Work Update...

Since my last update only last week, I've been burning the midnight oil.  I've been working around 6 hours a day - off and on - and making sure I have more than enough stock to work the markets.

It's been hard, and yet a lot of fun to get these things done.  But I've been almost burning myself out - which isn't good.

So, I took a few days off this week and have been happy about doing that.  One of those days was to watch over the Melbourne Cup... where I won in a sweepstakes and at the TAB; both places I won $48!  Sweet!

However, since the last time you were updated, I have gotten a lot more done:

Sprung Pegs:  7 dozen
Dolly Pegs:  3 lots
Cool Pencils:  13
Magna-Pegs:  13

Over the last 24 - 48 hours, I've managed to get in do more work:

Sprung Pegs:  4
Dolly Pegs:  7
Cool Pencils:  7
Manga-Pegs:  5

So, I'm getting a good lot of stock up in just over a week since I last wrote here.  With only 2 1/2 weeks to go, I wonder how much more I'll get done before I go off to the Creative Markets on 24th, November?  With the amount of work I'm doing, plenty I'm guessing.

What work are you doing at the moment?  Are you progressing with it well?  Or is it going slow?  Until my next post, keep creating.

Working, working, working!

As you all know, I'm at The Creative Markets on the southside of Brisbane - in Logan City actually - and I'm looking forward to it!

So far, I've done a lot of work - more than I normally would have; and I'm proud of myself:

2 dozen Sprung pegs
10 Cool Pencils
12 Dolly Pegs
13 Magna-Pegs

And this is all in the last week or so... it's taken me a long time to get it all done, but I am thankful that I've had my Crafty Pegs work station all set up.  And I've also bought a Load&Go card from the post office (this is where I can load money onto it and use it online safely without accumulating debt - even though it's through VISA).  

Well, I'm going to hopefully keep myself busy throughout tomorrow and have this weekend off (as there's a party to go to of my brother's) then keep myself working on everything more!

And to make it more real, I've just paid the rent on my stall at the Creative Markets at Springwood... it's my first markets and I'm kind of excited and scared at the same time!  Woot!  I'm enjoying the fun and games of learning all of this as it comes along.  So, have you done anything like this?  If you have, let me know anything I should know... until my next post, keep creating!

One Busy Month!

It's been one busy time with Crafty Pegs, and I haven't had much time to do anything but paint them up and organise and try and find Dolly Pegs (which are becoming more and more like Hens' Teeth than anything I've ever come across!).

But!  I'm working this out really well.

Since I've completed my Crafty Pegs Work Station, created my Crafty Pegs Facebook Page and organised the business card and - just recently - bought myself a Load&Go Card at the post office, I'm well and truly on the road to getting my butt into this fun and intensely tiring life of my hobby business.  

I've begun buying paint in tubs as they're $6.99 each and will last longer than the tubs - which are $4.99 each.  I've bought myself my first lot of Dolly Pegs off a supplier in the UK for under $20 and they'll be here next week!  Yay!  I've bought myself a roll of sandpaper for when I need to sand down any rough edges.  And what I do is just cut off a small strip and use that until it's worn out and then toss it out and cut off another strip and keep going; and at $11.99 a roll, that roll will be worth it.

The best news I have right now, though, is that I've put my name down at The Creative Markets for next month!  My market stall will be at the Springwood State School Creative Markets on 24th, November - which is a Sunday.  The markets start at 9am and finish at 1pm.  I can't wait!  It's going to be an exhausting day, but I'm hoping it'll work out for me.  Wish me luck!  And if you're in the Brisbane area, come by and have a look at my stall - as well as the other people's stalls! - it's all under cover and out of the weather.  

Well, that's what I've been up to lately.  Very busy, very tiring and working very hard on my pegs, pencils and magna-pegs too.  I just hope I have enough stock by next month!  Until my next post, keep creating!

