{let me count the ways - blogtoberfest day XVIII}

how i love thee Ms L

happy birthday

xxx

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I hit the random number generator up for a giveaway winner.

18 on the 18th.  Pretty cool huh?

Congrats to dorothybills.  You've won the $50 gift voucher.  I'll be in touch to organise things.

Okay, I won't be around much for the next 36 hours or so, but I'll see you soon.

{ok, you choose - blogtoberfest day XV}

I can't believe how quickly the weeks are flying by at the moment.  I wake up on Monday morning with the week stretched out before me and all sorts of plans.  Before I know it it's almost 8pm on a Friday night and I haven't done half of what I thought I'd do, including my daily blog post.

Before I start waxing lyrical about international timezones and when Friday technically ends, it's time for the Friday Giveaway.  I thought I'd do something a bit different this week.  If you'd like to win a $50 voucher from my Etsy shop leave me a comment.  By next week I'm planning to have new goodies in the shop so you'll have lots to choose from.  I'm going to pick a winner on Monday this week so you'll have to get in quick with this one.

Have a great weekend peeps.  I'll catch you tomorrow.

{good news, not great news, a check in & a challenge - blogtoberfest day XII}

I'll start with the good news.  I have winners from the giveaway.  The first winner is Car from Carrose Creations.  I'm guessing that Car might actually wish she was in the USA at the moment instead of rainy QLD.  Car's choice of painting was Blooming so it will be off to her shortly.  (Car, you'll have to email me your address)

The second person drawn was Brianna from Rolling in Fabric.  Brianna's a girl after my own heart suggesting she'd like to live in France and see the Tour de France.  Brianna was happy to win either painting so she'll be receiving Blossoming.  (Email me your address too Brianna)

Congrats to both of you.  It makes me really happy to share my original work with people.

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Now, the not so great news.  The Northern Craft Bonanza is unfortunately on hold until further notice.  Chair 14 have kindly been staying open for us especially on a Thursday night, and they are no longer able to do it.  So my crafty friends, we are homeless.

Before I go ahead and start looking for a new home for the group I'm looking for 2 volunteers to help me run the bonanza.  There's not much work involved.  I'm just looking for a couple of people who will help me find a new venue, share responsibility for being there on a regular basis, be a contact point for the venue and help keep people informed about any news or updates on the NCB.  If you'd be willing to help out shoot me an email at tinniegirl(at)optusnet(dot)com(dot)au.

Stay tuned for an update on the future of the NCB in coming weeks.

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Now that we've got through the business of this post, how are you?

How are you traveling with Blogtoberfest?  Are you having fun?  Are you finding new blogs that you like, new people to connect with?  I've only made it to number 30 on the list so far, but I like to really stop and have a good look around when I visit.  I'm definitely a quality over quantity kind of girl.  I like to pull up a comfy chair, have a cuppa and get to know people a bit.  I'm definitely aiming to stop by all 265 blogs on the list throughout the month.

If you haven't signed up and you want to, it's never to late.

Thank you for all the lovely comments on yesterday's post.  I really appreciate them.

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And last, but not least, a challenge for you.  Karin from Sum of Mum had a great suggestion.  She thought it would be fun to get everyone to post a self-portrait.  

So I'm declaring tomorrow self-portrait day.  If you want to join in then post a self-portrait for us.  I'll put a linky list up so that we can see who is playing along.  

If you're feeling a bit shy about it you might interpret the idea creatively and show us an aspect of yourself.  Or maybe you'll show us your face.  I remember being very shy about showing my face on my blog when I first started out.  Now?  Not so much...

See you tomorrow peeps.  Perhaps literally as well as figuratively....

{still friday somewhere in the world - blogtoberfest day IX}

After some thought I realised that I'm actually not late for the Friday Giveaway at all.  After all, it's still Friday in many parts of the world, and blogtoberfest is very much an international event.

It's easy to get caught up in our own little worlds and forget there's a whole big world happening out there.  One of the things that I love about blogging is the way that it brings the world to your doorstep, but in a real and connected way.

So without apology, or further ado, I present to you the Friday Giveaway for this week.  It just wouldn't be blogtoberfest if I didn't give away some of my original artwork.

