Bits n bobs

Hello! How are we all?
Hope everyone had a good Christmas. I did. Lots of food, drink and family to share it with. It was fun but I'm glad all the hoo-ha is over with now. I even packed up my Christmas tree today. It's all over for me for another year.
I am now officially on holidays. I am still going to work on tummache stuff, and a few personal paintings & things. I'm trying to take it easy but I'm finding it hard to relax. I feel guilty, like I should be doing something.. I do however have a list of things I would like to get done on my break.

1. Michelle's mini quilt for swapsies. Top of the list! I can't believe it's taken me so long. I do have a good idea for it though.
2. Practice guitar & ukulele. Poor neglected things. I'm even thinking of getting some lessons. (In guitar.)
3. Clean this grubby house!! I started this today as it was really in a shambles as I've been so busy. The garden is included in this task.
4. Go on some long leisurely walks with my two mutts.
5. Show all youse guys photos of The Thirsty Flowers book launch.
6. Make a bundle of bags, purses and other odds & ends for my shop. I made this little fella today, he's in there now.


I know there's more to add to the list but I can't think of them right now. Plus the list is making me feel exhausted and I don't want it to be too long!!

Here are some shots of a really smokey day we had because of the Victorian bushfires. They are under control now I'm pretty sure because of the heavy rain & snow we've recently had. Snow. Yes, snow in summer. Christmas day was the coldest on record this year.. with Melbourne really living up to it's erratic weather reputation. Hail, rain and sunshine all in one day! It's crazy I tell you. I hate the cold too. Christmas here in Oz is usually a summer dress and bbq event. Looks like you can't plan ahead when you live in Victoria!
Anyway, I wanted to show these photos because I took them specifically for my blog! My eyes were really stinging this day.. the middle photo is taken from our block of land.




In some other fine and dandy news the lovely lady behind Decor8 blogged about me. What a great resource her blog is for all that is unique & stylish. Lucky she sifts through all the crap out there so we don't have to. She blogs about etsy sellers frequently it seems, which is a good thing. Support the artists I say!

Modamuse also found me and is another resource to find cool unique designs in Australia & New Zealand. I love checking these sites out. There's so many talented creative people out there who I'd rather support whenever I need a pressie for someone, or even something for myself rather than the big faceless department stores. Yeah!

I think that's enough for today ;) I bought a bottle of Bailey's with some xmas money today, so I'll be digging into that soon. Yum-o!!

ok, one more post for today

Have a look at the latest review that was in Sunday's Age for The Thirsty Flowers! Here's the link. I never tire of reading the reviews!

Now in my etsy shop...

The first necklace is in my shop tummyache. I have some more ideas and drew some in my sketch book at 2am the other night. Then I couldn't sleep as designs and ideas were flowing through my head all night. As always happens, I eventually got to sleep then felt like a zombie in the morning.
Just a quick post this morning to show the necklace.
Bye!

Yay for swing tags!

I designed these swing tags to accompany my bags & purses in my etsy shop. I just printed these out on my trusty old inkjet printer and cut them up to see what they'd look like. I figure I can keep printing them out or I may get two stamps made up and stamp them. I love the stamped look. Wish I could get some of that stamp stuff that Tricia from Frizzlesticks always uses. Is that stuff even available here in oz? I could make the background image myself but would have to get the other colour professionally made. Or else I could just gocco them. I have not used my gocco yet. This is almost criminal. I plan on taking a little holiday break from illustration and this will give me time to do some stuff for me that I've been hanging to do, and using my gocco is one of them. I had to dust box the other day. Sad!
Anyway.. I stray from topics so easily!
Thanks for all your comments on my last post everyone. I love reading my comments. I love it when someone finds something in my posts that they feel they'd like to respond to. Compliments are great and the extra little insights are a bonus. Then I discover things like I have a kindred spirit out there! rrramone, you sound as though you have good taste!
You know, there was something missing from that list, and those things were 4 favourite bands. Or at least favourite songs. I shouldn't have written that though as now I feel obliged to choose. Maybe next time...!

What's this tag game all about?

