le papier

Happy Weekend

2012-02-25T08:27:00.004+08:00

Just thougth I would share this beautiful quote that I found on the most amazing event planners website. Their company is called PS I Love You and their work is simply devine.

HAPPY WEEKEND :)

i have been an absent friend ....

2012-02-17T09:16:00.001+08:00

hi all. it definitely would be stating the obvious to say that i have been extremely busy over the past month or so. i have been to sydney for christmas, entertained many family and friends over the summer holidays in nornalup, had the kids in 2 weeks of swimming lessons, finished off a couple of commission pieces, filled another "top-up" order for Howard Park Wines, moved house (a second home in Albany) and started studying full time .... phew, and that is the things that i can remember!!! life has been challenging and uplifting all rolled into one. i have had moments of overwhelm amongst laughter, tears and exhaustion. i am learning to adjust to living away from our main "family" home amongst the tall trees and into a city again. we are using the city unit as a base for the kids upper schooling and my study. whilst is is super exciting to have the shops, cafes and culture back on the doorstep, i must say, i miss "home" terribly. lucky i am busy busy busy...

during the next 6 months my focus will be studying Visual Art at the great southern institute of technology in albany. i am enrolled in art history/mixed media, drawing, printmaking, painting and digital media classes. SO full on, but SO much fun. i am hoping to pick up lots of new tricks, tips and techniques to incorporate into my own art work whilst "testing the water" to see if i like studying again before possibly doing a degree in fine art. i have loved every minute of my course so far and have decided to share some images with you below of some expressionist artists that have "caught my eye" this week.

kline

hoffman

and (just for you) i have included an image of a collage that one of my classmates and i completed yesterday as part of our drawing assessment. we had to do a large drawing each exploring tone and line making. we then had to cut our drawing up into different sized pieces to categorize them according to their tone (light, medium or dark). we then set about creating a collage incorporating work form the two of us which was 1m x 1m. i think you will agree, the results were pretty damn special. it was an awesome morning session, spending three hours creating and collaborating. i wonder what we will "create" next week ???

monique + leanne

in my next blog post i will be sharing with you all some VERY exciting news.....stay tuned and have a fabulous weekend :)

a little bit of goodness for CHRISTMAS ...

2011-12-19T22:58:00.000+08:00

well, tomorrow my family and i leave for Sydney to spend christmas with my sister, her hubby and her brand new baby girl (along with my folks) ...

WOW, it is going to be awesome:)

but, before i leave you all i thought i would share with you what i have been working on over the past few weeks.

FIRSTLY

christmas collage

i have been at work on some new collage pieces. all of these have been on 30cm x 30cm canvases or boards and i must say...i have LOVED the chance to "get messy" with the paper and glue again. this particular image above is a close up of a section of a completed piece entitled "christmas collage"....getting me into the whole christmas spirit xx

SECONDLY

owl art charm for walpole markets

these new art charms come in 1" and 1 1/2" square. they are reproductions of my original painting entitled "owl magic" which i sold at my recent Art Trail Exhibition in walpole. a very lovely local lady now has the beautiful original (70cm x 100cm) hanging in her bedroom to keep watch over her at night. the original painting was admired so much i have decided to bring her to life in my latest range of art charms. they will be available for sale at the Walpole Market on Saturday 31st December 2011, in Pioneer Park. i hope to see some of you there :)

THIRDLY

beginnings - original acrylic on canvas

today, i have completed a new comissioned work and OH BOY, has it been a challenge. the lady ordered a piece that echoed the colour palette of a previous painting of mine entitled "journey" and i did find it a whole new experience working within guidelines of size, colour and pattern. whilst i did enjoy the process i must say that letting it all "flow' and seeing what evolves is far more rewarding! but im am certainly not complaining as it is such an honour to have someone ask you to create an original piece especially for their home. i will deliver it tomorrow before heading off on holidays and i must say, i cannot wait to see it hanging in it's new home in Denmark !!

well, that is all until 2012 folks....yes, that's right. next time i will be blogging it will be a NEW YEAR. i certainly hope you all have a fantastic christmas and a fun-filled and joyous new year...until then...enjoy the "season to be jolly" xoxo

my latest addiction ...

2011-12-02T08:12:00.001+08:00

hi all. how are you all feeling about the fact that christmas is JUST

around the corner? i am super-excited, because we are heading to sydney

to spend it with my gorgeous new little niece

(who is one of the reasons i have been absent from

the blogosphere for so long).

she will be 6 weeks old on christmas day and my daughter

(13) is so excited to have a "little chicken" to cuddle and love ♥

i have decided today to share with you a sample of my latest collage work

that i am creating on boards that are 30cm x 30cm.

it started off with me trying to get use out of leftover wet paint

that was hanging around after painting my large paintings on canvas.

my doting husband has cut all of the boards up for me

and i have been loving getting the paper, the glue

and the lino stamps out.

here is one of the collages that i have loved

since the minute i made it. it is currently for sale locally

at the Nornalup Teahouse.

i have also just used this image on the front of a gorgeous new

square greeting card made exclusively for the

Cellar Door of Howard Park Wines in Denmark.

i hope you like it as much as i do..let me know what you think !

opening night success ♥

2011-10-09T19:16:00.002+08:00

WOW.....what a night.

11 paintings sold, a dozen bottles of champagne downed, lots of beautiful lino-printed fabric ordered, yummy food, great friends, fantastic support from the local community and two very happy artists :)

Our Opening Night was definitely a success !!!

