Thursday, June 21, 2018

Another Tutorial: Watercolour Space Scene

Seems to be the thing I am doing lately. I am actually enjoying it and hoping others can get something from it.

It started with the class and it made me think I just may be able to share my knowledge so that others can enjoy learning new things, and of course painting is one of my favourite things to spend time doing.

So, here is another tutorial on using watercolour paints, and creating a piece of art in the process.

If you are here from home schooling, you can go HERE and you will see related activities and a list of linked outcomes. Both tutorials are very similar.


the list of things you need to create this piece is as follows:
watercolour paper
watercolour paints
two jars with clean water
white ink or watered down white acrylic paint
a plate for tracing an arc
two paintbrushes
rubbing alcohol or if you don't have this you can use water
a pipette or dropper
pencil
masking tape and board to tape watercolour paper to (this is not necessary but just helps the paper stay flat and helps stop warping of the wet paper)

Just be careful when using rubbing alcohol. If your children are young make sure you supervise them, or you can choose to use water instead.

You will find the latest video HERE

If you have any questions feel free to ask. Happy for requests as well.

until next time
Mandy

Tuesday, June 19, 2018

How To Paint a Watercolour Whale Illustration

I have been working on creating videos on how to paint. I have been doing these to coincide with a couple of art classes I have been teaching. Such a rewarding thing to do, help people realise they ARE creative. So many of us think we aren’t, and that we don’t have a creative bone in our body.

Truth is, we were all born with creativity, and as we get older we tend to not allow ourselves to get creative.  It has to be a conscious choice once we are adults. Creativity never goes away. We just need to provide ourselves with opportunities to be creative. Such an easy thing to put aside as life is busy.

Some of us sew, cook, draw, write, play music, live life. We can be creative in all areas of our life.

For me, creativity comes in the form of painting, cooking and I am constantly decorating and changing my home. It’s a wonderful outlet, and it always seems to be that I feel much better with paint on my hands.

How do YOU get creative?

Do you take TIME for yourself to be creative.

For those of you who home school, the outcomes are the same as last week. Just go back to the previous post and you will see it.

Here is the link to
HOW TO PAINT A WATERCOLOUR WHALE

Would love to hear what you think of he video.

Until next time
Mandy
❤️


Wednesday, June 13, 2018

Watercolour Night Sky Painting Video

I created a video showing a technique using watercolour paints. These are so much fun to do and you really don’t need much to create them.
Video can be found
HERE

Completed piece.



Materials needed:
Watercolour paper
Large brush
Very large brush(as big as a pastry brush)
Some watercolours
Two jars of water only partially filled
One for cleaning and the other for splatting and the initial layer on the paper

I would google nebulas and look at all the images. NASA has a great site, Hubble Space Telescope  photos


HERE


You could look at some famous artist paintings of the night sky. Discuss the artworks and reflect upon the time in which they were created. Discuss aspects such as colour, light, paint style and subjects. Compare these paintings.

The most well known being Vincent Van Gogh’s The Starry Night.
Painted in oil on canvas in 1889.




Starry Night
Painted in 1893 using oil on canvas.





And Starry Sky, Attempt
Painted by Wenzel Hablik in 1909.






I would be wary using a hair dryer with little ones, but an adult could help with this part of the process.

Outcomes covered according to the NSW Visual Arts Syllabus.
Stage 1
VAS1.1
VAS1.2
VAS1.3
VAS1.4

Stage 2
VAS2.1
VAS2.3
VAS2 4

STAGE 3
VAS 3.1
VAS3.2
VAS3.3
VAS3.4

STAGE 4
4.1
4.2
4.3
4.4
4.6
4.7
4.8
4.9
4.10

STAGE 5
5.1
5.2
5.4
5.6
5.7
5.8
5.10

You could extend this and the child could create different mediums to create night skies.
They could create 3D pieces using the techniques used.
These images look beautiful framed.


If you have liked the video please like and subscribe. That way you won’t my miss out on any new ones.

Until next time
Mandy
🎨












Sunday, June 3, 2018

Children’s Illustrations

I thought I better update since it’s been a while...a little tangent I have to keep my sanity. I joined an online Facebook group which offers a word to inspire you each week. I have many to show since it’s been a while.
I will do a bit of a catchup later this week.
At any time if anyone wishes to purchase a painting, or print, just let me know.



















I will be linking this to paint party Friday. You can see the link to the right. Looking forward to seeing other's art...always brings a smile.to.my face.

Until next time
lots of love
Mandy
xxx

Friday, March 23, 2018

Gozleme Recipe-Budget Friendly

Hi there
Another week has flown by and it feels like time is going quicker and quicker.

It has been a busy week, as usual, and I would like to share with you just a nibble of what I have been up to.

Firstly, I will start with my art piece I did. I will link this to Paint Party Friday. The image to the right on my sidebar will take you directly to there.

This week’s prompt word was HUMOUR.

I had ideas swirling in my head and then I thought to myself, what do I think is funny@? I tend to be a fairly serious person, even though I do smile much of the time, but I don’t offer whole heartedly laugh. But what does make me laugh are animals photobombing.....so, without further ado, here is Alison Camel photobombing a very charming family in front of the pyramids.


Oh...I also did some sketches from my imagination, of the first few beast of the Harry Potter Magical Beasts And Where to Find Them...this wasn’t for precision...it was to try and develop an imagination...lol...so not perfect and Di them in not many minutes each...using a child’s set of crayons and a scrapbook...lol...





In other news, our family visited the Woolly Mammoth display at the Australian Museum. It was really sad as this little guy only got to live for a month, but it was also so incredibly interesting. If you get a chance I would say it is a must see....we were also pretty impressed with the mineral display....absolutely gobsmackingly beautiful.




