Arty_Oz Collections Swap

I have hosted a swap on the group and it must incorporate a paper from the new Collections range of papers and also make use of other collections elements....

I have used both new and old papers, an image, chipboard and only collections stamps ;-)

Whoo Hoo 31 pages complete

I am not the first one finished but I'm not the last either. These pages for the arty_oz collaborative book are due in October - so I am pleased they are done. Last year I had to start from square 1 again a week before they were due.

New Jewellery

Jenny came down on the weekend for the Art retreat. This is the necklace she brought me - another one for my wonderful collection :-) and also a pin from her friend Sarah. I am very happy that Sarah has joined arty_oz. Her work is also stunning!

The image in the pin is SO teensy. I would love to know how she cut it out! Obviously she has better eyes than mine!

Misty Mawn Class

Oh what a talented artist she is. Makes it all look so easy..... I just loved the class demo pieces she made. She works SO FAST!!!

I had a stinking headache all day and this is what I produced. Not quite finished tho..... and not a very good photo! Can you see a bit of a tail?????

Aint she sweet

Jassie doesn't care how messy her Mum's craft room is!

A visit to Jane's apartment at LAST!

My friend Jane moved into her $million plus apartment in Beacon Cove (Port Melbourne) a few months ago and I finally got to see it last night. Now that I go to work via the picturesqe beach road, I pass her unit everyday!

The views from the decent sized balcony are stunning. Shame I was having problems with the settings on my camera, so the photos are very average (I'm sorry!). When you look out the lounge and master bedroom windows you can see the shipping lanes. At night they are lite up like a runway - quite amazing. While I was there the Spirit of Tasmania backed out of her mooring and disappeared into the horizon.

Jane has 2 siamese cats (A brother and sister) and that is Princess Lulu cuddled up in the mohair nest. When the weather cooled the cats starting seaching the new apartment for the gas furnace (that was in the old house) so Jane came up with the "nest" for them to curl up in, instead.

Later we went down to the basement as Jane wanted me to photograph some trunks she is selling. Mercs, Lotus, Jag XK8 - I was in heaven....

New Shoes

Well I have to admit that I nearly wet myself when I saw Michelle Ward's shoes. .

Anyway I found a pair which I am hoping are my size on ebay. I got the seller to measure inside the shoe, the they seem the right size. Well if they are too small i'll just have my toes amputated!

Aren't they just divine!!!!!!

Happy Birthday Viv

An ex- work colleague has just turned 60 and her birthday party is next Saturday. It's to be a very busy weekend with a Misty Mawn class on Friday, lunch and Jen arriving Saturday and a Nina Bagley class on Sunday! Phew!!

Note the Collections bird - one of JVO's new chipboards ;-)

7 deadly sins

7 deadly sins
Originally uploaded by jmkoriginals

I fond this when I was poking around Flickr. These assemblages are amazing!

Paris Gypsy Swap

These will be going off to Lenna in the next day or so.

I always enjoy Lenna's swaps. This is 9 of the 13 going to the U Sof A. I have 1 left to swap......

Anzac Day

Anzac Day holiday in New Zealand and Australia. These are all my of mothers brothers - with Colin and Vic their World War II uniforms. Sadly none of them are here now to celebrate.

Had a great day yesterday with my crafty friends Kathy T, Debbie L, Gail S, Joanne H, Donna T ( I had almost forgotten what she looked like!) , Liz A and Amy B (for a little while). We had lots of fun and lots of laughs and lots of eating. Not nearly enough eating by the amount of food still in my kitchen.

I was glad my lasagne mojo had returned. The girls seemed to enjoy it. Its a "quick and easy" recipe - all the ingredients from the deli shelves of the supermarket. Good old Mr Latina - lasagne sheets and tubs of sauce. I used the bolognaise and tomato and garlic sauces to layer with the sheets and then I poured a tub of alfredo over the last layer of pasta, topped with grated cheese and then cooked for about 45 minutes Yum!

I also made a huge plate of ANZAC biccies. They went down well too and I only have a few left! I have signed up for recipes at the Chelsea Sugar site and this was a recipe that was emailed to me recently. If you want it, just leave me a comment or send me an email ;-)

Moos and ATC's from Lorri

I'll get my trades off soon Lorri I promise!

Aren't these DIVINE!

Look what I won

When I was looking for an exterminator to rid me of "ratty" I found this new site which was a service locator type site. They gave me 3 businesses to contact. One of which rid me of my rat problem. By filling out a survey form I went in to a draw to win an ipod shuffle - and guess what I won this little beauty.
Now once it arrives, I just have to find out how I add music to it...

So I'll give them a plug www.quotify.com.au

Ribbon Fettish

Those who know me well know I LOVE ribbons - I have 13 glass jars of varying sizes FULL of ribbons.

Anyway I am on a Diploma of Project Management Course (if you please) in the city at the moment and Cleggs is nearby. They have such great ribbons ;-) I also bought the ribbon charmy thingwhich will go on my French themed wall piece which I will start one day!

The beast is having a few days rest as the hotel where

the course is, is right opposite Flinders St Station. Of course the good work I am doing with walking to the station (at my end) is negated by the good food and lollies (candy for the Americans) on the course.

We are having some gorgeous autumn weather, so the walk is very pleasant.

Present From Cecile

I've been a bit remiss with my updates of late. I received this wonderful piece of art from Cecile Nichols (no blog). She sent me the before and the after :-)

I will take up the challenge.. sometime...

Thanks Cecile!

Micro Art

I just love these Little guys! These ones I bought on the weekend. You can buy them here. They are small and light and around $2.00 a pack. They welcome overseas orders.

Bag of Inspiration

Well I worked on my Bag of Inspiration (Not bag of Junk) (see previous post) and produced this for Ness. A soda can icon which I have titled the Time Machine.

Oh but this is not it! This is the piece I purchase from Michael de Meng!

I used a wonderful cog and I don't know what else to call it, metal piece with glass, and an old chain , a key and a little washer type thing from Ness's collection and the rest from my stash.

I do hope she likes it!

I used one of Tims oversized bottle tops at the top to house the old watch piece. I like the way the bottle top has the opposite look to the large cog.

The key is hanging off an olf watch strap that was part of the container of old watch parts that Jen and I bought at the swap meet.

And before I forget, I have finished cutting out all the bits for the arty_oz collab book - YAHHHHH

Junk

Liz Aitkin has organised a swap on arty_oz, those who have signed up receive a 'bag of junk' from which we must use some of to make something and then return it. This is my pile of junk from Vanessa Henry. It's an amazing treasure trove I love it!

Yesterday I cleared the back garden as it had become overgrown with weeds. When I had finished a family of Magpies came for a feed of the insects.

I WON I WON --Exclaimation -

How lucky am I to win these!

The wonderful Wendy Vecchi organised a contest and I won!

Thank you so much to Wendy and Michelle!

Just too hot for cats

Another "stinker" today. At least it started off a little cooler this morning. Missy stayed outside in the shade but eventually the heat got too much and she came inside for a cuddle in the airconditioning and to watch the car racing ;-) - YAH for Lewis and Alonso may Karma kick your sorry ass all year

;-)

"J" actually slept on the bed last night. First time in weeks. I thought she may have been a bit spooked by our unwelcome visitor a few weeks ago (ratty).

Anyway this is where she has perched herself tonight. Too bad for me wanting a footrest!