Hand Made Cards-made sent and recieved!

Merry Christmas.I hope you all had a great day (if you celebrate it).It's been a mad rush here these last few weeks.I decided I couldn't send store bought cards and spent most of my time pre Christmas making hand made cards.Family got cards with Minty the Jack Russel on the top...she paid to have her photo taken with Santa to support the RSPCA.

I've received some lovely cards from my arty friends this year....thank you to you all.This one was made by Louise Magetti from Queensland.

Alice Mc Kinney in Western Australia made this traditional vintage looking masterpiece.

Barb Porritt from Victoria made this amazing T slider construction card.You pull the tab at the right and the centre panel moves up and to the side to reveal a message underneath.I love it!!

Gail Hart from Tasmania made this lovely angel Christmas card and sent me a BIG surprise too.

Kat Palmer made a lovely embossed Christmas themed card.

Sue Gregory used shades of blue on white to make me this pretty long card.

Linda Aldred made this winter wonderland card...snow...I wish LOL.

and lastly but not least Riki Showell stamped and coloured this cute gum nut Christmas card for me.

Along with the Christmas cards there were some late but highly appreciated birthday cards.The first one is from Celeste who has made a lovely bird themed card...love the nest with eggs at the bottom and those cute bird punched shapes.

and Gail made me this gorgeous butterfly,bird and swirls card.

The next one is one I made for my friend Louise Magetti birthday.The hand carved bird stamp image in the centre was made by Jan Harris whom I did several classes with at the Creative Soul Art Retreat earlier this year.During class I had stamped the bird on tissue and then once home forgot about it till I was looking for an image to use on Louise's card.I've painted the bird with Daler Rowney iridescent inks.Polished pigments and Schmincke are on the bg so the card was very rich in colour and shimmer.I had to photograph it side on as it kept reflecting light in areas.

This is what I made for my arty friends this Christmas...sorry if they are still waiting for them but I didn't post some till boxing day!!!

Outside the weather has been WET WET WET.No as bad as the Eastern States were there has been heaps of flooding.Still its made for more magical happenings in the bush block we live on.There are thousands of these termite tubes that have popped up overnight.They are made of dirt and look like natures sky scrappers.I think they do these high because of the rain in case there is flooding.Its the exit for them after they evolve underground.When the time is right they knock the top off and fly away.I know they are a pest but I find it fascinating to see these dirt tubes everywhere.
Of course more mushrooms are popping up too.These orange ones are almost fluro!!!

What would Christmas be without babies being born? The Northern Blue Tongue has given birth to 9 babies.Grant has a handful of them here.

Sometimes I can't see the Forest for the trees and have only just noticed how to upload more then one photo at a time here LOL.I've been thinking I should get too and upload some pf my photos from our trip to Broome in August so now I know how to do more then one photo at a time I shall try to do that after dinner tonight.Tomorrow and the next day I have slotted to play at my desk.I hope 2011 brings you all love,laughter,good health and happiness.

hugs

Annette In Oz

Wet Season-Snails are Back and Loads of Mushroom's

Wet season is in full swing. Hot humid days and thunder storms on and off are the call of day/night. The trees and plants are all green and there is sssooo much moisture every where. Along with the rains my snails are back and lots of mushrooms. My kids painted some snail backs three years ago. Last year three came back. Only the purple one is here so far but who knows how old the others were or if the paint finally wore off. I have no idea how long these snails live but I get a surprise each Wet season when they turn up again :o).

Then there are the mushrooms popping up everywhere. These nestling in a hole in a tree look like some cosmic planet. I love how nature paints any pallet of colour she chooses...blow the colour wheel...red and green here and I love it.

Red and yellow works for this mushroom too.

Even tiny orange mushrooms on moss green looks awesome....Divine!!!

In the pond Grant built we have some night flowering Lillie's. The saturated pink colour of the flowers is ssssooo gorgeous. I don't know why they bloom at night...maybe to attract a type of moth for cross pollination???. In the daytime the day flowering ones come up. They are purple but every time I take a photo of them they look washed out. I'll get Grant to take a shot of them with his camera as it is much better then mine.

The pond is starting to look more natural as the grass grows over the plastic and the bull rushes have come out. I'm hoping we get to do the waterfall next Dry season.

I'm off to do some back exercises and then it's MORE Christmas card making. When it gets too tedious I stop for 1/2 an hr and play with my jewellery...I just can't resist LOL. I have a partly done leaf form, tiny dancer done...she needs some arms...and a curious head of a man peeping thru a key hole. I'm partial to using some odd images and this one is odd LOL.

