ALL DONE

At last, l finished Ruby's story book that l had been busting my butt on for about 2 months. I had it printed online with Officeowrks, only took 3 days ( plus a weekend) to be printed and in my excited little hands! It came out really great...l'm so pleased! A couple of the drawings didn't have their white balance quite perfect so there is a little discolouration around a couple of the drawings, but l can always get it reprinted again down the track if need be ( ie, my brain has a conniption and l can't stand the imperfections any longer ) . I'm pretty sure Ruby will love it, she OOO'd whenever l showed her a drawing so l'm sure she will go ape when she has the book read to her.

                                                               " His name is Oliver""Oliver likes to dance too."

" Ruby eats vegemite toast for breakfast"

Here are a couple of illustrations from the book, including the text that when with them. I already have a second book half planned, though this time l' will do more detail in the drawings l think, Oliver won't be quite so cartoonish this time and Ruby will have much more detail in her face. My brother and SIS have very kindly offered to by me some fabulous illustration pencils that my bro uses in his tattooing illustrations, as a belated birthday pressie...l'm so excited to get started on this new book...but l think l'll wait until the end of August as l have soooo much stuff coming up between now and then to do!

"Oliver likes to drive fast "

" Good night Ruby, Goodnight Oliver "

Where does the time go?

BUSY BUSY BUSY !! The market has come and gone so the knitting frenzy that happened for a couple of months has died down, much to the relief of my hands! The market was a complete waste of time and money, mum and I were so disappointed and to be honest , l didn't think it was run all that well anyway so it's not one we will be returning to. We don't seem to be having much success with markets anymore, l wonder if people are all ' marketed out? There are so many out there now, and so many of the same stalls at most of them selling over priced stuff...that's what happenes when you have a market stalled by professionals;  it loses it's 'craftiness'. So we've decided to really focus on our websites which l have also neglected over the last few months, and on selling at parties ( though we perfer to call them afternoon soirees hahaha). I've decided to be first cab off the rank and have one here at home just after Ruby's birthday which is fast approaching.....it's so sad! I don't have a baby anymore, l have a 1 year old =(

So, this is some of what l have been working on and is now for sale.....see, told you l've been busy!

BUSY BUSY BUSY

It's been a while since l blogged...been very busy painting and getting a couple of canvases ready for an art show this weekend. I was well on schedule to get it all done about 2 weeks ago, but l had a disaster with paint retarder....l won't go into it but the moral of the story is, when you have bottles of painting products that all look the same, best to read the labels first before you go doing a final coat of vanish and instead paint a nice thick layer of paint retarder all over your newly finished and much laboured over canvas!! *sigh* but l managed to save it , in fact , l think it looks better the second time around...will post some photos once it's up on the wall, might even pop my mug in the photo too!

I thought today l would post some  pictures of the work l'm usually known for. I started leadlighting as a hobby some 15 odd years ago, it turned into an obssession about 14 years ago.......over the years I've done all sorts of 2D and 3D work in many different styles and l have a lot more planned to do , especially around the house! I have a fabulous dragonfly window waiting to go into it's designated spot, and l have a matching front door designed . I also intend to do the bathroom window as well as internal doors to help let some more light into passageways while keeping privacy , particularly for the bathroom and mummy and daddy's bedroom!! I've done a lot of commision work over the years ( the magpie window shown is one of them) as well as designed a lot of leadlight for other artists in my circle. Hopefully once the home studio is built l'll be uyp and running again, doing all of my own projects as well as getting back into commission work. Hope you enjoy my stuff as much as l do =)

HURRUMPH

Have been on a bit of a hiatus over the last week or so. About the only thing l've had any motivation to do is slodge some dabs of paint onto a canvas. I have almost completed 1 as l promised l would but l'm just not lovin' it like l thought l would; the background colour is all wrong and it's just not working as l had it in my minds eye. I also started on the next painting which brings my semi completed canvas....what the plural of canvas? cavases? canvasi ? ...l digress...just thye same with painting!! I'm really liking the way this 4 canvas looks however , and l should have it well and truely finished in time for the art show at the end of the month , even though it is the biggest canvas l've painted for a while, it's a much less precise image than usual.....you'll all see what l mean when it's done. Till then , here is a pic of my latest promo shot for Ruby's Jools taken by Mix Photography.

