Melissa's Treasures

Capturing Beauty

2012-01-27T17:31:00.000+11:00

When you are landlocked at home it is nice being able to find natural beauty in ones own backyard. Even if it is just the little things. Such as a neighbour's jasmine growing through the fence, an aging cobweb decorated plant, sunlight filtering through the leaves and branches of a dense tree, or my font development using dry, fallen leaves.
I have been having fun playing with my camera manual settings. Some of my favourite settings are monochrome and tungsten lighting. There is a classiness when shooting in black and white. And of course, I like tungsten lighting for it's 'unreal' colour quality - strange and wonderful things happen to my photos.

Tutorial - Yarn Doll

2012-01-27T11:00:00.001+11:00

Today's tutorial is all about doll making - old school. When I was a little girl I was briefly in the Brownies. My most favourite part of being in Brownies was the craft sessions. I probably would have stayed in Brownies if that was all we did. One thing I remember making was a yarn doll. And I decided to recreate this doll, loosely based on my recollections of this childhood project.

What will you need?

Yarn
Book
Scissors
Glue
Scrap felt

1. Tie yarn around a book and continue winding 100 times.

2. After 100 winds tie the yarn up near one end of the book,
with a spare piece of yarn, pulling it tight.

3. Slide the yarn off the book and tie another piece of yarn a little
further down from the first tie. This makes the head of the doll.

4. Cut the looping yarn on the lower edge.

5. Separate the hanging yarn into three sections. The side pieces must be
thinner than the middle because these will be the arms.

6. Plait one of the side sections and tie off the end with a spare piece of yarn.

7. Plait the second arm, tie off, as per step 6.
Trim the edges [hands] to make them neat and tidy.

8. Tie a spare piece of yarn a bit further down from the arms.
This creates a waist for body.

9. Just as was done with the arms we now plait legs. To do so
split the remainder yarn in two and begin plaiting one half,
and tie off the end with a spare piece of yarn.

10. Repeat step 9 with the second leg, by plaiting and tying it
off at the end.

11. Trim the ends of the legs to make neat and tidy feet.

12. As a final measure cut out and glue mouth and eyes onto the face.
You can use some scrap felt to make the facial features.

Love Cabin Available

2012-01-26T08:41:00.002+11:00

I have some lovely news for you. My Love Cabin art is for sale at my Red Bubble shop. It is available as a card, print and poster. You know, I was just thinking it would make a sweet Valentines Day card.

Simply follow this link to reach the Love Cabin.

Birdie Rainbows

2012-01-24T11:24:00.000+11:00

It is such a blessing to have rainbow lorikeets living in the area. There is even a small handful that like to hang out in the tree that grows over my property. I would like to do more to attract these birds into my yard. Perhaps I could buy some parrot food on the next shopping trip.

The Cat Waits

2012-01-22T21:17:00.000+11:00

The cat waits and wishes the birds beyond would befriend her.

Piper is an unusual cat. She doesn't much like the company of other cats. Her one animal friend had once been a dog, named Honey. They used to play together a lot. I wonder if Piper ever thinks about Honey. Does she miss her?

Just a Lil' Something

2012-01-22T19:21:00.000+11:00

I am blog tired, but I thought I would share just a little photographic something...

Short Thought

2012-01-18T15:31:00.001+11:00

Can you imagine how happy Andy Warhol would have been if Photoshop had been around in his day? Or Lucy Maude Montgomery! What if she had a laptop at her disposal in her day? These things that we take for granted today would have utterly rocked their worlds. Ponder that.

I often feel that pidgeons sound French when they cooing.

Can You Spot The Difference?

2012-01-16T15:33:00.000+11:00

It Is Too Warm

2012-01-16T14:39:00.001+11:00

... to do anything. So says The Cat...

... and quite honestly, I second that emotion.
I guess the fake winter we just had in summer has done it's dash.

Something to Sew

2012-01-16T12:58:00.002+11:00

Last night I whipped out the sewing machine. In about fifteen minutes and with no pattern, I made a pouch for my husband's ipod. I used two felt pieces in contrasting colours. The pieces were folded down then machine stitched with an edge stitched effect. The finishing touch were some velcro to seal the pouch closed.

I love the small projects that can be done in a matter of minutes. Don't you?

State and Main

2012-01-16T09:14:00.000+11:00

    State and Main is a wonderful film created by David Mamet. It has many memorable scenes and great lines. The film addresses a situation when Hollywood film makers invade a sleepy, country American town. The results of this occupation makes for clever humour.
    One of my favourite moments is when the lead female actress, Claire [sometimes referred to as The Broad by the film crew], tries and fails to articulate her thoughts when she is upset, "Don't- Don't-Because I want to tell you something and I think you know what I mean."
    I think I do know what she is trying to say.

Growing Granny

2012-01-15T20:51:00.000+11:00

I am now at the 25 mark. 25 granny squares, that is. I am rather enjoying this project now that I am confident enough to not have to refer to instructions as I produce each square. If not too under the pump with other things I can manage to do one square per day.
The past week has been busy and my goodness, it sure has gone quickly. One of my activites included sewing a birthday dress for my eldest daughter. She loves, loves, loves Alice in Wonderland. So, naturally enough I sewed the blue dress and matching apron, which she will wear to her own birthday tea party.

And now I say adieu. I am sleepy and want to watch the fifth Harry Potter film I picked up today, before going to bed.

Pink Sparkly Perfection

2012-01-13T17:36:00.001+11:00

I am totally a sucker for the colour pink... as is my eldest daughter.

Out My Front Door

2012-01-10T19:47:00.003+11:00

The Bright, Bright Moon

2012-01-09T13:38:00.001+11:00

Quite early in the morning [or late in the night, depending how you view it] the moon shone bright, bright, brightly. The moon is like a sideview mirror for the sun and last night it got the full impact of the sun's light. Even the clouds above were illuminated by the light. It was incredible.
It was about 4.30 AM that I took this photo. Perhaps tonight, if the conditions are the same I'll take more photos of the moon. Only this time I'll fiddle with the manual settings.

Happy Trails and Pizza Tonight

2012-01-08T16:57:00.001+11:00

Yesterday my familywent for an excursion in the car. We drove to the other side of the city, all the way to Clifton Hill to buy a trailer to attach to the bicycle. Now that we have gotten rid of The Suzi, me and the girls will need an alternative mode of transportation.

The bike shop was an impressive set up. With long, long rows of bikes lining up, leaning, and dangling, plus an incomprehensible selection of accessories, as well as a repairs department all the way down the back. Customers flowed in and out of the shop every five minutes, often with a bike. The front entrance to the shop included a small wood staircase. A thin wood ramp had been built into the side of the stairs making it easier for people to enter and leave with a bicycle in tow. I could tell some of the people had ridden their bicycles to the shop. Though when we arrived, a customer towered over a sales person who was knelt and making adjustments to a bicycle, and he was dressed in a tailored corporate suit – I guess work doesn’t stop for people like that. Not even for a Saturday. An indie radio station played throughout the shop. I didn’t recognise it, but it was easy listening. Was I hearing the sound of jazz? I think the shop had once been a factory. It was made of brick and I could sense the ghosts of an old industrial age.

