More portraits!

Portrait #2
Portrait #3

This portrait drawing is rather addictive, now that I am finally drawing faces that I like!!! I resigned myself (many years ago) to not being able to draw. Even my husband used the words 'very very good' for portrait #2, and that is extremely high praise from an exceptional pencil artist!!!! I really cannot wait to get stuck into these with some colour, and I hope I can find time to bring out the paints this week.

First time for everything

I've been a great admirer of Willowing for some time now. I really enjoy her You Tube videos, and I've learned a lot from her fast motion paintings. So imagine my delight when my mother bought me the Fabulous Faces & Portraits course on dvd for Christmas!!!! I started my first lesson today, and this is the result. It's the first time I've ever attempted to draw a face, properly, with proportion and shading and everything, and I'm pretty pleased with the results. Yes ... I know I have a long way to go, but having made quite a good start I'm really looking forward to practicing and learning more. Thanks Mum, and thanks Tam!

She's kidding ... right?

I am not a specialist. Let's get that clear straight up. I have never chosen one thing and stuck with it. I get bored easily and my mind strays, I get new ideas and just have to try them! During a conversation with some friends recently I kind of freaked out her 15yo dd. She couldn't believe that I do as many things as I do. As they drove off I called out "I also type 110 words per minute!" LOL ... and she turned to her mother and said ... "she's kidding, right???!!!"

No ... I am not kidding, and at one point I wondered where all these crazy endeavours would take me. Well ... to some interesting places. I got to travel around Australia visiting Spotlight stores, I've had projects published by magazines, I've co-written a pattern book and I design for 2 amazing Australian companies. So ... for your information / amusement / bemusement ... I present some of the stuff I do.

* Photography (including Santa portraits)
* Digital art (including fairy portraits)
* Photo restoration
* Crochet
* Cross-stitch (including my orginal design kits 'Fifi & Frankie')
* Cloth dolls
* Folk art / decorative painting (acrylics)
* Scrapbooking
* Stamping
* Cardmaking
* Copic certified designer (colouring in for grown-ups)
* Design sewing patterns for Australian Girl dolls
* Design for Brandcorp Pty Ltd, brands including Martha Stewart, Francheville, Milford Threads and Semco

... but my main passion is definately teaching! So, I'm looking forward to some new teaching experiences in 2011. Bring it on!!! Enjoy the pics :D

I'm a Kenny K Krafty Girl!!!!

I'm excited, honoured and blown away all at once ... because I have been chosen to join the Kenny K Krafty Girlz Design Team in 2011 *WOOO HOOOO*. I have been a huge fan of Kenny's work since discovering copic markers and digital stamps earlier this year. I'm really looking forward to working with the new and existing DT members, as well as Kenny and the lovely Donna.

Please do pop over to the challenge blog and join in. There's a lot of inspiration to be found there. And if you've not used digital stamps before, you're missing out on an affordable way to build a highly versatile stamp collection!!! So go check out the shop here.

One Card - Six Challenges!

This is a first for me. As I was putting this card together I realised it might meet more than one challenge this week. Um ... yeah!! And then some!!! LOL

So ... for the challenge record ...

Kenny K's Krafty Girlz are challenging us to be monochromatic - check!
Paper Play Challenges are challenging us to be monochromatic too - check!
Friday Sketchers challenged us to use this sketch - check!
Delicious Doodles challenged us to use a digi stamp - check!
Cute Card Thursday challenged us to colour with The Blues - check!
Copic Creations challenged us to identify our light source (front on) - check!

Card ingredients!
Stamp - 'Troublemaker' by Kenny K
Greeting stamp - All Occassions by Darkroom Door
Copic markers - skin E50, E51, E53, R22, Hoodie, eyes & shoes B60, B63, B66, Jeans B93, B95, B97 & 0 with denim for texture, Icecream B00, B02, B05, hair & ice cream cone E31, E33, E35, E37
Distress Inks (on circle) Tumbled Glass & Vintage Photo
Cuttlebug embossing die: Birds & Swirls
Prima Flowers
Kaisercraft gems
Ribbon from stash