RIP Simba

We had to get Simba, our 11 year old siamese put to sleep tonight :( Everyone is sad & teary and feeling like crap. He got sick last night and we took him to the vet but he wasn't sure if it was pneumonia or not as his lungs sounded ok but started him on drugs and stuff just in case. This morning he was a lot worse and was crying, so they sedated him and stopped the pain until they could work out what was wrong. Simba was the runt of the litter and had been left out in the cold & rain when I turned up to look at the kittens. I bought him on the spot and took him straight to our vet who wasn't sure if he would make it as he had cat flu, it meant he was always more susceptible to pneumonia etc. He did back then but this time it was too quick for us to catch. We had a gorgeous cat for 11 years, who sometimes climbed on my chest to tell me he wanted breakfast and made me think I was having a heart attack as I woke up feeling the heavy lump. Who ate the corn off my plate but waited until I was finished eating, unless I looked away and he'd try a stealthy plate swipe. Yoda wore him as a fur around his neck when he was little and he had the loudest purr I have ever heard. I am going to miss my lump :(

 We waited until everyone could say goodbye, so that he knew we loved him. He started purring as soon as we picked him up and we patted & held him while he left. Pebbles is heartbroken and keeps calling him as she hunts around the house.

Oops...

I forgot to put this up here. This was my entry in the Art Award. The text is the Lord's Prayer in Cornish as the themef or the festival this year was Welcome Back Cousin Jack as well as the Mapping of  Eaglehawk. The background is the map of Eaglehawk gold fields which had to be used as part of the Artist brief. The bird is a chough.
Gouache, Watercolour, Acrrylic, 24 ct gold on Arches Satine.

So, I now also have stitches in my big toe, same foot as the ankle. I stepped into a pane of vertically stored glass that had a broken edge and bloody hell did it hurt . Lots of blood all over a piece of lino I was saving for a lino cut print :( Hubby says I could wash it off, frame it, call it DNA and sell it. ewwwww is my response. It was either the lino or the carpet, so I thought the lino would be a cheaper option.

We also had our portable aircon recalled by the Manufacturer, high fire risk *eeek*. The repair guy says 100+ have been sold locally by one store and he's only had 2 come in. He's the only auth repairer for them locally, so that's not really good.

I'm off to bed, done some designs, set up my basic shop, have written out some listing text and am editing some of the photo's. Progress at last! :D

PS. I am doing a limited print run of my Butterfly artwork for my friends, let me know [via email with a postal addy] if you want one. Printed in archival ink on Arches Satine.

I swear this project is jinxed. honestly.

not happy. stuck in bed with foot up in air so ankle stops being the size of a house stump & knee realigns. Noone home, want coffee. Have to use stupid crutches to make coffee, why don't they have coffeeholders inbuilt [An iPod holder would be good too]
so I can carry it back to bed, so noone knows I got out of bed in the first place and lectures me.

Cat gives me disapproving look too. Nice.

Camera has gone off on a holiday without me, hope it sends back photos. So while stuck in bed doing nothing am still working on more stuff but bored. Only so many reruns to watch.

Don't tell anyone I was up and on my laptop posting ;D, it will be our little secret until youngest daughter sneaks over to read my blog LOL

This Is It Now by The Brays

Ooooooooh, while you're waiting with bated breath [ no, not baited..that's just eeeeeeeeew!] for my next post in which there will be giveaways and a new link to go look at later tonight/early morning :D check these guys out! I absolutely love their music and have played this song non stop all weekend and then gone and listened to the rest on their Myspace page :D so off you go, check them out! it's worth it. So worth it, the minute they put up new stuff on iTunes, I am buying it all [ well, apart from the 2 they have listed now :D]

link to The Brays Myspace page : http://www.myspace.com/thebraysband

tomorrow is another day...

come back tomorrow for a giveaway and some news! was meant to be today but my head hurts, so am going back to bed.

I should buy a lottery ticket....

LOL
One of those days where the A3 printer decided it didn't like paper, phone calls and not a portable phone where they are meant to be, the r on my laptop keyboard decided it was going on a holiday and my clay oven stopped working. *sigh* so, have moulds for buttons ready to bake and nowhere to bake the bloody things.

 Apart from that, working on daughters wedding and the art award entry, both going well :D

Have to clean my studio though as I have crap everywhere and it's driving me crazy.

Youngest Daughter is having fun at Uni and has done well in her first O week :D

And I'm off to swear at the clay oven some more and make Spaghetti Carbonara for tea.

oh dear...

It's a good thing I have never publically claimed to have high intelligence :D

Did you know that when you get the comments on your blog by email that it's not the person's actual email address? sigh.

I have been replying to everyone's comments but for some reason have replied by email and only realised that it does not go to the person I thought I was replying too. How embarassment!!!!!!!!!!!

Here are some teasers : I took them on my phone and so the quality is absolutely dreadful but here are some things that may or may not be related to some posts in the very near future  :D like from next Monday...

Yes, the horse is a happy chappy :D I have no idea why he decided to smile but I liked it.
My photographer started Uni, so is too busy to take proper photo's until later this week so these will have to do for now. 

I've also gessoed 18 boards [ about 6x2"] & some canvases ready to get plastered and backgrounded and screwed the chains into them, which killed my fingers but their done! I have whole series that I've been plodding away on and ready to go.  I've also started on the artwork for the Art Award, which has to be in by the 17 March, can't show a pic of that yet. One art doll is done but she's going to someone already :D and I forgot to take a pic before I wrapped her up :( but have one that is similiar that I've started so will take pics of that one. LOL

Apart from that, I've been kind of wandering along, not stressing as I'm going pretty well healthwise except for the ankle bits, so everything stored on top of bookshelves has to either wait till the youngest [ who is also the tallest LOL] is home from school or is already at my level so I don't get up on tippytoes *grinz* I was offered a stepladder but declined cos to be honest, I'd fall off for sure!

Plus I have been steadily working away on the wedding stuff, none of which I am allowed to show anyone yet :( <---- that's really a pout LOL

Adios Amigos, until tomorrow! :D I'm off to get some zzzzzz's

unhappy

I am not a happy lil vegemite because for the 2nd year in a row I won't be going to Phillip Island for WSBK.


In other news in the unhappy category, I have stretched/torn my right achilles tendon being overly ambitious in the Year of me finally allowed to do more physical stuff. So for the last couple of weeks I have been hobbling around or plonked with an elevated leg and ice on it and it's getting old, fast.

Why yes, patience *IS* one of my most valuable personality traits, thanks for asking :D

So, fritters for tea using the leftovers from last nights tea of roast pork.

School started yesterday and Uni starts in a couple of weeks. TG. I decided to stand in shorter queues earlier than everybody else did. Except for one rude A at the bookshop who decided that I was invisible and walked over to be served before me after I had been there over an hour waiting AHEAD of him & then smirked at me! I hit the rage level of incandescence, he'd want to hope that he is never in a queue near me ever again. Tool. He was lucky he left the carpark before me though because I went looking for him to thank him for being a rude arrogant prick. politely of course :D

I have changed the casting material I was using as it's either old stock or the product is just crap as all the casts have not worked properly & cracked or broken as I've released them. Working on some research for an exhibition piece and I am trying to get my studio organised again. again. heh. It's driving me nuts to have stuff in different ends of the house, so once hubby finishes this week he's going to help me shove stuff around. Like tetris :D

Oops, off to feed the vultures! catchya later...

My brain is like a bagful of dancing monkeys

I'm back! Went to Melbourne to swap kids and go shopping & do coffee at Southland with Copperwitch and get conned into buying skyscrapers shoes. for daughters. not me :( Bright fuchsia 6" stilettos for one & blue for the other. I bought other stuff this time, like the last of Katherine Kerr's Deverry series which for some reason the local bookshops won't get in and coffee,coffee,coffee. I think I ingested so much caffeine in the 3 days technically I really should never ever drink it again HA!

Hit up the Art shops & searched unsuccessfully for a mold, so am making my own.

Also hit the music shops and got some great new music to create to.

I had the bestest ever piece of latte cheesecake at the coffee shop, so trying to find the name of their supplier :D

I joined Creative Everyday and while I haven't been posting, I have been creating and crocheting.

So last few days, worked on paperwork, rearranged my studio and am now in the process of creation.