Finally I have caught up after a week of busy/crazy madness after our AMAZING Opening Night last Friday. Thank you so very much to all who came along to "raise a glass" and to show your support for myself and Justine.

Thank you also must go out to all of my wonderful friends and family who have supported and encouraged me so much over the past few months and helped to show me that ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE...

make sure you believe in your dreams; because they really can come true!

check this out ...

2011-09-21T23:53:00.000+08:00

do you love it????

this is a digital collage I created tonight using some of the images I have photographed ready for my up-coming exhibition next week. in order to cover all tastes and budgets i have taken small "snap shots" of my acrylic painting work as it has been evolving to create 5 x 7 inch original art prints. these will sell for the BARGAIN price of $10 each at the exhibition, allowing anyone to take home a "snippet" of original art. they are packaged up and backed with foam core board so that they can be given as gifts or simply popped straight into a frame. i think they are going to be a hit...here are some single samples below.

harmony piece

love lace piece

peaceful pods piece

not long now . . .

2011-09-19T13:21:00.000+08:00

well...time flies when you are having fun doesn't it !!

did I say FUN ???

actually that is exactly what the last few weeks/months have been creating 27 pieces ready to exhibit in the 2011

"Bendigo Bank Southern Art and Craft Trail"

this week and next are all about the boring bits. paperwork, pricing, setting up, sending stories to local papers, catering etc. etc. etc.

justine and i are getting super excited...actually she is enjoying a pre-exhibition break and i am bunkering down with the fire on at home and hanging out with my gorgeous daughter (my number one fan). i did promise a "sneak peek" at pieces we have in readiness for the exhibition so i have included an image of both Justine and my work for you to see....

will leave the rest under wraps until the big "reveal"

... only 12 sleeps xoxoxox

hand printed lino cut on upcycled fabric

justine gamblin

"harmony"

acrylic on canvas

leanne fry

we hope to see as many supporters and friends as possible at the exhibition in Walpole and i would like to take this opportunity personally to say a huge thank you to my amazing husband and children who have been so supportive and nurturing during the last few months as i painted away and dreamt of this exhibition finally coming to life ♥

invite to my first exhibition !!!

2011-09-08T22:04:00.000+08:00

you can click on the invite above to get all the DETAILS...
i am super excited !!!

more details to follow soon and some sneak peeks of our work.

around here lately ....

2011-08-17T09:19:00.001+08:00

morning all.

did i mention that i am taking part in my very FIRST exhibition.

oh yes, i did that it my last post.

of course i did.

can you tell i am a wee bit excited ??

the 2011 Bendigo Bank Southern Art and Craft Trail is going to be huge. if you have not checked out the website yet, pop on over and have a look, making sure you click on the "our artists" tab.

well, it is because of this that i have been a little absent from the world of blogging for the last month or so. i have churned out 16 finished pieces so far and have a few more bubbling away. i kinda feel that if i just "go nuts" and create then it will give me the opportunity as the exhibition gets closer (which it actually now is creeping up on me ..... eeeeek ) to have the luxury of choosing what is going to work best in the gallery space and what compliments Justine's AMAZING lino-cut textile work.

here is a current work in progress that i have put on my mantle in the living room to look at for the next week while i work out where i am going to head with it next....
i wonder what will appear amidst the layers of this one???

here is another one i have recently completed....
i am loving the colours on this one.

i have also been really busy setting up my very own "le-papier" shop on the fabulous Etsy site, so stay tuned for the announcement that the beautiful art charms and greeting cards are available to purchase through my very own online shop......be patient though, as i have to get the rest of my paintings finished first.

anyway...that's me. busy. painting. making exhibition invites. being mum. loading up my etsy shop. cooking. creating. exploring. never a dull moment around here lately ...

painting frenzy...

2011-07-21T14:16:00.000+08:00

hello out there to all my friends and followers. just thought i would take some quick shots of the "works in progress" i have going on in preparation for my up-coming exhibition...yes, it's official. i am selling and exhibiting my works in a REAL exhibition this October in the nearby town of Walpole in collaboration with a friend and fellow artist, Justine Gamblin. we are taking part in the Southern Art and Craft Trail this year and are so thrilled to be part of it all. the exibition will be running from 1-16 October...more details to follow!

anyway, today i am working in the studio on some paint and collage works. i decided to take a snap of all the works together...very mixed up and random at the moment and as you can see, some pieces are completed works and others are ready for their next layers to go on....so, let the FUN begin. i am off to create some more "layered magic". chat soon peeps....xoxoxo

a little bit of paper goodness...

2011-07-04T09:19:00.000+08:00

good morning and happy Monday to you all.

well, i am sure i don't need to tell you how wonderful etsy is and how once you log onto the site you can spend hours, literally hours my friends, wandering around the site and looking at all of the amazing handmade goodies for sale. not only is this site the best place to buy unique handmade gifts but also it is such an amazing source of inspiration.

most of the shops on the site are "drool-worthy"

( i don't believe that is actually a word, but is sounds cool)

such a shop is Palomaria.

i discovered this inspirational site and am super impressed that her jewellery items are made from PAPER...right up my alley.

here is an image of one of her beautiful necklaces with a link to her shop...i do hope you enjoy them as much as i did. my order from her shop should be travelling across the pacific ocean as we speak.

Palomaria

series of six ...