I've been tagged by Tiel from tsk tsk. This is new to me in blog form.. yet looks like fun! I always love those emails that friends and family send to you with answers to silly questions which you copy into another email and answer yourself. Mainly because I feel a sense of obligation, which saves me from work for a while. Plus I get a strange sense of satisfaction from filling out forms, and this is kinda similar. So here goes:

4 jobs I have had:
-Mushroom picker. Not your romantic gathering in skirts forest type, but 8 hours a day monotonous job in sheds on ghastly tall trolleys type.
-Factory work at my Dad's work looking in paint chip catalogues for missing or folded colour chips with a pot of glue at the ready. (Also extremely monotonous!)
-Retail work in a milk bar for a nasty woman. Karma got her when the place burnt down. (Wasn't me- I swear!! Now that makes it sound like it was me! I'm really not a psycho!)
-Kitchen hand in a smokey bingo centre.

4 movies I could watch over and over:
-Napoleon Dynamite.
-Spongebob Squarepants.
-Stand by me.
-Being John Malcovich.

4 places I have lived (apart from where I am now):
-Kemps Creek, NSW
-Near Cooroy, QLD (I've got a serious mental blank and can't remember the name.)
-Diamond Creek, VIC (I grew up here.)
-Preston, VIC

4 TV shows I love:
-Ali G
-The Office
-Neighbours (oh so ashamed, especially because it's really gone down in quality lately (if that is at all possible)
-Ren & Stimpy (The OLD original ones... How did they ever get away with it!!?)

4 places I have been for a vacation:
-Lake Lonsdale (The place our family used to go for camping trips when I was a kid. Many fond memories.)
-Fraser Island QLD, beautiful. I remember going there when I was young and seeing the brumbies. They aren't there anymore unfortunately. It's also the only place that pure dingos still exist in Australia.
-China. Crazy, scary, interesting, grubby, inspiring, busy place.
-Fiji.

4 websites I visit daily:
-Etsy.
-My blog. As it's my home page because I love to see if there are new comments for me to read.
-Flickr.
-Google.

4 favourite foods:
-Ice Cream. Love it. Throw away the lollies & chocolate. Just give me ice cream.
-Vegies. As my brother once said, don't give me fruit, but back up a truck load of vegies and I'll be happy.
-Chicken. As a vegetarian once, I am strangely in love with the taste of this meat.
-Does beer count as a food?

4 places I would rather be:
-Somewhere where the weather isn't erratic and 37 (98 F) one day then cold, raining and windy the next. (BLOODY MELBOURNE WEATHER!!!)
-Having a beer by a fire listening to some old tunes.
-Morrocco stocking up on some cheap lanterns.
-The Outpost. A really cool pub in Noogee, VIC.

4 people I am tagging:
-Future Girl.
-Sarah Davis.
-Kim Fleming.
-Beck Wheeler.
(Sorry guys!!)

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Now for photo of new items in my shop. I made these on the weekend and tried out a new fun way of taking photos. What do you think?

Illustration Friday topic: "might"

My effort for this week's topic. A quickie, still using my new wacom & coral paint program. I've only got the trial.. I wonder, does this test picture warrant the actual purchase of the program? I love how it's verging on the line between a digital image and real one. I love chunky paint effects, so it's cool that I can do that here without getting paint on the carpet/ my clothes/ the dogs. (Yes, it has been done.)
Still, it's like a vitamin pill compared to fruit. Still fun with good looking effects nonetheless.
Oh, and someone told me it would take half a day to get used to this wacom pen.. half a day. If you read this James, you are either extraordinarily talented or a liar. Or maybe you are both! :)


Also, a new print has hit the shelves at Tummyache. Check it out ;)

