☆ Creative Project - Belle No Sew Tutu

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Bean was very upset the other day...

She realised in her vast wardrobe of tutu's she didn't have one which was like Belle's (i.e. a yellow tutu, and yes that is Belle from Disney's Beauty and the Beast!)

So after explaining to her, that no we couldn't just go out to the shops and buy one, that daddy goes to work to make money to pay for a lot of other things other than Belle tutu's, (and again, yes a lot this went into way too much detail for a three year old!) I promised her that when we went to Canberra for Fred's birthday, that we would go to the material shop and buy yellow tutu material.

So this is how I made the easiest tutu ever in about half an hour...

I bought two meters of tulle, (enough for bean, bug and a little tutu for isabella the doll), and a metre of ribbon.

First I folded and cut the tulle into four pieces, of which I then cut into strips.

I then took a half a metre of ribbon and found the half way mark which I then lay a strip of tulle over

and then tied (I am not sure of the technical term, but essentially over, under, through)

I then tied on pieces of tulle either side, pulling each one tight, 

and scrunching tightly together

Until a there is a full skirt.

Tie the ribbons together, and voila two very cute Belle tutus..

I know these are fairly sketchy instructions, but if you type no sew tutu's into google, you will find videos, and very detailed tutorials.

And I got to thinking, I could make these tutu's out of anything - a cinderella rag tutu anyone? hmmmm, maybe next week!

Have a great weekend. I hope you'll take half hour to make your own tutus and dance like a princess!

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☆ Work In Progress

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It's been a while since I shared some work in progress photos.

I think I have about three projects on at the present, some of which are nearing completion and I will be able to share with you shortly, but for now this is the one I am most excited about...

This is the first of six paintings from a new project called the Lost Princesses.

This is the princess of sand and cats.

The next one I will be working on is the princess of tears and jellyfish. I hope to share with you the completed princess very shortly

Have a great day.

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☆ Ferocious [Illustration Friday]

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Last month we had a meal with some of my huge extended family. Catching up with cousins, aunties and uncles.

Bean was happily trying to climb a tree, something she loves to do, when one of my Uncles said to her that she should get down, that 'girls don't climb trees!'

Do you know those moments in life when you, for a second just freeze, and then all of a sudden you let go with a torrent of words, that seem to well from your inner most heart, and it is just the most perfect reply?

Like a ferocious mama lion I told him - 'don't you dare, don't you dare tell Bean she cannot do something, because she can do anything and be anyone.'

[in a round-about-way, I AM getting to my IF painting!]

I am so ferocious in protecting my girls dreams, protecting their hopes and aspirations. I want them to dream their wildest dreams, and to always reach for the stars.

Dreamer.
(mixed media, ©2011 K.McCulloch) 

And maybe their mama should take her own advice and live her wildest dreams.

Have a great week.

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☆ Completed Creative Project

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I wanted to share with you the completed letters that I was painting for my nephews first birthday.

I was pretty happy with how they turned out considering how sick I was!

So there we were rushing around Saturday morning packing for our overnight stay in Canberra, present wrapped, in a gift bag next to all the other bags needing to make it into the car.

We arrive at the party, and I ask Mr Mac where is the present? I turns out after all this hard work, the present was sitting in the entrance way, still waiting to make it into the car. 

crap. (and you can imagine that this was the least of the swearing going on at the time!)

Has this every happened to you? Have you ever worked so hard on a project only to leave it behind, loose it or break it before you could share it?

Have a great Wednesday.

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☆Mesmerizing [Illustration Friday]

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'Your conversation is just... mesmerizing.'

watercolour, graphite, marker

Have you a person in your life that tells you the same bit of news over and over again. When you feel your eyes glaze over, your lips freeze in a parody of a smile and nod with a few encouraging 'really?'s', in between stifling yawns. When they have no recollection of telling you the same story, only the night before? 

This painting was born of this exact scenario, which happened to me this weekend.

So dear reader.... Do you cut the person off? Let them tell the story for the forth time? How do you politely tell them, "Yes I know Myrtle from next doors roses were stolen, because you told me three.times.before!" And how many times is polite to listen to the same story?

Have a great week - and hoping you don't have the same story told to you three times over!

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☆ Creative Project - In Progress

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Well, I didn't die. And surprise, surprise, I am feeling better.

So now I have learn't my second very important blogging truth.

Don't Blog When Your Sick.

(number one being don't blog when your drunk!)

I can't even go back and read that post. I think I will just keep it in its protective haze of illness.

Anyway it is my nephews birthday this weekend and I am frantically painting some letters (like these here)

I had ordered them weeks ago, but in my haste I didn't check the size of the final orders, so when they arrived in their very small package I realised that instead of ordering the 6" letters, I ordered the 1" ones. crap.

The reordered (and correctly sized ones) arrived just the other day, so I should be able to finish them off in time.

That is if I don't have a relapse of the dreaded and deadly 'Kirst flu', that turns sane and rational people to insane and irrational.

Have a great weekend.

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☆ September Sketch Challenge - update two

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(I am prefacing this post with an apology. Sorry I am an unwell moany cow at the moment - feel free to skip my sick rant and look at the pictures!)

