Still raining...

Do you reckon that fate just stores up all that rain and lets it loose during school holidays?  I still have to go to work, but my lovely Day Care Mum looks a bit frazzled after 2 days of rain and the kids being inside all of the time. 

Practicing the "glass half full" line of thought though, at least I don't have to water the garden and the plants always grow better with rain water as opposed to tap water.

These little cuties were some of my first bird drawing when  picked up the pencils again after many years.  Did I mention that I LOVE playing with colours heheh.

It's raining, it's pouring.....

Yes, the sunshine state is pretty boggy this morning.  But at least I don't have to water the garden!!

A BIG and HUGE thank you to all of the visitors and people who left me comments about yesterday's post!!!  Because the secret is that I spent years thinking my work was OK but not good enough to be seen outside my own home.  Low self esteem can stop you from doing so many things.  But the love and support of friends and family can also nudge you in the right direction.  I now really enjoy sharing my work with you all and even if I get no comments or feedback (keep'em coming people) the fact that I put myself out there is an achievement for me.  

This belly button gazing was prompted by a question the Lovely Leah from Leahspaperpassion asked me, so blame her if you are now tearing up (or throwing up) over your keyboard!!!  

But on to artier things.........

The pencils have been packed away.....just for now.....and I am starting on some polymer clay projects that have been spinning around in my head for a while.  Nothing worth sharing yet, but I thought I would show you one of my favourite pieces that I made a couple of years ago.  There is a lot of detail in it and every time I wear it, I think that I must really make some more.  Plus I think the colours work really well.

Cat Crazy Continues

Now I ask you....what kind of crazy woman gets up at 4.30am to blog and catch up on reading other people's blogs??  THIS kind of crazy woman - that's who.  I got so involved in drawing last night that I got nothing else done!!!  So when hubby toddled off to work at 4.30 I thought I might as well get up and get a jump on the day.  Just don't check in with me about 4 this afternoon when I will probably snoozing on the lounge!!  Anyway back to the more creative (and less strange) part of life. 

You know me....if I enjoy something, I just keep doing it.  So here are another set of cat cards, this time in blues instead of pinks.  And if you are thinking that they look a lot like the pink ones design wise.....they are - in reverse.  I sometimes do the original design and then use tracing paper to replicate it.  Anyhow, I hope you have a lovely Tuesday and that yours didn't start too early.  See ya :) 

These cuties are SOLD 

Cat Crazy!!

Jen from Smudge Designs liked and shared one of the cat cards I put on Sugarbird's facebook page so I thought I would create some more.  

Luckily the pencils and paper were still out so I got drawing with the intention of making a set of two cat cards.....but you know me.....I ended up doing 4 cat cards, two butterfly cards and am now working on a cat drawing that can be framed.  

Here are the first cards to be completed.  I am having so much fun with the colours.


These cards are now available in my madeit shop.

Check in over the next couple of days to see that other ones I have done and where they can purchased from.  Who knows there may be snails, elephants and mice to come yet....there is still a lot of stuff in my head and SO little time to get it out on paper.

Box of........

Yes......Leah from Leahspaperpassion worked out what yesterdays photo was.  Quite apt really considering that she gave me the idea after I read her blog on a similar topic!!

The cardboard roll from the glad wrap and a whole lot of disks cut from cereal boxes helped solve me messy ribbon problem :)

Why me.....

Don't you just love it when everything is going well, that home work life balance thing is all happening and then you get thrown a curve ball!!!!  I have had the flu for 2 weeks and have still managed to juggle most things adequately....but then princess 9 came down with a nasty throwing up virus Tuesday and now hubby has it as well.  Needless to say not a huge amount of drawing has been happening of late,  but this is one I started before calamity hit.  And I am determined to finish it before to long :)

Also.....any ideas what this is, or is for.  Not my most artistic of photos (or subjects) is it?  

Check in tomorrow and all will be revealed.  I thought I would share one of my organisational solutions with you........   

Bugging you again

A BIG thank you for all of the wonderful comments you sent about yesterdays post....who knew that a bug could generate such good will!!!!

  So I thought I would share another couple with you today.  These two have scuttled on over to my madeit store.

Bugging you

I thought I would share a close up of my favourite bug.  I am really happy with the colours in this one especially.  Happy Tuesday everyone :)

Sugarbird Update

I have been getting a bit more techno savvy of late.  

Check out the tabs at the top of my blog for more stuff to look at.