Human Junk Mail

You know them. They're those people that knock on your door trying to sign you up to contracts/ sell you things/ or gather your personal information for surveys. Disturbing the peace, invading the time we spend in our own homes.
I talked to one of these guys for about 40 minutes the other day, while I was supposed to be working. He was successful in signing me up for a new gas & electricity retailer by giving me false information. Not only did he waste my time there at the door, but further time was wasted ringing up my original billers, then ringing up the new one's to cancel the account. I told him I was on a contract with my other company, so I could not sign up with him. He told me that it didn't matter, and had a look at my bills and told me I was not on a contract with them anyway. Which I was. He said it would still come from the same place, so it wouldn't matter about the contract even if I was on one.
At the start I didn't care what he had to offer, I didn't want to sign anything. I told him my partner looks after all that stuff (a lie to try to shake him off) and I didn't want to hear about it. He would not take this for an answer. He laughed down at me like I was stupid for not taking the offer; like he couldn't believe his ears that I didn't want to save 7% on my bills. He told me that my neighbours had signed up. I told him, "I don't care what the neighbours do!!" If my neighbours jumped off a bridge, I wouldn't be there joining them.
At the end of the stressful emotional encounter, I had signed up for the new retailer. Emotional because at one point, I felt like bursting into tears of fraustration for him to just listen to what I was saying and to leave me alone. I was also checking the driveway frequently as Jim was due home and I was hoping. The stress was at the start of the encounter, later on we somehow ended up chatting for a while about people being ripped off by dodgy salespeople. We talked about his study and how he'll return to India one day. We talked about how the rough suburbs of western Sydney were quite a contrast to the nice and friendly streets of Warragul. We talked about sunburn.
My dislike for the door to door salesman started off at a normal level on opening of the door, which peaked with the early fraustration. Then he made me think that he wasn't so bad. We parted on friendly terms. The dislike has returned twofold now, after ringing up & finding out that I was on a contract and I would be charged a $90 exit fee. Dislike because he wasted my time. They come to your door and do not take no for an answer. In future I don't care what they're offering me, I don't want to give my money to companies that bully people into buying from them and knock at the door at 7pm.

Jim came home soon after and I spent more precious time telling him about the story! He came up with the term "human junk mail." (Feel free to use it, I think that one's a keeper.)

My mobile phone rang the next day, and I answered it wondering who it could be. I thought, maybe it's a client? Or maybe it'll be one of my mates ringing for a chat? Instead I got "Congratulations. You have been chosen for a special promotions offer..."

They get you from every avenue they can. I especially hate it when it's invasive like these two examples.

On a lighter side it reminds me of a Futurama episode where Fry gets outraged that they project advertising into your dreams in the year three thousand. Leela asks him, "didn't you have ads in the 20th century?" with which he replies: "Well sure, but not in our dreams! Only on tv and radio...and in magazines...and movies. And at ball games, on buses, and milk cartons, and t-shirts, and bananas, and written on the sky. But not in dreams! No sirree."

Illustration Friday "Invention"

So here's this weeks Illustration Friday. I just started doodling and this is what came about. I did start another one previously, which is here too, as I thought it was a pretty cool invention. Though I am yet to work out what either of these things actually do- but it's pre-tea & too early in the morning. Maybe you know what they do!?
I have been working flat out on some illustration jobs, using my new wacom drawing tablet and corel paint. What painty/drawy programs do other people use? I've just downloaded the trial version of paint, and so far I'm having fun with it so I might purchase it when the trial period is over. Although I love to play around and draw on the computer, I still think nothing beats the tangible nature of paint. I've been feeling like I want to get my oils out again.. it's like a calling. It may be a disaster though.. I get it everywhere, and am too used to the quick drying time of acrylics so I get impatient. I think I need to get them out though- even if just for fun. I went through a stage earlier this year painting weird scary pictures with a realistic feel. I don't know why, I guess I was inspired by similar works of this nature. I'm over that phase now though, and the paintings are gathering dust.
I see blogger has a new version or something. This is news to me.. I'm too scared to change over my account as I don't have time to fix up any bugs that may appear. Is it safe??

Link love: I've wanted to add Cheeky Beaks to my link list for a while now. She's an aussie designer, and I like reading her blog.

New bag & purse designs

Here's a design I call "I wish I was a cowgirl." Check out Tummyache as there's a set in the shop now.
I also wanted to post this design, even though it sold within 24 hours of being in my shop.. much to my delight!

