AWOL

How very, very naughty (read...lazy) of me to have left it so long between blog posts.

*sigh*...I dont know...I seem to have spent less time in the blogging world of late...actually less time on the computer full stop...which is not a bad thing...BUT...have I dont anything productive during this time away from the computer...you would think so...but no...very little!!!

I do have something to show though!!! LOL

I recieved my first bridal commission a little while back and have just completed it. All good...everyone approves!!! All round happy bridesmaids and bride...PHEW!!!

I was asked to make 3 bridesmaids sets...3 loopy wire chokers and 3 earring sets...using latte toned glass pearls and gold wire and findings!!!

So here is a piccie or two!!

Premio Meme Award...

I somehow missed seeing that I had been given this award...my apologies dear Sharon.

I was awarded the Premio Meme Award By my friend sharon at Mana Moon Studios! I'm honored she's chosen me to be one of her recipients of this fun award! Thank you. So here's how it works....I'm supposed to share 7 facts about myself and then pass on the award to 7 others.

Here goes:

1. I used to be a hairdresser and am rather obssessive about my hair...hehe

2. I love learing about anything to do with Ancient Egypt

3. I didnt get my driver's license until I turned 19...lazy!!!

4. I turn 45 next week

5. I am left handed

6. I am a teacher and University Mentor

7. I come from a very smal farming town...not that far down the road from where I live now.

I am passing the award onto:

Belinda at Bead Fetish

Kerrie at Kerrie Slade handwoven beadwork

Maryanne at To Bead or not to Bead

Karyn at Releases by Rufydoof

Lynda at SCDiva

Nellie at Nellie's Treasures

Kay at Kay's Artycles

FROST

I made this neckpiece for the Beadglass Designer Quest on the Australian Beading Forum. Each entrant purchases a deisgner quest pack (usually there are 2 colour choices)...the mission is then to create something... only using what is in the pack...quite challenging.

When I saw the beads...they reminded me of frost on the lawn on a winter morning!!! Hence the name!!

I decided to learn a new stitch...chevron chain stitch...and here is the result!!

One Lovely Blog

I was honoured to be awarded this badge for my blog a second time...by the oh-so talented and lovely Nicole at Beadwright. Thank you so much Nicole.
In light of the fact that I already passed this award on...I wont do it again.

Red and Black

Well it is school holidays for me...thank goodness!!! I know alot of people think that teachers have it easy...good working hours and lots of holidays etc...BUT...It hasnt been an easy year so far for me...and at times I have really struggled. Anyways...I digress...LOL

On the school hols...my friend Mel and I do little challenges. She is in another state...so we do this on msn...its fun.

The criteria for the first mini challenge was 'a pendant that had to feature the colour red'.

I decided on seedies...but the brio's wouldnt co-operate...so 3 tries down the track...it is finished...Taadaaa!!! (except i have to finish the bail)

TWISTED

This necklace features extruded polymer clay beads made by me...and little wire beads...also made by me. I wanted the necklace to look quite random...so i just piled up all the beads (except the black ones) and just threaded...yikes!!! It turned out ok...I have such a symmetrical mind and eye...that I find this sort of thing really challenging and disconcerting...LOL

New Cabs

I have made some new cabs!!! Finally got time to clay.

These cheetah/giraffe (Cheeraffe...LOL) ones are a custom order. Unfortunately I ended up with a kind of bloom spot on 2 of them...no idea what happened! Will have to try and fix them

The second lot were abit of fun to make...silver foil, cracked and then painted! I quite like how the colours turned out. I shall be doing more of these I think.

The ONE LOVELY BLOG Award

Weeee...I gots an award!!! Thank you Lynda for bestowing this award on my blog. I cant really believe people stop by to read my meanderings. So what a buzz!!!

I now need to bestow this award on 15 other blogs that I love, visit and read!!!

So in no particular order:

Belinda at Bead Fetish

Maryanne at Too bead or not too Bead

Nellie at Nellie's Treasures

Vicki at Dragonfly Creations

Ponsawan at Silastones

Marcia Palmer at Polymer Rhythms

Sharon at Mana Moon Studios

Claudia at Cloud Nine Creations

Karyn at Releases by Rufydoof

Anna-Karin at Smabla

Kay at Kay's Articles

Shona at Shona's Designs...apologies to Shona...she bestowed an award on me some time back...and I only just remembered...so thank you Shona!!!

Thats not quite 15...but there ya go...And I would give it back to Lynda...if it wasnt a silly thing to do...LOL!!!

So Lucky

I feel very blessed to have recieved the most beautiful and original gift!!! This gift is from a new blogging friend... Lynda Moseley of SCDiva and comes to me as my "Pay it Forward" gift!!! What a gift!!!

