Magazine layout cover

Magazine layout

Mediatation Weekend

I have participated in a meditation weekend for self discovery and creativity. It was an interesting journey . Held at a conference centre in the Stathbogie ranges near Violet Town in Victoria. The scenary and surrounds of the area are covered in bushland. Birds, bushwalking , rocks, wildlife. We rose early in the morning and the sunrise was spectacular through the trees, colours of warm reds and oranges. I enjoyed the Thai Che in the morning, this was new to me but I found it sort of calming. The actual workshops were not actually what i was expecting from the weekend, but i participated and found some of it appropriate to myself.  For fun we walked through the bush, i had my camera and pursued taking photos of trees and lychen on rocks, and looking down on the valleys in the distance. The forest was nice and quiet and peaceful, that in itself was a nice form of meditation for myself. We did some exploratory artwork, with pencils, textas, cutting and pasting, and materials. I enjoyed this part of the weekend and enjoyed playing with colours and textures with no pressures to create any thing with an expectation involved. What did i learn? I learnt i had a lovely time away from my family, and i enjoyed not being nagged or asked to do things for people all weekend. I enjoyed not having to cook - the food was nice. I also enjoyed returning home and having a Hudsons hotchoc on the way home and suprising hubby with a coffee and returning early enough to get some stuff done around the house before it got dark.

Onwards to this week and work, school, lunches, dinners, bills and all the usual stuff. Back to normal.

This is my current project , needless to say it will be ready for easter 2010 and not in 2 days time.

I have had an enjoyable few minutes, going back through my blog site and checking out what I have done over the last 3 years. I realise now what i have been missing lately is the urge to be creative and finish projects once they are started. I need to get off the computer and use my hands to create again.

Even with a New full time job, my new resolve - (it may not be new years) - but I will try to create something once a month. For myself and for self enjoyment.  Finish off the quilt i started 2 weeks ago for bush fire victims.

Finish up the easter embrodieries in time for easter. 

I have a great job , with great people . I have a great family. Kids that suprise me with their comments. In the art gallery in Benalla- "mum I know why those paintings are put there like that!." Why? "Because that one in the middle is the biggest, then that one over to the right is next and then the one on the left." the thought that they were put there in size evaded me, except that they had similar imagery of beaten up cars.

What a great age to take kids to the art gallery - they show you things that we take for granted  and bring us back down to earth. 

Put colour back into my day!!!!

Junior artist at work.

Time flies when you are having fun

We visited friends on their farm, these are some of their girls. We will  go woodchopping there soon.  

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2009

Welcome 2009, it seems like ages since xmas and the new year passed. We had a lovely quiet xmas at home, then headed to Lakes Entrance for a week and had New Years Eve  by the lakes watching the fireworks, 9.30pm and again at midnight (from our apartment balcony). We had a lovely holiday and enjoyed the cool weather, we visited the Buchan Caves and had a great day out. We played minigolf, walked everywhere. Had 2 visits to the beach , we got sandblasted the last day at the beach. Back at work again, same old. Still enjoying my admin job at the moment.

I have been updating my digitally stored photographs andmaking index sheets so the rest of the family know where to find the photos.

The kids had a day at Avenel Maze with my husband and last Sunday we all went to Echuca andplayed mini golf and got around the Oz maze. It was relaxing finishing the hot day off with a bit of paddlesteamer watching on the Murray River.

Music festival

This brochure is not actually my design, however i did put together the brochure as required by a friend ready to be printed , had to cut and paste and move the images around to fit the dl size.

Friend was very happy with the results.

Poster made for a friends' presentation

Update and why have i been missing

Hi to anyone who checks out my blog site.

Sorry i have not updated it with any info for a while. 

Life has been busy. From April 2008 until August 2008, I was working as a  Graphic Artist for The Numurkah Leader. Doing a lot of classified ads, some newspaper ads, some business cards, brochures, magnets,and a really great Theatre program. 

I have since changed my employment and am working in Shepparton, but am doing an admin job. At the moment liking it greatly. Working 9-3pm works well with the kids and no travel and the people i worked with are lovely (so far so good).

I had trouble uploading some photos to this blogsite with my apple mac, so I have joined the world of Facebook and having a lovely time catching up with school friends.etc.

moo.com minicards

These are the neatest small business cards i have ever seen. I uploaded a selection of photos taken by me and had them made into small cards like these ones. The website is based in London, but the cards came from Germany or Denmark? They arrived in Australia in less than 2 weeks.
I also ordered the small holders for them they are sooo cool. The kids loved them and they are a neat way of giving people your phone number than a scrap of paper . All under $50 .

Flourish bus card back

Business card made for Michelle in 2007 . We worked well together to come up with a fantastic looking logo and business card. It was printed with a matt laminate and looks great.

Flourish Business logo and cards

Front of Michelle's business card for her business Flourish landscapes.

numurkah singers program 2008

This is the program cover and back that I worked on with the Leader editor , for the Numurkah Singers performance of Good Vibes. It was an entertaining play, I took my 6 year old to see the performance. My first theatre program. I also helped edit the details inside the program. This was a fun job.

