Friday, December 31, 2010

Marilyn Sketch

Marilyn monroe sketch
This Ladies and Gentlemen is my next masterpiece. Of course it’s just a very basic sketch on canvas using a crappy HB pencil but it does the job.

I have already begun the painting, yes it is pop art Marilyn. I know, it’s been done. A LOT. But it’s going to be cool! I swear… hope.

Marilyn monroe sketch 2
Happy New Year!

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Photographs & Paintings

quay
Note: For the purpose of this blog, I would like to get back to my roots and focus more solely on art. Meaning my paintings and photographs. I would love to dedicate this blog to my paintings, however, the posts would be few and far between, whereas my photos only take a flash. HAHAHA.

Thank you.

Friday, December 24, 2010

Merry Christmas!

Christmas
Merry Christmas!
Love Kirsty, Andi & Duke

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Crafty Christmas Coffee

OH NO! Andi has run out of Coffee???… Kirsty to the rescue!
crafty coffee
A Little Yummy For Your Tummy
I also made some Christmas tags! Yay! Here they are, all ready!
crafty christmas
Merry Christmas!

Friday, December 17, 2010

A Quay Thank You

Quay Boats #1
These are just a few photos I took recently from the Quay. Hope you enjoy them! I love how blue they are. I love taking photo’s of boats too. Very serene, even if that’s not the way I would feel if I were on one. Hehe
Quay Boats #2
Well yesterday, I really learnt the value of a few wonderful comments vs. many nice comments. Of course, many wonderful comments is always best but from my Photographing Paintings post I got a couple of comments, which led to conversations, which led to “You should sell your paintings!”
I would be lying if I said I had never thought about the idea of making money off a hobby. I think anyone to say that would be lying. It would be a dream come true, right? But I had never thought about it in terms of “could I actually be good enough for people to WANT to buy them?” No, absolutely not.

But I would like to give a big THANK YOU to Holly at 504 Main, and Allenaim Photography for their amazing votes of confidence and their kind words.
Quay Boats #3
Quay Boats #4
Thank you and Merry Christmas!

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Photographing Paintings

Crayfish Creek Landscape
If you have been following this blog for a while, you will have seen this oil painting of mine before. Last night I noticed that placed on my desk was Andi’s super awesome camera. Now I usually just use my little point and shoot that Andi bought me as a present.
For a little digital I do really love my camera but while I was playing around with Andi’s I took a few shots of my paintings and it captured them like I have never been able to do. There was no need to touch them up to find the correct colours! Yay!
Beachscape #5
Eee don’t you just love having a focal point and the rest out of focus? I do! Ok, so I realise you have seen both of these before but I do have something new or rather old to show you. This next photo is from when I first got all my oil paints, easel, everything paint, you name it, Andi bought it. Yes, he does buy me lots of presents! Anyway, so this painting was from way back then, when I had never before used oil paints, and even painting was fairly new to me. So go easy. Hehe.
Pamela Channel 
I would have loved to take new photographs of all of my paintings but thankfully people liked some of them enough to take them off my hands. :)
Wow, going back over those posts, there is the biggest difference in photographs. Thank goodness I’m getting better!

Thursday, December 9, 2010

A Christmas Cat in a Hat

Christmas Cat #1
While doing some much needed Christmas shopping, I came across Christmas hats! Not only did I find a couple for Andi and I but I found a tiny little Santa hat for Duke! YAY!

I don’t think he likes it very much. It also came with a matching scarf, how cute. There he is ^ trying to rip it off! Poor dear. As I am very much in a Christmas-y kind of mood, I thought I’d share a couple of snaps with you. Enjoy them, I do!

Christmas Cat #2
Merry Christmas!

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

The Blue Tongue

The other day I discovered a gorgeous Eastern Blue Tongue in the backyard. Isn’t he lovely?
Lizard #2
He is quite large and a wonderful animal to have living in your garden, as they provide great pest control which keep the plants happy. As a skink, this lizard is pretty much immobile at times as they have no body heat and need lots of warm sun in order to move. Hence why I was able to get up close and take some photos. Yay!
As most of my beautiful followers are American, I wonder have you ever heard of the Blue Tongue? I assume you realise he got his name from having a blue tongue… (I hope so) haha. His biggest problems in life are of course cats! The blue tongues defence is surprising his attacker with the blue of his tongue and as cats pounce without him even seeing, he doesn’t have much hope.
Dogs on the other hand can sometimes be a friend. They can share food and usually a dog will not attack the blue tongue out of sheer surprise. How sweet! Of course some dogs and Blue Tongues will not get along. Cars and lawn mowers, like cats are not very much liked by them either.
Lizard #3
I hope this post will provide you with some knowledge of Australian wildlife… and no they’re not poisonous.

