Moving On In A Cold Snap

Brisbane is going through a cold snap and I've been very active in my creativeness over that time... and before it too.

However I'm also not well; having come down with the cold/flu that's doing the rounds at this time of year.  Yep, I burnt myself out after 6 months of being on the go without a good rest and caught the first cold that I came up against... oh yay, how fun.

Oh well, it happens to the best of us, and it's just our bodies telling us to slow down.

But I've worked on and finished that large piece of work for my bedroom and it's looking great.  My neighbours who leave their light on unintentionally have yet to do just that to see if it does work out... but I do believe I have this little problem kicked and I'll be able to sleep a full night with a lovely painting on my wall. 

Anyway, I've been taking care of myself with this cold and the worst of it is over... except the cough, which is making me sound like a foghorn, but it'll go away soon too.

Over the last few days, I've been sanding down more photo frames to paint up for the next few markets, looking at working on more pegs, coat hangers and wrapping up more stock for the Lucky Dip for the next market so more stock gets moved on... yep, I'm hoping to get in and work on more things sooner.  Anything not sold in the market in September, is going to be in the Lucky Dip for October.

It seems as though I'm going to be busy, but I'm not really, it's just working out what will sell, what won't and how much wrapping paper to buy at the $2.00 store. So, how has your creativeness be going? Better than mine I hope!  Until my next post, keep creating!

All Prepared For Christmas!

I'm all ready for the Christmas Holiday season... what?  Christmas presents?  Nah, I don't mean those (but yeah, I bought all those and they're all wrapped under the tree ready to be ripped open on the day better known as 'The Orgy of Greed' to my family).  What I'm talking about is my craft supplies.

This week, I've spent that little bit more money on my supplies to make sure I don't have go anywhere to buy any supplies... and I mean, if I do, it'll only to get dolly pegs and that's it (Yep, they haven't arrived from the UK yet... that idjit hasn't heard of air mail... he sea mailed the damned things!).  
So, yesterday, I was up Garden City doing some last minute Christmas shopping and I needed to get some dolly pegs and bought myself a tub of gold paint.  Okay, sure, I have 3 tubes of gold paint, but they're on the lighter side now I've used a good lot of them... so I've decided to get myself a tub of the paint to cover all my bases.

Today, I was off to check the mail, put money onto my load&go card and then check on Mum and Dad's house for mail, any parcels that might show up and then off to the chiropractors.  However, on my way to those places, I went to the FDB's and scored myself 30 magnets - at $2.00 for 10 that's a great deal - and a roll of cellophane - which was also $2.00 a roll.  So for under $10, I have enough supplies to see myself through until the markets next February... yay!  I can't wait until I have it all sorted.

So, what are you getting up to this holiday season to prepare and keep yourself creating until the school holidays are over?  Do tell!  Until my next post, keep creating!

Redilicious Designs!

I have found a wonderful jewellery designer who really needs to be plugged here as she has a brilliant gift to make gorgeous jewellery.
Kellie Smith is a lovely woman I went to high school with.  We were in the same form group and she was very cool then; and is still very cool now.  We lost touch over the years and it wasn't until our 20 year class reunion that we caught up and I found out she was designing jewellery.  Then, we became Facebook friends and I saw some of her work.  But I wanted to get my hands on it first and enjoy it before I let anyone in on her stuff.
And now, I have a piece of hers, I want everyone to know of her great work.  Kellie shows and sells her work at a stall at markets around Brisbane and at a shop as well.  She's also on Facebook.  You can purchase her works of wearable art - of any kind - through using your credit card or a bank transfer and she can post it off to you anywhere.  Kellie is most definitely an artist to watch as she has a great talent in this field. Until my next post, keep creating!    

Oh My Beads

I'm back here in Brighton minding my brother's house for a week or two while he and his partner are in New Zealand on holidays.  So, yesterday, I thought to take off and have a wander around the local area to see what shops were up the road as I had spotted a bead store not far from here; and wanted to see what it was like.

My Beads is a lovely little shop situated on Nathan Street in a gorgeous old-style building.  The doors are the first thing I noticed.  They are old-fashioned French-style doors with large, metal handles on them.  And, but once inside, the old-fashioned feeling stays with you.  There are beads in every isle in their own little individual bowls so your choice is easier.  The walls are covered in them, the owner has lined the walls with strings of crystals and chains - depending on what you'd like to make.  
I found a massive selection of glass pendants and silver and pewter charms and pendants as well; all in their own area and bottles all waiting for the right person to put them with the right necklaces.  There were also ready-made pieces there as well at very reasonable prices - much cheaper than you'd find in jewellery stores or art galleries, by far!  

