Name That Painting Competition - An Update!

I just thought to give you guys an update on this little competition I started last year; and let you know that I haven't forgotten about the painting or that there's that lovely prize of that brilliant 12 Lesson drawing book up for grabs if I choose the name you've entered as the suggested title of this painting.

Now, I haven't got an up-to-date photo of it; and have done this on purpose, so that you can all have a look at the finished product once I've drawn the name and the winner from the list of 17 people who jumped in and had a look, gave in their title and then have been wondering if they're going to win.

I have been working on the un-named painting over the last month or so and it has improved markedly. So, when I do put the photo of it up when it's finished, it will look complete and fresh. And I will put up a photo of what it looked like before and after its completion so you can see what I did to improve it.
Well, we have around 20 days left of the competition to go until I put the finishing touches on the painting and sign it with its chosen name written on the back. I wish you all luck in whoever is the winner.

A New Year ! A New Project!

Hello to all you crafty people again! And welcome to a new year of knitting, craft and anything you can make, paint and construct with your hands. So... what have you all been up to? Me? I've been to Brunswick Heads, NSW. It's just south of the border (it sounds like I've been to Mexico, but really, I've been to the ocean) and had a great time reading, blogging my holidays, getting sunburnt (nope that wasn't planned... normally isn't is it?) and eating mudcrab sandwiches.

I've also been planning a massive project that may take up a good part of my year. Last year, I knitted four scarves. And I gave them all to wonderful people. One of them went to my Birthday Buddy, one went to my Mum, then my niece got one and finally my brother's girlfriend, Katrina received one for Christmas.
This year, I'm planning to knit a large blanket to cover the back of the lounge. You see, I have a lounge cover that's seen better days. It's got huge holes in it where I normally sit. Now, I'll be keeping the cover, and putting a thick blanket that I'm using on the back now to cover the seats. However, I thought to cover the back, it would look just lovely to fold a hand-knitted checkered blanket. I've started on the first square and am 3/4 through it with a Moss Stitch; after casting on 61 stitches. Once I have enough squares done up in different colours and stitches (but the same ply 8 wool), I'll be stitching them all into a big square/rectangle and then doing a blanket stitch around the outside of it. I'll keep you guys up-to-date with how it's doing from time to time as it'll take a while to finish it.

So, what project - big or small - are you planning this year? Until my next post, keep knitting and keep creating.

Your Crafty Ideas

Over the Christmas Holidays, I'll be away at the coast; which means my knitting will be here at home. But I'll also be looking around at craft ideas to share when I return next year for more fun and games here.

While I'm away, feel free to come in and share what craft ideas you've been getting into through the comments section at the bottom of this post. I'll give them a try and post them up giving you full credit for giving me the idea.
So, wherever you are in the world this Holiday Season - and however you celebrate - I wish you all a very happy time with your family and a safe and prosperous New Year. And I do look forward to seeing you all here again next year with more crafty fun things to get our hands busy with. Until my next post, keep knitting and keep creating.

Fun Paper Beads to Make

I saw on 'Better Homes & Gardens' last Friday night how to make this necklace with paper, glue and spray-on varnish. Now, if you're not careful, you'll end up with a blister on one of your thumbs or fingers; so please do take the precaution and wear a band-aid on your thumbs (and don't do what I did and work for hours on end and find that you can't use your dominant hand the next day because your thumb is killing you..:S ).

First thing's first: gather together some paper. Old wrapping paper (something with a bit of substance, not the metallic stuff) and old stationery you've got hanging around with about three sheets left (and you don't know what to do with) is perfect for this project. You'll need a ruler, pencil, scissors, a glue stick and a large table and a bowl as well. Make sure you have a long good-quality wood skewers.

Mark out along the paper with the ruler length-wise isosceles triangles that will fit end to end on the paper then cut them out until you have long lengths of triangles. The wider the base, the longer your paper bead will be; the thinner the base, the smaller and more dense. Then, take up your skewers and - starting at the widest part of your triangle of paper - roll it onto the skewer, then run the glue stick along the rest of the paper until it's coated and then roll the rest of the paper up onto the skewer until it's finished; then start on the next one on the same stick. You can fit up to around 5 beads on one skewer (depending on the size of your beads).

After you've finished around 8 or so skewers, take them outside with the spray-on varnish and (if you've got a box big enough for them, use the box) poke the pointed end into the ground and spray each skewer at close range and leave them alone for about 10 minutes in the sun for them to dry. Then, you can start again. And the result? Well, I made a necklace for my niece out my mine. Isn't it gorgeous?

A New Project!