Now to change the subject... how's this girlfriends: my partner of 11 years recently informed me that for approximately 3 days each month, I am nasty, moody and naggy. The amusing thing about this is that 3 days times 12 months times 11 years equals 1 year & one month of solid nagging!! This is some feat of which I am tempted to feel proud of.
He's also just informed me that people get less time than this for armed robbery.
Though I think this is getting back at him for all of his sarcastic, wise guy, antagonising mannerisms & comments. Touché!

Finally, another Illustration Friday!

Haha! Got one done. After my previous post I felt bad about missing my usual illustration Friday topics, so I just had to colour in this pic that I had already drawn. I feel it's a shame that I only ever get halfway there, and I never post them!
This week's topic was 'clear.' This picture is a play on the fact that sometimes people in a relationship can be so oblivious to what their partner is really like, when actually it's as plain as day. I guess that's why they say love is blind!
I wonder what this girl ever saw in him!!?
This is a mixed media piece using graph paper, pen, coloured pencil, felt, stitching, and wonderful wonderful magical scotch tape. I have discovered a new love for this stuff tonight. I stuck all over the paper (just to stick the graph paper down at first) and the vibrancy of the coloured pencil when drawn over the top is fab-o! Plus it has a nice feel to draw over it with pencil. Oooohhh, I think I've just discovered a new technique. Don't you just love that?
(Click on image for a slightly larger view.)

The new etsy is here

..along with my new banner (comments & criticisms welcome)! I'm really loving the new look of etsy version 2. Our shops look much better, more professional and the item photos are bigger and therefore easier to see (and perhaps more tempting to window shoppers? Or should I say "monitor shoppers"!?) Anyway, I'm in a crafty item making frenzy at the moment, so keep checking my shop and also the fabulous Georgielove for some more new stuff coming very soon! I've been working on some new bag designs and also had an idea for a new mini quilt last night. I'm also going to make some more brooches; here's one that's in the shop now:
I've been so busy lately with illustration work, and while it is nice to be busy and have work, it's a shame that I'm neglecting my blog and not doing any illo's for illustration Friday. I have however sketched out or doodled every single topic, it's just that most of them are pretty quick doodles & are all half finished.

Did I mention previously that Jimbo & I bought an acre of dirt? Well we did! I also registered my business name tummyache, so business cards, swing tags and all the rest of the stuff that goes along with a new label is in the process of being made. So with my new business venture, plus illustration work, and not to mention the fact that everyone wanted to be born around this time of year, and with Christmas coming up, it's a very busy time indeed.

Oh, and I have been typing and blogging this with my very own brand spanking new wacom drawing tablet! It's very strange to get the hang of, but I'm feeling excited about all the possibilities it will open up for me in the world of digital illustration, hopefully making my job a little easier & fun. At the moment I feel awkward with it and feel like I'm not going to draw anything much more professional looking than the pictures I drew in high school when I mucked around with my best mates computer with the basic paint program. (I still remember how exciting that was- I didn't own a computer then! Now that I think about it that program was pretty much on par with the etch-a-sketch.. actually we might have had a computer by then.. the good old commodore 64!)

Now for some linky dinky love for today: Kirin Notebook. You know I love it when I stumble across other talented Aussies.. and this gals in Melbourne! An interesting blog with some nice looking images.. I know this one will become a regular visit for me.

Say no to backyard breeders

With Christmas coming up, and having had first hand exprience of seeing where unwanted dogs end up, I thought it was a timely reminder to alert people once again to this overwhelming problem. The good folks at Pet Talk Radio! started up their own campaign & they have been gathering signatures for the cause. Please go to saynotobackyardbreeders.com to learn more about this campaign and to sign the petition. Approximately 130,000 dogs and 60,000 cats are killed at pounds every year in Australia.
My very own Bender was heading for the pound before we rescued him. He is a fantastic dog; he's one of those dogs that make people want to get their own. I've had so many people tell me they want a dog just like him. I often think about the family that gave him up because they had to move house.. and think that they gave away possibly the best dog I know. There are many excuses for surrendering pets, some legitimate, though many are not. I have lived in 5 different rental properties with two large dogs, moving to and from different states, and not once was it even an option to rehome my dogs. I also know that having a baby is another excuse frequently used. I know a couple that rescue staffy's, and they had twins recently and still kept all their dogs and continued rescuing aswell.
If you are going to get a dog, make sure you research the breed well, get a dog to suit your lifestyle and circumstances. Don't get a border collie if you are a couch potato. Don't get a large breed dog if you only have a court yard. Don't get a dog if you can't afford the food/ medications/ vet bills. Don't ever buy a dog on impulse.
So here are my two 'furbabies.' Bender is the black one and the other is Leela. I love these dogs to death. Maybe it's time for me to get back in to volunteering for rescue again...