I had an artwork that was nearly done, then I didn't like the way part of it had turned out, so started a new one and now it's going to be sort of collage of the 2 best elements from each :D so I am carefully slicing around the edges of one and incorporating it all.

There's an exhibition that I am entering with a deadline of Feb 17, so it will be head down, bum up and going like the clappers so will try and post more regularly this year. no, that is not a resolution :D Anyway, will be back tomorrow with a post about the Creative Everyday challenge.

The de-stress hypnotherapy cd seems to be working as I actually slept right through last night. Apparently as I had attended a session with him it makes it easier for the cd to work as usually my brain is like a bagful of dancing monkeys listening to that kind of thing. He has a great accent too, so I actually stop and listen :D

Adios Amigos! Hope you're all having a rocking 2010 so far :D

and for good measure...

Merry Christmas hugs to everyone :D

See you all on the flip side!


PS. Due to circumstances beyond my control I did not mail out any cards or anything else this year, sorry :( I still love you all & send many virtual hugs instead. 2010 owes me big time and a few other lurkers I think.

Well!

How rude! Hugh Grant was in Sydney for his latest movie premiere and I didn't even know! Bah Humbug, you'd think they'd at least have a red carpet premiere here for the movie so I can go scream and then faint at his feet *grin*

Then again, it's probably a good thing, I might not like him in real life, have all my romantic fantasies [ heh.. I heard that snort!] quashed which would ruin Christmas and the rest of the year I'd be a total cow to everyone.

I mean, we've had the Archibalds here for 2 years running & the Couture exhibition, so it's not like we're a cultural backwater or anything.

BTW, if you think you see me driving around town, then it's not me as I am apparently driving an invisible bright red car. Given the number of twits who have cut me off & driven straight out in front of me the last few days I can only conclude that my invisible shield is stuck in the on position. Must be from the speed bumps in the car parks.

So this is Christmas...

This year I haven't felt very Christmassy after all the crap that's happened :( but the tunnel is starting to show a bit of light and I finally kicked myself in the butt and made some Cutlery stockings, this year the table theme is gold, white and stars. I made the small table tree for gothy daughter, just have to finish making a pink one for the older one for her house.

Tree is up, presents are bought and I'm wrapping them tonight. Just have to buy salad veges & watermelon, make my potato salad and choc ripple cake and then I'm done. Phew! That's Christmas Eve, the next day we pack up and drag everything to Melbourne for the day with the outlaws and other rellies. We have some breakables this year, so I'm a little worried they'll break in the car. Might have to make the gothy one hold the boxes on her lap all the way :D [ she reads my blog, so I can't resist teasing LOL]

We did the light run the other night, I've never seen so many houses with lights! Was good though and I particularly liked one place with a humongous Santa out the front which we found by accident, it did cross my mind that it would be a good way to stop door salesmen LOL

I've also made some new necklaces, more paintings are in progress and now I have broken out the Christmas Carols, so I hope everyone has a happy & safe Christmas.

The Candle Thieves - The Sunshine Song

Look, I found new music :D just in time for my Christmas present too! So I bought the EP on iTunes. I like all of the songs on it which is unusual as usually you don't like ALL of them, so this Christmas present is in the WOOHOO you got it right pile :p

Santa comes early!

Paypal Australia just sent me $20 :D

Ninja cats & Granny Squares

We have a ninja cat who also descends from gremlins. Do not feed after midnight.

Seriously.

Our invisible psycho cat tearing around the house knocking stuff [ photo's & glass kittehs! ack!] off shelves is going to get banished to the laundry at night if she keeps this crap up. I am not a flipping race track! She jumps up on me every.single.night hundreds of times. and lands right on my chest every time. Ouch. and no, that's not the 4 letter word she hears as my brain wakes up and registers pain LOL

So haven't been sleeping very well and the rest of the time I've been busy and hibernating in my cave. Not watching or reading the news, no Facebook, not even any Mafia Wars. My brain seriously needed a break.

I have taught myself [ with a step by step intructable with actual crocheting on both ends emergency crochet phone call to my Mum and 6 billion pages of internet instructions] to crochet granny squares. YAY. I think. I have finally created my very first actual square that is recognisable as a granny square AND is square! The first 100 look like various animal ears hehe & then Hubby asked me if I was making pasties for orphaned North Pole strippers! how rude! I have some really cool wool colours, so am making some scarves for the girls as my first full item. yes, I do know it's summer here :p but by the time I finish them it will be winter. heh.

My nephew is also getting married next year. We almost had a disaster though, 2 cousins getting married on the same day on opposite ends of the country. So, as we do not descend from Time Lords, one couple had to change their date. phew. crisis averted. I love my nephew and future niece in law. Guess I'll have to get something extra special as a wedding present for them now :D or our Daughter will... lol

I thought today was Wednesday until I noticed Jan's tweet saying it was Friday :D
and while on the phone to my Mum the other day, realised I am 2 years younger than I actually thought. ROFL, clearly I need more raspberry vodka.

Avagoodweekendmateys!

oh dear! a disaster is in progress...

Sorry, created a new logo and then redesigned my twitter page, which meant I had to redesign my blog and site all on the same day, so weird things may happen :D

I do have a really good reason though!

Are you turtley enuff for the turtle?

kidlet got into Uni, YAY! is majoring in photojournalism.

We found a friend :D An Eastern snake neck turtle that seems to have been hibernating in the creek over the road until rudely awakened by the Council grass slasher & wandered out onto the road *eek* so he was rescued and we're taking him/her to the creek with water or the lake. The creek over the road is still dry, so we can't put him back there. here's a pic I took on my phone earlier




And as I said on twitter, it seems like a good night to have a Hugh Grant movie marathon, now that I have conceded that I do in fact, like Hugh Grant movies! heh.

random tilt at full speed!

sorry, been busy. kidlet's end of year exhibition and other busyness have been going on. I feel like Alice down the rabbit hole, except I didn't quite make it and got stuck upside down with my legs waving wildly in the air.

There is nothing worse than almost finishing an A3 artwork and stuffing it up. that you can't fix lololololol arrggghhhhh... so, ahem, I started a new one and am thinking of cutting out the best bits of the first one then gluing & sandpapering them into the new one. The weather swing [good time for gilding!] caught me out & the paint went off :( should have thought about it, but, hey I've been upside in a rabbit hole, what else do you expect? trial and error is a good thing, except when you're working to a deadline...

anyway, I am about to be throttled back to dial up speed [ smacks youngest daughter upside the head :D] so will be back when I am back to normal speed.

MusoMagic | Adam Thompson Music Workshops

Here's the link to the song and video the kids performed at the MusoMagic workshop earlier this week. They were all great and a good time was had by all, even in the middle of a heatwave! Adam as usual got the kids involved [ even the shy one's!] and had them all singing and dancing by the end of Day 1. They all jumped in and had a lot of fun.


MusoMagic | Adam Thompson Music Workshops

I really recommend schools and groups to host one of Adam's workshops, the kids get a lot out of them and by the end every kid [and adult] is enthusiastically joining in and don't care anymore about whether or not they think they can sing or dance.

MusoMagic Workshop

Tomorrow [errr, today actually LOL] I am a volunteer again for a MusoMagic Workshop here. I love these workshops, they are run by Adam Thompson [ex Chocolate Starfish lead singer] and he really gets the best out of the kids, even the shy one's! 2 days and you wouldn't believe how happy they all are and how hard they work with Adam.

I have to say, for me, the best part is at the end when the kids see their hard work and they are all smiles. Me too :D

So, will link to this years when it's finished on Tues night. In the meantime, you can see the song & video from last year here MusoMagic Bendigo 2008

I'd take a picture but...

the paint is still wet :D so you'll have to wait till tomorrow! I have been playing with a new technique. Yes, I did clean up the mess!

and she hit publish...

heh.

Various rants have not been published LOL When I am unwell, I am a cranky old bitch and not afraid to let fly BUT then my kind heart kicks my hard ass and tells me not to be so unkind! [ ok,ok, you can all stop laughing now, you'll hurt yourselves!]

Apart from unpublished rants, I have been busy recuperating and trying to catch the sun, which is proving to be an elusive bugger here. Hubby got me the new Pink Australian Funhouse dvd, so I have been watching/listening to that as well as the Bushfire Sound Relief Concert dvd. The cost of both really surprised me, I got Pink for 24.95 on Friday as it was released and 35.00 for Sound Relief. Excellent value for money, pity others don't follow that idea as I'd buy more music then.

