sweet gallimaufry.

hello! it's been a while ..

2012-01-30T20:42:00.003+11:00

my days have consisted of incredible people, indescribable experiences, long work days and limited art induced hours..
however, i have been making some pendants, as seen above! hoping to get a stash happening and start selling some. i love wearing the shell ones around!
if you have any questions, leave them in a comment. hoping to do a little Q&A vlog very soon.. so if you'd like to know anything about any topic... shoot a little comment my way! or chuck me an email: rubyclaire@iinet.net.au :)
i promise the video will be somewhat entertaining ........
.... one can try.
i hope you are well! x

family love.

2012-01-21T19:45:00.000+11:00

to be particularly honest, life has been running absolutely perfectly. i couldn't be more thankful.
i'm off for a week away now, with about 200 teenagers.. i'll be back in a week with some photos and hopefully a bit of art, too. thank you for reading and visiting! :) xx

life is full of beauty.

2012-01-20T23:42:00.000+11:00

bombo blue beach house.

2012-01-19T23:17:00.002+11:00

i quite miss the week away with 10 of my best friends. it was honestly one of the most relaxing, chilled out weeks ever. the sea breeze (and rain), friendship bracelets, triple j music.. it was bliss.

This is a layout showing the house we stayed in. It was the cutest place ever, and so massive inside! x

getting krafty!

2012-01-19T11:52:00.001+11:00

a very simple layout, much inspired by the lovely Louise Nelson. <3

Bombo Blue 'Beach'.

2012-01-18T11:39:00.001+11:00

A layout featuring my best girlfriends on schoolies... and a random 'beach' (more like pebbles) that we came across. :)

scrapping until the early morning.

2012-01-18T00:16:00.000+11:00

And you can tell by this layout, I've been hangin' in the Scrapwitch household! Very much inspired by Lisa at the moment. Having a total blast; beach every day, good friends, good food and a mound of inspiration.

This is a sweet shot Lisa took of me the other day. Picnik is a life saving editor, let me tell you! Looking forward to showing the rest of the pages. :) x

she turned her dreams into plans.

2012-01-17T11:22:00.002+11:00

playing with Lisa in her home! 4 layouts down already. oh, and a photoshoot. ;)
hope you're all well! x

earth after fire.

2012-01-14T18:57:00.001+11:00

doodling while friends are over proves to be a fruitful activity..

Altering found furniture.

2012-01-12T14:04:00.001+11:00

Last night, a new friend stayed over for some extensive art making hours. As we downed our 3rd can of coke of the afternoon, I pointed to a small wooden table out the front of a neighbour's lawn for Council Pickup. We raced over and carried this baby back to mine. Despite a bit of water damage, it was perfect for our desired project! I sanded back the top, lined it with masking tape, and painted 3 coats of blackboard paint- allowing 6 hours in between each coat.

Using a little bottle of Indian Ink and a thin brush, i painted a statement that related directly to our excessive inside jokes of the day on the side.

After the layers were all done and completed, I lifted the masking tape and decided to decorate the side that would be seen in the caravan. (I had already organised the perfect spot!). I lined the inside of the pattern with paper, so the spray paint wouldn't affect other areas of the table. I adhered that using masking tape. I then lined the exterior of the patterned mesh-like stuff with masking tape, so i could achieve a nice, crisp line after spraying.
Peeling off the paper underneath revealed an awesome pattern, one that will be perfect for my art journal. The slight indent around the pattern i filled with Indian Ink- to make it stand out.

and here it is! Nice and homey in the mess of which is my caravan. As you can see, we also decided to spray paint some of the coke cans we had drunk, glaze them, and then write on them with the Indian Ink and a paintbrush to document the day.
Using a permanent marker we began to doodle on the edges and sides of the table. Now all it needs is some extreme play with chalk!

Now i'll be forever on the lookout for awesome furniture to do up! Such an awesome sense of satisfaction when you're happy with the final product. x

good things come to those who wait.

2012-01-10T21:44:00.001+11:00

for those who follow along my blog, you may remember this post about a recent train ride in which i met two lovely women and one of their younger daughters. the little girl, megan, drew this in my expensive watercolour pad, in which i quickly exchanged for my art journal at the time:

i decided that, instead of 'wasting' this piece of paper, i would challenge myself to use the child's scribbles. i turned it upside down and worked with it. the outcome was the piece below.
it became a fun exercise, to be challenged to do something with a little less flow or definition. definately worth a try!

thanks for reading, lovely readers! i'm looking forward to spending tomorrow with a new friend; scrapbooking and making bracelets from morning until night! x

there will be an answer.

2012-01-08T23:30:00.001+11:00

just a little watercolour doodling on the train.. loving my Indian Ink and brush! The great thing about little watercolour sets is they're portable. when you're out painting in public, no matter what you're painting, it starts conversations. you meet such wonderful and interesting people!

And here's a quick art journal page with the lyrics from The Beatles' 'Let it Be' track. Loving the song right now. - once again, using my Indian Ink to write out the lyrics- with hundreds of mistakes with it, ooop. Who says art journal pages need epic amounts of layers and colour?

Thanks for visiting! :) x

start an art journal!

2012-01-07T08:53:00.000+11:00

a lot of people find that art journals HAVE to look good, each page has to ‘match’ or carry a message- especially for those who are typically scrapbookers or more ‘conventional’ artists. i know a few people who are interested in beginning an art journal but don’t know where to start.
this post is for you.

your art journal is YOURS. obvious, right? maybe so.
but this means only your eyes have to see it. if that’s the case, you don’t need to impress anyone. your pages don’t need to look ‘that’ good.
open up a journal, a book- something with heavy weighted paper that can handle layers. grab items of your favourite colour. if you’re just starting out, then pick things you know you like. if your favourite colour is blue, collect some blue paint, blue ribbon, blue ink. whatever you have. if you like music, grab a sheet of music notes. you get the drift.
just start layering it. don’t think about it. pick up the paint and go for it. stick over a doily or a part of an old lacy curtain. who cares? keep going. in an art journal, the ‘less is more’ view goes completely out the window. if it hangs over the edge, awesome. if a page rips- work with it!
an art journal is a book you can experiment in. get to know your products, find out what works well together. a lot of the time, i use my art journal as a basis of something bigger. i might like a technique on one page, the subject of another- i bind them together and then work with them on a canvas.
if this book is only for your eyes, then use it to its potential. journal your heart out. some days i have incredible emo days- i have resulted to scribbling ‘i feel like a fucking messsss…’ on one page, and ‘life is beautiful’ on the following one. who cares?
whether you paint over your journaling or not, the fact you have written it is therapeutic. tumblr is a GREAT source of inspiration- for quotes, colours, subjects. copy someone’s and make it your own!
‘copy’ you hear me say? LUDICROUS.
as ‘unprofessional’ that may seem- every artist ‘copies’ in some form. there is no such thing as a new idea. we all get our ideas from somewhere. just change it up a bit, credit the artist if you remember. follow youtube videos and their process.

have fun, get messy, play and experiment. no need to impress- just get it out.
imagine if one of your parents kept an art journal of quotes and random emo memories and happy times? no matter what it looked like, it would be beautiful to you. your art journal will be beautiful to someone, whether you decide to show it or not.

don’t let fear stop you from having fun and creating art. each person is creative in some shape or form, whether you know it or not.

art journal background.

2012-01-06T23:07:00.000+11:00

the start of an art journal page, playing with some black Indian Ink and Inktense Watercolour Pencils. Not sure what to do next, but I quite like how it is now. :) Sorry about my lack of posts these last few days! Work has been insane. Those of you who maintain a full time job, craft time and a regular blog- i salute you!
thankyou for visiting! x

potential.

