2015 is going to be -----> AWESOME

Artwork by Me

Quote also by Me

Thanks for popping by 

xx

Innocence - From Start to Finish & A Quote

My latest art, from start to finish.

Titled "Innocence"

36 x 48 inches

Very loosely based on Klimt's famous painting

Mother & Child 

background on and

sketch drawn in.

mum and bub have some 

skin colour added

background added too and 

hair colour added

and here we are

finished product.

as always

thank you

for popping by

xx

couldn't resist adding this quote over the top xx

Apple Cinnamon Dog Biscuits

I have been experimenting with making my own dog food for a little while now and recently a friend introduced me to a recipe for homemade dog biscuits. 

With that very first batch, I knew I was on to a winner. Our dog's coat has never been shinier, her tail hasn't stopped wagging, she has never once turned her nose up at anything I've made and just listening to her crunching away, assures me they are delicious.

So all of this positive feedback has inspired me to find more recipe's and adapt them to my lifestyle. I also wanted to experiment with different flavours/textures and flours all while knowing that what I was putting into the bickies, was not only safe for my dog, but I had control of it. Ie no preservatives etc.

So want to make your own batch of bickies for that special furry friend in your life? 

Well you can.... here is my latest recipe - Apple Cinnamon Dog Biscuits

Apple Cinnamon Biscuits

1 cup of natural applesauce (**see note below**)

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 tablespoon parsley

1 cup cold water

1/2 cup coconut oil (or olive oil)

5 cups brown rice flour (**see note below**)

1/2 cup powdered milk

2 large organic eggs

** I made my own applesauce in the Thermomix using the recipe from the Everyday Cookbook - page 42

** I made my own rice flour using brown rice and using the Thermomix recipe from the Everyday Cookbook - page 21

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 150 degrees.
• In a large bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients.
• In a smaller bowl, beat the eggs lightly. Add the rest of the wet ingredients.
• Gently combine the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients.
• Knead with your hands until you have a smooth ball of dough. I used my Thermomix to do this process which was quicker. ***note*** this recipe is very sticky!
• Take a rolling pin and flatten out the dough to about 1/2 inch thickness. Use a biscuit/cookie cutter to cut out fun shapes. If you're feeling lazy, you can just leave the dough as is and bake it like one whole biscuit. You can always break it up after it's cooked. At this point I also sprinkled on a little extra cinnamon on the top of the biscuits, but that is just an option. If you want a shinier looking biscuit, you can also brush on a thin coat of egg whites before baking. 
• Place your dough onto a tray with a non-stick baking sheet on top because as mentioned above this recipe is very very sticky!
• Bake for 15-20 minutes (depending on your oven) or until golden. 

Let your biscuits cool completely. Store in an air tight container for up to a week (if your furry friend let's them last that long!). Remember these are fresh ingredients with no preservatives, so they will not store as long in a container as a commercially bought brand of biscuits would. 

From Start To Finish - Solveig's Song

From the nervous stages

of the blank canvas

to the next layer of adding

papers

close up of some of the texture

on to adding the tree

Then the finished product

"Solveig's Song"
24 x 36 inches

and I couldn't resist adding

part of the actual song

As always

thank you for popping by

2014 - what a fabulous year!

Since 2013, I wanted to start a yearly tradition for myself. 

One where I collate all of my paintings 

together into a single photo.

The reasons for this are not only to

share them with my friends/family/supporters of my
art (who I would also put into the category of friend)

but also for me personally to see:- 

1)  how I've been travelling 

throughout the year artistically

2) make sure my work isn't all

looking the same

3)  which colours/paintings are working for me and
that I did like and those that I wasn't so keen on.

All of these steps help me to move forward into the

new year having a clearer picture in my head.

here's last years review pic (2013)

As always thanks

for taking the time to 

pop by xx

Four Seasons - From Start to Finish

 time for a little bit of honesty.

Here's the deal. I'm not an over-sharer on

social media, my blog or anywhere else

on the internet.

The main reason is, that I personally get

bored when I have to read

something that has too many words.

UNLESS, I'm really uber duber interested

in the topic/blog/news item etc etc

OR I'm trying to learn something.

So in my blog posts, I like to keep them

simple and just share a few photos of

my work/motivational posters, etc.

So moving on with that theme, here 

are photo's of my latest painting

"Four Seasons" from start to finish.

First layer

background colours added

Trees added

(excuse the weeds in the photo

*BLUSH*)

And the finished product.

Each canvas measures

16 x 20 inches.

Once again thank you 

for popping by.

xx

I guard you forever

SHE LOVED LIFE

Wake Up Every Morning xx

danse des colibris

I really do love the way that this

painting turned out. 

To me, it really does feel like 

the hummingbirds are dancing. 

Such beautiful colourful birds in real life,

 that I had to capture them in mid flight.

So here is the painting from start to finish...

first layer of paint

a few splodges of paint

the tree added

(apologies for the quality of the photo)

again photo taken at night,

but a few blossoms added

and finally finished!

Dance of the Hummingbirds

Or

"danse des colibris"

24 x 36 inches

and as always

thank you for taking

the time to pop by.

On deciding to take the plunge.........

I've been asked various questions over the years about my backgrounds and my trees.

