Markets

Well, the markets were great one day... a complete wash-out the next!

Yep, my first market day at Murarrie State School was wonderful. It was a great, sunny day. I was running late, got off at the wrong off ramp from the Gateway Arterial and then I surprised myself and set up in around 20 minutes. 

I sold a few things, but seeing it was my first market back after 2 years away from the market scene, I knew it was going to take time to warm back into the public's eye.

So, I wasn't surprised when my stall didn't sell that many things.

What surprised me was the amount of retailers who up and left halfway through! At lunch time, a lot of the foodies packed up their gear and took off - in their most busiest of times. I heard through an email, that the organiser was being badmouthed by other retailers while she was within ear-shot of them saying the bad things.

Now... I may have been away for 2 years, but this kind of behaviour does not wash with me. 

No matter how slow or how bad my stall is going at a market, I never bad mouth the organiser - ever! Not only is it bad manners but it's rude to not take up your grievances with them personally.

Well, I was there at the Murarrie State School until around 1:30pm and was one of the last stalls to pack up.


A few weeks later, I was off to the Creative Markets at the Logan Art Gallery just this weekend past and we had a great time setting up. I took some lovely photos of it all... but then the rain came.

At first it wasn't too bad - a shower or two - and then it went away for a while.

The people came and had a look around and we all thought we were in the clear.

But then more rain came and it brought gusts of wind with it! By midday, we were all packed up, drenched to the skin and out of there! 

All my merchandise was wet and I didn't want to finish my hours drenched. Unfortunately, nobody stuck around and Lorna had to tell the gallery that we all took off... what a pity. 

I had to get home, hang up all my table cloths, my clothes and some of my dish cloths too... then get changed and rush back out to the gallery for a shift there that afternoon, at which point it poured rain all afternoon! I was thankful I had hung all my cloths on the clothes horse inside... and not on the clothes line. But at this market, I didn't even make $10.

Oh well, better luck next year when I get myself into the markets better. 

Postponed

Well, the Murarrie State School Market Day has been postponed for 3 weeks because the weather hasn't been on our side.

It's been raining over the past 24 hours; and we're in for a wet weekend - with storms as well - and so, tomorrow, the day is going to be normal; of me waking up late and making more dish cloths and having another few weeks of preparation.

This is a blessing in disguise; which is great really.

However, I've been looking forward to my first market in 2 years.

Oh well, never mind. This time will give me more time to make even more dish cloths - bigger ones and small ones as well to sell at the market when it does come around. 

Until my next post, keep creating!

A Week and a Half Away!

The markets are just a week and a half away... and I'm excited!

My business cards are ready and packed.

I've bought hand wipes for the day.

I've been knitting new and colourful dishcloths to sell (they're the last thing that needs to be done - and I'm taking my time).

And I'm looking forward to getting it all fixed up, packed and over to the Murarrie State School Market Day.

It's going to be a great day out no matter what the weather; as it will be a great beginning to another phase of 'Crafty Pegs'.

I've gotten rid of the pencils and replaced them with the dish cloths.

There's a smaller amount of Pretty Picture Frames and I've still got the magnetic pegs - of all sizes!

Then, I've restyled my whole stall to give it a better feel too! In doing so, I went through the whole lot of boxes I've got and cleaned them out to find I only need 2 boxes and the picnic basket to take with me... this gives me more room in the car to play with. 

Yep, I've downsized, and yet made the stall so much better at the same time. 

So, 14th, October is date to keep on your calendar.
The time is 8am - 2pm... I'll be there from the time the market opens to the very minute it closes. Also, if you show up closer to closing time, we could do some deals... good ones too!

Until then, keep creating!

It's Arrived!

Woohoo! My new business cards arrived on Monday! 

And man, am I stoked!

I loved how easy it was to upload the design to the program on Vistaprint, and how simple it was to get it all organised... and when they said it would be ready and arrive on that day, they actually arrived on that day!

So great, so simple and so ... well... I'm going to use that company every single time now.

