Playing with Paint and Ink and Stencils

There was a time when I could not bear to get ink and paint on my fingers. I'm over it. :)
Yesterday afternoon the kids played in the pool and I played with a friend in the cool.
We made the most of an opportunity to whip out the stencils, ink, paint and go for it.
It's amazing how much you learn as you experiment.
Here's a sample of what I did with my fave stencil - Mary Beth Shaw's River Rocks stencil - Tim Holtz Adirondack Color Wash Inks, and a bit of black acrylic paint.

So, a great Color Wash back ground...

Gotta love those Posca Paint Pens!

I made a print with the black paint left on the stencil and while the stencil was on the page I sprayed the colour in. Oh how I love the result!!!

I wanted to see what the whole thing would look like with a black background so I purposefully took this photo with the intent of Photoshopping in the black.

Then without an ounce of agonising I filled in most of the background to see what it looked like. I like. :)

And then after my friend went home and I was packing up I got all arty with my administrative duties and sprayed some envelopes and added a layer to my Art Journal page and then printed the excess on a spare sheet of paper. Mmmmmm. I love those colours.

All in all... very satisfying.

That's all for now.

:D

After Andy Goldsworthy

Clover flowers
beheaded
arranged in a spiral
patch of dirt
back yard



Onion weed and rambling rose
hot sun beating down
green grass
back yard



Mandala
wet-the-beds, clover flowers
wind whipping up the gardenia leaves
sun drying the flowers
back yard

Message from Malachi
onion weed and elephant ear
hot sun
back yard









As you are probably already aware, I am a HUGE fan of Andy Goldsworthy. And again I have been inspired by him when I watched this video yesterday.





And now I wish I could find the After Andy Goldsworthy creation that Annelise and I made many, many years ago. I really have no idea where it is, although I know I saw it not that long ago.

:D

Yes! I am alive!!!

And I have been squeezing in a bit of art journalling here and there (with the help of Art Journaling 103 at Get It Scrapped with Dina Wakley) just so that I don't go completely insane.

Here is a pictorial catch up.

I was trying to do watercolour technique with inks that didn't respond in a watercolour way and happed upon a different and very fun (also addictive at the time) technique.

Then I was working with Tim Holtz's Adirondack (I love that word!!!) Color Wash - they are AWESOME. Remind me to show you what Soph did to her boring t-shirt.

This one says 'OME is where the ART is, but in my zeal for layers I have managed to make it so that the first word I see is VOMIT!!! Sorry if you didn't see that - you'll see it now - maybe.

Testing out my Posca Paint Pens, Australia's substitute for Sharpie Paint Markers and a fine substitute they are too - they're awesome!

That's all for now.
:D

Hallowe'en

Who'd have thought I would do a post on Hallowe'en?!

I'd be surprised if we don't get a few knocks on the door with costume-bedecked kiddies asking for a trick or a treat. This is what they will get if they do - a simple ATC-sized card with a fashionable skull and cross bones on it. I didn't realise how hard it was to draw until I tried this!

Hennyway.
This is what one person has to say about Hallowe'en.

It's odd, isn't it, that Hallowe'en is such a big deal in our secularized society in America today? In the pre-Modern world the threat of impending death from plagues and wars, as well as uncontrollable disease, loomed large in people's daily lives. Death could not be ignored. Themes of the Last Judgment, Heaven, Hell were on people's minds, and the art of the period illustrates this. Consciousness of personal sin, repentance, confession and penance and the Church's role in forgiveness of sins influenced the spiritual life and devotion of most Catholics.

The omnipresent reality of death, almost daily experience of it, and people's authentic religious beliefs about it, along with ignorance and superstition and folk legend, led to an attitude toward death that often seems primitive, bizarre and alien to us, now.

Paradoxically, though, in our contemporary world — justly called a "Culture of Death" — people often seem to be "in denial" about death. As a culture, we avoid not only avoid coming to grips with personal sin and the consequences of evil, but we deny the spiritual value of the suffering and pain associated with dying, which are a part of the human condition.

 Then there's this informative article about Hallowe'en.

What will you being doing on this hallowed evening?
Me? Chatting with the children about the great gift that God has given us in the Lord Jesus Christ - and how Christ's death has set us free from sin and death and hell -  while we await the arrival of the dreaded chicken pox!

Sunday Special

There wasn't enough time to squeeze waffles and pancakes between soccer presentations today so we're having something different.
I saw this post and combined it with Caitlin's desire to make something with the pastry we have and this is the result.

Not quite as good looking as Alisa's but definitely a good tasting treat in our household.
Four different fillings - plain brown sugar, carob, sultanas, choc chips. Take your pick :)

Beautiful Things

Where do I start? In no particular order....