2011-06-23T09:28:00.000+08:00

morning everyone...

as i am snuggled up at home with the fire blazing today i decided to share with you a little series of paintings/doodlings that i completed last night.

i know that they will not necessarily be everyone's "cup of tea" but i just love doodling...

as friends of mine well know !!!

it was so much fun to make these little canvases and

i really like them hanging together in a set.

it was also great to get out my dictionary papers and

words which i love to work with.

i randomly placed the papers on each canvas and

it wasn't until the paints over the top had dried that i went searching

for anything i liked. imagine my delight as i found words like

secret, kiss, serenity, sister, play, self and etc.

such COOL words...appearing from under the paint and glue.

truly inspirational.

i would love to hear your feedback on these pieces,

especially seeing as how they are a little different from my

usual work to date...they remind me of journal pages,

what do you think ??

cuteness...

2011-06-22T10:08:00.002+08:00

isn't this just THE CUTEST little soft toy you have EVER seen ??

"kooka" by grrl + dog

i found this amazing shop on etsy called grrl + dog

(if you click on this link it will take you there)

which you should all check out.

her work is simply devine...i want them all !!!

in the meantime i am still busy painting, card making and attending workshops so i will have a great new blog post up for you shortly...just thought i would give you something gorgeous to look at while you wait.

have a fantabulous (that is clearly not a REAL word) day

xoxo

"harmony" complete ...

2011-06-14T13:27:00.005+08:00

hi everyone...

today i am sharing with you all my latest COMPLETE painting...i finished late Friday night and just love how it has ended up. it started out life as a peacock on a branch but after many hours (and about 4 layers) eventually morphed into the work you see below. after i had painted the peacock and added the purple layer i put the painting up on my wall out in the family room to check it out for a while, get some perspective, see what was needed next. when after a week or so it wasn't "talking" to me i decided to be BOLD and cover it up! boy, am i sure glad i did, because for the first time it allowed so much to come shining through with every extra layer and every new song that came blaring out of my i-pod magic appeared........and i am so "stoked"

(is that actually a word???? it was in the eighties!!!) with the end result.

Enjoy♥

peacock....that i eventually covered up !

the layers working their magic ...

"harmony" complete

i think i am painting in my sleep !!!!

2011-06-02T14:02:00.000+08:00

hi all

i have just got to share you a few quick snaps today of two canvases i am working on at the moment inspired by nature...more to come, once i have put the next layer on top ;)

have a super duper fabulous weekend xo

hello ... long overdue blog post ♥

2011-05-27T15:25:00.002+08:00

hello to all of my blog friends out there.

it has been far too long since i blogged here and for that i sincerely apologise.

so much has happened over the past couple of months my head is spinning.....and therefore you are in for a seriously LONG blog post. lots of "show and tell" to get through !!!

ready...

one....Balingup Small Farm Field Day market stall
two....prioritising one's health
three....Denmark Art Markets on the Easter Weekend
four....Walpole Market with the Peaceful Bay Beanie Co.
five...Easter with friends and family at home
six....enjoying being a Mum to my teenage boys while they are home from school/uni.
seven....soldering art charms for orders
eight....Basketball Road Trip to Perth
nine....making more greeting cards for "le papier"
ten....countdown to our Bali break
eleven....painting "Flora Style" in studio
twelve....family time, via skype:) and a splash of paint
thirteen....my baby girl has Bieber Fever!!
fourteen....road trip on Mothers Day (taking myself to the children !!!)
fifteen....packing my holiday bags and squeeze in a bit of painting
sixteen....my lucky number...off to Bali now......
seventeen....home sweet home full of inspiration (and dexter dvd's)
eighteen....painting overload and joint exhibition??...whoop whoop!!

had enough yet ?????

don't worry...i will try not to RAMBLE...

ONE

i headed off to the Balingup Small Farm Field Day feeling very unwell, but decided to push myself to honour the commitments i have made to myself as part of my new creative business journey. a dear friend from Walpole accompanied me and without her i probably would have "pulled the pin". what seemed like a big weekend became far easier to deal with once i was surrounded by good friends and lots of support. fun was had setting up the gazebo for my stall on Friday night using the headlights of my car to see !! there were some fantastic exhibitors from the great garden sculptures, the french bakery, local artisians to the children's toys and gifts on Saturday and I met up with the lovely ladies from Henry and Hope with whom i shared some great conversation. it was sooo great to connect with MORE like -minded creative people.....topped off by an amazing steak and chips at the local pub on Saturday night for dinner and my friend sharing the long drive home...the weekend was all good. a great kick start to the market stall success i am hoping for.

TWO

so, i have mentioned that since blogging last i have been unwell. everything has caught up with me. my iron levels have bottomed out, i have had Ross River Virus and i have been struggling with "letting go" of my beautiful teenage sons as they venture from home and into the big wide world. it has been very hard to remain positive when at times i have not even had the energy to get out of bed in the morning. but with the help of my husband, my doctor and a very supportive group of family and friends i have tried to remain positive. i kept reminding myself that so many people in the world have much bigger issues to deal with on a daily basis. i told myself to be kind to myself and gently accept that i would have to pace myself through the tasks in front of me and that rather than not honour the commitments i had made to my business, myself and my children, i needed to move forward....but SLOWLY.

THREE

it was with great trepidation that i took part in the Denmark Art Markets. once again i was accompanied by a very close friend who helped me set up and hung out with me for moral support. this market draws a huge crowd and i was nervous about "exposing myself" to a wider audience. i am SO GLAD that i did. all the questions i had lurking in my mind like "will anyone buy my goods?" " will people like the products i am selling?" etc. etc. were silenced when i was surrounded with support for my wares and lots of positive feedback

(oh, and lots of sales too!!) JOY......was found.

