Tag ! I am it.

Yikers! Today I’ve been tagged by Janet at Tattered and Worn. http://tatterednworn.wordpress.com/
Janet and I did a class together online. We keep in touch through the group. Janet is not only a talented artist but a great organizer and motivator. She says she will come visit me one day. I do hope she does.
Here is the game we are playing. It is an online blog "Tiggy" as we call it in GB.
I hope you will enjoy reading the questions when you pop over to the tagged players blogs. But first here are the rules.

The Rules
…you must post the rules
…answer 11 questions the tagger posted for you
…create 11 questions to ask the people you tag
…tag 11 people
…let them know you’ve tagged them

Here are the questions I was asked along with my answers.


1. If you could only eat one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be?
I am going to have to say some-thing like "life it's self".

2. When you are creating, what do you have going in the background?
Nothing if you mean music. I can get distracted by words and melodies. I am in need of happy music. I would like to have music going I really would but I don't like sad words. So it is the birds outside that fill my ears.

3. Do you have a decorating style, and if so, what is it?
That would be eclectic. I am so thrilled there is a word for it, you know my style is now the uba hip thing now. I love collecting thingies that mean some-thing to me. I throw them all together and hope for the best. I am trying to adhere to some of the decorating rules to make it all work even better.

4. If you could live anywhere in world, where would it be?
It truly would be right here where I am right now.

5. What would you do with your lottery winnings?
I would hire John Travolta and his big jet to fly me to all the places I would like to visit.

6. What is you very favorite saying?
This year it is, Trust in myself and go along with the Flow.

7. What are you most looking forward to?
That "arha" moment when I finally "get" my life.

8. What is your favorite outdoor activity?
What, you want me to name one ? Gee Janet !
Hanging out washing with my chickens at my feet.

9. Do you consider yourself politically aware?
No.

10. What is your most prized possession?
My future.

11. If you knew the world would end tomorrow, how would you spend today?
Ice-skateing.

Here are the people I have tagged.

Liza Zeni http://www.lizazeni.wordpress.com
Wini Dougall http://artloveandjoy.blogspot.com
Mary Sterk: http://justmarydesigns.wordpress.com
Julie hamilton http://www.spaark.wordpress.com
Yvonne Dekker http://muddleonthrough.blogspot.com
Stephanie Levy http://www.stephanielevy.blogspot.com
Kristen Powers http://www.kristenpowersink.blogspot.com
Jodi Wiley http://artbywiley.com
Denise Hughes http://denisehughesart.blogspot.com
Helen Perrett http://www.asp50yearsold.blogspot.com
Brenda Wolf http://bwcreates.blogspot.com



Now, “Tag! You’re it!” I hope you’ll play!

Have fun!

Now my questions to each of you.

1, If there were Super Hero's like Super Man, what would be your name and what would be your slogan ?

2, As a Super Hero, how would you save the world, make it a better place ?

3, If you were an art supply what would you be based on your personality ?

4, If you could swop bodies with any-one for a day, who would it be ?

5, Has a book or film ever moved you, what was it and why ?

6, What is your favorite song of all time ?

7, Is any-one in you family arty ?

8, Other than being an artist, what is your hidden talent ?

9, How would you like to give to the community you live in if you were able to ?

10, What do you want from tomorrow ?

11, What do you want from your friends ?

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Working With The Flow.

How interesting was today ! 

Ideas have been flowing very nicely since I decided to buy myself a kiln. I said it felt like it, it's self was representative of a doorway revealing a pathway. This doorway seems to be two way. It is letting ideas in.

I little while ago we watched a documentary on the life of Sir David Attenborough, we love him, as all Britts do. It introduced us to his brother Richard. I was captivated by this man on screen. Later that evening I googled David to clarify some information. However I was taken to Wikipedia which had a great write up on Richard. What an amazing man he is. I was drawn to his achievements.