The trailer was packed into the car and being that it was way past noon we circled about looking for an eatery. We found a fancy café called Degani Café Bakery. Michael and I each ate the Degani beef burger – grilled, not fried. I ordered for Gwen fish ‘n’ chips and a chocolate milk shake. They gave her chicken nuggets, chips and a chocolate milkshake in a tall sundae glass. Gwen couldn’t finish her milkshake so I made sure to help her. Her drink was so tall Gwen had to kneel on her chair to reach the straw.

After everyone had something eat and drink [even Keira had her formula bottle] we drove onward and away from the city. It was time to meet some old friends, whom we had not seen in three years. Gwen loved playing at Rosemary and Walter’s home. Especially in the wilderness that is their yard. What with all the rains we have been having since the end of the drought the yard is thick with plants, grass and trees. The flora is an overflowing waterfall of green. It was fantastic. Gwen calls it a jungle where cheeky monkeys live. I call it a secret garden.

I am sitting outside again. It is late afternoon. It is summer and yet I am comfortable. There is a breeze and just a little sun filters through the massive tree that grows on the property next door. Michael is indoors with Gwen. And Keira is napping. My baby strawberry plants are growing okayish. I can see them from here. I am thinking of making cuttings from the gardenia so I can plant more throughout the yard. My underarms are itching. I have a rash from picking the weeds out of the front garden. At moments like this I feel like I could write into infinity. We are having pizza for dinner tonight. That’ll make everyone happy.

I have discovered that, like a monkey, Gwen can climb up her bunk all the way to the very top. Once I caught her, sitting and playing on the top, I brought her down. I then asked her to show Michael and I how she did it, so that we could know what Gwen is capable of. Sure enough she was using the safety bars to step and pull herself up. I was surprised by the strength in her limbs and just how quickly she could scale the bunk. Michael has suggested we remove the safety barriers so that she cannot use them to climb.

Friday Round Up

2012-01-06T15:40:00.001+11:00

So, so tired today. Either I need a little extra sleep or a shot of caffeine. Considering my non-existent options I'll take some caffeine. So what has been happening?

I am working on a granny square blanket.
I have begun making my daughter an Alice in Wonderland dress for her third birthday. Which means working on it at night time when she is fast asleep.
Taking photos.
Reading the Trueblood omnibus by Charlaine Harris.
Writing a little.
I am staring at a basket of washing willing it with my eyes to be folded. Unfortunately I have not yet mastered any Jedi tricks.
Baked and then ate whoopie pies. So easy to bake. Too easy to demolish in one sitting.
Having poetic thoughts at 3 in the morning when I am feeding the baby. Then trying to remember those amazing literate feats. Now what was that line???
Finding summer time salvation with Dr Who repeats.

Look what I can do with my camera.
The shutter speed was slow and I quickly moved the lens inward,
thus creating this startling effect.

My eldest daughter - hamming it up.

Mudpies & Pat-a-Cakes

2012-01-06T14:54:00.001+11:00

    When you think of mudpies your mind is immediately drawn back to happy childhood days filled with fun and imagination. Well, that is what happens when I see the cakes that are made by a Victorian based specialist cake maker "Mudpies and Pat-a-Cakes". I swear these cakes look so delicious that you feel compelled to organise an Un-Birthday just for an excuse to eat one of these cakes.
    "Mudpies and Pat-a-Cakes" will cater to a wide variety of functions from private to corporate, birthday to wedding, or whatever your theme is. Plus this cake maker will go to especial detail to create the cake of your dreams..
    If you are living in Melbourne and are wanting an extra special cake for that extra special person in your life I highly recommend you check this cake maker out. You can visit their website at www.mudpiecakes.com.au .
    Following are some incredible examples of the cake art coming from "Mudpies and Pat-a-Cakes". Now go on, make yourself a cup of tea, check them out at the above website and plan your next party around one of these cakes.

So who's up for a bit of cake?

The Font That Loved Me

2012-01-04T15:14:00.000+11:00

I have discovered a font that has made me rather happy. It is called Fang Song. How it got this name I cannot fathom. Mind you I often question how many fonts got their titles, such as Wingdings or even Narkisim.
Recently I decided to make a change to Georgia. I liked how it sounded, rolling around in my head. I liked how it looked, spilling across the page. But now that I have noticed Fang Song I could be typing to a different tune. Other fonts that make me very happy include Caslon Antique and American Typewriter. And it is a bother to me that I do not have these fonts in my laptop. I'll have to do something about that.

A font to love.

And another.

    You know what I would just love to do? To create a font based on my own handwriting. Perhaps it is something to look into. I can add it to my list of 'must dos' for 2012.
..................................
    Aaaaaagh!....... [speechless]............. [back soon].........
    ...It is lovely sitting outside in a beach chair with a breeze sweeping through the trees above and a little summer light pushing through the gaps. You are comfortable. It is quiet. You are typing and the words are flowing... Then some bastard bird craps on you and the laptop. That's just really lovely.

A Summer Bouquet

2012-01-04T12:51:00.001+11:00

As summer days go today isn't too bad. We are sitting at a comfortable temperature [a maximum 24° celcius], much thanks to the post storm breeze.
And I am just loving the flowers in my garden.

Fourteen

2012-01-03T17:55:00.000+11:00

    Today was a busy day of organising. Although to look at the state of my living room one would question that first statement.
    Seriously though, I was busy making telephone calls and preparing to say goodbye to my car of a solid fourteen years. Can you believe that? The Suzi has been with me for such a long time and has carted me and my crap around like a good little work horse.
    But 'as all good things' [and you know the rest] it was time to part ways with the little red car.
    I gave the car a little pat, and said goodbye to my red metallic steed, as the car removalist laughed at my last gesture. I mentally thanked it for all the kilometers it clocked, the flat tires it endured, the people it taxied, the places it took me, for being the second home that it was, getting me through that one truly bad flood [yeah, I really shouldn't have done that, but she survived because that's what she does].
    And so it is an end to an era for me and The Suzi. And I did consider taking one last photo before she went, but quickly changed my mind. I didn't want to remember how she looked in the end. I just wanted to remember what the car did for me.

    On a totally unrelated topic here is a photo of Piper, the cat, finding her own way to deal with the hot day... Silly cat!

New Years Eve Part II

2012-01-02T17:29:00.001+11:00

I thought I'd share a few more special photos from my Saturday photoshoot in the city...

