3 Kids/3 Paintings

When I read this lovely post over at Karlyn's place the other day, I was reminded to post a little afternoon activity we indulged in recently.

Caleb and Jemima each chose a colour and planned a self portrait, and away we went. I couldn't resist joining in, and having baby Eve in the family was the perfect excuse. She was asleep anyways. You snooze, you lose.

Caleb's picture cracks me up. The blood shot eye, the earrings, the crazed expression, and the tiny top hat resting jauntily on his head. lolz.

Jemima is a fairy of course (she tells me that she is the *only fairy* in the world.) She also has earrings in her self portrait, but (like Caleb) she doesn't really. She would love them, but knows it hurts, so she is not really insisting. I was 20 years old when I got earrings, so there is yet time for her!

The paintings are not proudly displayed in the older kids' shared room. We are all quite happy with the result.

Nesting?

I never got any nesting urges in my previous pregnancies, but this time around, I feel a little bit like our baby's arrival is a deadline for getting a whole lot of cleaning out and crafting done. I know from previous experience that life does indeed go on after baby comes, but I guess I want to be as prepared as possible to simply enjoy the last time I will bring a newborn home.

Pictured above is Caleb's snuggly blanket. Another giant granny like Jemima's, but a bigger hook (8.5 I think) and Lincraft's Veronica yarn. I started this last year and ran out of yarn, so it's nice to get it finished. And Caleb likes it. So does Chris. So do I. I think that I need to make another one.

These are the result of some impulse buying when I was at Lincraft buying yarn. I bought the letters and used some acrylic paint to decorate. The patterns are traced from the Stencil 101 book by Ed Roth. (But not used as stencils as I wanted the brown to show through the white. For some reason.)

They need to be spray varnished, but as the gloss I have has a warning on it (something about being toxic for unborn babies, yikes) that will be done either later or by someone else!

In a galaxy far far away...

I am a little out of the habit of posting at the moment, evidently!

This is a present I made for Caleb for Christmas. Back when I was painting the dolls for Jemima's Christmas present, Caleb wanted a set of his own. He is right into Star Wars at the moment, so I drew my inspiration from there. Chewie is my absolute favourite of the set.

Here they are already looking well loved with Luke Skywalker sporting some battle wounds from a pencil or 2.

Making stuff up

I bought a stamp making kit from The Haby Goddess last week. No reason. Just did.

Last night I started carving some stamps. I carved a raindrop, inspired by this artist I saw over at A Little Hut, a granny square and a doily. It's pretty fun.

I have never been a scrapbooker or anything like that, so I don't have any stamp pads apart from a black one, so most of my mucking about with my stamps has been with paint.

I have no idea what I am doing at all. Just making stuff up. The granny stamp practice will become gift tags for Christmas as I have chopped them all up in haphazard fashion. It reminds me a little of a flag, for a crafty nation of some sort.

I like the repetition visually of tiling the stamps. It is calming. I am hoping to produce a masterpiece of reasonable size to hang somewhere in the house. But first, I need to figure out what I am doing!

Not-so-russian dolls

I'm feeling rather organised because I have nearly finished my first bit of Christmas craft.

I bought a 5 piece unpainted babushka doll from Russian Treasures at the stitches and craft show. I had been umming and ahhhing about what to paint on them, and in the end I just thought, "oh just do it," and this is what I came up with last weekend.

I like the concept of my work, but the execution is a little weak. It's really hard painting around bends! I have no doubt Jemima will love it. She is always playing with this set which is less than half the size so members of the family are forever going missing!

I still need to gloss it up a little. I want it to be super shiny, but the varnish stuff I have is matte finish. Hmm do I make another purchase, or do I just make do?

This will be a gift for Jemima, but Caleb saw me working on it and wants a set too, so I might be making an online purchase in the near future.

Bizarro! Gorilla Portrait on a Plate!

I bought the book Stencil 101 late last year with a plan to use stenciling as a part of Christmas crafting. I didn't end up using it, but I am really pleased to have it in the old craft library. Yesterday afternoon I found myself feeling a bit crafty and pulled it off the shelf.

I saw a plate on etsy (I have looked and looked for it but can't find it anymore) which I have had on my mind for a while. It appeared to be a vintage plate with something painted on it.

I bought this little plate- maybe it is even a saucer, from the oppy a few weeks ago with this little plan in mind. I used a paint medium for glass and tile (I did want porcelain paint, but my local junk/art shop didn't have any). I did want to do the little deer, but she didn't fit on my plate, so Mr Gorilla it was! He looks strangely regal hanging on the wall!