Today (Friday the 17th February 2012) we run into Terri from 19Karen the coasts most amazing art gallery along with her beautiful friend Mary. They had gone to St Barts to see my plates. Sadly they only sell them in their Brisbane shop ! However once we caught up. Discussed the weekend art work-shop with Donna Sharam. I told her to watch out for a girl called Jess at this weekends exhibition, explained she had been living in Barcelona and was missing the arts. That made Terri tell us about the collaboration exhibition she was having in June. Like the Freda one, this one is to be all about the art of Spain. After showing us what one artist was working on, it came to her I should join in with some clay pieces. She said google the concept, google Picasso's pottery. Just like Sally had been telling me to do in regards to March's Artist Trading Cards. Well Terri was so excited, I was caught up in it, in her passion for the concept. She was throwing ideas around. So what could I do ? I had to follow the flow and google it. Up came the first page, Richard and Sheila Attenborough and their collection of Picasso's pottery http://www.leicester.gov.uk/picasso/ here is this man I was intrigued by, collect pottery that Terri wants me to be inspired by, to make my own twist on it for her exhibition. On the front page there it is the picture . . . . . . a plate. A plate with a face on it. The style is so like the self portrait that I had just done of myself at Donna's work shop it was, well to tell you the truth it was freaky and so exciting, exhilarating.

So what happened at this workshop. I do plan to blog about it but here is the start of it. Four of us head down to an artists home studio to look at life differently and learn her painting techniques. The first thing she starts with is taking our pencils for a walk, not taking them off the paper and with our eyes closed. To my horror she said start at your chin. Oh no, I don't do the self portrait. I always avoid it, never do it. I thought, oh well, I have to, it will be ok, my eyes are closed ! Well I actually put some effort into it. When I opened my eyes, to my surprise, was a fabulous self portrait. I was ecstatic. I loved it, I was, am so impressed.

How does this fit in ? Well my self portrait is in the same style as the faces on Picasso's plate that is owned by the man that has interested me, Lord Richard Attenborough. Hmmm well, yes, I will be doing a piece for Terri to think about, to see if the concept will fit in with her planned exhibition.

I am sorry I do not know who took the Picasso's plate photograph to credit them. I would think it was done by the Leicester Museums and Galleries.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Mr Beatties Gifts Of Life.

Today was the funeral of a very dear and special man. Mr Beattie. Who was he ? He was a Britt who loved to Animate and loved to teach it. He was my teacher at QCA. He past away on the 11th of February 2012. I wanted so much to go to see him laid to rest but sadly I could not. Leading up to 10am I thought about him and what his life had ment to me, how I could show him what he ment to me. At 10am I stopped, pulled out my note/drawing book and pencil. I started to draw. I knew the only way to honor him was to make an Animation today. I knew that as much as I would like to do that I would not be able to fulfill this today but I could start the idea. I ended up coming up with the best idea. To represent what he did and combine it with the first exercises that he ever taught us all. I was so stunned at the ideas flowing though me. I have not had doable film ideas for, well, let's just say a long time. Thank-you Mr Beattie you live on in all of us that you have taught. I always find myself trying to comfort people who have lost some-one by saying, remember all the good times you had, be thankful for the time you had with them, not morn what you will never have. Here I am, finding myself celebrating the time I had with Mr Beattie and the gifts he gave me. Here I am still receiving gifts from him after he has gone. So I say thank-you Mr Beattie, thank-you.

What make you happy ?