Would you like some unicorn with that salt?

A doodle for today.. Sunday the 5th of November... one of my best buddies birthday. Happy birthday Tan! You rock! (By the way, this doodle has nothing to do with her or her birthday; I'm not implying that she eats unicorns.. I just felt like drawing...)

Plasticine Pandemonium by The Claylord

I've always been a fan of plasticine animation.. specially when the characters are made kinda crappy. I love the pan outs and close-ups he's done in this, and have always had a special place in my heart for crappy plasticine characters with no heads that breakdance.. so lucky there's one here!
The claylord is a genius!

Need some retail therapy?

Well then, go check out the online shop Georgie Love for a few more of my bag & purse designs! How exciting, it's so fun seeing my stuff online :)
Plus, I splurged on a subscription to Craft: Magazine! I am dying to get my first copy, I could get the digital version now I guess but I just love holding a real magazine and I want to save it until then. It'll be like christmas when it comes. Look at those cuddly robots, looks like some of Jess Hutch's creations. 4-6 weeks I have to wait!!
Plus I have added yet another talented Aussie to my blog list: Tsk Tsk, check it out, I've been watching her work for a while now, very nice eye for design.
Well I got a stack of work to do today so I'd better be off...

It's all happening

Wow, I got an email today from Illustration Mundo saying my work is great and it's featured on the home page as an editors choice! How exciting! What an honour!
Plus, the same day I put this in my etsy shop it was snapped up before I got a chance to blog about it:

Thankyou Michelle!
Other news is that I have my first print in my etsy shop. It would've been in yesterday but etsy was playing funny buggers & was down for quite a few hours.

Etsy will soon have a new look, which I'm excited about, I think it will be a change for the better. Our shop fronts will look alot nicer.
That's it for today, I'm kinda in a rush, I have to go and paint some kids faces! Plus the house looks like a bomb has hit it, and I think we're having visitors tonight- arrrrrggghhhh! I still haven't got around to blogging about 'The Thirsty Flowers' book launch, promise I'll show some happy snaps of that soon! Gotta run..

Illustration Friday topic: "Ghost"

OOoooooohh, SpOoKY!!
I like this one.. might make some prints.. what do you think?
You know, the last couple of weeks I've found myself feeling not all that inspired. No images were floating around in my head like they usually do, and I wasn't sitting up late creating anything, but going to bed early. I decided yesterday that I had had enough of that stage, so I got out the paints and a few blank boards and just started painting. No pressure on myself to do anything... and what do you know? It all came back to me. I'm feeling inspired again!

How slack am I!?

A late illo for illustration Friday! This was last week's topic.. I have been busy with illustration work so not alot of time to work on personal stuff unfortunately. But, I need to pay the bills so illustration work is good! If you want to snap up this little mini painting you can visit my etsy shop Tummyache.
Plus I have added the lovely Future Girl to my links list. The internet is great for finding other crafty arty types from all over the world, I feel like I have a bunch of new mates, and she's one of 'em!

ANOTHER mini quilt

When will the craze end!? Go check out, yes, you guessed it, my etsy shop Tummy Ache for the details. I've been busy the last few days, but am still planning on getting some new 'sale' items in there, so apologies for the lack of new items the last couple of days. Getting together with my professional sewing machinist tomorrow (a.k.a. Mum) to finish off some items that have been in progress.
I miss Illustration Friday too, must make it a mission to do next weeks!

