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.