I confess to covetting many of Lynda's stunning and unique pendants and brooches...and now I have some...SEE!!!

Thank you Lynda...the pieces you chose for me are even more lovely in real life. You are amazingly talented and a very special lady. This was fun!!!

REMINDER: Pay it Forward...

REMINDER: I am nearly at a stage to be ready to mail off gifts to those who entered my Pay it Forward post...but I have ONE MORE SPACE...if anyone wishes to jump on board!!!

Fleur Bouquet

I am so pleased to share a photo of one of my floral cabs all dressed up!!!

A very talented lady, Vicki Smith, bought some of my cabs and has made one into a pendant for a gift. It looks wonderful and I wanted to share it's loveliness with you!!!

PAY IT FORWARD

I too love the idea behind Random Acts of Kindness and Pay It Forward. Doing something nice for others...is always going to give me that...good feeling...you know...warm n fuzzy!!!

I came upon this idea on one of my fave blogs, thanks Lynda at SCDiva.

So, here we go:

Creative people are adventurous! So, if you would like to participate, please send me a comment and the first five people will receive something from me in the mail.

Here are the rules, and happy posting!

This offer does have some restrictions and limitations so please read carefully:

1. I make no guarantees that you will like what I make. This is an adventure!

2. What I create will be just for you with love and good wishes. It will be made of actual materials, not of cyberspace.

3. It will be done this year (2009).

4. I will not give you any clue what it’s going to be!

5. In return, all you need to do is cut and paste this text on your Blog (from "Creative People are..." and create Five things for the first 5 people to respond to your post.

6. Send your mailing address after I contact you.

IMPORTANT: This offer is null and void if you do not post on your own blog to pay this forward. Would love it if you could join in!!!

Julz

We Make a Good Team!!!

My friend, Mel and I are best mates. We met via the internet and have never met face to face (YET)...but we are so close and miss each other if we dont chat most days (or nights)!!! We know each other well...and we have lots of similarities!!! We both bead, we both love working with Polymer Clay...however we have totally different styles. Which I love.
I wanted to show you a picture of our "team work"!!!
Mel made this necklace yesterday...and MY GAWD...its just so beautiful. My part...I proudly tell you...is the pendant. I sent it to Mel in one of her parcels (we love sending parcels) last year.
So here is is...I am sure you will agree...its lubbly!!!

Pendant made by Julie Doust / necklace made by Melissa Wiergard

Pendants

These pendants are interesting and very bright to say the least...they were inspired by an article in a Belle Amoire Jewellery magazine...by Lori Wilkes.

I loved the different colours and patterns together. But I am not all THAT in love with mine...hehe!!!!

Oh well...its all experience!!!

Hearts

I got time to clay!!! wooo

I made some little hearts inspired by the DR. Ron Lehocky tute in Feruary Polymer Cafe.

I admire the work that Ron has done for Cerebral Palsy kids in the US...he makes heart brooches and sells them for $10. All proceeds go toward Cerebral Palsy Kids Centre in Louisville, Kentucky.

To date he has sold approx 7,000. Quite a feat!

I thank Ron for the tute!!

And here are my little brooches...I thought they would be fun to wear now that it is getting toward scarf season in Aus...and with my new waistcoats...for which I have a fetish at the mo!!!

Cabs AHOY!!!

I had a little spend up...spolit myself indeed!!! With lots of cabachons made by Wendy Hearn of Guru Creations. Wendy was having a sale...I cant resist a sale!!! Such pretties!!!

So here I share a photo with you of my cabbie goodness....ENJOY!!!

Arent you jealous!!! ;)

Karma Award

Karma Award
These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind of bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers. Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award.

One of my favourite beady friends and bloggers Belinda of Bead Fetish has bestowed the KARMA award on me. Arent I so lucky?

Belinda is such a sweet person and ultra talented too. Thank you sweetness.

I may actually get to meet Belinda in the flesh one day...her and her family are moving over my way this year...well...when I say my way...she will be 600km away!!! ;)

I am choosing not to pass this award on to anyone at the moment...as people may be getting sick of me...LOL

My family

I wanted to share my family and family goings-on with you all.

Firstly a photo of my beautiful daughter Sophie on the day of her Year 12 ball. She looked so lovely and so grown up. Sophie is on the left (dark hair) Emily my eldest daughter is the blonde




















We have a very momentous family event occurring next week. My brother, SIL and nephews are moving to the other side of Australia...Mackay, Queensland. Soooo...some of you may think!!! Well...just so you can kind of understand the impact of this upheaval...all of my family have lived in the same place...always!!! So this is the first time one of use has moved away....HUGE!!!!

Here is a pic of Shane (my brother), Yasmin, Logan and Finn.

