while life goes on around them...

(so much time gets lost in my mind)

I had this old piece of work given back to me during the weekend, I had entered it into an exhibition and hadn't gotten around to picking up once the exhibition had finished (as in I hadn't gotten around to it for a few years)! It's funny looking back at it now and seeing how much my work has changed and how much it hasn't in some ways too. These girls of mine still haven't got any hands and they are still just plonked in the middle of their backgrounds while life goes on around them... but that is how life is. We are each just plonked into the middle of our own lives getting on with them the best we can. I guess though, my girls have found their voices, which is something new.

I had a lovely weekend to myself... Hannah was away with her friends, Stuart and Ben went down to Palmy to spend time with his parents. So I had the whole weekend to myself. I started on Friday afternoon by getting a trim at a hair dressers... a real live hairdressers, not a do it myself job at home. It was so nice I felt very pampered and even got a free pen! I had a few catch ups with friends and did a little shopping for bits and pieces... was good. Then Sunday I meet up with some other members of Etsy based in Hawke's Bay. It was just so wonderful to talk with these like minded women, we were all so different yet we were the same. I feel this is going to be a very supportive network in the future for us all.

I think this is going to be a catch up week... I have lots of works that have little things that need doing before I can call them finished and I have 3 galleries waiting for more works, so I think a bit of a catch up is a good idea. Also I will start thinking more about what I am going to need to take to the retreat with me and what I will actually make and do there.

One other thing since my birthday is coming up on 6th September I will have a giveaway starting the week before, 1st September. There will be three winners and they will each receive a pendant.

goodies and baddies...

(Ben's beasts and creatures)

Sometime when I am doing my "art work" as Ben calls it, he likes to sit at my table and do his art work too. As he draws he talks about his creations, their names, what they eat and who is a goody and who is a baddie (he is a nice companion to make art work with). It was these little drawings that Ben happily did on the side of my desk pad with their little stories that started me thinking about adding more drawing to my own work.

(nobody can bring you happiness but yourself)

I really believe what the title of this piece says, well... I know it's true for me. Other people can make you happy to a certain extent but I think true happiness must come from your own doing, being. From experience I don't think it is good to rely on other people for your happiness... you will probably end up being disappointed. My family and friends all make me happy in their own ways and I wouldn't be the same without them, but I don't rely on it for my complete happiness, I think you have got to make some for yourself. I guess what I am saying is that sitting at my kitchen table doing my little paintings and what not is something I have found that gives me much happiness. And as I am not too good with saying what I feel, it is a good medium for me to show my thoughts and feelings.

I suddenly had an epiphany while doing this piece, something I had been thinking about for a while became clearer, something I had been wanting to try... It might just be a subtle change but will be interesting to see how it turns out. Will keep you posted.

The parcel I went to pick up from the post office on Tuesday was the giveaway I had send to Tara being returned!!! So it went nearly all the way to her and then came back again. So I am still waiting for the antique brass chains for my new pendants. But I have listed seven new collage pendants with silver chains in my etsy shop yesterday and I caught myself on the front page of etsy again thanks Risa for letting me know.

have a good weekend.

he laughs at my dreams...

(two little birdie pendants I made last night)

I will hopefully have some more pendants to list in my etsy shop tomorrow, I'm going to pick up the chains from the post office this afternoon. They didn't fit in my letter box and the posties calling card said "your letterbox was not large enough, please ensure your letterbox is large enough for the mail you receive" That made me chuckle for some reason. I will also have a selection of pendants to send to a couple of galleries around New Zealand. I can't tell you how much fun it is pottering around with these little things, it truly feeds my soul.

(he laughs at my dreams but I dream of his laughter)

I also did this one last night too... These words make me smile and are very close to my heart. I will add a few last minute details and then send it and a few others to the Little River Gallery down south.

I have been thinking of setting up a regular get together with a group of Hawke's Bay etsy sellers over the last wee while... and now we have our first "meeting" this Sunday!!! I am so looking forward to it, lately I have been feeling the need to gather people around me, form a sense of community, to replace what is missing.

