Slowing Down ~ Happy PPF !

Was getting myself in a right tizz this morning.

Lots of things to do/should do/wish I could do/wish I had done....in real life and online...

!! gasp!! ... I even thought about skipping Paint Party Friday today because I couldn't make a decision to save myself.

Silly self thoughts: "Come on woman - you're pushing seventy and still carrying on like a pork chop!!"

Then the very words I'd sent to a beautiful blogger friend last week came hurtling right back at me...
Simon and Garfunkel's song:

Slow down, you move too fast 
You got to make the morning last 
Just kicking down the cobblestones 
Looking for fun and feeling groovy 

I got inspired and, as I sometimes do, broke out in cartoon-ish:

I never wear red lippie in real life, but I do in my fantasies
Same with the hair, it's all flowing and curly in fantasy-land
ooooh, I always love those thin ankles that appear... like magic!

ahhhhhhh relax - breathe - cool!

Oh yes, I should add that, for the sake of propriety, the clouds are concealing my very sensible undergarments [wink] 

Here's said video - thanks boys!

🎨  Thanks so much for dropping by - I'm back to sensible Sue now I've got that out of my system! 🎨


Linking to Eva and Kristin's Paint Party Friday - a welcoming spot for everyone, whether you paint, create or not... have a look by clicking on this image:

Spotted Doves over the years

These sweet little doves are long time residents in our garden.

Once we established trees and shrubs ... they moved in.

July 2012 - they love to site amongst the Tibouchina

July 2012 - inspecting the messy pot plant section 

August 2013 - enjoying the (then) new bird bath

I got a lovely surprise when I took this pic in Jan this year. Long distance from the kitchen window.  Thought there were 4 babies but, when looking at the pic on the computer screen... there was the 5th baby peeking out on the right.

January 2017

21 February 2017 - enjoying the first rays of the sun atop the shadhouse roof

22nd February 2017 - we'd moved the birdbath to within the shadehouse.
It's still a favourite with the Spotted Doves!

Linking up (a bit late... sorry Stewart!) with:

Begonias

These pretties just flowered their little hearts out over the past couple of months:

Their pinkly pinks looked so pretty amongst my little jungle:

These are a different variety and I love the pink trims along their leaf edges:

Those little clumps of yellow in the middle - enticing the bees:

Even though it's a bit blurry, I like this photo the best ... am thinking it's those pink edged leaves again:

Linking up with Riitta at her Floral Bliss:

and Nick at his Floral Friday Fotos:

Hello Possums!

Last night - very late, a couple of possums decided to party on the tree close by.

MD shone the torch while I clicked away.

Look to the left of the lower part of this tree and you'll see the second Possum.
I didn't realise I'd caught it in the photo... it was so dark I could only hear it.

The Possums make a sound like a chainsaw being started - over and over again!
Quite strange the first time of hearing it.

Off he goes.  Fortunately, they settled down after a  little while.
Probably went to have a rummage through our compost - we notice apple cores often go missing!

People have varying opinions about Possums. 

I guess it depends whether they've gotten into the roof cavity and set up home!  Then all hell breaks out.

We, and our neighbours, have  been lucky and are able to co-exist with the Possums happily, so we quite enjoy their nocturnal visits.  

Coasting Along - Happy PPF !

Friday already - yay!

Back in the olden days when I held down a 9 to 5 job, Friday was celebrated because it was the prelude to the weekend.
Now, it's because there's a Party... a Paint Party ... and it's on Fridays!

I've always had a bit of a 'thing' for coasters, and thought I'd have a go at making some.
The local "Cheap as Chips" - type shop were selling cork coasters 6 per pack for $1.99, so I snapped them up.

Here are some pics of the finished coasters. The photo quality is very poor because of the dips and unevenness of the cork coaster.  I've sealed them with a high gloss and can't work out how to photograph without all that light refraction.

