More bits

I have just finished making/sending charms for a charm swap and this spurred me on to make something else lol - the necklace, well I saw something similar in a shop for bigs dollars and thought 'yeah I can do that' (well hopefully) some of the buttons belonged to Tim's Mum and are 40 years old and some came from a friends Mum - both Mum's have passed away so it's nice that they are no longer sitting in a tin. They are quite comfortable to wear and lots of people have commented on them, I added some vintage pics to make them different from the ones in the shop - they used 'new' buttons all the same colour but I like my variety and you can wear it with different colour tops. They earings well had two bits left over so it had to be a pair of eargings - I'm glad I am picking up my new reading glasses tomorrow as it was so hard to thread the needle - the closer stuff is the more blurry it is lol. Might make some more, a friend tells me she has two huges jars of buttons so we might have a buttone necklace day, bring it on. Hugs, Carmel xx

Yummy mail

Check out this yummy mail - top left is a post-it-note holder from my Mystery Muser - will find out who made this at the end of the month. The other three are ATC's from a Winner Takes All draw that I won on a group based in the states, Altered Art Obsession - top right is a polymer clay beauty from Pearl Moon and the bottom two beauties are from Julie Hetherington down South - others coming from the States in due course - I'm feeling sooooo lucky as this is the second WTA that I have 'won' other one is from a group here in WA, Callingallstampers - must post those for you to see. Also starting to get Christmas post from Ireland - I have sent my 40 or so cards already so now I'm on the receiving end. Friends relatives and my mum's friends including my primary school cookery teacher, Sr. Pius who is now 86 years old but we still exchange cards. Whilst it's hard getting it all together I do love getting all the cards from Ireland. Carmel xx

1" collage has arrived

Wow - 1" collage is back - thanks to Dotee for hosting and mounting them all, what a huge task. I love this as it is unique and can't wait to see them all on Dot's blog. It was a lot of fun and it's amazing to see what other people do with 1"square of card lol. Thanks to all the participants, I'm thrilled with my piece and I hope you are too. Carmel xx

1" squares are finished woo hoo

I know this image looks a bit funny - took the pic upside down to avoid shadows and having to move them - rotated it on the computer and it gave this very odd view - hope noone gets vertigo looking at it. So, I am glad that I have finished another swap. This was fun and whilst it sometimes seemed that I wouldn't get to the end when they are all layed together it's not as 'big' as it seemed. Can't wait to get back the mounted version with a sample of everyone's work - we are all different personalities so it will be something to see what thoughts we have in our heads and have put on card lol. Ok Dotee, in the post very shortly - will just recheck what I have to send you. Love to all, Carmel xx

Calendar swap

I'm in a calendar swap and as you can see I'm doing the month of May. This seems to have taken ages to get going. I had specific thoghts of what I wanted - mystical May, lots of pagan rituals associated with May - fertility, Goddess worship, maypole dancing, queen of May and it's also my birth month and my grandmothers and great aunt. Actually all three of us were born on the same date, Nana and Hannie a few years apart and me two generations later. I have some celtic style stamps but couldn't seem to get the composition right, as in it looked flat and I wanted depth or it took me soo long to do one I was happy with and could not see being able to do that another eleven times lol. Anyway in the end I put time into creating a background and I loved this image of the girl with blue hues - pagan colour - Bealtaine is the old gaelic word for May and the celebrations surrounding it. I think I'm done but not sure - can't have bulky bellies as there are another eleven months and it's not a 'fat calendar'. It will be hung on the wall/door so it can't stick out too much. Ok two more swaps to complete! deadlines fast approaching and I'm also doing the christmas decoration for the kids at playgroup ahhhhgggg help! Have a lovely day. Love, Carmel xx

What a list!

HAVE YOU:
taken a picture completely naked? no
danced in front of a mirror naked? no
had feelings for someone who didn’t have them back? yes
been arrested? no
seen someone die? yes
kissed a picture? yes
slept in until 5pm? yes
had sex at work? yes, with my husband!
fallen asleep at work? yes
held a snake? yes
ran a red light? no - was that red or organge, actually I recently turned right on a red arrow - nothing coming (obviously)
been suspended from school? no
pole danced? no
been fired from a job? no
sang karaoke? yes
done something you told yourself you wouldn’t? yes
laughed until something you were drinking came out your nose? yes
laughed until you peed? yes
caught a snowflake on your tongue? yes
kissed in the rain? yes
had sex in the rain? no
sang in the shower? yes - all the time
gave your private parts a nickname? no
ever gone to work without underwear? no
sat on a rooftop? yes
played chicken? yes
broken a bone? no
flashed someone? no
mooned someone? no
skinny dipped? yes
shaved your head? yes
slept naked? yes
blacked out from drinking? yes
played a prank on someone? yes
had a gym membership? yes
felt like killing someone? no/yes/no/yes/no/oh maybe
truly hated someone? as above lol
felt like smacking someone in the face? yes - only did it once (at school)
cried over someone you were in love with? yes
had Mexican jumping beans as pets? no - ditto what are they?
been in a band? no
shot a gun? yesshot a bow and arrow? yes
played strip poker? yes
donated blood? yes
ever jump out of an airplane? no
been to more than 10 countries? no - but have flown over them to get here lol

