I’m grateful his illness was very fast – he had so many tumour’s on his liver that it shut down completely and basically poisoned him in 2 days. Up until this we had no clue there was anything wrong, he was the same under-your-feet boy that he’d always been, silly and gorgeous and always, always there. We’ve had no time to adjust to the idea we were going to lose him, and I’m grateful that his body made the decision for us so we didn’t have to, there really was no option to consider.

I took him to the vets on Tuesday as he’d not been eating and couldn’t keep down water and I’d noticed the whites of his eyes looked yellow. In my heart I knew it was major but I still hoped it was just a blockage that could be fixed by surgery. I dropped him off at the vets yesterday morning after spending two very restless nights up with him, cuddling him, telling him I loved him. In my heart I knew I was saying goodbye. I’m so glad I didn’t leave him overnight at the vets, he spent his last days at home warm, on his cushion, with the family that loved him so very much.

So this is my furbaby Kobi… my beautiful boy now gone to heaven. More human than dog, more child than pet. Our hearts and home are so very empty without you my sweet, sweet boo. I’ll love you forever, until we meet again. xx

L x

I had this project go up over on Aussie Scrap Source the other day, it’s a baby album and box I made for my friend who’s due in a couple of short months!

I’m working on a big update to the Heartistry site and there’s a new blog too where I’ll be putting all my work into. I’ll be moving this blog to it’s new permanent Heartistry home when it’s ready too so it’ll all be in one place

Speaking of work, I created this mixed media portrait of my boys for my mum for Mother’s Day (she cried, my job is done). I thought I’d show some progress shots before the finished piece.

And the finished piece…

I have some commission spots available if anyone would like me to create a unique artwork for them (and don’t forget Christmas will be here before you know it!!). You can check out more info on my commissions page at the heartistry blog.

L x

Want to learn how to do it? check it out and register over at my heartistry store.

L x

The Baby Steps range from Simple Stories co-ordinated perfectly with the sweet photo of my youngest son. I created my own embellishments by fussy cutting the hot air balloons out of the paper and adding some thread to attach it to the fussy cut heading, to give it the appearance of flying. Some Prima flowers and diecut scrolls finish the look and add softness and movement to the page.

I adore the modern vintage look and warm colours of the Authentique ‘Gathering’ range. As with most of the Authentique papers, they’re printed on a heavy, slightly textured card weight so make it perfect for fussy cutting and lifting with popdots to add dimension without sagging.

By combining some Prima flowers with a trinket and some bakers twine, I’ve created a co-ordinated cluster of embellishments that draw the eye to the small cardstock diecut headings, keeping the page clean, simple yet also highly detailed.

L x

I created this set of congratulations cards based on a new baby’s arrival using the Simple Stories Baby Steps range. I teamed them up with some Prima flowers for a sweet, gender-neutral look. Slightly inking the edges and layering with foam tape added dimension and interest, while the small leaf punchouts add softness and detail.

tfl  L x

I have some products available in my Zazzle store so go check them out!

L x

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It’s an interesting road, this whole painting thing I’ve embarked on… I don’t think ANYTHING I’ve ever done creatively, through my work as a graphic designer or through trying my hand at every. single. craft. that’s out there, has ever had me so excited, motivated and totally fulfilled. I adore putting paint, pencils, pastels and anything else beginning with p onto a canvas. I’m in love with every face I’ve painted and take a lot of time to get the eyes in particular just right.

Don’t get me wrong, I know this sounds egotistical (but anyone that knows me knows that that’s just not me), I’m just feeling like I’m on a new path. The RIGHT path. Something I should’ve been doing all along.

When I was at school all those many (many many many) years ago, I had a wonderful art teacher who let me take 6th form art despite the fact I’d missed 2 years of art before that due to taking different subjects. He sat me down and made me do a sketch to see if he thought I was too far behind in my skills to join the class. 10 mins later I was in and he was one of the best teachers I’ve ever had and despite the fact I can no longer remember his name, I’ve never forgotten his quiet encouragement.

Then I changed schools.