I didn't say anything until now because I've been running around making sure the right people have my cards - well, I have to give them to the Logan Art Gallery for the Pop-Up Store for Christmas, and then I had to replace the old ones in my handbag. My folks have to have one too!

I know this sounds like I'm gloating about a tiny piece of card, but really, they're so classy and pretty. And they're such a far cry from my old cards too. I can't wait until the markets to use them... and to include them in my shipping with items too! 

Well, now, it looks like I'll have to get postcards done in the next year! Wow... now that's going to cost me a bit more money to make them... but with Vistaprint, it's going to be okay. I've got confidence in them now I've had a great experience with them. 

Okay, now I've boasted about this company, I'll leave you to it to have a Google around and have a look at their site... or if you already use them, punch the air and say, 'Yes! So good you're using them too!' Now, it's back to creating more hand-knitted dish cloths (yes, they're becoming more popular now people are getting into the hand-made things again). Until my next post, keep creating! 

A New Business Card

With the Murarrie State School Market Day approaching in a few weeks, I'm more than ready to hit the roads and get my little green machine and me out there selling things again!

The one thing I have run out of is my business cards. So, I jumped onto Vistaprint and sorted out a new style of business card.

Did you know that it's been 4 years since I redesigned my business cards? I had ones which had paintbrushes on them - brand new ones fresh out of the box - and it looked so pretty and new! It also looked like a stock photo I had paid for from the internet.

So, I pulled out some of the stock I had ready for the market, put it on a small table and started photographing it with my phone.

And you know? It worked out well! I tried different effects on my phone, and it gave the different feels I wanted on the photo of it all.

When it came to looking at it through Vistaprint's site, I found working on there was so easy - and so was the choosing of the card stock, how many I wanted and how soon I'd like them to arrive. I paid for it all online and then? Well, all I have to do is wait for them to arrive to my PO Box and that'll be it! 

I'm also editing a book right now... and will be looking into working on the book cover soon. Now, I wonder what that's gonna look like? 

Woah! So much going on in my life and not long ago, I had so much time on my hands.Well, until my next post, keep on creating! 

A Few Months

I know it's been a while between posts, but I've been busily working away on my craft and paintings.

Art school has been great! I finished my first painting of 'The Tuscan Garden' and started 'The Living Room'... and Aaron has begun getting us into doing lessons on the first Monday of each month so we can learn more than ever. This means we'll be working on this kind of thing next year as well.

And then, I've also been working hard on my pin cushions and tiny paintings as well for the markets coming up in October. I can't wait for that! It's going to be so much fun to be back into the Boutique Market arena again! I know I may not make much money from it, but I have so much fun just going there.

I'm also enjoying knitting my throw. I found the perfect colour for the centre square and I'm getting in and knitting it too! It's going to be a large square of 80 cast on, then garter stitch it from there into a square... it'll look great! This throw is taking shape so well!

I've found a book on how to draw nudes too... just the thing to help me with all kinds of things that I have problems with in drawing and painting. I can't wait to get into it. Well, until my next post, keep creating!

Tiny Paintings

I've been working hard on a new painting of my living room and my throw rug. It's great to have the time to get in and do all of this creative stuff - but really, you have to make that time to do all of this. It's the same with my writing... I have to make time to get in and write my books and then edit them and flesh them out. 

But, creating is creating - no matter what it is, right?

Well, I've begun painting up tiny paintings; and they're just the cutest little things! They are book-art and I'm hoping to sell them at the markets at Murarrie in October; along with my other new work too.

I'm also fixing up any of the patching paintwork around the house that I've damaged over the past 15 years. Yep, this place really could do with a new splash of paint - but it's not my fault really. It's been so long between coats of paint, that it's all worn really thin; or maybe the last people who painted this place didn't use the right type of paint. However, I did notice they didn't use primer... yeah, how bad is that?

Well, I thought to pop in and let you know how it's all going before I head off to art class tomorrow. I'm onto my second painting (as I said) and I'm really getting into it a lot faster than 'The Tuscan Garden'. Until my next post, keep creating!

Woah! Two Months!

