Six Thoughts on Monday

1.  My latest painting is finished and hanging on the wall but I'm having trouble photographing it.  this pic obviously has a flash on but without the flash I get a bad photo too - just have not had good enough light to photograph it in.

2.  On Friday I picked up some paintings from the framer's and hung them on the wall....

3. I also picked up my Mr Owl print from Deborah Velasquez which she sent me as a thank you gift for helping her out with a few ideas for Mr Owl.

4. We had friend's over on Saturday night for a barbecue so my Hubby hammered some painting hooks into the walls and turned our house into an art gallery...

Shelly Beach, a collage I created in 2010 is on the left and one of my Pink Confetti Tree paintings on the right.

Going up the spiral staircase into the loft/kids activity room...more paintings...

5.  Beautiful sunsets this past week...

Saturday 28th January 2012.

Thursday, 26th January 2012.

6.  Today I discovered an online magazine Paper Runway and saw advertised on that page another online magazine which I bought at the newsagent this morning - I prefer the hard copy to the online copy and my son is reading it at the moment...

The Artist's Guide to Illustration - 2011

Hope your weekend was great and that you have an awesome week.

Behind Blue Eyes

Today my Caran d'Ache Neocolor II watersoluble crayons arrived - woohoo - so I decided to paint another girlie like the one I did in Life Book 2012 Wk1 class.

Behind Blue Eyes Mixed Media 30cm x 40cm

Though I have used watercolour pencils before this is my first attempt with these crayons.  It was a lot of fun and a great learning experiences and I look forward to creating another girlie and improving heaps esp the hair.....

So what's new with you?

Six Thoughts on Monday

1. Here's my latest work in progress:

2. Last Friday we had an awesome thunderstorm pass over and it hailed.  Here's a pic from the back verandah, not brilliant but I thought you might like to see anyhow:

3. Acceptance - I really related to Kelly Rae Roberts recent blogpost on Letting It Go - along with letting go of something comes acceptance.  Acceptance that I will not be part of Kelly Rae's new Hello Soul, Hello Business course - that I'm not ready for it, that I should have got my Etsy store up and running by now, that my dog died and sort of paralysed me for a while with grief.  It's been really difficult to read blogposts by my friends who are doing the course and to read their posts on facebook - I'm really happy for them and wish them well but can't help feeling a little left out and a little left behind.  That next year I'll be too busy travelling to do the course too, to do much art at all - whilst I look forward to travelling creating my paintings feeds an empty place inside of me.  Acceptance that I'll not likely be part of Flora Bowley's Brave Intuitive You Bloom True e-course as the money from the paintings I sold I used to help out a friend in need. Acceptance that I'll have to wait till June. Both courses take money and time.  I'm focussing on doing what I love - which is painting and when I have time - learning - on the Life Book 2012 Course.  Accepting that I'm blessed in so many others and to focus on these.

4.  On Wednesday I start a new workshop with a local artist on abstract and mixed media painting which will be fun and I will let you know all about it later in the week.

5. Did you know that my avatar comes from this painting I created last June?  She Let Love Go - more on the letting go theme....

She Let Love Go

6. So I'm a little late with my six thoughts on Saturday or Sunday - better late than never.  Hope you will forgive me.  Have a great week.

Sandra's Butterfly

My BFF Sandra created the before butterfly and was going to throw it out because she didn't like the background.  Well, we couldn't have that, so she gave me the painting to do with it what I like, so I gave it a phalo blue wash with a little phalo turquoise  in there too.  I'm still deciding whether I should do any more to it such as outling it.  I'll think about it.....

Life Book Portrait Wk 1

I have completed my 3/4 portrait and inner qualities project.  Phew, I'm exhausted - it's tiring trying to sort out all the little things that go wrong, such as the printer printing lines across my photo - so that will have to wait and the paper buckled which I sort of expected as it is watercolour paper - next time I'll tape it down to a board while working on it but for now I'll pop it under some heavy books...

Here it is....mainly acrylic paint on watercolour paper with watercolour pencil and paint pen.

I really enjoyed doing it just don't have the energy or the time to really bling it up.  I used some of my stamping tools and have just realised that the hair parting should look differently on an angle - oh well, she's imperfect like me.....

Here is my box:

Confetti Tree Forest

I have finished the long painting that I have been working on and I love it, so I hope you like it too.

Confetti Tree Forest, Acrylic on canvas, 40cm x 123cm

And I hope my hubby likes it too because this is where it's going to live....in our bedroom...

Have a great weekend, I'll be back Monday with some Life Book work I've done - hopefully....





Courage in 2012

COURAGE

• To be the real and authentic me
• To take risks with my creations/art/paintings
• To live my dreams, follow my passions and create an artistic life
• To be part of as many exhibitions as possible.
• To reach out to others, include them in my life and artistic community.
• To say 'Yes' to opportunities
• To get my writing and artwork published.
• To leave the secure environment of my home.
• To travel to Melbourne, New Zealand, USA, Canada and to the moon and back.
• To travel alone and with friends.
• To attend a workshop in the States and to make it the most awesome life and learning experience possible.
• To meet people whom I've never met but whom I know and hold a special place in my heart.