This is ON SALE!

For the next month I'm going to be adding items to my etsy shop Tummy Ache that will be reduced! I'm having a "MY SHOP IS NEW AND STUFF IS ON SALE SALE!"
Check back regularly ;)
See the item page for description.

It's been a little while..

Creativeness & inspiration eludes me this week...
Sometimes I have a head full of overflowing ideas; and other times (such as now) there's nothing. I promise I'll get back into it soon and put lots of posts and artwork up as before. It'll come back, I'm just waiting patiently.
Aswell as my etsy shop, I've been asked to put some of my crafty/ arty work in the online Aussie store Georgie Love, check it out, it's fantastic! I'm thrilled Sally (the creator & owner of the store) thinks my stuff is worthy.
Also, new blogs of note have been found whilst surfing the ol' net, and these are: Ponies & Sugar Cookies.. cute name! This creative soul is also an etsy seller. There's some amazing stuff out there that people are making. There's also another etsy seller Ashley G, and her stuff is so great, I'm probably going to direct sales away from me and onto her! She is a nice person aswell, we have sent a couple of emails to each other. I love the internet for being able to get in touch with other creative people all around the world.
Also, I'm really excited that Michelle from Green Kitchen has asked me to do a mini quilt swap! It's gonna be alot of fun I reckon!
I've also been slack on the Illustration Friday front.. this weeks topic is "trouble." Any of you Aussies seen the latest HBA add with the cheeky little kids putting crockery on the tread mill so that the plates fly off the end & smash into the wall? I love that add. I specially love that cheeky little kids smile with the red hair. As Marge Simpson says, "I'd sure like to tuck that in at night!" He's so cute, I just want to adopt him! Now he looks like trouble, maybe I should do an illo of a cheeky little kid like him.
Last of all, here's a commission I finished recently. I'm able to take on commissions from time to time, so if interested please email me for details. This one's called "Special delivery." See the truck delivering the animals to all the houses?... Yay!

Chirpy Bird Bag & matching case

Now for sale in my etsy shop Tummy Ache. This is the first design from a new range of bags and cases I am making at the moment (and personally one of my fave's). They are all hand made by myself and my Mum. Keep an eye out for future designs, there are some more in the pipeline.

Another mini quilt

I'm not giving up on etsy just yet, apparently it can take a couple of months of regularly posting new items for your shop to take off. I'd love to hear other people's experience with etsy.
So anyway, here's another mini quilt that I started a while ago and is now in my etsy shop. It's made from calico & other fabric, with most of it being hand embroidered by yours truly.

Stranger danger at the fringe festival?

Well, stranger.. but no danger! We had a great time checking out some stuff at the fringe festival in North Melbourne on Friday. This photo was from this funky looking photo booth: "Melbourne photo booth project." Some creative folk had made a photo booth out of an old op-shoppy type of cupboard, and inside it was all decorated like a kitschy granny's loungeroom. You got your photos for free- but you had to go in with a stranger! They'd print 3 copies- one for you, one for your stranger, and one for the outside of the photo booth. Like a work in progress, photos were being pinned up outside the booth for people to look at & check out people's awkward expressions whilst being in a photo booth with a stranger! Excellent idea & fun to boot.. I don't look too awkward do I!?You may or may not remember me talking about the exhibition previously that was to be at the Fringe Festival, so here are a couple of shots from that. Most of my photos came out tragic, though I still wanted to post these to show all the work that was put in to the display cases, they really did look good and the way they were lit up looked great too.Here's me & Jimbo on the night....and definitely one of the highlights was when my friend Tan & I got to make playdough figures for a diorama whilst waiting for our own personal little shadow play that was performed in a tent and was about being buried alive. We also saw some oldies ripping up the dance floor in sequined outfits.. you could say there was something for everyone there!

