There's a new girl in town...

Technically, it's a new, exciting place to chat, and it's called

CHAT WITH CHARM
Charmane Koch (one of the brains trust behind 123 Challenge) has decided we need a place to chat and share CHALLENGE SITES -- sketches, colours, tools, stash-busters, art journalling -- you get the idea!!

BUT NO SHOPS ADVERTISING PLEASE (including shops running challenges)
Charm wants it all neutral and quite frankly so do I.

She's been running less than a month and there are already over 100 of us registered!!

And ....

OH
MY
GOODNESS

Do you really know how many challenges there are around Australia and the world???????
A whole lot more than I realised (having not quite crawled out from under my safe rock LOL)
Why not get registered too. Lots of great minds on the forum eager to be picked.

If you are a challenge site that is not connected to a retail store and is not yet on the forum, contact Charm and add your challenge site to her ever-growing list.

She'll love it.

she's a cuuuutieeee!!!

The adorable 8x8 canvas was a labour of love. Did not think she would make it, but I persevered!!

The background began as too dark for my liking, then I thought if the objective was to try out a long crinkly skirt and a felt hat, then the only time you wear that gear in Brisbane is at night and then only for about 6 weeks a year LOL!!!

An ethereal moon dusted with silver glitter.

The quote was perrrrrfect!!!

I opted for an injection of colour midway down the skirt. I have sooo many other skirt design options - side gathers, tucked and pinned with a rosette.....sooo many.

And everything looks better with a coat of Opal Dust. You seriously should see how gorgeous this looks at night.

Here is a shot of the work area at my glorious retreat to Byron Bay.

It must have been drinkies time, coz there is hardly anyone sitting and working!!

Busy week ahead.....
RENEWED....more canvas time for me!!!

more canvas lovin'

This wee lass has already found a new home xoxo

And I know someone has been eyeing this girl off since the weekend xoxo

I am okay for my girls to find new homes. It's been a labour of love and I wanted to hold onto them forever. But like all good parents, there comes a time when I need....to....let.....go.....

Just contact me via email at
gi68@optusnet.com.au

I am renewed after an impromptu retreat to Byron Bay last weekend. A small group of ladies who love a good belly laugh.
Thank you Lovelies!!!

She Art + GiveAway!!!

Firstly though, want to thank you all - from the bottom of my heart - for your wonderful comments from the last post. It's never easy for me to reveal the absolute truth about what happens here, and I try not to, because I don't like to LOL. Truly though, if this had happened to one of your children, I believe you would drop everything and devote nearly all of yourself to your angel. (Some part of you needs to remain "you")

So back to the fun stuff.......

Rather belated, but here are my first 2 canvases from the extraordinary class by Christy Tomlinson.

and that's not even half of what we are completing!!!

I can't tell you how MUCH FUN this workshop is!!
Christy is GIVING AWAY one cyber seat in her next workshop, so quick sticks to her **BLOG** for the details.

Had a massive weekend so off for a nanna-nap. Details and photos of that shortly.

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Why are you still reading this????
Have you visited Christy's blog yet???? Go on..................

It's a Fair Question....

I'm often asked, "What exactly do you do all day?"
Both boys are now in full-time schooling, the intensity of the day has scaled back a little and I don't seem to be as exhausted as I used to be.

So, I thought I'd share with you exactly what I did yesterday.

Firstly, I made breakfast. We don't eat cereal in our house. It isn't satisying enough for our family. Rainer can't eat anything processed or from the supermarket. Everything he puts in his mouth has been made by me or carefully supervised by me to ensure no grains, no sugar and no lactose and definitely no additives/preservatives/chemicals.

Mum & Dad - Merlo coffee (Riviera blend) in stovetop caffetiera. I have a "zabaglione" which I thank my Nonna for introducing me to. One egg yolk, 2 tsp sugar stirred with a teaspoon until light, then pour hot espresso over. Dad just has sugar in his coffee. White sugar; always white sugar. He leaves around 7-7.15am,

Boy 1 - bacon & egg muffin - 2 eggs, 1 rash bacon, english muffin. Sometimes I make another for Dad.
Boy 2 - banana pancakes - mashed banana, one egg, almond meal to bind - cooked in ghee (home made clarified butter). I pull apart his medicine and sprinkle it on the pancakes then drip his Strawberry-flavoured Cod Liver Oil over it to dissolve the meds.

Then I cook Rainer's lunch and pack lunchboxes.
Lunch - chicken strips coated in a mixture of almond meal and home made pumpkin seed meal, salt, herbs. Mum helps me make a 2kg batch of this which is kept frozen.

