Masquerade Art

For a few years now I have gone to the annual Star Ballroom Spring Ball. This year was a masquerade ball and I loved hand making my mask. Swarovski crystals, teardrop jewells, and coloured beads in shades of pink complimented my beaded strapless gown. Beneath the mask, I had a hand painted replica complete with crystals.

Silly Kids Antics

Sometimes my creative energy tranfers from paper and craft to silly antics with children. As the coordinator of community events all of my time over the past few weeks has been in the final planning of the City of Fremantle School Holiday Festival and Mental Health Week Rockingham Rocks to stress Less Youth Day. As you will see from my photo selection, these events were still all about expression and creativity.... face painitng, bubble madness, dancing, fairy fun and so much more.

Release Fight Unite

Spending the weekend away with a mate and my kids, to clear my mind after an intense week. The night in the holiday chalet,was all about, releasing the bad energy, fighting the negativity and uniting as family. This painting began with gesso on wood, textured and shaped, then coloured with Tattetered angel glimmer mists and framed with oil paint.

Bebe Canvas Art

Beautiful friends of mine recently had twins and asked if I could make them some wall art for their new nursery. Knowing that Theresa Collins had a great selection of baby boy and girl papers, I instantly thought a series of mini tiles on canvas. This is the girls half of the set of six mini artworks that I am creating. Dry embossing, glimmer mist and inking add dimension and texture to the floral, bling and ribbon trims.

SteamPunk Debutante

I was challenged to use the new Graphic 45 Steampunk Debutatne paper range. I loved the different quirky elements of it and created a 6" by 24" wall hanging, very layered, with only papers, chipboard and mounting tape to create such dimensions. I am waiting on a clock mechanism to arrive and then my artwork will be a complete working wall clock, for my hallway. Miniature mosaic tiles house a poem about the ever changing thoughts of an artists mind. Here are a few excerpts: " I am ever changing, altered and rearranging, day into night, learning the right, the turning of life" and " collate my thoughts, create my path, expression is freedom, I shall cry and I shall laugh"

Rainbow Beads

Craft is for all ages. It is so much more than expression and creation. Art is about laughter and emotion; and in this instance, craft was the coming together of family. The kids, and I, and their wonderful Nanna spent the morning beading silly rainbow bead bracelets, which we all proudly wore for the rest of the day.

Dream Bubbles

Pop and the magic is gone..... and yet the splendor of the bubble is like hope floating down from the skies. Never too old for dreams and childhood fun I always enjoy the silliness and wonder of bubble blowing. This is one of the photos Viva Rockingham selected as my on line friends of Viva profile pic! I love the black background, it makes me want to find interesting coloured backdrops when I next take the kids out for fun. Enjoy searching for bubbles of hope and catching the perfect moment on camera

Bird Cage of Faith

Wonderful friends of mine are having their daughter Christened today. I wanted to make them a special little keepsake in memory of this special occassion of faith and friendship. I bought a miniature metal bird cage, and added, beaded tear drop ribbon, soft white lace, rose bud flowers and a gentle pearl mist. Hanging from the side is a small gold edged bible and a ornate enamel butterfly to represent the freedom to take flight in life. Inside the cage are little trinkets for Jasmine to enjoy as she gets older: snow white sprinkles of fairy dust, a mecca coated shiny J monogram, a ceramic hope angel with feathered wings, a dream crystal, Proverbs 3:1-4 Baptism scroll and an embossed crown for the littlest of princesses.

Life's Great Blessing

Thanks to Viva photography in Rockingham I have a wonderful selection of picures that I have framed to create a hallway family photo wall. A beautiful array of classic portraits, shot against black and white backdrops are complimented by pewter and black frames. Candid laughter, tickles and cuddles along with bubbles and fun made not only for a fantastic choice at the end of the photo shoot, but also meant the children and I enjoyed our time in the studio in front of the camera.

Childhood Amusement

Last part of our holiday and the children and I spent the day with friends at an amusement park. There is so much to gain from these days out. I not only enjoyed the kids laughter and excited energy, but loved the colours, music, magic and movement of the carnival rides.

Create Yourself

In four days I shall be off on holidays with my young children. We are travelling to Victoria to explore the snow at Feathertop Lodge in Falls Creek and then on an aeroplane back to South Australia to visit family and friends. During the two weeks we are away, I hope not only to find time each day to write, but in my photos I want to capture colours and movement; interest and intrigue; laughter and silliness and moods and moments that will inspire me for my next art project.

