I won!

I am such a lucky thing! I won this gorgeous sachet hand made by talented and lovely Sonia from C.Crafts & Collectibles!!! Thank you so much sweet Sonia!!!! I love it! She has also made some gorgeous new collages, go and check out her lovely blog!

More from me later tonight, I have some awesome photos to show you of my 'adventures' yesterday.

PS. Head on over to Holly's blog, she is hosting a Tiara Swap, how sweet is that for an idea! If you want to sign up do it quickly!

Bye,

Natasha xo

Pretty Ballet Tutu Cushion!

Ooh how lovely did this turn out!!!???!!!! My ultra-talented friend Kathy at Shabby Roses Boutique has (FINALLY! lol, Kathy you know I am kidding) made up this cushion ~ using a panel that I hand painted while she was down staying with me last September, LOL that's how long I have been nagging her to make something with it but we both didn't know if it should be a bag or a cushion or ??? So she made this divine cushion and I just love it and had to share it with you!!!! It's available on her website here and at a very good price considering it is an original artwork and a beautifully stylish and expertly made cushion/pillow!!!

Close up of the painting section ~ for more pics of the cushion go to Kathy's website. Here's a bag we did together last year that Kathy sold on eBay. If you are after a bag please contact either of us and we can do our best to accommodate your needs.

I'll try to write more later, I have had a fascinating day today, interesting and sad too, going through things in my grandparents' home. My Dad just sold their house and we are packing up things, I spent quite some time in my Grandfather's workshop (he was a shoemaker), the workshop is today as it was left in 1985 when he died, only with more dust and cobwebs. I took tons of photos, so many that my camera ran out of charge and now it is charging up, I need to upload photos to share with you, some of them turned out beautifully.

Bye for now my blogging friends!

Natasha

Long posts and big gaps between are becoming a habit!

My apologies in advance, I hope this one isn't too long and boring for you! I'll keep the written part as short and sweet as I can so you can peruse the photos!

I splurged the other day on beautiful divine lovely imported papers and lovely stamps.... the stamps, just love these! Some of the papers are FLOCKED!!! I have had some special order requests for ruffly paper dresses so thought these would look really lovely in dresses. The dresses are almost done and they look great in these papers, will post pics soon...

I'm in the fairy jar swap and my parcel was posted off to Heather today. Lately I have been really making an effort with my wrapping when I have time and I just love this wrapping (if I do say so myself!)!!! I got a whole lot of vintage lace the other day, I'll be making packs with the lace and my printed papers to sell on my website very soon....

Oh now this is what greets me every time I drive into the carport.... this three piece wardrobe set that I had to have that we no longer have room for.... I am going to paint it white, by hand unfortunately as I don't have spray equipment, then shabby it a bit, then paint roses on each piece. I am visualising a beautiful pretty girly result to sell... will keep you posted on my progress! I thought if I post a photo here then I must do the job!!!

Mr Leroy has taken a liking to my camera. Can you believe he is 3 and can take a photo (albeit a little out of focus)???!!! Here's one he took of me yesterday while working on my paper dresses, mess everywhere, Thomas trains in the mix! That gorgeous quilt behind me is a work of my talented mother.... gave it to us when we got married, a double wedding ring quilt, all hand pieced and hand quilted, not a machine in sight! Took her the best part of a year to do and I love it!!!

Oh hey, here's a funny thing!!! If you turn the camera around to take a photo of yourself and put your finger in front of the flash, it goes through your finger and gives you a red glow! LOL like I have nothing better to do than play with the camera but I thought this was funny so I'm sharing it with you. You never know when you might want to look like an OOMPA LOOMPA without having to photoshop it!!!

I've been working on some swaps, one of them is the Shabby Chic Matchbox swap ~ who would ever have thought you can fit so much in a matchbox????!!!!!!!!!

Oh and today I received some yummy goodies.... two boxes awaiting me at my door... (plus another parcel in the letterbox which I will take pics of tomorrow)

Sweet Heather of Pretty Petals Boutique sent this great parcel, just LOVE the Rachel Ashwell paper on top, that has been neatly kept!!!