The Watch Word Is Resolve

2012-01-02T16:26:00.001+11:00

    When I was a teenager I wrote New Year resolutions that were almost a page long. I recall once having as many as 24 resolutions on my list. That was at least fifteen years ago and I have since given up on resolutions because they got me absolutely nowhere.
    But then each New Year season rolls around and like anybody else I like to think of the happy possibilities for the year to come. So despite the fact that New Year resolutions rub me the wrong way. I do like the word 'resolve'. It is strong and empowering and really should have nothing to do with the New Year. Resolve! Resolute!
    So here are some of the things I am resolved to do:

Crochet a granny square blanket for my husband.
Work toward an even healthier eating plan and reduce some excess body fat.
Visit the roller skating rink once a month.
Do a little bit of photography and writing each day.

Other things I may or may not do:

Learn to speak French.

My granny square project is coming along.

Happy New Year and All That

2012-01-01T22:08:00.000+11:00

    Yesterday, being 2011 in all it's finite finality, was spent in the city hours before anyone turned up to party into the new year. I spent the day with my Dad and a friend, taking photos. We got to a golden opportunity to take the photos from the top of a tall, tall building.
    The city becomes a totally new and unfamiliar environment from a high rise perspective. Who would think to find a residential swimming pool at the top of one of the city buildings. Though I cannot imagine actually using it when the pool is surrounded by all these corporate buildings. I mean, hello! Where is the privacy?
    Here are a few select photos from the photo session and the day in general...

500 Days of Summer

2011-12-30T19:39:00.000+11:00

When I first heard about this movie I thought how could there possibly be 500 days of Summer. But seeing this trailer, now I get it.
I can hardly wait to watch this film...

Not 100 % certain, but I have this startling notion of an idea that I just might be turning indie hipster chic. Could it be all the Frankie magazines I've been reading and finding a generation hero in Scott Pilgrim. Stay tuned on these thoughts. Maybe.

I Like Flowers

2011-12-30T10:22:00.000+11:00

I like flowers. Indeed I do. There are roses in my garden, as well as zinnias, marigolds, sweetpeas and gardenias.
This week I have been busy with the usual things that need doing around the house, as well as trying to recover from a head cold, playing with the girls, reading the Trueblood Omnibus [for the third time], and crocheting granny squares. Never a dull moment.

It Grows!

2011-12-27T11:11:00.001+11:00

The one thing worse than getting sick in winter, is getting sick in summer. Tragically I have been struggling with a bit of a virus. It is never good to be sick on Christmas day. But fingers crossed, I do think I am over the worst of it.
Still life goes on and I am finding pleasure in watching the Dr Who Christmas Special, my family making me laugh and working on my granny square project - see how it grows...

Fire and Ice Sky

2011-12-25T21:38:00.000+11:00

And after the flash storm the sky is aglow...

Seasons Greetings 2011

2011-12-25T20:59:00.000+11:00

Weekend Reading

2011-12-17T19:40:00.000+11:00

    After a couple of wacky weeks it's good to reach the end of a week and sit down with some good reads. Tonight, and tomorrow I plan to tuck into Under the Duvet [by Marian Keyes - one of my favourite authors] and two magazines - Donna Hay and Frankie. While I am at it I might even tuck into eating potato gems - yum.
    Lately I have taken to using weird things to bookmark the books I am reading. I find that with a toddler running about my regular bookmarks tend to disappear into some void and I end up losing the page I was on. So right now I have Under the Duvet bookmarked with a small piece of yarn.
    The odd thing about reading a Marian Keyes book is it makes me yearn for the Emerald Isle, my inner voice takes on what it believes to be an Irish accent and I find myself saying 'feck' a lot.

4 Done

2011-12-17T10:30:00.001+11:00

This week I began work on a granny square blanket. I have been following a pattern courtesy of Pip Lincolne's book - 26 crafty projects and things to make. I have now made 4 squares. Yay! Hooray!

Peek

2011-12-14T13:53:00.006+11:00

Because I have nothing better to say, but am still in a sharing mood I thought I'd let you take a peek in one of my many, many journals...

My Creative Space

2011-12-14T08:32:00.000+11:00

In my creative space this week I have begun a granny square blanket project. This is my first attempt at making granny squares. It is all quite new and exciting for me.
This is going to be quite a large blanket. I have estimated that I'll be making 204 squares so this will most definitely be a long term project. I am giving myself a whole year to get it done.

The first granny square.

Get Granny

2011-12-12T18:06:00.002+11:00

    I am setting myself a new challenge. I am learning to crochet granny squares and intend to have completed a nice big comfy blanket by November next year. That may seem a long way away, but it is a large project and I want to give myself plenty of breathing space to complete the thing.
    I have been following Pip Lincolne's instructions of making a granny square. I have her book, 26 crafty projects and things to make, plus I have referred to her videos for some visual reference.
    I am so excited about doing this project. I will keep you posted on the progress of my blanket.

Some of the yarn that I will use for the blanket.

Getting some crochet practice in before I really begin.

Check out this lovely book,
by an equally lovely lady.
Simply lovely.

For the Love of Things

2011-12-12T17:52:00.000+11:00

I love the effect the Christmas lights have on the ceiling at night.

I love watching the birds fly.

I love that there is a Buddhist school near one of my favourite parks.

I love the rich and vibrant colours of Australian flora.

Falling

2011-12-06T21:44:00.001+11:00

Some days are just going to feel like this. Like you are falling, falling, falling down a dark hole.

But then another day is upon us and life returns to normal.

Oh, Christmas Tree

2011-12-02T08:25:00.001+11:00

We have already begun celebrating the end of year festive season in our house. Michael and I bought a beautiful new tree and some decorations. The other day we put it up between watching Transformers. Everyone is quite excited, after all this is the girl's first festive tree.

The past few days I have been thinking of making somes changes in my life. Maybe it's because it is the end of the year. Or maybe it's because I know I've been eating way too much chocolate. Anyway one day at a time I'll work at it. So that means no chocolate today. And if I am successful my reward will be chocolate. Oh, wait a minute! That can't be right. So maybe I'll just clap myself on the back for each day I go without chocolate.

Other things I want to do is play more music around the house. Last night during dinner I put on the album Mannheim Steamroller's Fresh Aire V. It was quite a nostalgic sound for me. I grew up listening to that music.
Here's a sample of the album I listened to last night. I highly recommend you listen to the whole album. It is quite uplifting and dare I say it - spiritual.

Dream of Trees

2011-12-01T20:32:00.001+11:00

As the days plough towards hot summer days I find myself daydreaming about the trees in Canada.

Hungry Sky

2011-11-30T07:02:00.001+11:00

I am sitting here and multitasking. Feeding the bub and reading blogs... Is that thunder I hear? The sky sounds hungry.

Pink Feathers

2011-11-28T13:06:00.001+11:00

Imagine wearing a dress entirely made of pink feathers. Wouldn't that be lovely?

