Today I Painted

After a long time away, today I picked up my brushes and painted.

Just a piece of bunting to add to my collection.  I worked on something else too but it is for a birthday gift so I can't share it today or it may spoil the surprise.....  It was nice to be back.

Getting Crafty

I've struggle for some time now to get back into the studio and get painting and in doing so I have denied myself permission to just play with creativity.  So, I gave myself permission to just play and enjoy myself and not constantly focus on 'having to produce fine art'.  With this in mind I took a voucher for crafty supplies (birthday gift from my sister - thank you Susan), and went shopping for inspiration....

I came home with some fimo for sculpting. I've never used this before and have a few little, easy ideas in mind to attempt with this.

Some replacement gouache.  I'm going to put together a little plein air kit and as we enter this time of glorious weather in our part of the world I hope to get out and about and painting.  I can always play at home with these too.  Easier to clean up than my acrylics.

I found ELMER'S glue which features in a whole heap of things I want to try that I have pinned on Pinterest - glitter slime and the like.  Because afterall what grown up doesn't need to be making glitter slime! Ha.  A new printing block to make some stamps out of line drawings I have done in my old sketchbook.

Here is something I actually made....Shrinky Dinks.  I  had the supplies for these in my cupboard in my school holiday box (bits and bobs to do with the kids and their friends). The kids were completely disinterested in them and so this weekend I dragged the kit out and got playing.  I only did a couple as an experiment.  Basically you draw a design onto this hard plastic, colour it and then bake it in the oven.  As the designs cook they shrink.  I found it all to be completely exciting and amazing, proving yet again that I am easily entertained.  Now I want to do a heap of these little birds and perch them on some twigs in a pot.

Taking Care of Yourself

Taking care of ourselves can take so many forms.  It can be as simple as taking a nap.  It can involve the more complex areas of eating well, saying 'no', making sometimes difficult choices about what to do with our energy and time, managing medication and health care. It can involve developing habits or practices that support your well being.  Sometimes it just means doing 'stuff' to make you feel better.

These are the things I've been doing of late to take care of myself.....

Going to yoga at the sweet old town hall in Glass House.  So many childhood memories of this hall. Cent Sales. Big anniversary or birthday parties.  Dances. School concerts... The yoga was more demanding than my home practice so I spent much of the time in corpse pose imagining I was doing what everyone else was doing.  That counts right?!!!  :)

Going to meditation group.  Last night was Angel's class in Maleny.  Tomorrow is Aannsha's group class in the CWA Hall in Beerwah.  So very grateful to have these two ladies in my life.  Meditation has overall, helped me more than medical treatment I've had for anxiety and pain management. Who would have thought?  I will NEVER stop meditating.  Oh, and don't you love the singing bowl?  They are really quite extraordinary.  If you've not heard one you can check them out on youtube.

This crochet task comes under 'expressing creativity' and 'just getting stuff done'.  My nephews J and R asked me to make them blankets (last year).  They got online and found pictures of what they wanted and presented me with the ....uninspiring task of making a pacman and a minecraft something or other.  Well, I have done bits and pieces here and there. Stalled. Procrastinated. Avoided it. Tried to forget it.  Complained to myself that I don't like the ghastly yarn I was able to source locally in the colours needed. Muttered to myself that I had really wanted to make them a gorgeous ripple blanket each..... you get the picture.  So I've sucked it up and am just doing it without the struggle.  I am making progress and it is lifting a weight off my shoulders.  The air is cooling and I hope to have these finished for the boys before the end of their Easter holidays and in time for winter.  I fill the stitches with love and fond memories and hope for their future instead of struggle and complaint.  I hope they are happy with their choices and my efforts.

 Another thing that has been weighing on me heavily.  While my brother lived in the granny flat end of the house I left this area to him to care for.  He's been gone now some months and I finally, finally, just got in and did it.  I didn't get fixated on doing it perfectly.  I'm very sore today so that would not be an act of self care.  I simply wiped over the airconditioner units.  Decluttered and raked, pulled some weeds, then hosed the concrete.  A thorough cleaning of the airconditioner vents, the poles, using the pressure cleaner on the concrete and cleaning the outside bathroom (just past the airconditioner units) can happen another day.  So, as an act of self care I took action to remedy a situation that was draining on me and I did so in a way that fit the needs and capabilities of my body. 

