Sunday, January 30, 2011

A Good Meal

Hi all, it's very late here but I wanted to get a blog post done before bed. I tell you these school holidays feel like they are never going to end. The kids have been off school since a week before Christmas and they go back to school this coming Friday the 4th Feb.

I'm exhausted and craving some me-time, some quiet time. The kids need their routines back and as much as I will reeeeeally miss the sleep-ins I'm ready for school to go back.

This afternoon we went to the local Zagames for dinner, they have a terrific indoor playground for the kids there, so we went early so they could play for a while before dinner.



Toby had cheese and ham pizza and chips, Mathew had calamari and chips, and I had b-b-q chicken pizza. The kids then had frog-in-a-pond (jelly with a chocolate frog and sprinkles) and a couple of glasses of fizzy drink.


They had a ball running around with dozens of other kids that were there, and I sat at the table and did some journaling and then some sketching. I've started a Mixed Media art course on Petite Dolls and am absolutely loving it, I just wish I could do more of it.

We left Zagames just on dark, and as soon as we got home we all went straight back out the door to walk Oscar (our puppy). He was pretty rapt to be getting a walk after dark I can tell you! And the boys thought it was so exciting to walk the dog in the dark with their torches!

Both boys are now snoring their little heads off and at last the heat is starting to ease a little. It was supposed to get to 40 degrees today, I don't know if it made it but by geez it was hot outside.

Tomorrow (today actually as it's very late), I don't have anything planned, but we may pop down to the local art shop as I've run out of Modge Podge and need some more.

Good night all xoxo

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Art Journal Mixed Media Tutorial

Art Journaling Techniques DAY 29 pt 1 ♥ Milliande Art Journal Prompt ~ M...

A New Beginning

Hi all, well I'm back and it's time for some new posts and a new title.

I'm still living the frugal life and it's very important to me, BUT I have gone back into doing some art and 'Let's Play Frugal' just doesn't sound right when I want to share my art or other off topic things. So I decided that the new title for the blog sounds better and more on track for my current interests.

Since just before Christmas I was decluttering like crazy and I'm sure the kids thought at some stage that they might be placed in boxes and donated too!!

I got rid of a huge trailer full piled high with junk at the tip along with two single bed mattresses. And I've been to the Op Shop three times with my stationwagon stuffed full. I also gave away four baby guinea pigs and a hutch.

I sold three spinning wheels, some fleece, my Horn sewing cabinet, and my drum carder on ebay. They are all things that I just don't use and were taking up space.

I can actually see a difference in the house now, although there is still much to do.

I am contemplating whether to sell another couple of spinning wheels, as how many wheels does a girl need?? I haven't decided as yet so I am just sitting on that one. I have not given up spinning, I am just taking a break and have gone back to doing some art, which I am really enjoying.

I have signed up for an art course on Le Petite Dolls and have just started doing the first sketchings of the dolls. It is SO MUCH FUN!!!! For the first time in my life I have something on paper that looks somewhat like it's supposed to and I am so thrilled!!

This is the course I am doing: http://suziblu.typepad.com/a_lovely_dream/2010/11/petite-dolls-for-beginners-beginners-have-no-fearpetite-dolls-are-hereself-guided-workshopall-you-need-to-make-pretty-fo.html

I have been a fan of Suzi Blu (the artist running the course) for a number of years. I even signed up for this course last year and then chickened out after paying for the course!! Dumb hah?? She does some amazing art and I love her style of teaching and just 'being' as a woman. She is fun and inspiring and encouraging and I put one call out on her site for help with what pencils to get and I was pleasantly surprised to be bombarded with a friendly group of ladies all willing to help and advise.

I just know this is going to be a fun course and in time I will share here what I have drawn.

The other news here is that a couple of weeks before Christmas we got a purebred Border Collie puppy whom we named 'Oscar.' This little fella is such a pleasure and we all love him to bits. There is huge differences in personality compared to the other puppies we had and except for toilet training not progressing too well, all is going great.

He is coming along nicely on his lead. He loves going for walks and is a pleasure in the car. He sits mostly when told to and has beautiful manners at mealtimes sitting straight away before I give him his food. He's eating everything he's offered as well and takes it nicely without snatching.

Here he is:


This is when we brought him home.


These are his parents, Mum is on the left and dad on the right. They were gorgeous dogs, when we arrived they both came bounding over, one threw a ball at our feet and they begged us to play.


Isn't he just gorgeous!!


I bought a puppy pen which is set up in the dining room. His bed is set up in there and he knows that's where he sleeps at night. Having lino on the floor it's easy to clean up any mess and disinfect it.


So that's the new member of our family!

Seeya xxx