Welcome to my blog. Here's where I write about ~

~ my favourite items made by other artists and crafters from all over the world

~ things that inspire me

~ my own creations

Sunday, April 29, 2012

My featured Etsy Artist ... the lovely Shell-Sherree

... i'm so honoured to have Shell's wonderful talent on my blog.  when i first started out on Etsy, her beautiful work and Etsy store immediately took my eye and i've been a fan ever since.  her generous advice and encouragement has helped me persevere in my own 'artistic journey'.  now, over to Shell...  

Thanks for inviting me to be part of your beautiful feature, Deborah ~ I adore your delightfully feminine and pretty work, and your constant support is very much appreciated.

Well, as for my story? For as long as I can remember, I’ve loved drawing. My mum used to make little sketch books for me and I’d vanish into them for hours. I especially loved drawing images I’d seen – Snoopy and Woodstock were favourites for quite some time – and I clearly remember drawing the label from a can of peas. {For a school project. I must apologise to the tinned produce of the world that I haven’t felt compelled to draw it since.}
For the past few years, my unrequited love for Paris has become the main focus of my work, illustrating her beautiful shopfronts, vignettes and street scenes by hand, with pigment ink pen and watercolours. {Some of these are available as prints in my Etsy store.} Most Fridays you’ll find a French themed post on my blog, Shell Sherree: Armchair Travels and the Art of Whimsy. And being just one t-shirt and mug away from being a Crazy Cat Lady {and proud of it}, you’ll often find a fluffy feline or two tucked into my illustrations. 
 I’m very blessed to have several talented photographer friends, who are incredibly generous souls and provide me with plenty of inspiration for my work, given that my illustrative travels are mostly of the armchair variety at this point in time. Venice is another recurring theme ~ years ago, I spent a couple of days wandering to her magical light {and utterly lost ~ both literally and figuratively} and I’ve been smitten ever since. I'm a bit of a homebody {and find it hard to tear myself away from my scrumptious black British shorthair, Ella} so interior decor, fashion and lifestyle books, magazines, blogs – and Ella! – are daily sources of inspiration. {And don’t get me started on Pinterest.}
My ideal day is to arrive in my studio nestled into the top of my A-frame timber home amongst the trees by 8:30am with a homemade flat white coffee in my favourite aqua and gold cup. {And I’m usually late!} I catch up on emails and the blogo/Twitter/Facebook/Pinterest-sphere, then browse my inspiration files until something leaps out. On goes my Josh Groban playlist {or some jazz}, then Ella and I disappear into the little ink and watercolour world I’m creating.

  After that, I might put on a few of the many hats a self-employed person wears, attend to my Etsy store, work on a blog post, do some client work, more emails, touch base with my wonderful online pals, and somewhere in amongst it, coffee with my gorgeous family or friends. 

 That would be a jam-packed day, but add some piano practice, dark chocolate and macarons and it would be pretty much perfect to me! And whether my day looks like this or is a muddle of curveballs and paper jams instead, I give thanks constantly for the blessings I'm given. Wishing you a life touched by whimsy and a beautiful week...
~ inspirational friends ~ 

Friday, April 27, 2012

New York State of Mind ...

... it's Friday ... and i'm a long way away, but i was feeling 'New Yorkie' today...

... gorgeous ... Chrysler Building ...


... stunning fashion ...

... picture perfect ~  Central Park ...

... breathtaking  ~ Bow Bridge  ~  Central Park ...

... fabulous art museum ~ The Guggenheim ...

... and INSIDE the Guggenheim ...

... Ms Sara Jessica Parker outside Tiffany & Co ...
... a view from Battery Park to the Statue of Liberty ...


... have a great weekend  ~ from me and the gorgeous girls of New York City ...
 {all images via Pinterest}


~  inspirational city  ~

Saturday, April 21, 2012

surprise award ...

   Today, the lovely Jahna from Sweet Briar ... has nominated me for a Liebster Blog Award (for blogs under 200 followers).

Firstly, thank you!  I realise people read my blog (as I'm constatly checking my clustrmaps logo) but it's super special to be told when someone likes it.  (thanks Jahna x)

Now it's my turn to keep sharing, so I will choose my 5 favourite blogs that I enjoy reading and I'm sure you'll love them too...

 


There are a few rules that come with the award...

*Copy and paste the award onto your blog

*Link back to the blogger who gave you the award

*Choose your 5 favourite bloggers with under 200 followers (who you think deserve to be recognized) and leave a comment on their blog letting them know they've won the award.

And lastly, hope the 5 chosen bloggers will continue to share the blog award love ... xxx

 

Here are my 5 faves ...

Ruby and Rose Interiors  - Marie is a fun online friend on facebook, have awesome style on Pinterest and she sells DIVINE goodies in her online store...

 

Jambo Chameleon -  Sally is a wonderful person - one of the first people on Etsy who helped me with online questions and sells fabulous buttons!!!

 

Blossom and Pearls - Lara's blog is just gorgeous... I love the pictures she chooses and she's a hoot online.  We have a lot of fun. 

