Wednesday Stamper

This week's Wednesday Stamper challenge is 'coloured' how you like to use colour. I like alcohol inks very much as there is no 'right way' just go with the flow. This ATC was done with blended alcohol inks on gloss paper and if it looks dark that is because the soot technique was also applied. This tech was demonstrated by our wonderful Kelsey as SAJ some time ago. After applying the ink you hold the paper over a candle to 'soot' it up and then stamp into it. The stamp removes the soot and you are left with a 'resist image'. Lots of fun to do but you must seal it with a fixative or it will smudge. The chain is one I picked up via the Op shop and broke up. Yes, Dawnine this is the ATC you wanted and I've just added a few bits as you can see. On it's way to you shortly. Hope everyone is having a great weekend. And best wishes to PJ and John who are getting married 'in the morning'. Love, Carmel xx

Playdate with Sulea

Had a lovely afternoon yesterday - went for a painting playdate with Sulea. The peace and quiet was surreal as there was no 'mum mum where are you, I want' etc etc. Love my kids but I do remember TBK ahhhhh. Sulea and I talked painting and how we feel about it and I got to see her recent work in the flesh which is totally amazing, her expression blows me away. Another plus was the pumpkin/pecan cake BTW I need the receipe! so you can guess how much I wanted to come home to the end of the day routine LOL but when your child puts his little arms around your neck and says 'I love you Mummy'....and the bigger one to... well I suppose I'll keep them he he.


Anyway here is what I played with yesterday and last night and just a little bit this morning! it's called Heartfelt Release and I will be sending it to Ireland to a friend who visited last year. Margaret is a special needs teacher who chooses to work in a school in a poorer area as they need her help the most.

I was also thrilled yesterday when Sulea gave me one of her paintings. It's called 'The Loving Space' and words fail me to express how honoured I feel to have a piece of Sulea's work. Check out Sulea's blog shortly to see her what she was working on yesterday, be prepared to be amazed! So I think you will agree that I had a pretty good Sunday. Hope you all have a lovely week. Hugs, Carmel xxxxx

Diamond Eyes for Wed Stamper

This is a piece I did a while ago but I wanted to have a play on Wednesday Stamper it's called Diamond Eyes - a booklet made out of coreboard and covered with tissue/tape/guaze/alcohol inks/paints/stamped transpariency and a working printed circuit board when you pull the tape it flashes. Anyway it was a fun piece to make, the background was inspired by Trish Bayley's 'textured alcohol ink'.

Cheers, Carmel x

More Yummy Post

I just wanted to share another beautiful piece art which I received the other day. It's from my Mystery Muser, which I can now reveal as the lovely Julie H - a gorgeous hard cover journal. Julie lives in a beautiful place way down south called Albany, it had dramatic coastline which reminds me a lot of Ireland and it's hilly, rugged and a bit wild. The cover reminds me of birds on the beach foraging for food and each page inside had a stamped bird on it. I love it Julie, thank you for making it just for me. I love the Mystery Muser as you get to make something for someone each month and it's lovely to think about the person and make them something you know they will love or challenge them with something outside their interests. Hope you all have a lovely day - would someone please tell Perth that Summer is officially over! way tired of hot weather - sorry Nat I know it's hotter up your way lol. Cheers, Carmel xxx

I Love my Postie

Have you seen those Australia Post adverts about each day of the week and what usually happens on that day? quite clever - well Thursdays are my 'at home' day. Chuck on a bit of washing so we're not up to our eyes on the weekend and maybe even a little ironing, just a little lol - well this Thursday was pretty much following it's atypical pattern when there was a very masculine knock at the door and lo and behold there he was.....the new postie! I have to say it's a new younger model in his 'fitted' postal uniform lol and there I was with unwashed hair, daggy shorts and tee-shirt but I didn't give him a second to be able to recognise me in a line up as I grabbed the parcel and shut the door. A parcel usually can only mean one thing to me - ART GOODIES and oh yeah I was not to be disappointed! drum roll please.....see above the beautiful work of art which I received today. What a talented lady Ms Natalie B is!! this is Nat's 'Portrait of a Lady' canvas, it's got texture paste and the wax gives it a velvety feel and the overall composition if a serene lady in thoughtful repose. I also got Natty's 'Paris Night's' card which is also a stunning piece of work. So you see why I love my new Postie? and why I desire his return he he. Thank you Nat for this beautiful gift, fabulous work girlie.

Hugs to everyone I'm so happy.

Carmel xx

I was inspired...

At the last SAJ's I was watching the lovely Julie van O making some glass pendants with soldered edges. Got me thinking I have a soldering iron from when I indulged in a little lead lighting some years back. And so I decided to have a go as I wanted to give the teachers who looked after Taidgh when he as injured on school camp. All was going good except when I had to do some travelling to get the right solder! Byford to Cannington to Dick Smiths where I got silver solder (4%) and whilst there managed to pick up some of those glass fuses - 6 in a little box for $1.98! this was good as Bunnings wanted $5 for 2! Thanks Julie I did manage to get the fuses open by heating the top - only broke 2 but when I wanted to solder the jump rings on I realised I needed some liquid flux to make a 'key' for the solder to work even though the silver solder had a core of flux it was not enough to bind - another car trip into Armadale. So what started off as yeah, I'll have a go at that turned into a 80km trip just to get the stuff together - also thanks to Elaine who got me the ball chain which saved me driving on into Vic Park LOL phew - all for a little thank you present but now I have the gear and can keep making stuff. It's all good fun really and it feels so much better when you have made something as a present instead of buying. Wishing you all a happy week. Hugs, Carmel xx

Another day on the blog

Had a really good time catching up with girlies last night down in Freo (Fremantle). A number of the girls are attending the Art Retreat over the weekend so we had a dinner catch up notably Julie and Sally who have come from down South. More catching up tonight with girls at Stamping at Jan's so a really good finish to the week. Making the most of it as hubby is going to a two day tournament on Sun/Mon so it's me and the kids. Sitting here and the house is completely silent as Lorcan is at kindy for the whole day, it's weird not hearing 'mum'. I didn't have this experience with Taidgh as I was working fulltime back then.

Anyway here is another canvas, yes it's a bit similar to the other but this was started first. I liked the background to I did the birthday in the same vein so I didn't have to extend my brain re the colour combos. I took Nat's left/right brain quiz and it said I was 15% left brain and 85% right brain - now it's nice to be told you have creative tendencies but whoa what it really shows is that I can't walk in a straight line and why I'm tuned out alot lol and why I intend to plan but it doesn't happen (much) - I'm truly the 'last minute wonder' - oh well now I know.