☆ Spray Ink Love [Friday Art]

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Well, things... life... everything, seems to be settling down here in casa de Mac. 

Sometimes when you are in the moment it is really hard to see anything outside of it. You just try to hold on + make it through.  

Our new 'normal' is starting to feel just that... Normal. 

Needless to say I am relieved.

I am relieved I am feeling myself again. 

So this week, I have been playing in the studio and writing a lot. And I have discovered a new obsession - Spray Inks.

(Wait til you see the Life Book 2014 lesson I did with spray inks. A-MAZ-ING!)

I only have two spray inks that I've bought (I use dylusions ink sprays) and the rest I have made from acrylic paint + water. 

I struggled against covering the whole page with these amazing colours, but I really loved how when I was painting her, the colours seemed to be dragged into the face.

My Angel started as something simple, but I really love how she turned out. She is so serene looking. (Obviously a reflection of my mood at the time!)

So do you have a latest obsession? What is it that you love so much about it? I would love it if you shared.

  [LINKING TO PAINT PARTY FRIDAY]

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☆ Listening to Your Squeak [e-course]

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A couple of years ago I had someone say to me that I should do a course teaching people how to find their creative spark.

Initially I resisted the idea. I was still finding my way, and my inner bitch was loudly shouting "WHAT THE HELL WOULD YOU KNOW..."

And since that comment, I have had several people ask me how. How did I start?

Well it turns out, that maybe, just maybe I can help people find their inner squeak.

So last year, I thought about it, I wrote some crap down + I shelved it. 

But over the last couple of months my squeak keeps saying 'Write it'.

Write. It.

Write your story. Write what you know. Write what worked for you. And share it.

So I am.

And I wanted to invite you to join me on my very first e-course starting April 1st.

At this stage I have planned about 12 self paced mini lessons + every fortnight you will receive a mini lesson containing a wee story, a creative exercise + a inner bitch slap down.

Oh... and its free. There is no cost to you except for materials (of which there are very few + they are super cheap if you don't have them on hand already) + your time. 

So I would love it if you joined me. And to make sure you don't miss out on a single lesson, all you have to do is sign up here.

I would love to know what you think... What would you want to know before you began? What did you need to hear when you started out? 

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☆ Creativity + Play with Carla Sonheim [Life Book 2014]

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Week 3: Creativity + Play with Carla Sonheim

The inspiring Carla Sonheim showed us seven inspiring + creative ways to play artistically.

Simple exercises, but they were so beneficial both artistically and thinking outside my comfort zone.

☆ ☆ ☆

Exercise One: Continuous Line Drawings.
Do you realise how many times you go to remove your pen from the paper? Neither did I + this was in a very simple way so challenging!!

            

   

Exercise Two: Drawing A Zebra with you Eyes Closed. 
I almost peeked... so many times! It was difficult to let go with this one, but eventually I made it through one with out opening my eyes. Once I did this one the next was easier.

Exercise Three: Non Dominant hand Drawing.

Using my left hand I drew one of the girls LaLa-Oopsy mermaids. This wasn't as hard for me as I I have been practising writing with my Left hand since I was a teen. (I thought it would be cool to be ambidextrous at 15.... Who am I kidding it would be cool now at 35+!)

Exercise Four: Scrap Paper Flowers.

Using the scraps left over from various mixed media projects, I used some of more unusual shapes + created some flowers.

Exercise Five: Making Poems from a text passage.

From a paragraph that Carla supplied, I cut up every word + made three poems from it. I loved this + I love the poems that came from this exercise. They are a bit dark, but that makes them even better...

Exercise Six: Washi Tape Animals.

Random scraps of Washi Tape stuck to an index card started to form a pattern, and after moving them around a bit this awesome dragonfly emerged.

Exercise Seven: Blob paintings.

I loved, LOVED, this one. How cute are these creatures that emerged from my blobs.  I am going to do more of these, because I think these animals could feature in my paintings in the future!

So there you have it: seven ways to play + create + think outside your comfort zone. Such an awesome lesson!

Have you tried any of these methods before? Do you have other ways of letting go + playing? I would love to hear about your experiments + if you shared with us.

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☆ Today….. [Friday Art]

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This week….

Has been another tough one.

My 93 year old Nan has just made a huge decision. She has decided to move from her little unit into assisted care this. And she has been talking about making the move for a while now, so it shouldn't be a big surprise.

Up until Christmas, she was super independent - she was still driving, doing her shopping, still cooking cakes + scones, still able to live independently. 

But it is all happening far too quickly for me.

Today….

I left my house today, my front porch full of her pot plants. My house smells of geraniums. I went up to her unit to pick up the toys that my kids leave there to play with every Friday after they have stuffed their faces full of the sweet treats she bakes for us.

But her little unit while full of her things, it is empty. Her essence is not in that unit anymore. 

I popped in to see her + new room. Her friends are popping in to visit, her pictures are on the wall. Soon it will be hers. 

But not yet.

I can't even figure out how I feel at the moment, I can home + hugged Mac + the kids. Then I locked myself in the studio + painted.