After I drop Rainer off, it's either shopping or come home and do Housey Stuff. Don't need to bore you with that LOL. But it usually involves your run-o'the-mill domestic goddess jobs, phone calls, deliveries, internet research (mostly for Rainer stuff) and the distraction of forums or Facebook.

Yesterday I cooked this -

L-R: Ghee (only used 500g butter today) , home made yoghurt from 2litres of raw jersey cow milk (which is now fermenting for 24hrs in the dehydrator) and at the end are my beetroots which I didn't get around to preparing for chips. Need to satisfy Boy 2's need for CRUNCH! (See my beautiful shiney caffetiera? She's a gorgeous 6-cupper. We also have a 3-cupper....mmmmm)

Today, I'll put my gloves on and make some Beetroot Chips. Also today, some crackers, biscuits and if I get time, watermelon and raspberry ice-blocks.

Then I remembered that Rainer did a lot of sweating last night and had to wash the pyjamas, sheets, etc and re-make his bed.

Yesterday was also Swimming Carnival Day for Boy 1. It pays to school/play locally. Can fly in and out with ease!! First place in 25m Backstroke. Legend!!!! (just like his Mama)

Then I did the glorious pick up and cooked afternoon tea.

Rainer gets mighty clingy in the afternoon, so I spend most of the time before dinner just sitting with him while he does his preferred activity. Sometimes I join in but mostly I just watch. I'm not allowed to even read a magazine LOL...he's very particular. At some point he'll want some deep pressure activity so we'll have a wrestle or I'll give him a massage. Then we can swim or jump on the trampoline.

Mackinley does his homework. He's pretty good with self-monitoring. He'll wrestle Rainer if I need to start dinner.

Yesterday I managed to convince Mackinley that Magnetic Poetry was a fun activity...

and now he's hooked (just like his Mama)!
At some point I start dinner. It was a bit of a pain yesterday because the boys wanted different things. I think they were tired.

Rainer - lamb cutlets with sea salt and mixed herbs cooked in Australian olive oil. He went through one tray (that's 12..and a new record).
Mackinley - 3 sausages and veges. Today was carrot, cauliflower and corn (CCC) and I try to have 3 different coloured veges to give him all the vitamins and minerals needed.

A note on the sausages: I get them made in bulk (5kg+) from the organic butcher.  They contain pork mince, pork fat, liver; I provide the almond meal, sea salt, sage (or whatever herbs I feel like for that batch). He orders in special skins just for Rainer. They even separate the snags for me. I get them home fresh and re-bag them into packs of 5 and into the freezer.

Then the night-time routine begins. We all have them LOL. Once again, have to sit by the bath while Rainer plays. Most times he splashes me. It's a game we have. Not so much fun in Winter :(

Hubby called from work, blessing me with the news we were going to have our local Thai for dinner. I put our stuff back into the fridge for another day...woohooooo. He got home just after 8pm and we ate around 8.30pm once the boys were settled (finally).

At the risk of getting all "preachy" at this point (rotfl), I'll just say that this works for us at this time.
Just putting it out there......
and if you've made it this far.......

Hello friend!!!! LOL

I have canvases to show next post. Yipeee!!

123 + She Art

Howdy March!! Life has been very busy, so just a quick visual squint on what I've been doing (or lack of...)

MARCH 123 CHALLENGE

The Colour is BLUE (light or medium)

The Technique is using DOILEYS. Here I've scraped some blue paint through a paper doiley onto her dress (oh the stain!!)

And your word for March is TOO/TO/TWO.

My page reads:
"A little knowledge is a dangerous thing......too much...and you just look like a wanker." Julia Zemiro shared this kernel of truth during an episode of RockWiz...pmsl so hard I nearly choked!!! I finally had the opportunity to use it.

SHE-ARTINESS
I'm enjoying this workshop sooooo much. Christy also shares some magic quotable moments on video. If she runs this again, it's worth it, soooo worth it.

I have been delayed with my efforts from Week 1. I had a little interruption on my craft table.....

And as Mothers, you know to pick your battles. I wasn't going there last week *snigger*. As you can see, Rolley was showing off to Mater and McQueen. Like I was going to break that up!!

But I finally managed to do the 3 backgrounds.

And I'm pleased as punch with them! I've got Girl No.1 completed so I'll upload her soonest. Hopefully that will encourage someone to dive into the scary world of Mixed Media. It's fun and gets you out of your scrapping funk.

Today was a tough day, but I feel more RENEWED after sharing these!
Enjoy!!!