Beautiful daughter with her beautiful son.
Beautiful paper (see the whole range and drool, but I think you can't get it any more - so glad I got one of each) designed by the beautiful Kate Mason exclusively for Blue Bazaar (Ok. The beautiful Blue Bazaar!).


But wait! There's more!
Inspiration from the beautiful Finnabair and this beautiful page in particular.


And then there's the beautiful Prima products - SO beautiful.
And Basic Grey's fantastic range of products - LOVE their alphas.
Oh, and Glimmer Mist - it's beautiful!


The result...
A page I am very, very happy with (my new favourite). Beautiful!

P.S. What's with the postage stamps? Nothing. :)

Snuck Up On Some Scrapbooking #2

The second layout I did was helped entirely by copying one of my favourite scrapbooking artists - Kathie Link. And, again, it was for The Color Room.
I've probably said this before, but Basic Grey is my all time favourite scrapbooking manufacturer. I particularly like their Element Stickers - very usable. And use I did.

Okay, so you might need a magnifying glass (so to speak - it wouldn't help really because the photo would be all pixelated) to see this photo but it is the idea that counts.
In April this year (yeah, that long ago) some Sydney homeschoolers headed up Sydney Tower to check out the scenery. Then a friend and I took our kids down to Customs House where Stephen Wiltshire (AMAzing artist) was drawing the scene that we had just seen from Sydney Tower - FROM MEMORY!!!
The kids played amongst the pole installation and I captured a moment. Fun times.

:D

PS Layout 21 for the Crop Bootcamp at Blue Bazaar.

I Snuck Up On Some Scrapbooking #1

I've worked out a way to do things that I want to do but don't know if I really have the time to do them. I pretend I don't care if I don't do them. I pretend I am not going to do them.
Things like going to a homeschooling mums' get together or even just to the park with the kids - I shrug my shoulders and decide I'm not going. Then I get everything done that I need to get done and Lo and Behold! I can go after all.
This is what I did with scrapbooking yesterday. I went into my art room, picked up a photo grabbed a piece of cardstock and voila! Not only that but I managed to do it twice!!!

So. The first layout I did was of Chris and Elyse from way back in June when we went to Cabarita Beach for the celebration of Dad and Mum's 50th Wedding Anniversary.

I saw a layout by Iara Gomes-Baer at The Color Room and I liked the folded look that she had on her page. Iara's page is digital, I think, but as you already know I don't do digital (I don't think I am going to be able to say that forever... I'm inching towards it).
Hennyway. I promptly got a piece of my favourite Kraft cardstock and folded it randomly (in a rather precise fashion though) and then inked it on all the creases and corners. I raided my boxes of Basic Grey and whipped up a simple but satisfying layout. Cute, huh?

This is layout #20 for Crop Bootcamp over at Blue Bazaar. At this stage it doesn't look like I am going to make 50 by the end of the month. Maybe if I pretend I'm not going to......

Around the Place

Occasionally someone says "Quick Mum! Get your camera!"
So, without hesitation, I do.
Sometimes I need to be quick and sometimes it doesn't matter but you never know until you get there.

I take photos of hearts found.

And I take photos of critters found.
This pretty little thing (and I mean little - maybe the size of my baby finger nail) was on our front door. Look at the funny little fake eye! It wouldn't stay still so this is the best I could get.

Lots of Tens

So, last year we took a photo of us on the 9th September 2009 and we thought we would have a bit of fun doing a similar thing on the 10th October 2010.

So, here's 10 of us at 10 minutes and 10 seconds past 10 o'clock on the 10th of the 10th 2010.


And here's a different 10 of us at 10 minutes and 10 seconds past 10 o'clock on the 10th of the 10th 2010.


Can you tell we had fun?
We had fun.

:D

PS Looking forward to doing 11s

Mixing up my inspiration

You knew it wouldn't be too long before I scrapbooked Moses again, didn't you?
Well here he is - SO cute.


I took my inspiration from Julie Fei-Fan Balzer and, in particular, her Mr. Handsome layout. I also used inspiration for the title/s from two other talented scrapbookers - Kathie Link and Iris Babao Uy with this and this respectively.
Oh, and there was a tiny bit of Dina Wakley in the title too, but a whole lot more in my next layout, inspired by Dina and a layout that I can't find a link to.


I've enjoyed my long weekend. I hope you have too.

BTW, just for the count... these are layouts 17 and 18 for Blue Bazaar's Crop Bootcamp. It feels like a terribly long way to 50 and I know not if I will make it.

Au revoir.
:D

Discover Life

This is Hudson and Declan on the rocks at Claydon Reserve, Sans Souci. It's my favourite soccer field just because of the view.
It is a rare occurrence now to see the boys quietly engrossed in something together. Usually they are kicking a ball around (or each other), rumbling on the floor, or just plain fighting!