Inside a wonderful assortment of flowers & ribbons for me to use on faux cakes, lavender strawberries, sachets, collages, whatever! I just love all of them! And a cute postcard of Pittsburg!

But the most special thing is the sachet I had her custom make for me!!!!! You can find them on her website, I'm telling you they are just gorgeous!!! I love the little girl's face, we call her "Happy Girl" (I know, not very imaginative!). Mine was custom made because we can't have lavender sent to Australia unfortunately so I had her make me one unscented. Blasted quarantine!!!

And another box of lovely flowers from a lovely customer who I am making a few custom order cakes for!!!! Some of these will adorn her order...

So that's it for me for now. Off to finish these paper dresses and I will share more again, hopefully more frequently and less 'in bulk' next time!!!

Enjoy your day!

Natasha xo

Cottage Charm Giveaway Winner....

Thank you everyone for your entries to the Cottage Charm Giveaway, the winner has just been drawn....

Congratulations Ancient One!!! I am emailing you now and please send me your address.

All the best, have a great weekend,

Natasha : )

Busy Bee, Fairy Swap and my first ever ATCs (ooh scary!!!)

Again, it's been a while! I haven't had much of a chance to catch up on my regular blog-reading that I enjoy so much because I've been a busy bee with lots of different projects!

Firstly a reminder that the Cottage Charm giveaway ends very soon, in a few days so if you haven't signed up for all the giveaways be sure to click here to check them all out and enter-away!!! Scroll down for mine.

SO here is what I have been doing the last week or so.... apart from some custom order prints and magnets...

My new range of papers is now on my website with free postage worldwide! They feature my paintings (shrunk down!) either on plain background or different patterns. Great for scrap booking pages, small gift wrap, or to cut up and use in collages etc. Click here to check them out, this is only a small selection of them here.... (a few not yet on my website but coming!!!)

This is where Heather is to look away..... I chose a few pics that only give a hint of what my jar fairy is like for Little Melfie's Fairy Jar Swap. I have been partnered with Heather and that is so exciting because she is adorable and very creative!!! I love her style. I finished my jar fairy for her last night, after working on her on and off for 4 days. She's certainly a little different!!! A Shabby Fairy.... I'll post her off soon...

One of the swaps I worked up the courage to join up is an ATC swap!!! I have never done an ATC in my life, LOL I had to check what the correct measurements were first! The theme is flowers and bright colourful flowers, not dull or sepia (which I thought would be easier considering I paint but I kind-of wished sepia was allowed because the ideas I was coming up with were all sepia....) . So we could paint it or use collage or whatever. I chose to paint to ease myself into the whole ATC thing.... Got some beautiful textured paper and painted each one to colours suited to each partner based on their profiles. Hope they like these, I'm a bit worried, like I said these are my first....

And just to challenge myself I am in an Artist Choice ATC swap. This suited me to a tee because it meant I could do what I wanted. So I did! Experimented with aging and crepe paper etc... is that allowed on an ATC? I don't know the rules, I am probably doing it all wrong! Well, they're OOAK and were quite fun! The middle one has a print of my bird painting on it too.

Lastly, here's one of the custom orders I have been working on. It's a box that a sweet lady asked for, my clever Dad made it to her dimensions (and wow he got creative by adding handles and interesting ball feet)... here's the phone conversation about it when he made the box)

Dad:"I did the round balls for feet like the lady wanted"

Me: "Oh really, what did you end up using to get the right round shape?"

Dad: "Golf Balls"

Me (horrified): "GOLF BALLS?????? Oh no, you are joking, aren't you?"

Dad: "No I'm not, they look really good"

Me: "Oh come on Dad they will look like golf balls with the dimples!"

Dad: "No they look really good, they have a battered look to them and you like all that stuff that isn't perfect"

Me: (thinking.... oh my gosh, my dad is 'getting' the shabby look now, and he's telling me all about it!)

Dad: "Oh and I added some old handles to the sides, I think the lady will like them".

Me: (in shock, what's this? My dad is making creative decisions and not ringing me every five minutes to say something isn't perfectly straight or he isn't happy with the old wood or why do I buy this old chippy stuff and do I want him to sand it back or plane it....)