As always my supervising companions were underfoot.  Once it is all properly cleaned I'll look at placing a comfy chair here or something.  It's a beautiful spot to sit.

For Viv

Viv recently reminded me most kindly that I had been neglecting my blog and not updating.  She is quite right. Although I have been stressed and oh so busy, I have been doing things and photographing them to share with you.  So much has happened and I think I'll be a bit slap dash in my approach to sharing.  I can't seem to get my mind around going back in time and sharing things chronologically.  Today is more of a 'what do I feel like sharing day?'.

Today was knit and natter at the park and here are photographs of the view for the past two weeks.  The  top photograph being today's photo.  Cool and cloudy.  Just right.

 The plein air watercolourists were out enjoying themselves in front of the cafe.  

I finished making my Lucy cushion today. It was originally intended to provide a more comfortable seat for a hard round kitchen chair but I've turned it into a lovely spuishy couch cushion.

It was busy up the hill today.  There were hazards, dutifully marked with witches hats and a wheelie bin much to the shock and complete incredulity of two English visitors.

Can you see what they are protecting?   Here's a closer look.

A big fat carpet snake slowly digesting a meal.  Such a healthy big boy or girl and unselfconsciously right next to the path between the cafe and information centre.

I have much more to share including a tour of my studio for you and I will post those over the next few days.  More art, craft and an awesome day out at a Wood Show to come.  See you tomorrow and sorry I've been away so long.  As many of you know, life is a bit tough still but we are getting there.

Sandy xxx

Knit and Natter

Being Wednesday it was knit 'n' natter day with my sister.  We used to meet at my house but have started a new habit of going to Mary Cairncross Park for our sessions and are just loving it. Jeff and I were married right there in the cafe area overlooking the mountains.  Susan and I sit, creativity sprawled out over the table and chat and create for a couple of hours.  Today was cool and misty and we both wore jeans for the first time this year - in March!!  The cafe area has a central fire place as it does get cool up on the range.  Sadly it wasn't cool enough to be lit today but it is something I look forward to immensely in the future as the cooler weather settles in.

Susan mainly crochet's during these sessions whereas I am a bit more all over the place. Sometimes drawing or knitting or crocheting or ...... you get my drift.  Always chatting and lots of laughter. It is so good to have a sister like mine.  Such a treasure is our relationship.

Today I refreshed my knowledge of embroidery stitches as I try and work out WHAT TO DO with the watercolour rooster painted yesterday. 

I put old chooky in an embroidery frame but I'm not really happy with him.  The watercolour seems too washed out and even with the addition of embroidery I think it will be too flat and ho hum.  I'm starting to mull over some options and will place him on the back burner until then.  Perhaps some layers of fabric feathers and then incorporate embroidery in to that... Hmmm.  I may even try doing another image of chooky onto different fabric and use inks, acrylics or less diluted watercolours to see how that turns out.

So chooky and embroidery abandoned I dove into my other supplies and started to crochet a new ripple blanket.  Well a knee rug really but I do tend to get carried away when rippling, it is so soothing. 

During the 'nattering' component of the day I remembered a shopping trip to a fabric store in Portland, Oregon.  The Fabric Store I think it may have been called and it was of epic proportions.  Jeff took me there as a thank you for demonstrating patience and tolerance through all of the sports store visits we had done.  I purchased some fabric to make a small quilt in memory of this most wonderful trip and it has remained in a drawer ever since.  Hmmm, some three years or more it has waited patiently in my stash.  I came home and reacquainted myself with it.

Although I'm really quite tired at present I seem to be bursting with the need to be creative and DO things. Many things. All sorts of things.  Not a bad thing really.  So I shall just plod along, rest when I need to and flow where my creative whim takes me.  

Hello I'm here....

I feel as though I'm missing in action at the moment.  I've fallen back into a terrible fatigue state and am either asleep or in a fog again. I'm not sure if it's a result of four weekends of open studios taking their toll on my body or if that's just a coincidence.  I haven't even been into the studio this week but I did go to art today.  It felt good to go even if I had to leave early because it was a bit much for me. 

