As I mentioned in my previous post, Im madly creating cards for this Pick-A-Theme swap at Illustratedatcs.com. Here are 3 of the cards that Ive created so far on the theme that my group members requested. Tlouey’s was a Moon, Morning Star’s was flowers and Lemurkat’s was a caricature of her and her hubby. Have done 4 and have 4 more to go.

Finally my feet are touching the ground! Ive had another hectic month and things are just starting to get back to a normal pace. Ive been creating my sections of the Whimsy Art Workshop Level 1 & 2, organising passports and stuff for my trip to the USA in just under 4 weeks, helping my mum move house, attending multitude of doc & specialist appointments as well as getting all these tests done and just madly running around with stuff for my kiddies. Phew!!!!!

MY ART ~ well I havent created very much at all. I either havent the time or the energy. Plus I think someone stole my muse or she’s gone on holiday early. Im really behind at the moment, owing things to my fellow traders, and withdrawing from swaps, left right and center. One swap I couldnt withdraw from is a Spring PAT (Pick-A-Theme) at illustratedatcs.com, which is due on the 1st of June. (In Canada!) So Im currently madly creating these cards so I can get them mailed (gonna have to go courier post) on Saturday. But more on those later.

MY HEALTH ~ They still cant figure out what’s going on with my bloods. Ive had lots more blood tests. One of which discovered that I have just about no folate or B12 leading to a extreme deficiency. Which is a complete mystery to my doc. Apparently my types of levels generally take a year to get so low, but mine have dropped alot quicker. The most common reasons are Celiac, B12 Anemia, malabsorption or alcoholism. Im definitely not an alcoholic, I dont drink! Doc tested for Celiac and B12 Anemia, which both came back neg. So sent me of to a gastroenteroligist to have a colonoscopy and gastroscopy. Which Ive had done and oh my goodness, I dont recommend them to anyone! (The procedure was fine, I was out like a light. But the preperation before hand is aweful!) All came back normal, so no reason for malabsorption. Doc thinks that all my other wacky bloods are a result of these deficiencies. So hes given me a B12 injection and I have another just before I leave for the USA. Then when I return he will test my levels again. Meanwhile Im still waiting for my appointment with the Diagnostic Specialist. The B12 injection has given me a little more energy, but not alot. Im still really exhausted all the time. Im hoping that when my B12 levels get back to normal Ill start to feel like a human again.

MY TRIP ~ Its getting soooo close now! Onl 24 days until I fly out of Perth headed for the USA! My passport has arrived and I now have my visa waiver authorisation. Organised travel insurance and a letter from my Doc for my medication….so Im all good to go!!!! Im excited but a little nervous about flying all the way there myself  ( I hope I can sleep on the 13 hour flight!) as well as a little worried about leaving hubby and the kiddies behind. Ill probably miss them more than they miss me! LOL

MailArtWorld ~ It was a sad month with the decision to close the site down. It was such a hard decision to have to make, but I think  Ive done the right thing. There just wasnt enough members active to keep it going. But its all not bad news. Ive joined ownership with illustratedatcs.com and we have together opened a new division of the site for mixed media art! Having the two trading groups together made sense. Both mailartworld and illustratedatcs have relatively small memberships compared to our sister site atcsforall.com, so combining the two would give members of both groups a more active site to participate in. So far its working really well and everyone seems to be happy!

So thats whats being going on in my world! Hope your world is being good to you! HUGS

Its certainly been a while since I posted on my blog! However ‘real life’ has been somewhat hectic. In the last month I have moved house, which with 3 kids and all of my art stuff was a complete mission. Then spending time unpacking (which still isnt all done) and cleaning up the old house ready for us to rent it out, left little time for much else.

I also havent been feeling the best, health wise. So dragged my tired backside to the doctors. A few blood tests later and the doc isnt sure ‘what’ is going on. Almost all of my bloods were out of wack. Either too high or too low. His thoughts being anything from Leukemia to Lupus?!?!?! I have some sort of Auto Immune thing going on, and he cant pinpoint exactually what it is. So Im off to see a diagnostic specialise (kind of like House, on TV!). In the meantime I had to have another set of bloods done to see if they are getting worse or better. I received a little note from the doc today saying to come in and see him this week. Hmmm, I guess there a little worse. Coz normally he would just ring me. So we will have to wait and see what he says when I go and see him….ARGHHH….

Ive also been madly working away creating my videos and workbook for the Whimsy Workshop that started on the 1st April. My lesson is week 2 (which goes live today!) YAY…. Im looking forward to the feedback from all of our students.

So with all of this going on over the last month, I really havent had any time to create art. Hence why there hasnt been any art posted for a while! Now that life is starting to settle (other than my health issues) I hope to start creating again. So stay tuned!

In the meantime check out the new Spring Edition of ArtTraderMag which is packed full of inspiration, ideas and how to’s!

As I mentioned in my previous post, I was involved in a Secret Valentines gift exchange on illustratedatcs.com.

