fertig

FERTIG! (apparently that's "finished" in German). I can't believe BLOGTOBERFEST is through! As you can see I've swooped in and grabbed myself a spirit award (self awarded, hehehe)... I blogged every single day in October! I can't believe I actually did it. I started out with doubts and excuses, and to be fair this last week has obviously been filler fluff, but I'm still taking that award thankyouverymuch. ;)

And you should too! I think anyone who participated in BLOGTOBERFEST (completed or not) should proudly take themselves an award today in celebration!!!

Now as I clutch the award, [spotlight hits me], I'd like to thank BigCat for the conception of this great event, CurlyPops for being the most awesomest giveaway mediator (throughout house inspections and everything, what a wonder woman!), Jen for my winning of Barry, Nomes for my winning of the amazing tea towel, everyone who entered my giveaways, my lovely winners Geek+Nerd, BigCat and Shelli, EVERYONE who came to visit and comment, I couldn't have done it without you... [and now the tears start rolling, and the orchestra conductor picks up with little stick thing]... Renee for the "for no reason" gift, all my new blog friends... [orchestra starts playing]... my computer, my beautiful fur-baby cat, Mr You, and [curtain drops and cut to ad break!]

Heh Heh... No, honestly it was a bit tricky to begin with, and then at the end, but overall it's been a great exercise. Getting back into the habit of blogging properly after getting a bit slack this year. So hopefully it'll continue in a more regular fashion from now on, either that or you won't hear from me for the next three weeks. ;)

Hope you all had as much Blogtoberfest fun as I did. I wish we could all meet up for a party tonight! Maybe next year!

Now go pick up your awards, and get working on your acceptance speeches. :D

a welcome addiction

I think I'm about to fall head over heels into a new addiction. Check out these amazing creations with vintage tea towels!!!



Top row: Tea towel dress and pants by My Poppet (via button beauty).
Bottom left: Vintage tea towel upholstered chair, via Button Beauty
Bottom right: Fantastic op shop find by CurlyPops

I'm so in love with all of these. I think I may have to start a new collection, and I'm off to a lovely start! :)

Although I'd never use them as tea towels, and I'm not sure I'd have the heart to cut into them to make them into something else. I may just end up with another pile...

birdlife

Earlier this year whilst staying with a friend, she mentioned how we both love birds.
"Do I?" I asked, never having considered myself a bird lover before (but knowing that she is).
"Yes, they're in all your art, and all around your house"

And it wasn't until that visit that I realised this.



I wouldn't call myself a bird lover (after all I am allergic to canaries). I don't know the names of birds and I can't tell who's call is who's. But once she mentioned it, I noticed that they are all around me (inside and out). I do put them in lots of my illustrations...

And I think it was this simple comment that lead me to taking more notice of birds. I researched the birds I see around here, and put them into the works for the Affirmations exhibition. And do you know what? Now I can actually name a few of the birds round these parts. I can even tell you a little bit about their habits and behaviours.

Funny how you don't know something about yourself until someone else points it out!

red

So close to the end of BLOGTOBERFEST now... so close, I'm really really running out of things to say, but being the stubborn one I am, I can't let myself skip a day so close to the end, I just can't.

So how about a picture? Will that do? Hope so...


"Don’t forget there are flowers blossoming beneath you"

random runout

I've been tagged by Nomes, Ashley , Cate, with the "6 Random Things" meme. I've done this one a few times now, and although I still try to come up with stuff, I'm sorry to say that right now I'm so "randomed" out that I feel very normal and boring in fact... I just don't have anything interesting to share.

But, don't worry, I have a plan...

6 Random Things

The Rules:
1. Link to the person who tagged you. (Nomes + Ashley + Cate)
2. Mention the rules. (check)
3. Tell six quirky yet boring, unspectacular details about yourself.
4. Tag six other bloggers by linking to them.
5. Go to each person's blog and leave a comment that lets them know they've been tagged.
6. Let the person who tagged you know when you've written the post.

So here we go...
6 Random Things About My Parter in Crime; Mr You.
(After all, they say you can tell alot about a person by the company they keep)

1. He's the son of a fisherman, he tells me stories of sick days home from primary school having to sleep on a little matress on the floor of the fish co-op that his parents owned. The smell has remained with him (in his memory, not physically thank god)... He doesn't like seafood very much as a result.

