4x4 - God/Goddess Theme for ABC Club

Here is my take on the theme Gods/Goddess's. It is hard to see the shimmer of the background in a scan, but basically it is texture paste, with red paint over the top and then poppy red (my fav colour) H2O painted over the top. Highlighted with some gold rub and buff. The dress form has also had texture paste randomly smooshed over it and then gauze pressed into the wet texture paint. Left to dry, then painted black and gold rub and buff used again to highlight.

I dont know why, but I instantly thought of red and gold when thinking of a goddess.

Thanks for looking :-)

Wednesday Stamper - Wild West

Here's my card for this weeks theme over at Wednesday Stamper. The theme is Wild West and here's my take on it... just a bit of fun :-)thanks for looking have a great week!!

Mixed Media Monday

Here is a 4 x 4 page that I did a while back, which I believe is suitable for this weeks Mixed Media Monday theme of birds.

Thanks for looking :-)

Da Boyz

I love this photo!! This was taken at a bday party in July and it is my boy Luc (in middle) and his besties. Sadly, Josh (far right) is leaving town next weekend, but that is part and parcel of living in such a transient town. Hopefully my kids will adapt to the toing and froing of people coming into and out of their lives. I guess it's good to be resilient.

Josh is such a lovely sweet boy and I am very grateful to have been friends with his mum too. Such a great family.

Ok have a great sunday one and all.

Sketches Oz Challenge Blog

Yep have discovered another blog with challenges, only this one is a scrapbooking site.

For those interestedSketches Oz is a site that has a guest artist featured and they design a sketch, which you can use to make your own LO. This week features a WA girl - Viv Bonder.

So here is mine. Pic of Emma taken in 2000. I must admit, I am trying to go back in time and do LO's for some of the old pictures of both of my children. So maybe a little back to front, but I'm a bit like that anyway :-)



And before I forget, I must credit Jaimie Emmerton for the flowers. I did a class with her way back when, and she showed me how to make these flowers using paper. Me well I've used ribbon here and they look no where near as nice as the one's Jaimie showed me how to make and they are a little back to front.... see above comment about me being like that anyway :-)

Another Challenge Blog........

This one is called Mixed Media Monday and is Aussie based. Thanks Debbi B for the link. Popped on over and this weeks theme is Vintage Women. And like Debbi, I recently completed a huge puzzle swap, with loads of vintage women pieces on it. Sorry couldn't single out the women pieces individually, I have already sent these pieces off as part of the swap and only took one big picture of all of them together.



Thanks for looking.
Cheers
Natalie

My Alter Ego

Which Living Dead Doll would you be? created with QuizFarm.com

You scored as Lulu You died so young! Died from being dared to skate on the rails of the stairs! It's too bad it's too late for you to learn from your mistake....it's hard for zombies to learn from mistakes. Get to the next life, and don't do that again! Lulu 70% Bride of Valentine 50% Sadie 50% Lottie 33% Deadbra Ann 31% Posey 31% Lizzie Borden 31% Sin 25% Eggzorcist 19% Kitty 17% Lilith 17% Sybil 14% Inferno 0% Sheena 0%

**** I can see the likeness can you :-) *******

Fibrelicious - Yumm!!!!!!!!!!

Go check out the How Dare You blog for some inspiration using Fibres. Whatever form your art takes (ie scrapbooker, card maker) there is inspiration for all.

Here is my contribution for this fortnights theme




Have a great weekend :-)

WS Challenge - Children

This weeks theme is Children. I have loads and loads of stamps with Children, so I thought this would be an easy theme to work on. But.......... and isn't there always one, it took me ages to find the 'right' stamp that I wanted to use :-) In the end this is what I came up with




Thanks for looking and please do go visit Wednesday Stamper's Blog. Grab a cuppa, as there is lots and lots of eye candy!

Our Rosie

Well 3 months old and still getting into mischief?!!! Note the paint on her head from investigating the paint tin, while John and I were busy painting No.1 Child's bedroom :-)

She's lovely though and the best friend anyone could ask for. Such loyal and loving dogs.

Such a Cheeky Monkey

Yep he was at 2 and still is :-)

Wednesday Stamper - Autumn Colours

This weeks theme at WS is Autumn Colours. Although here in Aus it is technically spring, where I live way up north of Western Australia, it is like summer with the temps reaching up into the mid 30 degrees each day.