Opheila

This is my Opheila - quite by accident! a combination of acrylics and oil pastel on watercolour paper applied with the old credit card, everything is scraped on (mostly) and that good old finger lol. Once I had some sky and what looked like water to me it had to have Opheila. She was so tragic, driven mad by a man who couldn't committ! have a nice print of her getting ready for the river in my bathroom (can't remember the artist). I was trying to focus on my calendar swap but it just went this way instead - note to self 'focus'. Having a quiet day at home, Tim had a day off work and has taken the boys 'out'. I have just finished watching Memoirs of a Geisha wrapped in a blanket with coffee and 1 (only 1) TimTam! it's a lovely movie and I really enjoyed the book (obviously more detail in the book) now I feel I should 'do' something and it's not ironing lol - shower, wash my hair and oh yes the calendar swap. Hope you are having a lovely day as well. Love, Carmel xx

Another great painting day

As you may have read on Nat's blog we had another day at Sulea's painting! Nat, Ann and Giles joined in and there was many a laugh and quite a few oh ahhs and would you ever stick that on!!! lol Sulea is all organised and had been thinking what she would paint over the previous days - the rest of us were making up as we go along - believe me it's good to have your thought processed worked out! as you will see if you visit Sulea's blog - link on the side.
Anyway here are my efforts: The first one is 'I am a free woman' I like strong women who soar above the trees. And the second, well mmmm the images are from Jan van Eyck's The Arnolfini Marriage but I decided by the look on his face he dumped her! and is gone off to seek other fish. I've updated the conversation with 'Yo Babe, gotta fly, can't stay here, don't know why, don't burn that candle I ain't worth it - are you sure the kid is mine'? One day I may have the process worked out but for now....going with the flow.

Cute or what?

We've had the flu like symptons going round our house for the past month. First Taidgh came down over a weekend and had one day off school - his first in about 3 yrs! then little Lorcan came down for a week - hardly ate and I couldn't believe how the weight fell off him, he is the skinny one in our family....then DH Tim was next to fall and had two days off work, I only had little feelings of being unwell - Tim reckons I am the carrier! Anyway we were free for a few days when poor old Taidgh came down again over the weekend, temps of nearly 40c and by Sunday morning Lorcan was coughing again! now I was all ready to head of to Sulea's for painting session so I dolled out the meds and said see ya honey! when I got home I found them to be aok but Lorcan had had a 2.5hr sleep in the morning and of course DH couldn't resist getting a photo and here it is - doesn't he look sweet even if he's a little under the weather. Since then Taidhg is still coughing and may have to stay home tomorrow but Lorcan is up and running..and eating so he must be ok!

Lost In The Vortex Of My Dreams

OK - don't even ask - just playing around with a bit more collage - maybe my dream is to have legs like this! - went to The Waterwheel Gallery for lunch today with a couple of friends and had a very quick peek as Lorcan was with me and that is not a good idea in a gallery lol anyway saw the work of a visual artist named Carole Ayres and went WOW (and that wasn't just the prices lol) here is her website www.ayresart.com but I have to say the scans really don't show how amazing her work is - the texture is wonderful and the papers she uses are yum! I was mega impressed and thought yes this is what I would like to do...

Industria ATC/Footy

Like Nat I am also in the Industria swap and trying to get them finished as I also recently joined a calender swap (can't help myself). Here is what I have been playing with.

What a weekend it's going to be - can we handle the stress/excitement? will we have a Derby Grand Final - when will we wake up and find it's all been a dream. What an achievement for WA footy to have both our teams playing to get into the final - Go Dockers and Eagles.

Urban Angel

Urban Angel - even urbanites need angels, but they like to be a bit sassy!

Give of yourself

Having a go...

