Back On Line At Last yeha!!

Oh my its been nearly a month since the Internet slowly died and my connection to my beloved arty crafty World was severed.Two weeks after it stopped working and I first called Telstra they finally sent someone out who informed us the line was OK but the modem was faulty.I called Telstra again as our plan with them had expired and I wanted to sign up again to get a new modem.It took us 1and a half years before we got a broadband spot on our small exchange so I didn't want to loose my spot by changing companies.So here we were waiting another one and a half weeks for the new modem to arrive.It finally came yesterday and today I am up and running again at last wahoo.I've only had a small bursts of creativity while I have been off line as its mid term break here so I have been the "taxi" for the two remaining teenage kids at home.I swear I was never as social as this generation are.As the Dry season is here there are many things to do and we have had the Monster Trucks come to town.These two photos below are some taken by my daughter Melissa of the fire works for them.They look like some luminous deep sea creatures to me.

We also have done a few day trips here and there.Last fortnight we went out to Kakadu leaving at 7am and coming home at 9pm.We have been out there several times but it is so huge there is still much I haven't seen.We went to two places this time that I had never been too before.The first place was Gunlom.This is the view from the bottom pool looking up to the waterfall above.Its deceptive as the rock wall is huge.

So after a very step uphill climbing track that had me puffing like a steam train we were greeted by this glorious view looking down to the pool below.This is to the left of the pool

and to the right

Here is Tim a few rock pools back from the edge looking back along the stream.I was reminded here that our baby boy was fast becoming a young man.In the background you can make out a figure in black shorts...well as we passed her this young woman was topless at the time and oblivious to my husband and son nearly walking into rock walls as their eyes were blinded by her carefree display.After we had passed her Tim turned to his Dad and said in a very David Attenborough-ish way "Dad I've seen them in magazines(breasts) and on TV but this is my first glimpse of them in the Wild".Well at that I nearly walked into the rocks myself!!!

This is the view looking behind Tim up the water course

and a little further up.We walked for ages....such a lovely place.

Next we drove to Baramundi Gorge.The walking tracks take you to the pool at the bottom or along another climb up to the top.As there was a bus load of tourists in the bottom pool we went on the track to the top.Here is the view looking down to the pool below

Once at the top there are gorgeous inviting bubbling swimming holes to take a dip in like this one

What a great day it was and man did I sleep like a log that night.We really need to see what is in our own back yards while we live here.There is so many beautiful local spots with in a few hrs drive from here.As I said my creative times have been few and far between while I have been off line and what I have made is for a magazine submission so I can't show you.

Last night I was looking thru some of my past work I had saved to cdrom and found these that some of you may be interested in.This was the result of a happy accident.I had melted some Opals Franklin clear and Aurora embossing enamel on the stove in a baking parchment lined craft dedicated old fry pan.Typically of me I couldn't just sit and watch the Opals melt and went off to do something else in the mean time.Also typically of me I forgot the Opals on the stove till ten minutes later when I smelt a horrible burnt plastic smell.Racing over to the stove I was greeted by a bubbling brown mass.I tipped it onto some more baking parchment to cool and set before I tossed it.

After it had cooled I was peeling it off the baking parchment and while one side looked burnt amberish in colour the other was a shimmery luminous colour.The mica must have separated and gone to the bottom while cooling after being burnt.Here are two pieces of the burnt shimmery cooled Opals.

I melted some of it with a heat gun to discover it made an oil slick effect happen.The shimmery bits shine and glisten like oil on water.I repeated the accidental but now intentional burning of the Opals several times and made this ATC and ATC cover using a face stamp from After Midnight art stamps

and a card

and a canvas

It always amazes me how an "accident" can be a discovery process to a new way to use something in the art/craft World.I have found out so many new ways of using Opals embossing enamels by just playing with them and asking myself "what if" and giving it a go.There is another "what if" in my head that I hope to get too this evening LOL.Kids are back to school on Tuesday and then any free time is mine again :o)

hugs

Annette In Oz...back on line and feeling fine *grin*