Sick and tired of being sick and tired and doing nothing, I dragged out my crochet hook and some wool yesterday and made myself a wrist cuff. I quite like it even though it's a bit girly for me.  I made up the cuff pattern using simple UK dc and then used Lucy's rose pattern for the floral adornment. A rifle through my odds and ends found a pinkish bead, saved from a broken Christmas decoration - I KNEW it would come in handy, was perfect for the centre.

It was a very easy and quick project, requiring no brain power which was just perfect.  I think I'll make a smaller one for my niece.

Today in art we continued our study of cityscapes. This time our reference included the use of one point perspective.  We began by creating a tonal study of the image.  I used a slurry of burnt umber as my underpainting colour which I think was a mistake as it was too warm.  I should have used paynes gray or prussian blue as my base. 

I then started to add colour while remaining focussed on tone and major shapes rather than detail.

As I brought in the blue I distorted the tonal balance making the road darker than the buildings (see photo reference in picture).  So I needed to fix that up by reestablishing the lighter tones.

This is where I left it.  I was too sore to concentrate anymore so instead of battling it I decided to pack up early and come home for a sleep.  :) I confess to being less than enthusiastic when Don told us we would be studying Cityscapes and am pleased to find that I am actually really enjoying myself and appreciating the subject.  Thank you Don. :)

Thinking of you all, even if I am a bit quiet at the moment. xxx

Trying new things

Just because I'm not busy enough exploring my art and chugging through a learning curve there..... I got a bee in my bonnet to learn to knit.  I could do plain garter stitch (which is plain knitting) but couldn't remember how to cast on and was unable to increase or decrease.  So, pattern, wool, and needles in hand I snuggled down a few days ago with you tube knitting tutorials close at hand and got to work.

 

I'm knitting a shawl in a rather fetching old English style.  Sort of Tess meets Jane Eyre meets Elizabeth Bennett.  I chose a Patons brand wool mix comprising of 70% wool and 30% alpaca.  It's lovely and soft to work with and very warm on my lap so definitely for our coldest winter moments.  I get quite cold when working for long periods drawing and wanted something cosy to keep the chill at bay.  Judging by the nip in the air today and the chill in my hands I may have to learn to knit fingerless gloves as well.

I've really enjoyed this project so far and have even been able to repair a dropped stitch on an increase with the help of the ever marvelous YouTube.  I have also learned a) what stitch markers are and b) what they are used for.  Wonderful things, they take the counting of  this project and as a result make things come together much faster.  My favourite thing is the discovery of these funny little caps for your needle points that wonder of wonders, STOP THE STITCHES SLIDING OFF THE NEEDLE.  This may be non-earth changing news for most people but is a revelation to me.  Six rows to go so I will be finished tonight.  

No art this week as I've had my niece and three nephews visiting for sleepovers (not all at once) and seem to have had a stream of visitors too. I found it easier to knit and be interrupted than work on my art. I need to be more productive as we have our first open studios in June.  I am waiting on the delivery of a small order of prints (it's been an unnecessarily long process with much tooing and froing) and am also considering having some of my work made into jewellery as an alternative for clients.  Here's an example using Cleo.  What do you think?

Behind the Scenes

I don't just make art, although one would think this having read my blog in recent times.  Today is Wednesday and in my world that means it's 'Knit and natter' morning with my Mum and my sister.  We tend to crochet and natter but this year I am determined to branch out and improve my very rudimentary knitting skills.  My motivation is a book on Estonian lace (knitted) that has sat on my shelf waiting for me to miraculously become a marvelous knitter.  So, in 2013 I will make a start. 

Behind the scenes of painting and drawing life, I have made (or mostly completed) these.....

 

Two scarves in Queen Anne's lace pattern and made with Jo Sharp Cotton.  These are the two outermost scarves in blue and the right is a deep aubergine. Two plain but deliciously soft and warm straight scarves both in wool.  I simply need to tie in the ends for them to be finished.

 Two wild and wonderful corkscrew scarves.

 

 A snowflake garland with bright button centres.  Once again poor light = poor photos.  Sigh.

 A riot of colourful bunting, crochet flowers, stars and wreaths ready to be adorned with bits and bobs.  Just some assembling and finishing off and all will be done here.

 

A bit of colourful frivolity that I had to do as soon as I saw it on Lucy's blog Attic 24 .  I still need to sew this together, add beads and other finery before this beauty shall be hung on my wall.  I'm thinking perhaps in the studio.

