MIXED MEDIA MAGNETS

Just wanted to pop on a show you these magnets that I have just painted. They are done on a 4"x4" flat canvas.

I also wanted to let you know that Alex and I got the house we applied for which I am really, really happy about. It is a lovely little town house, it is so much closer to my family, and did I mention I also get my very own art room all to myself!!! I can't wait to move into it! I guess I will be packing all next week as we move in next weekend. I can't believe it has all happened so quickly. So if I appear to be a bit absent from my blog next week, you know where I'll be :)

MIXED MEDIA PIECE COMPLETE AND AWARDS

This week has been crazy busy. I have been trying to get some artwork done but things just keep popping up each day to stop me.

I did however manage to finish this piece on Tuesday. I will be putting prints of it up on my Etsy store later today. I think it turned out well. I love how the tissue paper gives it texture.

8"x10" flat gallery wrapped canvas

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I also received a couple of blog awards from the wonderful Annette Quirke. Thank you so much for these awards Annette. If you haven't seen her blog yet pop over and check out her wonderful artwork, you won't be disappointed :)

For the Kreativ Blogger award I need to list 7 things that I love -

1. Painting
2. Roast Dinners
3. Newly washed bed sheets
4. My family and Partner
5. Art shopping
6. My morning coffee
7. Day's at the beach

For both of these Awards I would like to give them to all of my followers. I appreciate all of your supportive and encouraging comments. You all mean a lot to me :)

You are not obligated to take these awards if you don't want to. It is just a fun way of spreading the love.


Have a great day everyone!

ARTIST'S WAY - FIRST CHECK IN

Already I am learning so much about myself that I didn't know before. I can't believe that in only the first week I felt more open and sure about myself.

I have been doing my morning pages everyday, even though I must confess I do have to force myself to do them most days. Once they are done though I am happy and proud of myself for doing them. I can see already how they are helping me to understand myself better and sort out a lot of the clutter in my head.

I was not so great at doing the artist date though. The only thing I could think to do was sit outside on my balcony by myself and relax. I then pottered in my little balcony garden for a while. I am not so sure as to what this part of it actually does, but I will still do them as I am sure Julia Cameron knows what she is doing.

I have started to acknowledge that negative censor in my head and while looking back through my past have discovered monsters I didn't even know existed. I had a real eye opening moment during this task and it actually took me by surprise. I did not realise these past experiences were affecting me so much in the present. I found the letter writing task to be very helpful in letting go of this negativity. I already feel a lot lighter and in control. I am sure it will take a while for these old wounds to heal, but I can feel I am on the right path to doing it.

One of the tasks was to pick 5 imaginary lives for yourself to play with. I picked an art teacher, florist, landscape designer, farmer, and an interior designer. These were just the first ones that popped into my head when I thought about the question. I really liked the art teacher idea and had fun imagining myself being one. I would love to do this one day if I got the chance.

I am looking forward to the text week of Our Artist's Way :)

SOME SKETCHAROONIES

Hi all,

I just thought I would share some simple sketches from my sketch book.

Hope you are all having a great weekend :)

Mine is almost over :(

TRYING OUT A NEW TECHNIQUE

Hi everyone,

I have been busy trying to look for houses to rent this week. Alex and I are moving, which I can't wait for. I hate the area we are in now, and I want to be closer to my family. We have put a couple of applications in, so fingers crossed we will get one. I hate house hunting, so I just want it to be easy. I have a really good feeling we have found the one though.

In between calling around and viewing houses I have been doing a little bit of art. I am trying out a new style that Julie-ann from Heavenly Art has been kind enough to show us. I love her art and thought I would give it a go.

Here are some progress pics -

I am having heaps of fun with this one, and can't wait to do more. Thank you so much Julie-ann for sharing this technique with us. You are truly a wonderful person.

MERMAID PAINTING IS COMPLETE

I think I have finished the Mermaid painting I showed you a couple of posts back. I have added a few little fish to it but, I keep thinking it needs something else, maybe that's just me. It would be great if you could let me know what you think, or if you have any suggestions.

MY HOPES AND DREAMS

Before we begin our first week of the artist's way challenge, Robyn has given us all something to think about -

what are your hopes, dreams and wishes? what do you wish to create?

I hope to discover who I am as an artist, and to always create what I love. I hope to stay grounded and always be true to myself and to others. I hope to be successful at what I do and to always, always cherish the moment.

My dream is to live a simple life, to be happy with who I am and how things have turned out. I dream of endless love, and a life filled with constant laughter and romance.

I wish to have a happy and healthy family to grow with, to love and to nurture. I wish for endless magical moments, and happily ever afters.

MONDAY'S PHOTO A WEEK

Hi everyone, I hope you all had wonderful weekends.