Today is the Fly Tribe Blog Hop and we are writing about the One Litte Word we have chosen to describe our intentions for 2012.  This idea started with Ali Edwards and she writes:

SING YOUR WORD

Can you identify a single word that sums up what you want for yourself in 2012? It can be something tangible or intangible. It could be a thought, or a feeling, or an emotion. It can be singular or plural. The key is to find something that has personal meaning for you. This is not your mother's word or your spouse's word or your child's word - this is YOUR word.

One little word can have big meaning in your life if you allow yourself to be open to the possibilities. And here's one thing that is totally interesting: sometimes a word will pop into your brain and it will not make any sense to you right now. Give it some time. Let it percolate a bit. I have often found that our hearts speak to us in very unique ways. Maybe this is a word you need to hear but just aren't ready for it yet.

About One Little Word^®

A single word can be a powerful thing. It can be the ripple in the pond that changes everything. It can be sharp and biting or rich and soft and slow.

In 2006 I began a tradition of choosing one word for myself each January – a word to focus on, mediate on, and reflect upon as I go about my daily life. My words have included play, peace, vitality, nurture, story, light, up, open and thrive. These words have each become a part of my life in one way or another. They've been imbedded into who I am and into who I'm becoming. They've been what I've needed most (and didn't know I needed). They've helped me to breathe deeper, to see clearer, to navigate challenges, and to grow.

I hope you'll consider joining me for the next One Little Word^® workshop in January 2015 here at aliedwards.com.
Check out all my blog posts regarding One Little Word^® here.
Click here to read a FAQ and more details about this project.

Again, be open to the possibilities.

 If you would like to read what other people have chosen for their words then check out the Fly Tribe Word Hop page for links.

I hope that you too will have the courage to live your dreams, love and hugs,  Mxxx.

Saturday's Six Thoughts.

1.  I haven't written a six thoughts blog for a while now.

2.  I started a new painting today on a canvas that will go above our bed - it's 41cm x 126cm or  16" x 50".  The weather was beautiful here in sunny Perth so I painted outside as the canvas is very long and will continue outside especially when I do the dripping as the paint tends to spray everywhere - may have to move to the carport....

No apron and wild and woolly hair!!!

3.  I am grateful for my beautiful surroundings and do count my blessings every day.


4.  Life Book 2012 - has started but I'm running a little behind.  I finally got some watercolour paper on Friday but am unsure of which size to use.  I have downloaded the first video and watched about 10 mins - must get organised.


5.  Are you into Journal writing???  Then check out The Butterfly Collector - artist and illustrator Shae Reid's blog for a free and printable journal page.


Shae writes: This is "POSTCARD"... my first Free and Printable Journal Page for the year. Please print it out along with me onto some lovely smooth paper or card and we are going to write a time travelling Postcard to ourselves sent through space and dated at December 2012. We can tell ourselves all about the amazing year we have had, the things we have acheived and goals and wishes we have completed! You can place it somewhere you can see it or stick it into your own journal. Look at it often to inspire you to take action to make these dreams happen, ask the universe to guide you and imagine your possibilities for 2012!


No sneaky peaks from me - go to her blog and check out her beautiful page.


6.  Check back Monday as I'll be blogging about my one word for 2012 which describes my aim/goal/intention for the year.  My Fly Tribe will be participating in this blog hop to read about each others word - I hope you join us.


At my suggestion February's blog hop will be Shoe Shots - where everyone will take a photo of the favourite shoes/boots etc in what I like to think of as the traditional, creative dowward looking shot that many of my arty friends take.  Even if you're not part of the Fly Tribe you are more than welcome to join in the Shoe Shots Blog Hop - more details in a month.

These are my most favourite shoes ever unfortunately they were coming apart and I had worn them to death - so my shoe shot in Feb will be of my new red shoes - I always wear these or my red Doc Martens to art class.  :D  Love how this pic makes my legs look long!!!  heehehe


Have a great weekend, love and hugs,  Me, Shells.

2012 Dreams and Schemes

Here are my  hopes, plans, goals, dreams and schemes for 2012.  I hope I have the courage to make my dreams comes true....

My first painting for 2012.

Pink Confetti Trees 2  Acrylic on Canvas 20x30"

Online Courses - I love doing these as they are so much fun, great communities and they require discipline and committment.

- Life Book 2012
- Creative Colour Challenge
- Traci Bautista's Doodle's Unleashed workshop

- I'd like to do Flora Bowley's Brave Intuitive You e-course too

Art workshops - I've enrolled with local artist Neil Elliot to do his mixed media/abstract workshop which starts at the end of January.

- Overseas - I'd love to travel to the States and do some workshops there, meet some of my online arty friends, go to New York to the galleries and museums and shops and Broadway.

- Squam Art Workshops - which are mid-Sept in New Hampshire, USA - would be awesome.
- Sweet Freedom Retreats - which are mid-Oct.

Exhibitions

30x30x30 Challenge - which exhibits mid-Sept - same weekend as the Squam workshops.
Group exhibition - has been cancelled - so I'm doing a wait and see on this...
Solo - ????

Personally - planning my Silver/25th Wedding Anniversary Party for December.
- to help my sons through Uni, to continue to teach them how to cook and clean for themselves.

Healthwise - lose 10 kilos - eat healthily, walk 3 times a week and circuit 2 times.

I'll be back in a couple of days with my Word for 2012.