I haven't posted here in 2 months! I can't believe that time has zipped by so fast!

Well, a lot has been going on and I'm pleased to say that I've also learned a lot of things - new things - at art class too. 

In the middle of June, we were off to Karawatha Forest at Trinder Park to do a session of 'En Plein Air' - which is French for 'In Open Air'. We were there for a good part of the day, and I left at around 2pm just as the chill started to settle in. However, I woke the next morning with a dreadfully sore throat - yep, Laryngitis had struck again a year after I got it from my class reunion last year! 

Anyway, a couple of weeks of rest, and I was back at class, feeling better and painting like a champ. Aaron was impressed I had worked on the painting, but you see, when you can't go out or socialise, you just work on anything at home to keep from going stir crazy... and cabin fever had played a huge part in getting my painting to be almost finished within such a short length of time.

Well, not long after that I caught another cold from a young kid in my unit complex, which I knocked on the head with really strong antibiotics and a lot of rest and garlic-laden foods... and now, I'm getting into working on my next piece just as 'The Tuscan Garden' is about finished. There's about an hour or so left before I finish it, sign it and spray varnish it. But now it's dryer than it will be for a while, I really want to attach d-rings to it and then completely finish it... after that, it'll spend plenty of time behind the front door to dry completely on that easel. 

So, we're all caught up now... except that Dad bought me a very cool easel last month when I could afford it - but I'm not sure why he did that. Anyway, I'm hoping to get in and bake a few batches of scones and some food for them to make up for it. I am enjoying the class and learning a lot of things from Aaron too. I have found out that my older brother, Gabe, has begun art school as well. He's starting to study sculpture... very cool! Until my next post, keep creating!

Painting And Other Artwork

It's so much fun at the Logan Artists Association on Mondays - any other day or the week - the place is so quiet and the people there are all artists who do their own thing.

But Mondays are days where I'm there for art classes with Aaron Pocock with a room filled with other ladies who are painting with different mediums - be it watercolour, acrylics or oils - we are all having great fun. Then, they all found out I add books to my works and thought it was a little strange, until I told them that I have been doing that for the past 5 years or so, because I find that books are just a natural addition to artworks for me. I'm a collector of books and a writer as well, so I thought to combine the two and see how it all went in a painting - and for me, it really makes the painting look so much better. I've even got a word for what I do: Book-Art. It's yet to catch on, but it will.

Anyway, I'm working on paintings with books in them, with different mediums. But I'm currently working on a round canvas from a picture I have glued into my scrapbook I created from years ago. More recently, I've been cutting up old 'Good Reading' Magazines from over 5 years ago just for photos of books, and other magazines as well. It's all inspiration. So, while most people in the class are working from a tablet or a print-out or a photo from a calendar, I'm working from a magazine clipping from 1998 copy of 'Better Homes & Gardens'. Aaron thinks it's very cool that I'm working on new work... but then, there's my self-portrait, which looks very old-fashioned and stodgy compared to the new work. 
So, what I'm going to do is finish this new piece and then transfer what I've learned from it onto the my portrait, as I know I can change it. He's so happy that I've learned this much from the lessons I've been coming to. 

Next Monday is a public holiday, but we'll be only doing morning classes. We all love this idea. And I'll only be taking my round canvas with me. Anyway, I'm hoping to get some work on it done today. Until my next post, keep creating!

Learning So Much!

It's been a while since I last wrote here. I must apologise for not posting as much as I planned about my art classes, but I really have been learning a lot - and it's been exhausting to have other things going on at the same time.

Today, I thought to get in and take some serious photos of the class activities. Aaron Pocock has been doing some lessons for us at the beginning of the 3-hour classes on how we can use particular techniques. Last week, he showed us how to do a simple scene on canvasboard. This week, he showed us how to plan out a complex scene on paper. 

Mainly it's using the KISS method - and worry about the details later on. He also told us that a lot of people work on the details first, getting lost in them, and never finish the painting. He'd rather have the bones laid out first, then fill it all in for details at the end. Of course, he made it look so easy - but really, he's been doing this kinda thing for so long, it's second nature to him.