One of the rants I didn't publish was about the Record Industry, I'm sorry but I am getting a little tired of them bleating about cd sales dropping, which MUST mean people are illegally downloading. What a load of Bullshit! They never mention that LEGAL download sales are up [iTunes, Bigpond etc] Do dvd sales count as cd's? If not, then there's another of your totally legitimate reason for cd drops. People are paying for downloads and live music dvd's rather than just a music cd. I'm not saying that illegal downloading doesn't happen, but technology has moved on, it's like saying record sales dropped when cd's came out.

The best way is to buy direct from the artist though and if I can, I do that.

I'm an artist, so yes, I completely understand but I think the record companies need to move with technology faster and aggregate ALL sales not just individually.

and now, I need a good cup of tea, a bex and a lie down!

OH,and the hoon got caught unlicensed, unregistered, leaving the scene of an accident and another charge. twit.

Bloody seagulls at Phillip Island interrupting the bike racing, you'd think they'd hear the bikes and fly the other way, but no. Wonder if they think they're food? LOL No, I didn't go to the Island either as I am not really well enough yet to go gallivanting but plan on chuffing down for World Supers next year though.

'Avagoodweegend!

I'm late, I'm late....

The headline on this story reads :

Hugh Jackman hissy fit stops Broadway play

BUT, it should have read RUDE ARSEHOLE interrupts Broadway play.

Seriously who is SO important that they need to take their mobile into a freaking play. Geez people, no wonder there is so much rage everywhere you go, noone has time for relaxation and enjoyment any more. We're all too important to take time out.

If you MUST be *on* 24/7, at least put your phone on silent or vibrate, so the rest of us unwashed masses with manners can enjoy our down time. k? thx, bye.

blerk...

Boy finished last day of school with a mild cough, which has now shown it's true colours and run rampant through the household the past week. Lucky me was the last to get it and initially thought, Huh, they were all whining over *this* but lo, see what happens when you mock the germ gods! I should have bought shares in tissues and various cold and flu concoctions that you need to provide 100pts of ID & 3 hours for a pharmacy consult to buy ONE box of. Geeez.

Yes, Yes, they are precursor crap but hey, one box? and one time? gawd blimey, bit overkill I think! Not to mention that you get the 3rd degree if you dare to try buy panadol at the same time even if it's just to replace the empty packet you found when rabbiting around the first aid box at 3am in the morning for anything to take to get rid of the bloody headache until the chemist opens.

No wonder the emergency depts are full, for all the runaround & questions you get just going into the chemist, you may as well go see a Dr.

Kidlet is applying to Uni, Hubby is applying for jobs and the boy did very well except one subject. I am still forging flowers and knitting beanies and scribbling down ideas that have been coming thick and fast in my fevered imagination.

Can't be sick, have to go to Melbourne on Friday for a charity party and have a good time. My favourite muso dude is performing at it too :D Plus the other kidlet wants me to go see their house, which I haven't been able to yet because of weird random life crap.

'Scuse me, I have to go crack open another box of tissues :D

I may be thick but...

WTH has smoking got to do with Superannuation? HUH? Has he mixed up Superannuation with Life Insurance? or is he talking about the Insurance [ Personal Income Loss etc] that you can buy from the funds? If that's it, then why are they adding products without authorisation from the owner of the Super Account? If not, how me paying for a future pension [ whether it's the Super guarantee or my own top ups] in an investment fund got to do with whether I die early or not?

Savings go up in smoke in secretive super rip-off

At Colonial's FirstChoice fund, for example, when an employee is moved out of his or her company's super plan into the personal option, fees increase by $475 a year.

In part, this is because insurance costs are based on the assumption they are smokers.

blimey...

Now another one who we haven't heard from in ages messages me to pass a message on, then when I reply to say I have, throws a dummy spit then messages me again to tell me not to contact them again. LOL

Downside of FB, I guess, people can find you but when they do, they decide they don't.

And clearly, I am damned if I do and damned if I don't.

sooooooo....

said slime has been shoved back in his bucket and the lid nailed shut. Jerk.
I am sick and tired of being the one who deals, so this time, I'm not and said so.

Onwards and Upwards, We had the Outlaws and Kidlets here this weekend for the hubsters birthday. Went looking at wedding dresses with the b2b, with camera in hand of youngest. Still shiveringly cold here and wet. We waddled off to the Bistro for lunch which was nice and so no washing up :D The B2B and I went to the cheesecake shop and ended up with 2 birthday cakes as we couldn't choose, so got a nice mudcake and a carrot cake with carrots on it, if you've ever read the cake wrecks blog you can probably guess what we were looking for afterwards. Sadly no naked baby jockeys to be found :D

Got some more info on my elusive artist, he was listed as a signwriter in the electoral rolls and on the certificates I got.

Been working on a techniques journal, trying to collate all the stuff into one art journal rather than spread over 50 of them LOL Paint tests, recipes, technique results etc

Gordon Dalyrymple Nicol

So, I have found some further info about the mysterious Gordon Dalrymple Nicol but not that much :( I still have a Canberra library collection reference to chase up though but don't hold much hope. On the bright side The State Library of Queensland is sending me the catalogue they published for the exhibition :D

He was born approx 1894 in New Zealand to Francis Maitland Dalrymple Nicol & his wife Rose [nee Tahn] and had 1 brother Thomas [ who may be a twin or just registered at the same time] and a sister called Dorothy. I've sent off for the certificates.

He died in 1969 in NSW. He may have had an image published in a London magazine in the 1930's but I can't verify that.

I spoke to a very helpful gentleman called Ralph in NZ and he gave me a few ideas to chase up in relation to the Christchurch School of Art, which now may be known as the University of Canterbury.

He actually illuminated 3 poems for Angus & Robertson Ltd [ nope, they have no info either]

Song of the Wheat by AB [Banjo] Patterson
Kiss in the Ring by Henry Lawson
Darrell by Will H Ogilvie

I've got my mitts on a copy of Song of the Wheat, so will be hanging out waiting for the postie now for a couple of weeks :D

Apart from this meagre info gleaned using my genealogical skills :D he remains an enigma.

swamp creatures

Don't you just love how some people slime back out of the woodwork, chuck a grenade into your lap then piss off back to the swamp for another 5 years or so, leaving you to deal with the fallout.

Turds.

Hot on the trail...

I have been busy researching Australian Illuminated Manuscripts after a searchy thing sent me an email after about 3 years to tell me that my keywords entered had finally paid off. Strange that it took that long :( and it's a good thing I kept all my original sketches and notes.

I have found one [1] Aust/NZ Illuminator who illuminated the originals of 3 or 4 Banjo Patterson poems and illuminated them using Australian flora & fauna rather than using European imagery. Haven't been able to find out a whole lot about him as he seems to be unknown & can't find any other works yet. So far, I have found out he was a New Zealander called Gordon Dalrymple Nicol who was in Bondi and comissioned by Angus & Robertson Ltd to do the works in 1924/1925. I also found a death notice in 1966 but am still unsure if that's definitely him or not, also according to the AWM a serviceman went to the Korean War, but that's a bit late, so possibly a son or relative named after him.

I also found a reference at the Canberra library in the Barbara Ross collection that has given me some ideas to chase up. Apparently she corresponded with a calligrapher in NZ, so I'll try to contact her and see if she knows anything.

I also sent off an email to a book guy who has several reproductions of the manuscripts for sale and at a reasonable price, so will get my mitts on 2 at least :D

Apart from that, yes, I have been unwell again, the Dr wants me to do another 12 month course of Methotrexate but I have chosen not to until the flares are closer together or really severe or I break something. But hey, at least it's not pleurisy *grin* I can usually get my butt going again after a few days.

Still ploughing on with the flowers, so far I have not managed to set fire to too many things and the fingertips still have prints on them, so I'm doing well.

Nearly finished moving my studio into a different part of the house...and now we're actively looking for another place to move to. Always the way! but I am sick of wonky flooring, blocked drains and the hot water system blew up last week, so although living in an older house is cute, 'tis not for us anymore!

Oh and btw, the delica bead escapee that I thought had been removed from my keyboard is currently stuck under my *c* key, so if there's any missing, I apologise. Now, I'm off to hold my laptop over my head while shaking it and shoving the vacuum cleaner hose in at the same time!

There must be an eclipse....