I have been making plates for a long time. I love making them. I have stopped many times, said I was going to throw it all in. But when I look at it, it because some-one else has done some-thing to make the process fail. Not because of what I have done. Other peoples apathy really is a killing emotion at times. As you know I had been brave and took some plates into the amazing St Barts shop. I got more than I bargained for. An order for 61 plates. My partner could not understand why when I came out of the meeting I was not screaming with joy. I could not either. I had ideas. It turned out they were wrong. The reason I was not over the moon as it turned out was I knew that I was at the hands of others to get these plate made. The fate of the plates was not mine to control  I was at the mercy of some woman who could be rather unpleasant. I was getting by for the first lot of plates loosing some at the hands of others. I was controlling the fears and stresses. Well not really. I know also realise why I was not really able to cope with the stresses. Because I was not in control of my work. There for I was letting the shop down and being well not myself. The call came from the shop telling me that were taking back orders for my plates. Ok so as I already know people love my plates. Now here they were being sold at expensive shop prices and people were still loving them. Ok I had to take control. SO what did I do ? I started looking at second hand kilns. It didnt feel right. So you know what I did I said to myself the stress is killing you, life is ment to be fun, this is ment to be fun. You are a squirrel, what good is being a squirrel if you never eat the nuts. So yes I ordered a lovely Woodrow kiln. Build especially for me. Me, who is worthy of a new kiln and a stress free relationship with her clay. I could not hold in the shrieks of joy coming from me. Not only was this coming from me but I found myself so happy and excited and free from stress.
I still have a massive smile on my face days later. I am now soooo relaxed about making the plates. I feel totally in control of my pottery life now, not at the whims of a group of silly old women. Yes, decadent in money terms, but for me as a person, as an artist, it has no cost. I am not paying any attention to the voice that was there months ago "will it be a waste of money, will I use it ?" I dont care. I am looking at it as the door which has opened to see the most amazing array of possibilities in the form of a beautiful path made out of flag stones. Each one a new step to some-where. All I know is it will be some-where arty. If any-one is holding back and questioning themselves for any-thing right now I say jump, leap, stop listening and just do it. The smile is priceless, as is having all of you to talk to about it and share the steps and those smooth inviting flag stones.
Dont struggle with decisions. It makes you fall apart. Just make the action and do it. I am so in love with what I have done for myself. Thank-you self, thank-you.

Flickr.

Have you tried to do Flickr. I did a while ago. Opened an account for my Creative Courage e-course. But do you think months later I could find it. It is rather hard on an ipad. After hours of fun and account settings and pass words, tight jaw and well the whole body really, I went to bed. Today I opened the big girl up. The Mac Book Pro. For some crazy reason I wanted to get to my Flickr account without having to go through FB. I wanted to use an account that is was offering. I thought this would be in the long run easier. But haha it wanted to link this account with another which you guested it I had to create. Then, yes there is a then. I decided to see a flickr button on my iphoto page so I click it. Turns out the phone app I loaded onto the ipad last night is really really hard to use. Well the big girl can do it for you straight up to flicker, via my FB log in. So I still dont know how to log into my Flickr account all by myself. Can not find a pass word or place to change a pass word. But hey you know what for today that is ok. Here is my flickr addresses. I think it is ? Me at Flickr. Try it let me know if you get any-where. I am sure it should have my title on it not a pile of numbers.

So why am I doing this ? I hear you all yawn. I know I need tea too. Well the Flying group Aussie girls. One in particular Michelle Dwyer, has opened up a challenge. Gosh it was a challenge to get me going to do the challenge. Each month we take photos in a theme. This month we take photos in the colour of dark red, with the theme of health and commitment. Whoops I forgot the commitment part to the task. Well I have done it. Found out a lot about the web. Had to make a Linky. Would love to give you a link but not sure. This might be it. http://linkyimg.arvixededicated.com/v2_thumbnail_linky_enter.aspx?id=123513

You know this whole thing is a great idea. Go and have a look at this page for January, see what you think. She has a special Flickr group set up. It will make make you train your eye to look at life differently, inspire you to see the positive around you and inspire you  to make art from what you see. Aswell as play with your camera and photo editing soft ware.

Here is my mosaic.

I have always wanted to do this mosaic thing and now I have. Oh there needs to be a link for that in here too. Hang on. Click here.

Gosh it takes a lot to do a blog entry. How do you all keep it looking so good ?

Is Good enough, good enough ?

