YUPO PAPER

 

On Sunday I was determined to go into my studio and spend THE day there as lately it has been a treat for when I have finished something else, then things get in the way and my so called 'treat doesn't happen. Well, I did, mostly spend the day although some time was spent in front of the computer looking at demonstrations for a new to me 'paper'....yupo or as I asked in the art shop in Melbourne, yuppy paper. The first girl didn't know what I was talking about but thankfully someone else did! I do get words muddled sometimes!!!

anyway I did buy a sheet of the yupo which is not rally paper at all but it is a sort of plastic pretend paper. It is fascinating to use, like painting on glass. The paint sits on top, it needs to dry before you can paint on top of it without losing what you have already done. But the effects are lovely, can be almost like painting on silk I think.

I have a long way to go with it and have only experimented so far.

If you don't like what you have done you can just wipe it out, even when it is dry, this has happened here and I am left with a very delicate base that I will build on.

In this one I used a roller and squidged the paint around, good fun. The square shape I just removed with some damp paper and a stencil...and then some paint washed on to it later by mistake...so I will just go back and wipe again. I sadly only bought one sheet so will have to wait for another trip to Melbourne. A long way to go yet but fun to try another paper.

The Manchurian pear has just begun to turn, the solanum is in full bloom, better than ever with the rain we have had...it is even darker than the photo shows, so pretty against the coloured leaves of the pear.

Have a happy, peaceful and or contented day. I think it is contentment I look for, sometimes hard when things are not quite going my way, or house work... contentment in all things, more Buddhist would be good!

NEXT DOOR ROSES, THE EASTER PAGEANT AND UNPULLING!

These roses live next door and I can't wait until I am able to get cuttings from my friend. They both smell deliciously , always , not the best part but almost! The pink is such a pretty pink and the undersides almost a silvery white and quite translucent. The yellow is quite different to mine, an open flower and they both have tiny turned up points at the end of the petals.

Sadly this beanie is no more. Last night I took the axe, no, sorry, not the axe but some scissors and just unpulled all I could. I took a gamble that I could get more of the dark purple in Melbourne but alas they are not making that shade any more, even in the 'behind shop'! I bought some dark grey Sublime, hoping I could put it all together but it just didn't work. So, now I am intending to repeat the process with the bulk of the beanie in the dark grey and the 'grannie' section in the dark purple and the grey mohair, and maybe do another row of 'grannie'.

I went to our 11 year old grandson's Easter Pageant and was so impressed with the children. They had only one rehearsal, lots of the children had lines to say, either the narrative or the 'Easter' roles. It was really moving to see the old story played out so respectfully and sensitively. Then at the end a huge Easter  egg is broken and on the way out of the Church they were all given a piece... a tradition for this school!

Two days catching up in Melbourne with daughter no 1 and the boys, a visit to my dearest friend, June, who has just been on a cruise to NZ and spent a lovely day in Tauranga with Kate at GREEDY FOR COLOUR.

She loved her visit, loved her house, her colour everywhere, her Stanley Rabbit, her dog and 'even' her husband!!

Morning tea in our local village and a grocery trip before so off I go!! Have a happy day!

THE BUG HAS RETURNED!

The rest of my house is asleep, probably feeling just like this! How does a body, even a dog, find this comfortable to sleep. Having just written that I remember a photo of our now 16 year old grandson asleep in the way when he was a little one, asleep and hanging upside down ass well!!

 

As the northern hemisphere bloggers are beginning to post their spring blossom and more we 'down south' are beginning to see the autumn colours. I love both the seasons, the richness of life around me and it is a real treat to be reminded of the duality of life. My persimmons are just beginning to colour and one branch has changed into it's autumn reds and oranges.

Kittykat is now finished and there is another on the way. I have just tried to take a photo pf it but it is too early for the right light so I will wait until I have finished writing up this blog and take another one then.

I do seem to have my 'creative bug' back again and have had quite a productive week... I have knitted a beanie for a friend in Christchurch, nearly finished a beanie for a gift but run out of the wool which I have to get in Melbourne, our local town doesn't stock Zara...will get some tomorrow when I go down for two nights.

I began a second beanie but am leaving it to a later day when I add to my stash yet again.

The beanie is from the pattern 'Suzie's circle of hearts' beanie, beret I think it is called. I do think it is such a pretty beanie.

Which reminds me of the new mohair wool I did buy locally, I thought it was just right to add to the granny, it doesn't really show up so I will show you separately.