This neighbourhood is defintely weird interesting. In the last year we've had 3 drunks tossed out of cars, 2 of which were knocked out cold & involved cops & ambulances. One drunk woke up decided to try and thump hubby & another driver who'd stopped to help [ I was at the front door with the baseball bat & was going to go out if he'd kept it up] Cops chasing unregistered motorbikes that use the vacant land behind/beside us as a getaway, a slow speed chase with lights & sirens that the guy gave them the slip, a fire bomb twice in the allotment down the road and then last night... I was woken at 3am by the sound of a wheelie bin being dragged along the footpath. What's wrong with that, you may ask, yes, I also initially thought someone had forgotten to put their bin out but the noise went on for a long time, so I went for a stickybeak.

I have never seen someone taking an empty wheelie bin for a romantic moonlit stroll before. Especially not to a cemetery

      .------------------------.
      |       PSYCHIATRIC      |
      |         HELP  5¢       |
      |________________________|
      ||     .-"""--.         ||
      ||    /        \.-.     ||
      ||   |     ._,     \    ||
      ||   \_/`-'   '-.,_/    ||
      ||   (_   (' _)') \     ||
      ||   /|           |\    ||
      ||  | \     __   / |    ||
      ||   \_).,_____,/}/     ||
    __||____;_--'___'/ (      ||
   |\ ||   (__,\\    \_/------||
   ||\||______________________||
   ||||                        |
   ||||       THE DOCTOR       |
   \|||         IS [IN]   _____|
    \||                  (______)
     `|___________________//||\\
                         //=||=\\
                         `  ``  `

Now I have, my life is complete :D
Neighbourhood life was never this interesting in Melbourne!

blah

Have had an absolutely shitful weekend. Some blithering old twat tried to run me off the bloody road because he didn't stay in his lane as we came out of the shopping centere, how the guy behind me didn't run up my arse is beyond me. My only avenue of escape apart from slamming on the brakes was to go off into the trees, which promptly made me blow my fuse and reignited both the back and migraine. He didn't even know that he'd changed lanes. GAH!

Although I did have a larf at the fact that he was going so slow that people were blasting him with their horn, 20 in a 70 zone and not knowing which lane you're meant to be in should indicate that perhaps grandpa should hand in his licence and sell the car before he kills someone.

So I've spent all weekend whining about the light, the light and STFU before I duct tape everybody.

I couldn't even look at my laptop because OMG it's bright even when you use it on battery power. and I'm about 5000 flowers behind in my goal for the wedding.

Last night we went back to the local Bistro to see if the previous meal was a fluke and happily it was not! Different cook as well, so that's pretty good. This time we had chocolate pudding as dessert, OMG, it was YUM! so that is now our preferred dining out choice. Except others have twigged, so we need to get there earlier :D

I've noticed recently that lots of places we've been to make chocolate anything really dense and toooooo rich, now, I love chocolate but it doesn't need to be overkill to be wonderful. I once ordered chocolate cake, which was more the texture of a double choc muffin with chocolate sauce poured all over it and chunks of chocolate on top and a chocolate mousse type cream. Too much, so please stop doing it. BTW, each piece of cake does not need to be drizzled [swamped] with chocolate sauce as a decorative effect.

I'm glad Julie won Masterchef, so there :p

Belated Birthday Bash

Tonight we finally went out for my birthday LOL I decided to try the Bistro at the Football club, if you ever come to Bendigo, ask me for the info. It was excellent and there was no way I was going to finish it all. They definitely are not stingy with the food. The prices aren't bad either.

White chocolate cheesecake .... drool..

and they even passed the coffee test! [most places fail dismally]

They're going down like bowling pins in the team trials tonight :(

No, I don't think they should allow riders who have tested positive for illegal drugs back in to the Tour de France. It doesn't matter if it was not performance enhancing, if it's illegal...tough. I don't care if you don't agree, you try being the mother of a long term drug addict and tell me it's okay to make it out to be nothing of consequence. You can't tell me there are no consequences that affect other team riders either. If he was serious, he'd be in rehab getting clean after 3x testing + for cocaine.

So, flame away but unless you have intimate knowledge of drug use and how it impacts on people around you and tell the truth, not fanciful excuses. F.O.

Hopefully I'll be scooting down to the city in the next few weeks, I need to go to the art shop and the coffee shop and the book shop and the errrrrmmmmm, oh! craft shop and then Southland & Chaddy.

Oh and I need to visit somebody & drop some stuff off :D I'd let her know 'cept she's never home when I've called the last few weeks. I hate 101. LOL

I'm bloody glad I ain't a rockstar!

cos there is no way I am going to drop from a ceiling in a sheet.

Went to see Pink's funhouse concert with D2 at Rod Laver on Tues night, excellent! Although the drive down was terrifying due to the heavy rain and icy road :-( then on the way back we had heavy fog!
And as if I just conjured it up...it's pouring again now :D

I said I wasn't going to buy anything but in the end I bought a mug, tshirt and poster. I really must erase the "S" off my forehead!

Every single guy in the audience was waiting for the pink love heart to come adrift :D I should have pics next week as the daughter still has them.

The reason why it was a drive down was because the teenage boy in the family has suddenly discovered an intense need to go to school every day. Usually it's the opposite and I drag him kicking & squealing all the way, so I have concluded that there must be a female incentive :D

Husband likes his new job. So I guess that means we are staying.

Nightynight :D

Forging Flowers by Fire...

I think I may have been a bear in a former life, I feel like hibernating as it's so coooold here. I feel a lot better now and hubby has also been saved from being nagged to death by being gainfully employed. We also succumbed to marketing ploys and got a Mr T flavour waver thingy that I am still to test out.

I had a great birthday in the end and a little bit late, thanks everyone :D I got an Epson printer that prints archival ink so that I can explore mixed media further. I also got from the lovely Ann O'dyne some beeeeyotiful cards with Illuminated manuscript images that in order to prevent from becoming soggy as I drool over them are going to be framed and put on my studio wall. She has impeccable taste in gifts does Ms Ann O'Dyne! Tuesday night I'm off to the big smoke to see Pink in concert with D2.

Here has what has been keeping me busy apart from kids, flowers forged by fire LOL I have lost track of the number of times I have burnt my fingers or stabbed them when sewing in the delica beads *grin* The dark one's are for D2's wedding and I need to make lots and lots and lots! The rest were test one's but am thinking of chucking them in my online shop and selling them. I love the white one's :D No clue how much for though, so will ponder a day or 2 :D

I know I promised no more swine flu jokes...

so how about a tshirt instead :D



you can buy one here

sick kidlet

D2 woke up covered in blood today from a nosebleed, so we're waiting to hear what is going on. Her neurologist wants to see her tomorrow but also wanted her to see a GP today as well. She's been at Emergency since then as she couldn't get in to see a Dr anywhere else and at least they have her medical history with the seizures & medications she's on. The Emergency Dept even tried a few clinics for her but no go. She just sent me a text to say they've moved her into a different room as her nose started to bleed again :-(

Hopefully it's nothing, she said she didn't feel like she'd had a seizure.

Meanwhile back at the ranch we've had youngest home as well, he must be okay as he just came in and asked if he could go to school tomorrow LOL
No he doesn't have swine flu.

I've been torturing some fabric into flowers and now I am sewing seed beads onto them, one tiny bead is stuck under my keyboard randomly sticking a key LOL I've tried vacuuming it out but the little bugger is playing hide and seek with me!

I also got some cam coloured wool, so am making the youngest 2 beanies and scarves from it.

Sorry, I know this is a bit disjointed but I'm worried about the kid. Anyway, back later!

Germany - Eurovision Song Contest 2009 Final - BBC One

I dunno, I reckon this one should have won Eurovision! I mean what's not to love? Tight shiny pants, tap dancing, girls in suits and Dita Von Teese just in case the rest didn't get ya LOL

Bye Sol, we will all miss your cheery face! not.

Did you know that the knitting hook you use to loom knit with is actually VERY painful to sit on? They are. very. You're welcome, I am always more than happy to sacrifice my butt to save others :D

Tonight I will be road testing sewing needles and seed beads :D

In other news, I have now watched the complete series of To A Manor Born, got to Master Boss level in Mafia Wars and was rewarded with a golden toilet :D and watched Eurovision entries on YouTube.