The owner of the store is wonderful and very helpful as well.  She knows what the names of all the crystals are, what's in stock, what is coming in as well if they'll be able to get what you're looking for and when; so you're not left hanging for something you may not be able to find.

My Beads is a wonderful little source for all your beading and jewellery needs.  They not only sell the chains, links and joinery for your necklaces, but they also sell the tools you need to get your hobby off the ground as well.  This is a wonderful store to get yourself to.  It's here at Brighton and is well worth a look at; or if you can't get here, they have a website where you can win prizes and gifts if you spend over a  certain amount of money.  I even bought a piece there and put it together for under $10!  It's this wonderful necklace and I love it.  Until my next post, keep creating!

Working Again

I'm working again, however not on what most of you think.  I've been painting clothes pegs as an inbetween, fun thing however I have found I can probably make a bit of money out of them.  So, I'm hoping to make up some samples and show them to the gallery I work at to see if they'd put them in their store for me.

If they don't, well, I'll try them out at the Butter Factory.  I have been trying to sell my artwork at the art gallery store for years now, and they don't let me.  So, it looks as though I'll have to take my works somewhere else.

This does frustrate me when one place doesn't give an artist a try out, and yet they let others in.  I hope I get a chance with the gallery... it'll be my foot in the door for an exhibition next. 

Necklace Wall-Hanging is Complete!

Yesterday I was at my easel working on the wall hanging for my necklaces.  I wanted to get it finished and done before Christmas; and so I could also get it all done up and complete before the New Year.

Besides, I wanted to see if it worked.

Anyway, I worked through the afternoon on it until dinner.  Then, I took an hour's break and got stuck back into it and didn't stop until it was finished completely at 10:30pm.  Wow!  What a long time to be painting!  But then, I also sat through 'The Santa Clause 2' - a funny Tim Allan movie - to help me keep going.  Well, Here are the photos to it.  Hope you like it as much as I do.

Necklace Wallhanging1 

Necklace Wallhanging2  

Necklace Wallhanging3  

Now, all I need to do is hang it up on the wall in my bedroom and put all my necklaces on it with the Alligator clips.  I'm so thrilled at how it worked out.  Until my next post - and project - keep creating!

Christmas Is All Wrapped Up

I must say that this year hasn't been without it's problems; especially now.  As some of you know - from following my other blogs and knowing me in Real Life - I've recently suffered a loss of a dear feathered friend over the weekend.  
But I find that if I delve myself into my work, I get through grief and loss better.  So, I found myself working through the rest of Gabe and Kat's Christmas present faster than ever before.  I got around 8 pegs painted each night over the last 3 nights and before I knew it, they were finished!  This morning, I varnished them; and here is the next set I did this morning.

Painted Pegs for Gabe & Kat1 

Painted Pegs for Gabe & Kat2 

 

Arty Pegs for Chrissy Pressies

I've got about three weeks until Christmas Day; and I have finished all of my present shopping.  Yep, I'm that organised!  But I'm taking my time with one lot of the family presents; and for a good reason too... it needs a lot of patience and detail.  Fortunately, I have that in spades.
I'm painting up a set of clothes pegs for my brother and his partner so they always have enough to use.
I thought of making them some - personalised ones - while I was minding their place at Brighton in October.  Thought it would be a fun thing to have on their clothes line... and a very arty thing to add to their house if they use them on their clothes horse too.  I've taken a few pictures of the ones I've gotten done so far... nice don't you think?

Personalised Pegs1 

Personalised Pegs2  

Well, Until my next post, keep creating!

Christmas Presents Artwork

I love doing arty things for Christmas.  And this year, I'm going to cover two present for the price of one.  I have begun painting up two different types of clothes pegs - the ordinary pegs with the metal springs in them, and the dolly pegs.  And so, what I'm going to do is split up the sets and give them to two different parts of my family who are in great need of new clothes pegs.

Mum and Dad's pegs are brittle and need updating.  I thought it would be wonderful for them to use the ones I have painted up outside; as they bring them inside each time.  I'm also giving my brother and his fiance a set for when they move into their house over Christmas; as when I was house sitting over the first week of October, I found they didn't have enough pegs for a full load of laundry (and Dad noticed this too).  And a lot of their laundry ended up on the ground on a windy day.

So, I'm looking forward to having these done, boxign them up and giving them to their new owners on the Big Day.  I can't wait!
What are you doing - which is arty - over Christmas?  Are you giving some art work to family or buying something arty for a family member?  Until my next post, keep creating.  