2. Cats and children LOVE him. We used to have to factor an extra 15 minutes when we were walking somewhere to give all the neighbourhood cats time to come and say hello to him. The same thing happens with children, usually our friends kids, but sometimes complete strangers too. We'll be sitting in a cafe and the next minute there's a little kid coming right up to him for a bit of a chat, 30 seconds later they're best friends. It's the strangest thing. Like he's got some "Santa" quality to him or something (despite being quite slim and not having a beard).

3. There isn't a day that goes by without him failing to cite some nostalgia for the "great decade that was the 1980's". It took him a while to cotton on that I had turned this quirk into a joke. I now call him Uncle Rico.

4. Despite that, he is one of the smartest people I know. Either that or he remembers every fact he's ever heard. His team always wins at trivia. He credits this intelligence to Billy Joel's We Didn't Start the Fire. Apparently everything you'll ever need to know is in that song.

5. One of his really good friends (that he's known for years) became a very famous "rock star" internationally in the last 5 years. It's very surreal seeing him everywhere. They've since lost contact, and although Mr You would love to let him know that he's really happy and proud for him, he worries that calling him now would seem like he's just being a bit of a groupy. He doesn't tell people about this, because name dropping is wanky.

6. He very recently found out that he is an 8th Aboriginal. At first I think it was a bit of a tid-bit, but now it's starting to sink in more and I think in future years he will really feel an urge to research the family line more deeply. We've been watching the "First Australians" TV series on SBS, and are both left speechless afterwards.

- - -

Thanks taggers! That was fun :)

Now I tag.. um has anyone not done this yet? Or wants to do it again? Leave me a comment and I'll tag you :)


And in case you're curious here are lots of random things about me.

what i'm surprised that i like

This is: what I'm surprised I like.

Okay so it's been a little while now, but I really was surprised at how much I like being a cat owner. Beforehand I would have called myself a "dog person", I had never had a cat. In the lead up to adopting Tilli I was still asking Mr You the cliched anti-cat questions like; "Will it scratch the furniture?", "Will it know right from wrong?", "Will it walk on the table?", "Will it climb the curtains?"... And I'm ashamed to admit, but to be honest, I just didn't know cats had personalities like dogs do.

So now, as I hug and kiss Tilli 6 billion times a day, talk to her constantly, and dream about her almost every night, it still surprises me how much I love having her around.

Huh. Who knew? :)

final week

Not only are we into the final week of Blogtoberfest, but there's also only one week left of my exhibition at artstream too.

The exhibition is called Affirmations, and if you haven't already had a peep, you should go have a looksee over here. It was a really lovely coincidence that Penelope, Amy, Sian and myself all seemed to turn to nature as our way of expressing what we see as the positive elements in our world. I know for me I find it both grounding, and uplifting all at the same time.

My works were all based on elements from my new neighbourhood (in fact most of them are in my garden), that are all so new and amazing to me. Both birds and plants, and the idea that it's all closer to us, more a part of us than what we'd probably give it credit for. For this body of work rather than creating something new, it was about excavating what was already around me. Making a practice of seeing.

So if you're looking for a special handmade gift for someone, perhaps a joyful piece of art would hit the spot... wink wink (sorry, it's the last week, I have to get a plug in there somewhere) ;D

The work above is titled "All the blessings are present in my thoughts today", which follows on nicely from how I ended my post yesterday. And indeed they are.

tenacity

I'm a bit lost for words today. I wanted to thank everyone for the warm responses to yesterday's post. And I want to say more about that, about Renee and Angelique both responding personally, about Nomes and Emma having such personal reactions, and about what that meant to me to have them all share it. But also how it's not about me at all. But like I said, I'm lost for words.

I keep meeting these people with such tenacity...

Today I had morning tea with a possible new friend who lives around the corner. Within the first 5 minutes she was telling me openly all about her little boy, who due to a bad birth, has been left severely disabled with cerebral palsy. He has full mental capacity, but absolutely no control of his motor skills, which means he can't speak, or walk, or sit up. Yet she was telling me this very matter-of-factly, with no hint of sorrow, and quite enthusiastically showing me all of his braces, chairs and equipment.