Also Sugarbird now has her own nest over on facebook.  Why not fly over and have a look (and like the page) when you have time.  http://www.facebook.com/sugarbirdart

What do you do.......

......when you want a break from drawing flowers and birds? Well, you draw BUGS of course!!  I do anyway, or at least I did this weekend, who knows what I will be drawing next.  Maybe I will work my way up the food chain :)  I did the original design for these guys and then used tracing paper to create the four of them.  Then it was fine line marker work and finally the good old colour pencils got their turn.

These guys will be winging (or should that be scuttling) their way to my madeit and handmade shops very soon.

Comments

Pretty much speaks for itself really - hehehehe

It finally dawned on me that I could make my own little banners and thingies for my blog, so here is the first.  I am thinking that I might make up a few more and you guys can also use them (if you want to)  A thought in progress at the moment :)

Saturday aaaggghhhhhh!!

Love it or hate it, another Saturday has descended on our household.  I have one child off to a birthday party later and the other wants to have a friend over.  Hubby is out and about with a mate doing car stuff (yawn) while I am left with a house that looks like a bomb hit it and a pulled muscle in my back from coughing so much (stupid flu)  And all I really want to do is sit down and draw or maybe play with polymer clay.  

So after a large coffee and 2 pieces of toast I started on the housework with the mind set "just do one thing at a time"  As you can see, I started with the dinning room table, the bane of my existence.  It is the designated drop and run zone for the other family members.  Come in the door, drop it on the table and walk away in complete denial or ignorant bliss.  The sad thing is that by the end of the day, it will look like the before photo again. Oh well, family life.

Before the clean up

After the clean up

PS - my very clever Mum made the table cloth and place mats :)

And my very clever Dad made the wooden candle holder in the middle of the table. 

As promises

Yes, as promised here is a post of the larger drawing I was thinking of doing with the yellow again. I bought a new set of pencils on the weekend and the case said they were 'extra soft'.  Without waxing too lyrical, they really are soft and they seem to just melt onto the paper.  I think I am in love (don't tell hubby!!)

  The colours are also really vibrant and they blend well together.  This drawing was a real joy to create.

Usually I like to show you a couple of 'in progress' shots, but I really got into the colour blending and almost finished it before I took the second photo :) 

I think I will do another one without the octopus arms - not really sure about them - not quite what I had in mind when I designed it.  Anyway, any excuse to use my new extra soft pencils again - hehehe.  Or maybe even some gift tags, just using the flowers........the options are endless really!!

Did you know?

Did you know that yellow is actually a very usable colour?  It has always seemed to be one of the colours that I just don't use, You know how it is, you get a new set of pencils (doesn't every 40 something woman love to get colour pencils for her birthday!!) and 6 months later almost all of them are 3cm long and completely unusable.  But not the yellow, it is still its pristine, out of the box self..........but not this time!  It and it's slightly darker cousin "sand" have become my new best friends.  And we are creating up a storm of little gift cards......I feel a large drawing, just for the shear yellow fun of it, coming on :) 

And the winner is.....

Yes, it' time to announce the winner of the "Sing with all your heart" Book Giveaway.  And the randomly picked winner is....

CLARE from CLARES CRAFTROOM. 

Congratulations Clare and because you are also a member of my blog there will be an added surprise posted out to you.  Please contact me at kjt.oneil@bigpond.com with you postal address :)

Thank you to everyone who participated and for the lovely comments that you left.  Needless to say, there will be another giveaway somewhere in the near future, so stay tuned. 

Axl's picks

My little magnet mice are famous.....well according to Axl the cat from madeit.  He has included them in his picks this week :)

Click on the mice image and you will see what I mean.

My Mass Production

Don't forget to enter the giveaway...it finishes up on Tuesday!
See Tuesday 5th June post for details.


Another rainy weekend in Brisbane...So I thought I would make a start on an order I have.

I think this is the closest I will get to mass producing my work.  Because it is all done by hand, when I get a biggish order I don't make one at a time, I do one step at a time and this is what it can look like along the way.

All of the flowers are drawn and cut out

All of the handwritten words are done on the backing paper.

The finished product

It's SALE time!

I thought I would mix it up with the big retailers and have a mid year, end of financial year, or just because I can SALE - aren't you excited!!!!  And I thought I would have a sale of my notebook and pen sets.  That way if you like my art work but cant really justify spending money on something just because it is 'pretty' then you can definitely justify it by thinking that it is pretty and useful. 