FOUR

the very next day i had a stall at the Walpole Easter Market with my gorgeous friend Jo from the Peaceful bay Beanie Co. spending this day chatting and hanging out with her made me realise just how much i have missed her since she moved from Nornalup to now reside close to the "big city" lights of Perth.

i miss you Jo xo

FIVE

at the end of those two busy days on the Easter weekend i was so very grateful to come home to family and friends who were staying with us for the holiday. 10 adults and 6 kids hung out over the weekend and our home was filled with laughter, good food, music, great coffee, possums, wine and sharing of stories :) thank you universe for the best family and friends a girl could ask for.

our home where we hung out together at Easter time :)

SIX

having my two boys home over the holiday break was a "warm and fuzzy" time for me. my boys give the best hugs, make a mean basil and tomato bruschetta and never cease to amaze me. their constant laughter, love for each other and devotion to their "little sister" is such a joy.

truly special times xo

SEVEN

soldering art charms is so much fun, especially with my NEW soldering iron. my lovely husband has made me a stand for my tweezers so that now when i solder on the jump rings to complete the necklaces i can work alone.....i am really not sure if this was to help me or ensure he gets out of having to juggle tiny jump rings in his big man hands whilst i repeatedly say " it's not in the middle...you moved it again...can you help me with the jump rings today ????"

what do you think.....helping me out or helping himself ???

i say the latter...what a patient man he has been !!!!

EIGHT

i accompanied my youngest son as his team manager for a weekend Basketball trip/competition in Perth. it was SO MUCH FUN. i was Mum to a whole gaggle of teens and they were a constant source of entertainment. they played well. they slept well. they sang on the bus trip and they enjoyed having each other to hang out with. so blessed to spend the weekend with some amazing kids and adults..thanks guys.

NINE

greeting card overload. after almost selling out at the recent markets it was time to print, stick, ink, tape and package greeting cards to bring my stock levels back up. take a peek at the photo below that shows some of the studio chaos during this time....

TEN

organising kids itineraries, travel documents, food shopping, medical needs, travel insurance, changing money, sun screen, ear plugs, digging to the back of the cupboard for the swimming togs, getting someone to cover my netball coaching role and tidying up the house in readiness for a holiday "break away" with my husband and four great friends to Bali soon....counting down the sleeps.

ELEVEN

because my head has been so full of business and obligations lately i decided to take a slice of "creative time out". i have just made a few backgrounds ready to layer up all "flora" style once i am home from my holiday...i cranked up the stereo and got messy...yay.

TWELVE

our family has finally discovered skype. what a revolution. now when we chat to the boys (one at boarding school for year eleven and twelve and one away at university) we can see their smiling faces...makes it easier to handle; seeing them smiling :)

i also managed to splash just a little more paint on canvas as i walked past them in the studio each day.

you smile=i smile

THIRTEEN

it's official. my 12 year old daughter has BIEBER FEVER. she is off on a 5 hour road trip with two of her besties and one dedicated mum to his concert in Perth.

purple jeans. check. justin bieber t-shirt. check. pre-teen innocence. check.

please don't change too much :)

FOURTEEN

i awoke on Mothers Day to no children. for the first time in 18 years. one guy 5 hours away at university. one guy 1.5 hours away playing football. on girl recovering (5 hours away) from her first music concert - the Bieberfest!!!

decided to take myself to the closest child. in the car and off we go to the football. i need a hug from at least one of them...it was the best hug i have had in a long time and he played a fantastic game of football that day!! i also enjoyed long distance phone conversations and laughter with them all.

i am learning that being a great Mum can mean letting go.

allowing your children as young adults to find their own voice.

i have given them two gifts in this lifetime, the first is roots and the second is wings.

FIFTEEN

everything is packed for our holiday...

i will just add a little bit of paint to that canvas as i pass the studio.....there, that feels GOOD.

SIXTEEN

my favourite number.

on a plane to Bali. 7 days of banana pancakes, beautiful locals, massages poolside, sharing with friends, temples, cocktails, nasi goreng, coastal road trips, sunsets, markets, beach walks, pool bars, bartering, scooters, day spa indulgence at

prana spa

i ♥ bali

SEVENTEEN

home sweet home and full of inspiration. so much culture, ritual, colour on the island of bali. below are some photos i share with you from our trip...

EIGHTEEN

so, since i have been home from holidays i have encountered an inspiration overload.

the colours, textures and sights of bali have definitely fed my creative soul. below are some examples of the layers i have been building up on my canvases this week. i am going to stop for a while and look at them before i add the next layer...i wonder what mystery awaits. i am looking forward to getting out the paint for the next layer already !!! i must learn to be patient.....with time comes a little more perspective. i suppose that could be said about many things hey. life. painting. love. friendship. growth.

i hope you enjoy these images. stay tuned to see how they evolve ...

and finally...i am looking at taking part in my very first joint exhibition in October...details to follow soon xo

i know i felt more than a tad overwhelmed over the last couple of months, but i have also began to see things a little clearer over this past week of "slow down" time and reflected on the lessons i have learnt over this time.....

trust your inner voice.
know your limits.
spend time with those you love.
eat well.
immerse youself in goodness.
let yourself be scared.
embrace positive thoughts.
bake cakes.
set those you love free.
be yourself.
dream big.
trust.
eat chocolate chip biscuts and banana pancakes.
listen.
be grateful.

love from leanne ♥

bad blogger ...

