Google+ LISTENING TO THE SQUEAK INSIDE art by Kirstin McCulloch of LilliBean Designs: April 2012

Monday, April 30, 2012

☆ Jump [illustration friday]

"Jump", the little voice told her, "Jump"

And so she did.

And she did not fall.

I am going to take a chance and jump myself this week. It is a jump I have been planning since January, just a small one, but it has taken more  bravery than I thought it would, to take the final leap.

No safety nets, no backing out, just pure faith that I will not fall. 

I am terrified. My chest is full of humming birds. And yet it is a leap that will bring me closer to my end game. 

And it is time.

Thursday, April 26, 2012

☆ Life Book [week 14]

"My Past has come full circle + I am stronger for it"

Life book is moving into its next phase. From celebrating us and our achievements, to honouring our past. This was an awesome start.

We were encouraged to find a historical figure that we identified with, but I struggled greatly with this. 

I don't really identify with any one, woman or man, current or historic figure. I do admire and I am inspired by certain figures, but do I identify with them? Not really. So in the end I decided not to base my painting on this.

My quote is honouring my decision to leave my home town, 16 years ago, and our decision to return here and raise our two wee beasties.

Although I didn't leave in traumatic circumstances, I left. And I wasn't coming back. I was moving on from this too small town, and I left all my baggage behind too. Never to be looked at again - I left it on the carousel for the lost luggage department to deal with.

When I returned home, my baggage found me. And I struggled to deal with it, I tried to ignore it, I tried to loose it again. But in the end, well, I had no choice but to face it, unpack it and put it away in its right spot. So I have come full circle and I am stronger and happier and more fulfilled because of it. 

(Well except for that one small cosmetic sized bag that I have conveniently lost the keys to and shoved in the back of the bathroom cabinet where it will not to be seen for the next ten years, or longer if I can help it!!)

Anyway, I am really happy with this piece, and it is a great reminder to honour your past, give it some respect, because it has made you who you are. (Unless of course you have amnesia, but that would be a totally different lesson). 

So maybe it is time you honoured your past, and I would love it if you shared your ideas on how you would honour it.








Tuesday, April 24, 2012

☆ It's GIVEAWAY ANNOUNCEMENT time!

Wow - Can you believe another month is almost over! This year is just flying past me at the moment.

I want to take a magic wand and just stop time for an hour to breathe and take in the moments that have ticked past with a blink of an eye.

Do you guys feel like this?

So slightly off tangent, (but really you all know I do that regularly!) it is time to announce the winner of this months give away.

Thanks to everyone who entered, your support and kind words are just over whelming, thank you!

So to the important bit - this months winner is.......

(drum roll)

Michelle Thomas who wrote:

Not scary, just beautiful. I'd love to have her. Please enter me!will also immediately like your facebook page for the extra entries. Thanks,
Congratulations Michelle. If you could send me a quick email with your addy, that would be great!

As always there will be another give away next month and I have some other exciting news to share soon.

Monday, April 23, 2012

☆ Height [illustration friday]


'She had big aspirations, but she realised she was afraid of heights.'

Deep in the secret room of my heart I am afraid. I am afraid of reaching and climbing to the next tree branch. I think it's time to leap from my perch and trust that there is a soft landing. I think it is time to stop fearing, and to climb higher, and to stop fearing the heights. I think I am nearly brave enough to do this... Nearly. 

Have you leapt recently? Maybe you could share your brave stories to inspire those of us who are fearful of the leap?




P.S Tomorrow's the last day to enter April's GIVEAWAY. Quick! Quick! Click here to enter.



Sunday, April 22, 2012

☆ Inspired by Words [inspiration avenue challenge]

This weeks Inspiration Avenue Prompt was inspired by National Poetry Month. And we were challenged to be inspired by words, poems, lyrics, quotes or novels.  
I have a huge collection of words, and poems and quotes, and descriptions from novels, that I have saved to be inspired by when the time is right.

But this week, my Bean has graduated to a bunk bed (built by the fabulous Mr Mac) which she decided she wanted to be a mermaid bed (Due mainly to my obsession with pinterest and the 10 or so pins I have of bunk beds for princesses!)

So Mr Mac built the bed and cut out the railing pattern and I painted it. Such an awesome project to work on, but it left no time for my Inspiration Avenue prompt. 

But then I thought about it, and I remember when I was studying for my HSC (all those many years ago now) we studied the poet John Donne. I loved his work, even though I never really understood it, and I needed the cliff notes to decipher his poems. (I can still quote the first stanza of his 'Flea' poem)


Anyway, I remembered a line from one of his songs

"Teach me to hear mermaids singing"


And it has always struck me. I am learning to hear the mermaids sing. It has taken a long time, but I can hear them now!

So in keeping with this weeks theme, I would love to hear what words, song, novel, poem or quote has inspired you lately?



P.S Don't forget to enter April's GIVEAWAYClick here to enter. Tuesday is the final day for entries.

Saturday, April 21, 2012

☆ Life Book [week 11]


I loved this weeks 'mini' lesson. Such a fun idea from Samantha Kira.

I have been following Samantha's blog for years now. 

And I have been so inspired by her journey. I just find her so authentic, and I love her vids!

Anyway, for this weeks life book 'mini' lesson, she gave us a blank dress form and some wings, to inspire us to create a world of our own, and to fly above the troubles we have. 

A blank slate.

And I love this idea, every new painting, every new day is a blank slate. Yesterdays troubles, are now your history, and not your present. 

I had so much fun creating this painting. So much so that you may find the wings and dress form popping up in future paintings.





P.S Don't forget to enter April's GIVEAWAYClick here to enter. There is only a few days left.