I have to say I love this colour combination and Autumn is one of my fav seasons.... anyway here is my entry.... dragged out my much neglected alcohol inks to make this card.



Thanks for looking :-)

GPP Street Team - Crusade No. 13

It's the Crusade's Birthday!! It's been one year since the crusades started and this theme is 'Get Gothic'. So here is my entry, which is a cover for a Gothic Arch Book (inspired by Belinda Schneider and also featuring a page from her), which had 13 other ladies participating in (you can see their pages in a few posts back on my blog)....



and here is my page for this book



thanks for looking

Another LO

I enjoyed making this LO, but tonight I'm going to work on something for Wednesday Stamper, which I haven't participated in a while. Feel like I need to get my arty juices flowing again.

BUT saying that, I still have oodles and oodles of pictures I want to do LO's for, so that should keep me busy for a while :-)

My first LO just of Luc

Oh and not to mention his 'friend'..... I am enjoying doing the scrapbooking for preserving memories of my family, but I must admit it is harder for me to get my head around doing stuff on a larger format. I keep wanting to 'arty' it up a bit too, but have held back simply because at the moment I'm trying to focus mainly on the photo...also until I get my confidence on working on this scale of work... I do love this photo of Luc and the obliging dragon fly.

2007 Darren Hayes @ Soundtrack To My Life - Ray Of Light

A beautiful cover of Madonna's Ray of Light by Darren Hayes

Puzzle Swap

I have been busy in the last week and a bit, finishing off pieces for a swap being hosted by a friend of mine, Annie. She doesn't have a blog, so can't give you a link, but let me tell you, she is one talented lady and I was chuffed that she asked me to play in her swap.

Themese were chosen by each person and we all had to make 2 pieces for each person.

Ok mine should be in the post to each person in the next day or two. Just have to stick labels on the back of the puzzles with name and details etc, so if you are in this swap and you dont want to spoil the surprise, look away NOW!! LOL

Some Pics to share

Tonight we had a power black out for about an hour or so. DH & I were sitting outside with a few candles (having a romantic moment LOL) and the 2 chiddlies came running out of the house to say a dragonfly had landed on my youngests nose. The insects were being drawn to a few of the torches that the chiddlies were playing with during the blackout.





Dragonfly was most obliging, as Emma then picked him up and put him on her nose.

For those not interested in Scrapbooking - look away now!!

Only my 3rd LO and it didn't turn out quite how I pictured it in my mind. Still getting used to working on a bigger canvas than my usual.

Just for a giggle

My Peculiar Aristocratic Title is: Venerable Lady Natalie the Disheveled of Snotting on Wold Get your Peculiar Aristocratic Title

If you want to get a posh Aristocratic Title, click here

4 x 4 - Art Deco

Ok so this is DEFINITELY not a theme I would normally work in or with, so it's been absolutely FABULOUS to go out of my comfort zone. Thanks to Kelsey for selecting this for the ABC group.



So what do you think, is it Art Deco (ish) enough??

Any opinions welcome.

Have a great day
Nat

ps I'm loving my new Cuttlebug :-) I've used it on the last 4 x 4 page (Gothic) and for this page with the lettering

4 x 4 Gothic Page

Above is my page for the ABC groups AUGUST (yes I'm late) theme of Gothic..... Background heavily inspired by Belinda Schneider and her fabulous backgrounds she makes using acrylic paints and her hand carved stamps.

AWESOME work cont.............

Well I'm a part of a fortnightly dare blog, called How Dare You and let me tell you, you MUST go over there and have a look at this weeks dare. We had to incorporate nature from our own back yard in to our work and I am in total AWE of what the girls in my team have produced. I feel a little inadequate in the company of Maxine Hazebroek, Audrey Underwood, Susane Johannes and Tania Davey. These girls not only can do amazing scrapbook pages, but they can turn their hands to the most amazing mixed media pieces too.

Here is my piece for this theme -



Titled 'The Key to my broken Heart'

I must admit to having EXTREME doubt in my ability after seeing my piece compared to the other ladies work.

Look at all of my yummy goodies

From this gorgeous gal...............



and this wonderful card -



The bracelets and earings I bought off of Julie, but the other goodies she has generously shared with me. Julie I'm in total awe of how clever you are!!