Blossoming

Acrylics on canvas

8 x 8 inch

Blooming

Acrylics on canvas

8 x 8 inch

Leave a comment any time up till the end of Monday telling me two things:

1. what part of the world would you love to live in if you could go and live anywhere.  No rules.  It could be for a little while, for a lifetime, you can have as much money as you want, do whatever job you like, live exactly as you want.  Let your imagination run free. (for me it would be Paris or New York City or somewhere in the Middle East, or all 3 for a few months at a time.  Money would be no object and I'd be living in an amazing apartment in the city, painting, eating out every night, wandering the cities by day)
2. which of the two paintings you'd like to win.

I'll draw two winners on Tuesday.

I hope you have a lovely weekend in your little corner of the world peeps.

Pop over and visit Ms L's blog if you want to put a smile on your face today.  It made me smile.

{drum roll please - blogtoberfest day VI}

I used my favourite random number generator to select a number from the list of entries...

... and the winner of the 'Tinnie' and the first of my Friday Giveaways, is Bec from Memory Garden.  Congrats Bec.  Shoot me an email with your address and I'll have a beautiful 'Tinnie' on it's way to you very soon.

Don't worry if you missed out this time.  I've got a super giveaway planned for this week.

It's a rainy old day in Melbourne today.  I seem to spend more time staring out the window than getting stuff done on days like this.

{beginnings - blogtoberfest day I}

 

Time

Acrylics, spray paint, inks, Pitt pens and collage on canvas

8 x 12 inch

Good afternoon festive peeps, and a big welcome to the official beginning of Blogtoberfest.  I am full of excitement for the month ahead.  If you haven't signed up yet pop down to the post below this one and add yourself to the list.

I've been thinking a lot over the past few days about the beginnings of Blogtoberfest.  Do you know that one of the initial reasons I started Blogtoberfest was to help kick start my Etsy shop?  2 years ago I was at the very beginning of setting out on my journey with my creative business.  Even the Etsy shop was so completely different back then.  I was selling 'Tinnies', vintage tins filled with fabrics and other crafty goodness.

I was even pretty new to blogging back then.  I remember being so amazed when around 80 people signed up for Blogtoberfest in the first year, and blown away when we hit 290 peeps last year.

I really had no idea then of what I know now.  That deep in my soul there was a birth taking place. That I was at the beginning of a journey that would carry me to the places I'd always dreamed of going.  That I was stepping into my place in the world.

That there was so much more happening than the opening of an Etsy shop.

There's a post that I go back to whenever I want to really connect with how far I've come.  It's kind of like a touchstone for me.

September 28th 2008:

"...I'm going to start listening to the secret desires of my heart and I'm going to let them become loud and visible, tangible and possible. How am I going to do it? Well first of all I'm going to give them voice.

I want to be an artist, and a writer.

Wow, it feels frightening to see that on the screen in front of me, to think about pushing the 'publish post' button. So many thoughts of being an impostor, of not being good enough, of not being allowed to wish for such flights of fancy. I can't help but worry that everyone is just going to laugh at me either overtly or behind my back.

Somewhere deep inside though is a tiny flame that won't be extinguished. It's been there for as long as I can remember. There's an energy and lightness to my being when I am being creative. When I dream of a life as a creative soul, and when I am being creative, I feel energised and at peace with my place in the universe."

Beginnings are awesome things.  I am so glad that I created this place to record my journey.  That I can look back and see the countless steps that I have taken along the way and see how far I have come.  That I can see the amazing changes that have taken place in the way that I view myself in the world, and ultimately in my very way of being in it. I'm so glad that I found a community who share my hopes and dreams, and who have gently but irrevocably become a part of my story.  And I am glad to have a special time each year to celebrate all of that.

To pay homage to my Blogtoberfest beginnings I thought it only fitting to kick off my Friday Giveaways with a very special prize.  The lucky winner will receive their very own Tinnie.  The vintage tin above will come to you full of fabric and buttons and other crafty bits and bobs.  All you need to do is leave a comment and you'll be in the running.  I'll draw the prize on Tuesday.

Happy Blogtoberfest everyone.  Thanks so much for joining me on this incredible ride.

You Can't Win 'Em All

Just after posting yesterday I thought I'd grab another 10 minutes in the studio and tackle the next step in the painting....


...I went too far. I don't like it at all. As soon as I painted the word on it I knew. Not knowing where to go, and unable to press undo, I tried adding, and then more adding. Now it just looks like a big, unbalanced mess.

