And the winner is…….

Commenter number 17, that’s Vic from Punky & Me. I was boring and used random.org to draw the winner, I know there were lots of more interesting drawing methods getting around, but this worked for my energy levels tonight. Thanks everyone for entering my first giveaway. Vic, I hope you enjoy your brown paper package; I shall get your details and pop it in the post for you.

I am so glad I played along with Blogtoberfest; I have met lots of interesting bloggers and learnt so much as I begin this blogging journey. Thanks so much to Cathy for hosting Blogtoberfest, I look forward to playing along again next year.

Spinal

My back is playing up again :( I am glad it doesn’t trouble me as much or as badly as it did when I painted the oil above called “Spinal”.

Don’t forget tonight is you last chance to enter my little giveaway, the winner will be drawn on the last day of Blogtoberfest (tomorrow).

Sneak preview…

Here’s what’s lurking in My Creative Space today, some broochy buttony goodness I hope to deliver to a heavenly little handmade shop soon.

Ok I admit this is a staged photo, theses lovely little brooches are in my space and are what I have been working on, but the space itself currently looks like a bomb hit it! I am sooo messy when I am creating. Check out some more creative spaces at Kootoyoo.

Will you forgive me????

I missed my second day of Blogtoberfest, last time I didn’t feel bad about it as I was really sick. This time I was just slack, the day just got away from me. I have a creative morning planned, so I may be back with another post later in the day to make up for yesterday.

Here are some of the buttons I picked up at my favorite op shop yesterday. Who knows what these little treasures will become!?

Layered

I don’t have much to say today – possibly late Blogtoberfest burnout! So I thought I’d share this abstract, it’s an oil on canvas called “Layered”.
I feel a bit like this looks today, a bit messy and all over the place. This painting hides another, I was never happy with the landscape that was the first painting on the canvas so one night when I felt like painting but didn’t have a canvas prepared I just painted right over the top.
How are you coping with late Blogtober if you are playing along?

Slowly but surely….

My modest little wash cloth is growing; I think I am about half way there. I have seen some beautiful wash cloths in the last couple of days whilst blogging, check this one out made by another very clever Kylie! And this one is super adorable too. The ones at Handmade Heaven that Liesa’s Grandma knitted are just so lovely, I have seen these in the flesh and touched them, so much more appealing than a yucky chux. They make my humble little cloth look very utilitarian! I do have plans to crotchet a blue edge around it and embroider a little flower or something in one corner, but it still won’t be a patch on these beauties.

Never the less, I am still feeling very chuffed with it and can’t wait to see what it is like to use. Everyone seems to be raving about knitted wash cloths and if they are as good as the reports suggest this will be the first of many.

I’m going Buttony…..

I have been immersed in buttons of late. The “Buttoned Up Books” that I delivered to Handmade Heaven on Tuesday had just about sold out, so I have stitched up a second batch and delivered them.

How cute are these little “Buttoned Up Clips”? I want to keep them all for myself! The buttons on these are some of my favorite vintage button finds!  They are also in stock now at Handmade Heaven.

I have also been working on some prototypes, there are “Buttoned Up Bracelets”. I have been wearing this the last couple of days and it has already got lots of excited comments, someone even offered to buy it right off my arm!

And “Buttoned up Magnets” these are just so sweet, Curly Guy thinks I should also make theses as little clips and brooches. Do you think they would sell? Maybe just for little girls? Are they too cute for big girls?
If you want one of the “Buttoned Up Books” or “Buttoned Up Clips” for your very own, don’t delay in contacting Handmade Heaven. They are all made with vintage buttons so they are one off pieces. The books may be a limited edition as I will run out of the books them selves soon, they were an op shop find and I haven’t been able to find the supplier. I shall keep searching, but I can’t guarantee I can do them for much longer.
Thanks so much for all of the comments of late, especially all of you who admitted your own button love and pointed me towards some great button blogs. It’s so great to find others who share your strange little passions! That’s all for me tonight off to sort out the new op shop buttons that I scored today.

Exciting News Flash

The Handmade Expo blog has 100 followers and to celebrate they are having a give away. Pop on over and become a follower and leave a comment. The more comments they get the bigger the prize for the lucky winner and since I am hoping that winner is me – please go and comment away!!

I am still trying to muster the courage to have my own little stall at the wonderful Handmade Expo; one day soon I may take the plunge and join all of the talented folks who sell there.