2012-01-04T21:10:00.003+11:00

'sometimes, i think the potential of something amazing is the most exciting feeling in the world.'
the initial layers of a new page. bought some spray paint and played a little with an old mask from school. ;) not quite sure where to take this page, so i'll come back to it in a few days.. or weeks... or months...
i hope you week is going well! full time hours are killing me. x

masks are my new best friends.

2012-01-03T18:00:00.001+11:00

so i've ditched facebook and the negativity surrounding that website, and welcomed a new kind of addiction. the obsession with masks and texture paste. using spray paint and glimmer mist, gesso and texture paste- the background was made. i felt that such a pretty and busy background didn't need excessive embellishments or detail, so the rest came together quite quickly.
and so be the third layout made with Lisa, in her home town! x

watercolour pencils, strangers, and crossing paths.

2012-01-02T20:03:00.000+11:00

i slouch in a cushioned blue chair facing my suitcase of art supplies, my longboard and a backpack, awaiting the three hour train journey ahead. A few stops into my trip, a young Aboriginal woman and her blonde daughter board the train.

‘Mags, sit ‘ere’ she says to her child.

They sit across the isle from me and spread out their assortment of shopping bags and dolls. The woman leans over and asks me if there are any powerpoints on the train. I kindly respond with a no, and ‘well, they really should’. She proceeds to pull out her laptop anyway, and starts playing an assortment of popular rap/hip hop music. I note that the elders on the train weren’t particularly pleased, but I didn’t mind. My phone had died a few days proir, so the opportunity to listen to music, regardless of what it was, was appreciated.

The child, who I learn is named ‘Megan’, explores the train and starts climbing over chairs, pointing at ‘water, Mum!’, ‘glass’ and ‘lakes’ as she makes her way through a bag of chips. Her mother isn’t paying too much attention, but happily returns a ‘is that right?’, ‘that’s great, Mags’ to each excited remark.

I look up from my novel and decide I ought to offer the child something new to do. I reach into a paper bag I had resting by my side and bring out my favourite Inktense Watercolour Pencils and my favourite watercolour pad. I offer it to the child. For once, I forgot the expenses and the risk of never getting my favourite supplies back. I wanted to see the child happy and entertained.

Megan looks at me wide-eyed, and silently accepts my offer. She takes them from my hands, and sits down with her mum and starts to scribble with colours over the page, dropping pencils as she went. Her mother looks up and graciously thanks me. I return to my novel feeling content. Why not share?

After some time, the woman asks me what the pencils were and how to use them. I brought out a paintbrush I use, that stores water in the pen itself and showed them the effects made. Megan became awfully excited at the revelation. A young woman leaned in, who was sitting behind the Aboriginal woman and asked me a few questions regarding the pencils. She had never seen a paintbrush like mine, or pencils as vibrant. I noted her strong accent.

We begun to talk. The Aboriginal woman asked me what art I did and I showed her some of the things I had made over the weekend. The two women were very interested, and asked many questions. I showed them masks and told them of all sorts of recycled materails they would have around their own home to achieve the same effects. They were amazed.

Megan had become restless, so I offered her my art journal.

‘Hey, Megan- do you think you could draw me a pretty picture in my art journal?’

She nodded and went on her merry way.

I explained the journal, and how I was planning to send it to a friend in a week for his contribution. I asked the two woman what kind of art they were into. The Aboriginal woman told me that she lived in an Aboriginal community, in which she made a lot of large artworks in their traditional dot painting style. She also wrote poetry and was beginning a business in which she encouraged written expression. The woman with the strong accent told me she enjoyed watercolour and was interested in the work I did.

We spent the next hour talking about life, and how art is essential to the growth of human spirit… how each one of us are so similar and often so scared to talk about those ‘big questions’. I learned alot about the two women, both aged 30. The Aboriginal woman had four children. She told us that she had given birth to one out the front of a hospital in front of hundreds of people on a cold Winter’s day. She explained that when she saw her baby, she new instantly she should be named ‘Summer Rose’ because despite the tempterature, her daughter warmed her heart. Her sister was in gaol, and she told of some heartbreaking stories she had witnessed in amoungst her community. The woman with the strong accent was from Toronto, Canada and was visiting Australia for a week. She remarked that she found Australia ‘absolutely beautiful… everything… all the people are so nice…’

As our destination was in sight; Central Station, I kindly asked the Aboriginal woman to write me a poem for my journal. She pulled out her own and started drafting. I continued to speak with the Canadian woman and managed to convince her that she couldn’t go home without trying some Vegemite- on EVERYTHING. I gave her my journal to write down her email, so I could send her the poem the Aboriginal woman was writing. Underneath her email she scrawled; ‘Thankyou for a lovely train ride that bright up my day :)’. I decided I would purchase the same paintbrush and pencils that I had that she was interested in and send them to her. A few hours later I had them purchased and packaged ready to post the following day.

Her name was Cinthia. I asked the Aboriginal woman her name, and she responded with ‘Bambi’.

Ruby, Cinthia and Bambi. Three women walking completely different paths in life, finding similarities in art. How wonderful that moment was.

Bambi begun to read out her poem on the train before she gave it to me;

‘Keep you’re mind open
and youre spirit high
the world is now at your feet
so aim for the sky

make your vision’s come true
so we all can see
the talent you possess
is truly unique

i look at you’re face
so fresh and young
i know a good life
for you is one that will be filled
with happiness and wisdom.

so live you’re life and never look back
keep your dream’s alive
keep walking youre track.

you know where you’re going
and what you want to do
so now ill say
im glad to have met you.

love Bambi. 2011. <3’

My inner grammar Nazi was left behind- a great acceptance and appreciation of personal experience, art and poetry was adopted.

The train pulls in at Central and we begin gathering our things. I accept my pencils back, and thank them for making my train ride truly special. I wheel my suitcase off the train and we seperate. We jump back onto our paths, after they were all so purposly intertwined, feeling uplifted and inspired.

Perfect strangers, I’m glad to have met you.

hooked on masks.

2012-01-01T21:13:00.000+11:00

Lovely Lisa hooked me up with the greatest masks in the world and, safe to say, i've been going crazy with them! Using Glimmer Mist, Prima flowers and texture paste, this layout came together quite easily.

Today I disabled Facebook. I realised that, well, it took up simply too much of my time. Now I feel as though I can focus more on art and reading and writing and socialising with people. I feel free. I feel like now, only my true friends will stay in my life, and not those who are only passionately curious, as opposed to actually caring. For those of my friends who read my blog, I thank you.
More to share soon. x.

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T14:07:00.000+11:00

I hope you all had a wonderful New Years Eve, and didn't drink too much. ;)

The last few weeks have been quite hectic here- with work consuming a lot of time- and various social events. Last week I visited Lisa in her hood for a few days. Here's layout #1!

We also went to the beach, for a quick photoshoot. Here are a few fav's that darling Lisa took of me.

around the studio.

2011-12-25T15:24:00.000+11:00

working on journals, half finished pages and procrastinating the cleaning job ahead.

i hope you are all having a very merry christmas! x

an almost welcome to 2012.

2011-12-24T19:52:00.000+11:00

'ready to branch out in 2012; grow and mature, embrace all challenges and unfamiliar situations... craving growth and opportunities, change and independence; new friends, stronger family... '

there's nothing more encouraging and inspiring than starting a new year. celebrating a new calendar; the end of 365 days of trials, tribulations; happy and joyous times and the initiation of another 365- with the same pattern. yes, new years resolutions are 'overrated', but i like them. it's kind of like a to-do list, with a year to complete.
however, in a fit of inspiration, i started my set aside 2012 journal today. this is page 1, focusing on my 2012 mindset.

embrace everything with open arms.

