a funny thing happened on the way to the studio...reliving the past, leaping small children in a single bound & juggeling resin

for those who read my article in issue #90 of the Artist Palette (Australia), you will remember this story from last year, and for those who have not read the magazine...this is what happens when you think you know what you are doing...

I like to get lots of things done at once where I can, so I decided to work on several flooded canvases all at once. The colouring went perfectly and I set all of the canvases on my table in two rows, all butted up against each other so I could work quickly.
I mixed the resin and began pouring into the canvas backs...all the while adding more pieces to my work...for those who don't know about resin I will explain to you that from the moment you mix in the catalyst/hardener it begins to set and the more time you take to pour it...the more trouble you are asking for!

About seven or eight minutes had passed from pouring the first fill, so when I now went to tip my jug, a huge gluggy blob of resin oozed on to the canvas...I watched for a moment to see if it would level out but it just sat there...grinning at me...don't try and tell me it wasn't laughing in defiance because I know it was!...I called it names "stupid sticky snot blob", this didn't help...I know it would have flipped me the bird if it could have moved.

I rolled my eyes and did that funny mouth thing that people do when they are trying to figure out what to do. I decided the only thing to do was to pick up the blob and discard it.
Now it's at this time that I need to point out to you that I was wearing my one and only perfectly clean and paint free black slacks, no apron and although I do wear gloves when mixing, I had discarded them for pouring.

Without a thought I picked up the blob...
and at that very moment my then six year old son came in to ask me something and the phone in the "sewing room" began ringing.

I swear...and yes I actually did...that the next 90 seconds happened in slow motion...
I slam dunked the blob into the bin, vaulted over my son, bolted down the passageway, grabbed the phone with the least sticky hand whilst wiping the other hand on my pant leg...all without thinking.
More swearing followed...wrong number!!!

It was now time to inspect the damage...
#1 phone has dried resin on the hand piece
#2 slacks ruined
#3 I had some how gotten resin on my son's forehead and in his hair
#4 resin blob had not gone in to the bin but had oozed down the side and on to the rug

and the moral of this story?...there isn't one.
I'm human, I'm not perfect...I bought new slacks, the phone still has my hand print in resin on it, I trimmed the resin from my son's hair and the rug. I can laugh at myself...can you?

donating to raise funds

if this piece looks familiar, she is! I had donated this 20x40cm last year, to be auctioned for charity but she had been returned to me (surprisingly)...anyhoo she has been sitting under my table since then...waiting to go to a new home somewhere out in the world. Can you give her a new home?

I have donated her to Louise Williams who lives in New Zealand, she is organising an auction event to raise money for the people of New Zealand who have been affected by the recent earthquakes.

There are lots of things that will be up for grabs, so please consider bidding on one or more of the pieces.

click here to look at the items up for auction

the above link will take you to the sea nymph on the promotion site, the auction is run through a facebook page, if this causes any problems for you email Louise at info@eidou.com

A funny thing happened on the way to the studio...losing control, David Campbell and those darn fullstops!

***I've decided that I need to share more of myself as a person, so I am going to. Of course if you are only here for the art and you want to skip the ramblings then avoid reading any of my posts that are titled "a funny thing happened on the way to the studio".


This morning I was typing on my laptop and noticed some of the keys were sticking...could this be because I type while I snack? Who knows? I have had the laptop for two years and have never cleaned it...so today I ripped the keys off and lined them up next to me so they wouldn't get jumbled.
There was enough blue and black hair to crotchet a small doilie...there were what appeared to be crumbs of corn ships...which makes me hungry for chicken enchiladas!...don't ask!...it's just the way my brain works. I also found fragments of paper, fibers, fusible film and what I believe to be the limbs of a gummy bear!...I envision some sort of gummy bear mafia stashing the body parts of some problem-causing gummy bear under my keys.

I cleaned the mess, and began replacing the keys when the phone rang *insert absence while on phone call for approx three minutes*

I return and sit down to continue...all the while listening to the crooning of David Campbell *insert dreamy eyes*
I picked up the right angle bracket key and swipe it with my cloth...damn...can't get that dot off!...it took me about five minutes to realise that the dot is in fact a full stop...my excuse is that I was distracted whilst listening to David Campbell!...back to the keys...I see one is missing...I try to think what it could be...not that it matters because it's friggin missing! *insert puzzled look and growing frustration as I rearrange the lounge room to find the missing key* twenty minutes later I find it sitting by the phone...and what had I lost?...I had lost CTRL (control).

Flights of Fancy and Magic Beads...teaching in Perth

I am really excited about next month...I'm flying back to my home state of Western Australia!!! I'll be there to celebrate my 40th Birthday, catch up with friends and family, shop at some favorite place like The Thread Studio...and teach!

My Westie Besties Jenny Burns and Megan Black have asked me to share my art with them and anybody else who would like to get their hands dirty with me.

I'll be teaching "Flights of Fancy" artistic journal...the book is a brilliant way to keep track of your ideas, etc.

How often have you mixed paint to decorate something and then forgotten how you had done it...Flights of Fancy is filled with art papers that you can create your own paint chips and even write notes as a reminder.

You can even fill it with sketches or pictures of things that inspire you.

...and the beads?...magic! faux glass!...very simple and fun!...I dare you to stop at just one!

Interested? hop over to BLACKBURNS CREATIONS  for all details.

more than meets the eye

A simple chipboard bracket...nothing is as it seems when you have imagination.

Product Design Samplers...for WOW

Today was spent playing with some of my product designs that I have created for Words Or Whatever

I love designing products for companies...it's wonderful to see a sketch turn into something that can be used in arts and crafts. It thrills me to see people use what I have created.

What have I created?...rubber stamps, chipboard products and paper flowers.

Retailers can order my designs directly from WOW

Alchemy Blossoms...five designs, two sets per pack

Mini Housie Hanging Shrine...although the piece looks flat, my Nan's photo is actually sitting in a recess and then coated with resin

Alchemy Circle Frame (large)

Alchemy Circle Frame (small)

Brash Bracket

Winners, Grinners, Voters and flutterbies, etc

I created this hanging piece as a BIWT (Because I Want To) for a lady who deserves a smile...even if it's only brief.

this is a Birthday card for somebody who has brought colour into my world for a long while now

this is a 4x4 page for the Birthday girl

these are my hand made Jennifer Byrne Paganelli fabric flowers...Fred The Needle proudly stocks a great range of fabrics, including the Sis Boom pretties. I used my Itop to make the brad centers.

I'll be posting a project and step by step for these next week

in keeping with the butterfly theme here is a book I'm teaching in Perth next week...details very soon

OWOH prize "Kooky" is heading to the USA to live with the very talented Belinda Spiwak

OWOH prize "Baby Night Owl" was won by Sherry Edwards in the UK

Now what about the voting? Well Lindy's Stamp Gang is having a little comp. and you all need to run over to the LSG blog and vote!!! You can choose three...although it's a tough choice. I have to say that I totally love the Madame Butterfly art doll and the FloraDeco. Click here to vote