Autumn leaves and Samhain

It's that time of year again and I can't resist collecting some of these beautiful leaves. How it can possibly be nearly May I don't know when I'm still reminding myself to write 2011 not 2010, but according to my diary it is.
Next Sunday will be Samhain for the southern hemisphere- time for the Day of the Dead and Halloween now... but we do hate to acknowledge we don't live in the Northern Hemisphere despite everything that nature is showing us. The brightly coloured leaves are a dead give away!
Ah well- I'll be lighting my candles and making a huge pot of home-grown pumpkin soup anyway...and remembering my loved ones who have gone.

Easter...egg..

The very first egg laid by the new chickens my parents recently added to the family...and beside it a fake one they had put in their laying box in a subtle attempt to encourage them. Problem is they couldn't tell the fake egg from the brand new freshly laid one..hmmm.
Naturally the crack test was necessary and look at the beautiful egg those clever chooks produced!Go girls!
Were you right, was the real egg the pointy one Mum?

Mugs to hibernate with

While I'm hibernating I may just need one of these divine mugs to sip my tea or hot chocolate from by Josie Jurczenia spotted on Poppy's blog.

More beautiful Raquel Marin

With Autumn in full swing and Winter on the way, I find myself almost looking forward to some cosy hibernation like this beautiful illustration by Raquel Marin.
Yes- I've even shocked myself with that statement.
Ironically, Winter is also one of the best times of the year to grow veges in Melbourne, and I've got my garlic, broccoli, broadbeans, spinach and peas all popping up out of the ground right now so my hibernation will not be quite as white and snowy as Raquel's.

Speedy-cut

Very excited about finally getting hold of some Speedball carving blocks! I couldn't find it, or the Staedtler version anywhere in Australia online, and then a supplier on Craftumi had some but it mysteriouly never arrived..mmmm.. so I got fed up. But miraculously Seniors Art Supplies in the city had some (thanks Shelley!)and I have now become addicted to the stuff! It's incredibly easy to carve and prints beautifully with just a stamp pad, the possibilities are endless!

I started with my drawing of a bee (my continuing obsession)on tracing paper- which I simply transferred by rubbing onto the block, then carved away with my trusty speedball carving tools...it really was terrifically speedy! So I also knocked out an R for good measure.

Now I'm stamping bees onto everything.

Skenes Creek rock pools

Had a delightful week-end in Skenes Creek on the Great Ocean Road, and despite some not so nice weather had a lot of fun with my wonderful little Lumix and some rock pools.

February/March 2011

I did this collage at the beginning of the year as a response to the floods in Queensland- before they actually swamped Brisbane. Since then I found it awfully relevant to the horrific events in Japan and New Zealand. I intended it as a message to my loved ones and friends in Queensland- both as my hope for them, as well as a description of what they already had shown, but it goes to Japan, and New Zealand as well.
The flower is borage- a herb drunk as a tea by medieval knights before going into battle... for courage.

Autumn

I'm showing off my beautiful pumpkins harvested just recently- the orangey pink one is actually an Australian variety and is huge and delicious!

Couldn't believe it when my Canadian friend told me that over there they only grow big empty pumkins for carving and nobody grows then to eat! What a waste.

Been pretty busy lately and have quite a few things to share,so watch this space and eventually I'll load it all up.

Forming Words show

Hoping to go to this on Thursday to see more of Mel's beautiful work...

Merimbula

Just escaped for a couple of days to beautiful Merimbula. Neither of us had been there before and we are now officially hooked..and finally we had a bit of summer!

Buy Olympia

I love Buy Olympia they always have so many excellent things in their shop but these made me laugh out loud.

Wearable plants

This is a bit nutty but quite delightful, by Colleen Jordan... (found via poppytalk)

Camera Love

A new tshirt design I've just put up on my Red Bubble site- I've ordered a hoodie with it on so cross fingers and toes I'll like how it looks printed!

Cushion couch- gorgeousness

...by Christiane Hoegner spotted on
sfgirlbybay.

Lena Corwin

I had a chance to look at this book about hand-printing by Lena Corwin the other day and it has gone straight to the top of my "must get" list. Lots of very simple but effective ideas with lots of potential.
It is available from Amazon(hence the above picture) but I saw it at Readers Feast, my favourite book shop, in Swanston St.
She has great style and a lovely blog too.