Happy birthday to me

Today I celebrated my birthday with family and friends at the Wetlands Cafe, at a winery called Chateau Tahbilk, near Nagambie, in central victoria.

We had food, cake and a boat ride on the lagoon/wetlands area.

Great cake made by the Chef at the cafe, flowers supplied by my great friend Gina .

beer bottles

My husbands xmas present was a box of variety foreign beer bottles. Here they are all empty and lined up to admire what has been drunk.

x buns

This is my attempt at making hot x buns on the labour day weekend. We added choc chips instead of sultanas. The boys did not like them I presume they werent sweet enough. They did rise and cooked ok, but werent like the store bought ones, recipe from Better Homes and Garden book.

I will resort to buying them already made from now on.

birthday cake

birthday cake home made from cadbury recipe

toby's 10th birthday

Toby and Hugh enjoying blowing out the candles on the cake

ribbon box

Here is a box that i have covered with paper and ribbons and added the word Ribbons to store my ribbon stash in.

Update for march 2008

It is mid march already, how fast is the year going. Only one more week left of school. Then Easter and the school holidays. With the holidays comes my reentry into the full time work force from 2 April 2008, as a graphic artist. How very exciting!!!
I have had a lovely time since finishing my course in december 2007, have completed a little recipe book with my favourite recipes in it, have created and sent out my birthday invites for a small get together in April.
I have also had a great time READING novels, here is a list of the books I have been enjoying.
Anita Shreve: A wedding in December, The Pilots Wife, Body Surfing, The Weight of Water, All He Ever Wanted, Fortune's Rock, Eden Close and Sea Glass,Light on Snow. (All very easy and enjoyable reads)
Linda Howard: A Game of Chance, Mackenzie's, The Mackenzie's, To Die For, All the Queen's Men, Loving Evangeline,Kiss me while I sleep,Duncan's bride. Bluebird winter
Maeve Binchy: Lilac Bus, Tara Road, Whitethorn Woods, Silver Wedding, Evening Class,
Rosamunde Pilcher: The Blue Bedroom and other Stories, The End of Summer.
Douglas Kennedy: The Pursuit of Happiness. HAPPY READING

typography assignment 2007

magazine double spread time mag tafe 07

time magazine cover tafe 2007

biscuit box magazine layout and box design 07

Biscuit box magazine layout for tage

freelance business card Leanne 20007

Business card designed for Leanne 2007

freelance work business cards 2007

Business cards made for a friend 2007

resume 2006 from tafe course

resume created 2006

merry christmas to all who read my blog

Tulips from DAndenong Tulip Farm

These tulips were on display at Tesselaers Tulip Farm Dandenong Sept 07

More Tulips

Beautiful pink and white tulips at Tesselaers Dandenong Tulip farm

Tulips from Dandenong tulip farm

Tesselaers Tulip Farm , we had a lovely day here on our way home.

Tulips in Spring from Tulip farm Dandenong

September school holidays

School holidays are just about to finish, yeah.
We had 4 days in Melbourne, visited the Pixar animation exhibition at ACMI at Federation Square, AFL World. Walked and ventured around St Kilda pier and the Esplanade Craft Market.
We visited Tesselaers Tulip Farm in the Dandenong Ranges on the way home the tulips were beautiful. We have had some quiet time at home,I took the kids to see a pantomine of Little Red Riding Hood at the local Theatre. It was quite funny.
I have even done a bit of homework. Only 7 weeks to go and then i will finish studying.

September Already

My how time flies, I have been busy trying to get my assignments finished, like chasing my tail around in circles.
School Holidays are just around the corner and means spending some interesting time with the kids.
I have been working at the local Art Gallery on Sundays, and am loving it .
So havent had much spare time to do other things.
Will up date last few assignments for an update soon.

June already where is the year going so fast?

Well only one more week until holidays. Yeah. But I have to get 2 assignments finished and 3 mounted and all my work handed in for assessment on friday.
A few late nights and bleary eyes ahead for me.
We had a wonderful weekend in june in melbourne, visited Heide Contemporary Art Gallery, the Art Centre craft market, had a yarra river cruise, visited IKEA finally, got my things i wanted. Had dinner in Lygon St Carlton, it was a lovely weekend.
We are enjoying a very bitterly cold day today. It must be snowing somewhere .
Back to more homework for now

June already where is the year going so fast?tsr

this cow is very patriotic to australia

There are numerous cows around our district, which is a dairy industry area. These cows are fibreglass and weigh a tonne, and show off some of the local art work in our area.This one is sitting down on the job.

scrapbook back to school i made this week

scrapbooking frame for mothers day 0507

tv show part 4 rollercoaster

Rollercoaster is a tv show on abc for kids.

This poster and the four following are typographical based, using letters only.

tv show part 3 sunrise

tv show part 2

tv show typographical screen images

This poster is for a tv advert for the tv show Rage on abc. I created the background using photoshop.

Opera in the Orchard music poster

This is a poster for a music concert, I chose to call it Opera in the Orchard, as in March 2007, it was a current concert in the area.

It is a typography based poster.

