The Fairy Collage Card

Sorry I meant to put her up last night but got side tracked in Photoshop.Since I got Photoshop elements for my birthday in November I hadn't really had a go at it and don't really know how to use it.Gaby you have any hints LOL?.I did a search on line for Photoshop how too's and the first one I got to was about the brushes...oh my goshie...how addictive they are and there are so many to download and play with...but time sure did fly by and I was in bed last pm before I knew it.Anyway here is the fairy collage I made and then added part of my childhood poem too.

You know I was thinking about that poem from the post below and I also remember Mum had a large Friendship and Poems book and maybe she got it from there...I'll ask her next time I call.I'd really like to know who the author is.Tomorrow I get to do some etching again...I'm looking forward to it...think I'll try to make a bezel and maybe some brass cuffs etc.
hugs
Annette in Oz

"The Fairy House" poem By Rose Fyleman

I've been using up more of my pre made yellow themed bg papers and was completing the collage when I realized some of the ink had come thru and made the vintage lady look like her arm was dirty. I got thinking about what I could print and glue there to cover the boo boo area...she was wearing a yellow dress with blue floral highlights here and there and I had painted some shimmery blue wings on her back....a gorgeous summer fairy glistening in the sunshine.
Straight away it reminded me of my sweet Mum. As I've mentioned previously we didn't have much in the way of materialistic things when I grew up as we were fairly poor and I filled my past times as a child often creating things like peg dolls, carved coconuts, loads of drawing and colouring and make believe games. These I always attribute to my Mum as she was often the instigator and enabler supplying me with paper, material and poems. One such poem has stayed with me and I can still see myself snuggled in bed listening to her voice telling the poem every night to me and my other sisters (we all shared the room and my four brothers were in two smaller rooms) before we went to bed.
The poem was about a fairy and it always made me drift off to sleep thinking of fairy themed dreams. Part of our childhood can come to us as adults and are priceless reminders of a carefree PAST. As I looked at my collage the poem came to my head. I have no idea who wrote it first but I love it even to this day and I have now typed it up in part for my collage....I'll use the part about the bonnet and wings...here is the poem

AS I WAS WALKING HOMEWARD
ONE EARLY SUMMER’S DAY
I MET A LITTLE FAIRY
TRIPPING ON HER WAY

HER BONNET WAS A BLUEBELL
A DAISY WAS HER GOWN
HER WINGS WERE BITS OF SUNSHINE
TRIMMED WITH THISTLE-DOWN

I THINK SHE HAD BEEN TO MARKET
FOR AS SHE HURRIED BY
I PEEPED INTO HER BASKET
TO SEE WHAT I COULD SPY

A PAIR OF TINY SLIPPERS
A REEL OF GOLDEN THREAD
A TINY JAR OF HONEY
AND A WEENY LOAF OF BREAD

I HID AMONGST THE TALL GRASS
AS STILL AS STILL COULD BE
THE FAIRY GAVE A RATT TATT TATT
UPON A HOLLOW TREE
AND THEN FOR JUST AN INSTANT

I PEEPED INTO HER HOUSE
AND DO YOU KNOW WHAT?
THE FRONT DOOR WAS OPENED
BY A MOUSE!

Antonia Leathem 
UPDATE....thanks so much to Antonia Leathem who contacted me finally in November 2017!!! The poem is actually called The Fairy House and was written By Rose Fyleaman. Antonia is also from Australia and says " an elderly friend told me this poem and I researched it, I came across it in a serious of what was called, Suggested Poems for Irish Board of Speech and Drama. Grade Examinations Grade Four (Age 9-11) Girls". The link to the publication is here https://www.irishboard.ie/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/IBSD-Grade-Poem-Suggestions-2017.pdf It's on page 42. My wording is slightly different to the original but it's how I remember my Mum reciting it so I will leave it as is

THANKS so much Antonia xx
hugs
Annette In Oz

Mavis-sinner or sinned??

Now when I made this simple card I just couldn't work out if this vintage lady was a sweet gal next door or a vixen by the look on her face.She has dreamy eyes but saucy red lips.