So this is what he made, it's just great. My Dad is so clever, as a child I believed he could do anything and could do magic. Now that I am older I know that's nonsense but he can ALMOST do anything! Definitely anything he tries he does well.

Here's a before pic, with glad wrap on the golf ball feet to protect them from the white I was about to paint on the box...

And now here is a during pic.... the French words all over the box were selected by the customer. Inside the box is lined in anaglypta paper (faux ceiling tin look)

And the final touches of gold trim really finished it off! Very unique and I love it!!! I would never have thought to do something like this, it's great when your buyers come to you with ideas!

So now you know where my time has been spent. These things and THEN SOME. I love being busy and I love those days where you tie up loose ends and get lots achieved. Yesterday and today were two of those days, YAY!!!!

Enjoy your day! I hope you get lots of ends tied up too!!!

Natasha xo

Cards, bad hair day and a Chick Flick

I've become addicted to swaps.... it's not like I have the extra time up my sleeve (!!!) but I think it must be the enjoyment out of not having any expectations, or having to meet expectations that makes it more fun to do!!! Plus the fact that I am always cramming too much 'stuff to do' in my life!

I've just mailed out these cards to my swap partners for the June Thank You Card Swap. They're so different to what I would normally do, I like to read people's profiles and make something tailored to their likes. For instance, the first two cards are for a lady who likes altered art and anything to do with fairies. So she got a bit of my artwork mixed in as well, the fairy was a painting I did about a year ago.

My second swap partner is into old cars and likes vintage clothes so I tried my best there too!

Hope they will like them! I've signed up for the July swap (this is all at swap-bot) , the Shabby Chic matchbox swap, and thought I'd attempt my first ATCs in the FLOWERS FLOWERS ATC swap... should be interesting! And I've signed up for Little Melfie's Jar Fairy swap too, sounds like a lot of fun!!!

Today I was busy creating a new line of products for my website, hopefully I'll be able to take some pics tomorrow..... will keep you posted!

I had a funny day, I actually wore make-up for the day (not a normal thing for me!), I needed to get a photo of myself for the Weight Watchers magazine story they are doing on me soon, as they need the pic today... really bad hair day, hair appointment on Monday for the really bad regrowth.... so I had to try to at least get my face 'unscary' seeing that my hair was beyond help! LOL! Will also keep you posted of that article when it comes out. I lost about 30kg (approx 70 pounds) 18 months ago and it's pretty exciting to know my story will be in the WW mag!!! I was in the Woman's Day earlier this year too, for those who want a giggle click here to read it.

So for the chick flick - I am always wanting to expand my chick flick viewing and would love to hear what your faves are to remind me of what I should hire and listen to while painting or crafting in the wee hours (note I said 'listen to'... this is because even when I have the best intentions of WATCHING a film, I can't just SIT.... so I pull out something to do because I feel like I am wasting time, even if it is 12.30am or later... so I end up listening to films/shows rather than watching them!).

What is YOUR favourite all time chick flick/s???

Enjoy your day, over and out!

Natasha xo

It's been a little while

It's been a little while between posts for me. In between my little man getting sick last week then sick again I got the flu and have been out of action for a few days. Spent most of yesterday in bed and got to watch Dr Phil and Oprah funnily enough!!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Mother's Day on Sunday. My sweety gave me a lovely laminated hand print painting with a beautiful Mother's Day poem on it, and some delicious green soaps in a pink depression glass bowl (divine!), and on the wrapping he put some dried leaves. When I tell someone what he gave me, he always corrects me and reminds me he also gave me leaves, how adorable. I am keeping them too!

Update: Here's a shot of my little sweety with my gifts....

And I had to share this photo taken of my mother. You would never guess she is getting close to .... 60??!!! I think she looks so young and cute! She's a wonderful mother and grandmother. I love it that she is young in looks and in mind and is able to keep up with our little boy, most of the time she has more energy than I do!

