Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Photo Advice wanted

I get bored very easily.
This is ONE of the reasons
 I find it hard to stick with a project.
Take a look around my studio
 and you'll exactly what I'm on about.

So, today I was listing some of my travel card sleeves and luggage tags on Etsy and realised I was dead bored with the white background routine.
(see below)


I decided to have a little play with backgrounds, like this-


Grace Kelly went from this-


to this


Hedy Lamaar, the Austrian beauty
on white-


 and on fabric


Not only do I get bored easily,
but I can be indecisive too.
(painting a pretty rosy picture here-not)

I'd love any feedback.
I do wonder if these new backgrounds
 are too busy and distracting?

I can take it :)



...I think ;)



Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Move ya bloomin' arse!


So many birthdays for me this month...
sister, friends, husband.

Time for me to...
Move my bloomin' arse!



And get to some card making ;)


Linking up this Elle and Lou post over @
http://bloomdesignsonline.blogspot.com.au/

Monday, May 21, 2012

Made It on Made It!

Don't Blink, but if you look today
 my luggage tag is featured on Madeit's front page.

A first for me-
and the extra sweet moment was when my super talented friend Michelle from Sprout Gallery told me her little retro caravan is featured too.

Speaking of caravans,
I am currently re-stocking my Blue Caravan store with some new travel wallets, ticket holders and of course luggage tags. 

Hope you can pop over in the next day or two.
And, if you are on Facebook I'm there too :)


Wednesday, May 16, 2012

La Dolce Vita is up-cycling

Now call it opportunistic BUT,
 when the kids are at school is my best chance to...


 ... go through their rooms and throw out crap
- they are such hoarders!

If you have a daughter,
chances are she went through PPP
 (plastic pony phase)

A word of encouragement:
thankfully there is light at the end of the tunnel.
I think my daughter has pretty much outgrown them.




Yesterday, I found this forgotten plastic pony carry case and couldn't help myself
-maybe I can be a hoarder too.

I soaked off the filly brand info and was left with a super  icky sticky but funky green briefcase.



"Movie Classics" has been featuring
 regularly in my up-cycling work lately.



A trim and a tweak,




 some glue and some sealer and...
La Dolce Vita!


Translated:
The Sweet Life or 
The Good Life



Ticket wallets fit perfectly- La Dolce Vita

Linking Elle and Lou here:
http://cheapcraftymama.com/pin-it-and-win-it-7/#comment-1199
http://www.releasemecreate.blogspot.com.au/
http://www.happygoluckyblog.com/
http://romantichome.blogspot.com.au/
http://chiconashoestringdecorating.blogspot.com.au/
http://www.craftionary.net/

Sunday, May 13, 2012

Art bangles: A class project for Primary Students

Now it may just be me..
but in my experience,
 the male gender aren't crash hot
 when it comes to buying presents for others.


This week I have been talking
 with quite a few mums
 about what goes on in their home for Mother's day.


Overwhelmingly, this is what happens:
It seems we mums buy our own presents,
subtly side passing them to our partners 
who in turn pass them on to the kids.

This has its benefits-we get what we want!
I know, because I'm getting a funky pair of knee high boots  (Oh! what a surprise!)

But really we mums have don't care about the present,
 it is the thought that counts.
 We are SO cliche sometimes!


Now I teach in a boys' college and I feel I am obliged to TRY and educate the young ones to think about others, especially their mums who do so much for them.

I admit,
 I also wanted to teach them about up-cycling,
artworks from a variety or historical and cultural contexts,
moulding materials and presentation.


So, we embarked on 62 bangles!
This how we did it...


  •   We began by soaking extra large paddle pop sticks in water for 24 hours.
  • Then carefully, we bent the pop sticks into a curve and put them in a small glass to dry for 24 hours. Some broke or splintered, but we had extras.




  • Next, the boys looked through old Art books and journals that were destined for the recycle bin. As they looked at the artworks spontaneous conversations, questions and analysis evolved. They chose an artwork that would become the feature of the gift tag and bangle.




  • A flat paddle pop stick was used as a template. Placing it onto the chosen artwork, they traced around the shape, cut out the art image and Mod Podged it onto the bangle. They sealed the outside of the bangle with Mod Podge also. 