2011-05-19T20:25:00.000+08:00

hi all
i am sorry i have been such a bad blogger.
i have been quite unwell for a few weeks, then jumped on a plane to bali and just got back home yesterday.
i promise i will be blogging again by the end of the weekend.
stay tuned xo

off to balingup ... "le papier" market stall

2011-04-15T12:54:00.004+08:00

hi all

i have just finished packing up the car to head to the

Balingup Small Farm Field Day with my "le papier" stall.

i am super excited about this one as it will be a big day out and i am taking a friend along with me to share the experience. i also have other friends from the Peaceful Bay Beanie Co. exhibiting there so it will be awesome to catch up with them. we are all staying together in a little cottage on the outskirts of town....can't wait.

i have posted some photos that show you some of the new art charms i made this week in their groovy packaging. i have been using the scraps of collage/scrapbooking papers left over from card making, collage and scrappin' to make up these little packages to put my art charms in ready for sale, then running them through my little mini sewing machine with a nice piece of contrasting paper to add a little contrast.

i am looking forward to telling you all about it upon my return.

then begins the countdown the the great BIG

Denmark Art's Easter Market

on Saturday 23rd April 2011.....yippee.

"bloom true" with flora bowley ...

2011-03-30T18:58:00.000+08:00

ok, so it has taken me a week or so to come down from the natural high i was on after attending the recent "bloom true" intuitive painting adventure in the Dwellingup bush camp know as Nanga Brook. this workshop was led by the one and only flora bowley from Portland, Oregon in the US. i suggest you pop over to her website to check out her bio. and inspiring work at www.florasbowley.com

flora is a well known artist who has been painting for 16 years and has only recently started teaching classes....what can i say except that i am pretty darn sure she has found her "true" calling. it was such a gift getting to spend three glorious days under her gentle guidance (both in painting and simple yoga practice) and a complete bonus getting to spend time with her and the other 8 ladies in attendance. i managed to make some great new friends who, like me, are driven by creativity. a special thanks needs to go out to the amazing donna from "donna heart" who invited flora to australia and facilitated this workshop. she is one woman who truly believes in the power of "ask and you shall receive".....

sue, flora, jayne, me, dixie, michelle, sarmarie, debbi and donna
pictured with flora's two completed works...we actually all match !!

in flora's workshop she encourages her students to let go of expectations and accept that there are no mistakes! nice one hey. her philosophy is very much focused on the "process" instead of the final product ... sooooo liberating. what could be better than listening to some groovy music and just gettin' messy with the paint right !!! ABSOLUTELY. she encourages us to build up colour value and volume by working in layers on our canvases, letting each layer dry off before adding another. i have posted below one of my paintings showing how the work evolved over the three days. looking back it this now i realise how much i learnt from my three days in "the bush" and from the wonderful flora -

have i already mentioned how serene yet funky this amazing american chickie was?

ok, enough with the ranting, i think you get the picture ;)

the four stages of "wonder"

and here is a picture of the finished piece i created entitled "wonder"

(as shown smaller above)

wonder

and here are some amazing pictures taken during our workshop showing just how awesome the setting was and how many different ideas came from the power of just "going with the flow" and letting ourselves spill out onto the canvas by exploring with colour, volume and pattern ...

sarmarie

michelle

sue

donna

me :)

debbi

dixie

jayne

flora

as you can see, it was a truly awesome weekend...

i am so very grateful for all that we shared...

truly inspirational...

thank you to the amazing flora bowley and her generous spirit...

and to the fabulous and fantastic "nanga 8" - as we now call ourselves - you rock xo

cards, cards and more cards ...

2011-03-14T13:25:00.000+08:00

hi all.
i have had a fantastic weekend getting the production line happening and creating another 90 cards ready for the three markets i am attending in april (see post dated 27th Feb. 2011 for details of these markets) ... i had so much fun printing/sticking, labelling and packaging. most of the designs are the "old favourites" but i have created three new designs using my camelia photographs taken back last year when i was doing the blogging your way online class with the amazing holly becker and lesley shewring (see post dated 1st Oct. 2010)

i have taken these photos and hand stamped a couple of beautiful images/words over them to create some pretty sweet looking cards ... let's hope the customers like them as much as i do !! let me know what you think ...

necklace heaven ...

2011-02-27T19:32:00.001+08:00

well ... i have been really busy soldering away.

over the last 10 days i have managed to pump out several new designs for my art charms that i will be selling at the markets in Denmark, Walpole and Balingup between now

and the end of April.

i have made the charms in three different sizes

(1" square, 1.5" square and 1" wide x 3" long)

so there should be something to suit everyone !!!

1" square art charms

all of the art charms feature scanned images of my original collage work and in fact some of them even have tiny little original collages going on inside them ...

the inspiration just kept coming.

if anyone would like to order an art charm please
feel free to e-mail me.

the 1" square are $14 each,

the 1.5" square are $18 each

the 1" x 3" are $18 each

(you can identify them by telling me where they are located

on the grid pictured)

yummy new rubber stamps ...