As I look at my friends, far and wide, on the FB sites we have to bring us together, I look at their works, their blogs, I listen to their ideas and journeys. I am so happy for them when I see the most amazing works they do. I am in ore of them. I look at myself through them and think gosh I am letting myself down, I really am. So how am I going to move along and make ?
Then I think. Ok I am not drawing amazing animations like Koosje. (Gosh she is really doing it). But I am re building the foundations of my creative life to get to that point again. Yes I am having fun. Sure "could" do more but then there is that would, should, could thing. So I say, sure I would like to do more, but it is ok right now to do this amount. If you are being hard on yourself please dont, she says talking out loud to herself !
Trust is my word for this year. I am to trust that it is all ok. Just keep moving forward. Trust I will get there. Oh well now, there is a dilemma. Get there ? Sure we will all get there, some-where. What is important, as we all know is the getting there. We have a choice dont we ! Do we fight all the way ? Or do we laugh all the way ? Do we see where it is we are going or do we trust that where ever it is we end up it will be fine ? The trip there is what is important. Hmmm but we do need some kind of map, some sort of direction, a goal. Yes we do. Hmm in some areas of our life we need to see where it is we want to be. In our areas, not so much. Yes a split is needed. I agree. Some areas of life need to be free and others need a destination. However we need to see that the trip is still in question. Fun or stress ! Fast or slow ?
I am not sure I like this post. I shall post it any-way and re think it another time.

Why Do You Give ?

Hello dear Blog,
I am so sorry I have left you alone for so long. I have been rather busy. But what a lovely surprise to open you and find the new look you. I had forgotten your new look. I have been thinking about you but seeing you in the old look and it was not calling me. I love your new look. Lovely blog.
So what have I been doing ? Well gosh so much. I have had a great time with the oldies at the nursing home over the Chrissy time. We made lots of Chrissy deco and we made our own crackers and filled them with chocolate. I dropped off more plates to St Barts for their Brisbane shop. They tell me they are walking out the door. Ar ha so thats why they are hounding me to make more all the time ! I have got out two lots of Artist Trading Cards for the group I belong to "Flygirls Artist Trading Card Group". It is a great feeling getting them done as tiny as they are. It takes longer to do tinny. For me it is. How exciting it was to get some in the post. From the States, from ladies I know through our FaceBook page from our course. To have their work in my home in my hands it is a lovely warm feeling. My Parents have been here for over 4 weeks from back home this was a great pleasure. We really didnt stop, well except for the odd nap. Other wise it was go go go. Christmas was lovely, full on. I was given some lovely art supplies by some lovely friends. Paint made from plants that you well the powered to use them and they smell like the plant too. Jelly beans that are crayons, all natural too. Mulberry papers the most stunning, pocket sketch book, pencils. And more. Isnt it the best feeling when those around you show you they get you and what you are about. Of course I had so much fun entertaining and giving. We were out for lunch a few days ago. The girl on the table was talking loudly to a man while they ate. She was talking about why people give. She said she gives to get good karma back. I so wanted to say to her that that is just not how it works at all. I thought hmmm why do I give ? The answer is simple. Because people need. Have a think about it. Why do you give ? If you dont give why not ? If you do give, what is it you give ? Money, time, love, care, wisdom, do you inspire those around you ?

Lots of glass balls in the air.

I am so sorry I have not been in. I feel I have had a lot of balls in the air to keep moving. They have felt like they have been made of fragile glass. This has made it a feel rather full on. They are not feeling as if they need to be handled with so much care now. I think I can relax a bit and enjoy being so busy instead of being rather under pressure which has stopped me enjoying them as they spin around in the air, up and down. I have several places that would like my works. Works from various areas of my life as an artist. I want to see them glisten as the light catches them. I have found help from my stresses from reaching out and telling people what I am thinking. There has been some great ideas and solutions from so many lovely people. Thank-you to those of you who know who you are. It has taken me by surprise how helpful it has been to talk out loud and be given such remedies. I would love to add some pics and more info for you all but I must keep moving. Balls only stay up by themselves for so long.

Some blue.