I've sold some of my other jewellery again. Tiny Dancer and the Copper Cuff have found new homes in the USA. Miss 6 necklace and her older sister cuff are going to a friends Mum for Christmas...hope she likes them. "Pardon" and "The Time Keeper" have found a new home in QLD. How amazing is that?. I'm still pinching myself that people even like my jewellery attempts and ask to buy them at all.....also amazed to set my inner critic free and accept people's offers to buy them...I have said I am not good enough sssooo many times I think I believed it...now I say a humble yes I will sell it and thank you!!!

hugs

Annette In Oz

Dog gone it LOL

I try to keep the blog for crafty stuff but just had to share these photos.The first is my rat bag and much loved long haired Jack Russel Minty.She had fallen asleep on my lap and when I got up and placed her down on the chair she stayed like this asleep for ages.What a hussy hey LOL?.

When we went to Sydney for Rob's funeral we stayed with Steve, Chris, Craig, David and the dawgs!!!They have four Daschund's.This is bear begging for his tummy to be scratched by Grant.

Here are all four asleep in a big happy dog pile

Each night Bear gets the blanket and sort of snuggles under it till he has a cover then the others lay around and on top.Snags is at the back and she is Mum to the other three.Millie is middle left and Daisy middle right.Millie,Daisy and Bear are all Snag's pups...amazing size difference to them hey?.I'm off to make Cory's(Carlia's boyfriend)21st invites before work this arvo.My back problem (degenerative discs squelching the nerve) is worsening unfortunately so may as well try to do them while I can.Have a great day folks :o)

hugs

Annette In Oz

Melissa and Tim Discover Photoshop

Last Christmas I bought Melissa and Tim a camera and now I miss them leaving me their evidence in my camera.Today I realized they hadn't left me anything in my camera but they did leave their tracks in my Photoshop programme LOL.Meet Melissa and Tim as Neon lights.

I've received all my swap page returns from the International Collaborative paper bag book swap and have just started to work out how to put it all together.I'll try and have it all together and up for a gander(look) tomorrow evening.
hugs
Annette In Oz

Recent Mail and Meet Some Locals

I've had one of those fast paced "where did the days go" weeks.Finally a day off today and I've been sorting the lovely things that came thru the mail recently for me from others.Linda Aldred (who has a bad back but still makes wonderful creations)made and sent me this lovely blue and white card for my birthday next week.

The very naught Lucy sent me all these amazing vintage items for one of my etched metal ATC's...I was dumb founded when they came as I would have been happy for one pen nib and told her so.I offered to send it back but she wouldn't let me.There was also a yummy piece of metal vine and a small glass bottle in with it all too but I forgot to add them in my photo.I love that some of the pen nibs have letters on them and that rusted ?door handle or knocker base just begs to be included in an assemblage.Its near on impossible to get things like what Lucy sent me here so I am truly thankful to her for all the things she sent.

Carole in New Zealand sent me this gorgeous sewn vintage doily ATC as a trade.On the back is some green hand made silk paper and it is a divine colour /texture.

On my last days off we had to do alot of things around the house and my plans to get arty never eventuated.We also did a drive out to Oenpelli art centre with a friend who is moving to Melbourne and wanted to buy some Aboriginal art.We have gone there maybe 5 times in total.It's an Aboriginal community a few hours drive away.You can only get in and out when the tide is low and the Cahill crossing is then exposed.The tides up here are 6-8metres high and the river is salt water crocodile infested so that is why you can't cross till the tide goes down.

As the tide lowers the fish get caught near the crossing wall and the crocs have learnt this and as we got to the crossing there were three visible large crocs doing a bit of fishing LOL.I'd hate to imagine how many were below the water that you can't see.We were a fair way back from this one but as we crossed the crossing he was still there and was about the length of the four wheel drive we were in.Glad the car didn't stall!!!

On the way back home we went into Bird Billabong.It's an oasis for bird life and other animals.This year the Wet season rains are late(ignore the weather guy you folks down south...we are not getting storms every night)and the billabong was nearly dried up.Not much greenery even for this water buffalo I'm afraid.

The Magpie Geese were in the almost dried up centre water area.Hope it rains soon for them and the billabong fills back up.I think I have photos of the Bird Billabong when it is full of water and the contrast is amazing.