Merry Christmas to you all. x

RubyClaire is now on Etsy!

2011-12-20T21:49:00.000+11:00

So, I have finally organised my etsy store to be up and running again! I have a few watercolours up there now, and at a discounted price. More works should be made and uploaded there within the week!Please check it out and help support and university-saving student! x

dream a little dream of me...

2011-12-18T23:19:00.000+11:00

another quick watercolour I pumped out whilst hanging out in my caravan with a close friend. nothing beats aimless doodling and paints.

watercolour crazy.

2011-12-17T19:38:00.000+11:00

going a little crazy with my exploration of these paints, as evidenced! yup, still playing! hoping to make a whole line of them, maybe? who knows. my mojo is on fire! x

dream catcher.

2011-12-17T15:49:00.000+11:00

attempted a sketchy, earthy dream catcher with my watercolours yesterday. i'm totally obsessing over these materials at the moment- so quick and easy to pump out!
this was my first 5 minute play with the materials yesterday in an old art journal:

Thanks for visiting, lovely readers! x

my first watercolour attempt.

2011-12-16T18:12:00.000+11:00

working at an art store means, of course, all of my pay packet is invested right back into the product we sell. last night i decided to venture into the world of watercolour and buy some paints and Arches Watercolour Paper (BEST PAPER IN THE WORLD). This is what I have to show for my first attempt. Just did some free hand doodling, mixing colours and blending to experiment. Might I say, I am most happy with the quality of the product, and can see myself venturing down this arty alley again.

a frame makes a difference.

2011-12-11T11:35:00.001+11:00

some may remember this post, where I scanned in my first attempt of working with spraypaint. as I was cleaning up my caravan, I came across this dodgy frame I bought at The Reject Shop years ago and thought it was perfect! it's not exactly my best or favourite piece in the world, but I thought it would look wicked with a black frame.
i've been spending a lot of time in the caravan lately, and have been pumping a number of things out. more to share soon! :) x

be thankful.

2011-12-10T18:35:00.001+11:00

in everything that you do, in everything that you experience; you can always find something to be thankful about.

unfurl your wings.

2011-12-08T13:41:00.001+11:00

each of us are given wings (metaphorically of course); the potential to fly to unknown territories, explore and follow our dreams. why don't we, though? we are we so set in rooting ourself in one place, following societies paradigms like a rule book? they aren't rules, dammit. there is no punishment if you don't follow them. okay, i lie- maybe you'd get a weird stare or people would talk, but they will regardless.
don't tie yourself down to the world, don't tie yourself down to money gain and selfishness. we have potential as human beings to be great, we need to unfurl our wings and fly to those places.
think of how much we could achieve if we got our ass off the chair, off the internet and DID something?
note to self: spend less time on the internet.

creating.

2011-12-07T16:23:00.001+11:00

Creating for the Scraploot blog and store! Check out the blog to find out how to make your own stamps. ;)

And here's a canvas I made the other day- just piling on some junk from my desk over an old canvas. :)

Thanks for looking! x

scrappin'.

2011-12-05T19:51:00.001+11:00

I've been scrapbooking, for 'fun' also, as one may say. No company or challenge work- just messy, free, art play on my desk. :)
starting to document my favourite photos from schoolies- there are so many to get through! x

grow.

2011-12-05T13:32:00.001+11:00

we're always growing- older, wiser, more mature. however lately, i've come to this understanding that despite inevitable aging, growing up is completely different. i've met various adults in the pass few weeks who are always growing; in their faith, in their love for people, in their dreams.. but age doesn't stop that. they are great company and still young at heart. for some teenagers, it would be weird to call a 40 year old a friend. but i do. it's not often that you can sit down with someone more than double your age, and act as if there was no age gap.
i want to grow up. not in age, but in wisdom and fruitful love.
i made this canvas to kind of illustrate how i'm feeling. how despite the fact we all begin the same, each of us grows and branches off and flowers into individual persons. i want to grow outside the box. be an individual.

canvas creating.

2011-12-02T22:22:00.001+11:00

i did a lot of canvas making today for a hopefully successful and most exciting upcoming project! my hands are still stained with paint and ink. Barely left the caravan at all, except to make a batch of brownies of course. ;)
more proper things to share in the coming days! x

Top 10 Chipboard Projects.

2011-11-30T17:27:00.001+11:00

Imaginarium are seeking a new design team, and I decided to apply. With the application, I must post my top 10 projects using chipboard, so here they are. :)
Thanks for taking a peek! x

Schoolies Documented.

2011-11-30T08:46:00.001+11:00

I made this mini album with wonderful products from Scraploot. Head over to their blog to see more of this project, the products I used and more awesome posts! :)
Thanks for visiting! x

peace. love. unity.

2011-11-28T13:19:00.001+11:00

a small canvas made with fabric, old school lace curtains and embellishments found on my art desk.
i hope all is well in your world! x

home.

2011-11-27T21:21:00.001+11:00

i'm home from a week away with 10 of my favourite people. despite somewhat 'depressing' weather, we made the most of it. from swimming in lagoons in underwear, 'extreme peeing', countless alcoholic shots, scary movies, poker, friendship bracelets, op shopping, second hand bookstores, beach swims in the rain and exploring the local area. i couldn't have asked for a better week.
however, now i return to reality. whenever i'm not working at a local fast food place, i'll be working on following my dreams and exploring my hopeful business ventures.
crafty shares soon. tomorrow's dedicated to it. x

Scraploot Blog Hop!

2011-11-26T09:22:00.000+11:00

Hey everyone!

Scraploot is a great new Australian online scrapbook store, and finally I can announce I have been chosen as apart of their design team! For those who have come from Renee's blog, you already know what to do, and where to go. If not, head straight onto the Scraploot Blog to check out what's happening!

And keep following that blog, too. Every week there'll be step-by-step posts and inspiration, store updates and challenges. A good place to go when you're sipping on your coffee and stalking scrapbooking blogs!

Without further ado, here is my first project made with a selection of products found in their store:

(Products: Simple Stories Yearography Collection Kit - (background paper: Everyday Life), Cardstock stickers; BellaFlowers Vintage Harmony, May Arts Burlap String Caramel, AmericanCrafts Memory Marker – Ash.)

I used photos I had edited through instagram - an ap on the iphone. As this month is not yet over, I will easily be able to add more photos as I take them. For the past week I've been at schoolies; so no doubt i'll have a lot to fill in those squares when I return.

And here are 3 facts about me, not mentioned in my bio on the website:

1. I have a terrifying fear of snails.

2. Idealistically, I'd love to be an English teacher.

3. The smell of lavender reminds me of my grandmother's grave.

Alright, so the next blog you have to visit on this hop is Michelle's! so hop on over there. Thanks for visiting! ;)

God has my future sorted.

2011-11-14T21:17:00.001+11:00

Jeremiah 29:11 - 'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future'.

Just a quick, messy art journal page for today. Sometimes I feel so empty and lost, unsure of my future and where I'll go. I had one of those days today, and decided to journal it out.

Thanks so much for your comments and views, I really appreciate it. xo

resurrecting old canvases.

2011-11-13T20:59:00.001+11:00

there comes a time when i am inspired to paint on a canvas.
being the lazy teenager i am, i can't legally drive yet- so obtaining much needed resources such as new canvases and paints is not so easy.
today i found an old canvas under a pile of forgotten materials.
i didn't particularly like the canvas at all, and i know my style has developed immensely since the time i originally made it. i grabbed my paints, sat down and began to work over it- continuing the theme of 'butterflies'. the previous layers add dimension, and you can always see evidence of the canvas' history peeping through the edges.
i like it that way.

spray paint experimenting.