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Advent Origami Boxes

Advent Origami Masu Box #1
For Christmas I decided to make my lovely Andi an advent calendar out of little origami “Masu” boxes. These boxes are pretty excellent for anything, presents, as gift boxes (an environmentally friendly choice too) and you can make them any size you want.
Because I was making so many, 50 in total (top and bottom) I decided to use regular old computer paper. I have made these with much thicker card paper before, for present boxes which have turned out great too.
Your paper needs to be square so I had to cut mine. For these boxes I just measured the small side of the A4 paper and cut the longer end to match. But as I said, you can make any size you want, it just depends on how big your paper or card is. These boxes are approximately 3 inches x 3 inches or 7.5cm x 7.5cm.
After you cut out the top of your box you need to cut a slightly smaller piece for the bottom. I only made mine half a cm smaller, that’s around 0.2 inches.
Advent Origami Masu Box #4
Once I had cut out my paper I stamped both sides of each piece. For my boxes I left a section in the middle of each piece blank, this is where I wrote the numbers. But for gift boxes it’s probably best to stamp all around, or of course decorate the box any way you like.
Then comes the fun part, making the origami boxes! I used the website www.origami-fun.com to make my box. They have heaps of excellent crafts and ideas. But you can view and print out the pdf tutorial on the “Masu” box here. It’s very simple and the instructions are very easy to follow.
Advent Origami Masu Box #2
Once you have made your box you can then fill it with your gift or lollies like I did! Yum! As vegans we can not simply go and buy an advent calendar off the shelf. However getting lots of pretty boxes filled with your favourites is better than one little piece of cheap chocolate any day!
Have Fun!
P.S. You can find all the materials you need to make Advent Origami Boxes here with savings. Advent Origami Masu Box #3

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Spring Away

Picture 061gardens3
I have just found a few photos I never got around to posting from the Botanical Gardens. I have no idea why my camera decided this photo should be soooo blue but it did and I love it!
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Picture 057gardens3 
I LOVE these trees. Aren’t they beautiful? Of course it is almost December, hooray! The most magical, wonderful time of the year. I hope you’re all doing as well as I am with your Christmas shopping! I am almost finished. Stay with me because on Thursday I shall post a Christmas craft idea.
Happy Shopping!
Picture 059gardens3 
I would be a very bad blogger if I didn’t post links here to all my other Botanical Gardens posts, so here they are, in order:
Spring Festival, Japanese Gardens, Whimsy & Parties? and The Gallopers. Or you can view them all under the October 2010 sidebar to your right.

Thursday, November 25, 2010

Tree Frames

Tree Frame #2
Walking back from the Quay I saw this little picture hole and I just had to get some photos. I love the way the trees frame the water. Don’t you? I am really loving this set.

Tree Frame #3
Which photos do you prefer, the two above with their green and blue tints or the image below with more warmth?

Tree Frame #1

Linking up with 504 Main, Chic on a Shoestring and LambAround.

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Quay Homes

Quay Homes #4
On one of my strolls the other day I was lucky enough to have remembered my camera, so I had quite the photo shoot with the water and homes along the Quay.
Quay Homes #1
Quay Homes #2
I would certainly like to live in one of these homes, the top one there has been for sale for a long time now. Unfortunately it’s just a tad out of my price range. Such a pity.
Quay Homes #3Hope you’re having a beautiful day!

Now linking up with: Twisted Fate Photography

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

A Beachscape in Oil

Beachscape #3
So finally, finally, I have completed another painting. I think I am getting better at photographing them too, it’s still unbelievably tricky to get close to the colours in the painting but I think I’m preeeetty close with this one. Though the water is probably more green, turquoise, bright, in the real deal and the sand is darker and not so yellow. But otherwise I think I’ve done the sky and mountain justice.

I think this next photo is a little more accurate still. Of course, all feedback is greatly appreciated. I’d love to know what you think.

Beachscape #2
If you haven’t been following me since the very beginning you can take a look at my other paintings here: Oil on Canvas, Crayfish Creek Landscape, a Walk and a Thank you and Crayfish Creek Landscape.
Go on, you know you want to!

Linking up to 504 Main and Chic on a Shoestring.

Thursday, November 11, 2010

The Octopus Tree

Okay so today I really want to show you a couple of photos that Andi took when on our walk along Mt. Wellington. You can see my other posts too, A Walk on Mt. Wellington and Destination: Mt. Wellington. You can also view Andi’s blog here at Shameless Self-Promotion or see his magnificent Flickr stream here. Sorry about all those links, but links are our Bloggy FRIENDS!