I started mid-term in a new school, new city where I knew no-one. I had an art teacher there with a very different view of art and it wasn’t mine. I liked precision, realism and texture… she liked throwing splotches at a page, very obvious brush strokes and more the suggestion of an image than anything recognisable. We clashed somewhat and it started in the first week. We had an assignment where we were to choose an artist and emulate their style. Unfortunately I picked someone who was a very close personal friend of hers, and she hated my interpretation of it. After that I couldn’t really do much right in her class and I remember spending a lot of time painting on the glass panes of the windows and listening to the radio more than creating. It was this teacher who instilled in me the idea that I could never be an artist, couldn’t paint and couldn’t draw. I put down my pencil at the end of that year and it took me over 20 years to pick it up again.

At this same time I was taking a class in design, here the teacher again liked what I did and it gave me the confidence that maybe this was something I could pursue, so I did. I’ve been a graphic designer for 23 years (yes I’m showing my age) and I’ll be the first to say I’m over it. I do it to feed my kids and while I do enjoy aspects of the job and it gives me the freedom to work from home, a lot of what I do isn’t ‘creating’, it’s more computer operating and it can get old pretty quick. My dream is to be a full time artist, doing what I love and earning a living from it and my goal is by the end of next year. I want to pack up my computer and replace it with paints, relegate my printer to the cupboard and use the space for canvases and polymer clay and pastels and all the things that I’ve truly found my passion with.

So it took me 20 years to try and I thank God that I did. There’s something that happens to me when I’m creating. I do tune out a bit but it just flows. When I’m in the zone it just happens, I don’t think about it and very rarely stop. I just DO. It’s a freedom that I’ve never really felt before and I’m passionate about it.

Yes I know I harp on about the ArtLab but it’s because of that passion that I want to share what I do. Out of the 5 paintings I’ve done in the few months I’ve been sharing this side of my work, I’ve sold 3 of those plus prints of them all. I’m proud that my work is hanging on walls in the US and Canada and Australia, it feels pretty dang good that people love what I’ve done enough to buy it. Comments about my work are generally things like “it spoke to me” or “gave me chills”… I LOVE that what I do brings those emotions out of people, it makes me so happy I literally tear up and thank God again that not only is this in me, but that I’ve finally found the courage to pursue it. I’m doing the ArtLab as I want my students to feel as passionate about it too, to discover their own talents and create something they truly didn’t know they had in them. I want to pass on the skills I’ve learned and show them that no matter how good you are or not at drawing, these are things that CAN BE LEARNED and practiced so that you too, can feel this freedom.

Like anything my work changes all the time as I discover new techniques and improve on others, but no matter what I do down this path I know I’ve found my heart. So I’ll leave you with a huge thank you to those who have supported me on this journey through comments or purchases or just plain encouragement.

Art CAN change a life, it really, truly can and I’m a prime example.

L x

A little while ago, before I resigned from the team, Twiddleybitz held a “Scrap my Photo” competition where you could submit a photo to be scrapped by a member of the design team. My winner was Jenny Thomas who sent me a lovely photo of her beautiful children enjoying the summer in the pool. Here’s the layout I created for her:

I used glittery papers from My Minds Eye, flowers from Prima and some Twiddleybitz of course!

I have another layout I’ve done but am just waiting to hear if/when I can share that.

Righto ArtLab is in the filming and writing up stages and starts at the end of April, if you haven’t already registered (for the amazingly low price of only NZ$40 for 8 weeks worth of workshops) then you need to. I’ll be teaching you everything I do to create my mixed media portraits and even if you don’t want to create your own canvas, the product knowledge and technique ideas you’ll get from it makes it a must for scrappers too. You can register for it over at my heartistry store and feel free to ask any questions you may have about it too.

The Indulgence Retreat is also in full-on mode… September will be here before we know it and this one’s gonna be a bit special. Apart from the fact we have the amazing Janine Koczwara to dazzle us with her brilliance, we also have some really cool surprises planned for attendees… make sure you’ve registered and confirmed by paying your deposit please, we have only a couple of places still available and you don’t want to miss out!

Righto… got something else really exciting coming up in November and again early next year so stay tuned!!

L x

L x