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend? I had a pretty good one - Go the Dockers and the Eagles - the game on Friday was sooooo exciting, Taidgh and I had a wonderful time. Saturday was interesting! a very close friend's sister runs a Spiritualist Church and they held a fundraiser. It was a Victorianna evening in that we had to 'dress up' and had a very Victorian supper. We also sang old old songs like Beautiful Dreamer/After The Ball is Over/Molly Malone etc etc - I knew lots!! there was also then a Mediumship demonstration which I had never wittnessed before except on the telly. This you took on, depending on your beliefs, but it was interesting and some people were very moved by their experiences. After that it there was dancing and the music moved a few decades into the 80's and beyond. It was a great night and being out with good friends is always time well spent. On Sunday I drove over to Sulea's and we had a little play...and here is the result - I only managed one piece as we talked alot! and it was wonderful to see Sulea's work in the flesh. I really enjoyed painting this way as it is so different from what I usually do and would like to combine the two styles as I love the texture ...and the mess lol. Once Lorcan was in bed I was into it again for the rest of the evening - phew what a weekend! it was a good one. Cheers, Carmel xx

Here are the pics - I hope

Well I keep trying to upload my pics but it just doesn't want to work - maybe too much text lol so keeping it short and sweet, once more with feeling here are pics of art dollies.
Love,
Carmel x

Go the Dockers

It's yet another Friday yipeee....had an impulsive thought today. I was listening to the news and they said that there were still tickets available for the Dockers game tonight and I said to DH pity you are so sick you could take No. 1 son Taidgh to the game tonight and DH said why don't you go? and I said why not indeed? I love the big sporting events and to actually go to a 'final' is pretty special. I would say my first love is rubgy union having been brought up on it in Ireland and I am even wearing my Munster European Cup winners 2006 tshirt today but I do also love the footy and can even say I am both an Eagles and Dockers fan as I love to see them both succeed. Have a soft spot for Dockers as they are the underdogs. So, just got Taidgh out of school, he had no idea he was going anywhere! it's exciting to leave school early and we had a big day yesterday as it was the school sports day He came 2nd in his race and got a few 1sts in team events and his faction won the school shield for the first time in 18 years!!!! so ....it's big when you are in year 6 and not always been the most sporty kid or picked to be in teams etc. The biggest buzz was that not only could you get tickets online but you can have said tickets sent via email and you print them out WOW I didn't know that - fold the page into a ticket complete with barcode - no queues! or waiting for post - well couldn't post as game is on tonight lol

Well - here are the pics of my doll that I managed to complete at Kelsey's last Sat. Nat has the group shot of all the dolls on her blog here so I won't repeat - not sure where I put it lol. I took another shot of mine and I have since made a second doll - buddha angel, though I don't think she looks very benevolent lol a bit like ' you had better been good cause I'm comin' to collect what's due baby' . It was such a fun day and Kelsey's stuff is unbelievable! she is so talented and so generous and we all love her to bits. I want more play days with you girlies as I learn heaps and have so much fun and our friendships get a little deeper each time - with no family here friends are of immense importance as they are my family.

Well, hope you all have a blast this weekend, take care of yourselves.

Love,
Carmel xoxoxoxo

Sulea's Art Box: Collage - Mother Nature

Sulea's Art Box: Collage - Mother Nature

Painting pics

This area of paperarts was thrust upon me a couple of years back, can't believe how the time has flown. A friend, Eileen decided to go to a cardmaking class being run by another friend from school aka Elaine B and I was dragged along. Up until then I was quite happy going to my folkart class and spending very little money for paint/brushes/boards and the odd magazine. A tube of paint lasts a long time lol. It was such a hoot as I can remember trying with great difficuly to mark up borders for cards and use the cutting mat/knife/bone scorer etc etc oh and a heat gun - what a laugh. Well it went on from there and I have gone on from a trolley full of painting gear to a room full of crafting gear! and the money side has truly gone into orbit - my new credit card came today thank God as the old one is bent and the signature is barely visible! Anyway here a few of my paintings - not very arty subjects at all - mostly acrylics on board or canvas board. Will load others later.
Hope you all have a lovely weekend, going to an artdolly day tomorrow. Should be wonderfull though me and little beads could be interesting - keep the brush and pan handy for all the dropies on the floor.
Cheers,
Carmel xx

