Calypso Beads Necklace - Giveaway

A last minute dash to make handmade gifts has seen me churn out some lovely summer flavoured beads in calypso colours.
Lovely wearable art , clay beads in summery colours and leather strapping to bring it all together. The beads have a stone like quality and give a pop of colour to any outfit.

 I found the clay quite hard to roll and ended up with really sore palms by the end of my rolling session. Obviously I don't do enough manual labour!

Stringing the beads required hollowing out the centres because I chose to thick a leather strapping but I think that the thicker strapping gives a strong support to the chunkiness of the beads. Finer leather just didn't cut it and had a washy look about it.

I also have not planned on having party nails this Christmas season as my thumb nail is totally ruined by trying to open the split rings for the clasps. Oh well I hope the girls will appreciate them. I'll probably have a few left over, nothing is ever made in small quantities with me. Perhaps a give away and maybe sell a few!. Nope I'll just give one of each away. Leave a comment here with contact details and post on your blog about the give away and Ill draw the lucky two winners on the 2nd of January 2013 Closing 10 pm Adelaide time South Australia. I'll post the winner on the 3rd of January 2013.
Happy Christmas everyone!!

Bark Painting

Shopping for Christmas presents the other day I parked near a great gum tree. Upon returning to the car I noticed the bark collected under the tree. Lots of the bark had been broken to smaller pieces but a few remained large enough to inspire me to pick it up.

The under side of the bark is reasonably white and the outer has a beautiful brown and white patina, this is what first caught my eye.
So tonight I have pulled out my acrylic inks and dabbled a little in lilies of the pink and white variety.

The bark is quite curved and of course I have decided to photograph it when it is dark, so either one of these things or just my unsteady hand make the painting a little blurred. It was a fun exercise anyway and I have more bark to play with.
I still have to make that lamp that I spied yesterday and Christmas cookies and maybe write a card or two.
Plenty of things to do and time poor! Love a challenge, wonder how much I can do tomorrow as well as catch up with my sister and her children over from Canberra.
Hope your days are filled with excitement!

Shining Through - A Project To Work ON

I've found my new project! I've just finished painting my daughters bedroom aqua green and white (upon her request). She wants a Paris themed bedroom. Originally I was going to buy a paper ball lamp shade but after visiting Spirello here and seeing these beautiful lace doily lamp shades I know where my head will be at for the next couple of days. Now to acquire the necessary doilies for this production and some balloons!! Doilies are becoming very popular nowadays, who would have thought!

Enter Christmas

They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, this being the case I must sincerely say that I do admire Geninne's work  at Geninnies art blog found here.
I was looking at resurrection fern blog found here (blog entry December 8th  2012) and saw  some of Gennies artwork on her friends wall, especially drawn in time for Christmas. It really caught my eye and was beautiful in its simplicity.: A lovely chalk drawn Christmas tree on a dark wall, simply beautiful. Well I had to create my own for my entry into my house, to greet all and sundry with the beginning of a Christmas theme as soon as you enter. I think my husband might flip as my whole lounge room is absolutely stuffed with Christmas. I've photographed it and if he really does object I'll just wash it off. We will have to wait and see'

Christmas Ornament Swap

I have a cute little ornament 

Now hanging from my tree

My beautiful green and white sock

Which was gifted to me

A dear sweet person took the trouble to knit 

a tiny sock to sit upon my tree.

So thank you to Karen 

For the time and trouble you spent 

To knit your mothers pattern

Vintage of the sixties to seventies.

So Merry Christmas 

And many thanks

I'll think of you each year

and the fun we had participating in the ornament swap

with Christina Lowry 2012

Visit karen at Pumpkin Sunrise.com  here and pattern on raverly

Purple to Pink

Hydrangeas are such beautiful flowers. Lacy projections and pink pompoms of colour. Inspiration
enough to start carving a stamp or at least drawing one up before heading off to work
My hydranea plant is doing really well this year and I think thanks might have to go to my husband, David whom has taken an interest in the front garden and has fed the poor deprived plants that have managed to survive the year. I'm  good at planting and watering but that is as far as it goes

Following a theme of pink to purple I have finally taken a photo of the crochet project I am currently working on. My daughter asked for some time ago a blanket for herself. I actually started one in rainbow colours but that got converted to a baby blanket out of desperation and she prefers these colours and pattern having picked them herself. One ball of colour per strip, pretty easy and a no brainer when it comes to crocheting. I intend on doing a purple lacy surround for interest and to make the blanket a little wider.

Op Shop Finds

My latest op shop find 2 handmade chairs! $18 each

As I took the chairs up to the counter the volunteer in Vinnies told me they just had them valued to sell at $45 each  - yeah  bargain! I took them around to Dad and he offered to buy them from me. I told him he could help me fix them up. Although they are well made the finish on them is less than desirable  Somebody was in a hurry to varnish them and lay the coating of varnish on thick.

Dad did a little sanding and buffing and waxing to show me the finish it could have. So much smoother and a lovely soft lustre  So I'm going around Friday and will start my sanding project. I just have to keep my old man away from them, sometimes he gets carried away with things and thinks he's meant to do the work. A combined collaboration would be fine.

 Also found today some Carlton Ware - Australian design.  I haven't seen this pattern before. The glaze is two toned yellow and pale brown. The piece has lots of fine crazing over it but no chips. I think it will make a nice cherry bowl for Christmas.

 Speaking of Cherries.. I found some Alfred Meakin cups saucers and egg cups 12 pieces for $15 but went into Vinnies on a day when they had 50% off bric a brac - Bargain !!!

 From the same shop a couple of weeks ago an opal pendant and pair of earrings - I hummed and haared over these wondering if I would wear them but really haven't taken them off since buying the set. $25 well spent then and happy Christmas to me (a little early but you have to buy when you see something you like!)

 My pieces of Australia Design Carlton Ware

 Bought this because it was green, love green ware!!

Happy shopping..