Practice makes perfect

Still frustrated about not being able to get my camera out and practice my photography skills as often as I would like. Captured this rainbow from our backyard the other day and also decided to try a self portrait using my tripod. I'd like to keep working on the self portrait (see it's out of focus!) and get a bit more creative. Difficult when you have the family all hanging around and getting in the way. Even had Grant offer to take the photo for me, which ofcourse defeats the objective of a self portrait! Anywy, these are far from perfect but I'll keep perservering.

Coming soon...

{Breast Cancer}

Awareness *Fundraising*Scrapbooking

info@scrappink.co.za

Watch this space!

Organic Dimensions - Wk 1

Here are two canvasses I have just started on 8x8 inch stretched canvas. They are going to be mixed media pieces, which I am experimenting with as well as doing an online art class to create really awesome background effects. Still loads more layers of paint needed on these two. I'm pretty happy with the result so far. I've used gesso and acrylic medium which I have never used before. It was fun. I am HOPING they turn out to be art I can hang up. I HOPE they express me and what I love. I HOPE to do lots more painting.

For mommy Penny...

Today was the annual CANSA Shavathon and every year we go to get our hair colour sprayed to donate money to the Cancer Association and in memory and honour of mommy Penny. Bryce's mommy Penny was diagnosed with cancer when he was just 9 months old. She passed away when he was 22 months old.

I created a special mommy Penny album for him when he was about 4, so that he would always have photos of her to look at. The album starts from just before Bryce was born with his baby room pictures to pictures of Penny breastfeeding Bryce, right through to when she was having chemo and lost her hair. Every year at school there seems to be a day where you have to bring a photo of your parents and talk about family. Bryce is extremely proud of the fact that he has two fathers (his dad and his Father in heaven) and two moms, mommy Penny and myself. He always takes his speaicl album on these days to show his class.

Although I never met Penny I saw her on a couple of ocassions singing in church. She was so talented at writing music, singing, playing keyboard and the saxophone as well as talented in drama and art. Today we honoured mommy Penny and gave thanks for her life. I am so proud and blessed to have Bryce as my son. Thanks mommy Penny for a unique, once of a kind Bryce-man. He's my squiggs, squirt and Brycie. A treasure. A special young man, now 11 years old.

Kendra and Bryce today at the Shavathon with coloured hair!

Create, create, create...

Create, create, create...that's what I would do if I didn't work full time and have all the commitments I have (plus take photos!). I would paint, scrapbook, make cards and explore all sorts of new creative ideas. All I know is that I would go mad if I didn't have something creative to do on a regular basis. Making birthday cards is great therapy. I love that! It's creative. I love that too! Anyway, I HOPE you like these cards. I should have taken photos of them instead of scanning them, but then time ran out and they had to be posted. Didn't have time to get the camera out.

Now having said all that I have AWESOME news about something creative, meanigful and full of HOPE. But you'll have to wait a bit longer to find out about it! Be HOPEful, live HOPEfully, share and give HOPE.

Finally for Fi...

Poor, Fi, you've waited nearly 2 years for the paintings I said I would do for you. I spent the afternoon under a shady tree in our garden with my easel, brushes, paints and Fi's paintings - an "artist" in the garden. Well, they are now done; complete; finished!

They look a whole lot better from a distance and are certainly no where near anything professional, but pretty cool and fun. HOPE you will enjoy them. If they don't fit with the lounge decor then you can recycle them. Don't think I'll be doing any more commissioned pieces - I am just too slow and unreliable in meeting my deadlines! Anyway, now at least I can start a new painting with a clear conscience!

Hanging out in Nam!

That's NAMibia not VietNAM! Yup my first business trip for this year was to the sleepy town of Swakopmund in Namibia (the old South West Africa). It was my first time there and I will definitely go back with Grant and the Kids. We worked hard but got to have loads of fun too! Checked out all the little desert creatures on a Desert Tour, heading up and down the dunes in a landrover. Do you know that there are chameleons in the desert there, they turn black in the morning to soak up all the heat and then turn white in the afternoon to reflect the suns heat! We saw beetles, and geko's and lizards and snakes! Tried sand boarding - what a hoot! My best was quad biking up and down and all over those huge sand dunes! Had sundowners on the beach - I love the beach! I miss the beach! Sand in my toes, wet bubbly salty water as you walk through the shallows! See my photo for proof of my feet on the beach in Swakopmund. I used a slow shutter speed and love the effect this had as the water edged up to my toes!
Anyway, tried to practice my photographic skills and was again reminded just how much practice I need. I HOPE (that's my word!) to be far more skilled by the end of this year.

My word

I was just checking out Ali Edwards' blog and she shared a whole bunch of words that people have selected to be "their" word for the year. I was reading Kal Barteski's blog yesterday and her word last year was GO, this year it is AM. I started wondering what my word would be if I had one. So when I read Ali's blog today, I knew I just had to chose my own word for this year. I have decided that my word for 2008 is HOPE.

HOPE

"Not wishful thinking but firm assurance"

I HOPE for balance with family time and work

I HOPE for new creativity and inspiration

I HOPE for financial security

I HOPE for others less fortunate than myself

I HOPE for blossoming in old and new friendships

I HOPE to be the best me I can be

I HOPE for so much more...

What's your word for this year going to be? I would love to know... since only my mom and Fi ever read it - I challenge you both to pick your own word for this year!

The New Year

I don't do New Year resolutions but decided on a few things that I'd like to do more of and less of to be happy to be me in 2008!

I am so inspired by mixed media art at the moment so had a little go at doing something. This is one of the things I want to do more of this year. I used oil pastels, acrylic paint, stamps, a sticker, white paint pen, a mini roller, paper towling...all to get his effect! Not sure why the paint came off when I stamped on it, to reveal the oil pastels below. I thought they were water soluble pastels, but maybe not. Anyway, it was fun...My desire for this year for myself: to find hope and peace within myself, be happy about me and who I am and to rest in God, knowing that He works all things together for good and that He is in control...and a whole bunch more, but that's a good start for the 1st of January.