VERY Belated Thank You/s

To … some very wonderful people that have bestowed me with more Blog Awards. It’s amazing how many beautiful people I have met through Stamping/Papercrafting/Mixed Media … I truly consider myself very fortunate.

Friendly Blogger Award and Lemonade Stand Award (not sure what that one actually means/represents - but I’m flattered - I think … lol) … from Lady Di at Live Your Dreams.
Kreativ Blogger Award from the delightful DrMarty62 at Arty Marty … and also from Bevlea Ross at Soul Arts - a dear friend and one amazing woman to boot.

Thank you dear ladies … but I feel like an imposter though these days, as my creativity is hovering on ‘zero’ … too much to do and not enough hours in the day!

And … another belated thank you too … to Elizabeth from Queen of Toys … for her very generous altered spoon ‘just because’ gift (pictured above but the photo does not do it justice). How nice is that … a no reason gift! I have it proudly displayed for all to see. Thank you again Elizabeth!

LILY UPDATE: Growing more beautiful each and every day … but the little darling hasn’t worked out which is day and which is night - ie: sleep time. I see her at her very best (day time) … placid or sleeping! Oh the joys of being a Nanna … lol.

Announcing ...

The birth of my very beautiful (and very first) grand child … baby Lily!

Born: May 20th at 11:29am
Weight: (3.5kg) 7lbs 11.5 oz
Length: 52cm

Mother and baby Lily doing very well. Father & Nanna (me) still recovering - lol.

STILL CHRISTMAS … sort of!

Yet another fabulous treat I’ve had this month … I don’t think I want April 2009 to ever end! On Saturday I did a Vintage Book Workshop with the very delightful and very lovely Ro Bruhn and what a great day to be had! Fabulous class, amazing tutor, great bunch of girls and food to die for (compliments of Ro’s husband-come chef, Steve - lol) … we were sooooooo spoilt - big time! I’d highly recommend that if ever you get an opportunity to do a workshop with Ro - don’t hesitate! She’s very giving of her talent and patient with those (ie: me) who procrastinate … lol.

I’ve read books about creating this type of book and it was one of those things (well - one of the many things) I kept saying “I’ll do it … next weekend” - but in reality it never happens … something else always pops up … excuses - excuses, I know! So it seems to me ... I need to do more workshops … it’s the only way I actually get to ‘make and create’! Not only did I achieve but I gained confidence too - thank you Ro!

Above is a group shot of all who went.
Sitting (L to R): Rita - Me - Mandy
Standing (L to R): Deb - Claudia - Jackie - Dot - Sam and our ‘guiding light’, Ro!

Below is sample pic of my work ‘in progress’ … lol.

Christmas in April!? Thank YOU Kelsey O’!

Well … have I hit the jackpot this week! Not only did I get a wonderful surprise in the mail this week from the lovely DJ Pettitt but I also got another surprise in my letterbox from the very amazing Kelsey O’. And talk about two opposite ends of the pole re: ‘style’ - I had to laugh but I love them both. Fortunately my taste in art (as with my music) is so eclectic!

Thank you Kelsey … I’ll treasure it … and remind me to tell you about the ‘gift’ my parents gave me a few years back … so ‘apt’ with what you sent. Or … next time you talk with Jenny C. ask her about my ‘special’ gift … she was truly amazed and had a good laugh over it. I sometimes wonder if I’m adopted … *really I do* (lol).

Above is Kelsey’s wonderful gift (ATC) - and if you can’t manage to read what’s on the top - it reads: ‘Rest in Peat’ (lol). I have it displayed on my fridge as Kelsey put a magnet on the back. I’m waiting for a comment or two from those who notice as they pass … lol.

Thank you to DJ ... My gift!

Well … what a surprise at my door yesterday when I got home from being out socializing (again). A parcel from the very lovely DJ Pettitt … a beautiful piece art made by her very own hands, some assorted prints and some ephemera to boot! How fortunate am I - not only having her as an ‘Honorary Aussie’ friend but to have a piece of her work also!

Above is a scan of the centre panel as it was way too big to fit on my scanner to scan the entire piece. Sadly, it’s a poor scan and does not do it justice - at all. I tried multiple times to get a ‘crisp’ image but because of the ‘lumps and bumps’ of the raised lace and the like it wouldn’t sit flush and scan ‘proper’. The words below the trees read: ‘Growing with strong roots’.

Tomorrows mission is to go to the framing store and organise for it to be framed (obviously - lol). I also want a perspex back to it - as she wrote a lovely message that I don’t want ‘forever hidden’ - even if it won’t be ‘on display’ to others.