Friday Reflection

2011-11-25T13:31:00.001+11:00

    The weekend is almost upon us and I am taking the time to reflect on where I am at. It has been a busy week. Nothing new there.
    I have done some cleaning up and then made new messes. I have dabbled in photography and my writing. I picked up and began reading a really old book - Sugar and Spice and[written by Mary Wright].
    I thought about the future a little but tried to focus on the here and now.
    I tended to my garden - trying to grow strawberries, herbs and lots of lovely flowering plants. I have thinking of planting lots more gardenias. Considering ways of attracting more local birds to the yard. Maybe I could hang an outdoor painting.
    In between all of that I have done the mum thing to two beautiful girls - feeding, cleaning, playing, painting, reading, dancing, talking and singing.
    And dreaming of the snow and trees in Canada.
    It has been a good week. Yes it has.

Kids Bedroom Art Installation

2011-11-23T14:15:00.001+11:00

This week I addressed a problem of my eldest daughter's artwork simply lying around the house on the floor. To begin with it quickly making a mess for such a small environment. Therefore it was not having a proper chance for admiration.
Intent on turning one wall in the kids bedroom into an art installation, I went out and bought a handful of hooks, clothes line pegs and 5 meters of pink ribbon. And this is what I did...

I twisted the hooks into the wall as high up as I could go on[I didn't want tiny hands pulling down the art installation]in a zig zag pattern.
I tied the ribbon to the top most hook and hooked it onto the lower hooks following the zig zag effect, then tying it off on the last hook. I made sure the ribbon wasn't too saggy, nor too tight.
Using the clothes line pegs I can now attach the kids artwork to the ribbon running across the wall.

Gardenias in my Garden

2011-11-21T17:37:00.001+11:00

I am so, so happy. Hello endorphins! Good to see you are doing your job.
Why am I happy? I don't know. I just am. But if I were to list the things that make me smile then I would include...

the gardenia plant that has finally flowered in my yard. I am so happy about this, I am thinking of planting lots more gardenias. I want to be surrounded by a gardenia paradise. I want to drown in those luscious blooms.
the weather has been perfect this afternoon. A lot of sunshine and a dash of a breeze. As warm days go it wasn't so bad.
my daughters laughter and smiles make me smile. My second daughter is starting to communicate. At 3 in the morning she can be heard in her cot going "Nan-nan-nan-nan". And she will sometimes squeak. I call her my gosling.
reading some good books. Of course the books would be 'good'. Who on earth would agree to read 'bad' books? Well I guess, teenagers who have no choice but to read dull high school text books. Last week I read Twilight Graphic Novel Vol 2. I have waited such a long time for this book after reading the first volume. And I just finished reading Ellen Degenere's book Seriously... I'm Kidding. Seriously this is a super fun book to read.
and I am just happy that I am happy. When you are happy it is good to reflect and realise that you are happy because the moment is truly savoured. Do you know what I mean?

Are you happy? Tell me what is the cause of your endorphin rush?

Cat vs Dino

2011-11-20T08:06:00.001+11:00

Is the dinosaur dancing?
Or is he tryind to wrestle the cat?

Weekend At First Sight

2011-11-18T20:49:00.001+11:00

At long last the weekend has arrived and most of us can relax. It has been one of those long weeks. But sure enough we all survived and now it is time to exhale. So sit back, relax and watch this old Kylie video...

Canada is Looking Pretty Good...

2011-11-18T17:26:00.001+11:00

... right about now.

As I sit on the floor, hair tied up off my neck and practically down to my underwear, on what is a considerably warm day, I start to wonder about living in cooler places than Australia.

When I was kid I lived in a few hot and humid conditions. So you'd think that I'd be used to it. Ah, but you see, for my formative hormonally charged years I moved to a cold region of Australia. Goodbye stubbies and sandals. Hello chilblains and influenza. I moved to Victoria during summer and yet it felt cold enough to be wearing a beloved grotty cardigan.

See the thing is, where ever we choose tolive we climatise. So after living in Victoria for a good two decades I eventually got comfortable with the cold, and learnt to actually wear some clothes.

So the question stands, if I climatised to Victorian winters, then how come I didn't climatise to the summers? How did a child of the near tropics and deserts come to abhor heat? It's a good question, of which I have no answer for in brain addling heat.

At times like this I seriously consider moving to places like Oregon, or Canada. Even Antartica is looking pretty good.

Oh! Do you feel that? It’s the cool change that I have been waiting for. I welcome the evening thunder storm with mucho gusto.

It's Too Hot Even For The Cat

2011-11-18T16:05:00.001+11:00

I'm worried! Where is that remote going?

Pet Shop Boys

2011-11-17T11:52:00.001+11:00

I love this music video. I watch it every couple of months on Youtube. When I was a kid my Dad had a compilation of Pet Shop Boys and it was a toss up between Always on my Mind and this song for me.

What do you think?

2011-11-16T13:47:00.001+11:00

Yesterday I made a jigsaw puzzle and sometime since it occured to me that if I inverted the illustration it could work as a lino print. What do you think?

DIY Jigsaw Puzzle

2011-11-15T20:35:00.001+11:00

I have a real treat. I am going to show you how to make a quick and easy jigsaw puzzle. In fact it is so insanely easy to make it hardly requires instruction. And here it follows...

1. What do you need? An A4 sheet with perforated lines,
as used for homemade business cards.
You can get this from an office supply shop.

2. Draw your own unique illustration on to the A4 sheet.
Or alternatively, if you are not confident in your drawing skills
you can save and print this design on to your A4 sheet.

3. Don't forget to grab some textas and add some colour.

4. Following the perforated lines pull apart your A4 sheet.
Now watch your children have fun putting the jigsaw puzzle together.

Game On

2011-11-15T08:27:00.001+11:00

It's an intense game of Connect 4.

2007 Archived

2011-11-14T13:45:00.001+11:00

Last night I was going through my 2007 art folder and came across this fashion sketch. It was just one of so many sketches from that year.

What drew me to this drawing [Yes, yes! I see the unintended pun]was the nostalgic happy chemicals it produced in me.

I notice little things about this sketch. Like the fact that my drawing style has changed very little over the years. Nor has my creative taste. I tend to draw clothes that are suited to a futuristic surfer living in space. Crazy, I know. But I still love these ideas that I had.

The Invisible Band Member

2011-11-13T21:44:00.001+11:00

Many odd years ago My Man was in a rock band. He played the bass and I was The Band’s loyal whatever. You name it I was their audience, photographer, graphic designer, biographer, and all round moral support. For those familiar with Scott Pilgrim you can easily imagine that I was a cross between Ramona Flowers and Knives Chau, minus all the ninja fighting and general awesomeness. Mind you, there were moments when a bit of ninja action might have been called for.