Butterfly Bees - Denise makes gorgeous little girl's clothes and her photographs are always wonderful ...

 

Pictures from Paris - Sonja takes photographs of Paris... need I say more?  They are exquisite... 

 I think you'll LOVE these blogs... x

 

~ enjoy the rest of your weekend ~

 



 

the marriage ref

... since i don't really get to watch much television at home, while i was away the other day it was so exciting to have an entire television to myself and a multitude of channels to choose from.  (at home we mostly have the ABC and about 2 other channels)

i found a show called 'The Marriage Ref' produced by Jerry Seinfeld and anything with Mr Seinfeld is worth watching (in my humble opinion)....  Jerry Seinfeld, Gweneth Paltrow and Greg Giraldo (who sounded like he could be going through a bad divorce) were the 'refs' and Tom Papa was the host of the show who tells the 'refs' about a particular couple who are having an 'issue' about something.

it was hilarious.  one couple were fighting because keeps calling her all day and she won't pick up her phone.  after a lot of fun banter between the refs they decided that she should answer her husband's calls, but that he has to stop calling her 20 times a day!  the host (Tom Papa) then 'makes the call' to the couple who then appear on another TV screen from their home (or probably tv studio) and are given the verdict from the 'refs'...  

It was great to watch something fun that didn't involve blood, death or a plot i couldn't follow...
 
... the host, Tom Papa


... the panel ...

... Gwenyth and Jerry discuss the phone calls ...

.. the funny and fabulous Jerry Seinfeld... producer of the Marriage Ref ...

~  fun, easy TV ~

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

New York Fashion Week ... continued ...

 ... okay, so we've all heard about the 6 steps to Kevin Bacon?  well, i feel like i'm only 2 steps from NY Fashion week!


Lee - my fab hairdresser from Reds in Townsville was recently in New York Fashion Week, working on several shows  (including Whitney Eve) with Troy (fellow hairdresser from Reds).   Click here to see my previous post...  

I still get pangs of jealousy just thinking about it !!    Lee gave me an update the other day when I was in getting my 'much needed foils' tended to,  about how 'frantic' it really is backstage and how many people it really does take to get a model ready for the runway.  

At the same it looks like it's a lot of fun not to mention an amazing experience and fabulous 'conversation starter' when/if things ever get dull at your next dinner party...

As a housewife, i can't help but think how much fun it would be to have a day where i also had 10 people around me doing hair, makeup, nails, toe-nails... hmmm... dream on...

... and what do hairdressers do in any spare time they may have in New York you might ask ? ... well, sounds like hanging out at bars and restauruants in Brooklyn and Manhattan was their favourite waste of time ...  uh oh... here comes that 'green eyed monster' again...

... {many thanks to Troy for emailling me the pics for you to all enjoy} ...






... thanks to Lee and Troy for their great photos of NY Fashion Week ...


... randomly selected bars in Brooklyn and Manhattan via Pinterest

~ inspirational New York ~



Monday, April 16, 2012

pastels ...

today i was feeling like pastels ... 



 





all images via Pinterest

~ inspiring pastels ~

Saturday, April 14, 2012

the long drive home ...

i thought for any non-Australians... or even Australians who have NEVER lived in the bush, it might be interesting to see some shots from my long drive home ...

hmm... firstly the awesome view from my motel room (Magnetic Island) ..

... doesn't everyone love a sunrise???  i was in Townsville getting some much needed jobs done on our school holidays ...
... then came the long drive home.  Oh great, a road block already!!!


i stopped for smoko (morning tea) at Pentland ... quaint caravan park ...

... i thought the clouds looked nice here ... (through my bug smattered windscreen)

... approaching Richmond ... dinosaur country ...

... all fuelled up again and heading home ...

... more interesting clouds ...

... passing Maxwelton - population - 2 ...  

... finally got to Nelia - population - about 5 ..plus 9 geese and 2 dogs ... time to turn North now ...

... the 100 yr old post office at Nelia ... I stopped to again stretch my legs after a 7 hr trip ... and briefly saw one of the locals.  Georgi has managed to get a grant for a sculptural artist to come out to Nelia in May - Wow!  So there... art even in remote places like this - how great is that? The sculpture will be two brolgas (native birds to the area) and their nest.  (Will try and get some pictures to blog about the next time I'm driving past.)

... only 2 more hours to go - boo hoo... the bitumen runs out soon after Nelia ...
... dangerous wheeltracks - created by vehicles driving in the mud during the wet season.  they can turn your vehicle over if you get caught in them driving too fast.... i'ts ok... i'm a granny driver, so no worries here ...


... eagle flying away from some road kill ... yep - it's one of about 5 million kangaroos that live out here.  road kill is normal driving in the bush.
extreeeeeemly bad cattle tracks on the road now - VERY bumpy to drive on... cattle tracks are created when the cattle walk over the road in the wet season ... the road will be graded soon so will be much better to drive on .

... and finally - our driveway - home sweet home.


hope you enjoyed driving in the bush ...

~ happy days ~

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