Necklace Wall Hanging

As I've been talking about, I have begun my next new project.  I've been so excited about this that I started it yesterday afternoon after I returned from the doctors.  And, once I finished dinner, I set myself up in the living room and kept going for another hour or so.

Necklace Wall Hanging - Part One 

I hope this works out the way I have planned.  If so, I'll make another one for somebody in my family. 

Knitting Workshop a Creative Blast!

Today, I went to the Logan Art Gallery to attend a knitting Master Class put on by Chris Zantis; who has an exhibition there (it's in the first gallery; and is absolutely brilliant).  On arrival, there were some ladies who had all brought along their knitting bags and goodies with them (something I had thought of bringing; but decided against it). Anyway, the Gallery was late in opening and we were all out the front for a few minutes introducing ourselves for a little while.

Once inside, Chris introduced herself and we put our bags inside the workroom and were shown around her exhibit in the first gallery.  

She explained how each piece came about and what materials she used; and where she arrived to have them.  The talk went for about an hour or so before we all went into the workroom and Chris showed us how she did some of the stitches she has been doing in her works; and a few of us took notes; then we tried it out.  I stuffed one lot up, but improvised (as we're encouraged to do so).  Anyway, we learned how to do a cord, make a skirt with the wool and adding on was a lot easier than I thought it was.  She made it a more fun than knitting has been in the past. 

 

Then, came the imaginative part.  We were invited to try out making a piece from what we've learnt that told a story about our lives right now.  I began knitting with really bulky wool made a little piece with different stitches.  Then I grabbed some wool and made a cord; and then, I worked on stitching it to a grater... part of attaching it to it was stitching pearls on it and tying bows of yarn onto it as well!  I had a ball with it; calling it: 'Chained to the Sink!'.  And Chris saw it and loved it immediately crying out that she needed a camera; which Judy (or Leslie, I don't know who as I was concentrating on my work) took a few photos of it.  Chris asked why it was called that and I said I live alone and it's all I seem to be doing:  washing up all the time, and they all laughed.

I loved working with knitting and yarn in the different ways and integrating the kitchen materials with it all; it made knitting a lot more interesting and fun.  We got to take home our work too.  There are still some finishing touches on my grater I've got to do, but I'm happy with my work otherwise.  Until my next post, keep creating! 

New Work

Since my self-portrait, I've been itching to get into more painting.  So, on the same day I finished my portrait, I pulled out another piece of blank Masonite and began on that.  I've progressed well and am enjoying the process of working on something different.  The colours and lighting is just lovely; and I don't have to worry about looking at a face anymore, I'm finding this one more relaxing to do.

Update On My Work

I've been so focused on my portrait lately that every time I work on it, it changes so much.  So here are some more photos of it since the last time you saw it.

I put this outside to see what kind of light I could get on them.  And found it picked up colours in the painting!

Most recent photo of my portrait... got a long way to go.

 I'm currently working on the hair and adding more detail to the mouth, cheeks and chin; otherwise I'm hoping to get it finished in the next few weeks.

Secretly Admiring

I've been secretly admiring art lately; in the most interesting places.  A lot of the art is on Traffic Signaling Boxes; but some of it is in our own back yards (well, okay, maybe our front yards too!).  Otherwise, there's Mother Nature's way of making art; she just as spectacular in so many ways, we just keep on forgetting how many.

And then, there's my niece who is a great artist at the young age of eleven.  Yep, I've seen some of her work recently and she's improving with every month that passes by.  I'm so proud of her and her talents.  Riley has been working on all kinds of art from her Japanese cartoon characters to Calligraphy - which she's learning at school - and she loves.  She also loves the art of writing and can't get enough of it!

In the last week, I've seen a few other pieces of work on the north side of town.  There are talented people who are going unnoticed by everyone - unless you're the mailman.  And doesn't this letterbox look very cool?  I think so.  This guy makes me want to get a house so I can create a brilliant little place for my letters like that.

Well, right now, I'm working on that larger collage you see in the post below.  It's going well; and right now, I'm getting into what colours to paint it.  Unlike 'Love, Hate and Vampires', I'm not relying on just one colour.  I have to think about what other colours to paint it and see how far I can go with it.  It ought to be fun.  I might try out gluing a big thick book cover on it yet... I'll let you know at the finishing photos.

And I'm also working on knitting a scarf too.  It's for the K-Mart Wishing Tree this Christmas.  I'll be knitting a beanie to match it for an older person; which I'm sure they'll enjoy.  It's a lovely dark green colour and beanie will be a nice creme colour with the dark green put in stripes.  Not too bad if you ask me.