2011-02-24T16:06:00.000+08:00

recently, i was lucky enough to buy some new supplies from the delightful girls over at Destination Art ...

i have been soooooo inspired by the latest range of rubber stamps and matching die cuts from Paper Artsy

and guess what ??

the Destination Art team stock their goodies.

so, i decided to treat myself.

this is the stamp set i purchased is from their "hot picks" range HP1004EZ.

i decided to use the beautiful birdcage stamp with the co-ordinating die cut shown below.

once i had cut the birdcage out using the metal die in my cuttlebug machine, i inked the stamp up with stazon black ink (so that i could colour the birdcages to suit the cards i was making). as you will see below by the three samples i have posted, they turned out a treat ! i have stamped up several more and hope to have a lovely range of "birdcage" cards in a whole rainbow of colours soon.....

coincidence or something more ???

2011-02-05T15:17:00.011+08:00

so, i was reading a very inspiring blog post the other week posted by the one and only kelly rae roberts and was feeling very envious of the amazing artistic community in and around portland in the united states. i serioulsy felt like i wanted to jump on a plane and get me some of that artistic goodness....clearly delusional.

so then, i met up with a friend this week that i had first met 7 years ago at a workshop here in Western Australia. she and i live a long way apart and met through a mutual friend. i really warmed to her when i met her all those years ago and was so thrilled to re-connect with her of late. i have watched her and several other amazinly talented artists from the sidelines for 6 years whilst we ran a business and nurtured our children towards adolesence. i met up with her again last september and we pledged to keep in touch. over coffee 4 days ago she handed me some info. on a workshop that she had just enrolled in and that she thought i might be intersted in. GET OUT OF HERE ... it was the "bloom true" workshop being run by the very talented flora bowley, the exact same artist, from Portland, who's very workshop experience i was drooling over on kelly rae's blog post. AND the local (West Australian) point of contact for registrations is the amazing donna jensen who i met online during kelly rae's "flying lessons" e-course which i participated in last year. donna lives in Western Australia too and she posted encouraging words on my blog when i was first starting out, which really meant alot to me...

everything is just falling into place.

i get to meet donna in the flesh ... (instead of just through cyber space)
i get to hang out with the amazing, warm and friendly debbi baker
i get to paint with flora bowley ... stop it !!! you should seriously check out her website !

it just goes to show; that if we find the time to trust in letting go and believe in ourselves just a little bit, if we make the step to re-connect with those creative soul mates we have out there and if we take the time to assess where we are headed on our own personal journey ... good things happen.
i can't wait to share some photos with you in late march once i have completed the workshop !

art prints

2011-01-22T18:05:00.000+08:00

last saturday i had my first market stall at the walpole markets in my home town. at that market i launched for sale my art prints (which i love). over the last few months i have had endured a steep learning curve in respect to archival quality ink and paper, formatting prints ready for printing and getting the colours "just right".
i must admit i wanted to "pinch myself" to see if they were real once i saw them all packaged up and looking so professional!! i have posted some images below as a "snapshot" of some prints i currently have available.

dress up

dress up 3

desire trio

the lighthouse

i am so looking forward to walpole and denmark eater 2011 markets !!!
thank you to all of my friends, family and new customers who have proved to be such a huge support over the past few months whilst i have been playing around trying to get them ready for sale...your input has been invaluable xo

my first market stall !!!

2011-01-17T12:55:00.000+08:00

YAY...le papier has finally made it onto the market scene in 2011.

i had my first stall on saturday and it was SO MUCH FUN.

I received so much positive feedback, handed out lots of business cards, practiced setting up my stall and sold some goodies in the meantime (bonus).

cards, magnets, pendants and more ...

i just love the energy that comes with being part of the market scene.

catching up with locals is always fun and chatting with the visitors to our wonderful community in such a relaxed environment amongst the trees is always a treat. it was also so humbling to have other local stall holders come and check out my stall and make me feel so very welcome.

art prints ...

seeing all of my art on sale gave me a great "warm fuzzy" feeling.
the colours, packaging and stall display turned out exactly as i hoped and it was such a fantastic experience. my family helped set up the gazebo and hang up some of my original collages which saved me heaps of set up time : thanks family, you rock xo

display ideas for my market stall...

2010-12-08T16:26:00.000+08:00

hello all. i am so very sorry that it has been a month since my last post. we have had a few hiccups here over the last three weeks but i am finally back in business....YAY !
now : i really need your help. I would love some feedback.
i am starting to package my soldered necklaces ready for sale at next years' summer markets. i have packaged some up today and set up some display ideas. continuing with the le papier theme i decided to incorporate some old books into the display by attaching the glass necklace slides to them so that people can peek at the different styles.
here are some photos i took today....

what do you think?
do you like the way this is displayed?
do you have any ideas about how i could display them differently?

i thought of running a "string line" across my stall to peg the slides onto but feel they may be lost just floating around in the open.

i would love some feedback.

please post your comment and let me know what you think.

THANK YOU :)

embellished garden tin

2010-11-09T11:30:00.002+08:00

open the door on this beautiful painted and decorated tin and have a

sneek peek at what can be found inside...

i had SO MUCH fun lining and decorating this garden themed tin and was really inspired by the verse i pasted inside about a bird and her baby.....as spring is upon us i thought i would take this opportunity to share these pictures with you. i started out by painting the tin in a lovely garden green and sanding it back to give it that "worn vintage" style.

then the real fun began.

i especially loved finding papers and embellishments to pop inside each of the

12 little screw top round tins....JOY.

i love spring...

dreams really do come true ...

