School Holidays are here!!

I don't know about you, but with 2 boys and one with special needs ..and let's be honest here.... some very socially unacceptable behaviours, looking for things to do IN PUBLIC sends me into a tizz!!!

But this year I've made a conscious decision to be more BRAVE and take them out to interesting places but place some realistic time limits on Rainer's ability to cope with all the new sights, sounds and smells he might encounter.

I subscribe to The Organised Housewife newsletter and this week, Katrina gave some cracking links to holiday ideas. I've already copied a heap of activities for us to try out....and some will even fulfill Rainer's sensory requirements - added bonus.

Here is the link to The Organised Housewife
THE ORGANISED HOUSEWIFE

and tell Katrina I sent you.

Here's one project Rainer brought home from school that your kids will do these holidays

BUSH WEAVING

Firstly attach 4 twigs with twine, then wrap the frame in a zig-zag pattern. Collect all manner of greenery from the garden and just start weaving.

Pretty cool, right?
Looks super cool at the end of our hall on a stark white wall.
No doubt it will dry up and bits will begin to fall on the floor, but it's a great feature while it lasts.

Enjoy your break from routine everyone!!!
I will remember to enjoy the break and fill my days with boy-time and play-dates.....and just R-E-L-A-X.........

XX
GIGI

Fair Weekend + a new fundraiser class!!

Last weekend was Mackinley's school Fair and we decided to "brave" the whole day with Rainer in tow. Luckily, there was a ride that he absolutely loved and the lady running the ride was happy for him to stay on after she called "time", and for me to just keep handing her tickets!!!

I just love people with understanding and common-sense xx

You can see why he loved this bouncy slide.

Still feel like the luckiest Mum on Earth some days xx

On another exciting note...as you all know I participated in Christy Tomlinson's ever-so-popular "She Art" workshop and am still on a "high" afterwards. So I was so happy with the canvases I produced during the classes that I donated this one to the School's Fair Auction

"She knew she could conquer the world"

8x10inch canvas

I was really nervous because on the day I saw that another local mixed media artist had donated a much bigger and bolder canvas (not a "SheArt" type subject) and my heart sank. So the auction began with me outside the hall with Rainer chatting away....and I'm noticing that all the Lots before mine (No.7) were going for well below the value price listed on the sheet.
So the Auctioneer starts bids for my canvas and I'm thinking....."Here we go again. It'll go for about $20 coz no-one understands mixed media...." (can you hear the violins playing?? LOL)

Then the bidding heats up.....$30......$40.........$50 (my secret reserve)........$60 OMG.........$80 OOOOMG.......$100 NOW I'M ALMOST STANDING..........

$110.......FINAL CALL......SOLD!!!!!

So now I'm happier and the violins have stopped playing.....100% of that $110 goes to the School and I get a creative-ego boost.

WIN-WIN 

Yes, even the most capable-looking people get pangs of self-doubt. I just needed someone who had no idea who I am and what it all meant to just simply LOVE IT!

So, if this looks like something you'd like to give a try, I'm holding another fundraising online class. But this time, instead of a scrapbooking layout, a lot of people have requested a mixed media canvas.

I'm happy to oblige.
Here's a sneak of what we'll be creating......

All you need to do is become a Follower over at my other blog
Gist Creative
and I'll post more details as they become available.

Spread the word and I hope to see you over there.
xx
gigi

Keeping Busy....

I've been having an absolute ball putting some canvases together the last few weeks.
Granted, it's been slow-going as life with my kids is non-stop, but I always manage to surprise myself with what I can achieve in a limited amount of time.

My Mum comes to help out every Thursday, and it really helps when she remarks that perhaps the artisitic gene in the family skipped a generation and that my artwork reminds her of her Father's (whose name was Giovanni, strangely enough). And as I created these canvases she told me stories of her childhood in Italy and of how when the Winter was over and the wall behind the stove was cleaned, her Father would not only clean and repaint, but also once drew the most amazing butterfly.....just because.

I may endeavour to include more butterflies in my artwork.

This one has a freakishly cool colour combo and will be available for sale soon.

I imagine this one will have a night-time theme to it...

And the next is a commissioned piece with an underwater theme....

I've been continuing my Design Diva commitments over at Scrapbook Creations magazine and was in love with this project.

And just so I don't forget that I'm a Mother, my children "ordered" a batch of home-made frozen yoghurt (with banana and peach) and for good measure, I threw together some blueberry sauce.
I can tell you now that 2 litres of the frozen yoghurt lasts about 2 days here....and with the current price of bananas - well, at least someone's eating well!!!

I am looking forward to the next few days of freedom before the boys begin their 2 weeks of holidays. It will give me a chance to get things ready for another online class to be run very shortly.

Details coming soon!!

Three Hearts....an art journal in progress

Well, Christy Tomlinson has done it again! The art journal workshop "She Had 3 Hearts" is in it's final stages and I've re-discovered my love of the small format.

And I'm not just "doing" it, but also making it a Working Journal of Techniques. I took an Art Journal class many years ago with the delightful Vivian Bonder and forgot to take notes (duh!!), so forgot all the details about what makes a page/layout/canvas stand out from the rest.

This time.....
I'm taking notes on one side, and DOING on the other. Then I make more notes about what products I substituted and how they were treated (or mistreated LOL).

I love tearing up magazines and including them in my art journals. You've probably noticed this on a lot of my pages for 123 Challenge this year. I'll continue to do that.....the ultimate in recycling!!!

And don't forget to pop over to 123 Challenge. Another fab-o mixed media artist Angela Churchill is in the spotlight this month and her canvas is GORRRRR-GEOUS!!

Make haste!!
I'll have more exciting news in a few days.
A new venture and a new long-term outlook.....just a wee bit exciting over here!!
Darn-it, this family needs to slow down so I can breathe!!! LOL
xx
gigi

Happy June 123...

Here is the criteria for 123 Challenge in June

COLOUR=BROWN
WORD=CREATE
TECHNIQUE=TAPE

I covered the chipboard crown in Pink Paislee tape by layering it in all different directions, then carefully trimmed it. Underneath the photo is a little mix of 7Gypsies tape, the same Pink Paislee tape and plain ol' masking tape.

This is such a tender photo of hubby and Rainer, it really needed a softer treatment and I love the result.

Don't forget to go to 123 Challenge and check out the rest of the Creative Team's entries this month. There is a style for every scrap-artist to be inspired by.

And remember -- it doesn't have to be a standard scrapbooking layout......let your imagination run wild.

More soon.......