Saturday, July 26, 2008

Journalisation of a brain

My daughter is having the same problem I do when it comes to creative process.

"Where's your journal?" was the most oft asked question while I was at Uni. "Ummmm, right there with the rest of my work I would reply." Most often followed by " Well, where's your ideas and process for the piece?" which would have me explaining that it's all in my head. I go straight from brain to fingertip, with a short side trip to OMG, that looks like crap, let's start again. So, my journal would have multiple versions of the final image in various stages BUT with no clear path of why I went there.

I just can't journalise my brain. no matter how hard I try. BUT. I think I have found a solution to my dilemna. I'm going to work it like a swatch [inspiration, design or style] board then when it's finished, take a picture and voila! A visual journey of my creative process. Phew.

So. tried the theory out *g* and true, it did work. But now I get asked why is there a Robbie Williams poster hanging off the side of the board? and why is there a Max Biaggi photo in it as well? And why are there recipes for ham and vege soup? alongside paint test strips and lyrics to Puff the magic Dragon? and Library Due Date receipts. Pics of friends and family and dates to remember. One of my daughters photo's that has no direct correlation to the artwork in progress.

Very simple. That's my creative process for everything. It's all what makes me think of what that piece of artwork is about and where it came from.

So, Daughter is now working on her own board in the same way.

Saturday, July 12, 2008

Still in bed...

this is getting annoying. Apart from the idea of no technology in the bedroom going down the loo, you can only watch so much tv, read blogs and books before everything becomes too much effort. Amazing how bright screens can be, even reading an email was hard.

Poor kidlets come to visit their really young and cool Nana for fun stuff and all they get is the shrew in the bed asking if they've brushed their teefs and read their books. Oh, and had a bath. Although they're currently playing Wii bowling, so they're happy.

So, I've been stuck in bed since I came back from Melbourne, the house is a mess and if I venture beyond the sickroom I end up crying because well, the house is a mess! Poor hubby. Luckily for him, I can barely talk, so he's spared the yelling part. He tries, but we have incompatible cleaning methods, so usually I end up cleaning up his cleaning. To him, it's neat and tidy, I see a rubbish tip. LOL

I am starting to feel better tho, even starting to feel hungry & can at least sit up without my eyeballs falling out of my head. So tomorrow I'm getting up. I can't stand it anymore. I've been doodling in my art journal, so have some ideas. LOL although maybe not.

Toodles, everyone have a weekend!

Sunday, July 06, 2008

Vertical Gardens

I came across an intriguing link on another blog to this site called Vertical Gardens by Patrick Blanc.

What a great solution for small space gardening! The possibilities are endless. Instead of grafitti, they could put this on ugly concrete. Although, probably not in high smog areas like the tunnels. And so easy even black thumbs like me could implement it. If you click on detailed presentation he tells you how to make it using easily acquired items, seeds and cuttings. I'm going to do a trial run in miniature *g* the less death & destruction I wreak on the plant world the better, I think.

I have felt left over from cushion making and pvc plastic from our move as well as a metal frame from our old dishwasher wheel contraption. So, it's a recycling bonus as well.

I don't think it would be water hungry as it seems the felt would hold the water and reduce the amount it would require, perfect for drought areas.

So to me, all in all, seems like a great way to garden.

Let me know if you try it and I'll post pics of my attempt.

Saturday, July 05, 2008

Sniffles was the name....

OzFemme has been unwell, go make her feel better. Then come back here and make me feel better as I've since caught her germs even though we live in different states and with different germ factories kids.

I snuffled my way to Melbourne to see my GP. I haven't been able to find one here and he already knows the ins and outs of all the ducks. Youngest daughter also needed to have a blood test done, poor kidlet was not happy after. They tried many drinks of water and hot packs to try and coax her veins up with no luck. At one stage they were even looking on her hands and feet to see if they could get a cooperative vein. The Dr ended up doing it himself. From a very small vein.

Then I dragged myself* to Southland for some shopping therapy. and tissues.

I got the Countdown Spectacular 2 dvd that I have been chasing for ages. Big W is having a dvd sale, so we got some more movies. Handy now that I am stuck in bed feeling like fat cat has taken up residence on my ribcage. I also got the complete 6 series & Specials of One Foot in the Grave which is as good as chicken soup! I love that show.

We had fun trying to catch trains at both Sthn X and Flinders St. The line we needed at Sthn was closed [found out later that a train upline had a door stuck open] and at Flinders their display thingy was wrong, the other one was blank, with the added bonus of a track change to the blank side with no warning. Everyone getting on kept asking where the train was going. LOL

Well, I'm off to turn the bathroom into a steam room. Hope everyone is having a good weekend!

Hugs Bunnies.

* 2nd eldest drove us around, she's on L plates still, so got plenty of practice in. We were nearly in an accident as some silly cow in a tarago with squillions of kids decided to pull out from a side street over 4 lanes of traffic. All the kidlet could say once we pried her hand off the horn and the stream of obscenities subsided was how glad she was that her Dad made her pay the extra for good brake pads he installed. LOL Oh yeah, youngest piped up with "Wow. you sound just like Mum" Hmm.

Wednesday, July 02, 2008

Life in the country

Overnight I have succumbed to the evil flu/cold germs floating around. You would think that the fresh country air would scare them off, but no. Tomorrow I am going down to Melbourne on the train for the day...

Anyone want to take bets on the number of death stares I get from other commuters as I sneeze and snuffle my way to the SE suburbs?

To the [ahem]friendly person who emailed me : I'd just like to point out that I was not bagging out Hugh Grant in my previous post. I've just read his Wiki bio as well as a couple of interviews and from that I have formed the opinion that, no you are quite correct, in Real Life he would not be a sad loney git. Probably more a cynical smartarse like me and the lovely Anonymous commenter who actually comprehended what my post was about.

So, there you have it *grin*

OMG! When did this happen?

I have obviously been a closet Hugh Grant fan for years without even realising it.

And it hasn't been obvious, even to me. We bought some new dvd's on sale and I grabbed Love Actually as it was on special for $3. Anyway, youngest daughter and I are putting them away and she says "Would you like me to put all the Hugh Grant movies together?"

HUH? WHAT?

Yes. That's right, I wrote that correctly. I have enough movies with Hugh Grant in them to have a whole Hugh Grant category. When did that happen? I wasn't aware that I even liked his movies. So, I've been turning this over in my mind all night. It's a bit troubling, does this mean I like romantic comedy's? or, perhaps sad lonely gits?

I've always been the sensible one, head on straight. Not the one who watches romance and reads Mills and Boon and cries at weddings.

But apparently I am.