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.