Well, that's all for now.  Until my next post,  keep being creative and keep knitting.

Is Your House An Art Gallery?

Okay, I don't mean, a real one, I mean do you have pieces of work around that you've collected from across the world or across town or even across generations that mean a lot to you; so much that you thought it deserved a place on your wall?  I can say that I do.  So, here's a photographic list of my work around my small - yet lovely - home.

 At the top of the stairs you can see this century-old mirror from my front door.  It was first owned by my Great-Grandmother.  What a lovely piece of artwork; and I love it being in my home.

 I bought this piece at an auction to raise money for the Breast Cancer Foundation of Queensland.  It's a Wayne Clements original and he painted it at Centro at Springwood years ago.  It was the last time I saw him doing public work.

 This is a Darcy Doyle print that a friend of mine posted up to me from Melbourne for one of my birthdays.  I love his work and it was lovely of her to send it all that way for my birthday.

 Now, I've been wanting to hang this in the house, but haven't found a hook strong enough for it.  So, the unfortunate thing has happened that it's stuck behind the television for now.  I want to hang it in the stairwell along with other works of mine.

 This is just outside the kitchen and is a spin-off of the above one behind the television.  I do love it; but it didn't sell at the exhibition.  And that's unfortunate.

 I bought this one in Chester, UK for 10 pounds.  We had a limited amount of time to wander around the city; but I didn't want to walk around too much as I had friends I was coming back who wanted to surprise me.  So, I stuck to looking at the East Gate Clock and the wall; and found an artist who was selling some lovely work... and I thought to buy this one.  This ones is just inside my bedroom door.

 This is my own work called 'Eighteen Butterflies'.  Trust me, there's 18 there!  I get a lot of people saying there's not, but there is.  It's a great optical illusion that played well at an art competition at Brunswick Heads. This one's above my bed.

 This lovely one is across from my bed, next to my bedroom window and I look at it every night before retiring and wake to it every morning.  Sitting Bull really does help me keep my head about me and the Commandments ring so true in today's society.

 Two of my favourite movie stars are always watchin' me... and a great artist too!  These have been on my wardrobe door since I moved into my unit in 2002.  After Heath's death, I just haven't had the heart to take his down.

 This one was bought at a Blockbuster Video store... actually I put it on layby and clean forgot about it!  Then, one day, the manager told me they needed me to pay off my layby and pulled it out absolutely covered in dust!  So, out came my wallet and I paid it off!  Thank God I had driven the car down that day; it had also begun to rain too.

Signed On The Dotted Line...

Today, after a few things were done around the ridges of Logan, I got onto a computer with a printer/scanner attached and signed the contract to the Traffic Signaling Boxes.  It feels so good that I'll be working on one of these things and Mum wants to be my companion while I'm there (as it's in the contract that I must have a second person with me for safety reasons).  

So, all I need to do is wait now... how tense... how fun... how... exciting!  I can't wait until I get my box goodies (paint, rules and flouro vest) and get into working on this box that will be out in the public eye for all to see.

First I'll have to talk to the residents who live right on the fenceline of it and let them know I'll be there for a few days and that I'm not casing their place or a prowler of any kind; just your run-of-the-mill artist trying to make the world a better place through art and paint.

I hope this works... I really do.. as if it does, I'll be doing more of the Traffic Signaling Boxes around Logan.  The people at Clayfield said that I was the first to put my hand up to paint one that they know of because of the area.  I'll keep you all posted about how it goes; and I'll take before and after photos of it too!

I'm also still working on my knitting.  I'm in the process of making a blanket for next Winter for the lounge; seeing how cold it's been getting.  I'm enjoying it and it's progressing nicely.  All the squares are going well.  After about 25 or so, I'll be stitching them all together and then doing a blanket stitch around the whole thing to keep it from falling apart.  But that'll be a few months into the future yet.

Until my next post, keep knitting and keep creating!

Adding Colour to the Clothes Line

To some, pegs are pegs; they are used to hang out

the laundry, made of plastic and go brittle after a year or so of use.

For me, my pegs are Dolly Pegs bought from the hardware store; they are durable and very much a part of my artworks as they are a part of my laundry.  However, when I moved into my unit, I found that I didn't have the most honest of neighbours.  I found that some of my plastic pegs were going missing and my clothes were on ground - my clean clothes that I had just washed and hung out. 