So, today, I got in and glazed the background of my portrait. 

The first thing I did was use the linseed oil on the area I was wanted to glaze. Laying the painting flat on the table, I opened the bottle of oil and grabbed a large square brush. Linseed oil has a slight smell to it and you don't really need much - as it's an oil and it will go a long way. But seeing it's going on an oil painting, make sure the painting is dry to touch before doing this otherwise the painting will smear.

Then, mix phthalo blue and burnt sienna together and then - using a fan brush - paint it onto the areas where the linseed oil has been used. For me, it got a little glucky, but I took my time and it worked out. 
I did find that I had to rub some of the paint off because it looked a little thick in some places. All I did then was reapply more oil and it thinned it out, then grabbed a smaller fan brush and used less paint.

Once the effect is done, put the painting off to one side and let it dry. Aaron helped me define some of the books and other things in the background with a tissue by pulling at the oil and making the spins look rounded. There's still work to do on the painting; and I'll keep you updated on what I'll be doing with it.


Once I put the painting down, I pulled out a large, round canvas and on that. I decided a nice garden scene from one of my scrapbooks of magazine cuttings would be nice to do. So, working in some of what I've learned from Aaron, I started to transfer the gate and garden scene onto the Mont Mart canvas and got stuck on the archway. This always happens with me as I can't always see the picture in the way it's taken properly. 
So, Aaron helped by photographing it, editing it by turning it black and white and then I could just work on the shading without worrying about the colours. He said people often have problems with how things are set out on pictures when transferring in the beginning and not to worry too much; that I'll get used to it. Then, he said he'll do a lesson on how to draw for us... seeing how bad I am at drawing. Well, that's my lesson for today (and yes I am seriously a horrible person when it comes to drawing; can't do it, but I can paint. I'm not putting myself down, I'm all stick figures in reality). Until my next post, keep creating!   

Fill The Gaps Exhibition

This coming week is the start of the 'Fill the Gaps' Exhibition at the LAA - and what a reaction Mark Davey has had towards it! 

Mark asked us if we'd like to put in pieces to put up on the walls of the Able Gallery at the Logan Artists Association; and we all pull together out our own works of art to hang. 

I took along 'Books On My Mind', 'Curved', and 'Eye of the Storm' - all three were from differing times of my life and show a range of what I have been able to do. 'Eye of the Storm' is a memory of an actual storm which passed over my parents' house when I was around 12 years old. What a huge one that was!

This exhibition goes for a month and I hope to sell any - or all three - of these pieces. There's some great work going into this gallery which is also for sale. So, do go along for a look. Until my next post, keep creating!

Rainy Art Class Monday

Today, it was the day for my art class. And this time I took along my canvas I wanted to work on - unlike last week where I forgot it.

We had a great time working on our own things with Aaron walking around - or running around - helping us all out. Yep, it was a full class this week. 

And there was a man who came in asking if he could join up. I'm not sure if he decided to or not; we'll have to see next week.

My self-portrait went from blah to wow in just 3 1/2 hours. I didn't really want to leave, but I just didn't have the brushes to do the right kind of detailing work I needed to do on the hair... so I left to head off to Eckersleys at Underwood and found what I needed there. 
Once home, I set up the portrait to dry by the back door and will be packing the car for tomorrow to head off to Geoff and Vivienne's place to visit Will (a friend of mine) and drop off some paint Geoff gave me... I just haven't used it; and he can have it back.

Anyway, I arrived home well past 1pm and had a bottle of brush cleaner and detailing brushes from the art store on me... I'm really getting my art gear refined now. I don't want to be taking too much stuff with me if I don't really need it; yet I do want to make sure I have everything I need. Yep, it's a catch-22 in art classes. If you don't have enough gear, you're caught short... and yet if you have too much, you feel as though you've packed the kitchen sink. Oh well, can't win 'em all! Until my next post, keep creating!

Logan Artists Association

I've joined this wonderful local association of artists in my area. It's a great place to go and has done wonders for my self-esteem!