I watched The Band’s development. I was aware of their aspirations and goals. I knew their songs like the back of my hand. I brainstormed with them marketing ideas. I made their flyers and album covers and even developed their first website.

I witnessed The Band consume so many drummers. One of them disappeared to Queensland [with the police hot on the trail]. Another simply didn’t turn up at the gig. Another left a long winded letter about how he couldn’t be a drummer for The Band, which actually read more like a f##k you letter. With the number of drummers The Band went through it ensured an uncanny parallel to fictional band Spinal Tap. I would be no more surprised if one of the drummers had actually spontaneously combusted on stage.

Having such close proximity to this band meant sharing in their joy when they were allowed to perform at the Espy, which for an emerging band was like entering Shangri-la. I knew of their disappointment when sound engineers turned out to be deaf hacks. Publicans who cried poor, trying to get out of paying The Band its pocket money [free beer anybody?].

Despite the smoke haze and the late nights, following and preceding a work day, I got a buzz out of being on this journey with The Band. There were plenty of other musicians to meet with and there was always potential for networking with other likeminded bands. And besides, let’s face it. It was an opportunity to get out of the house.

I remember the first performance with a group of other bands. It was something of a tri-force. The venue hoped that by having three bands that would increase drinking numbers. Of course these were somewhat unknown bands, which meant only their truly loyal friends with no place better to be turned up. What was not funny that night was my splitting migraine. What was sort of funny was the drummer not turning up. What was really hilarious, was seeing a guitarist from one of the other bands using a soldering iron on his homemade stomp box.

Fast forward a year or so and The Band were invited to perform two songs live at Triple R FM… at midnight. After the first song, The Band was told they would have to wait another two hours before playing the next song. So there we were, The Band and me, wait in a decrepit building, at an ungodly hour, exhausted, bored, and our tummies began rumbling. So we jumped into a car and searched for a 24 hour eatery. I will forever be grateful to McDonalds for being open so late. Goddess bless the Big Mac meal at 1:30 in the morning.

Another time I remember between sets trying to explain to one of the singers that his words couldn’t be heard because his nose was pressed against the microphone. He didn’t believe it, until the sound engineer came along with the same advice. I didn’t know whether to laugh it off or go all Knives Chau on the singer.

As the saying goes, all good things must come to an end, and in my case after a few years of following The Band this became very clear to me. A lot of my time and energy was invested in this one band and it was time that I move on to other projects that were more ‘me’ orientated.

I spent so much time working with and supporting The Band. So much so, that the last drummer called me Yoko. But My Man doesn’t agree. He describes me as the invisible band member.

I ♥ Fictional Photographers: Part 2

2011-11-11T14:10:00.001+11:00

And now, for a continuation of my theme from the other day - I ♥ Fictional Photographers: Part 1.

Next in my line up of beloved fictional photographers...

Bless her heart! Novalee Nation an abandoned teenager gives birth in a Walmart.
But then finds home and family amongst kind hearted strangers.
She also gets a chance to do something with her passion for photograpy.

Vicki Vale: In Tim Burton's first Batman flick Vicki was a photojournalist.
Gotta love her sense of adventure, intelligence and elegant fashion sense.

Lydia Deetz: a teenage photographer who regards herself as being 'strange and unusual'.
Lydia is mostly ignored by her living parents, caught up in their own pursuits.
However a ghost couple who couldn't have children, act as surrogate parents,
thus providing her with emotional security and spending quality time.

Kids Mailbox

2011-11-10T18:20:00.001+11:00

    Children love receiving presents and surprises. Even those that come in the mail. My eldest daughter is over the moon when we give her the junk mail, let her read the newspaper, or keep the discarded envelopes when the bills arrive in the mail.
    For that very reason I decided to make Gwen her own mailbox. I will be able to leave her special notes and messages, which she can check for each day.
   The homemade mailbox is easy enough to make. All you need is a shoe box [or a tissue box], some paint, and sticky tape. Following are the steps for making the kids mailbox.

1. Find yourself a discarded shoe box.

2. Cut a narrow rectangle out of one end of the shoe box.
This will be the mail slot.

3. Decorate the box and lid by either painting it
or covering in old wrapping paper.

4. Make a little name tag of whose mailbox it is.

5. Tape the name tag to one side of the mailbox [once the paint has dried].

6. Voila! The lid is on, the mailbox is complete.
Now place the mailbox somewhere near your child's bedroom door,
and maybe write them a little letter of love.

Post Script: This idea originally germinated years ago when reading Little Women [the sisters and Laurie, the boy next door, kept a private mailbox in which they traded letters and secrets].

My Ghostly Apparition in Wonderland

2011-11-10T11:14:00.002+11:00

X-pose and X-peri-ment

2011-11-09T21:13:00.001+11:00

Sometimes the best way to learn to use a camera is to simply experiment. I have begun fiddling with the settings of my camera just to see what happens with colour and exposure. By doing this some magical things can happen...

A flash storm was quickly building this afternoon.
The clouds moved so quickly, like someone had set the world in fast forward.

It's an experiment of the super exposed kind.

Wheeeeee!

I ♥ Fictional Photographers: Part 1

2011-11-09T18:03:00.001+11:00

Who are my favourite picture taking ficitonal characters? Well let's line them up like rockettes...

Veronica Mars: Teenage PI and photography hobbiest.
"Bonus points if you get the Dean wearing a lampshade."

Jimmy Olsen: works at the Daily Planet and probably is
the only person who is nice to Clark Kent.

Prue Halliwell: A few years after discovering she was a natural born witch,
she also turned her career to one of her other natural born talents - photography.

Polly Perkins: A newspaper journalist with fast quips and camera clicks.
She just might get in a few good shots if she remembers to take the lens cover off.

Lady Bird Fan

2011-11-09T17:18:00.001+11:00

I have a sure way of beating the heat on those super warm days [I say 'super warm' and not 'hot', because when it is truly hot the only thing for it is an air conditioned plaza, cinema or a dunk in the ocean.]. It is a do it yourself lady bird fan. This activity is great for the kids and for you. Simply follow this tutorial...

1. Take two A4 pages: one red and one black.

2. Fold the black piece down 3 times.

3. Draw a circle onto the folded black piece,
using a white pencil.

4. Cut into the paper around the drawn circle.
You will have multiple circles from one cutting.

5. Gluedown the circles onto the red piece of paper.

6. Fold the red paper in a zig zag pattern, making the folded width roughly 15 mm.
Do this for the entire piece of paper.

7. Sticky tape shut one end of the folded red paper.
Opened out the open side and...
Voila! You have yourself a paper crafted lady bird fan.