  • To make the gift tag the boys used a circle punch to select a matching image. This was then glued on blue industrial offcuts. 
  • They punched white paper for the reverse side, glued it and wrote a sweet message for their mum.
  • Then the boys punched a small hole and inserted the string. 




  •  Finally the boys wrapped the bangle, inserting the information note below.




I know the boys' mothers will appreciate the care their sons have taken in creating this gift for them and the boys were very proud of what they achieved.

Incidentally, this activity also gave the boys practice with their fine motor skills such as cutting, tracing and accuracy. Never underestimate how many primary students struggle with these simple tasks!

Anyhoot- Happy Mothers Day!

Post Note: my children made me some gorgeous Mother's  Day cards, as did my wonderful husband AND my knee high boots are a perfect fit...who would have thunk it ;)


Also, the original pop bangle idea is not mine it came from the creative  Tara at Craft Affection.






Sharing this Elle and Lou post here:
http://www.kadie-sevenalive.blogspot.com.au/
http://www.iheartnaptime.net/
http://cheapcraftymama.com/pin-it-and-win-it-7/#comment-1199
http://www.releasemecreate.blogspot.com.au/
http://www.happygoluckyblog.com/
http://romantichome.blogspot.com.au/
http://chiconashoestringdecorating.blogspot.com.au/
http://www.craftionary.net/







Friday, May 11, 2012

Mother's Day Card: Sound of Music


Last weekend The Sound of Music was on TV...again!
I wonder how many times I've seen it?



I could watch it all over again tonight.
It may have something to do with the fact that brown paper packages tied up with string DO feature pretty highly on my list of things to dig.

It inspired me to make this  Mother's Day card for my favourite woman, my Mum.


Happy Mother's Day
 to ALL the fabulous Mums out there,
 from all generations!


Sharing at:
http://www.bedifferentactnormal.com/
http://whilehewasnapping.blogspot.com.au/
http://www.serenitynowblog.com/
http://tatertotsandjello.com/

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Maths meets Art: Bunting to stimulate inquiry


When it comes to maths my mind is a black hole.

Simply put:
Algebra + me = coma


Sound familiar? Is this you? Your child? 

Well, I used to think this way and
 I thought I was super crap at maths.
It ends up -I'm not too bad actually!
How do I know?
Well I married a Maths teacher!



So many people consider that Maths and the Creative Arts
are at opposite ends of the learning spectrum.


I wish to assert an alternative and less common belief,
 that just as music and maths are intrinsically linked,
so are visual art and maths.




In my Art classes I teach about measuring, fractions,
how to visually divide an image, how to frame,  angles, pattern, tessellations...(big breath)...
the golden ratio, sequencing, perspective...
Do I really need to go on?




So if I can teach all this,
 why did I think I was so rubbish at Maths for so long?


Maybe it has something to do with the unimaginative approach of my Maths teachers from
 some 20 (a-hem) years ago.

Maybe it has something to do with
 the notion that Maths has an image problem,
 especially with girls.


So when the library staff at Mt Alvernia College,
 an all girl's school in Kedron
commissioned some maths bunting I jumped at the chance!

How exciting to potentially engage young womens' maths inquiry through the visual arts! 


I hope that when the girls' eyes wander
 that maybe they will begin to wonder....
"What does that have to do with Maths?"
"Is Maths connected with that?"

Any inquiry is good as it is the beginnings of engagement. 



Who knows?
The girls might even come to the conclusion
 that maths can be beautiful,
(something my husband has been telling me for years).


Envelope for Maths Bunting


Extra education for no extra fee:
In Australia we call the subject Maths not Math as they do in America.

Sharing this Elle and Lou Post @
http://carolynshomework.blogspot.com
http://www.homestoriesatoz.com/
http://lilluna.com/
http://www.gingersnapcrafts.com/
http://cheapcraftymama.com/
http://bloomdesignsonline.blogspot.com.au/
http://www.bedifferentactnormal.com/
http://whilehewasnapping.blogspot.com.au/
http://www.serenitynowblog.com/
http://tatertotsandjello.com/
http://www.happygoluckyblog.com/
http://www.kadie-sevenalive.blogspot.com.au/
http://www.iheartnaptime.net/