TGIF again

Well, it's TGIF again. Hope everyone's week has been good. We have had the flu in our house, Lorcan went down on Sunday night and we have been 'at home' all week. No kindy or playgroup, confined to barracks! I've had a loan of the Tim Holtz dvd's and have had a good time watching those and trying to absorb a few tips. Really liked some of the stuff he does and the way he goes about it - my hubby wanted to know how an area which seems truly dominated by women has a bloke making possibly the most money out of it??? it's typical isn't it LOL. Food, fashion, creativity and the blokes get all the fame/money/leadership. I'm toying with the idea of Christmas tags this year - just don't want to make cards and here is my first. Bit grunge as I have used the 'industria' look for the background, can't see the overseas list putting it on their trees lol but it's a start. The key is one I made using France's mould. I usually make cards that have a recent photo of the boys so relatives/friends in Ireland can see how they've grown so o/s ones will probably be 'sweet' (ugh). I have about 40 to make as it's not just the relatives I have to send to my Mum's friends as they have become mine over the years as they always remember us at Christmas including my primary school cookery teacher, Sister Pius - she is 84 now and has my boys photos in her room. Everytime I have gone to Ireland we have to go and see here. Lovely old dear but as sharp as a tac and looks like she is in her sixties. A Nun's live has been kind to her and she was a lovely teacher, fond memories. Can't say that about most of them LOL.

ATC #3 Big Day Out

As you would have heard ATC#3 was a fantastic day, Julie & Co. organised a great day except they couldn't have know that the road system changed since last Feb and everyone got lost! you used to turn left but now have to go right on a huge new roundabout and turn right into what was a left??? it was weird to picture it in your head - Elaine and I drove up/down/up but eventually got there - phew! Of course we stayed for the whole session, right until the community centre caretaker came by to chuck us out! no way could I have packed up and gone before the end - it would have to be for nothing less than brain surgery! Was having such a good time yakking/looking/shopping I only made a total of 9 ATC's LOL and tried out Julie's industria tech - some very cool pieces made.

Lorcan has been invited to 3 parties over two weekends - one of them a double header and 2 of the parties on the same day - 2 hours apart and in two McDonald's in two suburbs! I suddenly have to make some cards and I'm not one for cute/kid style stamps - help! made two cards, which seemed to take ages and they have turned out like mini scrapbook pages - do you think? I had the pics from playgroup session - only two more to make!

TGIF - and the first Friday of the month, so Stamping at Jan's tonight - I do enjoy this catch up with bods - now I only have to decide do I play or do the washing???? mmmm might try a combination. Oh I just remembered I need to make another card, adult one this time.
Well, hope you all have a wonderful weekend.
Cheers,
Carmel xx

Good Mail Day

Just wanted to share the great mail day! got the most beautiful art doll today from my Mystery Muse - could hazzard a guess at it's creator but will wait until she is revealed at the end of the month. I just love her - Census is her name in honour of my recent memoirs! I am so pleased to have a dolly - it's been a long time since I had a dolly of my own - only have boys so dolls are not seen in this house once the toddler years are over. Though Lorcan spent a lot of time last week playing with the baby dolls at playgroup.
It was also a great weekend as I went to ATC #3 Continumn - what a blast! fabo bunch of girls and lots of ohhing and ahhing over other people's work - great demos from Julie and Kelsey. I even made 9 ATC's and one 'industria' piece, which I have yet to scan - will do so shortly. I also managed to spend some money on yummy Collections bits and got some German Scrap and Twinkling H2O's via Jen. Julie was as generous as usual, we all got a great kit of Collections items and a piece of rubber in a lovely tin and they was a few freebie bits as well. In all a huge day/night and I was well and truly knackered the next day, even had to have a nana nap in the afternoon! Roll on Friday as it will will Stamping at Jan's and we can have a debrief - ain't live grand!

It's Finally Over

Well you'll be please to know that the census is finally over for me anyway - handed in my books/paperwork and id card woohoo! only some more money to come and that I don't mind. I will also now stop talking about it aswell!!! now back to some playtime in my room. I am finding collage really hard at the moment, maybe I'm thinking too much about it or looking at too many books/mags as I then don't want to do what they have done. I love backgounds but then find it hard to cover them. I spent Sunday playing with some big puzzle pieces and only managed to complete one for a Mystery Muse and the other is on the desk, background created and an image ready but can't cover the rest and yet one image doesn't seem enough. Where will it end?? can see lots of things in my head before I go to sleep but at the desk I get lost. Oh well, hope some of you guys are going to ATC3 on Sat??? great to catch up and have a whole day/night to play - now to pack.....

Weird - I uploaded the pics with the last post but they did not appear - trying again!