Questions like how do you do this, or that or the other. 

So I am considering doing up an online class, where you can learn how to make one of my paintings from start to finish. 

My paintings have A LOT of layers and need lots and lots of time to dry. So an online class is perfect, as students will be able to take their time (start/stop the video's - rewatch them etc etc) and learn at their own pace in the privacy of their own home, so no need to worry about what others are doing or how quickly they are doing it!

But before I go ahead, I need to ask a few questions about this potential class. So here are my questions and I am after as much feedback as possible.

If you were to take my class -

a) which of the tree's below would you like to learn to paint.. please be specific by saying 1, 2, 3 etc. I'm going to record this info and then go with majority vote

b) how much would you be happy to pay for this content.

Please note also, that the end product may not look exactly like mine at the end and that is a GOOD thing. None of my paintings ever look the same and I will give the student opportunity to create a painting with their OWN VOICE. 

What I can give you are - the tools and tricks that I have learnt over the years, to give your painting loads and loads of depth and texture. 

I will provide a material list of what I use. However, cheaper alternatives can always be sought. Ie the paint brand I use is quite expensive, but there are plenty of cheaper alternatives out there. You can also buy canvas from a thrift store (the white background will be covered up, so it doesn't matter if it has dirty marks on it). 

Please feel free to share with your friends, as I truly would love as much feedback as possible. I'm thinking of creating this course over the Xmas/New Year period as I have a little bit of time off from work. Please note that I work full time at another job, so the support that I would provide would have to be after work hours.
Thanks
Natalie
xx

Love Yourself

Sweet Sisters - From Start to Finish

A commission piece for a beautiful family,

 with two sweet sweet sisters,

 so how could I not name it after them :-) 

 

Sketching and filling in a little

 

The second Sweet Sister added

 

working on the dresses

 

At this point I wasn't completely

happy with the way the shape of the dresses

were going, so I worked on them a little more.

 

and here they are

24 x 36 inches

Sweet Sisters

 

 

at this point I just want to mention

that I hand wrote a poem into

the background.

 

Here is what it says

 

 

What is a Sister?...

A sister is someone who
has been where you've been
and knows you better than anyone else.

She is more than just family,
she is also your best friend.

The closeness that you have
shared through life's joys
and tears, is like having a comfortable
hand to hold.
You will always be kindred spirits
and will always be there for one
another.
That is the best kind of sister.

 

 

As always

thank you for popping by

xx 

 

 

My blog posts have been a bit sporadic lately

Well we have moved and we are settled, but I must admit that my blog posts have been somewhat all over the place lately. My art has also been a bit the same... and I can't lie... The reason is simple - the BEACH.

 Photo and motivational quote by me :-)

When we moved down south, I made a pact to myself to not take the view and the beach for granted. After all, it's too easy to move somewhere and just never ever appreciate what you have... I will 100% stick my hand up and say I've done that myself. I lived in the Pilbara for 7+ years and I know first hand, how it inspires and moves so many people.... yet for me, I struggled to be inspired. I tried and I tried, but I am an ocean/beach girl through and through. After all I'm a Pisces and the water runs through my veins. But I have seen SO many beautiful photo's and paintings done by some truly wonderful Pilbara artists, yet for me, personally I struggled to be inspired. 

So before we moved down south, I made a little pact with myself - TO MAKE SURE THAT I GO TO THE BEACH EVERY DAY ------- rain, hail or shine...  

Ok, Ok, 

I have to be honest... I haven't been every day. 

Sometimes we've been away, sometimes it's been too late in the arvo, too cold, or just too wet, but I would say that I have been 95% of the time. And do you know what, I feel like I am a NEW person....  and my dog, well she is 7 years old - AND I have been stopped by so many people asking if she is a puppy... a PUPPY... are you serious... she was nearly crippled before we left the Pilbara and I thought we may have to put her down at one stage... but she absolutely loves the ocean/beach just like her family....        maybe it's a Pets and Owners thing......    you know what I mean right? we've all seen those photo's of the dogs who look like their owners

beach sand in my moustache... the best kind of moustache right?

So for the first time in my life, I've actually been inspired to pick up a camera (or rather my iphone) and take photo's. Pretty pleased with how some of those photo's turned out - considering I'm the first person to say I take the most rubbish photo's in the history of man kind!

Mine and my mate Rosie's footprints running one morning

Photo by yours truly ... Quote - well I think we have all used this quote at some stage

in our lives ... and it's a good one to remember..

and a treasure I found one day walking. 

Anyway, I'm working on a better way to BALANCE it all... and I hope to post more regularly... 

As always, I can't thank you enough for popping by. 

xxx

Voice of the Sea

Love is Simple

Photo taken by me :-)

Small Steps

This Normal you speak of.........

for all of my non-normal friends

you know who you are ;-)

Be Kind

It's important to be kind, but the most important person you should be kind to, is yourself. 

You are interesting

;-)

you know who you are. embrace it.

From Start to Finish - "La-Tina"

So unfortunately I forgot to take

a photo of the canvas prior to the first photo

below, but I started off with layers

and layers of paper and paint.

and she's finito

"La-Tina" 

and she's 14 x 28 inches

and a little side view

close up :-)

as always

thanks for popping by xx