Thank you to the very dear DJ … I’m so grateful and appreciative of her very generous gift! Honoured too!

I've been Blogged!

Well … I got Blogged tonight (see right panel) … but in a nice way and it didn’t even hurt … lol. It came from the very lovely Margaret Weiss who I just recently met at the 2009 Creative Soul Retreat. To have Margaret even think of me as a possibility of a Friendship Award let alone pass it on to me has me flawed and seriously ‘chuffed’. Thank you Margaret … *blushing*.

The guidelines for this award are …
"These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind of bloggers aim to 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 kind of writers".

So … to continue ‘sharing the love’ (ie: friendship) … I ‘award’ …

Dawnie T. - Diana O. - Kelsey O. - Julian B. - Marg B.

Dawnie, Diana and Kelsey are three wonderful women who I met for the very first time at this years Retreat and who I had an instant warmth towards - like long time friends and had known them ‘forever’. Very talented lovely women.

Julian I’ve met once before … and as above, all applicable to her also. I’m just so disappointed that I didn’t get to chat with her more while at the Retreat - hopefully next year.

Marg B … sadly I’ve been a bad friend … ‘bad’ in the sense I’ve allowed ‘life to get in the way’ and haven’t made time for some old friends … Marg being one of those. But she is thought of … it’s just that I allow the trivial things of life to get in the way - at times … sorry Marg.

To all my friends with or without Blogs … I am fortunate for your friendship.

xox Eva xox

What a life ...

I’m alive … as I’ve not written in such a very long time I feel like I need to write an absence note - comes from working in the school system, I guess … lol. As I commonly say to others, my life is not all that ‘thrilling’ but it sure ain’t dull!

I won’t get into what my life has been up to in the past four months - but hopefully, I'll not put you to sleep with my recent ‘events’.

I mostly want to say … how fortunate I was to be part of fabulous team involved with the ‘Creative Soul Retreat’. I felt privileged to work with Bevlea (owner extraordinaire) and Lucy, my equal in being a ‘soldier ant’ to Bevlea … lol. We worked so smoothly together - heads down bums up, no egos, no power plays, etc, etc, etc - we did what a ‘girls gotta do’ kinda thing. Love them both. Friends before the Retreat and even stronger friends because of the Retreat (well … in my eyes anyway - lol).

So … onto the Retreat … my 'thoughts'. *Where do I begin?* Guess I’ll start with my ‘guest’ Stephanie Lee .. who I did not consider my guest. She was soooo easy to have in my home. As much as I love my friends who come stay - I’m usually itching after two or threes days for them to return back to their own ‘nest’ (but they’re still ‘loved’ - lol). But in all honesty, with Stephanie, it was no issue. She felt like family … like a sister ... sisters that don’t fight that is - lol. Such a brilliant artist and a very much down to earth person - no ego and needing no ‘precious’ attention.

As for DJ and Bernie - I loved them equally too … even though they were each hosted by Bevlea and Lucy - we all spent a lot of time together during the day. We all just seemed to ‘click’, like we were long time friends (again … that’s how I felt - can’t speak for the Tutors, Bev or Lucy themselves - lol). We were spoilt with three of the very best Tutors (real people) - so the standards are set at high for our 2010 ‘guests’ (lol).

Now the Retreat … I not only felt it to be successful but believe it truly was. Though I did not manage to complete a class I did not feel deprived as I genuinely felt rewarded in the excitement/joy of those who attended and thrilled for Bevlea and Lucy too. I may appear ‘crusty’ on the outside but I’m such a marshmallow on the inside … but please don’t go around telling everyone that - lol.

Below is a picture (kindly ‘borrowed’ from Stephanie’s Blog) of us all - taken while at Healesville Sanctuary. Left to right is (for those who did not attend the Retreat and don’t know of the Tutors) …

The very lovely Lucy - the brilliant Bernie Berlin - the BOSS, Bevlea (lol) - Superstar Stephanie Lee - the very darling DJ Pettitt - and me (I so hate photos of me - *aaargh*).

And to those who I met for the first time at the Retreat and including those who I already know in person - thank you for making it such a wonderful experience!

If you would like to see/know more:
www.soularts.typepad.com for links of those who attended (more pics) and the like ... and ... if you want to be part of CSR’s 2010 Retreat (and see even more photos of this years Retreat) go visit www.creativesoulretreat.com.au.

And, of course … at the top right hand side of my Blog - you’ll find Stephanie's, DJ’s and Bernie’s links to their Blogs under 2009 - CSR Tutors.