2011-11-12T16:32:00.001+11:00

After finding a spray can of yellow and black paint; I decided to have some fun. this is, I suppose, a little swatch to test out the effects of spraying close to the sheet and using masks and mixing in paint and rubons. You need to be over 18 to buy spray paint here in Aus, so I'll have to ask Mum to get me some more.
Thanks for your comments regarding my art major work, also! xo

art major work - explained.

2011-11-10T10:58:00.000+11:00

So, a few of you asked for a quick explanation of my art major- so i shall try my best to do so.
Half way through my prior art major, i realised it was no where near the avenue of my style to create it, so i changed my idea. I brought my art journals into my art teacher and asked her if i could do something in that kind of style? She reacted with enthusiasm and I was shocked that I could classify something I do as 'fun' at home to be worthy of being something in relation to my art major.
I love words, and often I have come across words in other languages that are untranslatable into English. Initially, i documented these words in my art journal... making pages upon pages. However, i realised that i wanted my marker to be able to see them all together... so I ripped them out.
As I lay them out on a table at school, i came to the conclusion that they needed to be somehow adhered together to make it look like a quilt.
I thought about sewing them together. The teacher liked that idea so I went ahead and did it! I punched holes with my Silent Setter and tied a knot behing every stitch for douoble support.

Once I had finished and had it all completed- I had to think of a way to display it. I started to fold it up, and realised- if I folded it a certain way (backwards, forwards) it could work. So I did. On the back of each piece I collaged with scrap patterned paper, so it was interesting when you folded it as well. I wrapped it in string and wrote a label for the top, to tie it all together.
'Gesamtkunstwerk' is German for 'complete work, entire body of work' - and I felt that that successfully depicted my entire piece, as all of the other words were from other languages as well.
Here are some peeks at some of the pages. My apologies about the lighting at the time. The defenitions are written on each piece- so hopefully you can decipher them from glancing at each photograph. I used whatever materials I found in my caravan or at school. General art journaling supplies and stamps, alphabets and various paints.

I am very happy with how this turned out. I know that I could have done a lot more if I begun this project at the beginning of the year, as opposed to about 3 months ago- but it was fun. The stitching probably took the most time.
Once I get my video camera fixed, I am considering running a large online class, with detailed videos on how to make each page. I'll make a new one and walk the journey together. If you're interested in something like that- please let me know. :)
Thankyou for your encouraging words! xo

i have returned, cyberworld.

2011-11-09T15:39:00.000+11:00

It is most strange updating my blog.. but I feel as though I can freely do so now that all of my exams and high school in general IS NOW OVER FOREVER.It means i can do a little bit of playing in my art journal without feeling guilty...

I have a lot to share over the coming days. For those who don't have me on facebook, it will pretty much be new. I received my art major work back and can finally make it public.
Here's a sneak..

More to come soon! Thanks for reading. xo

documenting beach trips.

2011-09-18T13:38:00.000+10:00

with the warm weather flooding Australia, so have the teengers flooded the beaches and ditched school instead. i decided to grab an old hard cover children's book from my shelf and start documenting these trips. they're full of fast food, new friends, swims and loud music.

three more school days and it's all over red rover! all i have are my major exams and i have completely high school! so keen. anyway, that's all to report. thankyou for all the comments lately! <3

my life in instagrams.

2011-08-27T13:59:00.000+10:00

in the midst of my trial examinations, i still have time to blog.
i don't think that's dedication- no, not at all. 'procrastination' seems a more feasible word. there are plenty more 'educationally more fulfilling' things I could be consuming my time with right now, but i choose not to.
these past weeks have been a mixture of:
1. Library visits and making friends. Copious hours of study and distracting conversations, striking up conversations with others across the room and finding mutual ties between each other. Said conversations ultimately results in hangin' out after exams. On this particular evening, heading out to D'street cinema to watch HP was a flop. Turned up to find it was no longer showing at that particular cinema. Watched 'Rise of the Apes' instead. I cried in multiple scenes. Then drove to Youth and had Maccers afterwards, followed by a drive up a dark street in the bush. 'Mambo No. 5', Noah and the Whale and other old school music was blasted on each drive, shouting the lyrics to passing cars.

2. Fast food visits. At one particular instance, in the space of 2 days, I consumed McDonalds 6 times. I am suprised I haven't broken the scales yet.
3. 'Selfies' instead of studying.

4. Making art and hangin' in my caravan instead of studying.

5. More time sleeping with my cat that I spend awake.

6. Following paths in the bush after exams to take a break from studying.

7. Op shopping trips. In the past 2 months managed; 3 dresses, 3 pairs of shoes, 3 scarves, pillow, 2 pairs of boots, jeans, knitted sweater, grey cardigan, new jewellry.. the list goes on. Total spent: $96.

One my art major is complete, i'll be able to start sharing. I have 28 blog posts lined up of creative shares, I just have to wait until the markers finish marking it.
I hope you are all having a splendid week. xo

night time memories.

2011-08-18T10:20:00.000+10:00

with our stomachs full of icecream and the sun bidding us farewell, we drove into the bush with the music up loud. the rain bucketed down, the high beams distilled by the rain and fog.
We reach the peak of the hill.
Surrounded by bushland and faint lights in the distance we parked on the side of the road. I am in the front seat and look across to J.
‘let’s get out and run up that hill, yeah?’
the area is reknown for potential murderers hiding in the bushes and cars containing young teenagers smoking pot and having sex- but he happily obliges. A and D in the back are too freaked out to even get out of the car, so we leave them behind.
We run up to the top of the hill and admire the layout of city lights that has just opened up to us.
‘is that….. a silhoutte in the distance?’ i whisper, clutching onto his arm.
‘it could be a gigantic lion!’ he exclaims.
‘maybe it’s that crazy bitch from the scary movie we watched last week’
‘yeah, it looks like her property’.
We decide we will return for a picnic in the near future. The view is beautiful!
We begin to walk down the hill, back to the car.
We see A and D sitting in the front seats. I look at J and nod.
We start running for our lives, through the trees and out through the small gap in the fence. As we approach the car, we erupt in screams and yells.

‘DRIVE! JUST DRIVE!
‘HOLY SHIT, OH MY GOD. HOLY F**K’
‘DRIVE FOR YOUR LIFE!’

A gets in panic mode and attempts to start J’s car. She starts driving home, focused on the road, managing to put on her blinkers but not put on her seatbelt. J and I describe the light and the silhouette in the distance and the faint scream.

When we are a safe distance away, A parks and sits in the back with me, J returning to the driving seat.
After some time, J and I reveal that it was all a joke- we just wanted to play with their paranoia. They didn’t look pleased, but we replayed the night with extreme over-emphasis anyway;

‘You took AGES to start the car. I mean, what if there was ACTUALLY a murderer?’
‘It was a good practise drill anyway’
‘YOU PUT YOUR BLINKER ON! Why did you have time for that?!’
‘What is if was that crazy bitch crawling after us with her knife?’
‘I’d reverse and run the bitch over!’
‘not before putting your blinker on and checking all your mirrors of course.’