Modelling Gig on My Birthday

Last Saturday, I had my first serious modelling gig; it was also my 40th Birthday.  However, it didn't go off without a couple of hitches... but once they were out of the way, my friends and I got into it.  By this time, it was around 5pm and we had music going, the place closed up and I was posing for 20 minutes at a time.  

I did 4 poses for 20 minutes each with a break in the middle and then my birthday cake was brought out.  It was made by one of my art guests.  Candles were lit, and photos taken, then we shared the cake between us.  Before long, we were all back at it with the art and drawing; and soon afterwards, we looked at the time and found it was going onto 9pm!  What a great session.  Coffee was made, served up and we all chatted about the session after I put the furniture back into place (and made my house look like a home again and gave them somewhere to sit down and chill out).  By 10pm, my art friends paid me for my time and I had had a wonderful birthday!  

My family couldn't be here for my birthday, so I did this on my birthday... lots of fun, art and cake!  What a great day!  Until my next post, keep creating.

Busy Working

I haven't been in here very much; and I apologise.  I've been so busy with the Crafty Pegs business that I have had barely any time to do much else but paint pegs, talk about my small business to anyone who'll listen and hand out business cards to everyone and anyone who will take them.  

And now, it's coming up to the time of when everyone is looking for Christmas gifts, I'm working twice as hard to get some of my gift packs together.  I want to be able to pack them up and send them out and make a bit of money without having to keep too many people waiting for too long.

I've also made up a collection of new things that people are loving, such at my Magna-Pegs these are cute and I sell these for $5.00 each.  I also sell Cool Pencils... these are usually sold in twos so I can personalise one and put a nice design on the other and can be sold singularly for $4.50; but $7.00 for two.  

I'm looking forward to having a few things sold when people want me to painted up and sent.  And I'm looking forward to making a bit of money soon.  It's early days yet, and I've been getting into the work.  My workstation is working out well as it's all organised and I love how everything's all just there for me to grab.  Now it's a matter of getting a customer base to work from.

What project have you been working on lately which is going from strength to strength?  Is is working out for you?  Or do you feel as though you're stuck?  Until my next post, keep creating!

Creatively Thinking

Creative thinking is a process - as a good percentage of us know.  However, have you ever felt as though when people ask if you're introverted or extroverted, you really can't answer the question?  Or that you really don't fit into the 'typical' stereotype of what people think you should fit (not that you should as an artist)?  Well, I was looking at Facebook and found a blog posted on there where being an artist shows that we have best of both worlds in a lot of cases.  Read on and find out how!

10 Paradoxical Traits of Creative People

My Crafty Pegs, Now On Facebook!

Yep!  I've gone and put Crafty Pegs onto Facebook as a business.  It's slow to start with, but I know it's going to be fun and I'm hoping it'll take off as something to make a little money out of for me to save up with.  

Mozette's Crafty Pegs 

So, go and have a look at the site... I hope you enjoy the photos and please do leave a comment, and I'll answer you when I'm next in.

Until my next post, keep creating!

Reg Gregor Passes Away

This tribute is very difficult for me to write, as I knew Reg Gregor as a friend.  Even though I hadn't seen him in a long time, I remember meeting him when I was around 15 years old, and watching him paint during Christmas Holidays at Brunswick Heads.  He'd set up his canvas tent on the grounds of the Hotel Brunswick and sit and paint all day; living in the moment, forgetting to eat or drink anything all day.  People would buy him drinks and lunch so he'd be able to keep going until sunset.  Me?  I'd be there watching him for a few hours as those beautiful paintings emerged from his imagination through his brush and onto the blank canvas; through the oil paint.

The work was beautiful!

Reg would work all week and on the Saturday, he'd play auctioneer and sell off each painting to a massive crowd of people who'd show up almost throwing money at him for his pieces.  I often attended these to see who'd buy which ones; and he'd remember some people who bought one of his paintings at a time - as they'd not have the money for a set of two or three and have to save up for the rest.  They keep coming back for the next ones each time.