Again I was floored.

Lost for words at these people, who amaze and startle me with their joy for life, despite what it deals them.

And while I'm left feeling saddened for them, I also feel as though I have no right to be. As though I should be creating more joy for them instead.

So I'm going to sign-out by trying something new here. Something Sarah does every day...
Today I'm grateful for:
- mine and my family's good health
- living in such a beautiful, safe place
- the sunshine
- living my ideal lifestyle
- the use of my hands... as small and clumsy as they may be ;)


Thank-you all you lovely lovelies (that's people/readers/commenters/friends of course). You make my day!

the nicest people on earth

It's one thing getting a "for no reason" gift from an old friend, but it's a whole other thing getting one from someone you've never met.

Yesterday this amazing ceramic disc arrived in the mail, along with a sweet card that read; "My daughter bought me this in Mazatland, Mexico years ago. Since you love all things Mexican, I decided I would love you to have it. Take care sweet girl. Love Renee."

Those words along with the gesture brought tears to my eyes.

You see Renee is someone I've come to meet quite recently (on the web only). She has become somewhat of a patron of my art, and is buying alot from me. She emails me often with the loveliest compliments, and supportive words, and tells me I remind her of her daughter. And if that's not enough, she's doing all this during what must be the most difficult time of her life. She has terminal cancer.

(I don't think she'll mind me sharing that fact. She is quite open about it).

I find it difficult to believe actually, because of how much life she has in her. How it beams out strong and bright, with a melody and a damn good dance to go with it. She is absolutely full of spunk and charisma, love, generosity, tenderness, and humour. She is embracing. And I imagine her hugs would be unforgettable.

I don't know her well enough to know if she was always like this, or if this new life she's been given (in boldly defying how long she was told she had left) has brought these qualities to the surface more. Either way, I'm not sure I've ever known anyone like her before. I'm not convinced I will ever again. And I almost feel like the "chosen one" to be gifted with her company and friendship in this way. If I haven't made it clear yet, I feel completely honoured to know her.

I have no idea how I would react if I was in her shoes. But with her I have the feeling though that cancer really doesn't get a look-in. (although I'm sure she battles and suffers to no end in all sorts of ways of course)... What I mean is that with all of her bountiful qualities and abundant sense of life, cancer is way back in the queue, on tippy toes, straining to even get a look-in. It does not define who she is. She alone has taken that steering wheel. With her foot on the accelerator, music singing out, honking the novelty horn loud and happy, waving to kids out the window as they laugh with glee at seeing her, and the flowers at the sides of the road bending in to be close.

... And with a lump in my throat, a grin on my face, and a pencil in my hand, I wonder how on earth I get someone like that on paper in the painted form.



Thank-you so much Renee.

spring brooch winners

Thank-you so much to everyone for entering my Spring Brooch Giveaway! I've never had so many entrants for one of my wee gifties before, so it was very exciting. There were so many entries that I felt a bit scummy only giving away two brooches, so I'm going to make an extra one tonight, and I drew an extra winner. So all up there are 3 winners.

And those lucky three are:


- Geek+Nerd,
- Shellbells, and
- BigCat

Yay! Congratulations :)
These babies will be heading to brighten up your outfits, and spread the good karma asap!

- - - - -

Thank-you to everyone else. Sorry I couldn't make one for each of you.

The next giveaway I'll be hosting will be my annual Thanksgiving Illo Giveaway, in the second half of November (that's only a couple of weeks away!). The winner of this one gets to commission a painting from me as their prize (they sell for upward of $350 USD these days, so it's a good deal). You can request anything at all, or leave it up to me to decide. It can be for you, or a gift for someone special... it's completely up to you.

This will be it's third year running. Diana and Anastasia were the previous two winners.

So if you're interested in that one, check back in November for updates and how to enter.

clump of wild dog teeth

We've entered what they call "storm season" here. It's stunning, sunny, bird chirpy weather all morning, which then turns to a rumbling, grumbling, smashing storm for an hour or two in the afternoon, before returning to lovely again. It's rather dramatic.