To practice my stenciling technique I made some cards with another stencil. It's pretty fun.

Don't stand still, I might stencil you!

PS The man of the house is home safely from his 2 weeks abroad which feels luxurious actually! Thanks to everyone who expressed empathy during this period without him!

Parenting by painting

In my last post I alluded to a dreaded lurgy lurking nearby, and at the time I thought it was Chris who was going to get it, but it got me. The whole flu deal. Not nice. Luckily for me, the kids are not sick (must be those multivitamins!) I am getting there, though this morning I discovered I had conjuctivitis (blurgh) and I am obviously not altogether with it as my garage door can testify. oops.

Anyways, let's just talk about craft. I have had my eye on these bossy posters for ages. I decided to DIY. It's not as flashy, but I still quite like how it came out. I scanned the my original painting and then used iphoto on my trusty mac to add the faux photo matte.

This little phrase is something I say a fair bit to the kids, but it is also a good reminder for us adults too.

More wedding bells (and a sneaky granny)

I managed to drag myself away from the grannies for long enough to paint a new portrait for a new family in the making. This came together quite quickly, but I am not sure about it. I never like anything I have painted for at least a few weeks afterwards. 

On it's completion I popped outside and sat in the sun for a simple granny fix. I am pretty sure I am not changing colours properly so I need to look into that. I also made a mistake in this one. And I wasn't even watching TV. My intention is to have enough (maybe by the end of winter!) to put together a throw rug, so mistakes shouldn't be all that obvious in the long run!

Painty and ponderous

I so enjoyed painting Madeline's giveaway prize. So much so that I put life on hold a little while I finished it. 

Life in general will slow down for a while now as I finished work yesterday. 

I have very mixed feelings about becoming a stay at home mother (again). Mostly positive, but some sadness, as I say good bye to colleagues and families who I have worked with closely for the past 6 months.

Overall I have peace about my own situation and decision, and I am thankful for the opportunity, very.

I read this book last week and was fascinated by the way the Amish community lives. Life seems like hard work, but the family roles are clear, community ties are strong, and life seems a little simpler. People with whom I have discussed this book have all independently come to the same conclusion: there is something very appealing about this way of life. Is it simply that the grass is always greener? What do you think?

Rainy days...

It rained and rained yesterday while I was at work (second last day!) and I really just wanted to be at home all day. I am a total homebody and rainy weather is such a good excuse to be at home and hang around.

But, it rained again today! Hooray!

Jemima was kind enough to have a nice long nap, so Caleb finished his cards for the mail swap and I had another crack at my brother's engagement portrait. I am STILL not 100% happy with it. His fiance is exceptionally pretty, and I don't think this portrait does her justice. I think I will let this one settle and have a go at the lettering and then see how I feel about it.

For the mailing labels for Caleb's postcards, I used this freebie download. I love Sarah's blog and what she creates. She generously shares some of her handiwork in pdf form. Very nice.

UPDATED to add: So, when I posted the portrait picture here I realised that Savannah had a significant facial asymmetry. That problem has ben rectified (when I really should have been cooking dinner) and now, she is prettier. Still not sure. Sorry about the blurriness. Jemima was leaning on my arm peering through the view finder saying "I see Vanna and Lukey".

Giveaway Day

Thanks for entering my giveaway! There were 12 of you, so I popped over to random.org and rolled a pair of dice (die? is the plural) and up came a 1 + 5 = 6. So I counted down the list to the 6th commenter (skipping the deleted comment) and this means Madeline is the winner!

Congratulations Madeline! Send me an email to redchocolate@ymail.com so we can organise your prize!

The above portrait is of my bro and his fiance. Unfortunately, I am not completely happy with it, so may have to have another go at it to get it just right.

Thanks again to everyone who has visited my blog over the past 100 posts. It is so nice to know I am not talking to myself!

Fun and friends

This is the little painty project for a friend's birthday that I alluded to in yesterday's post. Another family portrait in Babushka form. No, the family in question does not have a chipmunk as a pet. Actually this is my artist's interpretation of their (enormous, actually, as far as I'm concerned) black german shepherd. I'm quite happy with how it turned out and was very excited to gift it this morning.