Star Princess lamp

I was recently commissioned to do a ballerina lampshade for a customer who emailed me a photo of the sort of thing she was after. At first l was a bit hesitant ; 1. l didn't like it, and 2. l don't want to copy another persons work. So l came up with my own which is different in style and looks 100% better than the emailed design. She was wrapped with it !! I think l might do another, it looks so cute in Ruby's room , but l might do hers in lavender or white instead.

PUDDING !!!!

Miss Ruby discovers the joys of chocolate pudding

Spring is in the air........well in 6 months it will be!!

Meh , the market weekend past was a bit of a disaster. Mum and I didn't realise that it was a predominately a second hand market for kids stuff and our fabulous hand made items were very much the proverbial doggie bits.It wasn't all tragic of course , l managed to pick up some goodies for Ruby at a much cheaper price than l would have if buying brand new. Well, at least l have plenty of stock on hand now so l can switch from knitting headbands and brooches and hair clips to woolie doggies and a few more hats and scarves for winter. I also need to get cracking on some painting projects that have been started but not completed. Typically , l have three paintings on the go , and l'm itching to start another that's been cooking in my head for a while now...but l MUST finish at least 1 before l can begin it !! In the meantime , here are some photos of my recent Ruby's Jools items.

I've been a tad busy !!

Lots to do and so little time to do it all in! And there are still the domestics and child raisin' to be done!! l need some more hours in the day , or a personal slave to take care of all the minute of ones' day!

But, alas, l don't have one of those, but what l do have are some photos of some of my latest creations!!

The Amelie name canvas was a commissioned job , and everyone was very pleased with the results, especially me! I used a lovely soft pink velvet , and some mdf letter painted in pink the smothered in glitter which l might have to stop using and invest in some paint instead and it's less time consuming to use as well as less mess ( poor Ruby has them constantly stuck to her now, l even found one stuck to her bum when l changed her nappy one day!! )

The bookends l made for my niece for Christmas , again l'm wrapped with how they turned out ( and yes , you can commission a pair of these for $45 with your choice of colours and your child's name on the left hand side )

I finally have found the hotest pink that l could get my hands on so l can do more 'Ruby's Jools' in the brights. I think this is going to be the most in demand colour combo if feedback is any indication. I've also got plenty of the stock standard pink/purple blends too, l just hope they sell like crazy and all these late nights and swollen finger joints are worth it!

I'll do some more hats soon too, now that the weather is turning cool a lot earlier than l expected; now it won't seem so silly to be selling hats and scarves at the Munchin Market in 2 weeks time!

where did the day go? Miss Ruby's Name Board

 I bought some more wools today; lovely hot pinks and vibrant purples which are finally back in stock at my local suppliers. I also have a commission to do for a name plaque, like the one l did for Ruby ( above picture) which is great !! So l picked up supplies for that too only to discover that half the letters l need are not in stock and that a new line will be in to replace them but not sure when and l said it would only take me a week to do and l have no propper As or Es and l'm gonna scream....* deep breath*.......I think l may have found a way to fix the letter issue though , hopefully it works out !! *fingers crossed*. So , tonight will be a night of liesurely tv watching and knitting and scoffing of chocolate.

snooze fest

I had a lovely sleep in this morning. Miss Ruby was crushed between her dad and I talking away to the cieling with occasional grabs of a boobie for a feed ( my boobie that is , not her dads). Then it was up for some play time and morning Rage viewing then back to bed for her arvo nap.......alongside her still slumbering daddy!!


We have no plans for the day , which means l can either while away my time online ( not an unattractive proposition) or l can do the housework as l normally would on a Saturday ( unless we have something planned; funny how that happens alot on Saturdays )..........hmmmm which way to roll today? I could go back to bed and have some more ni-nis myself but the brain will just start it's usual monologue of all the things l could ( and should) be doing instead.....and those scones l've been telling myself all week that l am going to make are not going to cook themselves!! Dad handed me a jar of home made plum jam ; rather like passing on the Holy Grail and l'm craving fresh scones with plum jam and double whipped cream. I wonder if l am going to grow up to be one of those mythical mothers that lets her kids eat muffins and chocolate cake for breakfast , just so that l can have some too? Well, could be worse.....l could make her eat wheat bix * shudder*