I tell ya, that's the highlight of my life this week, right there. I am so bored BUT have almost mastered the art of being more vertical than horizontal again. I look a bit like a newborn foal or more like an old drunk staggering out the pub at closing.

Hubby cooked a stew with me yelling directions and ingredients from the bedroom lol It was very tasty too, even if he did chop the celery too thick :D

Oh, I forgot, the actual highlight was the idiot [me] who accidentally set the heater to doonah smoulder while I was practicing my vertical skills in the bathroom.

I am off to Spotlight this arvo to obtain some fabric to do a test run for the daughters wedding favours. At last, I have found a way to reduce the number of seed beads I have! I also want to check out the fabric store of wonderment that Jenxo posted about, but that will have to wait until next week. I want some non ironing fabric to make pants for summer out of, so no rush. I want to try my hand at making wearable art. Whether it ends up either or neither is the fun part hehehe

So, hopefully I have kicked the resident bug permanently out now, I feel much better but strangely enough, still tired! I think we should buy shares in the Pharmaceutical Industry.

If you emailed me and haven't gotten a reply, sorry, I am almost caught up.

And now, with a nod to Dogbait who posted the first swine flu joke, here's my contribution

A lion, a bear and a pig are in the pub, showing off. The lion claims, "I'm the mightiest creature on the planet, I roar and the Plains shake." The bear claims, "I'm the mightiest creature on the planet, I roar and the Forests shake." The pig replied, "I'm the mightiest creature on the planet, I cough and The Whole world shit's itself...

and

If you receive an email from the Department of Health telling you not to eat tinned pork because of swine flu - ignore it. It's just spam.

and that's all. Adios Amigos, till next time!

lalalalala

I really hate being unwell and I seem to have been nothing else since we moved here. I'd have to say that it's stress based as the Universe seems intent on kicking my arse just because she can and it all coincided with our move and change of life. So, no point whining about it or you know what happens! However, I am making myself sick by internalising my feelings, so watch out if you piss me off, I will not walk away telling you what I think in my head but to your face. out loud. and I will no longer say thank you to those who don't deserve it.

I used to be so good with change, this time, not so much. I am working on my feeling of displacement but need to stop trying to fit in. If I do, great, if not, sorry, move along if you don't like me. I think I've been suffocating my personality so people like me and I have friends and have to thank someone for making me realise that, even if she doesn't know she did :-)

So, last night I took a night off from everyone's dramas and watched some Midsomer Murders episodes, read a book in bed and stopped fretting and worrying. Did some more knitting for the coat I'm making for BattleQueen 3 [Hi Honey! lol]

Pebbles the cat laid on me, over me, beside me and generally snuggled up to me all night. At 5am she decided to go kitteh pscho all over the house and did the *boing* jump on to me from the cupboard. At that point I told her sternly GO.TO.SLEEP. and she did. HA! at least the cat listens and obeys :D

Did some ideas sketches and worked on getting the image in my head started on paper.

Have revisited a theme I had abandoned for others and am wandering along plotting and planning.

Interesting...

Hmmmmm, who was eating breakfast & surfing the net at Macca's on Anzac Day ;-)

I am in disarray. I decided to rearrange my studio so I had better workflow, seemed like a good idea in theory anyway, but has not quite worked in practice!

Since it's freezing here I am nearly finished making myself a pair of house slipper sock things as I can never find a pair that is warm enough. I know, I have Ugg boots but sometimes they're too warm, if you know what I mean.

Will be back later tonight, my official photographer is at Tafe until 9pm, so can't get a good shot of the disaster and the in progress LOL but I did want to post before my last reader gives up on me!

Hope everyone is doing well, has a normal temp and is not hiding under the table to avoid Swine flu :D

Daily grind

You can tell when I'm busy or just feeling antisocial... I forget to blog! LOL

I'm kind of both at the moment but kids went back to school, we've been running around like headless chooks with family stuff and I really need to get some housework done before my head explodes.

I need a clone or an assistant or both. The clone can do the crap work like housecleaning and all the stuff that is toxic and the assistant can deal with the door to door people and children who fake being sick to get out of school or homework.

I will just create.

Ok, pipedream over and I need to get dinner cooked before the vultures start chomping on my arms.

coming clean...

in a manner of speaking LOL

Ok, so here's the real reason I haven't really been around. A certain witch may laugh her head off :p [ it's funny now but wasn't at first] but I was stepping out of the shower and *someone* had left catalogues on the floor [ Mr Nobody, apparently!] and I stood on a particularly glossy one and went a over t and then down like a sack of shit onto the tiled floor. So, I've been hobbling around as I wiped out the major ligaments that run through the hip, my knee and my ankle as well as irritating the crap out of those joints.

I haven't been able to sit for long periods, so I have resorted to lying back in a weird reclining position in order to read everyone's blogs. As well as lurking in google reader practically wishing people to hurry up and give me something to read! dammit! I'm glad I have a wireless mouse as I've been using the bed as a mousepad to scroll as I haven't been able to reach the keyboard LOL

I am supposed to be in bed resting for a couple more days but last night played hookey for an hour and we went to the Bendigo Says Thanks! concert so I could watch the Choirboys play live :-) Diesel, Angry Anderson & Dragon with a new lead singer was also there but by then I'd had enough of balancing on one leg and we left. It was a great event though and free as well! I know a lot of people here really appreciated them putting it on and truly enjoyed the music.

Husband was sent on a mission to buy The Age on Saturday so I could read a particular article which btw, was excellent. Ann, thx for reminding me AND telling me what page number!:-)

Today I was banished back to the weird reclining position by the husband but it's getting better every day. I've been able to sit up for long enough to write this today :-) tomorrow I want to start getting back to work. If there is one thing I really truly hate it's having nothing to do.

Well, that's it, I've run out of steam, see you tomorrow!

RIP Judd Greedy

So tragic, Judd died today after a crash at Symmons Plains Raceway during Rd2 of the Aussie Superbike Championship.

My thoughts are with his family and friends.

His website is at juddgreedy.com.au

ummm...

Oh my, I am so cornfuzzled! Between following, friending and facebooking I am feeling a little terrorised by technology! LOL

Sooo....

If I am not your friend or follower or facebooker and I am s'posed to be [or if you'd like me to be] please do not be offended, you can email me and make jokes at my expense about my memory *grin* Please put dropbears in the subject line to skirt my most excellent spam filter. My email addy is available on my complete profile over there --->

Anyway, the reason I popped in was to say I hope all my blogger/fb/twitter friends in the Big smoke are okay and do I need to send paddles? or vodka? and oy! how about sharing some of the wet stuff? Seriously tho, I hope everyone and everything stayed dry.

Well, I think I've stopped sulking...

My feelings were hurt but now I'm just snarky. Oh well. Has there been a full moon or did the world tip back into the Mercury thing?

Anyway, building a bridge, I have been a busy little bee chained to my desk and slaving away. I just scrapped a whole stack of stuff and consigned it to the currently unloved creation coffin [ or, rusty old trunk in the corner] and am now working on new stuff. But, have to make a flying visit to Spotlight to get some stuff that the art shops don't sell here. Plus, I have to go to Melbourne to get some paint as no one stocks the brand I use here. *sigh*

Daughter has my new phone in Melbourne. So, I think I'll be training down to the big smoke in the near future. Chadstone & Southland and coffeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee and Borders!

The house is a mess and driving me crazy so I've been blitzing a room at a time [ or trying to] The cat won't leave me alone as OH is away until the end of the month and so only has me to provide her entertainment and affection. Oh, and the possum in the roof is providing me with plenty of entertainment in the wee hours.

I feel like I'm living a giant game of tetris with boxes everywhere. Still not sure of what's happening in the next 6 months and honestly... can't be stuffed at the moment to unpack. I feel very disheartened. And pissed off because I missed going to Phillip Island for the World Supers :-( and then because I had to chase and chase to get the last of our deposit back.

Frenzy [son's pet insect] gave birth to thousands of eggs in 2 sacks, all of which were put outside to hatch. I don't mind praying mantis's but not squillions of them in the house.

Painting sold :-)

Anyway, I am off to get some sleep, night all :-)



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Now playing: Yothu Yindi - Dhum Dhum - Bush Wallaby
via FoxyTunes

I'm tired...

I'll be back in a few days.