Now to this weeks "who left evidnece in my camera" segment...its Carlia and OMG she is on her own LOL.Well almost as she is cuddling one of our fur babies-our mad as Jack Russel Minty.I had no idea she had taken a photo of herself with my camera.I used to hate that the kids take my camera when I didn't know but now I love seeing who has been using it and what they did *grin*.

Hey I just realized Carlia is wearing one of my etched, copper nest necklaces:o).

hugs

Annette In Oz

Litchfield Park,The Grave In The Gold Fields,Melissa and Tim

Melissa sends me a txt "Mum I'm in town.I went to enquire about the cost of a tattoo.... and he is doing it now".I faint again LOL.Melissa has just turned 18 and had asked about getting tattoos in the past and we had discouraged her.Even so I was surprised yet respectful of her body art choices.I'm grateful she reads alot and knew what the tattoo means as well and "seize the day" she did LOL

We have just got air conditioners in all the bedrooms.Tim's pet coastal carpet python gets a bit cool overnight and likes to go outside for a bit of sun.The local birds hate him though and he can't stay too long as they squawk at him and swoop.Here is Tim(bed hair and all)and his snake...yes the snake lives in Tim's room.

Now he is warmed up and starting too move fast across the grass

Here are the photos from a day trip to Litchfield and the Gold Fields.This is Blythe Homestead and its located in Litchfield Park.We had tried to get in to see it a few years ago but the creeks were too deep on the other occasions.Notice how low the roof is.It was still being used right up to the 1960's.It was an out station for Stapleton Station and they also mined tin on the hills at the side of it.

Just up from Blythe Homestead is Sandy Creek Falls...I just wanted to dive on in but forgot my swimmers.Naked mid forty year old woman skinny dip swimming I think not LOL

Its tourist season here so we didn't go to Wangi Falls or the rock holes but decided on a bush walk to Tolmer Falls off the usual tourist walk.There is a natural arch at the top of the falls.Here is a shot looking forward to the arch

and from the other side looking back to the arch

Next day we went down to the gold fields were I found some old bone or shell buttons that I will use on my etched metal house,some Chinese gambling stones and some lovely rusted bits and pieces.Near the old race course there is a small cemetery.Most of the graves are unmarked except for this one.A bush fire had gone thru there last year and the grave looks so stark at the moment against what is left of the bush ,brown ground and the blue sky

Closer

closer look at the iron work

I'm cursing my locality again.I spent four hours today looking for small 12mm butt hinges.I've eventually found a few but they are not the right colour.Oh well I shall just have to see what I can do with them.I'll upload the first window side of the etched metal house tonight.Dinner is burning AGAIN *grin*

hugs

Annette In Oz

The Mask....for the one in my Camera!!

Dear daughter 18 yr old Melissa comes in and says..."Mum can you make me a metal looking mask that has some Steampunk bits on it for a party?".I say Ok when do you need it by?....head starts planning for my next three days off in a weeks time....hhhhmmm perhaps an etched metal mask......thoughts interrupted by said dear daughter saying "I need it in 45minutes.Is that OK?".Head EXPLODES LOL.Well when you have no time you go into overdrive.Metal house is tossed aside and faux metal mask evolves....45mins later its done.GOT to love the Cuttlebug

As I ponder why such a gorgeous young gal needs a mask as I scroll my camera for photos to delete.....I find the evidence
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.
.
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LOL.I am blessed with the funniest kids and I love they leave me their photos in my camera.Have fun at your party Melissa(Missy to us).Back to making my house.

hugs

Annette In Oz

My Daughters...for Mum and Sisters

Oh wow you know Tim from his antics and leaving his evidence in my camera but my Mum and my two sisters have asked for some photos of my gorgeous girls.I know we all think our kids are gorgeous LOL but mine have good caring hearts and I love them for all they are and hence they are gorgeous to me.Here is Melissa...she doesn't like following the "norm" but her look contradicts the shy sweet soul she is.She is happy and very thoughtful to others.HHHmmm note the necklace....well the crown in particular...that was in my stash a few days ago as was the ribbon necklace!!!.I really need a studio!!

here is Carlia(18) on the left and Melissa(17).I haven't got a single photo of Carlia to share at the moment as Carlia is "tribal" LOL...she likes to be with others and is quite the extrovert.Both have amazing eyes.

girls pouting *grin*

This is Carlia with her boyfriend Cory.

Today we did a day trip to Umbrawarra Gorge and Douglas Hot Springs...I have sore legs and I am sssooo tired.Off to bed for me :o).I think I have some photos from there to upload tomorrow or the next and then I am going to sooo play with some more metal and art.

hugs

Annette In Oz