Days 8 & 9 - 8&9 January 2015

Hello!

January 8:

I spent the day spring cleaning. I thought of photographing the mess, but it was the stuff of nightmares. I'm still working on it. I'm sure it will take forever. 

On a happier note, here is a photo of Coco doing what Coco does best - upside down sleeping. This pose is closely followed by what I call the frog-dog. :-) She had obviously just finished updating her Instagram account, since the phone is right there...

January 9:

We had some young friends over today to play with my kids. They had a great time together. I didn't hear a peep from them except when I fed them, and when I watched them in the pool.

The photo prompt today was "pattern". I found one while hanging the washing out under our frangipanis.

And because this pattern inspired me, I drew something.

I'm still wondering if I should colour it or leave it black and white.

See you again soon!

Michelle

xxx

Days 6 & 7 - 6&7 January 2015

Hello!

6 January:

I had a mole excision from my face on Tuesday. I'm a big sook and didn't like the anaesthetic. It was almost as bad as the dentist, lol! 

No art this day. I did have a marathon session making cards, though. :-) 

7 January:

The prompt was "currently reading". A few weeks back I found a pile of books by my Mum's front door that was destined for the church charity sale. I picked through and brought some on a detour via my place. They will still end up at the church, once I've read them. ;-). I've been reading on my Kindle. It's funny reading real books again.

I thought I was out of time for art, but just before bedtime I was struck by inspiration. This is drawn using Pitt pens. It's on an A4 page.

I love this style and want to explore it further. 

See you soon!

Michelle

xxx

Days 4 and 5 - 4 & 5 January 2015

Hello!

January 4:

We had such a lovely day with our niece and nephew and their families! 

My youngest daughter and our great-niece played so nicely together. Neither of them were happy when it was time for us to leave.

Our niece has a puppy, Archer. He has giant ears and feet. He'll be a big dog when he grows up.

I did no art on Sunday. It was a big day out.

January 5:

My youngest brings me flowers from the garden. I'm forever finding her old gifts in random places in the house. This is one.

I decided to practice watercolouring. This time I added a little background. 

My eldest was inspired to try her own version. I love what she created. She's 12. This is the work in progress picture.

And here is the finished product.

I also sewed a long-promised iPad case for my daughter. 

She's thrilled and feeling loved. ;-)

Thank you for visiting. I hope to be back soon.

Michelle

xxx

Day 3 - 3 January

Hello!

Today's photo prompt was "me today". I published a selfie only a few days ago, so I photographed my hand today.

Here's the selfie from the other day. I was complaining about the effect of the high humidity on my hair, lol!

For my art practice today I made another portrait sketch. Definitely not good, but valuable practice. It's of my youngest daughter.

I'm not even attempting hair just yet. I just put in some of the shape. I think it would take me days to draw the hair alone!

We had a lovely impromptu lunch with my Mum today. She won the meat tray at North Burleigh Surf Club last night, so we had a barbecue lunch today! :-)

See you again soon!

Michelle 

xxx

Happy New Year!

Hello!

This year I'm not only taking photos daily, but I'm going to attempt to do something arty each day - draw, watercolour, etc. some days it will be quick 5 minute sketches, other days something more time consuming. If I improve, you might even get to see some works in progress as they evolve over a number of days.

January 1:

Yesterday we were walking in the city. New Years morning finds Brisbane City a ghost town. We found one cafe open. They ran out of food. Thankfully after we had ordered, lol!

I took some photos looking up into the sky. 

I also tried to take a selfie with my daughter. Apparently I've taken too many photos lately.

Late in the evening I quickly drew a few little things, just to get started.

January 2:

Today has been a slow photo day. We took the kids to the Brisbane Planetarium  to watch Cosmic Collisions. Being a hot day I didn't want to suggest a post-show walk in the Botanic Gardens. I was tempted, though! ;-)

This afternoon I drew a quick portrait of my eldest daughter. It isn't perfect, but it isn't too bad either. I watercoloured the rose yellow for the Fat Mum Slim photo challenge prompt for today.

I'm mobile blogging so I'm crossing fingers that this works.

I'll be back soon!

Michelle

xxx

My Mum's autumn garden

Hello!

A few weeks ago I took my camera on a visit to my Mum. While we were inspecting the garden, I snapped a few photos along the way. :-)  My Mum has an amazing garden on a half acre block. It is currently full of autumn colour.

Mum has the biggest collection of different coloured gazanias I've ever seen. I love them. Especially the cream and yellow ones.

The orange ones glow.

These pinky ones are pretty cute, too!

There are more colours, I just didn't capture them on my last visit.

As well as gazania's there are dahlias (I think that is what this next flower is...)

In the front garden, just in front of the "fairy garden" that Grandma created for my girls, is a seat, surrounded by my favourite caladiums (the ones with the bright red centres). I haven't sat here yet, but it is beckoning me.

In the backyard, my Mum grows a weed to attract the monarch butterflies. The weed plant is quite nice, it has pretty flowers and puffball seed pods. This  weed is MAGIC. It is always covered in monarch caterpillars!

When I was a kid, I used to collect these caterpillars and keep them while they created a crysalis and then emerged as butterflies.

I'm thinking of planting this weed in my own yard, just so that I can get these butterflies to move in. :-)

Also in the backyard are other bugs, that hang out on the citrus trees. Mum has lots of citrus to keep these bugs happy.

I don't know what this next flower is called. Mum, are you reading? What is it? It's super-pretty, regardless of its name.
Edit: Mum says this is a ginger.

While my Mum was calling me to take a photo of the stink bug, I was engrossed in capturing the raindrops on this leaf! It was glittering silver.

To finish up, I'll leave you with one of my fairies, who is happily making herself a fairy circle. It is lucky that Grandma doesn't mind her fairy princess beheading the flowers, LOL!

Thanks for visiting my Mum's garden with me!

:-)
Michelle

ANZAC Day 2013

Hello!

I'm a bit late with this post as a result of a three day internet outage. Thursday 25 April was ANZAC Day here in Australia. This is the day that we remember the service men and women who have served in the defence forces to protect our beautiful home. April 25 is the anniversary of the first landing at Gallipoli in 1915. On this day each year, I take my two girls down to our local march and service. There is always a large crowd, and all of the participants make me proud. Watching the old servicemen march brings tears to my eyes. My photos aren't fabulous this year, I had the dog pulling on the lead while I tried to focus, but I'll share a little of what I got.

Looking up the road, the Girl Guides and Scouts marching.

Looking down the road, the march goes to our local shopping centre, where the cenotaph stands in the carpark. 

One of the marching bands, leading the diggers (servicemen). The other band is the local highschool band, but I missed taking a photo of them. Both bands did a superb job.

The cenotaph. We got a pretty good spot this year - we could see and hear most of the service.

The laying of the wreaths by representatives of the Air Force, Army, and Navy.

My kids being very patient while the service was going. I was so proud that they stood at the right times, stayed quiet for the minute's silence, and were respectful and well-behaved the whole time.

Lest We Forget.

Michelle