Please check out her blog if you havne't before, to see all of her awesome work... not only jewellery, but other mixed media art.

Gothic Arch Book

Recently I put out a call for people interested in doing a Gothic Arch Page Swap with me. Well the response I got was AWESOME and now that they are all finished and posted off to their prospective homes, I'll post some pics of the work received.

Def some eye candy here -




Above page by Belinda Schneider



Above page by Carmel Trigwell




Above page by Dawn Thomas




Above page by Dot Christian




Above page by Jacky Williams. She doesn't have a blog but should have one!!



Above page by Jenny Crossley



Above page by Julie Quinn.



Above page by Kelsey O'Mullane



Above page by Lynne Larsen



Above page by Michelle Smith




Above page by Shari Schneider. Shari did 12 different pages for this swap, which you can see on her blog.



Above page by Sulea Lee



Above is the front cover made by me



And finally my page made for this swap

WS - Blue

As I haven't had a chance to participate in WS lately, thought I'd add my fish canvas to the latest challenge, as it def fits the bill. The only stamping is done on the background with the end of a pen nib and a glue stick end, so hopefully that qualifies :-) Thanks for looking.

Another Fishy...................

Fish No.2

I've been down here in Perth for 2 weeks now and yesterday I was starting to get really itchy and need of getting my hands dirty with paint. So popped down to the local art supply shop, grabbed myself a couple of canvas's, some paint and paint brushes and decided I was going to continue on with my fish theme and do a kind of series, so that I can put them up in my house (or maybe give them away) not sure yet.



Seeing as I dont have any of my normal supplies down here, it was good, as it made me go out of my comfort zone and use stuff that was around me. I missed not being able to use my crayons (they are at home) so this time I used just paints. I also missed my little helper (DD No.1) who did the fin and the tail on my first painting, which can be seen here - http://nats-ramblings.blogspot.com/2007/07/wednesday-stamper-open-theme-no2-entry.html

Hope everyone is having a fabulous weekend.

Nice Matters

Isn't this the sweetest pic above :-)... I've been nominated for this award by the talented and lovely Debbi Baker. Who so beautifully put it -
"this is actually something I really believe is important in the world of the net and blogging as it is so easy to give a wrong impression or to be misinterpreted. Good manners rule!" I couldn't have put it better Debbi!!

So it is now my turn to nominate other bloggers and gee it is hard as there are so many wonderful and sweet gals & guys out there, so here goes -

Sulea - what an amazing artist this girl is. Not only is she EXTREMELY talented and sweet, she writes beautiful poetry and shares so much of herself so freely. Love her blog!!

Kelsey - so what can I say about this wonderful gal that hasn't been said before a gazillion times!! Love ya Kelsey!!

Dawn - check out her blog for a very cute and 'sweet' pic of her when she was a wee little prawn (her nick name is Prawn or prawn face :0). this gal is ubber talented and just the noicest person around.

Carmel - Love this girls free hand painting she does.... so ubber talented, she makes a painting look like a photograph it's that detailed.... Miss you heaps Carmel, my funny funny Irish Friend...

Julie H - what can I say about Julie. She can do collage, jewellery, painting, stamping. EVERYTHING so well and I just love love love everything she makes.

Jaimie - not only a wonderfully talented scrapbooker, but Jaimie was my 'life' saver when I first moved to Tom Price. Inviting me to here there and everywhere and introducing me to the wonderful world of Scrapbooking. She is a cracker of a gal.

And the list goes on.....France C, Dottee, Eve W, Nina Bagley, Misty Mawn, Judy (Red Velvet) and etc etc etc, so many to name. Thank you gals for brightening my week, each and every day with your wonderful posts on your blogs.

Still Away

Hi All

We've extended our visit to Perth, so that we can spend more 'quality' time with the family after my Nan's passing. After much discussion, my DH and I decided to fly the children down, so that they can spend a week with their cousins and family also. We were planning a visit during the school holidays in October anyway, so we've just bought that forward to now.... so we will also be taking them to some fun places like the Zoo (if it stops raining) and Scitech and a few other bits and bobs. It's also my mum and my nephew's birthday this week, so it's going to be a busy and fun week, which is just what we all need after the sorrow of the past week and a bit.