I had a great weekend. Although it's suppose to be winter here in Queensland, the weather has been beautifully warm and sunny. Alex and I had a wonderful picnic in the park on Saturday. It was so nice to get out doors and relax. We had yummy food, read books and even had a couple of games of out door pin pong together.

Then on Sunday we felt like getting outdoors again. We invited my Mum and Brothers along to go on a bush walk with us. It was so much fun and for lunch we all headed back to our place and got fish and chips for lunch, yummo!

Can you tell I'm enjoying being healthy again? I have had about 8 treatments of acupuncture now and I am feeling so good! I still have the slightest pain in my back, but it is ignorable and is nothing compared to the pain I have been living with for the past 2 years. It feels like I have my life back again and I am so thrilled! I have so much more energy and just want to get out and make up for lost time.

Any who, here are some pics from our bush walk on Sunday.

This is a tree that has been taken over by a strangler vine

This is Aaron, Beau and Alex. We all found walking sticks along the way

This is Mum, me and Brad being silly with our walking sticks

A view from the lookout we stopped at on our way home

I actually lost my camera in the parking lot when getting in the car to leave after our bush walk. Luckily we only went a few seconds away to another spot when I realised it was missing. Alex and I quickly drove back praying that it would be in the car park still. A nice couple who had actually been there when we left picked it up and were still there when we got back. They were so lovely and so happy that we came back to get it. I was so relieved! I should put a contact number in the camera case just in case this happens again.

MERMAID MIXED MEDIA WIP

I haven't had much time to get out my paints due to a lot of appointments lately. I have mainly been sketching and getting some ideas onto paper. I hope to scan a few and get them up on here in a few days.

Anyway, I just thought I would quickly share with you a mixed media piece in progress that I was working on a couple of weeks ago. I haven't yet been able to finish and was almost about to give up on it until I received some kind feedback about it from my family who was over visiting today.

I have been wanting to try a mermaid painting for a while now. I still have to do more work to it and add a few little fishes (as my Brother Beau suggested).

Have a great night/day everyone :)

I'M ALL SET

Today I bought all the things I need to begin my journey through the book 'The Artist's Way' by Julia Cameron. Some of you may know this book and have even worked through it. This will be my first time and I am so excited to be doing it.

It is basically a course in discovering and re-discovering your creative self. It is a great book if you have that dreaded artist's block or would just like to expand yourself and open your self up more creatively.

Robyn has set up this new blog specifically for a group of us who will be working through this book together. Anyone who would like to be involved in working through this book with us is welcome to join. All you have to do is let Robyn know that you would like to join us by dropping her an email, and she will add you to the list of participants. We will begin the 12 week course from August, 19.

A LITTLE TREASURE FOR ME!

I was so excited when the postman came knocking at the door this morning with the prize I won from Julie-ann's blog giveaway.

I was the lucky recipient of a coffee mug with one of Julie-ann's wonderful Angels printed on it. It is the first giveaway I have ever won, and I am thrilled. I adore Julie-ann's artwork and have been following her blog 'Heavenly Art' for a while now. Pop on over here to take a peek at her blog, it is definitely worth it.

Thank you for being so generous Julie-ann. I will treasure this mug always :)

Unfortunately these photos do not do this wonderful piece of art justice

Thank you again Julie-ann!

MONDAY'S PHOTO A WEEK

Hi everyone! Another Monday has come around.

For this weeks photo group I took a couple of shots of the wild life while Alex and I were out bike riding on Sunday. It was such a beautiful day and a lot of other people had the same idea as us. So many people where out bike riding and having picnics with there families at the parks and taking their dogs for walks along the creek. It was such a lovely atmosphere. It made me long to start a little family of our own.

Here are some ducks swimming down the creek

Not sure what type of bird this one is. Maybe a type of Heron or something

This white beauty let me get pretty close

but then he flew away
It was our first time down this bike track. It basically follows a creek all the way along. So much bird life was out and there was so much to look at. We would definitely do this track again. I love bike riding :)

BOOKMARKS

I have been busy painting some new bookmarks yesterday and today, and have finally finished (the painting bit at least). I plan to make prints of them to sell in my Etsy store. They will be laminated and have a tassel at the end.

work in progress

my original sketches with the finished bookmarks

I will be adding words to most of them as well

I hope you like them :)

MONDAY'S PHOTO A WEEK

Happy Monday everyone!

I have a couple of photos I took while Alex and I were at Red Cliff on Sunday. We both felt like getting out and getting some fresh air for a while. It was beautiful weather and we had a lovely lunch at a local restaurant (mmmm, beer battered chips).

This is a little pier that you can walk out on

Some seagulls and an Ibis

The other side of the pier where some boats where tied against the wave breaker

We also finally went and saw Harry Potter which I thought was ok. They left a lot of the book out and I think if I hadn't read the book before I would have been pretty confused. I definitely like the books a whole lot better then the movies.

Hope you all have a great week :)