Wanted to share with you the most gorgeous charm I bought from Karla ~ isn't it just the sweetest thing? She had photos of these on her blog and I emailed her begging for the teapot one! It's only about one inch square, I don't know how she paints so much detail into such a tiny spot! I have small brushes but don't have the patience! I love getting art others have created, and this is such a pretty functional piece! I have threaded it with vintage seam binding and will wear it as a necklace. Thanks so much Karla!

I also got my hands on two more of the cast iron bird soap dishes. The first two I painted sold within an hour of being on my website so I am going to paint up the next two very soon, to be like the first ones shown here:
Got a little busy the other day, and painted this pretty hook/holder which is on my website , I love the cute ceramic knob and have some more pieces coming with these knobs attached.
And finally my clocks came in, I put in an order for them months ago when I had some on my website. I have a few more now, might even do one for myself considering I am missing a clock in the kitchen! I think every room needs a clock of some sort, I am always wondering what time it is and am tired of looking at the microwave to find out!!!

Well it's time to go now, just a relatively quick one tonight. Enjoy your day and your week.

Here's a new quote for the day:

"Life is like a grindstone - whether it grinds a man down or polishes him up depends on the material he's made from"

Natasha xo

Swappin' Fun!

These past couple of days have seen my first swap items come my way! You know, when I sign up for swaps, I never actually think I am getting something, I always think "Now what can I make for this person?" and read through their profiles trying to cater to their colours or tastes. So I actually FORGOT I was going to receive stuff too!!

Yesterday I received a gorgeous Mother's Day card from Brisja in the Mother's Day Card swap, so special and she even included a "Toesy Posy"!!!

Then today a very talented girl called Agnes Barton-Sabo has made me the most wonderful pack for the "I LOVE CUPCAKES!!" swap. I tell you I was like a little kid on their birthday morning when I was opening this parcel! WOW did she spoil me!!!

This creative lady made me a gorgeous print of her own work ~ the lady eating a cupcake, printed cupcake note cards with envelopes, cupcake lip gloss, cupcake papers, fun sprinkles, her own CUPCAKE HEAD dolls which you can find here at her Etsy shop (just the cutest things, she HAND stitches them!), felt cupcakes (soooooooo cute), she even hand embroidered a lovely antique doily with cupcakes (and they are PINK!), and made me a super sweet cupcake apron that had hand embroidered chain stitch too.... and her sweet note was also on cupcake stationery!!! I am just gobsmacked at all the effort she went to and I hope she realises how wonderful it all is and that I LOVE LOVE LOVE it all!!! Thank you so much Agnes!

And then there is Vanessa of A Fanciful Twist who sent this great tote from Trader Joe's. Just love it, thought I'd show it in use already, got it from the letter box and used it straight away today to store Leroy's costume from a party we went to earlier.

Check him out below, he's my little cowboy! It was a 'dress up' party at the local McDonald's, he hates dress-ups so this stayed on for all of 2 minutes for the photo then OFF it went into the Trader Joe's bag! Love that costume, it's a very old one my friend picked up at a garage sale before Leroy was ever born!

Well enjoy your day and....
(I like this one)


"You never know what lies ahead, if you keep on looking back"



Take care,
Natasha

Cottage Charm Giveaway!!

I'm joining in the fun of the Cottage Charm Giveaway hosted by Kim at One Woman's Cottage Life . Click on the image above to join in too!!

Here's the fun pack of what I will be giving away..... all you need to do is comment on any post on my blog between now and May 26th to enter. Sorry only one entry per person!!!  I'll draw the winner out of a hat at 2pm Australian Eastern Standard Time.

Be sure to leave your  name and/or email address ~ some way for me to contact you if you are anonymously signing in.

Two mint and two pink gift cards with prints of my paintings....

One regular sized lavender strawberry filled totally with lavender, decorated with pom poms, vintage crochet and paper rose, in the most gorgeous quilted rose fabric.....

One canvas bookmark with a print of my rosy mannequin......

Three cupcake gift tags and one gown gift tag, with prints of my paintings....

A set of 6 hand painted faux chocolate magnets......

and lastly, two greeting cards with envelopes, featuring prints of my paintings.