This afternoon it got dark quickly, way too early. We were due to go to hospital for Mr You's physio appointment (as part of his arm healing). We were heading out. Literally. I was backing the car out of the garage... Mr You was locking the front door one moment, and then running towards the back of the reversing car the next, arms a' waving.
"Go back, Go back, it's starting to hail" he called out with more arm wavy gestures.

And boy! He wasn't wrong!

We got ourselves back under the veranda just as these suckers started pelting down.



So they're pretty sizable, but not too giant, and at least they're roundish. But check out this fierce beast!



It's fricken spiky! Like a clump of wild dog teeth... only, you know, made of ice, and sent from hell. Gnarly hey?

Lucky we like to push the clock, if we'd have been 30 seconds more punctual we would have been driving down the highway, unable to turn around, when these feral clumps came catapulting down. Nasty.

- - - - -


Now, on a more calming note... the Spring Brooch Giveaway is drawing to an end. You've got about 22 more hours to get your entries in before the draw. Good luck!

shop local-ish

I'm a bit lost for words today, so instead of rabbiting on, I'm going to send you to nice places.

When I was desperately looking for friends online last week lots of you put your hand up, and that did warm the cockles, let me tell you. And if I had a tardis, I'd be SO there... and there, and there too! But there were a couple of offers from people a little closer by, who I may actually run into one day using more traditional means of transport. (Did I say "run into... with transport" ??!! That doesn't sound like the best way to make new friends... what I mean is "visit with" of course).


The first is Emerald Arts.

Actually she's not so close by, but anywhere within 5 hours is fine by me :)

In her Etsy store she sells all sorts of unique and interesting life forms, both pre-made, and in kit form that you can make yourself. They are character filled and look like Good Fun!



The next is about 3 hours away in the other direction, it's Mellimoomoo.

Her Etsy shop is filled with things that make me giggle with happy childhood nostalgia. It's reuse and recycling done at it's most whimsical.

Lovely stuff with vintage charm.



And finally, I'd like you to meet my newest candidate for possible friendship: ChunkyChooky.

This sweet gal contacted me last week after stumbling upon my blog, and realizing we live less than an hour apart. She is relatively new to Etsy, but that by no means reflects on her produce. Adorable softy monsters, and the most lovely fishermans pants for kiddies is what will delight you when you visit. Go see!


Okay, so the call out for friends may actually work! Huh! Who knew?
Has anyone ever met up with fellow bloggers? What's it like? Were you a bit scared?
(...I think I might be...)

favourite films

This is: a list of my favourite films.



I have a terrible memory for films I've seen. But these ones have stuck...
Best film this year: Persepolis
Fave film as a child: Mannequin
Fave film as a teenager: The Fisher King
Other Faves: The Life Aquatic, Amelie, Lost in Translation, When Night Is Falling.

Thanks to Hokey for this week's great topic.

barry comes to stay

One of the giveaways I won (that I mentioned during the week) arrived yesterday, from Jenny at Daisy Chain. I won Barry. He's so beautifully made, and has such expression on his face. He came with some great bonus luggage, including fabrics, a really cute keyring, vintage buttons, and a paper crane :)

Anyway, I'm now handing the microphone over to Barry as he's been keen to "phone home".

Thanks Jenny, he's wonderful! :)
_ _ _


Dear Mum,

I had a pretty comfy journey here, and it went faster than I thought, and I slept most the way. I was really anxious about leaving home and coming to live with flossy-p and Mr You, but they seem to really like me and are taking good care of me. Even though you put extra confident on my insides when you made me, I only needed it in the first few moments. After that I had heaps of fun. I've sent you a few pictures of my first day here...









I had so much fun, and my favourite part was watching the whales splash and play. I think I'm really going to like it here. Flossy said you can come visit whenever you want!!! And she even told me they have good friends that live not far from you in Blackwood, and they visit them every other year. So next time they go I can come too and visit you!

Give everyone a big hug for me,
Baz .xx.

strings

My Illustration Friday attempt for "strings".

Woah, first Illustration Friday I've done in about 6 months. Only just getting it done in time mind you. That's one of the benefits of a time zone difference, it buys you and extra day :)

kanga conga

Just as I was starting to umm and ahh about what to post today, Nomes has saved the day by coming up with a topic. So here's "something that I look at everyday that makes me smile".