Here are the shoes I won! The girls in the shop were so lovely and helpful, they were also very excited as I was their first loyalty club winner!!! I was able to choose from any of the Isabella Anselmi brand in the shop. I did find it quite hard as I am not really a girlie girl and a lot of the shoes were strappy and had heels that went on and on, which is a pity as I could really afford the extra height. Anyway it was fun and these are the ones I chose...

sadness flies away...

Two more inspire paintings I did last night... the first one is something that I tell myself every now and again, when I need to remember. All things pass in time, good and bad, this is a good reminder for me to hold tight. The second one is an old favourite of mine... and I don't really have anything else to say about this.

(sadness flies away on the wings of time)

(just remember that I'll always love you)

I have started doing a few more little drawings in the backgrounds lately, lines, words, and things, and am enjoying the process. I love doing little doodles, I remember being in a very very boring meeting earlier this year, only made slightly better by being supplied with morning tea. As I looked down at the left over crumbs on my paper plate I started doodling around them, by the end of the meeting I had created a treasure map. Unfortunately the plate was scooped up with the rest of them and put in the recycling bin... so I will never find that treasure, but I think the treasure was in the drawing of the map. A bit like lego, I always enjoyed the making of things rather then playing with the finished creations afterwards.

I won a pair of shoes!!! I joined a loyalty programe at a local shoe shop... Overland, for local readers. I got a letter and vouchers to the value of $199.90 (weird amount don't you think, why not just make it $200)? in the mail yesterday saying my name was picked out as the winner for July! Wow, so I am going after a meeting this afternoon to choose my new free shoes! I wonder if we will have afternoon tea provided in this meeting?

One of the hardest things...

(One of the hardest things in life is having words in your heart that you can't utter)

(to the world you may just be one person to one person you may be their world)

Here is a little peek at the two new inspire paintings I started last night...

My body feels like it is being pulled in so many directions lately. I really don't know what way is up, there are so many things on in my mind... confusing things, exciting things, scary things, good things, bad things, ok things, big things, small things, etc... the list goes on.

bulls eye

(bulls eye pendant #1)

(bulls eye pendant #3)

I have called these 'bulls eye' pendants (for obvious reasons) and have added them and a selection of my new collage pendants to my etsy shop ( I even sold one as I was listing them). I have got lots of ideas for some new designs but I think I will hold off on them till I go away on the retreat.

I have also finished these three inspire pieces, I am not sure what I am going to do with them yet, whether I add them to etsy or take them to one of my galleries?

The quotes read...
1... expect good things to happen
2... words have wings so say good things
3... even if we're apart I will always be with you

I have a 'meeting' tonight with a group of my arty friends, I live for the first friday of the month, it is so good for the soul these get togethers.

I think I might have a pendant giveaway next month, as it is my birthday month... roll on spring!

My new addiction

Oh dear... The courier knocked on the door yesterday morning and handed me a parcel containing 140 bezels! I have gone a little nuts with these little things, they are so addictive to make, above are a few I have made so far!

I added the resin last night to six of them before I realised the resin was making the paper go see through so I had to seal the paper image with a varnish first. The resin will take about 2 - 3 days till it is completely dry. I decided to wear one yesterday, it wasn't finished (didn't have the resin on it just the paper collage, but it was a sunny day so I didn't think it would get ruined) and I got a few nice comments.

I showed them to the Gilded leaf picture framers where I have work for sale and she liked them and said I will have to come up with a brand name for them. Interesting idea, will think on that one. She was keen to have them in her shop so will take a few to her next week.

I have just started reading the first in the twilight series, I have seen the movie but am really enjoying the detail the book has that was missing in the movie. It is really nice to have a good book to look forward to at bedtime. It is like looking forward to seeing a good friend... I will be sad when I have finished them I am sure.

I have been writing a mental list of the things I will need while on the art retreat... I think now I might have to start writing an actual one. The thought of pottering with my own thoughts and making stuff, no dealing with teenage problems, no having to look at the new piece of fluff Ben has found (Ben likes collecting fluff). I actually have to look at it, vaguely looking in his direction and saying "oh wow" will not do. Each piece of fluff is unique in it's own right and needs individual attention. No cat meowing to be fed, no meals to be made etc... the list goes on... I can't wait!!!

I hope everyone's week is going well so far...