Don’t forget my Blogtoberfest give away closes soon, if you haven’t entered yet it’s really easy just take a look here.

Stay tuned I may be posting again today, I am working on some new buttony prototypes and I can’t wait to share their buttony goodness with you.

My Creative Space

This is my first week playing along with My Creative Space. I have enjoyed checking out everyone else and have decided to stop lurking and play along.
This week my space is all about knitting and vintage buttons. Not in the one project, I am knitting my first washcloth and the vintage buttons are going on everything else, I think I am obsessed. Liesa has suggested I start a new blog just about buttons, I am not sure if that would help my obsession or just fuel it. What do you think? I could have a button a day and share all my vintage buttony crafts and finds there.

What a lucky Little Guy

How lucky is Little Guy? He is now the proud owner of a Cuggles Creations apron, custom made just for him, with an Elephant on the pocket.  Perfect for all of our “cook, cook” adventures.


He shall have to wear it for our second attempt at these biscuits, unfortunately our dodgy oven over cooked them (of course it was the oven and not my skill in the kitchen!!!). I have been the lucky recipient of a batch of Mummy Cuggles Golden Cinnamon Biscuits and can vouch for just how yummy they are when cooked properly. I hope I get the second batch right.

If some little person you know would look adorable in a Cuggles apron you can buy them from Handmade Heaven, if you can’t get into the store Liesa will happily do a phone order for you.

Delivery time

I can’t wait to deliver these new goodies to Handmade Heaven tomorrow afternoon. Of course it means I will get to have a look at all of the new handmade treats that have been delivered by other handmadies since my last visit and have a catch up with Liesa.

Camping Adventures

We are home, all unpacked and cleaned up. As predicted many photos were taken and here are a few that I’d like to share…..

Sunsets and Sunrises. Little Guy made sure we didn’t sleep through the sunrises.  Or much of the rest of the night – but I didn’t get my camera out for that!

Lots of Aussie wildlife, all drawn to the water's edge.

We delighted watching Rainbow Lorikeets dance and sing outside a tree hollow in our campsite, we assumed they were proud parents. When the Galah’s returned they made sure we knew whose nest it was and that trespassing by lorikeets would not be tolerated!

A canoeing adventure, which had a dramatic ending attended by an international rescue team.

Ok it wasn’t that dramatic, they tipped the canoe, but they were a long way out and had our 5 year old camping companion with them. They were rescued by a bloke from Canada and a bloke from Scotland who just happened to be in the right place at the right time. Thank you International Rescue for bringing Curly Guy back to me safely.

Now I just have to wait for inspiration to strike and lead me to the piece of our trip that needs to become a work of art.

Tumble Seeds

Day 3 of auto post camping photos while we are away camping. Alright, we might be back by the time this posts but I will be soaking in a hot bath ignoring the piles of laundry and all unessential unpacking!

This pastel is from a Fraser Island trip. It is on velour paper which is like very fine nap velvet. It is so different to work on than normal pastel paper, challenging but in a good way. Normally pastels (especially the incredibly smooth Schmincke pastels that I am addicted to) glide over the paper and blend really easily with the stoke of a finger, but on the velour they grab more which was great for the finer detail line work but not as enjoyable when blending the background areas.

All going well I will have some nice photos to share tomorrow of our most recent camping trip and you can see just how long it takes me to turn any of them into artworks (hopefully not too long now that I have an audience!).

Starlight & Nightime at Severn River

Day 2 of auto posting camping paintings while we are away camping. These paintings are from a trip to one of our favorite “local” haunts, Sundown National Park.

This one is oil on silver leaf, the texture created by the silver leaf is so interesting to paint on and by using glazes I retain a glow from within, from the silver. Unfortunately that doesn’t show up in the photos, I have never figured out how to photograph this technique well. If anyone has any tips for me I would be very grateful.

This is a pastel on paper of the same scene; it, like many of my unframed pastels, is hiding away in storage under my bed!

Kimberley Sunrise

We are heading off camping for a few days so this is my first experiment with auto posting. I plan to leave you with paintings from previous camping trips for the next few days. This one’s from Wilson Creek in The Kimberley, we were up before dawn and in the boat on a barra fishing adventure. It’s a morning I will never forget with 8 meter tidal shifts, soaring orange cliff faces, hundreds of photos and great company including Jess the wonder dog, our friends tiny little terrier who accompanied us everywhere despite being pregnant! It has to be one of the most beautiful places on earth and I can’t wait to go back.