Never mind, it's all between friends isn't it.  I love how we can share so freely.
I've also popped in my home-grown process after the pics:

"Roses"

"A Touch of Gold"

"Lilacs of Pink"

"Lollipop Florals"

"Gum Blossoms in the Moonlight"

"Forget Me Nots"

"Potted Gum Blossoms" (my favourite)

"Baby Pink Bottlebrush"

"Wattle"

🎨 The Process:

I made it up as I went along - was too keen (and impatient I guess!) to do any research... still haven't 
😉  

~ Three good coatings of black acrylic (thoroughly dry between each coat)

(... I eventually worked out that a kind of patting-on motion alternating between the flat part and the tip of a size 20 flat brush really gets the paint into the myriad nooks and crannies of the cork) 

~ Then I gave those 3 layers of black a full week to dry.

~ Then I painted the designs.

~ Allowed another full week to dry.

~ Next,  2 layers of clear gloss sealant - leaving several days to dry between each layer. 
(My thinking was that they have to withstand the heat of a cup of hot drink on them, so that's why 
I made sure everything was dry before applying another layer... probably overdid it, but I had the time :D) )

☕ It worked!  Yay!  They can withstand the hottest of hot cuppas! ☕

An extra note, when I do more I shall paint the sides as well - it's hard to keep them free of paint and they can look a little too 'rough' - rustic? around the edges!

🎨🎨🎨

Thank you to Bob Burridge, my inspiration for learning to paint flowers:

Linking up with Eva and Kristin's Paint Party Friday.  

If you'd like to join in, or just pop over for a look at all the gorgeous creativity, you'll be made most welcome ... click on this image:

By arrangement - with Riitta to be thoroughly florally blissed!

Over the years I've always enjoyed making up little bouquets from the garden.
Some are funny little put-togethers - but I've loved doing them, so much so that I'd taken photos.
Here are a few:

Camellia, Rhododendron and Hebe

Banksia, Correa, Tibouchina with Wattle and Argyle Apple Eucalypt foliage
I wanted an all-Aussie bouquet in this one for a special occasion

A most beautiful Camellia
I grew it by putting spent flower stalks, from a bunch I was given, straight into the soil and more or less forgot it.
A few years later this hardy little plant thrived into a lovely bush which continues to produce.

... a closeup of those generous flowers!

I thought the backdrop of Argyle Apple Eucalyptus foliage really did the
Lillies proud.

Geraniums always appeal to me with their angular type leaves.
I especially love their tiny unopened buds.
Those sweet little Johnny-Jump-Ups often found their way into my posies.

Last, but not least, are the Freesias.
Oh gosh, the perfume from these is intoxicating - isn't it lovely to have it
wafting through the house!
They're resting on the pillow Mum made.  She did all the candlewicking when she was in her
eighties.   She'll have her 93rd Birthday this year and is still going strong, as is Dad.

Linking up with Riitta and friends over at Floral Bliss... pop over and check out all the gorgeous florals  - it's quite blissful indeed!  Click on the image below.

Take a moment for an overload of cuteness - our sweet granddaughters....

A video posted by Nat Hines (@natnatanna) on Feb 9, 2017 at 5:09am PST

Way down in the deep blue sea ~ Happy PPF !

I always think that painting coral, or flowers or fish can be a bit like painting clouds - in that however I choose to depict them,  there'll always be something similar in the sea, plant or fish world.

So, while I take my inspiration from our beautiful natural world, I can let my imagination take over... that's where painting is fun in my book!

"Way down deep where the fishies party"
Watercolour
(Party hats and balloons digitally added and sourced, with thanks, from clipartkid.com)

I don't have any process pictures for these two paintings.  They were cards for family and I didn't leave myself much time to complete them so was totally focused on that.

"Coral Fish"
Watercolour
(background digitally painted)

Linking up with Eva and Kristin's Paint Party Friday 

Click on the image below and join everyone - you'll be made most welcome:

Magpies

Whenever there's a chance for a feeding pic... I take it.

I'd been watching this squawking baby for a while and, taking pity on the poor overworked parents, so I threw out a little fresh meat.
It was much appreciated and delivered straight to baby:

It did the trick - for a few minutes anyway!

🐦 Thank you for flying in for a visit ;D) 🐦

Linking up to Stewart's Wild Bird Wednesday

Click on the image below to see some fabulous birds here, there and everywhere