Greenery Galore

I hope you all had a safe and happy Christmas.  All went well for us.  But as per usual, after it had all died down and the the relatives went home, I got a bit reflective on 2012 as a whole.  And you know what.....it was a pretty brilliant year family and work wise :)  

The only glitch was the realisation that I got so wrapped up in trying to find a balance between work and family that my home got a bit neglected.  Not the nuts a bolts of the place - things like cleaning, maintenance etc, but the feel of home and being home.  So much time was spent moving from one thing to another that needed doing, going to work, juggling kids activities and a whole lot of everyday things that some of the things that I use to dream about doing at home just got forgotten.  So as 2013 draws near, I thing a to-do -list is in order.  Not that I am going to bore you here with that list (not yet anyway)  but one of the things that will be on the list is get the rusty old green thumb back into working order.

As I have previously posted here, I started a balcony veggie garden awhile back, so here are some update pics.  I have a decent backyard that with some (read *a lot*) of work could be a really lovely place, so stay tuned.

 Pots, pots and more pots, plus a large styrofoam box.  Most of the vegies have been grown from seed. 

 Tomatoes, capsicum strawberries and parsley

 Cherry tomatoes and capsicums

 Oregano and parsley

I was just doodling......honest!!!

With all of the orders out of the way and all of Christmas organised, I thought I would treat myself and just sit for a while and doodle - as per usual,my doodle had a life of its own and ended up an A4 size image that I was really happy with.

I really enjoyed adding all of the patterns inside the outlines so thought I would do another one.  Here is how it progressed.

The first step is to get the idea out of my head and onto paper.  I used a compass to make the outline of the design and then filled it in with flowers, leaves, swirls and the bird. 

I use fine line markers to go over the pencil design and then rub the pencil lines out.  Then the fun begins as I add the details and patterns.  For some reason, I always do the leaves first and the large flowers last.

Until I actually put pen to paper I don't have a specific idea of what patterns are going to work where, I just go with the flow.

And this is the finished work.  I think it would work well as a print or even an image on a T-shirt. What do you think?

White Christmas anyone?

What do you do when all of the Christmas orders are done and all out the door?  You down the pencils and have a bit more family, home and getting ready for Christmas time.  Well, that is what I have been doing over the last week or so.  The Christmas presents are all bought, made and wrapped and the neglected housework is all (almost) caught up on.  And yes, I will admit there has still been some drawing happening, but just doodles (really!!!)

My nine year old and I made a HUGE batch of White Christmas and then divided it up, put it in really cute plastic noodle boxes and gave it as Christmas presents.  Below is a photo and recipe for it but no photo of it in the decorated noodle boxes as they flew out the door quicker than I could pick up the camera - sorry, maybe next year :)  I found it a great recipe for us to do together, as she did all of the measuring and mixing, and all I did was melt and pour the copha.  She had a huge smile when she gave it as gifts and informed everyone that she had made it.

WHITE CHRISTMAS RECIPE
250gm Copha
2 cups Rice Bubbles
1 cup coconut
1 cup powdered milk
1 cup mixed fruit
1 cup icing sugar
Vanilla

Melt copha, then add to other mixed ingredients, mix well, set in tin in the fridge for a couple of hours.  Cut into squares when set.

Green, green and green

I did the happy dance around the lounge room this afternoon (the cat thought it was funny!!)  Why, because I finished all of my pre Christmas orders and on Monday the final one will be out the door.

I have loved the chance you wonderful people have given me to create for you.  And I have been completely blown away with the amount of my work that has sold prior to Christmas.  Who would have thought that 40 of my diaries would have found new homes over a space of two months.  So to all of you I say a very big THANK YOU.

On the flip side, I now have just 10 days to make presents for my family and friends :)  But I think that deserves a post of its own later in the week.  

The calendar below is one I did just for the fun of it and the colours were inspired by Nina at Hoopla (Creations) Not her style, but a comment she made about a previous post on facebook.  This one is created using just three shades of green.  Then I used fine line markers to add the details and decorations.  I was thinking of doing another image, just using pinks, or purples, or blues or........you get the idea lol

First I print the calendar part onto scrapbooking paper and then used lead pencil to draw the design on.

The design is drawn over with fine line marker and then the colours are added.  In this case, 3 layers of different greens.

  Once the colouring in is done, the decorations are added over the top with fine line marker.

  And there you have it, another calendar all finished :)  I like this design, as much as I love drawing flowers, I did enjoy not having some on this one.

Reading anyone?

Do you like to read?  I love it.  It is a carry anywhere form of escapism that fills in time while waiting on kids, a quiet interlude before dropping off to sleep at night and something that my whole family is really into.  So I was super excited when Rachel over at the lovely Little White Dove blog announced her 13 in 13 reading challenge.  Just click on the link or the grab button on my side bar to join in the fun.

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Oh what fun!!  I put down the pencils last night and dusted off the jewellery making bits and bobs 

I made some really small love birds out of polymer clay a couple of months ago and finally made them up into earrings.  I think they turned out to be pretty cute.

If you would like a pair they are for sale here on my facebook page.

Garden Dreams

I got to thinking a while ago about all the spare time I would have once the creative Christmas rush was over and what I might like to do with that spare time - You know all that spare time you have once you have worked 5 days a week and looked after a family!!!!

I wanted something that would get me out of my work area and sitting for long periods of time.  Something not too expensive, and also something that would interest at least one other member of my family.  So inspired by Rhonda at Down to Earth, a small collection of other lovely bloggers, and my husband complaining about the cost of tomatoes, I thought vegie gardening might be interesting.  

We have a largish back yard, but most of it is in the shade most of the day, so that wasn't going to work.  I also had to restrain myself and not go overboard and make it a bigger undertaking than it needed to be.  So vegie growing in pots on the balcony was the winner.

 I already had some pots tucked away in the shed, so all I had to purchase was some potting mix and seeds. Seeds aren't as instant as seedlings, but they are a lot cheaper and so much more fun.  And the really big bonus was that my 9 year old has taken a big interest in it all as well :)

These are my little baby tomatoes just starting to stick their heads above the soil.

And these snow peas were my first failure.  Since this pic was taken all but two have passed away :(

This was the plant that started it all off.  It was a school project

that survived long enough to make it home and thrive.  Just waiting for the tomatoes to ripen.

Cherry tomatoes and capsicum in one pot.  Another week and the capsicum will be ready.  We love them in salad.

The 9 year old and I go out in the afternoons to water them, check on them and see how they are going.  It only takes about 10 minutes but we both find it really enjoyable.  And it is thrilling to sit down and eat a salad that has a few things in it that you have grown.

Giveaway Winner!!!!!

A very big thank you to everyone who entered my latest giveaway and for all of your lovely comments.  I wish I could sent you all a calendar, but as they say, there can only be one winner.  And the winner is......

Mrs Lucky from Home of Homemade Treasures......Congratulations!!!!!  If you could please contact me, we can arrange delivery :)