Regeneration

This is my donation to the Bendigo Fightback Fundraiser for Bendigo and Redesdale bushfire victims. The Auction is being held tonight and you have to be there in order to bid. Pebbles the cat caused me some angst by jumping up my thigh [ouchy puncture marks!] and onto the wet size, so I turned it into a mixed media artwork which I actually quite enjoyed, so will do more!

A3 Arches 300gsm Hot Press with 23ct gold, gouache, watercolour and ink.

The text is latin from Carmina Minora of Claudian, which translated into english says :
"Thou who art about to leave thy years behind upon yon pyre, who, by this pretence of death, art destined to rediscover life; thou whose decease means but the renewal of existence and who by self-destruction regainest thy lost youth, receive back thy life, quit the body that must die, and by a change of form come forth more beauteous than ever"

The images are based on various manuscript images all around the same time period based on the story of the Phoenix rising [Aberdeen Bestiary 1200 & Der naturen bloeme 1350] and the tree of Jesse from the Lambeth bible [abt 1140]

Still around...

Looming Deadline...so in busy mode :-)

Have taken in progress shots and will put them up tomorrow some time. When I unearth my camera from it's hiding place in the pile.

Valentine's Day

So some of you will remember the great exploding drafting/artist table that I had and ended up having to get rid of after one too many times of being covered in exploding glass and paint.

Well, for Valentines Day my husband bought me a brand new one :-) [ <--- insert VERY LARGE grin] and it even has wheels *g*

and a Care Bear :-)

I'm not going to be able to get to Phillip Island for World Superbikes this year. Bit sad as I haven't missed any races since 2003 but it's for a good reason so I keep telling myself to suck it up buttercup!

So, back to the drawing board :-) catchya's all tomorrow

Helping Hands...

One of my blogger friends is a Melbourne artist, she has an ebay auction of one of her gorgeous artworks with all proceeds to go to the Bushfire Victims.

You can find the auction at Ebay

I have one of her paintings and you can also visit her blog

Daniel Sanger has also donated an artwork to be sold to benefit Bushfire Victims, you can find it here

Don't forget to visit the Toy Society for donations of handmade toys.

Fun4Paws are also looking for foster carers for dogs whose owners are homeless from the bushfires, if you can help please contact
Luke - 0415 104 044 contact@fun4paws.com.au
Lynne - 0428 844 810 or
lynne@fun4paws.com.au

and visit the linked image below to buy handamde items donated to raise money for bushfire victims.

Helping Bushfire Victims

If you want to help, here are some ways...

Humans:
-Donate Blood - There are a lot of burn victims who need blood. Contact your nearest Red Cross Blood Bank Ph 131 495
-Donate money to the Red Cross or Salvation Army Bushfire Appeals.
-Donate Clothes, blankets, towels etc can also be donated to Fire Victim Appeals through the Salvation Army and the Red Cross. [they are asking for money rather than actual items now, if you can't afford money & still looking to help, please consider donating blood instead]

- Donations to the Victorian Bushfire Relief Fund can be made at any National Australia Bank. BSB: 082 001 - Account: 860 046 797


Animals/Wildlife:
- You can donate at Wildlife Victoria or WIRES or Help for Wildlife
- Possum Pouches/Joey Pouches - you can either sew or knit* them. There is a downloadable pdf pattern on this page at Long Grass Nature Refuges Blog contact your local WIRES or Wildlife rescue shelter to donate these items.

* pure wool not manmade fibres.

They also need clean old sheets and towels etc but please contact your local wildlife rescue shelter to find out further info on what they need.

ABC Melbourne also have a How can I help messageboard to offer help and to find ways that you can help. There are links to various aid agency appeals and also ways to offer help for wildlife, small animals and agistment to help out fire affected animals.

Pip from Meet Me at Mikes has a lot of info & links for people who are crafty or would like to join the auctions the craft community members are starting. Pip is also accepting any handmade donations you want to make.

The Toy Society is also collecting handmade toys to be distributed to the children impacted by the fires.

Bushfires in the news...

We're all fine, the bushfires are a couple of kilometres away from us and luckily for us the wind did not fan it this way. Although our resident firebugs favourite spot just up the road was checked on several times by the Emergency Service vehicles.

Sadly, 50 homes are apparently gone here in Bendigo along with the Spotlight store, Clark Rubber and a Motorbike shop that was next to them. Also, a primary school at California Gully and a badminton/leisure centre and one of the local pubs :-( Edited : From what I can gather without going to look, these structures are still standing but have been smoke/water damaged. They believe the fire was started by someone throwing a lit cigarette butt from a vehicle :-(

As the area the fire went through has a lot of natural bushland many native animals will also be injured or dead. Apparently there have been humans injured here as well. I don't know for sure how this fire started but I hope it wasn't lit deliberately.

Hubby wasn't home until late tonight and so I was a bit worried when the sky was full of dust and smoke from the fires and I couldn't work out exactly how far away they were. The house we are in atm is surrounded by bush and grass so it would not have taken much for it to get going. Kids and cats in the car and I would have been off. [ I'm not a panicky person but don't know the area well enough yet to judge the level of danger]

I'm used to cyclones and flooding. It's much worse with bushfires because at least you get warning with cyclones and floods, bushfires come from nowhere and take you by surprise.

I'm feeling sad tonight for all the people who lost their lives and their families and loved one's, along with all the devastation of losing homes and businesses especially with the economic climate.

Other area's have also been hit hard, some worse than here with a greater loss of life :-(

Hugs everyone. Stay safe. Send thanks & grateful vibes to those who are standing guard all night to protect us.

rewind...

I did have a post written but it was too sookylala to post. So...

I've become addicted to Vampire Wars on Facebook, obviously a stress release.
I've done backgrounds ready to put something on, what I have no clue... I'm stuck in my own head and can't get it out at the moment.

I think I've developed cabin fever today after cowering inside from the heat for a week. The only time I've left the house was to go get loo paper and icy poles. I thought about making homemade ice cream but it was too hot to go to that much effort, so it's on a later list :-)

I read 2 Ruth Rendell novels and about to start my 3rd.

I really, really need to clean my workroom, it looks like a cyclone came through.

I can't draw in straight lines so Mr Matte Cutter is going to have to matte yet another of my artworks to hide that fact *g*

I can't cut the mattes myself as I tend to then require stitches and although it's trendy to include DNA as part of the authentication process, I don't think blood splashes give quite the effect I was aiming for!

I am thinking of going back to Uni and doing a 1 year Grad Diploma and teaching. Can't decide if I want to do that or not. On one hand, no I'd rather remain as I am but on the other, we bought a house. Or, I could always go back to Banking. or not.

And on that note, I am going to bed. I just bored myself to sleep! LOL

Hazy days...

Eek. 7.30pm and the temp is only just starting to go down again. It's still 40.5C [ it deserves a big C when it's this bloody hot!] I drove down to IGA today and think I seared my fingertips off on the steering wheel after going 2 metres.

We have a HUGE spider on the front door window strip and of course we get a power person rock up to ensure I know how much his company can save me.

It doesn't seem to register that I say No politely, they just keep yammering their spiel. BUT. heh. the spider freaked him out and he left rapidly after I pointed it out and expressed concern that it may jump on him *grin*

I may keep my friend the spider for a bit longer! Well, as long as the door snake keeps him outside anyway :-)

Hopefully we'll have the keys to our house this week, it's such a pita living out of boxes again.

Knitting in summer...

Have had a crappy week, hopefully will pick up. OH is looking for a job again. I'm waiting to open my shop online as they are changing the site so as soon as I have a url, you will all know. So as I don't have worry beads, I made this, my very first beanie and scarf! I found this gorgeous soft and light pink wool, perfect for my friends granddaughter. And as an added bonus, they fit! LOL

In the picture you can see my desk disaster and my model's head is sitting on an image I've just started LOL



and then I made my own knitting looms as I couldn't find smaller one's. Yes, I know it's wonky in this pic, I did fix it!



And now I've started making myself a shawl for winter and cut out some more kreepikats.

I hope all my friends here cope with the heatwave okay, I will go sit in the freezer if I have to!

The CFA are emergency vehicles

To the knob at the Beechworth Bakery Bendigo intersection this afternoon...
You ARE REQUIRED by LAW to give way to an emergency vehicle with lights and sirens going. Just because YOU think the CFA are not emergency vehicles does not make it so. I'm sure your business was much more important than theirs. You are lucky that you chose to gob off through your car window as plenty of people who were stoppped were ready to thump you.

I hope it was your freaking house that burnt down you pompous twat.

