Leonardo Da Vinci Pages

After my last post I got another call from work to say I was booked in for another 5 days of training which would start the next day.Then I was taken off the floor(my nursing shifts hands on) to implement what was learnt.SSSooo my"back to my usual shifts at last" went straight out the window and "no time to get creative" came right back in.My deadline for another collaborative paper bag book swap was fast approaching and they kindly gave me another week so I could still participate.On the last few days I finally got my pages done and sent
Leonardo Da Vinci was the theme and when we all delved the net looking for images and info you fast realize what an amazing man he was.He painted,drew, invented things,did studies of the human body and plants and so much more.For my first set of pages I chose one of his paintings-Madonna Lita.

I did an image transfer to material and then added various colours of Opals Embossing Enamels all around her.After three layers of Opals where added I added some metallic leaf, reheated it and stamped on the brick part and run the bottom section thru the Cuttlebug using a swirl embossing folder.Here is the page under the light flash off.

I did put it under the scanner but it just looked dull.The next page also looks dull and isn't.I used this drawing below which I have as a stamp.

I stamped and etched the image into brass as the focal point.Then it was stained and then sanded back so the brass shines thru again

The pages are on the way to England and it was sssooo good to get some art done again.While I was a week late with them Grant was doing something in the yard.....something he started 17yrs ago!!!.Finally I have a fish pond with water lilies and all.It still looks raw and not much but next Wet season it will look amazing.So glad he finally got in and got it to this point at last.At the back there will be a waterfall too.Today the lilies flowered and the water is now clear.When I can I'll take another photo.I don't call him him "gunna" Grant for nothing LOL.

hugs

Annette In Oz

Paper Bag Nature Swap Pages....at last

Gosh time is flying for me this year with changes in the workplace, my stint in Jury Duty and extra training for work... my crafty pursuits are suffering.Hence my delays in getting this paper bag book together.I Finlay got to put the pages together last night.Basically the base pages are paper bags...you lay them one way then the other and join them in the middle so every second page is the opening of the bag which creates a pocket.You have a decorated page on each side and place two decorated pages back to back in the pockets.Here is the completed book.

My front cover.Its very shimmery as I used Daler Rowney pearlescent inks sponged on the bg before I stamped the leaves.The central stamped leaves are made from Opals Embossing Enamels .

The sign in page.The stamped floral piece at the bottom is Friendly Plastic, Angelina Film and Opals Embossing Enamels.

Page 1...the tab at the right is two pages attached to black card back to back to go in the pocket.I added the tab for easy removal as it was a tight fit.

Pages 2 & 3.

Page 4 & 5.

Page6 & 7.

Page 8 & 9.

Page 10 & 11.

Page 12 & 13.

Page 14 & 15.

Page 16.

Page 17 & 18 on pocket inserts.

Pages 19 & 20.

Pages 21 & 22.

Pages 23 & 24.

When the swap pages arrived back in March I thought they were all just lovely then. Last night as I sat putting the artworks on the paper bags and then sewed the pages in place I looked at each page in a new light and there is so much effort put in them all...they are more then lovely...they are gorgeous.

hugs

Annette In Oz

Jury Duty...the end at last!!!

Jury Duty truly is a necessary evil but my 7 weeks of it have at last come to end.I spent yesterday cleaning the house,today I have worked on the last modules I have been trying to fit in for a self directed learning thing pre lectures in 2 weeks time.Now I am back to my usual life cycle and art is calling me loud and clear.It's been hard to fit time in for Grant and the kids let alone art these last 2 months but tomorrow I shall play!!!.A few weeks ago we did a trip out to Fogg Dam...it's only 20 mins from here and was a failed rice growing exercise that has a dam wall over the flood plains.Now it is a gorgeous animal and bird retreat.There are a few walks thru the forest areas pre dam wall and we hadn't done them since the kids were small.I had forgot how lush and pretty it was on the walk.
You used to be able to walk across the dam wall but now you can only drive over as there is a trap shy saltie in there.We drove over and then spied this little Tata lizard overseeing the birds below LOL.

Here we are on the walking track thru the forest.It was so cool, green and lush...oh yeh and full of Woman eating mozzies!!!...they couldn't get thru Grant's hairy legs.

These are some bush food berries.

Spoonbills and a lovely Jabiru...one of our largest water birds.

A closer look at the Jabiru and the wonderful colours on his head.

Some more Spoonbill's

I was intrigued by what looks like a flower encased in this leaf on the walking track.

There were fungi all over the place and this one could have acted as a fairy bath.

A few evening later we went for a walk to the lagoon behind us and on the way back spied a young, golden banded tree snake


Here's looking at you...

He was quick to climb the nearest tree and get away.

The Dry season has rolled in at last and the days are long and warm,humidity has dropped and the nights are cooler.Perfect days for creating I say!!

hugs

Annette In Oz

The Frog and The Snake...snake wins

Grant was down at the lagoon behind us while I was at work the other night and took these shots of a hungry slatey grey snake stalking and then catching and eating a Dahl's frog.Here is Mr Slatey Grey.

slithering thru the water looking for a frog

stalking a frog upper left on the creek wall

frog he did catch

only the legs left hanging out

Grant takes some amazing photos of the animals and plants up here....must have a snoop in his album and see what else he has in there.

hugs

Annette In Oz

Post "The Retreat" Elizabeth and Cath

Life is a swirl of work and trying to get the housework/cooking done each day at the moment.Should only be this hectic for another week as that is when we have accreditation at work and why I have been so busy.The retreat seems like years ago now.I have yet to get to my desk and finish my retreat projects but I will.Post retreat I stayed with Elizabeth Harms and her family for three days.Elizabeth has a room for her art creativity and storage and man oh man storage and art there was LOL.The room is an eclectic mix of creativity and supplies...the storage of which dominate the whole room.I could have stayed in there for three days and never found out what all the containers held.To me Elizabeth had her own art shop right there at her finger tips.As you enter and behind the door there is a hanging storage area with all sorts of embellishments in the pockets.There was also this lovely DJ Pettitt painted bag hanging there.

Here is some of the art around the room

every space a riot of colour and inspiration

book shelves and benches....no spare space unadorned

art dolls and masks

collaborative books and more

small section of the colour coded storage

more

...... and....more

I hope to0 have an art room myself one day...weather I will ever have the money to fill it like that is another story LOL.While there I spent a night at Cathy Daulman's house.I've adored Cath for years and credit her with opening the door to arty stamping all those years ago.I think I did nearly all of Cath's classes when I got to go to Stamping Down Under over the years and I love all her stamps and products from her My Stamps shop.Her use of colour just explodes in your eyes and I love how she can uses household items in her art.Here is just a small part of her art room with some of her work...I got so side tracked yacking and learning that I forgot to take more photos.

I loved going to Melbourne and can't thank Elizabeth enough for all her help and bot Cath and Elizabeth for letting me stay and disrupt theirs lives.It all went way too fast but I did miss Grant and the kids too and coming home there were other arty surprises awaiting me.There was this fantastic parcel of metal jewellery bits and a gorgeous Burgundy card from Evelyn Poole waiting for.Thanks Evvie I love it and the stash so much.Hope to get to QLD soon and catch up with you and John too.

My collaborative paper bag book swap retrun pages have also arrived.I'll make the cover this arov and try to bind it and get the photos up this evening.In between the 6 loads of washing!!!!.Got to love teenagers and bed making day...NOT

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