A Misty Weekend

What fun I had on this wet weekend! Saturday was consumed with netball and Samara started her new job teaching kids art and craft classes at the local Rec Centre. She had a great time and loved the fact that she was paid for doing something she really enjoyed. We also spent the afternoon getting her ball dress altered, buying the shoes (which are gorgeous!!!) and a little bag. Her ball is this Friday night and I will be sure to post photos.
Sunday I watched Schindlers List, I was inspired to do so after reading Judys blog. So very sad, a shed a few tears... Then, in the afternoon I felt the need to get creative. I had started working on this little canvas (first pic) on Friday. I have taken the techniques from Misty Mawns article in the latest Cloth Paper Scissors.


I had so much fun doing this and decided to do another piece, this one just on watercolor paper. It may end up as a journal page or placed in to a window frame I have. I really enjoyed doing the image transfers and cannot rave enough about the Caran D'Ache crayons! I splurged and bought the great big tin and am sooo glad I did. They are amazing to use and the range of colours is spectacular.

Well, it is raining heavily AGAIN! Great for the garden and our farmers, but terrible for getting washing dry. We have had rain every day for over a week now, the wettest winter that I can remember for a while. I have kids home sick from school, poor old Courtney has a bad cold that is really affecting her asthma. Best to keep them home, warm and dry on days like this.
Okay, I am off to do some more painting. We have a big craft fair this weekend, so I probably won't get a chance to play for a while.

Nina Bagley's retreat Dwellingup

For those of you thinking of doing Nina's Art Retreat at Dwellingup, Western Australia , May 2008. Photo's taken at the venue, how perfect is this for the project 'Book of Trees'.

This the Lodge where we will eat and sleep.



Yes he is real, what brilliant colour, such a chatty little fellow too. This little blue wren is quite common in this area, which is an hour and a half South of Perth. He was flitting around while we had morning coffee and cake on the deck.

Below is view of girls walking to the workshop which is in front of them. To the left is the Lodge, you can see how close it is

Creating in the workshop, plenty of room.

How idyllic is this view taken from the bottom of the beautiful gardens. Lots of sitting areas if you want to escape and be on your own for a while. This lovely old cast iron stove is in a corner outside the workshop. Lots of lovely old implements and furniture throughout the Lodge and cottages. We will post more photo's on the website of this venue.

More photo's Art Journey Retreat

Some more photo's of Lesley Riley, Nina Bagley and Michael De Meng workshops

Shoes from Michael De Meng class - Perth

I just want to share with you some of the amazing shoes created by the girls in Michaels workshop at the Art Journey Retreat in Perth, March 2007

Sorry girls I dont know the name of the artists perhaps you could lay claim to yours, I think you all did amazing work, hope you enjoyed making them. Hope I havent missed any, I had to wait until after the workshop so if you left early I may have missed yours, please accept my apology.

A trip to the zoo and the Fury of Mother Nature

We decided to take all the girls to the zoo for Maddis birthday. Unfortunately the weather forecast was not great, but we were determined to go anyway. As soon as we pull up at the zoo carpark, the rain starts! So we run off to the reptile house to keep as dry as possible. Once inside, the heavens opened, but as we were inside, we had no idea exactly how severe it got! More on that further down the post....
Despite the lousy weather we had a great day. The animals were all so close (trying to keep dry too!) and I got some amazing photos. I love this one of the Frill Neck Lizard! The girls got a real laugh out of the gibbons who put on a real show for us. We stayed until about 4 o'clock and wet and tired made our weary way home. On the drive home we noticed trees torn apart and debris all over the place, apparently quite a storm had passed through. Nothing could of prepared us for the sight we would encounter at home, in our backyard!
For the past six years that we have lived in this house, this huge gum tree has stood in the corner of our back yard. It has provided us with shade in the summer, a tyre swing hanging from its branch has swung our girls for many hours, it has been a home and feeding ground for countless birds, including the many black cockotoos you see in the photo above...
And this day it came crashing down! Tumbling on to our shed and pergolah and the aviary! It was all chaos as we attempted to save the birds left in the aviary.


Unfortunately all the canarys had flown the coop, but the 16 weeros were still in the aviary. Luckily the tree had only crushed one corner. We managed to catch 13 weeros and 3 canaries, so luckily only lost 6 birds! Now we have plenty of firewood!!!

Madison turns 6

My baby girl turned 6 on Saturday June 30! She had a ball opening all her gifts and couldn't wait for her friend Riley to arrive to spend the night! Happy Birthday sweetheart!

Madison surrounded by her gifts!


With her best friend, Riley!