I remember seeing him over the Christmas school holidays until I started working and he was still working there at the pub at Brunswick.  Each year, he'd remember me (and with bright red hair and fair complexion, who would forget me?).  He and I would chat and he'd ask how I was going at school or work, one day asked if I painted.  He was a little sad to find that I didn't but wished I could, that I didn't know how to find my way to a paintbrush; as it just wasn't in me yet.  He said to keep going at it and it'll probably find me.
One year, I found Reg at the Brunswick Markets after he had major heart surgery.  The doctors had ordered him to stop smoking and to back off on the drinking and to take a holiday; the problem was he didn't know how to, as art and making art was his life.  So, he stopped painting for a year and made windchimes out of shells and lovely hangers too - one of which I bought and still have around here but I don't have anywhere to hang it right now.  But I used to hang it off my rear vision mirror in my car (and from behind it look phallic... hilariously nobody realised until they sat in my car!  But I knew what I was buying).  

Unfortunately, I lost touch with Reg when my health declined and I had to concentrate on getting better.  And it's only been a couple of months since I found him on Facebook and friended him again, joining his 'Mad Artist' Facebook page, seeing his beautiful paintings he still painted up until a few months ago.  And it's with great sadness that I found out while surfing the net just yesterday that he passed away while in palliative care in Lismore hospital.  Reg had been very sick - and in and out of hospital a number of times - before the doctors told him that he couldn't go home only a week or so ago.  
So, you know my own personal tribute to this great artist - and friend of mine.  I thought to attach the news report about him I found for you all.  He was a real character and his service was today - something I couldn't attend unfortunately, but I didn't forget was on and I paused to remember him and say goodbye in my own way.  

Tribute to Reg Gregor 

I hope you all find an artist in your life as mad, as gifted, as wonderful and friendly as this man was to me.  And you know, he was right... I didn't find art, art found me.  I just wish I could have shown him how much I love the art world now; as I was going to visit him at Christmas to catch up with him. 

Extreme Painting

Since I hurt my right arm, I've been taking it easy; but I haven't been lazy.  I've been working on my garden out the front; and built a wall, but it took a week.  And believe me, I'd rather slow down and take a week to build something than stop work all together.
I also potted a lovely Draceana plant in a large pot too.  This has made my front garden look just lovely - so far - as it's just the first quarter of my garden being fixed up.

Then, I've been working on that painting you've read about below.  Now, it's been going really well!  I can't wait to finish it, but I can't rush the writing part of it.  So, I have to make sure I don't hurry it along too much or I'll end up smudging the pencil or the paint.  But it's looking good.  I still have to fix up the face so it looks good; and edges will stay rough so the hair looks like it's moving and isn't fixed in place.  I love where it's going too... I've added even more books and authors to the hair tonight (which I'll take a photo of it tomorrow and update it here to show you all, so you see what I mean).  So, what have you been doing lately which has kept your creativity going?  Love to know about your projects.  Until my next post, keep creating!

Updated Photo1 

Updated Photo2

Updated Photo3 

As promised, I've taken some photos this morning and above are the updates of the painting from a couple of days ago. Enjoy!

Recovery a Month On

It's been a month and I'm going well.  I'm knitting and painting pegs again; and have been sleeping getting back into photography again too.  

However, Mum and Dad are overseas and I've begun working on my front garden to make it look gorgeous.  And it's something that I've been meaning to get into as well.  So, what happens when I jump into a project I want to get done?  I injure myself; that's what!  A few days ago, I found my right fore arm began to hurt... and so off to the doctors I go only to find I have Tennis Elbow.  So, with the strap on my arm, my garden project has been slowed down markedly and I'm resting my arm as much as I can.
This means, I've begun a painting to keep my right arm from moving too much.  I'm also reading more too.  So, that's the main thing... to get my arm fixed up and myself back on track.  Until my next post, keep creating!