Memoirs of a Census Officer

Well, have not been on for a bit due to the fact I signed up to be a Census Officer! there I was thinking -' nice little bit of play money' I can tell you that money does not pay you to visit 350 houses and say the same thing over and over again. Or try to convince people to do it online, I can't believe how many people are afraid of their own computer!! haven't heard of one biting yet - On the subject of biting (a few people know this already) in the course of my duty as CO I was attacked and bitten on the ankle by a fairly large dog, which also goes a long way as to why I am 'over it'. I could not do this as a permanent thing. I have met loads of lovely people and have been told lots of stories but it's also been sad to see so many lonely people (especially the elderly). But I have met a few mongerels as well. My other dramas include, being locked into a property by a faulty electronic gate and had to be rescued by a neighbour (no one home), got out of the car and whilst scanning for dogs nearly bumped into a huge ram; had a loose horse gallop by the car and block the exit gate; one very racist old man ramble on and on and have been smelt by at least 400 dogs - sometimes 3 at a time - so if you ever think that you might do this - DON'T - I am also completly exhausted as physically it was/is pretty hard - when you do it for 6/8 hours at a time. Oh well only the collection phase to look forward to! I have 'sold' the online census so much I think I could sell icebergs in Antartica and have reduced my callbacks quite a bit and hopefully more will roll in. It's been so full on I have not had any time to 'play' though I worked by rear end off and took Saturday off to go to the craft fair in Claremont. Had a great time as I met quite a few bods from Stampgropers etc and the stalls weren't too bad either. The Thread Studio was the best for me and was very happy to pick up some stamps and attend one of their workshops - embossed velvet tag book. I also learnt a new technique from Jeanette at the Stamp Trap and tried it out Sat night - see microscope slideholder - which I have done for my Mystery Muse shhh this is late! but I know she will be cool with that. I like this effect as it looks like it is lit up. How to??? well Jeanette used 'window plastic' (aceate) but I used glass microscope slide - stamp (stazon) images on glass and on the other side drag ink pad (ancient page) to colour (could use alcohol inks?) then drizzel diamond glaze and smear, sprinkle white glitter and let it dry (heat gun but very carefully) then highlight areas with gold crylon pen, then drizzel more diamond glaze and get some tinfoil, crush it up and flatten (not smooth) and stick on the back and trim. Jeanette layered onto gloss card for mounting on a card if you used aceate but as you can see I glued it into the slideholder. What do you think - made a couple of others in different colour backgrounds but the foil lights it up - kind of fake alcohol inks/foiling??? So pass on the message - do your Census online and save your CO the callback - not getting paid enough to be smelt/bitten/or spoken to as if you are an ASIO agent. Cheers, Carmel xoxoxo

Start of my Altered Book

The other part of this weekend has seen the start of my altered book. I have done the first two pages called 'Reach Out' and Brave Women of their Time'. I'm using water soluble oil pastels to create the backgrounds and overstamping with Stazon. Also using my broken stylus to 'scratch' designs/words/drawings into the crayon. I'm trying to get a fixed idea before I start and even made some notes! when doodling I am always drawing eyes so I figured I would use an eye image on each page as in what do mine eyes see but I am already stressing! about how it looks. I have looked at other peoples work but don't want to 'copy' ideas/layouts etc so I am finding it hard. I feel it looks a bit 'grungy' and would love to be able to produce something beautiful/flowing but when I start I am impatient to get it finished, I'm the same with painting - I want it finished. I need discipline and find I need to walk away or I will just 'finish it' and then be sorry. So give me an honest opinion, I can take it!!!

Cool Weekend

Well the weekend is almost over... and only one more day of school holidays! of course all the ironing is left to the last day but this is completely normal and I know is replicated everywhere (will keep telling myself that!). It's been quite hetic had visitors Thurs and Fri therefore had to do housework both days, now that's not normal! and a Stampin Up demo Fri night and of course I had to buy a stamp. Sat. I took Lorcan (3.5yrs) for a long bike ride while Tim and Taidgh went to the movies, my rear end was quite sore even though we were on flat road but it was lovely. Sat night I finished this piece - used my Collections Tile/frame set. It's for a very good friend, Ruth, who was very kind to me a few weeks ago and took me to the Human Nature concert where we had a ball. As she wouldn't let me pay for the ticket I decided to make her 'something'. I have mounted it onto a woven table mat and I will get or make a timber frame for it. Some of the images will mean specific things to Ruth. Hope she likes it.

what a great day

It's been a good old day, surviving the second week of the school holidays. Had some good friends over for lunch today with kids in tow - it was loud and they seemed to move in a blur, imagine if we as adults all moved like kids??? how do we loose that energy.

Here are some pics of work I completed recently. Love backgrounds and texture. These are based on a technique by Trish Bayley and include 'glad wrap/tissue/masking tape/gauze'.

Oh the rain has come to Perth! the garden has been gasping for a drink.

First words

Just to get started, hello world. One minute dot adding to create the big picture. Feel weird doing this, but going to give it a whirl. When organised will add some images of art etc.

Cheers,
Carmel