Usually we watch scary movies together on a Saturday night- this time we made our own, and made them live that fear. best.
___________________________________________________

the five of us on the side of the highway, cars whizzing past in a blur.
10:40pm.
‘follow me!’ you yell, running off into the bush.
we follow, running through the knee-high grass and climbing over barbed wire fences.
we catch up to you and walk by your side to the open mountain.
the cool air gently brushes my exposed skin, a cold shiver runs through my body.
‘look guys! isn’t it incredible? isn’t God good?’
we reach the peak and look out at the view.
we murmer in agreement. yes, God is good.
we are surrounded by city lights. a sea of buildings storing memories and containing confused, happy, angry people- each soul, each body an individual.
‘we should picnic up here!’ i coo; skipping in circles, running my hands through the grass.
‘i used to write my music up here for a while, back in the day’ you explain.
hours pass, filled with laughter and enjoyable company.

we return to the warmth of the car and squish into the back seats.
Lupe Fiasco: ‘Go Go Gadget Flow’ is the song of choice and we’ve mastered every lyric.
We drive on into the night, continuing our adventures, singing our favourite songs… the five of us- alive, together… the bond of friendship woven through our skin.
________________________________________________

we lay down, our heads resting on the shoulders and stomachs of our new friends. It was 2am; the fireworks had been lit, the bonfire was dying down, the waves lightly crashing along the shoreline- most had returned to their cabin. it was a spur of the moment. the boys we 'observed' in the cabin across from us made conversation and we quickly made friends. In the cool night, we kept each other warm- like penguins, murmering jokes and comments, teasing each other as if we had been friends for years.

Parisian Glamour.

2011-08-14T12:17:00.000+10:00

Tarisota has done it again with another gorgeous kit full of the sweetest trinkets and papers. Melissa Phillips is the Guest Designer for this month and her work is incredible! Check out this months gallery to just get a serious overload of inspiration.

I made a little album to document the family holiday I go away on every 2 years.

And here is one of the layouts. Check the gallery for the rest and everyone else's!

My art major work is due on Wednesday, so I still have a stack to do.. then my trial exams. Cue stress and heavy study routines! Thanks for all your comments and emails, tweets and facebook mails! <3

sewing.

2011-08-03T19:52:00.000+10:00

I am beginning to sew my art major up now. I have less than a fortnight to sew up a hopeful 24. Time to knuckle down and get this done.

to kill a mocking bird.

2011-08-02T20:50:00.000+10:00

I take a deep breath and step out onto the stage.
I am 12 years old, hundreds of people awaiting my entrance.

I wasn’t supposed to perform tonight,
only minutes ago was I backstage in jeans and a singlet making jewellry with some of the other cast members.
There was two of us playing ‘Scout’, because we were young and they wanted to balance out the performances. Tonight was her performance.

As I wrapped the piece of wire around the end of the bead and finish yet another pair of earrings I hear the sound of shuffling footsteps, whispers of panic.
I look up.
Scout has her hands over her mouth, people are rushing towards her in a hurry.
‘water… get a bowl!… poor thing… what do we do?!’ snippets of hushed voices… people everywhere.

What does this mean? Act 1 isn’t even part-way through, hundreds of people are out there waiting for her.

my director looks at me, red faced;
‘Ruby. Up, NOW. You’re on.’

I don’t have time to think or panic, I jump up and suddenly 8 people rush to my side, pulling the clothes from me and dressing me in costume, braiding my hair, covering my face in makeup.

I run up the staircase… around… around…

I take a deep breath and step out onto the stage.

‘Scout, that you? You out there?’
I hear Jem call to me.
The audience is oblivious, they assume it was a time shift, Scout’s grown up, she’s older now.

Atticus enters the stage and gently places his arm around me as we sit down on the porch.

He smiles. I can see he’s figured out what’s happened.
‘Scout, don’t go wanderin’ roun’ yonder! Calpurnia’s worried ‘bout you. I have to talk to Mr. Cunninham ‘bout some important business- i don’ need you gettin’ into mischief wit’ Jem.’

I pick up where we are and we continue.

caravan

2011-07-20T17:38:00.000+10:00

I have been working on a lot of my art major in the caravan lately, and organising all of my supplies. Here's just some of my paint stuff. I really should go through my cupboard and draws next, but I can't face the mound of mess.
When I'm not in here working on my art major, I'm in bed typing out my ideas for a future class. I have it all mapped out. I'll begin to film in 7 weeks, after my art major is due and my trials have finished. For now, it's just planning and typing to go. :)
My art major is due to my teacher in 4 weeks. I have 4 completely finished pages, 7 that need their back's done, 10 than need to be finished... and another 10 to do. I really have to get my skates on.
My teacher also advised me to stop putting them online until they have been marked by the Board of Studies, just in case one of the markers have seen my work online and think it's someone else's that I have copied or something-or-other.
Anyway, I will keep you updated. Thankyou all for your lovely comments! Since my last video, I've had a lot of traffic, so thankyou. :) xo

amaranthine.

2011-07-19T07:30:00.000+10:00

amaranthine: eternal. masking tape background painted over with gesso and green paint. I used this soft, furry-like stuff around the word 'eternal' and drifting off to the edges. I will find the name of it when I can be bothered to get out of bed, but it makes the page feel incredibly cool. The music notes are a piece of chipboard I got at the Papercraft Convention and the alphabets are your basic thickers. I had paint the same colour, so I mixed it with modelling paste and painted over them for texture, outlining them in a black felt tip once dry.
School is back today! Not really looking forward to it, but prepared to be motivated and get down to business and work my arse off in this last ever official term.
Have a splendid day readers, I will come and visit your blogs after school today, thankyou for your kind messages in my recent posts. <3

Cafuné.

2011-07-18T10:09:00.000+10:00

Cafuné: the act of tenderly running one's fingers through someone's hair.This page was initially one of my least favourites. The background was dull and boring, and I had absolutely no idea what to put on it. I came back to it the other day and found this chipboard swirl that I had painted a while back and thought it may work with it. I then covered it in dimensional magic, so it's glossy.
You can still see the music notes from the initial layer coming through, along with some notepaper i had written lists on many years ago.
Plenty more to come, I just scanned in a whole stack.
To those going on Mojo, have fun! I'm so jealous! Come back with stacks of pics to share. ;) xo

gheegle.

2011-07-16T19:35:00.000+10:00

Spent the majority of the day in the caravan today working on my art major. Yup, I have a video to show for it! I thought, after 8 months since my last one I should make one.
Here is the final product:

And here is the video!

It's a part of my art major for school- using unstranslatable words in an art journal format. I'll be sewing them together in the end, and folding them up into a small box.
Thanks for having a peek! xo

string.

2011-07-15T22:56:00.000+10:00

Spending a lot of time lately working on my art major. I am using words that are impossible to translate into English and am actually starting to really enjoy it and be inspired. Last night, I slaved away in my caravan. My best friend called me and we spent an hour on the phone (like usual). I put the phone on speaker so I could still work at the same time. This photo here is a close up of one of my pages.

Just a messy background in which I heavily journaled on with white pen, before painting and stamping over... This blue shape here was made by sponging the gaps of a chipboard cutout. I found a ball of string on the floor and decided it'd be a good product to use. I love trying to add as many different materials as I possibly can. It's a nice challenge. Once I pick something up and put it in my hand, I feel like I have to use it. I challenge and force myself to do so.
So I outlined the shape with string. I used a thin paintbrush and some PVA glue to guide it. In the centre I was left with a pile of string. I didn't want to just, cut them off. So I tied a knot and let the loose ends fall, putting a dab of PVA glue at their tips to keep them stable. I liked the look of the natural curl they fell into. I then grabbed a felt tip pen and added some shading and did a final outline of the shape.
I've finished the page and I will show in the next few days. Hopefully I will be filming the progression of my next few art journal pages tomorrow, so that will be good! Look out for it. :)I hope you are well, please don't hesitate from dropping in! xo

music

2011-07-13T19:44:00.000+10:00

My sister (14) and her friend Bailey (13) have just opened up their own youtube account and have started videoing their covers. So proud of them! Check them out and leave some love ;) , took guts to get it out there in the world!

