Red Nose Day Dolls

 

 

My friend Jodie from Ric Rac is a pattern maker of many things, in particular soft toys and even more particularly she makes very small things.  I have made two of her tiny teapot pin cushions, (as well as heaps of her other stuff) they make perfect gifts for friends, pins included.  I think I'll blog about that effort and give Jodie another shout out, another day.  There's a pattern here (pardon the pun) but I am repeating myself.

 

Well, it really is best to visit Jodie's blog to see all that she is doing for the Red Nose Day Doll project.  You won't believe the things she gets up to unless you take a peek yourself at Ric Rac, never a dull post, that's for sure.

 

I love the idea Jodie's gal friends have come up with, Emma Mitchell and Ros Badger and you can see and read all about their fundraising project here at Red Nose Day Dolls FB page.

 

Another lovely blog to read is the  Red Nose Day Dolls Blog, really cute and full of fun and happiness. 

 

Below is an amazing YouTube video you just have to watch and if you like it, why not click the 'Like' button there too.

 

 

 

How clever is this video?

Karen Boatwright must be one of the most patient souls on this planet. 

I love it so much and keep watching it over and over.

 

Cheers from me here

 

Beachcombing and a Dragon

 Last week when I was out walking along this peaceful stretch of beach I came across this dragon. 

Isn't she a beauty?

She sleeps in a gorgeous coastal bay in Victoria, Australia.  She's my new BF.  I can sit beside her and take in the beauty of the ocean, the cliffs and amazing bird life and feel at peace with my life.  She let's me talk with interrupting, keeps me warm and asks no questions.

This is her long and awesome body. See her short legs at the front?  Her beautiful snoozy face is hidden and she just lies there protecting the ocean and yes, letting every living soul walk all over her!!



Such is life - she is my beauty.

Do you see what I see?  Or do you think I've been in the sun too long?

By The Seaside With Pride

Finally I'm able to indulge my love of art by taking some wonderful on-line oil painting lessons with Rod Moore from Moore Arts School.  Rod's an Australian artist who is a wonderful teacher, very patient and fun to work with.  I'm having a great time watching him paint and learning some of the basic beginners painting techniques ~ this past month is the first time I've ever used oil paints [except for two face-to-face classes I've taken with Rod this year].

I love the ocean so what better way to celebrate my new found freedom and yearning for art, than learning to paint seascapes.  I'm totally over the moon with some of my work yet and others will not see the light of day.  Here's one of four efforts that I'm comfortable to put on show.  Who would have thought 'waves' could be so challenging?  Not me, until now that is.

As for 'people in the distant' dare I show my efforts there?

Well, yes I must because I'm learning and I have to be brave and show the good and the bad.  The figure in the front of this painting below looks like she's going to the Melbourne Cup races not frolicking on the beach, but that's how it turned out.  Oh well, I've still got a ways to go with 'figures in the distant'.  There's a couple more painting completed but only my teacher is going to see them.

So; four paintings completed and I'm guessing maybe ninety-six to go before I have something to hang on the wall.  That's a lot of canvas.  Thank goodness I discovered Gesso the great cover-up.

Thanks for visiting my humble blog.

Something Crooked

Joining in today with Deb at Ramblings of a Square Peg in a Round Hole for a photographic scavenger hunt. 

Crooked pier and very wobbly - this is in a place called Au Nang near Krabi  in Thailand

Crooked rice terraces in Sapa North Vietnam

Crooked smile - taken in a local market place in North Vietnam

A View Down My Road

Joining in today with Deb at Ramblings of a Square Peg in a Round Hole for a photographic scavenger hunt. 

View number one - My driveway is my street

This tree is home to two very noisy and robust kookaburra's and it's a mighty long walk from the house to the letterbox

View number two - Retirement

This is where I plan to retire in about four years time.  This is the view standing directly in front of our beach shack.  Wish I could get rid of those power lines!!

View number three - The Beach

This beach is a two minute walk from our shack which is closer than my current letter box

Scavenger Hunt - A Solitary Tree

Linking up to Deb's weekly photographic challenge at Ramblings of a Square Peg in a Round Hole

These glorious trees are within a short walk from my home. With trusty camera in hand when I come across something so beautiful I just have to capture it.  Not always easy with two hyper-active dogs on a lead.  These photos were taken last year in Autumn. 

The dying Gum tree still stands grandly.  I wish I could see the same view from this tree that the Rainbow Parrots were enjoying the other day.