☆ My Life is Like a Carousel Ride [Friday Art]

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Sometimes my life feels like an endless carousel ride.

I move round + round, I ride the highs + lows, every day starts with the same music, every week the same events at the same times...

I actually like the routine, the knowing what is expected from week to week. This is how I am able to  get so much done....mostly!

But when the school holidays begin + half of our activities on on hiatus, and I feel like a school kid again, when the holidays spreads out before you with endless possibilities.

I don't have to rush from the speech pathologist, to dancing or from dancing to my next appointment.

This weekend we are heading off to the big smoke, for my nephews third birthday, and in the middle of the city is a huge old fashioned carousel that we always take the kids to + I always indulge my inner child + hop on too.

(I am pretty sure we go every time, just so I can hop on with a legitimate excuse!)

I can't wait.

I would love to know how you indulge your inner child? Feel free to share below!

Have a great weekend

[LINKING TO PAINT PARTY FRIDAY]

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☆ Contemplation [Commission Piece]

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I've been a bit absent from 'Listen to the Squeak' the last few weeks, but I have been busy with a couple of commission pieces.

Even typing that line, I feel a little smile inside - I couldn't have thought in my wildest dreams, that three years ago, I would be painting commissions, let alone being paid for it!

Anyway, I have been incredibly lucky + have some awesome clients, who have made the whole process so much easier!

This painting is called 'Contemplation' and I loved the way she turned out. I am not sure if she is contemplating some thing heavy duty, or whether to have ice cream for dinner.

I will let you decide +  I would love to know what you think she's contemplating.

Have an awesome week

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☆ She made me work for it! [FRIDAY ART]

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Do you remember last weeks painting?

I spent a lot of this week looking at her, preparing to paint her + the moving her aside to paint something else. (On the positive side, this procrastination meant I have a lot of new paintings to share with you all in the coming weeks.)

Yesterday, I decided I was sick of looking at this painting, at her + I pulled on my big girls pants + sat down to paint her, and again I procrastinated a little, (ok a lot) and finally she started to come together.

And then she was done, but she totally made me work for it!

She is half the width of an A3 sheet of paper, so while I wasn't able to scan her in one go, I managed to do an ok job in Picmonkey, but a little of her right side was lost in the merge

I am still not sure if I am totally done with her, but I am done with her for just now. And I have no idea what to title this one so I would love to hear your suggestions!

And now I am off to find the most important folder on my computer (that has my art in it) a folder which I seem to have accidentally deleted from my system + I am so pissed off with myself right now.

I hope you all have a great weekend - I suspect mine will include a lot of hair pulling!!

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☆ Septembers Give Away Winner [Is it you?]

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Yippeee.

It's my favourite time of the month. 

It's time to announce this months give away winner.

Thank you so much for entering. 

I haven't been around much this last week, I have finished off a few commissions that I had in progress + I have been totally inspired to paint a few seasonal paintings, which I will share with you soon!

Anyway, should I stop blathering and tell who this months winner is?

Congratulations to....

Dana from 

Sinderella Studio Designs

Please send me a quick email with your postal details + I will pop these in the post for you shortly.

Thank you to every one who entered this month - I greatly appreciate your lovely comments, support + enthusiasm. Next months give away will be available to enter October 3rd.

I will be back tomorrow - I finished the girl from last weeks Friday Art... Well I think she's finished I may need your opinion!

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☆ When plans are interrupted... [Friday Art]

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This seems to be a reoccurring theme in my life lately, and maybe with three kids, a large extended family + a busy social life this is going to be my life now, at least for the foreseeable future and so maybe I should cut myself a bit of slack when the week goes a bit pear shaped and distractions pop up.

And this girl didn't help matters!

I have spent longer on her, than on some of my other paintings, she is not flowing + she is making me work for every inch of paint I put on her.

Maybe she is just one of these paintings, you know the ones that you have to struggle with every inch, which will be ok in the end, or maybe I was just distracted, by the very best of reasons!

The latest addition to our family, my beautiful Nephew 'Rosie' (this name is curtesy of Bean who was sure her aunt was having a girl), his brother + mama came for a short visit. So I have been enjoying lots of yummy snuggles with him + his brother.

Did you struggle with your creativity this week? Either finding time to do it, or because the creative flow was blocked? I would love to hear your stories.

So because of this, I didn't manage to get around to many of the Paint Party Fridayers last week, but I am still making the rounds! And I definitely will this week.

I also wanted to give a quick shout out to Jen from Aloquin, who has a really quick, but inspiring challenge - pop over here to find out about her challenge + expressing your creative voice. I am definitely going to join in!

Also have you had a chance to enter this months give away? So quick and easy to join in - click here to enter 

Have a great weekend 

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☆ New in Store [LilliBean Designs Spotlight September]

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I am so excited to share with you the new items in the LilliBean Designs Store this month.

And for September only every purchase receives a free set of six gift tags!

1. Uncertain Angel
2. Contemplation: An Angel on her Swing
3. Progress Interrupted
4. Float Away Dreams
5. All She Wanted for Her Birthday
6. The Mermaids Pet

It may be a bit early, but you can own the original 12 x 8’ paintings that the 2012 Christmas Cards were created from. At only $40 each, they would make an unusual gift idea or a pretty wall decoration to help celebrate the season.

These are only available through email purchase, so click on the painting name (below) + send me an email with the painting name in the email subject.

1. Star Garland
2. Putting the Star on the Tree
3. Onward Rudolph
4. Christmas Star
5. Blue Bird Tinsel
6. Christmas Hugs  sold.