11:18am

2011-07-13T11:19:00.000+10:00

Day two of what I think could become a regular thing; a picture and an accompanying post. I want my blog to be more personal, more than just pictures.
I woke up at 4am today and went to hospital. The pain in my mouth was intense. They gave me this red fluid that had the density of PVA glue. They tried to make it taste bearable, but they failed.
Did you ever put those gummy lolly teeth in your mouth, slotting them up in your gums and prancing about pretending they were real? Take that feeling, drop in the feeling of trucks doing doughnuts on your gums, and you have the present feeling of the inside of my mouth. It’s splendid.
Thoughts:
- Yes, POUTING. I know. Hate hate. It’s the only facial expression I can do with no pain. Dad’s jumper’s very comfy though. That’s the thing when you don’t have a BF.. you have to resort to your Dad’s clothes.
- You know that yearning feeling you get in your stomach, that feeling of sheer exasperation when you can’t hang out with someone you haven’t in a long time? I find this is what’s weighing me down lately. It’s as if these people fuel me, motivate me to get back up again. I need to put more of an effort in, and stop waiting for others to initiate something.
- My sister has a friend over. They are 13 and 14 years old. She’s playing piano and her friend is singing. She has the most INCREDIBLE voice I have ever heard in my life.
-‘That is a part of the beauty of literature. You discover that your longings are universal longings, that you’re not isolated from anyone. You belong.’ F. Scott Fitzgerald – I think I’m going to slot this into my HSC ‘Belonging’ essay. I love this quote.
- I really should write these thoughts in my art journal.
- I’ll probably add to this as the day goes on…

10:16pm.

2011-07-11T22:16:00.000+10:00

at this very moment, i am curled up in bed aimlessly scrolling through tumblr, reading blogs... thinking about things.
firstly, just an observation on this image of myself taken on my webcam an hour ago. i broke my collarbone two years ago and somehow, it still looks weirdly mongulated. one shoulder still sits slightly higher than the other. i blame it on the drop bears, i forgot my vegemite.
my tired eyes and swollen mouth… i look so healthy…. not. mouth infection is a killer. haven't eaten anything solid that i can chew in 4 days....
the urge and need to travel is more apparent than ever before. i find when schoolwork is overwhelming me, when people are frustrating me.. i want to escape. i guess it shows a little about my character though? running away from things when times are tough. i really need to work on that.
i believe i have the potential, that i am capable of so much right now and instead i am wasting my time away. i focus too far forward on the future, ready to grasp it and embrace it when it comes.. and when it does, i am once again looking to the future.
i want a foreign penpal. someone i can send cute little Australian euphoria to and share my secrets on cute notepads and express myself by drawing pictures and scribbling in the borders.
i like Harry Potter and I think the author is most talented, however i think the hype is unwarrented. i suppose i am one of few teenagers that don’t like to idolise celebrities. they are people, they need their privacy. they may be talented or ‘baben’, but they are humans.
my bookshelf is too small. i need a floor to ceiling one quick smart.
i woke up at 6am today, voluntarily, i wrote my 1500 essay from start to finish and went back to bed at 7:30am. I woke up at 10, and have spent 12 hours procrastinating.
as much as we don’t want to most times, we build up an image of ourselves over the internet. we choose what we want to say, the pictures we want to show, the memories we want to reveal. no one can be completely objective about themselves. some things we choose not to share. i guess in a sense that’s where our sense of security and privacy limits us. could be a completely different person outside the perimeter of your computer screen.
i'm finally feeling like i can word some of these things in my brain. even if it makes no sense.

advice.

2011-07-11T14:26:00.000+10:00

Holidays in the country.

2011-07-09T18:00:00.000+10:00

•My uncle, myself, sister and cousins all constructed a gigantic ship. We made a giant sail and jigsaw’d out skulls and ghouls and hung them on wire. We painted the outside of the ship, and wrapped all of the wires with material and old sheets. We bathed it in kero and set it on fire after a gigantic bonfire in the backyard. It exploded, and sent fellow neighbours running to watch it all unfold.

•We sat down to some home made (and the best!) mars bar slice and recited poetry… the younger cousins in Kindergarten wrote their own, and adults creatively came up with their own humerous ones.

•We played drama games around a fire, and our new uncle (an old New York fashion photographer) took photos of the family.

•We went to a Thai place for tea and saw the father from ‘Round the Twist’ sitting at the table on the other end of the room. We google image searched his face to make sure it was him. The theme song has never left my brain.

•Drove out to my great great grandfather, my great grandfather and my grandmother’s grave. We talked to my grandma like she was alive. ‘Hey Mum’ and ‘Sup Grandma!’ were extanged. We had afternoon tea in the cemetery with them.

•Drove to a hill and mum told me to get out and bomb down it on my longboard. So I did. She drove off, so i had to assume where our next destination was…

•Visited my Mum’s old house .. the old local school. Our aunties told us stories of the mischief they caused. Breaking windows and covering it up by blaming it on a good intention gone wrong..

but man, it’s good to be home.

Kim Price's Canvas class.

2011-06-29T20:00:00.000+10:00

Mixed media canvas class with Kim Price up in Gosford. My first in person class, and I totally loved it! Definately doing another in the future.

art major refocus.

2011-06-28T21:23:00.000+10:00

initial layers of my art major. each page will feature a word that isn’t in the English language. they were originally in a book, but i've changed my mind. i’ll be sewing them all together and folding them up and fitting them into a little box, so the markers can pick it up and unfold it themselves instead.

Appreciating Art Journalers.

2011-06-23T18:10:00.000+10:00

I thought I would make a small collection of some of my favourite art journalers/mixed media artists/painters. I always search for lists like this, and always come across some amazing artists I hadn't yet seen. I hope you like them, they're all amazing!

1. Emily Falconbridge

2. Flora Bowley:

3. Chloe mcg:

4. Shaun Tan:

'How great it must have been long ago, when the world was still unknown.'

5. Erin Kenepp:

6. Teesha Moore:

Check them all out, seriously.
Working like crazy on my art major, I can't wait to show you all when it's finished! x

Incomplete.

2011-06-01T20:04:00.000+10:00

One of the pages in my art journal .. incomplete and unsure about the next step I should take ...
but here it is regardless. :)

playing, playing. :)

2011-05-31T15:56:00.000+10:00

'it always seems such strange and powerful magic to me when a catapillar changes into a chrysalis and then comes out of the chrysalis as a moth or a butterfly!'
Playing in my art journal today ... :)

art major.

2011-05-17T20:23:00.000+10:00

Starting my art major again. Yup, with 12 weeks to go. Insane? Probably. I'm stickin' to the stuff I know and going with an art journal. The pictures you see are only the first layers of many in this book.. plenty of journaling and quotes and lyrics and thoughts to add. :)
Just thought I'd keep you updated with my progress! xo

Maggie.

2011-05-14T11:07:00.000+10:00

Here's some peeks at my caravan, Maggie. I got her about a month ago and have been busy re-decorating, re-arranging and creating inside it! It has it's own fridge and radio, which i use to play some hipster soundtracks and store my drinks and chocolate to keep me hydrated. It lives in my driveway and a is a great escape from home.
I came home from a Christian camp in April to find it in my driveway. With the help of my grandparents and family friends, we got this caravan at an affordable price in a fantastic condition. I have a stack of plans for it in the future, but for now- i'm content with leaving it as it is.

stop hiding.

