Snippets from an Enchanted Wintery Week

Beautiful metal and mother of pearl buttons selected from a huge basket, in a local op-shop; you would have laughed to see me cross-legged on the floor surrounded by mounds of little plastic bags, I laughed at myself. The precious friend I was with smiled to see me happy as she browsed among clothes. The cost of these little treasures, $2!

Of course we could not visit just one store, or select one treasure, somehow by the end of the day I had spent the princely sum of $12 and had ties, fabric scraps, tortoise shell knitting needles, a little set of drawers, coasters, books, toast racks and more. Why toast racks? they are the best for standing my board journal covers in when they need to dry and I don't want to spread throughout the entire house.

Sweet Harvey who played happily with the cord from a skirt carelessly thrown on the top part of his tower.

Charles, who seems to get prettier as he gets older was rolling in the sun, delighting in the rare rays coming though the glass doors.

Phantom asleep, apparently comfortable on top of the little garden shed, able to keep an eye on all of us, and claim he had been outside for some fresh air.

My darling niece calling, "Come and find me!" as I stood not two meters away folding washing. Of course I indulged her and searched the whole garden before finding her in among my dry washing.

The same niece delighting in the large tub of plastic beads we spent hours stringing. Butterfly bracelets came first (one for L and one for her best friend S), then a bracelet for Gran (Shhh, don't tell her, it's a 'prise), a key ring for Daddy, a necklace for L and then a necklace Mummy and S can share(?)!

A little happy creativity, some different brighter colours - Winter you won't make me grey!

See Mum, I told you I look best in the morning sunlight, I really am orange you know.

Do Pelicans flirt? I am sure this one was as Archer and I went for a bracing walk along the foreshore.

Why didn't you tell me it was cold? What do you mean I smell? It's the weed that smells not me, promise...

I am going to shelter under the jetty, perhaps you should go inside for yet another cup of steaming tea, or hot coffee, another chat with neglected friends, another play with a borrowed child, another quiet hour in the cave, another enchanted moment.

What do you record...

These are the waste paint covered journals I mentioned in the previous post. The picture of all four together is true to colour. I have given a couple of journals/notebooks away this week, the rest will appear for sale soon.

I give my little notebooks hoping they will be used, happy if they are full of shopping lists and shoe sizes, reminder notes or puzzle solving. Some friends tell me they are, 'Too good to use.' Please do, I can always make more. One of this weeks is going north on holidays, with a lady who has never travelled, another is being used to collect encouraging quotes. I heard this week an older one is being used to record things which make its owner grateful. What a blessing for be involved in people's lives through my little creations.

On my desk at the moment is a mess! But under that are two half finished necklaces, some ATC's and some earrings. I am so so looking forward to some chunks of creative time next week. Perhaps I will make a list ...

NOT from a pet free home!

Charles seemed to recognise a friend on this journal, or perhaps he just wanted some attention as I dashed outside to photograph my latest journals and notebooks. We had a wonderful few moments of tummy rubs, tickles, and chase the camera cord - a quality interlude.

As soon as I saw the felt ribbon stick-ons in scrapbooking stores I knew that I would use them for backgrounds. The one used above was a bright lime green. It is very absorbent and I should have sealed it before I began adding layers of paint - I think there is half a tube of my beloved Golden Quin' Nickel Azo Gold on the front cover alone. The picture is a favourite vintage postcard of a lovely ginger cat.

These two notebooks started out at ATC's but I added to many layers (pegs and paint brushes to name a few) that made them too thick to fit in any plastic sleeve. The one above features an original vintage photo and mother-of-pearl button.

Now that I have started using my old paint brushes in my art I can justify buying some new ones :). Aren't the leaves wonderful? I picked the last of them from my liquid amber before the rains last weekend and they grace my dining table, a huge bowl of them colourful, crisp and yet so very warming.

No reason for this picture, just the cutest little dog in the world looking at me as I do the blog post and some other work on the net. Hug your purr and bark babies for me!

Little Bits

I had accidentally squeezed out too much paint when doing my faces so painted some Collections Elements core board frames, then I wanted to make something to go with Mum's purchased Mother's Day gift; the first notepad/journal was born.

Somehow I kept going, painted backgrounds, fabric from the old peg bag, and delicious buttons, each one a source of delight as it was selected from my stash. The end result a handful of little books. I have kept a couple for friends, the rest are now for sale on my etsy.

A llittle bit of this and that...

I made this notebook over the last few days, the background is lace and texture paste with one coat of shellac and several paint washes over it.

I like the back as much as the front because there you can see the detail in the background.

Two precious gifts a wet felted birdie from my friend Dawn and a needle felted needle case from Jane. Do you see my little Archer in the small frame?

The notepad below was made by covering core board with assorted postage stamps. I then over stamped them with one of my favourite Tim Holtz stamps, the quote is: "To those who can dream there is no such place as far away.

I then applied several layers of shellac and an image from a vintage Sunday School card in the postage frame. I think this one is for me!

Grunge and Sweetness, or ...