One of the things that I really want to do at the moment is take more risks with my creativity, try new things and explore different mediums. I'm not very good with the failures though. I'm not very good at seeing the opportunity in it.

Anyway, you can't win them all. I think I'll give this a good coat of white paint and start afresh. I can't see any way to turn it around.

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I am happy to announce winners of my last BLOGTOBERFEST 2009 Friday Giveaway. Stumptious, Mookah and Becky et al will all be receiving some Messages from the Universe and a mix CD. Get in touch with your address and I'll pop your goodies in the post. I made the mix CD yesterday.

If you're in need of a Message from the Universe pop over to the shop. I've got a set on my desk at work and I love picking out one to start my day.

If you were a winner in one of my Friday Giveaways I'll be posting your parcel early next week.

Thanks again to everyone for making BLOGTOBERFEST an overwhelming success. It's been a huge month of excitement, adventure and beginnings for me.

BLOGTOBERFEST - Day 19 - Colour My World, And Yours

I'm not sure if it was the light in my studio or the dreary Melbourne weather last week but these colours just sang to me. That blank canvas might have just found itself a hot date, or in this case something on the softer pastel scale.

How about you? Are you looking for some colour in your world? At last I bring you the belated Friday Giveaway. A bumper pack of vintage wallpaper pieces for your creative pleasure. I'll pop some other lovely bits and pieces in there to add to your stash too. Just leave a comment by midnight on Wed and I'll announce the winner sometime on Thursday.

I wish I could get the words out of my head. There's so many of them. Tumbling all over each other in there, but refusing to budge when it comes time to type.

"Sometimes the words flow freely and smoothly, like a lovely treacle. Not today though. It's more like some kind of sticky spill that you feel like you have to clean up." (13/5/09)

BLOGTOBERFEST - Day 12 - Taking Stock

Tell me my friends, are you enjoying BLOGTOBERFEST? I have to apologise and say that I feel like I've been an absent host. I think I've had a little bit of stage fright over the amazing response to BLOGTOBERFEST, as well as being a super busy chicky for a couple of weeks.

I predict smooth sailing from here on in and more time for me to pop about the place and say Hi. I'm hoping that's the way it goes.

There's some really exciting BLOGTOBERFEST events taking place that I want to make sure you know about. The Creative Beast is having a Follow Along Craft Project where you make your own Joy Doll. I love, love, love this idea and I've already started brewing ideas for mine. CurlyPops has announced the SuperPops Challenge this morning, which is going to be lots of fun. I'm thinking I might multi-task and make myself a SuperPops Joy Doll.

What else is going on out there in festival land? Oh, I know, make sure you visit Punky & Me if you want to nominate someone for the 'Best of the Fest' giveaway.

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And now, without further ado, I think it's time we announce the winner of the Friday Giveaway. The random number generator picked number 11 and the winner is What You Think On Grows. Get in touch Donna Lee to pick out a collage of your choice.

BLOGTOBERFEST - Day 2 - These Are A Few Of Your Favourite Things

Wow! Can you believe the number of people who are joining in with BLOGTOBERFEST. I'm absolutely gobsmacked.

If you haven't signed up and want to join in with BLOGTOBERFEST, do it here. You can join in anytime during the month. Even October 30th if you want. You know me, no pressure.

I've decided that I'm going to treat the sign up list like a candy bowl. You know, something you can dip into when you've got a spare bit of time and feel like a treat. Best not to try and eat all the candy at once - you'll make yourself ill!

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So it's Friday and that's good news. Good news because it's the weekend and great news because it's time for the Friday Giveaway.


I've decided to do something a little different. Pop yourself in the draw for the giveaway, and if you're the lucky winner I'll make you up a very special, personalised giveaway including supplies, inspiration and an original creation by me. Once the winner is chosen I'll visit your blog to get ideas and put your prize together. A little gift from me to your creative heart.

Just leave a comment on this post by midnight Sunday (or thereabouts) and I'll draw a winner on Monday sometime. I'll happily post to anywhere in the world.

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I feel like I have so much to say. The words won't quite come yet, and let's face it there's plenty of October left for the saying. I feel surrounded by community and bursting with joy about BLOGTOBERFEST. Thank you so much for joining me on this journey.