2011-05-10T15:56:00.000+10:00

Another layout for Tarisota. :)
Currently procrastinating over my insane amount of school work - reached the point where I don't actually care much for the HSC anymore- i know there is more to life! I wish I was dedicated and motivated again, like i used to be. Oh wells, i'll still aim high!
I have been scrapping lots (Tari's next kit is gorgeous guys, seriously)- so working on that goodness.
I turned 17 last weekend - went down to the beach with some awesome friends, and finished the night by a fire in my backyard and hot chocolate. It was glorious.
My 'to buy' list is getting longer, with a camera and iphone topping the list. Thank goodness I receive a payrise for getting older, win!
I hope you are all doing well, would love to hear from you readers. ;) I know you're out there! I have statistics to prove it! hehehehe <3

skater girl.

2011-05-04T17:35:00.000+10:00

Another layout for Tarisota ! :) love the way their kits just .. come together so perfectly!

kisses.

2011-05-03T07:37:00.000+10:00

A layout for Tarisota. Seriously, their kits are amazing. I have 9 essays due soooon, so i'll head off to school now (my blog takes priority, i'm already late..), spend the arvo in the library, then will art my little heart out. :) I hope you are all doing well! xo

life is wonderful.

2011-05-02T19:14:00.000+10:00

A canvas I made for Tarisota's ATC collection. So jam packed of absolute beautys! Check it out. ;)

Tarisota

2011-04-27T18:57:00.000+10:00

Hey all! I know I haven't blogged in ages... but I wanted to say..
Firstly: I am on Tarisota's Design Team! He-lloooo amazing kits and amazingly talented women! I can't believe it. Tamar is an amazing human being, seriously. Go to her site and give her some luvvin'. Buy those gorgeous money savin' kits!

I will definately have some work to share regarding that verrry soon. ;)
And in other news.. I now own a caravan and I'm in the process of converting into my very own art studio. Ahh i'm dying, it's amazing. Finally good to have some space!
Thanks for checkin' my blog! Sorry there isn't anything arty to share! All in due time. ;) xo

2011-04-14T17:34:00.000+10:00

The beginning of one of my major art pieces for school. This contributes greatly to my HSC, so i really have to get a move on and get these things done. If you want a better explanation of where i'm going with it and the meaning behind each piece, check my other post here.
I've started 4 at the moment,- this is only layer 1 of about, 4 kajillion. Kill me now! haha
Thanks for looking. :)

Best Friends Art Journal 2011 #7

2011-04-10T12:10:00.000+10:00

More and more pages! I have so so many photos from many different events this year I can barely keep up! Plenty more to come. I'm hearing an arty evening tomorrow!

not your usual family.

2011-04-09T17:01:00.000+10:00

This is my extended family, the Australian side.

Every two years, we gather together from across Australia in South West Rocks to spend some quality time with each other. Each year there’s a theme. This year was ‘Super heros’. We dressed up in out three teams- Blue: Superman, Red: Spiderman and Black: Batman - and competed in challenges ranging from ‘leaping over tall buildings’ relay races, to a scavenger hunt through town. On the Saturday night, we hold a dance night. In one of the family cabins, we take out the furniture and plug in epic speakers to crank the old traditional rock and roll music. This year, as the theme was superheros, we had to dress as a hero of ours. My uncles varied from Charlie Sheen to Osama Bin Laden.. my Aunties and cousins ranged from the Queen Mother to Einstein.

Sure, my family’s a little embarrassing, sure our team chants may disturb the general public, but I don’t care. We don’t see each other all that often, so we don’t care what we do, as long as we’re doing it together and having fun. <3

Best Friends Art Journal 2011 #6

2011-04-09T15:23:00.000+10:00

School holidays! Get excited guys! <3

Best Friends Art Journal 2011 #5

2011-04-07T13:30:00.000+10:00

Here's the full page completed, finally. a few dramas with paint being spilt on photos (haha) so I had to re-print and re-stick. Finally on school holidays! But I only have 4 free days so far .. the rest are intense social activities. I have 8 essays and wayyy too much homework, so no doubt I won't have time to breathe! I will keep sharing art though, I have plenty. :) I hope you are all doing wonderfully! <3

Best Friends Art Journal 2011 #4

2011-03-31T05:07:00.001+11:00

Just a sneak peak for this one - hadn't finished when i took this photo. ;)

Best Friends Art Journal 2011 #3

2011-03-29T16:45:00.001+11:00

Currently stressing over the insane amounts of schoolwork! Here's another page of the art journal. :) xo

Best Friends Art Journal 2011 #2

2011-03-28T17:14:00.000+11:00

Here's the next few pages of my Best Friends Art Journal for 2011. Having so much fun with this! xo

Best Friends Art Journal 2011 #1

2011-03-28T09:59:00.000+11:00

Just spent the weekend down at Gosford with the gorgeous miss Lisa and her family! Did some skating and some arting and had a wonderful time!

I started off a new 2011 art journal-like thingo. completely out of order, just documenting the year! Totally not finished yet, I have plenty more pages to come. :D And totally inspired by Lisa - seriously, check her out!

Anyway, here is the front cover and the first page;

Thanks so much for looking and commenting! <3

Exciting!

2011-03-22T13:02:00.000+11:00

I have made the team for Magpie Club, a totally awesome American scrapbooking kit club!
It's such an honour to be accepted on their team and I am super excited to be working with them over the next few months, years - however long they want me! The rest of the team is so inspiring - check them all out here. :) Just thought i'd share the news!
I'm off to Gosford this weekend to scrapbook with the gorgeous Lisa - so after that, i know i can promise i'll have a stack load of crafty stuff to share. ;)
<3

life.

2011-03-14T18:15:00.000+11:00

Life has been most crazy as of late. art? no. pretty much done nothing creative. In the next fortnight I will be, however - so look out! My apologies for the lack of updates.. but here's the latest goss on the life; (all photos taken on a disposable camera, because i am accident prone with digital..)

1. Heading out to Glebe instead of going to school to take photos with a best friend:

2. Cleaning up Australia Day at school..

3. Learning to fish braid my hair.

4. Heading out to the coast at 5am in pajamas with a few of the best friends to watch sunrise on a mountain. Went to the beach afterwards and swam in my bra and undies with a girlfriend. it was freezing. sat on a headland and spent hours talking, jumping around, eating. pure bliss.

5. Went to Bondi and ordered $8 of m&ms (VERY possible) from maccers and 16 free waters. played cards, rode longboards, met new people, wore morph suits and ate junk food. splendid.

life is non stop - school is crazy. i have assignments after assignments after assignments. each friday, saturday and sunday and filled to the brim with activities and holidays and sleepovers and parties. i miss creating - but will hopefully head out to a scrappy friend of mine to get painty into the early hours of the morning. i hope you are all doing wonderfully! xo

tweet, tweet!

2011-03-02T18:43:00.000+11:00

i know i fail with the whole blogging thing .. but i don't fail at tweeting. ;)
follow me!
http://twitter.com/#!/_RubyClaire
http://twitter.com/#!/_RubyClaire
http://twitter.com/#!/_RubyClaire

Sydney.

2011-02-24T18:56:00.000+11:00

photoshoot with my best friend today, in Sydney.