Thus far, I've been a part of the 'Black and White' Exhibition for International Womens' Day this month; and this week, when I pick up my work from there, I'll be dropping off my work for 'Filling the Gaps' Exhibition for next month! 

Now, this is more wall-time than I ever got with the Logan Art Gallery! And seeing I'm a financial member, my work is going to be up on those walls for free! Isn't that brilliant?

I'm also taking part in an art class and enjoying every single minute of it! Aaron Pocock started his art class this past Monday and instead of being a conventional art teacher - with a set lesson plan - he's opted for us to do our own thing and drop in on each of us and advise us on how to make our work better. 
So, some of us were doing water colours, while other sketched with charcoal, and then other worked with acrylic paints and then there were others still who were just getting into water-based oils... and we all learned something big on Monday about everything! 

How very cool was that???

So, this is why I haven't been in here. But if you look at Inside Artistic Dialogue (and if you're not currently a member of that group, do join up), you'll see more about the art classes and the Logan Artists Association. It's a brilliant place to be, as it's in such a quiet place to work at. I haven't felt so welcomed, and wanted to learn so much from so many people. Until my next post, keep creating!

A Busy Little Artist!

I haven't been around and I must apologise for this... but I've been busily working on art, paintings and tapestry - not exactly in that order - but I have had my mind and hands on art equipment all the same.

This weekend, I'm taking part in an art opening at the Logan Artists Association at Coral Street, Loganlea. It's called 'Black and White' and it's a collection of art by female artists around Logan City and just in time for International Womens' Day. It starts on 4th, March and the exhibition finishes on 15th, March. I have a piece in it and hope to have a great time on Saturday.

I've also joined the Logan Artists Association this year so I can learn new things in the art world. They have lessons going on how to work with clay - something I've always wanted to know - and art lessons which cost only about $20 or so and lectures from artists from around Logan City.

This is going to be so exciting and I can't wait to attend this exhibition, seeing I have piece in it for the next week and half.

I hope it sells, and if it doesn't, at least people will get to know me as an artist. 

The Lake Como tapestry is coming along so well! The only thing that is fouling up the works is the fiddly bits of which colour is yellow, white or pale yellow... other than that, it's coming along really well in leaps and bounds! Until my next post, keep creating! 

A Busy New Year!

It's been a busy time this New Year and I'm looking forward to saving a lot of money this year to buy myself a gazebo for the markets.

Now, my folks would be the first to tell me that it's a waste of time. But I love doing the markets, no matter how much - or little - money I make with them. It's the connection with the community and the people I love about them. It's because I get myself out of my house and to a place where there's others like myself there setting up shop and enjoying the day, or the night, and I enjoy the time I spend selling my goods.

So, this year, I'm still going to cool my heels a little and work on new gear still. I'm also putting money away into other accounts as much as I can so I can buy what I need for the gazebo. 

Otherwise, I'm working on a tapestry of Lake Como, which is coming along well. I'm still doing up bits and pieces of furniture, and I've seriously begun decluttering my house. There is one room which has stumped me; and I've begun it - finally! I've also begun a blog about my decluttering journey called A Work In Progress which I think is quite apt. You see our lives are all a work in progress... whether we're artists or writers, or people studying to be who we want to be... we are always a work in progress; and our homes are never finishes, no matter how long we work on them.

It's a nice little blog so far, and there's so much to talk about on it. But I'm still working on other things too. 

So, this year being the Year of the Fire Rooster, I'm hoping to get my butt into gear and working on many things that really need doing! Until my next post, keep creating!

Brislets

I've joined Brislets. It's a bartering market around Brisbane where I can sell and barter goods and services with people who are as like-minded as I am.

This year, I was sponsored by a great friend of mine - Jeni Lewington - and am hoping to get myself out there to work at their markets to sell, barter and work on my craft for people; as well as work on other things in my life where it will expand how I work in other fields (like my writing and gardening). 

I have yet to be invited to a market this year and so I'll see how it goes with them. I'll keep you all posted with the goings-on of this endeavour. Until my next post, keep creating!