A thing of Beauty

Here is the brooch CopperWitch gave me, isn't it gorgeous! This is it's first outing out of it's packaging as I am scared of knocking coffee all over it. Now that I've taken that first step I shall carefully place it with my fave jewels and wear it with the 2 jackets I have not yet worn as I had nothing suitable wear with them. Wonder how she knew I needed something? I so wish I could embroider like this...




Now, after my lovely day out yesterday I have been inspired so need to get back to madly flinging paint and gold around :-)



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Now playing: Elton John - Cold As Christmas (In The Middle Of The Year)
via FoxyTunes

Fabulous Fashionista's & Fella's I got to meet...

What a great way to spend a Sunday. Meeting Fabulous Fashionista's and Fella's and also viewing Fantastic Frocks!

If you are ever invited to a blog meet with the wonderful bloggers of Melbourne, I highly recommend you go,go,go as fast as you can.

I do admit to being terrified about meeting in real life people whose lives I follow by written word and emoticons. They are all warm, funny and wonderful people who I am glad to have met and hope I am invited to the next blog meet. It was as exciting as meeting royalty so I am sure I blathered and bounced like a puppy.

The frocks, shoes and hats were marvelous to look at and one of us who shall remain nameless even flashed the Queen's dress. I was carefully studying the beading of the dress at the time however I did have enough cash to bail her out if required :-) I had a wonderfully knowledgeable tour guide in the form of Copperwitch which made it an interesting and entertaining trip around the gallery.

Copperwitch gave me the most beautiful embroidered brooch on a cushion. Very detailed, delicate and gorgeous, it reminds me a of a cameo but with flower embroidery rather than a face. Lovely :-)

I should also mention that if you plan on visiting the Fashion exhibition here to please book the cafe ahead of time as it's not run the way the majority of cafe's are. More a reserve a bloody seat 6 months in advance if you want coffee type of place. I've never had to reserve a table just to get a coffee before. Very odd. If not for the frocks, I would have suggested we all nick off to Beechworth Bakery. There are also no picnic tables or benches, so bring a blanket [ I forgot ours *sigh*] but it was quite nice chasing the patch of shade around under the tree.

I'm off to go out for dinner with Feminoz and her kids with all of ours. We're showing her the fine dining area here, which is to say, they have airconditioning set to snow *g*

Thanks to all of you, I loved meeting everyone and had a great time.

summer daze

sorry, it's been very hot and my brain has turned to mush. Right now at 6.46pm it is still over 40C and I am melting.

Ice cream for dinner sounds wonderful.

An Engagement...

We hopped the freeway yesterday and zoomed down to Melbourne for the engagement party. Had a good time, ate too much and then we came home again.

One of my friends was being chatted up by one of the young guys, was so funny. I stood there and listened and tried not to laugh. heh. She was being so polite. I was tempted to stand behind him and make faces at her and had to walk away so I didn't do rabbit ears. So childish I know.

We had a windy incident and the Bride2bee ended up wearing a red vodka cruiser all down her back with some potato salad and pav trying to join the vodka party.

The boys played cricket, Son showed his genetics and held the bat like a baseball bat and swung madly at the air. His mate made a good stand at the wickets and then was clean bowled by a drunk bowler *g* The boys were great though and took it all in good humour and didn't seem fazed they were playing cricket with a bunch of drunks!

And noone managed to get locked into the auto loo's. So all in all a good day.

Lots of photo's were taken and if I can pry the camera off the other daughter, I'll put some up later.

Should have the keys some time this week to the house. I want to clean and bug spray before we start the move. But want to start the move NOW. LOL

Hope everyone is having a good weekend, I'm off to gesso some more boards and sand the others down.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year, I hope everyone has a safe and happy night/day.

Don't do anything I wouldn't *g*

Hugs




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Now playing: Kerosene - Art of Survival
via FoxyTunes

I've never seen one of these before...

This is the stove in our house. It's not painted so must have been that way from the Manufacturer. It reminds me of those saucepan sets in the 70's, you know, the lime green and the burnt orange one's. Talk about retro! This may or may not have been the deciding factor for us to buy the house *g*







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Now playing: Adam Thompson - Once Upon A Dream
via FoxyTunes

What a weird thing to happen...

Last night I ate a packet of plain potato chips [ you know those small multipack one's] and ended up in the Emergency Dept until 5'ish am this morning. Allergic reaction, my throat and face started swelling and I couldn't swallow properly. I also had a rash which wasn't all hives but made me look like I was sunburned. But was really bloody itchy!

So, off we trotted and amazingly there was nobody else in the waiting room, so they saw me pretty quickly and gave me some drugs to stop it. Because I have so many drug allergies anyway, they gave it to me by an IV port so they could reverse it if I got worse. I'm a pain for needles anyway, they always have to use butterfly one's. Oh ok, KID size! LOL

The Nurses and Doctors were all fantastic and kept coming to make sure I was okay. Definitely changed since the last Emergency visit I had years ago :-] Altho, that could be because it was a different State and Hospital!

I went to sleep [ phenergan always knocks me out] until they told me I could go home but Poor old hubby had to sit there and read back issues of Woman's Day LOL

So, swelling is mostly gone, I'm still a little itchy but it's bearable.

Potato chips are now banned in our house.

While we were at the hospital the kids rang to tell us that there were 2 huge spiders outside the front door... they were gone by the time we got home :-)[ the spiders, not the kids]

And so this is Christmas...

Well, that's done and dusted for the year! Now we start the birthday loop.

Christmas eve the local CFA came around with sirens and lights handing out bags of lollies for the kids. Was great fun.

D2 got me a ticket to see P!nk in concert in June in a pink card in a pink handbag wrapped in pink paper, along with a P!nk cd. Still picking my jaw up off the floor. I also got a dvd player/boombox cos hubby is sick of me pinching his portable dvd player LOL So son will inherit my cd/dvd stereo, he's happy too LOL

Son got PS Guitar Hero and a fishing rod set as well as a beach towel amongst other loot. I'm sick of hearing Barracuda already! hehehe.


Youngest Daughter got an electric guitar [ she already has an amp] and a handmade [ not by me] spiderweb gothy necklace. D3 & D2 got manicure/pedicure machiney things as well. I also found D2 the perfect gift, a chocolate stiletto shoe in a pink bag ROFL So they were all happy with what they got, so we didn't have to go back to exchange anything. Phew.

Hubby is getting a portable spa but has to pick the one he wants, so he got a gift card for it.

I made WAY too much Potato Salad and Choc Ripple cake, but Oh well. D3 made gingerbread men at 2am Christmas morning and decorated them. She even iced names for each person! LOL

The cellophane on each plate is Reindeer and Snowman poo from Santa [he ran out of coal] bags that I made for everyone :-) So funny seeing their faces! Of course, it was Cadbury's Christmas Balls and Smarties.

So now we have the rest of the school holidays to find stuff to do. Son wants to make cupcakes, go fishing and I've been checking out the fossicking in the State forest info. His mate is coming up for a week as well, so they should be kept entertained.

Then we have the engagement party and the moving into the house and the blogmeet up here as well. It's going to be a great month!

Oh, for the crafty peeps who love op shopping, the local Vinnies here is moving over the road into the old furniture shop, so will have tonnes more stuff. Plus, right next door to the Art shop on High St is an Op Shop but not sure what it's name is yet, will find out next week when I go back in. Think it might be a Brotherhood one. It had a lot of vintage fabrics, wool etc and was really cheap. If you want the exact addy, just give me a yell.



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Now playing: P!nk - So What
via FoxyTunes

MIL update

MIL's retina has not detached yet. It's something to do with the jelly [?????] in her eye. She has to take it easy *snort* and if it gets worse she has to go straight back up to the hospital.

Anyone wanna take bets it gets worse during Christmas lunch? [no, I'm not having a go at her, it's just knowing our family crap happens just at the wrong time LOL]

Well, our christmas is about to start, so I hope everyone has a lovely day and eats, drinks and be merry. See you on the other side :-)



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Now playing: Glenn Bidmead - Breathing Slowly
via FoxyTunes

Merry Christmas

Due to family commitments on Christmas Day and travel time, we have our Christmas at home with the kids on Christmas Eve. Soooo... I hope you have a wonderful happy day filled with laughter and memories to hold.
Love from me :-)

Christmas Animations provided by MUDTRAP.COM

Random Ramblings

I'm feeling very random today. Don't know why, probably just tired.
Wrapped everything to within an inch of it's life, all of a sudden the 13 yr old has decided to be inquisitive [ gah, I hope that's bloody spelt right.] and I even told the 19 yr old not to shake or feel up the presents [ Hi chicklet, I know you're reading cos I am not up that late at night :-) ]

Tonight I'm making the first log for our Christmas tomorrow if it happens, if not I have a lot of choc ripple biscuits in the pantry. Oh well.