Mini quilt

Inspired by the mini quilt that I saw a while ago that Green Kitchen made, and also by the georgeous little quilts that Angry Chicken makes, I decided to make one of my own.. but in my style.
First I hand painted my image onto white fabric, then hand quilted/ stitched all the outlines and detail. I've never done any quilting before, so it was a new experience for me. I've really been getting into sewing lately. I can't stop playing with it now, like all cute blankets, cushions and other soft things, it just cries out to be touched.
Other than finishing this today I have been sitting at my desk staring blankly into space.. I have no inspiration, I think I just used it all up. Nothing is coming to me. Maybe its time to get my bookwork in order... uuurrrrgghhh.
UPDATE: This mini quilt is now in my etsy shop!

Excitement is building!

For The Thirsty Flowers! Here's some of the guys from Hardie Grant Egmont (the publisher):
Crazy kids! I love this photo, it cracks me up.
The launch will be held soon at Books Illustrated where we'll be having a combined launch & exhibition with some of the artworks up for sale.

I've recently added two more new links from a couple of my illustrator friends that also blog: Sarah Davis & Lil Kim. Enjoy ;)

Two more fawns..

..in my etsy shop!
Sorry I haven't been posting as regularly as usual, I have just been quite busy. The house is a mess and the dogs need a big walk! I have missed two illustration friday's, well, maybe one as the week's not over yet and things are starting to slow down now.. so I may just squeeze one in! I started making a mini quilt on the weekend too which had turned out exactly how I wanted it to. Don't you just love that!? So I'll post that soon, promise.
I haven't had a chance to play with my new gocco yet either, but I will get there!
Edit note: Ok, so I could only get one up for now, I was trying to take a better photo of one, and as usual, my camera's gone flat. I need a beer. Any excuse.

What a cutie!

Made this last night, from a pattern from an old craft book that was my Great Grandmother's that I wrote about recently. She's made from green felt, stitching and beads & is now in my etsy shop. I'm really happy with her, I think she's just georgeous!
In the tradition of being all cute & crafty today, I've just added Creative Swoon to my links list... very nice. Along with The Black Apple who has really nice work & Sarah Davis who is also an aussie illustrator like me.
And a special thankyou to Mimu for letting me know about the blank babushka dolls for sale at Keith and Lottie, for any of you creative aussies out there that feel like painting up their own babushka dolls.. and I know there are plenty of you! It can sometimes be hard to find obscure things like this down under. So, thanks Mimu :)

Illustration Friday: Farm

Whoa, a bit slow on the uptake here... least I still made it in with a day! This piece is a doodle from my sketch book, then scanned in and played around with in photoshop. Curse the mouse for drawing on computer.. I'd really like one of those drawing tablets, but considering I'm really not doing alot of digital work lately it's hard to justify it. I once heard someone liken drawing with a mouse to drawing with a block of soap.. and I don't think they were far off the mark.. :P
Anyway, it's just a quickie this week, I've been quite busy. Started a commission job today, been working on a few pieces for an exhibition, finishing off an old commission, got a copy of my book!! and some other stuff that's been going on in life that's taken up alot of my time lately.
Plus I got a gocco! How sweet is that!? Can't wait to try it out.. but first I want to finish all my unfinished work..

New Etsy Shop!

Introducing my new etsy shop "Tummy Ache!" tummyache.etsy.com


I have a few items listed, but need to get some better pics of some of the other things in this photo. It's 3.30am and the light in here is not good for taking photos, as you can well see, and my camera's about to go flat! All stuff is hand made by me and I plan to be updating with new items regularly, so check back regularly if you like my stuff. Let me know what you think, do you heart or hate?!


Here's some cool links for you link-a-holics:
This girls stuff is really really good. Just discovered it. Love her work. Malota. Liz Adams also rocks. Drip! has some really good work and is an interesting read.

