... something for kate

wacom playing...

i have wanted one of these forever and have finally saved up for it.  it arrived yesterday!

once i am used to it, it will be most useful for my graphics [day job] and another little project i have coming up, soon to be available [as if i didn't have enough going on, just can't sit still!]...

 

this babushka canvas, by the way, sits above my art desk.  i love text in artwork [particularly scrolly words] and this one, i just couldn't let go.  it might get made into a print soon, who knows?  i will try to do some more like this for my shop soonish. 

and in other life business.... 

still lots going on here behind the scenes not to mention busy busy with kids in daylight. summer swimming lessons have returned and the girls all going 'swimmingly!' 

georgia has moved up 2 grades just this season but she is too little to physically move to another lane in the pool as she can't reach the water level [my sweet little tiny pea] so they are keeping her in her current class and just extending her skills.

charlotte is doing very well in kindy class, she's a strong and athletic type girl although her listening skills are yet to be refined!  she loves jumping in at the end of class especially - of course, who wouldn't?

amelia [below] is going great guns in water babies and is showing real potential as another little future swimmer.  she's very strong and technique even at the baby stage is looking pretty good.

chelsea, considering, is really coming along well and she thoroughly enjoys her class.  she spends the entire half hour crying when it is amelia's turn. so heart breaking [excuse the pun] to see her so passionate about her swimming and yet she just has to wait her turn!  her kicking is coming along quite well considering she didn't walk until nearly 18 mths.  her roly poly's, well, periodically ok!  enthusiasm A++, and she is getting some much needed upper body strength learning to climb out of the pool herself.  she really is remarkable.  [i'll post a new pic of chels soonish.  i had just bought a new backdrop and the other 3 were awake when i took these shots, chels was not!]

i am sure i have so many other things to record, just about million things happen here each day, but who can remember?  i have started doing a little brain training on my daughters nintendo ds which takes about 10mins each day.  i'm hoping to get my brain working at age 20 again [optimum apparently].  heck, i'd be happy if my brain was working at its proper age - 38!  unfortunately it looks like i have lost many many brain cells bearing children as my brain is supposedly now 47!!!!!!!!!!!!!  oh geez?!!

what else..... my husbands work hours are increasing which is good for the budget but we'll all miss his occasional shift off.

my charlotte has just been accepted into her school for pre-entry next term, followed by pre-school.  unbelievable, some days i'll have just 2 kids at home!!  i wonder what i will be able to accomplish if they continue to have an afternoon nap then? maybe i'll just nap too!

sent this babushka canvas off for a birthday present this week... prints of this one may also be available soon.

ok, twins due to wake soon and i think the big girls are getting bored playing with their felt story boards so i'm off... 

k

xo

follow your dreams...

prints of this little lady for sale here!

kate

xo

 

some new artwork...

doing snippets when i've had the chance. these all take so long but finally i have some to share.

some commission work, some for shop...

kate

xo

happy heart babushka + cuppa for kids...

 

I've had such a great response to my heartkids cuppa for kids fundraiser that i decided to get more prints printed!  i have now listed them in my etsy store for internationals.  australians can email me direct [reduced postage].

i held my 'cuppa for kids' event at my house last week for a bunch of local lovely Adelaidian ladies.  some nice chat, food & coffee and all received a happy heart babushka print.

some wonderful dollars has been raised for heartkids, THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  and more coming with future print sales too.

kate

xo

creative edge...

a few weekends ago i taught at creative edge to a room full of lovely ladies.  the totally fabulous day was organised by janine koczwara. in my class we decorated & scrapbooked a prima canvas 8x8" album.  medium, napkins, paint, papers, fabrics & more.... messy shabby fun.

the other two classes were beautiful scrapbook layouts by janine and steph.  amazing!

so here's a few pics...  the rest of the album can be found here in my "classes" photo album.

kate

xo

a bouquet of newly cleaned brushes....

i do my creating once the kids are in bed.  its just not possible to do it while the girls are awake.  i cannot get my hands wrist deep in paint & medium if they are playing about, as either they want to join in too or need me for something else. and anyway, they have their own [supervised] art making to do with their own [more economical] art supplies! 

but i don't get to get making every evening, i have many other responsibilities that i need to squeeze into those few kid free hours in the evening.  

putting away clean clothes [a big job here!].

getting clothes ready for the next day.

trying to do a general once over tidy through the house if me & the kids didn't get to it during the day.

my day [night] job; - graphics.

family paperwork, responding to emails, bits of fundraising things.

scanning artwork, editing family photos, updating blogs, etsy etc. 

packing art sales, sending invoices.

the list goes on.  

anyway...

i get real itchy when i can't get making every few days. i need it, i need it to help relax me. to recharge the batteries. truly food for the soul.

ordinarily i am not so good at cleaning my brushes but once i do, oooohhhhhh-weeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!! just seeing a pot full of freshly cleaned brushes ready to take some paint.  well, zippity-do-da, now that gets me excited!

so there you go, a miscellaneous post written for no other reason than to record some of my art habits and my passion for it.

get making why don't you!

kate

xo

BIG babushka news!!

Happy Heart Babushka prints going on sale soon to raise very much needed funds for HEARTKIDS.

Read more about it here!

Thanks! 

Kate

xo

free shipping worldwide...

i have lots of projects on the go and need some extra space in my, now tiny, art room.  

there are 5 little ORIGINAL babushka canvases available in the shop that need to go so i'm offering: 

***FREE SHIPPING WORLDWIDE for AUGUST ONLY***

check them out here!

Kate

xo

a bunch of new babushkas...

loaded into my etsy shop.  thanks for stopping by!

   

kate

xo

working away...

on my creative edge workshop, several commissions and more little babushka ladies & girls for my etsy shop.  here's a few things I can share.

this little lady flew to the UK a couple of weeks back.  the hairstyle was a special request and i love it.  i have more dolls coming soon with little bob cuts.  also some too with spanish style loopy pigtails.  i think my fave so far.  hope to show very soon.

 

here's a commission i painted:

i have several pieces i am working on that include babushka family portraits [dads & sons included!], also another canvas with a pregnant babushka!  i want to do all sorts of family combinations and then make them available as prints. eventually!  in the meantime, these little ladies were made for family gifts:

and here are some pendants i have had sitting around for a couple of months waiting to be finished.  

i will eventually get them ready for my etsy store [with more recent dolls] but they are a bit on the back burner.  i am enjoying my collage & painting so much.  i have plans to make prints and postcards of my canvas work too but again, all in good time.  

in other news, my dear ol' dad just returned from overseas with the most fantastic gift ever!  i have been researching water soluble pastels for a long time and have been lusting after caran d'ache made in switzerland.  i had priced them to be shipped from a few countries and was hoping to save up & have them shipped to me later in the year.  wellllllllll, guess what i am the new proud owner of?

beautiful beautiful crayons indeed.  i feel very lucky!!!!!!

what else....

well on the home front, i took this pic of my 3 'still @ home' kiddies a couple of weeks back.  its now school holidays of course so georgia is home every day at the moment but when she isn't, its these 3 little musketeers that i hang with during pre-school hours.  charlotte wanted to dress the twins up and all wear head bands. so that we did.  do you think i could get a nice smiling shot from them all at the same though?  no!

that's all for today.  

oh, and like the rest of the world, i am now on twitter [see top right of my blog page under my photo].  i'll use it mainly to notify when i have stuff available in the etsy shop.  a quick and easy solution i think. am i the last person on earth to join i wonder?

kate

xo