Searching for the clouds rolling over or a rainbow amongst the dark sky with my camera poised!

Poetic Creativity

Art is expression; whether it be pastels, oils, charcoal, paper, fabric, food, music or in this instance: words. I wanted to share the first stanza of a recent poem I wrote. Often I find myself lying awake in the middle of the night with ideas and words dancing around in my mind; or I will be talking with someone, and our conversation becomes the inspriation to put pen to paper.

RELEASE THE FEAR
The moment of fear that wakes you
In the stillness of the night
Be not the breath that fills you
Be it only in your mind
Though blinding you with darkness
As you fall back from your dreams
Be it fear without conviction
Be it time for your release

Cherish Friends

Websters Designs are one of my favourite papers to use in my Scrapbook projects. Cherish Friends is a 12" by 12" canvas that I have transformed into a shadow box. Adorned with flowers, chipboard poetry mosaic tiles, tattered angle glimmer mist, ribbon, diamonte hat pins, inks and resin decorative buttons, this piece came toghether with a dear friend in mind. After it has out lived its display life in the windows at Made with Memories, it shall be wrapped with love and happiness for a special birthday celebration.

Vintage Bird Cage

I saw this cute vintage inspired metal bird cage and my creative mind was suddenly invoked. Could I make a wooden perch to hang photo tags on, and embellish the cage with cameos, keys and a lock or two..... still a work in progress, as I want to find some rusted padlocks and an eclectic mix of keys. Hanging from the cornice in my hallway, I am thinking it will make a great conversation piece when friends come to visit.

Break Free Canvas

Last year I commissioned a textile art work for an associate. I loved combining the natural twigs, and bark, with texture paint, oils and glimmer mist on canvas. To create this three piece panel, I randomly screened the canvas with Tattered Angel Glimmer screens, then applied a combination of tattered leather, olive, ochre, forest green, burnt umber, black, chestnut, and metallic, sprays and paints.

The title "Break Free" represents getting lost in the forest and then having to find your way back, through the shadows and trees. The flow of twigs across the three canvas frames, is the symbolism of the trees creating a fence to keep someone trapped in the forest.

Accents of gold appear through the leaves and just as the sun shines through the natural canopy, the hints of gold and bronze oils touching the sticks, remind the on looker that there is always hope; even in the darkness of the shadows, deep in the forest.

You Rock My World

Forgotten wonderful memories....

.... an unexpected song on the radio. The smell of cigars; or cloves and cinnamon coming from the kitchen. A old book in a box at a garage sale and of course.... a photo you forgot you took!! It is one thing to capture the moments on camera, but more importantly, take time tomorrow to look at them; and enjoy the memories.

A Creative Journey

For those who don't know, I teach scrapbook workshops at Made with Memories, in Rockingham WA.I have been so lucky to build friendships with customers over the past year, and especially those ladies who have been regulars at my recent "Life's Potrait" photo album project. Finally after six months of layout workshops, I shared the secret of making a vintage inspired hand made, wooden photo album. I have included a few photos of my favourite embellishments and techniques from the album. Also.... starting in July I begin another six month creative journey! Sneak peaks from my Le Paris Travel Journal are here also, to tempt and inspire.

Life's Portrait & Le Paris

Moments in Time: Beautiful Days: I am the Autumn and more....

Chocolate Kisses

I think I am finally working out how things work on this blog site. Still.... technology and I are not the best of mates!! Chocolate and I, however are closer than ever. There is nothing quite as sweet and tempting as dark lindt chocolate melting on your lips with coffee late at night. So, my camera is charging and I look forward to photographing some of my favourite art works and scrapbook pages. Until then, I shall continue to share random photos from my archive.

New Beginnings

Sitting in a candle lit room, navigating my way around blog spot so that I can begin sharing my art with you all. For me art is more than physical pieces, such as sculpture, scrapbook layouts and painting. Art is life.... from the twinkle in someone's eye, to a child's smile or two old people stealing a kiss on the park bench in the park. Art is joy ~ and I endevour to share my stories, my expressions of creativity and my passion for writing with anyone who ever wondered what the gypsy's fortune had to offer. Enjoy; be inspired and create.