Decided it was better than school ..... ;P
xoxo

art + words #4

2011-02-23T15:35:00.000+11:00

neologism: a newly coined word or expression.
Heading off to a graffiti'd shed tomorrow with one of my best girlfriends for a photoshoot, can't wait!
Have a fabulous Thursday! xo

art + words #3

2011-02-22T20:41:00.000+11:00

gheegle: the urge to pinch or squeeze something that is unbearably cute.In other words, baby faces! School work is starting to pile up and all that's doing is giving me more and more urges to paint, which is probably an act of procrastination, but you'know. such is life. all worth it. ;) i hope everyone is safe and well, <3

art + words

2011-02-20T14:51:00.000+11:00

petrichor: the smell of earth after rain

This is page 3 (page 2 will come evetually) of my art + words art journal. The base of this page was silver foil. When you open the page up and move it around, you can see the faint hints and sparkles of it... looks nifty! Thanks so much for your comments. <3

okay, i lied.

2011-02-18T15:33:00.000+11:00

i have been creating more than i ever thought i could with school consuming most of my time!
i guess that's because i wagged today and had a lot of free time ... *ahem*

my latest art journal focuses on WORDS. back when i was a youngun i used to copy out the dictionary for fun. i look back on my excersise books now and think of myself as such a tool-like child. i only ever got halfway through the Bs....
anyway, my inner nerd jumps for joy when i discover words that dscribe a current situation or love of mine perfectly, so i decided to base my latest art journal around this concept.

this is page #1.
Lilt: to move musically or lively

Thanks so much for reading and not deleting me from your followers box! ;)
i hope you are all doing splending since I last blog stalked you all! xo

2011-01-30T19:15:00.000+11:00

hello hello everyone!
due to lack of time and no updates on my part, i have decided to close this blog.. it may or may not reopen next year .. or even the year after that.
I would like to thank each and every one of you guys for following my blog, commenting, emailing and just supporting me over the years. I really appreciate it!
I don't know if i will be creating at all due to my final year of school rapidly approaching, although I will still read your blogs and be inspired by them .. i guess it'll all store up until i have enough time and energy and room to go crazy.
thanks so much for all of your support. have a wonderful year! xoxoxox

Art Journal Love.

2011-01-08T14:37:00.000+11:00

The first is in my art journal, the second is page 2 for my best friends art journal. :) :)

I finally got my Ls! ;D

2011-01-08T12:57:00.000+11:00

Here's another page using the December 'She's Savvy' kit over at Scrapbook Savvy. :)

AND .. 2011 marks yet another year, therefore .. another Best Friends Art Journal! For those who have been following my blog for some time now, you'd probably remember my 2009 Best Friends Art Journal. If not, you can check it out here. Basically i just use an old hard cover novel, glue some pages together and use it as a scrapbook/art journal, scrapbooking every event, every outing I have with my best friends! Here's page one, focusing on New Years celebrations!

Thanks again for reading and visiting my blog! Have a wonderful weekend. xo

2011 has begun !

2011-01-05T16:16:00.000+11:00

I'm determined to scrapbook a heck of a lot more this year! It's already the 5th, but i'm hoping to make up for the last few days of no creating. :) This layout was made with Scrap Savvy's 'She's Savvy' December kit which i won on Sar's blog giveaway! (Thanks Sar! xx). I'm still busy creating now, so hopefully more to share soon. Thankyou all so so so much for your comments and holiday wishes! i hope you all had a wonderful break. <3

Favourite Pages for 2010

2010-12-31T11:37:00.000+11:00

Thankyou ALL for your support and comments and love this year! Next year (well .. tomorrow) I hope to be back with a bang! blogging on a regular basis and creating on a regular basis too! <3

christmas presents that won't be finished on time.

2010-12-24T09:44:00.000+11:00

The start of some Christmas presents for some best friends! (They better not be reading this! hrmm!). Using an old educational magazine-type thing, cutting them in half and using them as mini albums. :) The pages are pretty thick, so i'm just gessoing and collaging on top, which help the pages get all thick and sturdy. I better get back to it .. there's a stack of pages, a stack of photos to include and a stack of memories to write!
Thankyou for all the comments guys! And a big HELLO to the people over at Bons. :) If you're looking for the Blog Hop clue, check the comments in the next post! xoxo

how classy.

2010-12-22T17:22:00.000+11:00

Beginning to work on my class... here's a peak. ;)

for every minute you are angry, you lose 60 seconds of happiness.

2010-12-22T15:56:00.000+11:00

I just opened up another blog - feel free to check it out here. :)
It's just a place where i'm documenting my life and my current happenings. i've been making art today! Hopefully something to share soon. <3

RB.

2010-12-12T18:10:00.000+11:00

This is the beginning of a mini album of my penpal and I. Great friends since 1994, still in contact to this day. :) Thank you for all your lovely comments! I hope you are all doing wonderfully. :) xo

Year 12 Major Work.#1

2010-12-09T18:41:00.000+11:00

Number 1 of many many more installations of this artwork. It's massive, and will take me ages! I'll keep you all updated! This is something that will be worth almost half of my major marks for my final exams for year 12.
So far, I am creating about 6 mandalas, symbolic of all of the major world religions. I am referencing each religion with the stereotypical country that one would associate that religion with. Surprisingly, each religion has their own mandala, with symbolic shapes referencing their beliefs and traditions. On boards such as the one above, I will be sketching out the mandalas and collaging, painting and detailing historic events specific to that country. It's confusing, but makes sense in my head, promise. :)
In the foreground, the inside of the mandala, will be all of the 'happy', 'shiny' and 'beautiful' aspects of that country that the religion will impose on you. In the background will be all of the war, poverty and danger that the country is currently suffering. The juxtaposition will be clear due to the use of the various materials i have access to and will use on each piece.
I'm a Christian, but i am maintaining an objective view for this body of work. They are quite large and will all vary in size. Today i started sticking down magazine images. I am so excited to see the final piece, but i know the journey ahead of me will be long, hard and tiresome. Until next addition, ADIOS! <3

2011 new years resolutions revisited.

2010-12-07T14:28:00.000+11:00

i've taken off the things i have already done, because it hasn't even reached 2011 yet, so having things pre-crossed off is cheating a little. ;) i've also added some more to my old list and created this new one. yay! claps for lists! here it goes.. (it's a long one!)

-Scrapbook album of:
> Becky and I
> Braidwood family
> Gloria and I
> 2011 Best Friends Art Journal
> L.I.T gang
> S.A.C. girls
-Blog regularly.
- Keep up with schoolwork. Maintain schedules and work effectively!
- Get rid of facebook on my phone
- January: Vegetarian for the month (for Society and Culture assignment) tried. failed.
- February: Facebook-less. block it for a month! spend too much time on there... tried. failed.
- April: ART JOURNAL APRIL! art journal page every day ...
- Find a new job
- Paint bedroom and re-decorate
- Keep bedroom clean
- Save $20 a week
- Read bible daily
- Complete Personal Interest Project
- Complete major artwork
- 2011 art journal. Use it as a diary. AT LEAST three times a week.
- Buy a new camera/laptop
- Read 20 books
- Maintain regular gym visits
- knit:
> 2 beanies
> 2 cardigans
> finish bed socks
- Make sushi
- Teach an online class
- Buy a ukelele
- Learn to play ukelele
- Bake a loaf of bread
- Get nose pierced
- New haircut. Something different!
- Ride a ferris wheel
- Plant something
- Buy a new bikini
- Get my Ls!
- 50 layouts (2 as of 150111)
- Buy a film camera
- Read a Jane Austen Book
- Go to a concert

That's about it so far! I'll be adding more and hopefully crossing off soon. :) x

owl.

2010-12-04T16:52:00.000+11:00

guess who just bought this gorgeous knitting pattern?
this'll be my new project for the summer holidays - hopefully i can finish it for winter. :)
i bought it from ravelry.com - such a wonderful place to purchase all kinds of gorgeous knitting patterns!
can't wait to get started on it. xoxo