tsk tsk

tulips and birds

just popping in very quickly to keep you up to date with new works I am creating.

Here is a little peek at new prints. they'll be in the shop next week but I'll have some available at the stall on Sunday 1st for the Mathilda's Markets.

Delightful Days

I've had a very productive week.Today my monsters come home and my house will be destroyed. And yet, I still need to clean it before they arrive.

I have to give back the kitchen table and I suspect that my parents and children will want a meal cooked for them tonight! And I'll have to hide the rest of the Turkish delight from their tiny paws.

I've been up since about 5am making lists and finishing jobs. I have a few odd jobs to complete for work, but I have a pile of bills and paperwork that need sorting. Vacume cleaner to be fixed, car to be cleaned before the booster seats go back in. OH that sounds like such an inspiring day to you all I bet. I might squeeze in a pedicure as sandal season is now approaching.

yes, a nice few days of peace and some work crossed off the list.

I am happy.

I bet my parents are exhausted.

watching the clock tick by

I said to Mr N last night whilst we were all eating dinner, "I am so looking forward to this week. I have so many great things I want to do, and I'm feeling really energetic about doing them. Infact I could easily work another 12 hours straight now" Of course when you are a mum, you can't. There are mum things to do.

The weekend, was great. Blue skies, long walks, 40th birthday celebrations, garden cleaning and Japanese food.

But....

This morning Mr A woke up with a headache. I drugged him up with panadol and shipped him off to school. Sat and did reading with his group, drove to the PO, went to the butcher, bought a yummy cake for morning tea with my friend, did a quick and minimal vacuum and kitchen clean, editioned some prints and then the phone rang.
Mr A was unwell and could I come and collect him from school.

The poor little boy took himself straight to bed, slept for an hour and a half, then woke up and was sick. Yep, the vomiting kind of sick.

So it seems that this blog isn't much fun at all of late. I really haven't been enthused to write about anything much at all. I did manage to start on some new prints and new bird illustrations, but mostly I find myself just watching the clock and waiting for the school bell to ring so I can be on mummy duty again.

curiouser and curiouser

Miss M went to a birthday party yesterday and she wanted a ribbon in her hair. After carefully explaining to me how it was to sit on her head, I said "Oh you want it just like Alice." "NO" she said "Just like Sophie wears it at school sometimes".

So then I started telling her all about Alice in Wonderland and I even pulled out my books to show her some pictures. One of these books called, The Art of Alice by Stephanie Lovett Stoffel shows so many variations of Alice and all the other characters from the book.

This got me thinking about my own interpretation of Alice. Does she have long hair? Short hair? Blond hair? Curly hair? I bet most of you would say she has long, straight, blond, hair and wears a blue dress and white apron. Is that just Disney's vision or is it written?
I started reading to the kids last night, but we are still stuck in the rabbit hole and I can't remember if she is described in the book or not. What do you think she looks like?

I started sketching her last night whilst watching the TV. I really need to do this more often. Sketch that is. I don't watch much TV at all. Perhaps something will come of these. Prints maybe?

Should I modernise her a little? Which face do you like?

new dolls for the shop

I have just added some new items into the shop. Two new matryoshka softies and a new giclee limited edition print.

brighter the bird, better the day.

I've spent most of today and all of last night with a migraine. Only now at night do I feel OK. But I have felt frustrated at not being able to do anything. So before I shut down my computer I thought I would quickly post this pic I made.
The weather here is dreary and wet and this bird makes me feel a little brighter.

 

new canvas prints for kids

As mentioned last week, I was testing some prints. Well, today they are ready for sale in the shop. If you know 1 little or 2 little indians these might be perfect for their bedrooms. The prints are sold on canvas as the back shows here. I can ship the images unstretched for anyone outside of Australia to reduce the shipping costs.
The images are titled, Sitting Flower and Small Eagle Sitting.

revisiting tantrums and themes

I'm falling asleep as I type so I won't keep this long. Miss M has decided to review her tantrum years similar to when she was 2 {and 3 and sometimes 4} so everything seems to come to a grinding halt whilst I try to maintain a peaceful household.
I'm convincing myself that it is just the cold weather making her cranky. She has the most demanding and frustrating personality in this abode, but on the upside she is the happiest and funniest girl.
Crossing my fingers that the 40 minute, daily screaming matches will soon go away!

 I will stay calm, I will stay calm!

And to the illustrating side of my life, (which occasionally gets to see the light of day between school drop off and pick up) I have been focused on a number of projects. One in particular is working on new images for children and I seem to be revisiting the theme of Native American icons in my work. I think like the Matryoshka nesting dolls, it is the history, their faces, the cultural aspects, the patterns in their clothing, and the stories that have been made famous through poetry, books and movies that spark my interest.

I have a new print now available in the shop and hopefully after some test printing I will have a new canvas print available.....stay tuned.

And I am so glad to see this lady back in the world of blog! Jo always makes me smile.

Deep in the Jungle

Today I collected a new canvas print for my friend's boy. Yes I was commissioned by a 6 year old!!

"can I have turtles, a snake, bugs and I would really like a leopard, a monkey, an opossum and maybe a toucan?"
I also wanted to create a feeling of depth by hiding some of the animals behind trees and rock. Some animals take longer to find as they camouflage with the jungle surrounds.
 
I'll give it to him this afternoon, and hope that he and his parents like it. 
I'll be selling this print in my shop soon.
If you are interested in having jungle artwork for your very own or your children it is now for sale in the shop.
International orders are available but to save on shipping costs, the print is sent unstretched. Email me for more details on price

not much to say

so I'll just leave you with some images.