MIL has just gone to the hospital as her retina is detaching. Don't know how bad yet, we are waiting to find out. So, we may be down in Melbourne tomorrow as well. Waiting to find out tonight what is happening.

Still working on stuff, got some more barbies and am pondering their fate.

playing with barbies

altered art dolls in progress. While they are drying I've made a face mould and glued it to a canvas, not sure why yet, but it'll come to me :-)

vanilla soap

making vanilla soap [rebatching] yes, that's a wooden ruler. I couldn't find my wooden spoon.

lazing about

I fell arse over teakettle in the street yesterday after coming out of the Art shop. The strap broke on my shoe and I ended up with a twisted knee [yes, of course, the bloody bad one!] and a sprained ankle and landed on the bones I'd broken in my foot years ago.

Guess what I'd just bought? LOL plaster cloth! Hubby said I was being prepared. groan.

So, came home with packets of frozen peas hanging off me like I was an installation piece. LOL
While lying abed diligently following the RICE procedure I tried to watch Dark Knight but kept falling asleep because of the painkillers. So now I've put my sleep pattern even more out of whack and STILL haven't seen the whole movie. I feel hungover today and I didn't even have the fun of getting that way as I couldn't go to the Christmas party *pout*

I disassembled Barbie dolls instead and cut their hair off. heeeheee. Then I wrapped them with the plaster cloth to use as a base to make them into art dolls. I did take pics but the camera batteries are flat, so will out them up later. As soon as they're dry I'll sand and gesso them.

I made some vanilla rebatched soap the other day, so just have to cut it up and put into organza bags with some pretty bows and voila a couple of Chrissie presents are finished. Everything else I'm putting in the mail tomorrow. And then I am done except for the cooking part.

I have to make 2 lots of my potato salad and 4 chocolate ripple logs on Tuesday, so will try Copperwitch's freezing idea for the logs, that way they won't go all ick on the way to the Outlaws on Thursday. Probably have to go buy more flakes to crumble on top by then though *g*

Christmas eve the future bride'n'groom arrive, so after the local Firies do their Merry Christmas lolly run we'll have dinner then presents.

Oh, I changed my mind about etsy atm and am running with a shop at madeit.com.au

Hope you're having agoodweegend!

mmmmm, what are you cooking?

says hubby and son. It smells yummy.
Pudding guessed the son.
Cake guessed the husband.

Daughter had a giggle which made the camera a shake as she was taking process pics.

says I. Neither. Vanilla Soap.

Oh. says both. ROFLMAO


I am SO mean!

In other news someone who saw stuff I've made has encouraged me to sell them. and given me a price range. So, I be opening my own Etsy store *g* with a range of necklaces and bracelets. Plus, I'll be putting original art and prints up there as well as at Art Wanted.

and she's off like the energiser bunny....

We bought a house today :-) I'm still freaking out that OMG!!!! We bought a house. We have to stay here now LOL

Boing, Boing, Boing.....

grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

I am having such a spectacularly crappy day that even my Pollyanna tendencies have run away and hidden from the cranky headspinning witch side of me.

Tomorrow is another day as they say, so perhaps I will be back with some happy news and some art stuff.

"I am the last dragon!" - Draco [Dragonheart]

I was going to tell you all what the kidlets are getting for Christmas, but the youngest daughter has been reading my blog. So, I won't now. hehehehehehe

Although, perhaps I should put my list up? :-) A new book is out by one of my favourite authors.... hint hint.

What I can tell you is the future SIL was nicknamed Mario by youngest, so I've found a vintage tie with Mario on it, so that's what he's getting :-) Brand new & wasn't exxxy either, so that's always a good thing. I might make him a matching pair of cufflinks in polymer clay. All the nieces are getting a necklace and so are my sister and Mum.

Headache has been lurking all day and I had to drive the brontosaurus today as my car's harmonic balancer [ heh. maybe that's what I need fixed too] is still being fixed. I have to take a break from the necklace making and so I am going to work on paintings for a couple of days.


I'm off to bed as I've taken a painkiller and I keep making data mistakes. 'Nite Owls

Happy Dance!

I knew yesterday was not going to be a good day when I woke up at 5am with a beginning migraine. It got worse when the harmonic balancer in my car decided to croak it. Good thing I married a mechanic :-)anyway the day just went south even more, so I went to bed early with painkillers and snored the night away.

This morning hubby checked the PO box and look what Anne sent me :-) [insert happy dancing here]

So pretty! and perfect [ Wonder how she knew about my addiction to diaries? hmmm...] Check out the card on the right, it's an illuminated manuscript :-) and she wrapped it beautifully as well, with a vintage Santa image as well! Thank you so much Anne, so lovely and it's really appreciated *biggrin*

Last day of school....

We had a huge fire here today, the beautiful old church on High St burnt down :-( so of course, D3 wanted photo's. I think I'm still trying to get the smoke out of my lungs.

I finished the necklace for the little gothy one. I think she'll like it, it's too dark to take a pic cos OI forgot earlier, so will whack one up tomorrow.

I made some cold porcelain clay today and used some moulds to make faces, then decided to test the hands/feet moulds. I'm making some art dolls for the girls for Christmas, so just need to wait til tomorrow for them to dry, then paint and glue them on.

creepy looking things....






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Now playing: ADELE - Chasing Pavements
via FoxyTunes

Hey big spender.....

I've been spending my share of the money the Govt handed out today. Haven't got it, but I'm still spending it LOL

Apart from the boring bills, I bought some items from my favourite jewellery supply place, got my mitts on some cool fabric pieces to make some art dolls with and bought some beads and spacers as well. Oh, and I also bought some Art supplies from my favourite Art shop in Melbourne. Never left the laptop either!

As I was so tired after all that contributing to the Big Spend of 2008, I hoofed it down to the bakery and had coffee and a vanilla slice. Yum.

Daughter2 is getting married :-) so she rang me and spent an hour on the phone telling me about the dress she's picked and having an engagement party in january. Plus, the church and how to have a reception for 80 on a shoestring, plus we're not really into big flashy things that cost a house and your firstborn.

I suggested champagne and chicken brunch, which is what we had. She works at Safeway, so she shouldn't have any drama's getting chooks and champers on special, plus she'd get staff discount. And, apparently I have to make my potato salad for them all. Uhoh.

Then it was back to my mad photoshopping skillz to make some artwork look like artwork instead of a flat biscuit. You'd think someone who'd done photography 4 times would be able to take a photo, but no. D3 did not get her talent for photography from her mother :-)

In amongst all that, we got news that our granddaughter is now living with her Dad and brothers fulltime. Eldest will still have access the same as with the boys. I'm sad but relieved. I'd hoped she'd get her act back together.

Anyway, am exhausted, so I'm off to sleep.



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Now playing: Darren Hayes - The Wrong Way
via FoxyTunes

bits'n'bobs

This is part of what I have been up to. I've finished designing and printing Swing tags and Business cards as well, the new website will go live this week once I've finished it completely. I also have some other things I've been playing around with, so will whack the pics up sometime tomorrow.

 

wow....

I didn't think anyone visited this blog apart from one or two gluttons for punishment.
I just signed up to blogfrog and blimey! a lot of you do... better lift my game and get some real stuff happening here. but, thanks :-) to all of you who do read, I'm very grateful.

Oh and yes, I have been blogging for 5 years. Scary. Lots of drafts hidden away though!

Anyone want to help me clean black printer ink off my desk, hands and face? A brand new official brand replacement cartridge exploded all over me today when I was printing off some business cards and swing tags. GAH!

Back later.

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Now playing: Jon Bon Jovi - Dyin' Aint Much Of A Livin'
via FoxyTunes

lurking

Sorry, been very very busy!

and today I have spent sorting out the bulk freshwater beads I ordered and they mixed all the colours together *sigh*

And now I am longing for chocolate ripple log cake. with flake sprinkled on top.