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

☆ Life Book [week 12]

The concept of this weeks lesson was to create a place to gather our supportive emails, comments and other 'Warm and Fuzzies'


'Warm and Fuzzies' was a thing we used to do a school camps. We'd decorate a brown paper bag and hang it on a wall, and then we'd go around and anonymously write something nice about every one on the camp, and put it into their bag. 

Twenty years later I still have mine and they still make my heart flutter. 


The fabulous and amazingly talented Wyanne  was our teacher this week, but despite her inspiring videos, and amazing lesson, I found it really hard to immerse myself into this project.

It's hard to put into words but I am dissatisfied by my finished product, which is shite because I really enjoyed the concept behind the lesson, as well as the message, and the amazing array of techniques Wyanne shared with us was just awesome.

 
So thank you Wyanne for your words of wisdom, and for sharing your amazing talent with us.

I think this may be a lesson that I would benefit from doing again, once I am in a better frame of mind, once I have let it sit for a wee while.




P.S Don't forget to enter April's GIVEAWAYClick here to enter 

Monday, April 16, 2012

☆ Puzzled [illustration friday]


Well, she is not quiet as puzzled as she first appeared in my sketch, more bewildered than anything else.

And has anyone else drawn puzzle pieces before - they are deceptively painful, and they never seemed to line up. AGH - irritating. 

Have a great week.





P.S Don't forget to enter April's GIVEAWAYClick here to enter 

Sunday, April 15, 2012

☆ Foliage [inspiration avenue]

Every day when I go out for my walk I end up coming home with some thing in my pocket.

Some times it a pebble, often it's feathers, and just lately with the onset of autumn it has been leaves.

Everyday I look at these leaves and I see patterns, I see wings and feathers and hearts.

I have been collecting the ones that spark some inspiration and storing them in a box, to do something with.... one day.

And thanks to Jenn's prompt over at inspiration avenue I finally had a chance to use one of the multitude of leaves I have collected.

Just one I know, but now I know how effective they look, you will probably see them popping up in my work more often.

 An awesome prompt this week.



P.S Don't forget to enter April's GIVEAWAYClick here to enter 

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

☆ Aprils Give Away

Are you lounging in a chocolate induced coma?

Are you still reaching for the chocolate even though you are stuffed full?

Yep... Me too.

So it's that time of the month again! (no not that one...)

It's time for this months give away.

And this month I decided to mix it up a wee bit.

This is a painting that I did at the end of last year in response to an illustration prompt (scary).

And she will be going to the lucky winner of this months give away.

And it is so easy to enter. 

All you have to do is leave a comment - saying hi, or enter me. See - a sinch! 

And you can grab some bonus entries too. You can follow my blog or like my facebook page for two more entries. Just let me know in your comment.  As always if you are already a follower or liker just let me know as well for your extra entries!

Too easy! The competition is open until Tuesday 24th around 9pm Aust EST. 

Good Luck. 

Monday, April 9, 2012

☆ Vocal [illustration friday]


I spent a lot of last week thinking. Thinking about where this journey was taking me and thinking about where I want to end up.

I also spent a lot of time over thinking, over thinking the life I am trying to live.

Do you guys do this too?

So I am thinking instead of over thinking, it is time to take some steps forward, to start getting vocal.

And instead of trying to take big running leaps, I am going to take little mini baby steps.

And instead of being deflated when I don't reach the end goal in one week, each week, I will have accomplished something.

Here goes!




P.S. Tomorrow is this months give away! So make sure you pop back in for the chance to win a painting done by moi!

Sunday, April 8, 2012

☆ Frida [inspiration avenue]


I must admit that before this weeks challenge at inspiration avenue I didn't know very much at all about Frida Kahlo

In fact I knew about five things

☆  She was a Mexican painter,

☆ She is the subject of many artists paintings in the blogging world + ATC exchanges,


☆ She painted lots of self portraits,


She was portrayed by Selma Hayek in a movie based on her life (a movie that has been on my must watch list for a couple of years now),

☆ She had a very dominant eye brows (much more impressive than Brooke Shields!)

So this weeks challenge gave me an opportunity to read more about Frida Kahlo and her life. And isn't she, and her art fascinating? I am totally inspired by her and her story.

The quote is one of hers and it totally summed up the way I was feeling the day I painted this. Now I just need to dust of my wings!



Monday, April 2, 2012

☆ Return [illustration friday]

Return o Earth.

I was reminded the other day that some times I need to return to earth.

I mean I have my dreams and plans and one days and when I's, these are essential to me and my life.

But maybe there comes a time when I need to put my feet down and take a step back.

I have been on a set path for a while now, a path that I created for myself, and don't misunderstand - I am very happy following this road, (which I have no doubt would have eventually lead me to my oz), but a very wise person asked me why?

Why? And you know I never really thought about it. 

And so I did. And I realised that perhaps I could take a detour on another path.

And now that I have taken a detour I am now looking out for others, and I return to the path with more. More to fuel the dreams, the plans, the one days and the what ifs. 

Have you taken the time lately to return? To return to a path you have lost, a dream thats been forgotten, or a project discarded? It may be worth taking five minutes today to just that - return.


Sunday, April 1, 2012

☆ Storm Warning [inspiration avenue]

An appropriate prompt for Inspiration Avenue today.

Maggie chose Stormy Weather for our prompt this week. And here today the weather has moved through all four seasons in one day.

A hot sunny morning, a cloudy cool lunch, a stormy and rainy arvo and an evening where the heater need to be turned on.

Not unusual weather for autumn, but a stark reminder that winter is just around the corner. (I can't wait - winter is my favourite season after autumn.)

Have a great week.





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