Illustration Friday: Renewal

I really love this little guy. I created him while listening to Joni Mitchell's "Blue," album, if you haven't heard it give it a try especially the title track its beautiful. Renewal to me means starting over, a new beginning as it were. So this little sparrow has found the key to his cage and is now starting a new life of freedom. Created with watercolour,pencil and pen. Have a lovely day everyone!

Pretty as a peacock.

I have this crazy obsession with handbags, what girl doesn't. My favourites aren't expensive by any means, they are usually op shop steals that I pick up along my travels. One of my favourite things to do though is to jazz them up a little make them my own. Here are a few ideas if you want to create a more unique handbag for yourself.



This little gold number was decorated with a strip of black ribbon and two felt peacock feather designs I made using just a straight stitch on the sewing machine and then hot glued everything to the front and there you have a brand spankin new style.

I also like to add fabric yo-yo's or buttons on a section of a handbag and adhere them with fabric or hot glue. You could also stencil patterns onto the fabric using fabric paints which can also give you a great effect. Stencils could also include items you may have in your craft collection like paper doilies or lace which would look fantastic!

If you would like more inspiration on creating your very own handbag chic have a gander at these:

Websites:
Craftster
Get Crafty

Books:
Bend the rules with fabric by Amy Karol
Complete Embellishing techniques by Kayte Terry

Camera where for art thou?

I how I would love a digital SLR camera but alas money is a bit on the short side at the moment. So I will have to hold onto the dream for a little while longer and instead imagine myself wearing, an indian style headdress with feathers and a heart on my cheek as you do! While proudly displaying a digital SLR camera around my neck.

Tat Tah everyone and have a very happy new year!!

What's for dinner tonight?

I love cooking, but what I love more than anything is cooking for others. I believe cooking is about sharing good food with your loved ones and by preparing it yourself you are sharing the passion with them and I also believe food tastes better if you prepare it yourself.

I made this meal a couple of days ago and everyone loved the salad. The menu consisted of peppered scotch steaks, chunky rosemary potato wedges and spinach and beetroot salad. Here is the recipe for the salad. Recipe serves approximately 4 people as a side salad.

Baby spinach and beetroot salad.
A couple of good handfuls of washed and drained baby spinach
1 450gram can of baby beetroots drained and quartered
1 1/2 cups of cubed pumpkin
A handful of flaked almonds
100 grams of smooth fetta cheese
Olive oil
Salt and pepper to season

Method
- Preheat oven to 160 degrees
- Place the cubed pumpkin on a oven tray lined with baking paper drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper and herbs of choice I used rosemary, bake in oven until brown and tender. Set aside.
- Place drained baby spinach in a bowl and add the beetroot quarters
- Crumble the fetta over the top
- Now add pumpkin and flaked almonds

Serving suggestions:Could also use as main meal by adding grilled chicken or lamb strips.

Illustration Friday: Pioneer.

Here is my first ever contribution to illustration friday, the topic was "pioneer." My illustration is of a young pirate named Dahlia, who has set sail on the rough turquoise seas to find and plunder new worlds. I actually got the idea to draw a female pirate after watching an ad for the new "Alice in Wonderland," movie. I mean she was a young girl who travelled to a new and exciting world so in my book she is a true pioneer. I am always really nervous to share my drawings but I had fun with this topic.

Oh yeah, wait a minute Mr. Postman!

Well my lovelies Christmas is quickly sneaking up on us and I am really excited about spending time with my family. I thought I would share with you a couple of useful tips for making some special little christmas cards. You really don't need much to make a unique card.



Everything used on my cards were things I had in my craft stash including sequins, lace, scraps of patterned paper left over from past projects, buttons, ribbon,craft punches, novelty edged scissors, cut-outs from old magazines or comics the list could go on and on. Another handy tip is to search the many free graphic sites on the internet that have fantastic vintage images that you can use here is my favourite site I venture to quite alot. Enjoy!!


Recommended Site:
Graphics Fairy
The Vintage Moth

The Monster Mash.

Here is my toy drop for "The Toy Society." Now if you haven't heard of it before its a great community art project started in Australia but is now worldwide. If you would like to get involved simply head on over to their blog found here. http://thetoysociety.blogspot.com. Get craftin!!!