2010-11-03T13:38:00.000+08:00

i am writing this post as i have had an incredibly frustrating couple of weeks trying to get my computer and internet problems sorted out as well as being ill with a nasty cold. i am sorry that i have no new goodies to show you, but i thought i would share these photos that i took in my back yard a little while ago. i have a dear friend who shared with me a dream she had a few years ago about me living on a block of land in the country and having my own peacocks...i excitedly explained to her that whilst we were busy renovating our home on 20 acres, alas, there were to be no peacocks. with the busy schedule my family has to attend to for work/sport/study commitments unfortunately having pets would not currently be an option. SO imagine my surprise one fine morning when i glanced out the window of my home to find this beautiful creature wandering around my yard. it JUST TURNED UP on my doorstep...literally! i thought i was seeing things, especially after my friend's dream. it turns out that this darling belonged to a neighbour who lives over a kilometre away and we soon got her settled back home. but not before some moments of amazement and disbelief on my behalf....

it suppose it just goes to show - dreams really do come true !!

remember paper doll dresses ?

2010-10-19T12:22:00.000+08:00

remember those great "paper dolls" we used to have that had the cute clothes with the little tabs we just tucked over the shoulders of the dolls to give them a new look....i just LOVED them when i was little !!!
well, they were the source of the inspiration behind my latest set of four collage works entiltled "dress up".
i have posted a picture of one of the completed collages below and i have to say i had lots of fun creating them. whilst i was working away my mind kept drifting back to the days when play time was seemingly endless ..... aaaah, those were the days ...

i have a little secret to tell you about how these collages were created; if you take a peek at one of my previous posts entitled rainy tuesday you will see that i have used the "august pastel collage" pieces as the base for the "dress up" series. i just love the fact that i have scanned and used the original pastel collages for my art prints/pendants and cards and now i can take them to a whole new level by creating a second series over the top of the original work. transforming the original pastels into these cute dresses was a real treat, i was so absorbed whilst playing with the delicate pastel colours and especially enjoyed incorporating the old sewing pattern paper. i just LOVE getting my hands dirty.
what do you think about this concept? let me know if you like them........x

camelia colour story

2010-10-01T17:27:00.000+08:00

i have been having so much fun with editing my photos in photoshop and with picnik online that i have decided to share with you today some of my beautiful pink themed shots.

thank you so very much to the lovely leslie shewring over at the blogging your way e-course for sharing her photo editing tips and secrets, she truly is such a gem x

i hope you enjoy these shots as much as i do. i just love the romantic feel that they convey.
i am doing "little happy dances" right now at how pretty they look on my blog !
have a fantastic weekend x

sharing my favourites...

2010-09-26T22:03:00.000+08:00

well, i thought it was about time to "get back to my roots" and share with you all five of my all time favourite WOOD MOUNTED rubber stamps. these stamps are glorious to use on hand-made greeting cards for your family and friends. i have stamped them up for you to see, just using black ink on paper so you get to see the true images and then i have popped them in a list below with quick links directly to them online so you can jump right in and order yourself some. happy shopping ( and stamping !!! )

"Change" Quote Wood Mounted Rubber Stamp tim holtz

2. "Every Step" Rubber Art Stamp paperbag studios

3. "Dress Up" Rubber Art Stamp paperbag studios

4. "Robin Script Heart" Christine Adolph Collection stampington and co.

5. "Buttons & Lace" stampington and co.

if anyone decides to try any of these stamps on your projects, please send me and e-mail and let me know. i would love to feature some of the cards that have incorporated the use of my favourite stamps in a future blog post. thank you x

"mood board" fun

2010-09-26T15:07:00.000+08:00

as i previously mentioned, i am currently taking an online course entitled "blogging your way" through decor8. one of the projects was for us (as bloggers) to make a mood board to illustrate the "feel" we would like to display on our blogs. i have incorporated some square photos i took in my own garden, one of my soldered pendants, a greeting card from my latest collection, some of my mini business cards which have my collage images on them, my favourite necklace from an amazing fellow aussie cat hammill and some magazine shots of home decor which i love. i must say, this was a fun project and i am really happy with the visual appeal of the project...what a fun way to spend the morning.

now back to the washing line !!

short and sweet

2010-09-19T17:27:00.002+08:00

my first photgraphy post !!!

hello everyone...i am super-excited to share with you just ONE of the 254 shots i have taken this afternoon in my garden and at home. i am currently taking an online course entitled "blogging your way" led by the amazing holly becker and from decor8 and the delightful leslie shewring from a creative mint. leslie has offered us some photo editing tips and i have spent the afternoon playing....once all of the housework was done (obviously). don't you just love slow cookers, having dinner cooking away whilst i get creative is such a godsend....anyway i am off to pack my bags again - this time off to music camp with my daughter and her schoolfriends, should be a fun-filled, jam-packed week :)
i hope you like my beautiful camelia flowers as much as i do x

upmarket update

2010-09-17T21:10:00.022+08:00

WELL...........upmarket was indeed inspirational.
but my camera did not make it out of my bag.............arrrrgh.

i was so into enjoying the moment, snaffling up beautiful homemade wares, eating yummy food, drinking great coffee, chatting with a good friend and checking out stall set-ups for when i hopefully get my own space there. you can check out the great upmarket website to see the goodies or just take my word for it.....upmarket rocks. xxx

i am now lusting after the entire new pastel range from

eucalypt homewares

i especially like the way all of the pastel colour combinations work together and when you FEEL these pieces that have a lovely matt exterior which is so beautifully tactile. a great contrast to their shing, smooth inside surface.

i need to live in the little design horse shop

everthing here is a treat for the eyes......i must admit that i own one of the amazing lamps and am suggesting to my family that i may need another one for christmas !

i was inspired by the presentation of the jewellery from

white square

i totally loved the katy jane designs stand
i purchased a beautiful hand-felted piece from the amazing pauline franklyn
i loved the beautiful owls at the mokoh stall
i have added a handcrafted print from beau est mien

please check out the links to all of these sites....

i promise you will not be dissapointed x

studio makeover

2010-09-17T13:52:00.000+08:00

don't you just LOVE looking at other peoples studio's. i know i do.
so, i have decided to share a couple of (not very well lit ) photos of my studio this week before i get new desks/shelves/pin up boards happening.

i won't be getting it all done at once but every little bit will help in the organisation of it all. it must be the virgo in me........i seriously need to whip this room into order !!!

road trip...........