Here's a thought....
Here we are living in TIME - that tiny speck on the continuum of eternity past and eternity future. How amazing is that?!
Choose life.

Layout 16 in Blue Bazaar's Crop Bootcamp. :)

Rage Cage

On Wednesdays we do drama at a community centre. When we arrive early the kids play in the Rage Cage. This day Reuben was a little bit over-excited (I don't know why) and I just happened to have my camera.
Reuben's a crazy young lad!!
It is good for him to run around and let off steam (as Mum puts it) and be a mad man.
And hey!!! We get a good view of his teeth just before he started wearing plates to rearrange them.
I wonder if he will remember these crazy days and keep his fun ways all the way into adulthood.
Love him!! :)

PS This is layout 15 in Blue Bazaar's Crop Bootcamp.

Sunday Special

I love Sundays.
Here are some photos from my day so far.

Weeding the front yard with Dh - very satisfying.
Inspired by Jill to take a weed photo but didn't actually take any until I just couldn't resist taking a photo of this caterpillar (or the hundreds of others that have invaded our existence with theirs).



I didn't stop at weeds...






After a very satisfying and successful weeding session I was happy to come inside and help the kids finish off making waffles.
Waffles (or pancakes) are going to be our Sunday Special on a regular basis, DV.


Then I made some magic sauce (recipe in Sue Dengate's book Fed Up) - Mmmmmmm.


Waffles with icecream, fruit and magic sauce - bonzer!



And then....
Malachi constructed a domino sun out of the dominoes that go with a little truck that used to move along and 'lay' domino eggs at just the right interval.



Ain't that cool?!
I even took a video of it. I will think about adding it to the post anon.

That's all for now.

I'm off to get ready for church - the cherry on the Sundae for my Sunday.

Ting tang tay!

Oh and PS...
Apparently there is no way of telling if a caterpillar is a moth or a butterfly.
While I was doing a search to see if I could find out what this caterpillar might turn into (methinks moths cos there are so many, but would like brightly coloured butterflies) I found these interesting bits of information about Caterpillars.

Did you know:

Caterpillars have several thousand muscles (humans only have about 500)

Caterpillars from the family TORTRICIDAE can move backwards faster than they can move forwards.

Caterpillars from most species in the family SPHINGIDAE have a wicked-looking spine on the tail, but it is in fact entirely harmless.

Caterpillars from species in the genus Doratifera have pockets of stinging spines that they evert when they feel threatened. These caterpillars are often called Spitfires, but they do not actually spit.

When threatened, caterpillars of species in the family PAPILIONIDAE evert a pair of horns from behind the head which produce a pungent aromatic smell, but which are entirely harmless.

Caterpillars from species in the genus Triodes feed on poisonous plants, and accumulate the poisons in their body making them poisonous to predators like birds.

Whilst most species of caterpillars feed on leaves, some burrow into the soil feeding on roots, some bore into trees eating the wood, and caterpillars of the moth Argyrotoxa pompica feed on Koala droppings.

The caterpillars of some species will eat nearly any leaves put in front of them, and some eat only plants of one family, but caterpillars of Leptocnaria reducta will eat only leaves from the Cape Lilac Tree (Melia azedarach).

The female moths of the Australian species Teia anartoides have no wings, and the species disperses by the young caterpillars making an open gossamer sail out of silk, and sailing away on it in the wind.

The fauna and the flora of Australia are very different from those in the rest of the world, and this is just as true of the Caterpillars as it is of the better known Marsupials. With the short history of European influence in Australia and only a small population, only a limited amount of work has been done on naming and identifying the various species. At a recent count, Australia was home to about 370 described and named species of butterflies, about 10,000 described and named species of moths, and with probably as many moth species again yet to be described.

So there you go.

Running Out of Ems and Esses

Well, I can't call every second post 'Moses' even though I might just call every second layout 'Moses'. Although at the rate I am going I will have to get my Craft Robo out to produce the titles.
Or, I could make them myself.


Each time I have seen Moses he has been asleep. He transfers from cot to car, from car to pouch, from pouch to car, and he is still asleep!!
What a blessing this little boy is. May God bless him as he grows up into a godly young man.
Don't you just want to kiss that little nose?!

Mud, Glorious Mud

Sand, water and sunshine!!! Sing it!


What better way to spend your childhood moments than with your hands wrist-deep in mud!? Forget the computer. Forget the Wii. Forget board games and books. This is pure, unadulterated fun!!
Mud pies.
Mud cakes.
Mud balls.
Mud gloves.
Mud paint.
Mud love!!!
I think I will add "love' to the title! - Yep. I will.