Why does my camera do this to me sometimes!! It looked normal when I put it on to the computer and now the gremlins have turned it upside down......at least you get the idea!! I am enjoying working through these kittykats, even if the colours are a bit wild, hopefully this will come out just perfectly...for me!!
and now I am off to have my breakfast. Have a happy and contented day today....as I am going to! I shall attack some of the weeds in the garden...in a contented way of course, some house 'stuff' and then this afternoon I am off to my scrabble game with three friends, really good fun and of course good for our brains! It is our answer to the bridge addicts, none of us play, probably couldn't play if the truth be known!! How do they remember all those rules. Scrabble we just have to remember words, not nearly as galling!!!

NEW FAMILY MEMBER HAS BEEN BORN

We are proud to announce the safe although at times problematic arrival of our PINK CATTYCAT. I am so pleased to see her here and already making herself quite at home!

                                                       As you can see he feels very relaxed with the birds and the dogs, in fact has told me to go and check the quinces at the bottom of the garden. I found this one and only near our garden gate, I think the birds have got the rest.
I was inspired by the library book I showed you some time ago but returned it when I decided I would rather do my own version..... she has a crocheted face, hands and feet while the rest is knitted.

I thought I had a photo of the original but can't see it at the moment.

I am loving the sedum, autumn joy as they are changing colour, almost daily.

going from the softest green to the palest pink, through to raspberry

Then they move on the brown which I am not so keen on but is is a rich colour all the same.

As i walked away from the sedum this morning I just spied my double delight rose peeping out from the easter daisies that are filling my garden at the moment. All chaos but so pretty. 

Have a happy day!!

OWLS COME TO VISIT AND MORE

 

I do love owls and every now and then we are 'granted' a visit from either one or two owls. They sit right at the back of the house underneath the canopy of a huge photinia which is nestled into a rough barked Arizona cypress, both trees planted many years ago. This is the first time I have taken satisfactory photos, I decided to use the setting for 'inside' and it worked!

Autumn seems to be starting and mushrooms appearing. Some up to 18 cms across. We had family here over the long weekend we have just had so didn't get around to taking the photos. These we collected the next day, all around the farm. We have had two lovely feeds but some of this lot were a bit past it so may try some soup or risotto...very black soup or risotto.

Today I am having some lovely time on my own as the big one has gone to Melbourne to the dentist. I absolutely adore him but I still like to have the feeling SOMETIMES of being on my own, delicious!!

It is a lovely gentle morning, beautiful clouds filling the sky and I think there could be some thunderstorms later. I am on to the second load of washing and when I finish that the shower awaits and THEN a cup of tea and into  my version of the owl. And I have a cold so I'm not doing too badly....it must be that bit of space I have today!!

Have a lovely gentle day today my readers and if you care to comment I would be delighted!!

The start of something new

I have been feeling my life is out of balance, the days slide by and what have I done. Nothing much creative, wanting to begin again and then this morning bingo!!!!!

You I know will see a mess! however I see progress.

Please excuse the sideways owl! I did correct it..I thought... but it didn't take and I HAVEN'T GOT TIME TO DO IT AGAIN NOW!! And it isn't finished by a long way!! Inspired by an owl card my lovely niece gave me for my birthday and SIXTY ONE A with her collage. The other thing that jelled was that I have a great pile fg New Zealand House and Garden at least 10 years old that I couldn't throw out as I have loved them all. Then I decided I would go through them and tear out all the recipes and inspiring things..art, craft, people. Then today I thought why not!! Just a new direction for them AND it has ignited me to come back into the fold of creativity!!
Who knows what I will do next, it might even be painting. 
Now it is back to cleaning as I have promised myself I would get a couple of rooms done... the dog hair is piling up!!
Happy creating every-one from someone who has begun again

Rain

We have had an amazing amount of rain from last Monday to Saturday, 216 mls or 8 1/2 inches. not as much as some and for us quite exciting as it came in heavy bursts with a day or so in between. However there are many areas in the North East of Victoria who have had to be evacuated and the powers that be think it may be some time before they can return home. Water is lying around everywhere and seeping out of the ground, running down the rocks and hill-sides. It is only a few years ago we had 10 inches, 250 mls for the whole year. Mount Buffalo, not so far away had 20 inches, 500 mls, a century plus record. It is hard to imagine here, maybe Queensland... or New Zealand!
 I loved the look of the mist and the rich colours of the wet grass, the depth of the green in the trees and then the patches of blue that appeared yesterday afternoon. I love the rain, especially a wet Sunday where I can curl up with the papers or just read, bliss!

 

The story of the dog with the fig! I just happened to be in the right spot! 

  I think Bear found the best fig too, most of them were rather waterlogged and not so nice.