I think this sums it up… Today...

Tomorrow…

Once Nan settles in + it becomes the new normal, I am sure that these churning feelings will dissipate. And in my heart, I know this is what she wants - she lives life on her own terms. Always has.

Have a great weekend.

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☆ Simple Butterfly Fun [Creating with Kids}

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This week I have a simple Creating with Kids project to share with you. 

And the best thing about this project is there was minimal mess + very little clean up. {Bonus for me as one who detests clean up!!}

So I was talking with Bean about what she would like to do, and of course she wanted to do an art lesson with me. (Love. This. Kid! She is totally a girl after my own heart.) But this day, I had some   pressing work to do + I didn't feel like dragging out all the paints + stuff.

Then I remembered I had some butterflies that I found in a $2 shop + I had a heap of scrap paper lying around + a brand new glue stick.

So we went to the studio + I dug everything out, but the butterflies, because of course I had put them somewhere 'safe' and couldn't find them.

I improvised with paper plates + a butterfly template that I downloaded from the internet (Just google butterfly template there are stacks).

I think these worked better any way, the curvature of the plate gives them a beautiful line.

I found the craft store butterflies a couple of days later + both girls are still (a week later) happily busy decorating their butterflies.

Bug + Bean are working toward making enough butterflies to hang from their roof and make it look like a magical butterfly world.

The best thing about this project is that I can pull it out + we can collage for five minutes before dinner + it is so simple to pack away. All our supplies are stashed in a shallow box that lives on our dining room table.

Do you have any simple projects that you can do for five minutes at a time? I would love it if you shared it with us.

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☆ A Happy Affirmation with Micki Wilde [LifeBook 2014]

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Week 2: A Happy Affirmation with Micki Wilde

This was such a fun + happy project from Micki Wilde. Tying in with our word of the year, this week, I looked at a happy + fun word. One which described what I wanted more of in my life in 2014.

So the word I chose was ABUNDANCE.

Because I want abundance in all forms. Abundant Love, Abundant Laughter, Abundant Creativity, Abundant Kisses + Abundant Worth.

I love the grungy + bright feel of this painting. As well as its simplicity.

So what would you like to invite more of into your life? I would love to hear what you'd choose!

Have a great week.

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☆ Changes + Challenges [Friday Art]

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Changes + Challenges.

Change is never easy. Not for me anyway. Bean going to school is a big change. A welcome change but a huge change just the same.

And with this change comes challenges. Big challenges. Our routine, which we have had for five years + has worked for five years, is changing. And we are all challenged by this

My kids are kind of free range in the morning, they get up, they colour, play draw, they eat breakfast when they want, get dressed when their ready + we go out when it suits us (mostly!)

Now we are time sensitive, I am constantly nagging everyone to eat up, put their shoes on + clean their teeth.

I don't like nagging….

I also don't like loosing the relaxed and easy mornings where we can have french toast if we want to, where we can stay in our jimjams until late, where we can lay on the floor colouring if we want.

Changes and Challenges.

And as much as I want to rebel against these changes, I can't. We have to adjust + work through the challenges that we will face.

Are you facing challenges or changes in your life? Art journalling (like above) is now on of the main ways I deal. How do you cope with change + work through your challenges.

 [LINKING TO PAINT PARTY FRIDAY]

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☆ LilliBean Designs Spotlight [February]

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A LILLIBEAN DESIGNS SPOTLIGHT

So much has been happening this first six weeks of the year, challenges + changes that were expected + unexpected. Changes + Challenges which also include LilliBean Designs. 

I have been slowly making some much needed changes to this space, which are very needed, but I have also created a new site LilliBean Designs which showcases the art that I have created. My entire catalogue will eventually uploaded here, you can see original art, journal pages + life book art.

In the store there are some gorgeous pendants which feature some of my more popular paintings...

(you can click on the pendant name to see more)
1. Escape  $16.50 + postage
2. Lion Tamer  $18.50 + postage
3. Uncertain Angel $18.50 + postage

Just arriving + not even in store are these cute notebooks! They are soft cover, ruled line + are approx 12.5 x 20.5 cms (or close to A5 size).

Great for journal writing, list writing, they will fit into you hand bag, on your desk, or in the car. I love how vibrant my art looks on these + I carry one everywhere!

 They are $12 each + postage + there is only one of each in stock right now, but I am happy to customer order if a design you want is sold out, or if there is another art work you would prefer on the cover.

1. Pink Fairy
2. Uncertain Angel sold
3. Blue Eyed Fairy sold
4. Blue Feathers sold

Looking for something original, affordable and unique for a gift, a reward or just because? LilliBean Designs store has original affordable and unique paintings for sale.

Mistress of the Ring is a mixed media painting - combining water colour + acrylic paint + paper elements.  It's an A4 sized painting which fits perfectly into document sized frames.

You can purchase this painting here for $59 + postage. SOLD The inspiration behind this painting can be found here

Check out the store for more paintings, cards + tags.

I am happy to answer any questions you may have about any of the items I have in store. Please feel free to email me your questions, queries or concerns.

Have a great week!

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