmare to work with! More fool me for wanting to work in minature. Hopefully I will soon have my very own "Shaun the Sheep" ...

Pulled in too many direction

2008-04-14T19:51:00.002+10:00

So many ideas, so little time!! To sleep or to crochet?? Been working on lamb for three days now! Isnt there a bubble somewhere where time ceases to exist?

Henny Penny

2008-04-07T16:16:00.003+10:00

Hoorah, Henny Penny is finished. Now for those experienced in the craft, this project would have taken an hour or so. But for me it is quite an achievement to complete it in a day and a bit (sooner if I hadn't run out of materials). The children helped: by leaving me be for long enough to get it done! So now I want to try make a series of similar shaped critters: a frog, a sheep...? We will see. What is in my minds eye does not always translate to the 3D form.

Download pattern (pdf) here

Just a little chicken

2008-04-07T09:37:00.002+10:00

I am so excited. I have just got two new books on amigurumi from the library! The whole concept of recently published books being available from our library is so novel, I am still buzzing! Wow!

I have started to fiddle with a hen, gaining so much inspiration from
Crochet Animals by Annie Obaachan (I feel like a big sponge at the moment).The shape of the hen is a basic egg shape. The comb is a chain of shells -inspired by Annie's Lion's Mane.And the wings are from her penguin. I love the wings...shape without bulk (tried cone but too bulky for such a small
item).

So my little hen is now awaiting feet and eyes, but sadly have run out of the yellow thread I used for her beak, so a trip to the shops is in order...

Kangaroo

2008-04-05T16:26:00.010+10:00

After making the hatchlings, I started making a cat from a book I had recently purchased (Kyuuto! Japanese Crafts! Amigurumi). Typically, while my hands were busy, my mind was buzzing. I was thinking about ideas for Mother's day and suddenly I knew I wanted to make a kangaroo. So the cat was relegated to a bag and I began the search for a pattern.

I guess if I am known for one thing, it is saying, "oh I love that pattern, I have to make it. Except I would change..." and from there the tweaking and adaptation starts...In this case I couldn't find a complete pattern that I was happy with, so bits came from here, and there, and bits were tweaked and then I ran into a problem. I wanted a particular type of back leg, but couldn't understand the pattern. So now I have to thank a wonderful lady: June from PlanetJune. I sent an email asking her for help, thinking that she would send me a site with a tutorial. Instead she crocheted a section for me and sent me some photos. Once I knew what the section was supposed to look like, I could fiddle until mine looked the same. A BIG thank you.

And so here she is, "my little kangaroo."

She stands about 7.5cm (3 inches) from head to base (not including ears). I used 3 ply acrylic baby wool and a size 2mm needle. The pouch is corduroy. I used 4mm onyx beads for the eyes.

My little mama needed a baby. So using 3 strand embroidery cotton and size 1 mm needle, the joey was born.

Easter Hatchlings

2008-03-25T11:29:00.008+10:00

With Easter fast approaching, I wanted to make some Easter Hatchlings for my daughter's daycare class. I have just learned how to crochet and wanted to practice my 'new skill'.

Unable to draft my own pattern, I set about looking for one on the web. I found the perfect pattern (cute, easy and quick) at PLANET JUNE. These are the cute acorns that inspired my CHICK-A DEES.

With my creations in full swing, I showed my husband, who questioned why the acorns had yellow caps? After adding eyes, he said that they looked like evil acorns. Undeterred, I continued and added beaks. I would have preferred to use button eyes, but given the age of my target audience, I embroidered them instead.

Given that I have been crocheting less than a month, I am happy with my first project.

Owl and the Pussy Cat

2008-03-24T23:53:00.006+10:00

Or...HOOT and MEOW.

After making teddies and other soft animal toys from a variety of woven back fur fabrics, a friend introduced me to the world of SOFTIES. I fell in love straight away. It was a little daunting - I am not used to sewing with regular fabric.

I decided that my first project would be the "Owl and the Pussy Cat" . I found so much inspiration on the net. In particular, I love the range of animals at LucyKateCrafts. However, I also really like owls that are made so that the back fabric forms the front peak of the owl. This would also look good with my matching cat. With all these ideas in mind, I set about drafting some patterns.

Once I was happy with the designs, and I had chosen my fabric, I set about hand sewing my creations (I hand sew all my toys). While my toys are NOT in the league of LucyKateCrafts. I was happy with my attempts. And then I stuffed them.

OK so now I confess to a blonde moment. It just did not occur to me that the lovely pink striped fabric I had chosen was a stretch fabric. So my creations are a little rounder than I had anticipated. Well, not one to abandon a project half way through, I put it down to experience and pushed on.

And here are the finished duo, with the back details showing (again inspired by LucyKateCrafts. ). Despite all their flaws and foibles, my daughter loves them!

One day I will redo them in non-stretch fabric...but at the moment, enjoying dabbling with other patterns, designs and techniques...