Photographer Me

2011-11-08T21:54:00.000+11:00

Party Town

2011-11-06T16:20:00.001+11:00

Those Shoes

2011-11-03T21:15:00.000+11:00

Have you ever felt such a crazy mad desire for a pair of shoes? So much so, that a voice inside your head screams out “I must have those shoes. My very existence depends on those shoes.” In fact the very idea of not having those shoes cripples your brain and paralyses your heart. Well, it happened to me.

It was a tragic day at the bargain shoe shop at Westfield when my feet met their inamorata. It was a pair of dangerously high, uncomfortable, exquisitely beautiful gold glitter shoes. The little girl within me, the part of myself that never really grew up squealed with delight at the sight of those shoes. And every week since that fateful day in the store I have yearned for those shoes.

I try telling myself not to think about those biped glittering balls of light. There is no point in buying those shoes. Where am I going to where them? I’m not exactly party central and I do not foresee any future events that would require getting sprained ankles from dancing to the Jackson 5. But still there it is, in the back of my mind. I want those shoes. I am crazy about those shoes. What can I say, they are just so pretty.

Well, a girl can dream.

Because We All Need Encouragement

2011-11-01T15:24:00.002+11:00

When I begin to lose faith in myself and by extension my writing, it is important to remember the good things that others have said about me...

Thank you Candice!

Photographic Posting

2011-10-31T19:24:00.001+11:00

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No! It's a moth.

I found this beautiful moth in the backyard.

One of my flowering plants is in full bloom.
I love this plant. The flowers are like a staircase.

Very dark. Very noir.

A domestic scene:
I challenge anyone to stack their
dish rack as tall as mine.

Happy Halloween

2011-10-31T07:52:00.000+11:00

Justine Clarke - 'The Witches' Ball' Songs to Make You Smile from MaricorMaricar on Vimeo.

All That Glitters Is Sometimes Purple

2011-10-30T21:57:00.000+11:00

Sunday Snaps

2011-10-30T21:48:00.000+11:00

It is Sunday and the evening has arrived. Sitting on the couch I decided to take some photos...

Look Up

Look forward

Look down

Your First - My First

2011-10-28T20:13:00.003+11:00

My paper cut art.

This afternoon I was busy constructing a Birthday card for a little boy about to turn one. This is actually a paper cut illustration. I tell you what it was no easy feat. The drawing is the easy bit. The real concentration comes with the actual cutting. You need a steady hand, but the end result is so totally lovely and therefore worth it.

For a long time I have been inspired by a fellow crafter, Ellia Hill - she makes such stunning illustrations with her paper cuts. So when it was on my project list to make a Birthday card I decided to try my hand at paper cut art.

By the way I highly recommend you check out Ellia's artwork at http://www.etsy.com/shop/greenbeanbaby

I Dig Books

2011-10-27T21:26:00.000+11:00

I dig books! I dig books! And books dig me.

I enjoy reading books. I could easily disappear into a good book for a day. The better the story the less time it takes to read. I recently read The Help and between taking care of my little girls I had devoured the book in about three days.

I am on a book high at the moment. I have been re-reading Sense and Sensibility [written by Jane Austen]. The other day I borrowed Murder 101 [written by Maggie Barbieri] and re-borrowed Chocolat [written by Joanne Harris] from the library. I am waiting for Twilight graphic novel Vol 2 to arrive in the mail. And I have a million and one books on my wish list I am craving to get my hands on.

Is it a vice to love reading so many books?

Never Twice the Same

2011-10-27T09:30:00.000+11:00

The sky is an ever changing canvas.

Never the same and yet ever so beautiful.

Rainy Day Doll House

2011-10-26T08:50:00.000+11:00

    Here is something to do on a rainy day [if you're living in Melbourne this can happen any moment; if you're living in Darwin you can set your clock by it at 4 PM.]. It is a papercraft doll house.
    Yesterday I set to it with my paper supplies and two empty tissue boxes and worked over a two hour period [ taking into consideration the lunch break]. The result was a homemade doll house. It is Gwen's first doll house and it is pretty neat I must say. I had such a fun time making the house.
    When I was a little girl I used to this sort of thing - just crafting stuff with paper, scissors and an entire roll of sticky tape. It felt good to get back into that child-like creative space, of not following set instructions and just letting the project develop itself naturally.
    You can use the following photos [which document my doll house construction process] to make your own doll house. All you need are two tissue boxes [or as many as you wish], paper, card, textas and pencils, scissors, sticky tape, ruler and paint. This sounds like a lot, but you can simply use any scrap paper or card you have about your house. Think green! For instance, to make the roofline you could use last year's Chrismas cards.

Cut off the top/lid of the tissue box.

Tape together the two tissue boxes.
Stick down trimmed paper for the floor and ceilings.

Looking good.

Draw on to trimmed paper some wall details.
There are three walls per room/tissue box.
Use a ruler to get an estimate of how much to trim the paper.
Colour in the wall details.

Stick the wall details into the tissue box.
Fold scrap card in half and tape to the top tissue box,
creating a triangular roofline.

Still looking good.

Oh yeah!

Cut a triangle piece of paper/card same size as the roof,
and glue to the back, thus creating an attic.

Now you can paint the exterior of the house.
If you have a variety of paints, try something creative
with extra details - windows, doors, flowerbeds.

With your left over card do some cutting and folding
and you've got some basic furniture - like
a bed or a table.

Oh! And don't forget some little paper people
to live in the lovely paper house.

Tah-dah! She loves it.

Drop me a line if you try this rainy day papercraft project. I'd love to see how it went.

Birds on a Wire

2011-10-26T07:31:00.002+11:00

Little Birdie

2011-10-20T21:06:00.001+11:00

Tonight, while wheeling the garbage bin out into the street for collection I noticed this baby bird sitting quite still in the middle of the driveway. His parents were hovering in the trees just above, trying to keep an eye on this little fellow. Eventually he made his way, fluttering a little above the ground, toward a protected patch of garden, filled with lots of big dry leaves. I hope he will be okay. Bless his little heart.

My heart is as big as Texas...

I've got all the love a little bird can give...

and maybe...

just a little bit extra.

My Angel Baby

2011-10-19T07:42:00.001+11:00

I have begun experimenting with the manual settings on my camera...

Good Reads

2011-10-17T19:06:00.000+11:00

    Today I picked up a copy of Frankie. I was pleased to see it so choc-a-block packed with inspiring and laugh out loud reads.
    I am also re-reading Sense and Sensibility, written by Jane Austen.
    You know, by saying this some people will probably want to throw books at me, but I think Marianne Dashwood is a bit of a twit. Her melodramatics are beyond ridiculous sometimes. In her warped sense of the world she will easily insult good people, and speak cruelly of her acquantances. But then shows an acute sensitivity to anyone making light of her romantic sensibilities. There are many times when she hurts Elinor's feelings by accusing her of no feeling simply because her sister prefers to take the cautious path in life. Elinor understands well enough that much damage can result in character iftoo exposed to the public. Marianne feels a life is half lived without absolute drama. Inevitably this sick pleasure for gratifying her absolute joy and heartache does lead to ill health, and near death, as she chose to not take good care of her own well being.
    And there you have it. That's what I think of young Marianne Dashwood. I cannot help but wonder. When Jane created this character, did she despise her? Was she based on someone she knew? A sister, perhaps?