Camping Tomorrow!!!

Hooray, the time has finally arrived; we are leaving for camping tomorrow morning. Little Guy has only been camping once and that was before he was walking, so it was pretty easy to keep him contained.

I am a little bit scared of just how much chasing him away from the waters edge I will be doing this time but I am sure he will love it.

I am really looking forward to watching the campfire, cooking in the camp oven and on the spit, slowing down and taking in all that nature has to offer and the photos of course there will be many, many photo opportunities!

I've set up my first auto posts to keep you company while I am gone.  So stop by over the next few days to see if they work.

I think I’m losing my voice, perfect timing for another round of…..

Wordless Wednesday

I wish I had a Polaroid camera…

I have been under the weather, so I missed posting yesterday, sorry. I felt bad because I pledged to post every day in Blogtober, but there was no way I was up to sharing anything yesterday.
I found the following post in my draft folder tonight, which is the only reason I have a post to share now. I have my fingers crossed I am back to full health tomorrow.   I have so many creative ideas buzzing around my head at the moment, it is torturous to be sick and not up to indulging in them.

I love the look of Alicia’s Polaroid’s on Bloom Grow Love. The colouring of them is so appealing to me as is the soft focus. While blogging around I came across a link to Rollip where in just a few clicks you can make your photo look like a Polaroid. It is a lot of fun and very easy. It still can’t make my amateur photography a scratch on Alicia’s offerings, but I can play around and imagine what I might capture if I had a Polaroid and some elusive film for it.

All of the photos in this post are from a recent Sunday afternoon drive, I really love how the mood is so different from the original shots in this post.

Backyard Bounty

A little home grown beauty for you.

I hope you're enjoying your Sunday.

Side by side in orbit, Around the fairest sun?

I took these photos a few nights ago but with the excitement of recycling paper, carving and printing little owls, delivering playdough (which is nearly sold out, I must get cooking again!) and my first ever giveaway there just hasn’t been time to share.

While photographing a stunning full moon rise I kept getting two moons in each photo, which was interesting, but I couldn’t figure out why it was happening.

Curly Guy sorted it out really quickly. I was over exposing the picture because I was compensating for shooting at night, but not allowing for all the light in the image from pointing right at the moon. I tested his theory and he was right.

Unfortunately by then the moon had risen too high above the horizon and low lying clouds to make an interesting photo, but I was now capturing just one moon and with the definition on the surface visible.
I do like my two moon photos though; they had me singing these lines from REM’s Nightswimming for days!

I’m pining for the moon.
And what if there were two
Side by side in orbit
Around the fairest sun?

It was a lesson well learned; I always learn best when I experience things first hand. Now I will be prepared to make the most of the next stunning full moon! What lessons have you learned recently?

Brown paper packages tied up with string…..

It’s the 9th of Blogtober and as 9 is my favorite number I have decided to celebrate with my very first give away. For your ticket to win just join my little band of followers and leave me a comment on this post. That means along with an entry in my competition, you also get to catch up with what I have been up to on a regular basis! Who knows it could be the start of a beautiful friendship.

If you are already one of my followers, thank you, I really appreciate your company and support. So you don’t feel left out just pop me a note in the comments to say hi and you will be in the running too.

I have put together this little prize, I hope you like it. I promise to wrap it in brown paper and tie it in string. There is an original abstract mini painting and a hand painted book mark and magnet along with one of the little owl cards that I printed just the other day.

I will draw the winner on the 30th of October and I’m happy to post anywhere in the world, good luck.

Special Delivery!

Little Guy are off to music for some singing and dancing fun. Then I’ll make a delivery of cinnamon scented, glitter playdough to my favorite little shop Handmade Heaven, of course. I have more goodies to deliver there shortly but Liesa was keen to have this ASAP, so it will be in store this morning.

Check back here later in the day, I am going to have my first ever give away, what great day this is shaping up to be already! It must be because I am wearing my new Curly Pops brooch again.

I wish I lived in Wonderland......

Little Guy and I spent the morning in Wonderland.  

It was exciting and inspiring and just a little overwhelming – but in a good way.

We will have to visit again before it finishes, it was so much fun.

 Little Guy just kept running around exclaiming wow! I’m pretty sure that means it was a hit.

What is your favorite piece of “I Wish I Lived in Wonderland”? I think mine is the pink lampshade as a skirt on the pink legs, but the pink apple is a close runner up or maybe it’s the Humpty Dumpty way up high.