Some things I have learnt from being an artist

I have learnt that you can't get too bogged down in trying to make everything you create worthwhile & fantastic. I have learnt that you need to have fun & not worry if anyone else likes your work or not.
I believe that it is extremely important to use a sketch book. This is a place where your stuff does not have to be spectacular & the pressure is taken off. It is also a place to experiment & play, and therefore new and exciting ideas will follow. If you're trying to find your style I believe that this is where it will be found.
I often find myself thinking about art, why I need to create art and why everyone else is driven to create art whilst I'm working. I've been thinking lately about what makes a piece of artwork great, and I believe that it is some of these things:
Design: The layout & composition of your piece. I don't think the subject matter is important in making an aesthetically pleasing piece, but rather how you draw it and what you do with it. A great artist can make a few blobs on a piece of paper look fantastic.
Contrast. Not always, but alot of the time I feel this is an important aspect. I look back on some of my old work and they lack contrast in tones and colour. Alot of the pieces were just way too dark all over. I have really lightened up my recent work, and it looks good when I add some darkness to it here and there, so I concluded that contrast is an important factor when trying to make an artwork look better.
The last point I'll say today is: Fluke! Sometimes when you have the talent and knowledge you'll just fluke one of those excellent pieces that everyone loves. I think it's hard (for me anyway) to know exactly what a piece is to turn out like from the idea in my head. I find if I put too much research or planning into a piece it turns stale and I'm scared to stray from the plan. Freshness & freedom is important to me in my work.
Hope you've enjoyed this little insight into my brain & the thoughts I've been having lately whilst creating art. It's like a meditative state sometimes. Of course everyone's work & style is different and the rules to art is there are no rules. Never take anything anyone teaches you as gospel, unless it really sits well with you and feels right, then I think you can take it on board.
(The sketch is just a little doodle I did in front of the telly the other day.)

Painting for Illustration Friday

"My Safe Place." When I got this weeks Illustration Friday topic 'safe', this was the image that came into my head. I wanted to show a home, as this is the safest place for me. It's not me though, coz I don't have a cat.. or a magazine holder! The paint in the background is quite textured.. I built it up with layers of acrylic paint. This is probably the most time I've spent so far on an Illustration Friday topic.

Prickie button badges

I've got my own prickie button badges for sale! Go have a look at my page through this link: my prickie page.
How exciting. In other news I've been working hard at getting my etsy shop up and running so shouldn't be too far away. My sewing machine has finally been fixed after all it's clunking and erratic stitching, but today I really must finish a commission I've been working on.
As always I welcome feedback and comments regarding these designs, hope you like them.
Have a rockin weekend everyone!

Illustration Friday Wednesday

Run man, run. I had one of those creative days today where nothing had to be forced. I love those days. Ideas were flowing, and I knew exactly what I wanted to paint and where I wanted to paint it. On these days I know exactly what colour I'm going to use next & what I'm going to do whilst I'm still doing the previous brush stroke or pencil line. It seems I "get in the zone" and it just comes so naturally. I was hindered somewhat by an awful brush though, it is new but I bought a different brand than what I am used to. Oh, roymac, how I love thee.. why don't they sell you at Spotlight??
Pray for me that the rest of the week is just as creative as today was!.. and maybe the rest of my life while you're at it. Maybe my tormented days of feeling like a useless lazy crappy artist are over... HA!

Painted babushka dolls

Here are some painted babushka dolls I finished today for an upcoming exhibition at the Melbourne Fringe Festival. If you can't read the writing coming from the birds mouth it says "What's it like to be at the top of the food chain?" Could've taken a better shot, but the light just wasn't working for me today..
Now here are some progressive shots showing some of the process. First I got some cheap dolls off ebay. Apologies to the person who actually painted these!Then, I did an extremely quick rough/idea:Then got some guys to do the sucky work for me! After my house warming there were some friends & family that stayed until lunch the next day, so I set them to work.. the guy on the left is my bro Gazza, next to him is his mate Glen, then the other guy is Aaron, my cousin. (After this they discovered an old bottle cutter in my garage that I picked up at an op shop and proceeded to try and cut up some of the empty beer bottles from the night before. The first few were duds, but they got the hang of it in the end..)And here they are all sanded and undercoated, with the little stage that I made for them out of ply wood and mdf. All ready for painting! I then drew on them in water soluble pencils- which I often do before I paint, and if you stuff up you just get a wet tissue and wipe the lines off. It helps take away some of the fear of drawing onto something blank (the balnk canvas syndrome); which we all know can sometimes inhibit the outcome & the freshness of a drawing.