I have a draw full of made backgrounds and while I can't sit too long I thought I'd make several easy cards for friends birthdays this year as I missed so many last year.The next week when I start my 2 weeks off I'll get stuck into some jewellery making and do my 24 pages for an international paper bag book swap I have been invited to participate in.Looking forward to having time off work I can tell you.
hugs
Annette In Oz

Mellow Yellow

I've finally been able to get creative again.My back and neck still ache but I'm finding I can alternate sitting and standing and get some work done in patches.I've got several pieces of stamped metal ready to etch when I have days off and I've made a collage card just for the heck of it LOL.The background has sprays pf Polished pigments in yellow,oranges and deep copper so its quite shimmery in real life.It was over stamped,vintage image transfer added and lastly a white flourish rub on added.
Grant gave me a Spotlight gift voucher for Christmas so I stocked up on Vilene,Vliesofix(Pellon or Wonder Under...fusible webbing) and got some more of the gorgeous floral trim I love which I have stained and added to the card at the bottom over some gauze.

The second Low weather system of the wet season is over Darwin and has brought some relief from the heat and humidity.All the plants are so green now and there has been a growth in fungus's growing in the bush on our block.I counted 12 different types just walking around the gardens edge in one trip.They are fascinating to me for some reason.Some lived a day and one has been steadily growing bigger for a week and is about 15cm in diameter.I'd take some photos but the mozzies are thick in the bush and seem to love me...maybe I'll get hairy legs Grant to go and take some LOL.We have seen more Frilled Neck Lizards this year then last too which is great.Grant got two good shots of one a few days ago and I'll upload them when I can get time to crop them a bit.

hugs

Annette in Oz

Merry Christmas Everyone

MERRY CHRISTMAS one and all and I hope 2010 brings you all a load of love,laughter and creativity.I have received some gorgeous Christmas cards this last week(and managed to make and send 60 of my own) and thanks to all of you who sent them.The hand made card is such a humble yet treasured thing.I love to feel the textures and rove my eyes over the whole card.This first one is by Sue Gregory who is from New South Wales.Its been embossed in the Cuttlebug and then lightly sanded.

This one is by Rikki Showell from Tasmania who does lovely folded and beaded/stitched cards.

Marilena Stanton from Queensland sent me this one below.Its stitched around the edges and has some gorgeous red stick on rhinestones in the centres of the flower forms.It gives the card some bling that does not scan well I'm afraid.

Louise Magetti also from Queensland sent me the utterly neat and arty Cuttlebug embossed background card below.Love the woven threads on the star and above the German scrap.

Next is one from Linda Aldred in...yep Queensland.How cute hey LOL

One even came from Jan Robertson in New Zealand...the purple and silver just rock on this card.

The fairies and elves got together to help create this cute one from The Creative Soul Retreat organizer and her helpers Bev Lea in Victoria.I'm so looking forward to that retreat in March next year I can tell you.

and from Western Australia came this festive coloured reindeer card made by Christina Blackburn

The next is from Barb Porritt who is a another Victorian.For some reason the scanner scanned the dark green as black...got to love the gorgeous serviettes out there for us paper crafters to use.

and lastly I got two amazing cards from Gail Hart who is also from Tasmania.One is a Christmas card of course

and this lovely vintage child card for a late birthday card

Hope Santa was good to you all.I have 24 tubes of new paint to explore and a new crafters tool set too plus other treasures...must have been a good girl this year hey LOL.Hope to get creative again soon as I've had an enforced break due to a sore back the last few weeks and I'm finding it painful to sit or stand too long.Take care everyone and hope you all have had wonderful Christmas days yourselves...must go and walk off lunch LOL.

hugs

Annette In Oz

"Woodlands Whimsy" painting

I was never sure what my redheaded lady was going to end up looking like.As I painted her she became less sad look and unlike my free spirited Seeking painting in the post below this one seems to me to be Earthy.I've called her woodlands whimsy...or perhaps just Flora.I have hand sewn on shimmery leaves and seed beads around her

She has a dyed trim flower in her hair,blush,eye lashes and her lippie painted on.

Her dress is shades of green with white swirls and its done up with another hand dyed flower trim and some vintage lace that was also hand dyed.

Grant looked at both and asked could he sell them on E-bay LOL....that always tells me he thinks what I have done is OK.I've no idea what to do with them myself.As they are only the second and third painting I have ever attempted I may just keep them as reference guides for future works.Anywho now I have them out of my system its into making Christmas cards en mass for me now.

hugs

Annette In Oz

Seeking...

We are all seeking...life...love...wealth...happiness...knowledge....the list is endless.I'm no different.I seek to be a good loving wife and mum and I seek to live a creative life ...sometimes I just seek completion of a project like my two canvas painted ladies.One is now done and I actually like how she turned out.I wonder what my blonde lady is seeking?.Since you saw her last she has had some "blush" ,eyelashes and lipstick painted on,

a metal vine headband added,

her shimmery wing created and now she is wearing her music dress.

What do you seek?

hugs

Annette In Oz