I haven't done any art lately, but just prior to me leaving Perth, I was asked to join the Aussie Dares blog as a contributor to the fortnightly dares there. Pop on over and have a look at the latest 'Dare' which is Fantasy..... there's quite a variety of work there and my effort was a canvas piece which you can see below -



Unfortunately I wont be able to make the next dare, but hopefully the one after, so I'll post my work up here after it's been posted on the blog.

Take care one and all
Hugs Nat

Thanks for the lovely comments my friends

The world is definitely a brighter and better place, with so many loving and caring people in it. Thank you to everyone who sent messages of comfort to me and my family during our time of loss. My Nana suffered a stroke on Thursday, the day after having her first lot of chemo. She was unconscious when I arrived on my flight from Tom Price to Perth and my family was originally told that she would not last 2 hrs. But my nana being the strong woman she is, hung on until well after I got to the hospital and managed to say goodbye. She was surrounded by her closest family and the ones who loved her so much.

Such a strong woman though, who will be missed so greatly. A rock, a giving, loving woman, who welcomed all into her home without judgement and would take the shirt off her back and give it to you if she thought you needed it, even if it was her last shirt.

Take care one and all, and dont forget to hug those that you love, often!!

Every now and then...........

My kids totally blow me away :-) Ok so they are like any typical kids and have their 'moments' when they are grotty. But today they blew me away with a special request. They asked me if they could make a gift for my grandmother, who is in hospital at the moment. We recently found out that she has 3 different types of cancer and as of today started chemo. She's 84 yrs old and as thin as a stick (40kgs to be exact), so not sure how she is going to handle that sort of battering to her body. I fly out on Thurs to be with my family during this time, so I will give her this gift then.




So here's what they came up with. My DD (7yrs) did the background and the collage, using some of my clipart and some of the Basic Grey die cuts to make the flowers. My DS (4yrs) did the frame with a little instruction from me.


Ok so yeah I AM bias.....


Stay safe one and all and I'm not sure when I'll be back to blogland.....

Share the love.....

hehe ok so that's a funny kind of title.... but it was so fab to read Belinda's blog this morning and to see that I've been nominated for this -



So here's where you can find the rules, but in a nutshell I have to nominate 5 people that I believe inspire others through their words and actions, with a positive attitude, and an uplifting spirit.

So I nominate -

Sulea , who blows me away with her art, her poetry and her loving/kind soul.

Julie H, there is no limit to this lady's talent and she has no hesitation in sharing how she does her art with others. Her love for animals, is also evident in her blog posts

Dawn t, who is just the loveliest, most sweetest, most talented woman and again is so sharing with her art

Kelsey This woman rocks!! and she is a totally awesome artist

Dot who I first met on line yonks ago and she makes the most uplifting art.

There are so many more bloggers I'd like to nominate, but I'm sure through this tagging system, those bloggers will eventually be tagged anyway.

Have a wonderful day :-)

Make some Noise!!!

Yay to Michelle Ward for coming up with another wonderful crusade.... although this would have to be the easiest one yet... The challenge is to add some music to our blog to share with one and all.... well I've decided to go with a flash back to the past... yes I'm an 80's music lovin kind of gal... call me old fashioned I dont know, but most of my fav music goes back to then.

IMO there were heaps to chose from, but I've decided to go with some music from Duran Duran, which was another of my fav groups from that time.....

So here's one of my favs..... dontcha just love the acting in this video

And I had to add this one, just purely for the black budgie smugglers that Simon is wearing


Again you gotta love that acting :-)

There are heaps more I could share, but I'll save that for another post or 2... Have a wonderful weekend

Second LO of my own design

Ok so here is my second LO ever of my own design. Still waiting for our new camera to arrive, courtesy of ebay. My son made the funniest comment the other day about ebay..... "dont you just love ebay mummy!!". I thought this was hilarious seeing as he's only 4. But he's discovered the joys of it, because Daddy and mummy are always getting packages in the mail because we've bought something on ebay!! Where we live (remote mining town in West Aust) there is not many facilities to buy 'stuff' here, so we get just about everything on line. Apparently our local post office is one of the busiest in the state, purely because there are so many parcels that arrive for people (town population roughly 5000) every day.

Hope everyone is having a great week :-)