My second gift partner also received her gifts from me. So I can now show those to you too! These are the gifts I sent to Potbellyarts (aka Shelli) and Im pretty sure that she likes them.

This altered CD was done a little differently than the other one. Instead of drawing/painting directly onto the CD I traced the CD onto Arches Watercolour card and then created the artwork. I then used my Xyron to stick it to the CD. I prefered this method coz I didnt have to worry about the design over the hole in the CD and could use my favourite mediums. Instead of being limited to what would only work on the surface of the CD. Shelli was wanting Moulin Rouge style stuff and colour scheme…..thinking rich reds, blacks and golds.

This is the second peice I did for Shelli. She is starting a new ‘Skinny’ Book. So I thought Id create this ’skinny’ for her in the similar moulin rougue scheme.

‘Skinny’ pages are usually 3″x7″ and its actually quite a fun size to work with. They pose many composition challenges, which is always fun to tackle. I think I may have to start collecting them myself! LOL

This was created with prismacolor markers, watercolour pencils, prismacolor pencils, gold and white gel pens.

I really enjoy these gift exchanges as it gives me a chance to break out of ATC’s for a bit…..and stretch my artistic abilities.

Ok, so Valentines day has been and gone….. However I was involved in a Secret Valentines Swap at illustratedatcs.com

I had to send one small package and one mini package.  Finally the small package arrived at its destination in the USA. So I can reveal what I created! LOL

I was creating for Eraserqueen (Annie) and she loves the style of Laurel Burch. So I created this piece for her based on Burch’s style.

It was painted in acrylic and gold leaf pen on illustration board and measures around 9×6″.

The second piece I created for her is an Altered CD. I used one of those printable CD’s and painted with acrylic, pencils and gold leaf pen. Then added some bling to the bottom and a chain to the top, to be able to hang it. Annie is wanting to create an India theme style room, with Fuscia’s, blues, golds….colours of India basically. So I used that colour palette for both of the pieces.

I also created her a stirling silver and purple mosaic pendant, but I forgot to take a pic of that one! I had a blast creating these gifts and Im really happy that Annie likes them too!

Hopefully the second package will arrive in the US soon, and I can show you what I created for that one.

Myself and 3 extremely talented artists, Annie Melione, Dana Driscoll & Sal Scheibe, have been hard at work creating a new online workshop! Which begins on the 1st of April, 2009!

There are two workshops involved in ‘The Whimsy Workshop’, Level 1 and Level 2. Both are packed with fantastic techniques, inspiration, how to’s and know how to get you well on your way to creating fun whimsy art!

Have you ever wanted to create more whimsical art or develop a whimsical artistic style? Are you inspired by bright colors, happy themes, and fantastical places? If so, consider joining us for the Whimsy Art Workshop! The Whimsy Art Workshop is a two-part workshop designed for the artist or hobbyist who loves the whimsical, light, free style of art. The workshop is designed to help artists who are seeking to improve their artistic skills or working to develop a unique style. The workshop is designed for the novice, so it’s not necessary that you know anything about drawing, color, or composition. We will cover all of the basics and some advanced techniques and then help you to find your own, unique style of whimsical art. Our approach to learning about drawing is light-hearted and fun and filled with exercises and inspiration to help you grow as an artist.

Registrations open on the 28th February. Or better yet, join our mailing list so we can notify you as soon as registrations open.

Check out The Whimsy Workshop for more information and to join the mailing list!

Hope to see you all there!

Have made the changes to make the blog look the way I want it…. and Im almost finished.
Have come across a few stumbling blocks - as Im still learning what is what in a CSS Style Sheet. So for the last changes I will have to enlist some help.
I really like how its coming along, just need to fix the old posts up and somehow make the text fit better.
What do you all think of the new look?

Not themes in art….. but Wordpress Blog Themes. LOL
Ive been wanting to add a second side bar to my theme (on the left hand side) but dont want to get involved in all the new coding. So Ive gone and found a theme that already has the two sidebars and is a good layout. However!!!! I now need to go and change the colour scheme around (I want the black like my old theme) and change a few other things around.
Which isnt too bad….. alot easier that writing the code for the extra sidebar, thats for sure!
So please bare with this jumbled mess of a blog while I change all the things that I need to change.
(Geeesh….all the old posts are REALLY messed up!!!!) Oh well, it will be better than the old one when Im done. (hopefully!)

Ive joined an Altered Book Swap at MailArtWorld where a group of artists mail each other their books to create artwork within. In the end my book will come back to me full of artwork from the artists in the group!

My book theme is (suprise, suprise) Fantasy and Purple. The above pic is the painting I did on the front cover of my book. It was created with white acrylic paint (and white and purple pencils) on a purple acrylic background.

I really love how she turned out. Im thinking of creating prints of the painting for sale or trade, maybe…. if there’s any interest.

Arttradermag Issue 5 is now available to download!

Its a fantastic issue full of how to’s, contests, interviews and lots and lots of artistic eye candy!!!!

As well as an Interview with ME!!!!

Check it out.  (Click on the image to take you to the ArtTraderMag site.)