For September only each purchase either through email or the LilliBean Designs Store receives a set of free gift tags. 

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☆ The Eyes Have it! [LifeBook 2013]

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Have you ever looked at your eyes in detail? I mean beyond putting on the daily swipe of mascara? Thought about how you'd paint it? How one side might droop a little? How many shades of colour makes up your iris? How many more lines are there now your closing in on the big 40?

This weeks lesson had Kelly Hoernig leads us in creating a beautiful eye based on our very own eyes. Which of course lead to me studying my own eyes in minute detail.

We used collage techniques for the iris colour, as well as adding acrylics and I think it created a really nice dimension to the eye itself.

Have you looked into your eyes lately? What would you see if you spent just five minutes at the mirror? I would love it if you shared with us!

BTW - Check out this months give away here - it'll take 2 seconds (or close to it) to enter!

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☆ Creating with Kids [Lesson One]

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One of my dreams this year was to start creating more with my kids. I have been pretty slack, they are so creative themselves, that I have left them to their own devices.

But Bean had started begging me daily to draw her something to colour in, and becoming super sulky when I suggested she try to draw something from her imagination, so I decided to start 'art classes' with the kids.

As you may know Bean is five, Bug is 3 and wee Beastie is 9 months (so she won't participate yet) so the 'art classes' had to appeal to both the bigger girls. And we all know three year olds have the attention span of a gold fish, so it had to be engaging for Bug as well as Bean.

For our very first lesson I stuck down some googley eyes on the page, sat them down and asked them to tell me who they thought the eyes belonged to.

The first set of eyes they both agreed was a bear, so I had them tell me how to draw a bear, and then they totally got into it, Bean creating a unicorn with a flower + blue monster, Bug a Rapunzel bear + a her parents + me two funny creatures.

A couple of things that I was super conscious of during the class were:

• My kids have amazing imaginations + I didn't want to influence that at all by suggesting they do something 'my way'
• It was ok to colour outside the lines, to have purple apples or flowers in the sky if they wanted to 
• No one could comment on any of the creations in a critical or judgemental way.  (Bean has a bad habit of saying to Bug that she should be neater in her colouring. "If only she took her time mama!".....)
• A house isn't four sides, a roof, two windows a door + a chimney (how I was taught to draw) it is what ever you say it is.

So that was our first class + it was so great, that even I am excited about another one. 

Do you have any great ideas that I can use in an upcoming 'Art Class'? I would love to hear your suggestions! 

By the way have you entered this months give away? It is soooo easy to enter! Quick, pop over now - it'll take you two minutes!

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☆ I had a snappy title for this yesterday..... [Friday Art]

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Don't you hate that?

Yesterday I had a really snappy title for this post. I also had a really cool painting idea, but I was in the middle of painting and forgot to write my ideas down.

I am so annoyed.

I am annoyed 'cause I know I need to write these ideas down other wise I am unlikely to remember them. And lets face it, it's not as if I don't have more than enough note pads + pens laying around, stationary whore that I am...

So once I eventually sat down to paint, I realised the expression on the lion cubs face is exactly the same one my wee Beastie gives me when I scoop her up + away from something she has determinedly + painstakingly crawled to. Usually she heads for the heater or the big glass jar of shells I have on the floor, or the computer cable...

'Progress Interrupted'

[as a side note Mr Mac just asked me if the 'dog' is supposed to look irritated, 'cause if it wasn't perhaps I should take it back into the studio and change it!]

So I can't walk through a stationary department with out purchasing something - so come on guys, make me feel better, confess your secret indulgences and obsessions. You know they say confession is good for the soul!! 

By the way this months give away is open for entries - and is as easy + free to enter as always. Pop over to enter now.

I hope you have a fabulous weekend

[LINKING TO PAINT PARTY FRIDAY]

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☆ It's Give Away Time Again! [September's Give Away]

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It's that time of the months again!

This month I am going a little 'old-school' with a painting from last year.

I loved the idea of stars caught in hair and so I painted this and I love how sweet her face is.

And if you want her, it is so super easy to enter.


All you have to do is leave a comment on this post and tell me you want it.

Thats it??

Yup.

But I you can also grab some extra entries.

Every one gets one entry by leaving an 'I Want It' comment below + you can grab:



1 extra entry if you -  share or like on Facebook
         another if you - share or follow on Twitter
 and one more if you - subscribe to the monthly LilliBean Designs Studio News

Just let me know in your comment if you are eligible for extra entries (And if you are already do any of these let me know as you are already eligible for the extras!)

The winner will be announced on Thursday September 19th - so make sure you pop back then to find out if you are a winner!

Good Luck

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☆ Under the Sea Tag Swap Photos

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In the hustle and bustle of life, I had forgotten to share with you, the tag I did for the 'Under the Sea' tag swap in July.

And to be honest, this one wasn't a struggle, because what else would an artist who lives in a mermaid obsessed house hold paint? 

I also wanted to share with you the amazing tag I recieved from Chel Marie.

She sent me the most amazing tag, even the envelope was a work of beautiful art. [Thank you so much Chel, I am still fending off Bean + Bug who want it in their room!]

This is the beautiful envelope she sent the tag in

The back of the envelope

How beautiful is this tag - so much detail + thought in it. And so inspiring for me! 

I am so lucky to have received this + I treasure it every day.

Thanks Chel.

If you want to see more of her amazing work pop over to her blog

 I hope you are all enjoying your Monday

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