 I ask you, who doesn't need a note pad and matching pen?  Any self respecting mother, or compulsive list maker will tell you they are a MUST HAVE!!  Or let me convince you by saying smart and well organised people are starting to get their Christmas presents sorted out (I'm not one of them) and last year these sets were one of my biggest sellers around Christmas time for just that reason.  In fact I ran out and left some folk disappointed - so don't be one of those - get in early.

I usually sell the sets for $12.00 on madeit, but they are on special for $8.00 (plus postage)  I am no maths genius, but I figure a 33.3% saving is a great deal!!

Anyway I hope all this makes sense and gives you a chuckle.  I am the worlds worst at self promotion, but thought I would give it a go - and have some fun with it.

The notebooks are made from 100% recycled fibres and are decorated on the front with hand drawn images on acid free patterned papers, using fine line markers and colour pencil.

The pens are also made from recycled materials and are covered with matching acid free paper.

Notebook measures 21.5cm x 16.5cm

They are available through my sugarbird shops


Click on the image and it will take you to my shops :) 

My Moment

Sometimes in a moment of reflection, I wonder if I am being the best Mum that I can be.  Do I spend enough time with my kids, it is quality time, do they know that they are loved unconditionally,  am I teaching them the right values.  The list of questions goes on and on.  I know that I am not the only parent to struggle with this, there are a lot of lovely ladies who share the same thoughts on their blogs, so I thought I would share this with you all.

The other day out of the blue my 9 year old princess gave me this note and a little soap (that she didn't like the smell of - but that is beside the point)  And just for a moment, I felt like the best Mum in the whole wide world.  It was the loveliest of feelings and it will always stay with me.

More images

As promised, here are the remianing pages from the giveaway book.  I would really like to thank all of the people who have commented so far, it has been lovely :)

Don't forget, all you have to do to be in with a chance to win the book is leave a message on any of my posts before next Tuesday!! Full details on Tuesday 5th June post.

Giveaway Time!!

Yes, its giveaway time again!! I have had over 1000 visitors to my blog and I would like to say thank you!!

So, just like the last giveaway, all you have to do is leave me a comment on any of my posts, between now and Tuesday 12th June 2012 at 6.00pm AEST.

At that time I will randomly draw a winner and post out to you my new little book "Sing with all your heart".  

Also as an extra special thank you, if the winner is also a follower of my blog, there will be another little surprise added to the giveaway prize.

So start commenting!!

 This book is 7.5cm x 7.5cm and is created with acid free papers and cardstock.  All images are hand drawn and coloured using fine line markers and colour pencil.

There are 8 pages in total, stay tuned to see more of them over the next week.

My Space

Inspired by Sarah at Paper Tree and Debra at very debra I thought I would give you a glimpse at where I do my creating.....but first I need to tell you a little story.

  

We bought a high set house and it was decided that 2/3 would be garage and hubby's workshop and 1/3 would be my work area.  I was so excited because everywhere else we have lived I have had a nook, cranny or dinning room table to work on.  So we set about turning downstairs into something livable.  It already had brick walls and a cement floor.   We framed, gyp rocked, spak filled and painted and got it to a workable state about a year ago.  The only problem was  that hubby convinced me that putting a TV down there would be good....well it wasn't - the kids invaded, and made it their own and for 4 months I waged war to get it back.  In the end I gave up and and moved to the quiet and comfortable lounge upstairs to draw.  

Which is where I would still be, but I decided to try and sell my work on line and instead of it not being good enough and nobody liking it - it kind of took off and as you can see below - I outgrew the lounge room coffee table!!

So I decided to work smarted, not harder.........I further sectioned off downstairs and although I don't have as much room as the original plan, I do have a workable area the the kids know that they are not allowed in.  So the only mess I have to clean up when I want to do some work is my own.

I have a large wooden trestle table and although there is a lot of extra shelving and "stuff" on it, there is still enough room for me to work.  The lamp is especially good at night when I am doing fine detail drawings.

This is my "ideas, inspiration and just because I like it" wall.  The really good thing about this wall is that it is getting replaced next time we have the time, inclination and money to continue on with the renovations.  So I can stick, tack or draw on it if I like!!!

I love shelving and little drawers and collect them at recycle places and garage sales.  The containers that my pens and pencils are in are $0.50 pots from Ikea (I should get some more of those) And all of the things on top of the wooden shelves were made for me by wonderfully creative ladies. (thank you Leah, Sharyn and Helen)   

I hope you enjoyed a sneak peak at my space, well part of it anyway.  Check back in the near future and I might show you the rest.