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.