The sky was having a bit of a time making up its mind whether to be blue or grey today.
I made a new business card just for fun. Playing with a couple of new texts. Nothing amazing just to inform. Getting the hang of the new CS5. Gosh.
A bowl of yogurt, berries and my own home grown banana. Followed by a cup of British tea and I was off to the nursing home. I had my back pack on as I was going on my electric scooter. Well I was until I got into the garage and saw the pot ! Hmmmm How was I going to get that on with me. There was not a way. I had to go in the car.
You see today we were decorating the hats for the ladies for the Tuesday celebrations of Melbourne Cup Day. It is a big horse race here. They say it is the race that stops a nation. Now Bert. He is a gentleman. They do not wear flowery hats . This was a great opportunity for him to finish off the mosaic plant pot for me. He loves mosaicing.  He was most happy to tile away while we made hats.
The ladies chose what they wanted and off I went with the glue gun and a bit of help. Yes I burnt myself. Oh I didn't say it was a HOT glue gun did I. hahahaaa so much fun. Owwwwey.
Here are some of their hats.

Not bad for old hats and supplies they had in the cupboard. Remember there is no money for craft so it is tight. I am looking forward to Chrissy. I love the idea of getting to use some of the things I have been saving for a rainy day.
What do you think ? I am thinking millenary course next. Hahaha just to add an other feather in my "hat"

Clay.

I am looking at a blog from a person in the Stephanie Levy course. The owner of the blog is Rae Padulo from Mudstar Ceramics in NJ USA. She has looked at objects around her and interpreted them into her clay. Objects like hydrangeas, and blueberries. Two of my favourite things. I am in ore of her eye, her work and her talent.
I am so inspired to look with different eyes at the things in my mind and all around me with eyes that have been quite asleep for a while. Thank-you Rae.

Ideas for Chrissy.

Do you need some help with special gifts or cards. Try this site for starters.

http://driftwoodandroses.wordpress.com/2011/10/17/christmas-cards-giveaway/

A new challenge.

a new challenge.

Looks like a good GF site.

Give Away.

My amazing friend is having a give away of a great new art magazine. No catches other than go to the mags blog and say hi.
Please go to Liza's page and have a look. You will be happy you did.

Butterflies.

Got to sneak some time in with my e-course this morning.
Since Si and I decided to pretend we are living with daylight saving and get up at 5 am we have slept in till 6.30 hahahaa.
Spent a lovely morning painting cut out wooden butterflies with my friends at the Nursing Home. They lots track of their time. One of my dreams. Had three people today. They were so engrossed  in their work I got to paint a couple too. We didnt finish. More to do next week.
Stopped off at the market. I was brave and got plain yoghurt ! I am on a berry and yogurt for morning tea thingy now. I think Liza from down south had a bit to do with that. You should see her art if you think her food looks good. Bumped into a new friend. Stopped off at the art shop and got a pen that Liza had been telling me about. Dont know when or where I will use it. But with this new course it will come in handy I am sure.
I actually got some paint on some paper late in the afternoon yesterday and finished off the leafs of the journal prototype. Now for the covers.

Twitter.

I still have a Twitter account. After all these years.
https://twitter.com/#!/HelenANaylor
How amazing.

Weekend.

We had a great weekend. Did some gardening and went to an 80th Birthday party. I decided to be brave and make an omlette to eat for me. I have not eatern them and other forms of eggs since my brother, one Sunday, cracked and egg, he linked to practice doing them one handedly. I think he should have been a chef ! A chick, dead of cousre, came out. Yuky or what ? I could only do pancakes from them on in. Over 25 years ago. Now we have three great girls in our garden laying eggs for us I had to do some-thing with them.

What are you doing. We can smell our eggs ? You better not be eating them !

Every-thing ready in my bowels.

Cooking away. Oh my goodness I did it !

There it is on one of my own plates. It was so yummy too.












The party on Saturday night was great fun. A little cold. Caught up with lots of people. Here we are with the guest of honour. 80 and just bought himself a Pit Special aerobatic plane. We can only hope.

The 36.