Finished business...

Over the Christmas period in 2010-2011 I started a crochet project.  I set out to make a tv sized throw in a granny stripe.  Chatting away to my sister I crocheted away and didn't notice that I had made my foundation chain FAR too big.  In fact, after doing several rows (and finally stopping the chatter) I thought, 'this looks a bit big'.  A quick check led me to realise I'd made the beginings of a queen sized blanket that would fit our bed nicely.  Hmm, unpick and make the throw rug or keep going and make the bed blanket? The decision to make a blanket for the bed was made - and then I started my Drawpj art course. This sucked up most of my time for the next 40 weeks.   I've worked on it in fits and starts over the past 2 years and finally finished it a few days ago.

I used Morris Estate wool from Morris and Sons.  I don't receive kick backs from them, just mentioning where I sourced the yarn.   I have received great service from them each time I have placed and order with them.  Speedy too which is essential when you have a bee in your bonnet to start a project YESTERDAY!

 In the winter I napped beneath it as it progressed.  Just wide enough to cover me at this stage. :)  Am loving the colours.The aqua/turquoise colour especially which should come as no surprise to me as it's everywhere I look in my house!  I've just realised that the palette I chose for this closely reflects the colours I love to use in my artwork and I've noticed these colours all around our home.

Ta da!  The finished blanket with photos taken on a dismal and dark rainy day because thanks to a cyclone up north we finally have RAIN and lots of it.  Woohoo.

I finished it off with four rows of UK and AUS treble crochet.  It matches our room and bedding perfectly don't you think?  Come on winter.

Not sure why but this image keeps coming out upside down.  Sorry folks.  Aaaaah.  One unfinished project done.  1000 more to go.  Do you have any unfinished projects to get off your back and out of wherever you have them stashed?  Go do it says Miss Bossy.  :)

Back again

I've been away from blogging for so long that I thought the easiest way to catch up was to do some little photo collages. Very clever of me if it indeed works! Those of you who know of my technological capacities may clap and cheer....now! The above montage gives a snapshot of what has been going on in my neck of the woods over these past rainy months. You'll see some crafty things on the go, some crochet - 2 almost completed blankets; and some embroidery, crochet pretties that are completed! These are in the picture at bottom right. I've had inches and inches snipped off my hair as the central image shows. Much easier to look after although still has a mind of it's own.

A quilt show was attended at Maleny with my Mum which was a lovely day out full of oohs and aahs and 'I could never be that patient!'. The annual Orchid Show hit town and gave me a thumping big case of orchid envy. I do have a number of orchids which I must admit thrive on my neglect. Seeing the orchid show however made me want MORE in every conceivable spot around the home. I kept my head however and left with only photographs. The dull, dark photograph scrunched at the bottom of the montage depicts the dull, dark, rainy days of which we've had plenty. If it continues I fear we'll have an outbreak of vampires. Finally a snapshot of Wonderful Man and myself on a rare day out together. We headed up to Noosa to a gallery for a squiz.....more about that in a later post. 

Here we have some of the fabulous art that the little ones churn out when they are here in my 'art studio'.  Children's artwork is one of my very favourite things - so bright and happy and naturally expressive.

I have some exciting news that I will share in a later post but for now, here's a visual hint.....

If you'd like a closer look at the pictures simply click on them and they'll pop up lovely and big for you to see.

What I wrote while procrastinating over a post title

We had a lovely little Sunday outing up the range today. For a more extensive write up and pictures click here to visit my other blog. I'm making an effort not to double post.
On the creativity front I made this cute bouquet of vintage and new buttons. Absolutely cruddy photo doesn't do it justice. It is SO VERY CUTE! I used florists wire and simply threaded it through the button holes before doubling it back on itself. I made stacks of buttons to form the flowers. Easy, therapeutic and fun to do. I became addicted but unfortunately ran out of buttons. The lovely Miss Heilala, our very own Tongan sister gave me some of the buttons for this. Thank you Lala and Malo e lelei!! I may have a new source though as my brother-in-law's Aunty evidently has an enormous stash. Aunty Rett, here I come!

Sorry, things have slowed down here on Heart's Landscapes, I've become a bit more focussed on Belladonna's Garden. Will need to get my head into dual blog space and get back into posting here. Thanks for being patient.