A Quilt For My Daughter

I made this quilt for my daughter quite some time ago. I came across the pic while I was looking for my recent painting pics and I thought I'd share it. I like this quilt and it looks awesome on my daughters wall in her house.

Phone Box in a Cemetary......

The images haven't come up great but I think you can get the idea. For some reason the acryllics shine when I take the photos.

Time Gets Away....

Well I haven't posted for a while now and that will be due to me getting pneumonia which is just awesome! I am finally getting over it and hopefully have time to get back into my craft. I have been trying my hand at abstract painting, am in the middle of making a kids range of wall prints and a postcard series of "The Last Place You'd Expect To Find A Telephone Box". I am very much an amateur when it comes to painting but I really wanted to give it a go. Things just pop into my head and I try to get them down on canvas to the best of my ability which, to a pro, isprobably laughable. Anyway I'd love to hear from you with your comments or suggestions & tips on how I can improve.

LITTLE LULU

The past couple of weeks have been hectic with me having the flu for a second time, my 5 year old also having the flu and my eldest daughter at home with my grandson every day, I haven't got a lot done.

But, I have managed to finish Little Lulu though and I think she is so cute. I have added a shawl since we are coming into winter here, it just seemed to work with the current weather we are having. It is only going to be a couple of weeks before we light the wood heater again for another round of cold weather!

Books, books & more books....

I just love books, all books and my one ambition in life is to get a house big enough to have my own actual library, you know complete with old desk and lamp, sitting chair in the corner and shelves upon shelves of books from floor to ceiling.

Recently on an op shopping trip with my daughter (we do this once a week), I came across this awesome book called Hurry Hurry, Mary Dear. It's a hardcover book of nonsense poems that I find really clever, who thinks of these things??? And the illustrations are just so simple that it suits me down to the ground.

THE DOVES STAY IN THEIR COTES.

The doves stay in their cotes,

the hens stay in their sheds,

the ducklings in the duck pond

keep standing on their heads.

The little boys and girls

refuse to leave their beds,

for it's raining cats and dogs-

and other quadrapeds.

How cool is that!! Makes no sense and that's why it's great!

The Halloween Quilt

Even though I live in Australia and Halloween is traditionally an American holiday I just love the whole concept. All the ghouls come out to play and for this particular time of the year you can let your hair down and pretend to be anything you want to be in the ghoulish realm. Now don't get me wrong I am no 'vampire' hiding behind my human cloak but as a crafter Halloween brings out all sorts of creativity that only this time of year really offers.

I found this fabric online at the Fat Quarter Shop where I regularly buy fabric, the colors of this Halloween range were so vibrant and matched so well that I bought a charm square pack and jelly roll. It was an expensive range but have a look at my quilt, I reckon it's pretty awesome. I added a feature beaded cobweb block just to give it some bling and then I appliqued on some black bats. It has worked a 'treat' and there were no 'tricks' to making it lol!

Sweet Ebony

For some reason I really love this little doll. She just seems to have a sweet face & personality. It's amazing to me how they are all made the same but they have diferent auras about them.

Introducing Ursula..............

This little girl is Ursula, I made her late one night and she is soooo cute. She has a cheeky personality I reckon!

Amber

So I named this little girl Amber, maybe it's because of her bright red hair, not sure, but the name really suits her I think.

How It All Began......

Craft is not something that has been in my family for generations like many crafters, no one in my family could sew, if anything needed fixing it got replaced. My grandmother however was a lovely painter and my mother also dabbles in art, her creations are loud & bright which is what a lot of us need these days. When my children were young I used to make the usual things, country signs, folk art, whatever was trendy at the time but I was never satisfied with what I had done.
Finances took over and craft became a luxury I couldn't afford, followed with a full time real estate career and family to raise. NOW I have retired (at 42, lucky girl!) and I have extra time to really think about what I want to create. I began patchworking which I love, but having a fairly impatient nature I would get half way through get bored with it and start another project! I have so much beautiful fabric lying around and it will be put to good use one day. I love unusual things and found that my quilts were just a little too ordinary for what I wanted to do so the next thing I thought I would give a go is soft toys. I bought patterns online and found they were too complicated and fiddly for my talents and it still wasn't what I wanted to make.
Getting frustrated with my lack of ability I sat down one night knowing there was something I could do so I got a sketch book and started to draw dolls which started out looking very cute and girlie to what I have created today. My personality shone through with these dolls and I still don't know where they fit in but I just love them. I have been told they are creepy, cute and they'll give little kids nightmares but I really haven't made them for little kids. My 2 daughters love them and they are aged 23 & 19 and my 5 year old son also adores them. My 26 year old son thinks they are awesome and his 21 year old girlfriend has one sitting on her bed so it just depends on your taste I guess. My long suffering husband & father of my 4 gorgeous kids thinks I am so clever to have finally found something I love doing, he is a wonderful support and believes in everything I do, pretty rare these days I think.
I really am looking forward to meeting other crafters and getting feedback from you. I think the world of craft is such a wonderful place and the creative people in this world just blow me away. Now I finally have time to tap into that creativity and learn about other peoples journeys and loves as well.