I spent a lovely day today with some dear friends from university days and their kids. It's so good to spend time with people who you've known for years and years, and knew you when you were young and very silly, and still like you anyway! If any of you are reading this post, THANK YOU for a great day and long standing friendship!

The family and an imaginary cat

The easiest way to ensure that I keep a new years resolution is to make it one I really really want to do. 

Tick! (And it is still January.)

Meet Louis

I've been working on this little guy for the last couple of days and have called him Loius, mainly because I plan to make him into a "pillow doll" like Lulu. I was inspired by a photo in an old "Shop Til You Drop for Kids" magazine I came across in one of my clean ups in the last couple of weeks. I experimented with some different mediums with Louis, using indian ink and water colours. I think I like the look better than the acrylic paint I used for Lulu. I think he is cute, but I was a little too lazy with his hands... 

I also tried out that printable fabric for Lulu 2nd gen and so far so good. I wonder how "child proof" this fabric is? Does anyone have any experience with "Matilda's Own" inkjet printable paper?

And do you know those moments when you are suddenly aware that the house is a little too quiet. I had one of those today. 

Don't you love how the body art echos the quilting on the quilt she is sitting upon? (Quilt made by a friend's mother for Caleb.) The pen marks came off her skin very easily, but the white bed sheet will bear Jem's mark for a loooong time.

Eye Spy Sunday

The lovely Cindy has asked me to choose the theme for Eye Spy Sunday this week. After thinking about it while hanging out the washing (it is sooo hot today it should be dry in the next 30 seconds), I have come up with....

Eye Spy... something I want to try in 2009.

There is so much I want to do this year, it will be hard to choose just one. One thing I want to do is have another crack at this painting. I was in such a rush to "get it done" in the end I am not 100% happy with it.

Looking forward to seeing what you all come up with!

Ikea breaks my heart

A little over the top for a post title, admittedly.

BUT, don't you hate it when you go to Ikea (with 2 small children, and a fair distance away) for a specific item and it is out of stock? We did, however, make up for it with a nice big yellow bag full of impulse purchases, which relieved some of the pain. 

Anyways, onto more crafty things... above is a tiny painting that I did on holidays. I wanted to take my sewing machine, but thought better of it at the last moment, and took my painting stuff instead. 

I'm looking forward to the rest of this week. Chris is off work and I have a lot of projects I have been itching to do for a while. Like sort out all of my crafty stuff that I have been accumulating more rapidly than finding places to put it. Like cleaning out the bathrooms... the bedrooms. A belated spring clean. Overall, just getting things organised for the new year.

Black Apple Doll

I've made a few of these dollies, but this little lass is my favourite. I made her this weekend for a 4 year old girl in my mum's group as a christmas present. I struggled over dolly's face for a while and got a bit grumpy when she looked like a creepy Bratz doll, but I think she turned out quite sweet in the end. I hope she is well received. I might throw in a bright pink (child sized) tutu to cover my bases as the gift recipient is partial to bright pink. I was especially inspired by this post in making this dolly. Emily's dolls have an x-factor that I could never hope to replicate. 

Making doll clothes is so much more fun than I ever thought it would be. A fun way to practice "designing clothes" without using much fabric, and the way it fits is not all that critical. Try it. You'll like it. 

Ads as inspiration

The ad was a Heinz baby food ad- a photoshopped picture of a girl riding a toy dinosaur figurine. I thought is was cute so I painted a picture of it. I quite like the look of water colours but I find them quite difficult to use- there is less room for error I find. 

Early Paintings

I haven't done any painting for months. I've more been doing sewing. Jemima's mexican dress which I alluded to earlier is well into construction. I have endured a little bit of frustration with it but more on that another time. These little pictures here today are the first couple of paintings I finished. I don't know if I really like them or not. I don't know. (I said that already.)

Wedding Bells

One of my "little" brothers is getting married in November. I painted a little portrait thingy of the love birds for their engagement present, and they used it for their wedding invites! I am a bit chuffed. (Please note that "RAD" are my initials, I am not making a bold statement about my ability.)

I have had quite a crafty day today. I made a bag this morning for a little 2 year old friend whose party was ... this morning (nothing like last minute), and a "princess skirt" out of pink pink pink netting for Jemima. I bought the netting online and thought it was a muted dusty pink, but it's sort of a bright dark pink. "Hot pink" if you will. Dammit. Oh well, the foibles of online fabric shopping... Photos of the princess skirt to come on a more pleasant photo taking day. Today has been a tea drinking day if you know what I mean.