2010-09-08T22:21:00.000+08:00

well tomorrow morning i am off on a road trip. taking myself to the people. hahahaha.
i am heading to the fantabulous perth upmarket........checking out stall set up ideas and soaking up lots of creative vibes. see you all next week with some "snapshots" x

it's official !!!

2010-09-04T16:26:00.000+08:00

here are the images of my fantabulous new business cards and mini cards from moo . they are definately as cool as i thought they would be. each card has MY artwork and collage work on the front and my details on the back....they make me feel very happy (i am doing a little "happy dance" as we speak)

i have been handing them out with reckless abandon for the past three days and finally got the time to take some shots to post here on my blog. if you purchase one of my pieces at the upcoming walpole or denmark summer markets you can score one to keep :) or just ask me for one and i promise i will let you take one home.....

busyness and business

2010-09-01T18:13:00.000+08:00

...........this morning i awoke feeling a little overwhelmed about how i was going to fit everything in this week. i planned a day catching up on studio work before heading of to "paid work" for the next two days. then i got a phone called saying "help", can you please come into work today !!! so i dropped everthing and off i went...........on the way to work i dropped into the post office and GUESS what was waiting there ????
my new business and mini cards and THEY ARE AWESOME. they are from moo and they rock. i will post some photos of them in the next couple of days (my daughter has pinched my camera tonight) i love the quality of them and the colours are awesome. thank you to some of my "flying lessons" classmates who shared their resources so willingly during the recent e-course i took part in with kelly rae roberts
can't wait to show you all..........overwhelm be gone.

take one collage .........

2010-08-27T12:45:00.003+08:00

after finishing work on my august collage series i scanned all of my work and had a play with the scanned images. i created some great collage sheets of my own for putting into glass slides, then i got out my trusty soldering iron and my "lead-free" solder and made these beautiful slides for necklaces for my new august pastel range. check them out !

august has never looked so good.

inspiration at home

2010-08-20T17:09:00.000+08:00

it is TRUE that inspiration for art can be drawn from anywhere. this is a shot i took outside my studio window a few months ago when there was a fire in the distance. combine this with a beautiful sunset and there you have it.....such stillness and beauty at home - a moment of tranquility amongst our busy days.

rainy tuesday

2010-08-17T13:04:00.001+08:00

august pastel collage series

it's raining outside and i am busy glueing !!

waiting for them to dry now so i can paint and alter them.....

i am on my way...

2010-08-15T11:20:00.002+08:00

just thought i would post some shots of some of the collages i have recently finished....i am loving playing with paper and have scanned all my completed projects to use in my range of greeting cards and jewelery. also just ordered my business cards and mini moo cards. i am soooo looking forward to receiving THEM in the mail...yippee !!!

“Friends are angels who lift our feet when our own wings have trouble remembering how to fly.” author unknown

2010-06-16T07:43:00.005+08:00

thank you to all my "flying lesson" classmates for posting comments on my newly developed blog. it is still a work in progress and it is AMAZING to know that there are like-minded creative spirits up there to boost us up when we need it.
i am still making my way in the creative business side of things and no, i don't have my own etsy shop yet, i am still developing my website and i am struggling to find time to paint - aggghh.
what an amazing journey we are all on. i am going to put the brakes on a bit, slow down today and just "be". have a fantastic day.......i know i will x

i did it !!!

2010-06-15T13:30:00.003+08:00

i did it, i did it !!! i went down to the new gallery/coffee shop in town today and asked if they would be interested in seeing my work to put on their walls and they said YES. i am heading in there soon with three of my latest pieces -YAY. it felt scary and good all at the same time. i am really starting to believe in myself - i can do this and it actually feels pretty darn good !

weekend workshop

2010-06-14T10:52:00.003+08:00

i am struggling to get on top of a super-annoying head cold at the moment but had a fabulous weekend at a workshop i taught with 10 very enthusiastic students...it was awesome. the workshop was titled "CardArt" and as the name suggests it was all about greeting cards...lots of embossing, inking, stamping and nibbling on chocolate biscuts...YUMMY.
i have posted a photo of the nametags i made for all of the lovely ladies who joined me...what a great way to share a saturday !

believing in myself

2010-06-10T18:02:00.004+08:00

i am 39 years old an about to start living the creative life i have always dreamt of. i am excited, scared, and hopeful. for years i have dabbled and played with my art. sold my pieces at markets, run papercraft weekends, painted for small exhibitions and created beautiful gifts for my family and friends.

NOW i am going to start creating for life.....

2010-06-10T12:34:00.002+08:00

hi there...i am having some issues with getting the layout and design of my blog set up so please be patient...i will be onboard shortly !