Yep! I'm at it again with the knitting needles! This time I'm getting together a scarf for my brother's girlfriend, Kat. Seeing she wears a lot of green, I've found a variegated green 8 ply wool and am doing a Moss Stitch.
Using size 8 needles, I've cast on 29 stitches with closed cast-on (this means when I cast on the next stitch, I push the needle between the first and second stitch so there's no loops when I look at it after casting on; so it's nice and tight). Then, I've garter stitched the first row and then K1 P1 each row until the end of the scarf - which is as long as you like it.
For the tassels, I'm going to pick out a nice emerald green or olive green wool and buy some glass beads to attach to the long thread that hanging off the end; just to make them look that much more special.
Once it's finished, I'll take a lovely photo of it before wrapping it and placing it under the tree for the big day! Now, I've told you what I'm making for somebody special this Christmas Season. Are you making anyone anything special? Leave a comment and let us all know. Until my next post, keep knitting and keep creating!

14th, December, 2009 - It's been a while since I wrote this post. However, I've finished the scarf and am now ready to wrap it for my Katrina for Christmas! So, here are the photos! And isn't it gorgeous? The colour for the tassels took a little while longer to find than the beads - which I found at a fabric shop in Logan Central where I get all the beads and accessories for my craft ideas. I hope Katrina loves this scarf as much I did making it!

I also hope you enjoy having a go at it too! Until next year's project and fun bigger things I'll be getting into, I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a creative new year!

This Is Just The Beginning!

I have had my share of paintings - good and bad - however, I've found that some of them just aren't finished. A lot of them haven't even been signed. So, while cleaning up the office one day recently, I put away the signed and finished ones and left the unfinished ones that looked rushed. And in the last two weeks, I began working on the first of many which are going to be fixed up and finished to how they were meant to look like. First though, I'm making sure I'm going to take a before photo so you can all see how they look before and after the fixing up.

This first one is un-named. So, I'm running a competition. Whoever can name this painting will be getting a book on art sent out to them. I'll make the draw once I've finished and signed it and taken another photo of the painting for all to see. You have to be in this to win this. This is an international competition. And I found the perfect book! Here it is! If you'd like this book at the end of January next year, enter this competition to name the painting at the top of this post! Just leave your suggested name in the comments here on 'A Natural Background' and you can enter as many times as you like.

At the end of January 2010, I will be putting up the name of the winner in a new post with a photo of the completed painting. I'll be needing the winner to post an e-mail address I can contact them on for their mailing address to send them the book! Good Luck!

A Win At The Logan Art Gallery

Each month at the Logan Art Gallery, there's a raffle drawn and the winner collects a box of goodies ranging from books, chocolate, wine and arty gear and lollies too! For the last goodness knows how many years, I've entered this raffle every month; however I've never won it.
So, it came as a great surprise when I opened my PO Box last week and found a letter addressed to me on Logan City Council stationery; and I had won this very raffle! Woohoo! And have a look at the box! Lots of goodies for me to get my teeth into and have fun with!
Well, until the next time I'm doing something arty... and I get a chance to photograph it, keep knitting and keep creating!

Old Paintings Lookin' New Again.

I've been looking through my older works and they really need saving. There's some that I rushed through and didn't finish for no real reason; and others that I said were finished, yet I didn't sign.

So, recently, I grabbed the ones that I wanted to put away and sorted through the rest and have organised myself to finish my unfinished paintings. It'll get me into my art again and I'll totally enjoy it as it'll get off the computer and working on other things around the house (and back into my knitting trees too!).
I'll keep you all up-to-date with what I've been doing and how well the paintings are doing (or not) and I'll be providing photographs with their progress too! So, stay tuned and you'll see them go from bad to good to better as I fix up my paintings from years ago into what they are supposed to have looked like to start with. Well, until my next post, keep knitting and keep creating.

Riley's 10th Birthday Gift!

Today, I gave my niece, Riley, her birthday scarf. And she loves it! The moment she unwrapped it, her mouth dropped and she pulled it and put it on! I'm so pleased she loves it so much. Here's some photos of the moments of pleasure and joy from today!

And she wore it until a few moments ago when she asked how I made it. I told her how and she said it's not itchy or anything; saying how lovely and soft it is; even the tassels. So, I've made the best scarf for the most wonderful little girl. I said that once she gets older, she'll be able to put it with other outfits too and she said she'd never throw it out.

Not Much Happening ... Craft-Wise

It's been a while since I posted anything to do with my knitting, trees or painting; and I must apologise about that. It's not that I'm not doing anything, it's just that around this time of year, we have a lot of things going on in the social calendar that craft tends to take a backseat.

So, I've been trying to knit a thin scarf; without success. The painting of my chair is still halfway through (I'll finish it later rather than sooner, I know it!) and I'm learning a bit of the piano right now... which is harder than it sounds; as the silly thing is really out of tune!
Otherwise, one of the scarves I knitted in one of the earlier posts has been given away as a birthday present and Mum absolutely loved it! Just look at her on her birthday wearing it! Doesn't it suit her? She loves the long tassels and the purple colouring of it. I'm so glad she loves it so much. Well, until the next time I have a project, keep creating and keep knitting.