So, this is when I brought the Dolly Pegs out and painted them up, varnished them and used them.  They added colour and pizazz to my daily use of the clothes line.  And they caused me to catch out my neighbours as thieves of clothes pegs.  Now, this may seem petty; but when the said neighbours had a container overflowing with my plastic pegs (as well as theirs), I had a right to take back my nicely painted wooden ones.  Don't they look just lovely? 

They have lasted around six years and I've begun painting up another lot of them to add to the growing number I have with new designs.  I had dedicated some to my favourite footy team, one to my budgie and others to my country and favourite colours.  It's a fun way to not only pass the time but to also make hanging out the laundry fun.  The best thing is:  on a really windy day, my laundry will stay on the line.

Exchanging of Gifts at a Glassworks

I was out and about today to a friend's house in Logan Central.  I bussed it to Doug Cartwright's place to help him with starting up a blog for an artist who needed something that was easy to maintain and was in the public light enough that people would find it.  So, of course, I insisted he uses Blogger because it will show up on Google.

On the way over, I found that there was more graffiti tags than art all over the footbridge; but they were very colourful.  So, I took photos of them.  However, his house was full of arty things; and Doug isn't just a glassworks guy.  he's an oil painter too and has had many exhibitions around the place; including the Logan Art Gallery.

Once lunch was, Doug showed me his studio downstairs where there was so much work he had done, glass sitting around in containers for his famous jewelry boxes that are sold at the LAG and much larger pieces standing up in tall slots waiting to be used in other larger pieces of work.  He began working on a small box when I looked on and began working on it my self.

Over the afternoon, I worked on getting the pieces of glass

together and soldering them, then worked on the sides and mirrored bottom.  After each piece, there was the copper sulfate, washing and polishing to do then more soldering.  It was a slow process; not one for the impatient type (which fortunately for me, I can have a lot of patience when it's required).  Doug found that I picked up the glass work very quickly and was impressed that once I put my mind to something like this, I could do it under

supervision.  I had a few problems, but nothing that Doug couldn't fix.  And now, I have a lovely little jewelry box that I had been meaning to purchase from the Logan Art Gallery Store.  Isn't it just lovely?

Doug's boxes come in three sizes and he also makes business card holders and other arty things out of broken mobile phones and stained glass too.  

Hand-painted Gift for Kalman

On Bookcrossing, there's been an exchange of gifts in memory of one of the Bookcrosser's sons. A lot of us took part and I received a gift from a wonderful person in Western Australia; and so, seeing she send me wonderful, brand new books wrapped in gorgeous paper, I thought to hand-paint something just for her.
Here I have an old box I've had sitting around the house from another art thing I did years ago. It was actually a gift box I used to use for a friend of mine to store souvenirs for when I needed ideas. Now, I've decided to paint it up and give it away filled with goodies to another. I just hope she enjoys it as much as I did painting it.
Some years ago, I designed a style of four-petaled flower that was simplistic and lovely in its own way; however, not everyone liked it... not even me. But, once in a while I'll add it into my paintings as a quirky little thing that is an original fingerprint to make it my own. And I'm glad I have. So, I I thought to cover this small box with these lovely flowers and had a great idea of gluing silk leaves all over it to give it a textured look. However, seeing it didn't work (and I didn't have a hot glue gun), I decided to paint them on instead; and did it work a treat! I also painted the inside too.
Now, all I have to do is stick some felt to the bottom, sign my work and give it all a good spray with varnish and it's all done. I've already bought some lovely little things my Kalman Exchange person can use in her arty exploits; as well as her life.

Is there anything you've designed for others you'd like to show off? If so, let us know your website through the comments box below. I'd love to hear from you. Until my next post, keep knitting and keep creating!

All At Once

I've had a couple of projects on the run all at the same time; and it caught up with me last night. I copped myself eye strain in my left eye! Haven't had that for a long time, and don't wish to get it again. So, I gave myself the night off from knitting a part of a square for the blanket, painting anything or cutting up magazines... and did I feel useless! I have gotten so used to making sure my hands are doing something that when I stopped them from doing anything, I felt unproductive. Doesn't that feel horrible?

As well as the above projects that are being worked on all at the same time, I'm also taking part in 365 Project which has a lot to do with creative photography. Next week there's a colour theme from Sunday to Saturday. Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue Indigo and Violet. I hope I can get the last two colours right; they'll be hard.

Anyway, I've been working on getting rid of the magazines I don't need... and slowly but surely I'm getting there. I'm also practicing a lot of piano - even though it sounds terribly out of tune - and also I'm still working on the main second painting I chose to work on. Yep, my art life is going well. Slowly, but well. Until next time, keep knitting and keep creating.