We had a family BBQ, which provided a good opportunity to take some family photos. I share some with you

I

I hope that the move is all that they dream of...but GAWD...I will miss them so

An Award

Lucky blessed me...has been bestowed with another blog award!!! It is so nice to know that someone reads my wafflings!!!
I have the beautiful and incredibly talented Belinda Saville of Bead Fetish to thank for this award. I love going to visit Belinda's blog...and seeing what she is up too...her seed bead work is inspiring and incredible...all the more so because of the short time she has been beading.
Thank you Belinda, you sweetie.
I am now to pass on this award to other deserved bloggers!!!

Toni Ransfield of Living with Kiwi's...for making me laugh and being my friend

Kim Cavender of Imagine Uncommon Things...for her constant inspiration...always

Marcia Palmer of Polymer Rhythms...so talented!

Zuda Gay of Clay in the Hands...incredible work...I so admire

Tina Holden of Beachcomber...for inspiring!

Little Steps...

Firstly...I apologise for my blog absence. Term one at school is always hell...so much to do, children to settle in, parents to help, mentoring staff...the list goes on and I wont bore you with the details. By the time I sit down of an evening...i am dozing off!

But... I digress.
I have been thinking about opening an Etsy store for some time now. My good friend Mel (lubs ya girl) is the one who planted the seed awhile back. Another friend, Toni Ransfield, has just opened an etsy store...go girl...selling her beautiful polymer clay flower canes and puffy hearts (I so adore both). So this has got me thinking again.!!!
Some of the questions and quandaries I have, are:

• is my work original enough
• is it eyecatching for people to be interested in buying?
• would people want to buy/wear it!!?
• what would I name my store
• can I invest the necessarytime into this?

etc...etc...no no laughing!!! I am an insecure twit...I have these convo's with myself!!!

Any thought or advice so welcome!!!

Oh...and the little step...I actually registered on etsy...hehe. Well, I did say little!

Orange Fever

Orange seems to be the colour calling me at the moment...I love it.

This week I recived a parcel in the mail with my gorg orange resin bangle...ordered from Mylene (I can never get the squiggly line over your 'y') Hillam of Mill Lane Studio. It is so beautiful...I love the transperancy of the lovely colour.

So I had to make a button ring to go with it...of course!

Here are both:

Memories to last a lifetime.

As those who visit know...I've been to Esperance, Western Australia for 2 weeks. My most favourite place in the whole wide world. The weather was perfect...only one rainy day!!

The most memorable part of the holiday was meeting a little orphaned sealion at our favourite fishing spot, Bandy Creek

The Fisheries Dept. believe he is very young and has lost his mum...somehow, pehaps she was attacked by a shark.

He is sooooooooooooo beautiful...when he cries for his Mum...it breaks my heart...even now! :(

He wasnt the least shy and even posed for photos. Of course we fed him...wouldn't you. Some of the fishermen even got so close they patted him...not wise I suppose...but very cool!!We visited everyday...to check he was still there and doing ok.

On one of our last nights, we went fishing and found him sitting among a family while they fished..couldnt believe it. We set up...I caught a fish...and guess who came running up to eat said fish...LOL!!! He can move pretty fast when he wants too!!!

He then spent the rest of the evening with us, while we fished. Needless to say...no fish got taken home that night...LOL.

He expected each and every one and even supervised the fishing, as you can see from the photos.

This would have to have been one of the most memorable experiences of my life...have a little wild creature be so trusting to let us into his life. I hope he will be ok and perhaps still be at Bandy Creek when we go back next year.

Driving out of town to come I home, I confess to being teary with a huge lump in my throat as I thought about him...I am pretty much like that now (yes I am a sook) hehe!

Thanks for letting me share!

Seeya Soon

Well my friends...i bid you 'tata's for 2 weeks. We are off on holidays, as of tomorrow...early.

So this will be my last blog post for 2 whole weeks. Shall have alot of catching up to do when I come back...no doubt. You all make sure you take care and look after yourselves and I shall look forward to 'seeing' everyone when I get back

Beadies are packed...im ready :)

Byeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees...lubs you all....MWAH

The 1000th Jewellery Creation Giveaway

My special friend, Sharon from Mana Moon Studio's is about to reach an amazing milestone in her jewellery making career. She has nearly produced 1000 of her amazing wire woven beaded bracelet...they are utterly amazing!!!

1000...my goodness...that is pretty incredible!

In honour of her huge milestone, Sharon is having a giveaway competition...the prize...a unique wire woven beaded bracelet of course!!!

Lollies for your Fingers

My newest button rings remind me of boiled lollies (and first creations to show for 2009)!!! Orange, lemon, lime and grape!!!
I do believe I am slightly addicted to making these, even though they are quite fiddly.
I have so many buttons...i can keep making forever...hehe!!!
Perhaps i should order some more seedies...you can never have too many :)