Miss Ruby's Jools

Some of the knitted treasures l have been working on of late. Gorgeous little headbands, brooches and hair clips knitted in various wool types. The headbands come in a couple of different band sizes, 17 inches, 18 inches and 19 inches and will fit ages 6 months to 2 years. I'm also going to be doing slightly larger sizes with a couple of flowers on the for bigger kids and of course , l can always knit to a customized size. The headband flowers are roughly 10 cm in diameter, the brooches are little smaller, and the hair clips a little smaller again. The head bands sell for $10 each , the brooches $7 and the hair clips are $4 each. Lots more colours are on their way , including blues , greens , purples , and of course, more pinks!!

fancy vroomvrooms

We toddled off to the custom car and hot rod show yesterday to spend a few hours wandering around and drooling at the fabulous cars on show. Both Mike and l were snap happy , of course, both of us taking very different kinds of photos but having a ball while doing it. Ruby was a little gem , she quite liked watching all of the people milling around the place and was fascinated by the bright lights and shiny surfaces. It was hard to pick a fave car this year , so many gorgeous cars , but l think the little green gem just outside near the entry way was one of my faves , a 1934 Ford Coupe. Of course , my all time dream car was there....black ( actually it was more hematite than black) FJ holden with red interior and red rimmed white wall tires * squeal *. I also fell for a hot burnt orange studibaker..well the front of it anyway. For me it's all about the fins , chrome and headlights and of course , the colour.....could car less what's under the hood as long as it's shiny and purdy , yep , l guess l'm just superficial when it comes to what l like about cars =)

my little minx

cracking herself up.....she hasn't figured out what she's got on her head......YET. It's a hand knitted headband by moi and it's part of the Miss Ruby range of handcrafted goodies ; the 'Ruby's Jools' series of headbands, hair clips and brooches

she's gorgeous my little miss atta-tood in her emo headband and bunny skull top and jean tights

Ow my aching back (and fingers)

Today is one of those freakish kind of days in Melbourne where you feel like you’ve been transported through time roughly , oh , 6 months and found that when you stepped outside your home it’s not in the shorts and t shirt that you wore the previous day , but polar fleece full body suits that normally don’t see the light of day unless you go to the snow! Which l’m told it did in the outer Alpine regions. WTF ?????? Who stole my Summer warmth?? While l can appreciate the awesomeness of having rain in Summer , and l really dislike intense heat…..could l not have SOME warmth back? Don’t make me drag out my heater !
So it is with annoyance at the weather that l spent my day sitting on my big wide behind and shmoozed with Ruby while twirling the sticks and adding to the growing collection of cute fuzzies that are “Ruby’s Jools”. I’ve decided to put together a collection of kids knitted jewellery which is safe , cute and inexpensive not only to make but for others to buy. I’ve been doing hats and scarves for a few months and have a nice array , but I really wanted to girly some of them up with little flowers. Now that l know how to do them ( thanks hugely to Judy) , l’ve run with the pattern and made hair clips , brooches and hair bands ! There’s no stopping me now! I have 3 months before the first kid’s market of the year starts , so l should have a varied range of colours done by then. I already have a couple of headbands for Ruby done , she’s had a couple of outings lately where people have thought she is a boy ( poor love can’t help it if she has fair hair, and not much of it at that) so l’ve ‘girlied’ her up with pink and purple headbands and a kewl ‘emo’ coloured one in black/white/red….Picks on their way!

Morningitis

Ugh , l'm awake already, the brain will not be quiet , it must have it's creative way !! All it can think of is website design and flyers and names for product ranges ! Dammit , all l want to do is curl up next to Ruby and sleep; 4 hours of sleep is not long enough! But , alas, it's is not meant to be so while sleeping beauty is still abed l might as well get some things done.


It's going to be a hottie today , so while the house is cool l'll do some domestics before l sit and knit some more this afternoon. Might even pop in a DVD if l have the chance; couldn't be any mopre diabolical than daytime tv! Hmmm...what to watch? Maybe l'll drag out something gothic and tragic; feeling a little swoony today and saomething dark and Burtonesque suits my mood.A delicious afternoon tea and Mr Depp ; perfection. I feel better already.