Andi-Mountain-blog1
I LOVE this shot, it’s so dark and eerie. Beautiful. But really what I wanted to show was a photo of The Octopus Tree! There is a tree, situated on top of an enormous rock, with huge limbs that reach down to the ground. Many of them, hence the Octopus. If anyone has any understanding of how a tree could begin to grow on this huge rock, please comment and let me know. Because I would sure like to know too!

Andi-Octopus-Blog

Linking up with Chic on a Shoestring and 504 Main, LambAround and Serenity Now

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Meet Tinkle

Tinkle 5th Nov 2010 #13
Today I would like to introduce you all to, Tinkle. No we have not gotten a new kitten, this is in fact our neighbours cat. We do not at all know our neighbours, however; we know their cat intimately.
Tinkle 5th Nov 2010 #9
Don’t get me wrong, the name Tinkle, is nice enough, but no, you dirty minded people, he did not have a little accident to acquire this name. The girls named him Tinkle because of the little bell he used to wear as a kitten. Of course it’s gone now, Tinkle has no collar at all, I’m sure he knows why.
He? In fact I have no idea whether Tinkle is a girl or boy. I’ve always assumed he was male ever since I first saw him, but I have no evidence to back my assumption up.
 Tinkle 5th Nov 2010 #14
Cookie and I had the most fun playing with Tinkle in our backyard the other day. It was bright and sunny and a beautiful day for a laze or for attacking lizards, you know, the norm.
 Tinkle 5th Nov 2010 #20
Please no one attempt to attack lizards. It is a cruel activity and you should not try it.
Kirsty Girl © does not condone messing with lizards or any other animal.

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Destination: Mt. Wellington

Mt. Wellington Track #7
Here’s Andi taking a picture while telling me to hurry up. I was a bit slow because I was taking so many photographs, but I couldn’t help it! It was too pretty not to!
So we reached our picnic destination after the beautiful walk I showed last post, A Walk on Mt. Wellington. And this is what I got to look at, while munching down some salt & vinegar chips, dark chocolate, Coca~Cola and Chocolate soy milk. Yes, I did feel sick walking back. haha
Mt. Wellington Track #8
This was the view from behind us, looking up the mountain to the organ pipes. Here’s a close up:
Mt. Wellington Track #9Beautiful
And here is the view in front…
Mt. Wellington Track #11 
I’m loving this next picture, the contrast is pretty awesome… Even if I do say so myself.
Mt. Wellington Track #10
Hope you all go and enjoy some nature today!

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

A Walk on Mt. Wellington

Mt. Wellington Track #1
This gorgeous weekend Andi took me out to dinner to an amazing vegan restaurant, whose food I cannot stop dreaming about. And on Saturday showed me the track that he helped make on Mt. Wellington. Isn’t it beautiful?
Mt. Wellington Track #4
It was thankfully an easy walk to our destination, of course our destination wasn’t complete without a picnic, but I’ll show you that next time.
Mt. Wellington Track #5
I hope you all had a Happy and Safe Halloween weekend!
Mt. Wellington Track #6

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Books & Crafts with Brian Heinz

A little while ago I got an email from the children’s author, Brian Heinz, about a comment I made on his interview at Toby Speed’s blog. The email was informing me that I had in fact NOT won a signed copy of his new book. However, I was chosen out to pick one of his books and he would send me a free copy anyway. Uhh… how did I not win, right? Awesome!

So Chicken and I went to his website to pick out a book. Of course Chicken, being Chicken picked a book about beaches, learning, the environment, science and craft. Umm… perfect no?
Picture 076
The only thing Chicken found imperfect about the book was that Brian had written trash instead of garbage. How very unAustralian of him! Of course that’s probably because he’s American.. but anyway.
Instead of sending the girls one book he sent them THREE! Three, free, signed and delivered books! The girls were so excited that instead of eating the cookies they had in a big barrel on the kitchen table they read! Freakish children, choosing books over cookies. Brian’s clearly a fantastic author!
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So here are our new, awesome books! The Alley Cat, Beachcraft Bonanza and Beachcrafts, Too! After going through the books dozens of times the girls and I got to work on our Thank you’s for Mr. Heinz.
 Picture 064
Being both wildlife enthusiasts, Brian and I. I made him a specialised card for the occasion.  If you’re in to card-making I suggest you go on over to my dear Mummy’s blog, Stamping Still.
The girls pulled out their coloured pencils and set to work drawing some native Australian animals. Here we have Cookies’, rainbowed feet Echidna, Platypus and Kangaroo. And underneath, Chicken’s Tasmanian Devil.
Enjoy!
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Picture 070