Life Through a Camera

2011-10-16T16:34:00.000+11:00

The first camera I used was a tiny black plastic disposable camera. It was the kind of camera to fit in your back pocket. It had a flip up window which acted as the view finder. The photos I took with this camera were a little fuzzy and grey. I had been on holiday visiting Grandma, I believe. The day was spent in Sydney and it was an overcast day, which would probably explain the dullness of the images. As ordinary as the photos turned out it was still an exciting experience. I loved being able to say that I took those photos. I must have been about eight years old. Maybe, even nine.

My next camera was a more permanent structure and therefore, presence in my life. Grandma let me have her disc camera. This was a flattish camera that used a cartridge film, much like a disc. This camera could take 15 photos. I got a good few years out of this camera. I remember there was a glitch in the machine. Somewhere about shot 8 or 9 would never come out. I learnt to work around this problem by ensuring that I never photographed anything particularly special when I got to that shot.

I did a funny thing when I first received the disc camera. I was so excited to have my own camera. I did a photo shoot for my Ballerina Barbie, and had her posing for the camera. It was such fun pretending to be a professional photographer. Little did I know that camera film has its limitation. I just kept taking photo after photo, after photo. Lord only knows how many photos I took, but it was certainly more than the 15 shots that the film allowed.

In grade nine, high school, I took a photographic elective and decided to save up for a professional camera. Realizing that I would be saving my money for a long time before being able to have such a camera, I settled for a point and shoot so I could keep going with taking photos. It was an unremarkable camera but it did the job until…

One Christmas my parents gave me a camera. I was sixteen. It was a Ricoh KR-5 Super II. It really was super and I got so many years use out of it. In my early twenties I invested in a second hand macro lens. This lens was designed for jewel photography. But I used it for getting close and personal with flowers and insects. It picked up so much detail that actually goes unnoticed by the human eye. At the time I had planned to gather more lenses, but little did I realise that digital photography was taking over. My camera was becoming obsolete and it was therefore pointless chasing those lenses.

My old Ricoh camera.

Ricoh macro lens.

The past few years I had been using economical digital instamatic cameras. It was quick, easy and convenient. But inevitably I was frustrated with failing batteries, dirty, pixelated images and yellow lighting.

Lo and behold the camera fairy hears my frustration. This year for my birthday my Dad gifted to me a digital Canon – an EOS 1100D - the perfect camera for entry level professional photographers. This camera has fantastic functions – it has both manual and automatic features. I have gotten a handle of the basic features, but now the time has come to check out the manual. My day is quite busy, being a mum of two, which can leave little room for personal creative development. But being able to lay my hands on a camera at least fills that space each day.

My current camera - the Canon EOS 1100D.

What in the Weird?!

2011-10-16T10:44:00.002+11:00

I noticed such a strange thing this morning. One of my rose bushes which has produced massive peach roses for many years has had a new transformation. It is still producing peach roses, but this morning I notice an addition of tiny ruby roses budding on the plant. What in the weird? How on earth can this be?

Today I Am A...

2011-10-15T10:47:00.000+11:00

Photographer.

I am a creative person. I enjoy trying out different forms of art, and even craft. Some days I have an illustrator, other days I am a writer. For today I am wearing my photographer's hat.
Did you know, Charles Dodgson [aka Lewis Carroll] was a photographer - another person who wore many hats. Back in his day it was a lot more difficult to create just the right amount of lighting for taking photos - it was all dependent on the weather. So to make his job easier Charles had the idea to build an outdoor studio. It was set up to look like a real room, but with natural light filling the space.

Something in the Weather

2011-10-14T13:54:00.000+11:00

    There must be something in the weather. We have switched to daylight saving. The days are becoming longer. And I am feeling a desire to dress more prettily and eat food consistent with the weather.
    Which is why I have begun wearing a pink feather flower in my hair and am dreaming of eating cold dinners in the evening. The kind of dinner that is made of cold ham, guinea pig salad, and a boiled egg [also cooled down].
    This time of year brings about a sense of rejuvenation - of the mind, body and the home. I think Spring is always a good time for a change of habits - it's not to hot nor cold. The perfect window of opportunity to make things happen.

Thursday Shots

2011-10-14T10:24:00.000+11:00

Car window reflection.

My Creative Space

2011-10-13T09:41:00.000+11:00

Yesterday, in a fit of creativity I pulled out one of my craft books - Meet Me At Mike's: 20 crafty projects... and the result was the Udderly Lovely Cow.

This is the book.

This is the project.

This is what I made.

One of Those Days

2011-10-11T14:47:00.001+11:00

The song speaks for itself, I think...

Gwen Abhors a Vacuum

2011-10-11T11:51:00.001+11:00

Gwen is a funny little thing. Last year the only time the vacuum cleaner could be turned on was by having someone take her for a walk. Any time the vacuum cleaner was switched on with Gwen in the house she would howl up a storm.

This year a new vacuum cleaner was acquired and Gwen decided that vacuum cleaners aren't so bad. Now when I clean the floor she will follow me around. Or more to the point, she follows the vacuum cleaner around. She likes the feel of the wind blowing in her face - a result of the vacuum's internal fan pushing the air out.

Park

2011-10-10T17:20:00.000+11:00

A day at the park equals ham and cheese sandwiches, tea, ducks, slide, see-saw, ducks, sunshine and breeze, bread crumbs, pigeons, grass and fresh air.

Princess Farty Pants

2011-10-08T15:49:00.001+11:00

I couldn't resist sharing this photo of my eldest daugter...

Word

2011-10-08T13:33:00.001+11:00

For a laugh I tested out Google Scribe to see what sentence would result if I let the program dictate the words. And here is the result...

This is a great way to get the best of the best in the world of the living room and dining room with a view to the sea and the mountains.
I wanted to do something about it that I can not wait to see what the problem is.

... Clearly a useful tool for when the words fail you. But I wouldn't want to be totally dependent on it.

Save the World

2011-10-08T09:17:00.001+11:00

Yesterday, sometime after lunch I took the girls to the park. Keira slept in the pram and Gwen got to run around. It was the last week of school holidays. Plenty of Mums, Grandmas and the occasional Dad took their kids to the park. I enjoyed listening to the excited dialogue of some of the children. I recall three children on a spinning ride [one of those rides that adults must never sit on if you want to retain your lunch]. They were spinning around so fast. And one of the children, definitely the kid in charge, was shouting things out…

“It’s 1840!” – Clearly the spinning ride was a time machine.