Yet again I have a cold, well this time I think its the flu - achy all over, hot and cold flushes and a nose which wont. stop. running. I have never been this constantly sick - the joys of children some one told me recently. How can this feeling be joyful?

So beyond uploading the sketches from last weeks sketches, my mind is too fuddled to be witty or charming (which of course I always am!).

I'm just waiting for my blankie to heat up (that's an electric blanket not a euphemism for my husband ;) ) before collapsing into bed, so I thought I'd share these pics.

My Best Friend 

Bug's Favourite Book

One of my Favourite Movies

My Favourite Character

A favourite TV Show

Favourite Candy

Right - I am crawling off to my deliciously warm bed!

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☆ Boundaries [Illustration Friday]

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Families are tricky beasties. They can be supportive, pushy, loving, cutting, amusing, insulting and kind.

Sometimes, they can be all that in a five minute space.

I just spent the weekend with my family, away in the NSW highlands. All but my middle brother and his expectant partner were in attendance, and I realised over this weekend, that my family are the most wonderfully supportive people.

Not one of them scoffed at my dream of being an artist, which I hesitatingly confessed after a few wines. They were full of advice, (some of it helpful) and all of them were pushing me past my comfortable boundaries. Beyond my self doubt and hesitations. Beyond the huge big ball of fear in the pit of my stomach. (or was that the red wine??)

I am so lucky, lucky to have these amazing people in my life, with the unspoken and unwavering support. And so, so lucky that they are comfortable enough within our family unit to give me a huge kick up the arse!

Thanks guys.

'Live Boundless.'

Have a great week

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☆ New Painting

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I am very excited to share with you the latest painting in my 'Alway's' series.

'Always.... Listen to Granma.'

watercolours, ink, graphite

detail I

detail II

 She is fast becoming one of my favourite characters.

I am in the process of setting up my etsy shop, (yah! finally!) so she will be available for sale soon.

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☆ ATC's August

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Augusts ATC theme for the willowing swap was famous paintings.

Now there are hundreds of famous paintings that have inspired me. I was obsessed with pop art in my teens, especially Roy Lichtenstein's work, I have always loved the impressionists, the surrealists, and manga/ comic art.

So choosing two paintings to base this months ATC's on was a slight challenge.

In the end I went with Van Gogh's The Starry Night and Botticelli's The Birth of Venus

Both have a special memory for me.

Starry Night is one of the first prints I ever bought and I have it hanging still today in my studio. I can stare at this one for ages. And dream...

Water colour on background

 When we travelled through Europe on our mature-age gap year, Mr Mac and I went to the Uffizi gallery in Florence, and although the line to see David was almost a half day long, there was no such wait to see this amazing painting. And for a good 15 minutes, I just stood and looked.

Promarkers

I never noticed though, how tired she looked, until I did this ATC!

What famous paintings inspire you? What memories do they evoke?

Have a great day.

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☆ Mysterious [Illustration Friday]

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Normally with IF prompts, I have an image in mind immediately or I spend hours pondering certain scenarios. Often I will look the prompt up in an online dictionary, thesaurus or search for quotes.

Today, I pondered the prompt for a few minutes, and then decided I couldn't be arsed with my ritual, picked up my pad and sketched while thinking of the prompt. 

And this is the result

I am not sure how mysterious she is, but I am sure she's keeping a secret!

What do you think?

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☆ September Sketch Challenge Check In

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So far I am really enjoying my September challenge.

It is nice not to have to think about finding something to sketch, although each prompt makes me think about what I actually am sketching.

I am obviously only four days into the challenge, but here is the first check-in...

1. Self Portrait

2. Favourite Animal

3. Favourite Food

4. Favourite Place

Want to join us? It's not too late - the list of challenges is here, and there are no rules as to media, style, etc. Just complete a challenge a day!

Have a great week.

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☆ Life's Obsessions

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I don't know about you guys, but I am an obsessive list maker and notebook hoarder.

 iphone shot of a few of my current notebooks.

I blame.... sorry...thank, my mum for this habit, because being the some what disorganised type with a hundred thoughts in my head the only way she could see me passing my HSC and making my way to university, was to write with me daily lists, all packaged in a pretty notebook.

I have always had a diary, a notebook, an idea's journal, and at one point a poetry journal which I wrote really awful, teen angst poetry. (This faze, fortunately for those I shared it with, only lasted a month or two!)

Anyways, I am looking for a solution to the current horde of notebooks I cart around with me. As you see in the photo above, I have a diary, and ideas journal, a book to write random bits and pieces, my moleskine sketch book, my A5 sketch book and a note book by my bedside to write random thoughts in the middle of the night. (Cause there the important ones!!)

I thought I had a perfect solution when I stumbled on Erin Condrens Life Planners - beautifully styled, small enough to fit in my bag, big enough for my scribbles. Sadly this love affair was short lived, unfortunately the shipping to Australia is extortionate! 

So instead of wallowing in misery, I thought I would ask you dear readers and visitors, if you are notebook challenged, what are your solutions? Have you managed to streamline you note book needs? How did you do it? 

Have a great weekend.

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