... rather sweetness and grunge. I think the sweetest gift of Christmas was some quality time with the newest little ‘H’, my nephew ‘A’. This photo was taken at lunch while he slept all snuggled in and I battled the brussels sprouts. Why do mother’s think those small green stinky vege are a traditional part of Christmas? I must say everything else was delicious and of course I ate too much.

I kept last years resolution, 12 months without hair dye (actually I lasted 13) umm, perhaps I should not mention hair when I have the frizz happening above :). So I will boldly state this years resolution - to drop three dress sizes. Other aspects of my health have been my focus for many years and medication took its toll, but I have stayed the same size all 2008 so I am sure that with a little work I can remove some of the excess.

I am not sure I will ever be able to sit like the sweet angel to the left (my niece) but I would like to be able to keep up with her as she plays her games and runs around the garden.

This was the third notebook I made and I experimented with some new colours - I like the green with my usual "grunge" and rust tones. I cut and covered all six covers, applied several paint washes and some stamping then worked on one book at a time.

This book was not meant to have webbing spray on it's corners, a certain ginger purr-baby decided to jump on my lap as I was spraying the back ground of the other two - luckily only the corner was effected and I decided it added to the texture. I can convince myself of almost anything.

After I made the note books I found one more of the tin signs I used as the focal point of each book. "spirit" started out red, the others were shades of cream and white to begin with.

Smiles, Joys and Gratefulness

The 'view' as I leave my room and walk to any other area in my little house. Fish (yes,that is his name) in the bowl, art by Natalie, Misty and I, a lone kangaroo paw in my favourite vase (an old milk bottle) and a light shade I still love after five years of looking at it.

Homemade gifts ready to wrap.

Sunshine and sun scented sheets as summer finally arrives in Western Australia.
The sunlight filtered through the native garden, the rather intense looking Phantom as he enjoys the space and the leaves on the lawn.
The delicious fruit salad chilling as I type.
This knobbly native flower in my back yard.
No more stitches; I had a nasty little melanoma removed just over two weeks ago and my wonderful Doctor had to take WIDE margins. It is so good not to itch, and I am so blessed Geoff was on the ball and picked this up.

The geranium blooming behind washing drying in the sun.
Planning a birthday gift for a special seven year old, to be.

The faded roses against decking stump.
Knowing there are five more sleeps until the school year ends and I can catch up; house work, friends, garden, cleaning and -yes - school work.
Archer's delight when he managed to roll the treat out of his ball, the pile of mulch (a gift from my parents) and the hibiscus (a gift from a friend) in bloom.

Cuddles with my handsome nephew.

In a year where I have had more anti-biotics than in the last dozen combined, and faced more issues than in the last five. In a year where the fur-babies have all had their turn to be ill and the rain has fallen to the point where I wondered about buying a boat. In a year where I have never ever felt 'caught up' there has been much to be grateful for. Too much for one post, so today I am sharing just some of the things which have brought me smiles, moments of joy and made me grateful this very day...

Tape Measure Journals

I managed to catch a few last rays of sunshine tonight and snap pictures of these journals. I really like using old measuring tape in my art, an addiction that began after Leighanna sent me about 12" of dirty old tape in a parcel of treasured rust. I eked that piece of tape out until I had my own collection (the bottom picture shows just some of my tape).

I made all of the covers (the backs are just plain tape) for these journals back when Dawn visited in early July. Then bored with using rings to bind and not wanting to use one of the more time consuming binding methods for my humble note pads and journals I ordered a Zutter (the thingy you use to punch these fab' rectangular holes and bind with wire).

Then finally this week it was time to play. The top journal features a beautiful rusty drawer plate (thanks Dawn), the second was an experiment using copper tape and patina. The book above has a photo of Ernest Hubbard in 1868, I don't know him, but I did not like finding him at the tip shop - where he had been rescued from a recycling bin. The copper clover leaf folded over the clock bezel is not as bright in 'real life'. This bottom journal seems very 'neat' compared to others, I used all the same tape and an Making Memories frame on this one. The frame was a shiny pewter colour and the metal number two was a gold colour - so I am very grateful for the action of sandpaper and patina! It is also the only journal not to include one of myfavourite embellishments - screw brads. I rust them thirty or forty at a time and still never seem to have enough :)

I have some of this tape for sale in my Etsy, it funds the habit! I can't use the 20 or 30 meters in a roll and like to have a variety.

Back to the mundane, dishes and marking. Enjoy your week!

A touch of green

Winter has arrived here in the South West of Australia, gale force winds and bucketing rain have alternated with just enough fine weather to get washing dry and little dogs exercised. There's a little whimsy in both of these journal covers and the green was a bit of a change for me.

Amid the storms and unpredictable weather one spider was very busy, and I am glad. What a joy it was to see the rain drops on this web by my mail box.

Colour Change

I recently purchased a fabulous painting from the very talented Leighanna
and will post a picture of it soon. Leighanna included some extra treasures including the old wallpaper I have used for this journal. What a lot of fun I had playing outside of my usual sepia and rust tones.

I filled the inside with different papers, glassine envelopes, card, joss papers, dictionary pages and more. If pink and grey are your colours you will find this one on Etsy.