“Jump off! We have to save the world!” – The kids are time travelling heroes and they have to save the world. And the world cannot be saved if they keep sitting in the time machine.

“Jump off! WE HAVE TO SAVE THE WORLD!!!” – The kid urgently shouts again. The other kids ignore him, and the time machine keeps spinning. I guess saving the world is low on their list of priorities. I think they prefer just time travelling.

Eventually though the time machine stops spinning and the children jump/slide/fall out and race off to various corners of the park, in an attempt to ‘save the world’.

Ever noticed how when children play, most of their dialogue ends with an exclamation mark.

My Garden

2011-10-07T20:41:00.000+11:00

I love my garden. I have four different rose bushes. I am thinking of bulking up the front garden with even more rose bushes. You can never have too many flowers in Spring.

Inspire

2011-10-07T11:18:00.000+11:00

It's a Shell of a Town

2011-10-07T10:55:00.000+11:00

Last weekend my family spent a relaxing morning hanging around the beach. Gwen and I walked hand in hand and got our feet wet in the shallow water. We found two starfish that were actually still alive. I also brought back home these three shells. When I was a little girl I used to collect sea shells. I might start a collection again.

A Handy Book

2011-10-06T10:54:00.001+11:00

I love computer games. I really do. I get a lot out of sitting down and racing digital cars with my husband. You gotta love the jumps in San Francisco Rush. Oh yeah, and I was recently introduced to Mario Kart. But as much as I enjoy exploring virtual worlds, it is also nice to get back to and do things in the real world. Such as exploring, collecting, reading, writing, crafting, cooking, drawing, and painting.

When I was a little girl my Grandma gifted to me The American Girls Handy Book. I loved looking at the pictures and dreamt of working through various activities in the book. Although there were a few lone attempts to follow this book. Nothing much really transpired.

Many years have since passed and now I am looking at this book again. A little internet research leads to a discovery about the authors – Lina and Adelia Beard. I learnt that these two sisters lead the setup of the American Girl Scouts. How about that, huh! To find out more about the origins of the American Scouts simply follow this link - http://alicemariebeard.com/campfire/history.htm

Now I am thinking of giving some of the books' activities a go. I might even work through the book with my daughters when they are a bit older.

Fly to the Moon

2011-10-06T10:06:00.000+11:00

Now, I Get It

2011-10-05T10:27:00.000+11:00

Earlier in the year, whilst still pregnant with my second daughter I was visiting Sandringham Hospital for a standard midwife appointment - one of many. At the appointment they measure your belly and listen to your baby’s heartbeat. I love hearing those precious rapid heartbeats. But I digress.

On this one particular day the appointment was over and I stepped outside the hospital entrance to notice two strange things. The first thing to capture my notice was a huddle of people near the emergency entrance off to my right and they were lugging professional cameras. The second odd thing, as I followed the camera’s line of fire was a stylish red head sitting on the low fence bordering the front of the hospital property.

The peculiar thing about the red head was her perfectly groomed hair, the high heels on her feet, the small party purse dangling off a shoulder and the hospital robe hanging off her form. Imagine my confusion. What hospital patient looks that immaculate? More to the point what hospital patient walks out still wearing the embarrassing generic hospital robe that never decently covers the derriere? Considering the cameras I concluded that it was some silly pretty person just trying to get some media attention. Once I got back home though I filed the memory away under ‘weird and unexplainable’. And it was forgotten. That is, until last night.

Last night I sat down to watch some television on ABC. A new Australian program which I had little interest in watching began to play. It was a twenty something show marketed towards twenty something people, and it was called Twentysomething.

Lo and behold as I watch, a red head steps out of the emergency department of a hospital, talking on a mobile phone. I turn to my husband, “Hey that’s Sandringham Hospital.” I am suddenly quite interested in what I am watching because the scene is a recognisable landmark. Then in a microsecond my brain dives into archive retrieval: hospital; cameras; red head; stylish; crazy. Now I get it. That day in the hospital car park – I wasn’t witnessing a crazy, stylish attention seeker. The red head is an actress [by the name of Jess Harris] and the cameras were for this television series – Twentysomething.

Now I can refile that memory under ‘I was there! I was there! Oh my god! I was there!’

Twentysomething: Jess Harris

A little more of Jess Harris

Shine a Little Light

2011-09-25T20:41:00.001+10:00

Let the day and night sparkle

With the love in your heart

Keep the world turning

With the spark of your heart

PLB

2011-09-20T20:44:00.000+10:00

Pretty Little Birds

Yay Hooray

2011-09-13T18:17:00.001+10:00

A few months ago I mentioned that my Wacom stylus had gone bung [I think someone dropped it]. Well, anyway, today I can rejoice. My replacement Wacom stylus arrived in the post today. Finally! I have felt like a finger had been chopped off without the use of a stylus for my digital artwork. Honestly once you've learnt to work with a digital stylus for Photoshop and Illustrator there is no way you can go back to using a mouse. Let the intrepid digital art insanity recommence.

What Now???

2011-09-12T17:41:00.001+10:00

Where am I at right now?

Contemplating the future and making tentative plans.
Reading "Reading the Vampire Slayer".
Dreaming about the wonderful books I want to read next.
Working on a short story titled "Running Scared". I'll tell you it is no easy feat trying to write a scary story.
Keeping an eye on my little girls.
Fantasising about baking another cake. Maybe a swiss roll or even lamingtons - Mmmm.
Following some of my favourite blogs - haven't done this in a while. Currently my most favourite blogger is Candice Ransom.

The Bird Flies

2011-09-10T19:30:00.000+10:00

This photo is one of those split second magical moments when everything happened at the right time. It could not have been planned and I could not have been more pleased with the outcome.

Disappearing

2011-09-10T19:25:00.000+10:00

The times change and nothing can ever be the same forever.

Near where I live structures have been knocked down to make way for apartment living and more modern work facilities.

Some walls abutting the newly knocked in space have graffiti and commercial art which in no time at all will not be seen once the new walls go up. I photographed these pieces of wall art before they disappeared forever.

A Good Thing

2011-09-09T16:27:00.000+10:00

Meerkat

    It's a good thing my family went to the zoo yesterday, because the weather has been positively bipolar today.
    The Melbourne Zoo is a massive place and we couldn't see every animal exhibit. We did see the elephant, meerkats, various monkey species, a red panda, butterflies, spiders [ick!], pelicans, ducks, tigers and a peacock.
    We ate lunch at the zoo bistro - I ate my first ever BLT [and am completely hooked on this sandwich. This was followed by scones with cream and jam [mmmm].
    We finished with a walk through a Japanese inspired garden and a look around the souvenir shop. Gwen came out with a large plush elephant, which she bopped her poor Dad over the head with when he carried her on his shoulders.

Nice tiger

Peacock

Peacock feathers

Japanese inspired garden