trying something...it may not work

Well no it didn't work, I was trying to post a video of a series of shots taken in sports mode on my new camera...will sit and ponder this for a bit longer....

In a Dragon's Den

I mentioned earlier that I have been in a House Book swap and have posted some of the pages I completed for others. I will share the remaining later. For now here are the pages that have been done for me by these ladies.

This first page is what will eventually be the cover of the book (done by me) I have several ideas for it but for now it sits and waits.

This page was done by Lucy Leatham, she actually did two for me which was totally unexpected. I love this one and the feelings it evokes. The mirror is actually shiny but doesn't show well in the photo (which were taken with my new flash camera that I have waited for patiently for quite a while now). This is also a favourite of my two girls. This next one was also by Lucy and again is just wonderful and very tactile.

Page number four was made by Kaeren Sutherland and is made using a napkin bonded to the card, the gold lace is lovely but doesn't show in the photo, neither does the gold sheen over the entire piece.

I have more to share but they wouldn't attach to this post...once I have picked up the kids from school I will work on the others.

Comprehensive and Practical advice on how to help

FLOOD and FIRE

What a terrible terrible week the Eastern side of Australia is having -
Fire and flood, if it isn't too much rain which is happening in
Queensland it is fire in Victoria. I am at a loss of what to think or
say, I have cried a lot at the human tragedy at the last count I heard
it was 108 dead and we have to "brace ourselves for more".

What can we do? Here's something that may help in a small way:

1. Give the Red Cross a call and donate, their number is 1800 811 700.

2. Kathy from Remember When is offering to donate all the money from selling her Laser Cuts to aid the Victorian Bushfire Brigade.

I will be doing both I think. Can you imagine, whole communities wiped out - all that history, all those lives touched. I even watched Kevin
Rudd our Prime Minister struggle to keep control of his emotions this
morning.

I hope this can be brought to an end soon, that those
that set those fires burn in hell for what they have done (this is in
effect mass murder in some cases) I sincerely hope that those that I know over there are safe and well.

A Book, A House

I am in a  "house book" swap with some other ladies and have been taking some time out to create on a monthly basis (though we are only in our 3rd round). Each month (or two to give time to fit in art in our busy schedules this holiday season) we are give the names of two participants to create pages for. These images are not in order of sending but are the following themes:

Vintage Gentlemen - this proved to be quite hard for me to get my head around but once I started it all became quite easy and I am fairly pleased with what I have done - truly is anyone ever really happy with their own work. I have found that I really like to do gel transfers of images on all sorts of surfaces and if I am careful it works out well - and it helps that we have our own colour laser printer.

Glass House. I had all sorts of ideas for this but ended up with an idea for a green house, I couldn't find small enough leaves so we ended up with "african violets" encased inside the page - 2 layers of card with windows cut on both sides, acetate over the holes and the leaves and flowers sandwiched. You can only just see through it on the side, the card was painted with Tim Holtz crackle paint to give an aged look and then stamped. The flower centres are kindy glitz (similar to stickles in the US) black opal.

Next we have Architectural House, you wouldn't know it to look at it really,though the back of it reflects the theme more. I interpreted the theme more as the back is plans of a kitchen and I have given it a goddess theme (though no pictures for some reason I forgot to take it). The front has been embossed using my cuttlebug and inked, the image of my goddess is behind fly screen mesh and the key is a 7Gypsies one with German Scrap wings.

French House is next, I used a colour of blue I associate with France for some reason, it is one of my favourite colours, again gel medium transfer which proved to be hard as I had cuttlebug embossed the cardstock - I need to plan more, but that is how I work - instinctual, planning never seems to work for me that well. I usually get a vague idea and run with it.  The flowers are rub ons I had to hand and the theme called for something like them, I am not sure what came first though the flowers or the title. Can you guess I love my script dymo!

Finally for this entry is Cream House Book, what to do what to do was the only thing that came to mind for me when I saw this theme. I decided to have a play with some stuff and if I wasn't happy then I could keep playing around till I was - I cut out several house shapes so I could just keep going with my muse - in the end it was scrim and gel medium background, painted cream, I had a frame which I again painted cream and then rubbed back, an architectural element (Krafty Lady mould) and a heart with some scrim. I needed something to add a bit of life so I added the pink velvet in the frame. The back of this is more distressed scrim (flat this time) painted cream and it actually looks really good - I prefer it to the front and wish I had tried that first. It is very textural and tactile as far as pages go. The words Smooth and Classic are a play on the fact that the cream colour as far as builders etc go has changed from smooth to classic in the last 10 years - same colour just different name.

Okay so that is me for now - I have about 3 other entries in draft mode just now, one is awaiting photos - hopefully I can get these done before christmas!

How Could They Do It!

Go have a look at the following link, Dale a very generous and talented lady who owns and runs The Thread Studio from her home here in Perth has had a number of her art pieces stolen by a "customer". Dale has always been very free in showing her work and letting us handle and look at these items closer and in our own time. Someone is going to get a rather nice piece of artwork for Christmas I would say. I hope they can't live with themselves - truly a sad day. Dale and Ian are two of the most trusting people. I am truly sad about this.

downunderdale: thieves or desperate artist?

Pass the word around - you never know who might see it (or the artwork)

Time for a Change

In the spirit of All Hallows Eve I thought it about time I made a little change to my blog. If you want to find out where to get this template and other assorted Halloween ones for free there is a little clickable box up there on the left. I have chosen my next one already. More blogging as soon as I have downloaded some images of my latest work. No point in blabbing about it and not showing you what I mean.