ART Deco poster motorbike

Art Deco poster , using gradients in Illustrator.

Has it been a month since i last posted

The next few images are of my assignment handed in on 24 May, it took a lot of late nights and weekends to get it finished. But i learnt a lot about the computer program i was using.
Only 3 more assignment to finish in the next 2 weeks.
The month has flown, by the time I work part time, study and look after the kids and husband, the weeks are flying by.

Vehicle signage for matisse cafe

Logo placement for vehicles.

I have spent many hours making a style guide, book which shows the printing people how to place the logo when printing , letterhead, business cards etc, will put an image up later after i get back my assignment.

matisse notebook

Notebook , shaped like a matchbook, with note paper and pencil inside. The idea is for a kids pack, to keep kids happy and creative during a meal etc at the cafe.i

3rd lot of photos for matisse cafe

Menu example and drink coaster with logo on them.

more images of matisse cafe logo assignment

Fax sheets, advert for newspaper, uniform, and signage placement for logo.

I cant believe May is coming to an end already

Letter head , envelope, with compliments, and business card part 1 of Matisse Cafe assignment.

war poster

War poster created with 4 different photos, man is my grandfather who was in the merchant navy, melb shrine of rememberance , cannon and postcard from my grandfather.

peace concept two

Melbourne Yarra river, people relaxing along the river.

April busy busy busy

Hi
We have been busy for April , I went to Melbourne for 3 days for a conference AGideas. Design conference at the art centre. It was very inspirational . Theme of Pulling a Rabbit out of a hat.
Which as a mother and parent we do quite regularly to get by.
As it was school holidays the boys and Pete came to Melb with me, we stayed in a nice 2 bedroom apartment on St Kilda Rd, only 3 tram stops from art centre.
We had a nice easter at Mt Beauty and caught up with a friend who I went to kinder and primary school with, it was really nice to catch up again.
This week we have had a quiet week, i have managed to do a bit of homework,
hoping to get some more finished by tuesday.
Happy Easter
gen

handmade bag

This is the messenger bag I made this week. Lincraft opened this week, so I just had to check it out and this is what i made.

March 2007

March already. Well Toby has turned 9 . So that makes me realise that the years are creeping by really quickly now.
I have started back at Tafe with my Graphic Art course.
Suprises have come to me from my prac placements, I have done a volunteers guide course at the Shepparton Art Gallery, which finished last week. From that i have commenced some part time, casual weekend work on the front desk at the gallery for the next couple of weekends. So I now have no idea what day it is and am looking forward to a week in Melbourne from the 1st of April.
I have managed to create a messenger bag, last night instead of doing homework , will take a photo and put it up soon.
Working on 3 different assignments at the moment , none of which are nearly finished so will need to get my butt in gear this week and work on them before next week. End of term next week, one week in melbourne for a conference , which i am looking forward to. Then Easter and i am hoping to have a 4 day wind down at home. Before next term starts again.

school has returned yeah

Finally the school holidays are over, and i have been feeling a bit like creating. I have nearly finished making the quilt journal to record my quilt information in . i created a card for dads birthday which he received in the mail today and liked it.
We have had a nice holiday. Visited Lakes Entrance for 1 week at New Years. Had a week of swimming lessons, which took up most of the day by the time the kids had a swim.
We had a days adventure to Bendigo, visiting the art gallery, the Discovery Centre, and a Gillies pie. We also climbed the hill and walked through the gardens in the town to the tower on top. It gave a great view over bendigo city. The buildings are so old and beautiful.
We had a night in Melbourne, visiting the National Art Gallery, St kilda rd, to see the Manga art exhibition, by Tezeku? he did Astro Boy and Kimba the white lion. We had a trip on the City Circle tram which is free and takes you around the outskirts of the city centre. Had a walk along the St Kilda Esplanade and checked out the art market. Watched the para kites on the bay , the new sport taking over windsurfing it looks like fun.We stayed with some friends and visited the DFO in Essendon. Some bargains were caught but just went for a look.
February has started and i have 3 weeks till i start back at tafe. I'm looking forward to a few days by myself.
Hugh starts kinder next week.

s

quilt journal currently in progress

i'm finally getting into the groove of making things. This is a quilt journal to record info about quilts when i make them. Pattern was from Homespun dvd by Leanne Beasley .2006

dads birthday card i made

Round robin xmas quilt started 2004

This quilt was started in 2004, as a round robin friendship quilt from Express publication craft forum website. I finally put the blocks together and quilted it in 2006. But as yet the binding is still to be done. It is still hanging up to remind me to finish it.

fun jumping the waves

here is my youngest jumping the waves with life savers in wet suits in the water.

Happy New Year

Xmas and theNew Year have come and gone. Welcome to 2007. We had a nice quiet xmas at home playing totem tennis ,table tennis and scooter races. We had a great week at Lakes Entrance , playing on the beach. It was a bit cold to go swimming, the kids jumped the waves and had a fun time building sand castles. We played 4 games of mini golf, and lots of walking.
I did get to visit the patchwork shop in Lakes, and will have to find time to complete a couple of projects.