Illustration Friday: Soar

I haven't had chance to post anything for Illustration Friday's weekly challenges for quite some time. But since I'm on my holiday i found myself back at the paint (for a little while anyway). This image I thought was pretty obvious - but i couldn't go past it. I like the feel (altho I don't know if it's my style???) but i think i should go back and fix his arm. It's difficult to 'soar' with short pudgy arms - but i think his forearm needs more fluff....

Silly season

I'm not even going to ask the 'why?' It's just after several days of sitting, eating, talking I did have to get back to my felt...
I treated myself to a new phone because people were starting to laugh at the old one. Not that i care about that, but this being smaller can go into the pocket and therefore become 'mobile'.
So I thought: dangly thing! cute owl thing! yay! I made 3 more which I'm going to list later. Now I'm stepping away from the computer and hitting the waves ...

Holiday idea

"what can I do?" Hhmmm, yes the ol' holiday question, most heard. (well next to 'what can I have to eat?'). So the kids (age 9, boy + girl, twins), both got sketch sets for Christmas. So this morning we got out a selection of small bottles and vases (found at charity shops) and experimented with the HB to 8B range to look at light and shading. It's also a good exercise in drawing elipses and joining them up... It's also good for kids (and someone wanting to reconnect with their drawing!!) to forget trying to get capturing an exact likeness and looking at just light and how it falls on a (bland) object.

Miss Redhead also got lots of notebooks, I suggested she might like to have a different one for a different subject. She decided: Diary - for bad/good day at school. Purple book - writing stories. Little book - 'notes to self/helpful when I'm bored'. Tabbed notebook includes: ideas for art + design, notes for D.S (nintendo), website links.
Hhmm.

So that was Christmas...

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and that all your planning and surprises went well. I wanted to do a last wish you all well blog and a nice little sign off - but well - that didn't happen so here's how it went. Inspired by some pics I've seen from around the world - I thought Christmas in Sydney was illustrated nicely by the surfers with Santa hats. Struck by a last minute brain wave - the kids spent a few of those last excitement filled hours on Christmas Eve decorating $2 Ikea pillowcases into their Santa sacks. This year (our first on our own, at our house) we did ocean trout (a recipe by Aussie chef Karen Martini) which was cooked the day before and involved much dressing with: yoghurt, mayo, capers, lemon juice, red onion, dijon mustard...
all very lovely indeed. Season's greetings. I'm not going away - so no doubt will be back here soon....

Getting cosy.

So yes, it has been a quiet week or so blogging wise, all those things to do and prepare. Like being at the shops last night - rounding up the non-perishables. Great at first - heaps of car spaces, short queues. Then a glance at my watch 9.43pm - am I totally nuts?
Anyway, before that, I was stitching this little cute thing. I 'outsourced' yes, purchased a knitted cosy then added these beads and felt flowers. A good combo and a little quicker than me casting on. Another gift sorted.

Roll again, Santa

So before there was more rain in Sydney today there was present swapping. It's great to have met some new friends via this internet/craft/blogging community. Great for several reasons but for me after having gone through various courses, jobs, mothers group and the playground it's nice to meet people who share/understand what you are 'into'. Also handy to meet someone else who loves to organise or suggest. So her suggestion was to bring a present, number it, roll the dice - then tah-dah! present is given to person with that number. Excellent. Seated on rugs (umbrellas ready) in the park - the cafe across the road delivering our delights. Kinda weird when several cameras were drawn at once to capture what I assume is a potential blogging moment.. but then those are the very electronic threads that connect us...

In order of Christmas or in order for Christmas

So i know I'm not your 'edge-of-the-seat' kind a blogger but I feel like I'm winding down a wee bit, easing into that holiday mode before I have to cram it and Christmas into two weeks off. Master Redhead (age 9, yes they are twins if you've just joined me) wanted to know what to do for the weekend. Unfortunately for him I suggested the ol' 'wouldn't it be great if you discovered the things you've lost in your lego?' and "Remember when we separated it all into colours and how cool it was seeing just the black box, just the red box.....?"
So on went his music and he got stuck in - I did help (as did miss Redhead for a wee bit). Hours and hours it took the poor lad...
But it did remind me of earlier in the year (my first visit to GOMA, in Brisbane) there was a Lego display - white pieces only. way cool! a model of the city skyline - well fantasy buildings too... so perhaps put that on the holiday list as those days stretch forward!! It's a good one!
Meanwhile I was tidying up my 'shed' and then managed to get my 'art gallery' (on the kitchen) wall a little further along... I love the idea of buying affordable art from Etsy and seeing it like this.

Let the silly season begin

So its' started. My Christmas shopping. Shame the magic doesn't extend to an instant (optional expanding) storage facility also. Where did I put it? What did I get? Where's that list? The kids decorated the tree, I sat back and watched. The carols were going - it was great watching them 'own' it. Miss Redhead (age 9) also designed her Christmas cards - great when your mum provides photoshop and a wacom (drawing) tablet). The cats were transported into her scene above.
Today I had a rare moment of feeling like the afternoon was a holiday. I think it was the mid afternoon trip to the beach - catching a few waves on the inflatable wahu (seriously an awesome cheap thrill). Then the beach was closed due to a strong rip. So we got a movie and early fish and chips. I have to say an early dinner left 2 hours of reading in the late afternoon and freedom from that relentless crafting! aaaaah. But what about those almost finished brooches?...

Sew your own, go on!

So I really must get away from this computer, BUT i had to tell you about this. On the recent Brisbane trip I picked up this cool little pack at the G.O.M.A shop. I was sold on the retro style fabric. Anyway a couple of days ago I finally got time to make my 'Miss Buttons'. Viola! I had to make a sister (the one on the left) at the same time ( a Christmas gift for a friend). Miss Buttons is the awesome 'why didn't I think of that idea' from Angela at Sew your own. She has sourced all the bits, made a great pattern and packaged it all up very nicely thank you. Her website also lets you join the Miss Buttons community by posting your creation in to the virtual album. Just a fab idea all round. Even the fact she is missing arms is still kind of ok.

When all your Christmas's come at once

So while I was at work Master Redhead decided he didn't like the 'candy' on offer in the advent calendar - so took it all out to put in his friends Christmas cards. (Obviously embracing recycling). meanwhile Marmalade the cat thought it a fantastic present! Miss Redhead captured it all - a blogger in the making. Hhhhm, putting up the Christmas tree will be interesting this year.

Charlie goes walkies

Sorry - had to mention him again as he now has his own badge.

Charlie is a little felt dog with tape measure ears (so he knows how far he travels..!)
This is his first outing. I stitched the little guy one night and was then inspired by him to create the picture of his first walk.
I just got the Charlie badges made this week and listed this set on Etsy today.
The notecard picks up all the texture from the original artwork and would look great framed - attach the postcard + badge to the gift and voila! Meanwhile Charlie himself is available exclusively at Georgie Love.
HHmm - what was I working on next?

Etsy buy and show

Remember how much I love getting post - especially when it's for me? Well look what arrived this week! I had to pop out this afternoon to fill their heads with gorgeous little succulents.
I found the ceramic planters at the lovely Clayflowers shop: Plants on the Brain on Etsy. They are unique, hand-painted antique ceramic doll head planters. The planters are moulded from French, German, English and American antique dolls. Each pot comes with drain holes and is perfect for a small plant.
They are just exquisite don't you think?