I was looking for blogs by woman animators in the hope of finding an e-course like this one and the last one when I came over this. Just click and go read it. You will have to slow yourself down from reading this account. Dont look at any-thing else on the blog until you read this account of the bus trip. It is so amazing.
The 36.
Incase the link does not work here is the url, type it in and go.
http://stretchingmybrain.blogspot.com/2010/12/36.html
When you are done and only when you have read it then look at the blog.
Prepared to be amazed.

Monday.

I am sitting at my desk again. Not with the same joyous abandonment that I experienced on my last list. This morning had a hick up. However with a bit a readjustment (gave in) I found my way here to read todays class notes. A few days ago notes, to tell the truth. Time zones and weekends, well you know how it goes. I started reading Stephanie's words. It seems she was talking to me. Then I got to a part that said

Sorry I went to gym thinking I will copy paste the words and do the link to her course when I get back. I am back but I cant find it. It was really good to. I will find it one day, so until then you shall all just have to wonder what pearl of wisdom shone in my eyes. Making be think the below ..........

Which made me think oh I bet there will be women out there with blogs about their animation and they will be inspiring and may-be do e-courses too. So I googled and got mislead to what I thought was a woman's blog but it was a Brit male. Ian Lumsden's blog.
Here I found a video posted on his site
Plato

«Plato» - Léonard Cohen (EnsAD 2010) by ensadanim
In Ian's words.
The fabulously named Léonard Cohen and his equally fabulously entitled creation, Plato. Here a figure struggles to get the shape just right. Time and again the object is discarded until, as an apple falling from a tree - or was that another Eureka moment and a different Brit or Greek - a solution is found.
Hmmmm makes you think ............
The character is drawing and drawing never happy with what to us looks like a nice square when he gets what he wants. So keep trying every-one no matter what it is, keep on at it. As Stephanie said 
"Give yourself a chance, many chances, as long as it takes." 


Off to gym will continue soon.

Oh my goodness what a day.

All I wanted was to get lost in a project, to sit at my desks or any-where quite frankly, to be consumed in what I was doing.

Well today I put the lappy on my desk. My make do space until the studio is repaired and remodelled, instead of on my lap in the window seat looking out into the world to the south. This window looks the north, Hey not that I have looked out till just them. Hmmmmm ............ thinking hmmmmmm.

Well I am doing another e-course. This time with Stephanie Levy. 

I am truly loving it. I started to read. Needing to do some writing I opened the jotter I got for my birthday, went to the back and started writing the answers to the questions. Then there was a paragraph that I had to write out and then more tasks. The Winsor and Newton water colour pans were there, also a birthday gift. Never used them like this before. I must say much easier than screwing off and on lids and wasting paint when you don't use what you squeeze out. Humm I needed to write there were the chunky coloured pencils that I got but never used and more items. As I started the new days work and interview by British photographer Susannah Conway I got lost in her and had to send her to a friend which lead me to doing a bit of chatting to some of the lovely arty ladies, including the lovely Stephanie. Oh my, a strange feeling came from my insides. Food. It was past lunch time. I quick lunch, let the chickens out and Louie out. Who is calling me right now, along with the kettle ! So here I have been caught up in an arty world. While the wild howls outside, winter is back, chickens scratch in my garden and I am at my desk, doodling and chatting. I have done nothing else. I was going out to run errands. I wonder  if they were important !

Following Me.

If you come and see my little blog which is a little slow and wonder how to follow me, just go right up to the very top of the page, in the blue bar is the world "Follow" right there on the left, just click it and your little picture will be on my little blog for all to see. It will inspire me to write a little bit more on this little blog of mine.
I had a very relaxing day today with friends. Found some hearts and signs to photograph. Some beautiful coffee and gluten free cake with gluten free chips and gluten free berry bliss ice-cream to top it off. Shall post the pics another day as I find myself very tired at the end of this day that I have enjoyed.

Oh dear they are not so good. You would never guess I took them at Movie World. Didnt take any pic of the food hahahaaa.