Firstly it's the kangaroos that hang about on the grassy patch over the other side of our back fence. I love seeing them there, especially this time of year when it's usually a little nuclear family, complete with joey! Most days they just lie around, munch on the grass, and scratch.

One day a few months back I was in the kitchen, looked up through the window and saw a whole bunch (anyone know the collective noun for kangaroo's?) of young males. At first they were play-boxing, and chasing each other around, then I looked up again a few moments later and they were in a conga line! Weirdest thing I've seen in ages. It definitely made me smile.

Of course the other thing that makes me smile everyday is this little bunch'o'fluff.

She's taken to wedging herself into this little box, you can't see very well in this shot, but looking from front on she looks like a muffin or hearty loaf of bread in a loaf tin; packed tightly in the bottom and all spilling out over the top.

I keep meaning to paint that little box to look like a car. hehehehe... Just the thought of that makes me giggle.

Pimp my ride!

Thanks Nomes, I needed a good smile today.

felt when it blooms

I'm on a roll! We had a huge storm here yesterday, loads of heavy heavy rain, and while the rest of the garden has been a bit flattened, the felt flowers bloomed!

Pansy, Blue and Yellow flower brooches now for sale in my Etsy store.

do you believe in karma?

Remember the other week when I shared the fact that Nomes was having an awesome giveaway of vintage tea towels? Well it must have been good karma because I WON! But not only that, the very next day I WON AGAIN, over at the lovely Daisy Chain (Barry is packing his bags to come live with me as we speak).

The tea towel arrived today, it's amazing, mint condition, true vintage, smells lovely, and say's "flowering tree of friendship". Sweet! (Sorry for the wrinkles, I was too excited to do any ironing).

Thank-you so much Nomes :) And for the record, Nomes is hosting another giveaway for a hand painted bookmark right now.

Earlier this month I won those great earrings from Nicole too. I know I know, I can hear you all muttering "Geez Louise, leave some for the rest of us"... fair enough too. But correct me if I'm wrong, I think these may be the first give-away's I've ever won. :D

Even so, it's left me wary of this force of Karma, so, I'm passing it on...


It's been the longest time since I last made something crafty, so the other night I got stuck in to make myself some brooches (I don't wear or use anything I've made myself, and so far still none of my own art on the walls), but it's all about to change...



That first green button brooch, and the second felt flower brooch are my new Spring accessories! (Have a closer look here).
So what about those other two green button brooches? Well...


::SPRING BROOCH GIVEAWAY::

They're up for grabs!


They are covered in the coolest vintage fabric (real vintage too), are about an inch and a half wide, and have a pin back.

Leave a comment here if you'd like to be in the draw. The winners will be selected in some random fashion next Wednesday, 22nd October, in the afternoon.


It's just a little give away, but hopefully it will appease Lady Luck and her comrade Karma, and make two of you rather pleased too.
Remember CurlyPops is keeping an updating list of all the BLOGTOBERFEST giveaways... Man she's gotta get some good karma for that!

a sense of place

Last night I finally finished reading Cloudstreet. It was beautiful. And I'll need a week of mind space to mull it all over before I start reading something new.

I've heard Tim Winton criticized for the way he ends his stories, but honestly I am always left with admiration and great satisfaction at the end. And so far, also a warmth.

Some of my favourite lines:

A house should be a home, a privilege, not a possession....
I reckon they belong to the place...

Such a lovely concept, that you belong to a place, it doesn't belong to you.


I recently met a lovely gal who lives in Byron Bay (about 2 hrs north of here). She is originally from Vancouver, Canada. When I asked how she ended up here she replied that she never felt like Canada was her place, but when she found Byron Bay, she felt that feeling, and felt more like herself than she ever had before. A discovery of sorts, of place, and self. Connected.

That's got to be a pretty amazing feeling, hey?

reading backlog

This is: my current reading material.

Reading isn't my strong point. I enjoy it, I just don't do a whole lot of it (on paper that is...blogs are a whole other story). I was almost too ashamed to post this, I was pretty sure I posted "what I am reading" about 6 months ago, which most "tellingly", is the book I'm STILL reading. Oh dear.

Don't blame the book. It's great. It's not YOU book, it's ME.