And finally, my budget friendly, easy peasey recipe.



Spinach and Fetta Gozlemes
I made a double batch.
Ingredients
4 cups of self raising flour
2.5 cups of Greek yoghurt
Packet of thawed and drained frozen spinach
Greek fetta
Lemon wedges to serve

Pretty much all you do is mix the flour and yoghurt together to make a dough.
Just use your hand.
Then  cut it roughly into 8 portions.
Roll out on a floured board using a floured rolling pin until about 30 cms or so...can be a bit smaller. It will go very thin which is good. Could be smaller...maybe 25 cm or about 10 inches.
Spread the spinach on half of it, leaving about 2 cm around the edge, and then crumble some fetta on top of that.
Put a little water, using your fingers, around the edge of one half and then fold over to join. Just lightly press or you can do a little roll.
Put some oil into a large pan and over a medium heat, cook until ready. It took a few minutes for this one to be cooked on each side.
A squeeze of lemon over the top and there you have a very cheap, easy and tasty meal that all the family can enjoy.
An edit to post to show the process a bit better.


                                         



                                         
Let me know if you give it a try, and how it goes.
If you are visiting from PPF...hello....thanks for popping by to check out my art.

Ok guys
Until next time
Lots of it
Mandy
XXX

Friday, March 16, 2018

Far Out Brussel Sprout

Cleaning. Washing. Vacuuming. Mopping. Folding. Cooking. Grocery shopping. New doors. Sick dog. Vet. Washing. Hanging clothes on the line. Watering. Kid pick up. Kid drop offs. Posting. Bills. Watering gardens. Humidity. Heat. Hot. School shopping. Clothes shopping. Auslan class. Driving. Camden  show. Birthday party. Chemist. Texting. Lots of drop offs and pick ups. Lots of cleaning and washing.
Produce swapping.
Hmmm.... I am sure there is more.  I’m sure you get the idea.
I did do a little painting, x2. In two different styles. And I also went art supply shopping, and , we were very lucky and got our woollies earn and learn box of goodies.
Oh, and we finally opened the Harry Potter Cleudo...it’s a pretty good game once we got the hang off the rules.
And speaking of games...here’s is a quick run down of how to play categories..a game I played with my family when I was  little girl, and I now play with my own kids. Hope you like it.
You will find the video HERE.

Busy.

Here’s is my painting done two ways. Consensus was that the one that was cut and paste with the white background is the favoured one.




Looking forward to checking your art out...the last week was so incredibly hectic, so I am hoping to visit all of you this week.

Paint Party Friday....you will find the link on the right on my sidebar.
 Oh....and not a Brussel sprout in sight...lol
Until next time
Lots of it
Mandy
XXX

Friday, March 9, 2018

Old School Origami Click Clack Game And New Style Of Illustration

As always, a super busy week.
I will start with a new video I have posted. It’s not art related, but fun related. 
When I was a kid, my sisters and I had lots of fun that was practically free. 
One of my favourites was this Click Clack. I loved it and was almost always carrying one. 


I have created a how to make video, if you wanted to learn how to make one and play with your kids, or, you can show your kids and maybe they can make it themselves.

You can find me video HERE.

Oh....and YAY...I have 10 subscribers...thanks to those who have subscribed so far and for all the lovely positive comments you have given me. I appreciate them. 

Let me know if you give it a try...would love to hear from you.

In the art front, I have taken a totally different path as far as style goes.
I thought I’d give some collage style art a go and it turns out it look ok....so I will concentrate on that for a while...here is RAIN, with a prompt word being wet.


Hope you like it. 

Don’t forget I post lots of different things on my blog. Cooking, simple living, money saving, crafts, home schooling/learning, gardening, and all other bits and bobs. It’s a blog about family and simple living. Maybe you might want to have a little wander through it and let me know what you think.

Hello....to all of you visiting from paint party Friday.....I so love checking out all the gorgeous art created by you. 
If you want to follow along, check out the link on the right .

Until next time
Lots of it
Mandy
Xxx



Thursday, March 8, 2018

Blueberry Muffins Paleo Style

I have been rather slack lately with my posting, I guess you think, Is it worth posting if only a few people look at it every now and then. It’s a dying way to communicate I mean...with Instagram and Facebook and Twitter being so popular....anyway...just a rambling thought.

I have joined the Paleo wagon again for the moment. I always feel so much better when I am eating that way. And I must remember that it’s always good to have a standby goodie if needed..,I mean, blueberry muffins are the way to go, and they taste pretty darn amazing. I saw a recipe somewhere at some time and as usual I tweak it...

Recipe
2 cups almond meal
2 pinches bicarbonate soda
1 pinch salt

2 eggs
3 tablespoons of sweetener like maple syrup, honey or coconut syrup
1 cup tinned coconut milk
3 tablespoonsmelted coconut
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or powder
Half cup dried blueberries or frozen ones

Pretty much just mix the dry first, then in a seperate bowl mix all the wet.
Add together and mix.
Pop into patty pans or muffin tray and cook on 180 for abut 15 to 20 minutes.
Just watch them and then they are nice and brown they are ready.

You can sprinkle coconut or almonds over the top before cooking.
let me know if you give them a try.

Until next time
Lots of it
Mandy
 xx

Friday, March 2, 2018

Start Your Day With Positive Thoughts...And Illustrations And PPF

Hello....and yet another week goes by....time is fleeting...goes so quick...make the most of every second, every moment.
Smile at your children whenever you look at them.
Share coffee with friends, and someone who you think might need it.
Do what you love whenever you can.
Go to the movies and enjoy time with friends and family.
Read a good book.
Get paint on your hands.
Enjoy a meal at the table and laugh a lot.
Turn up the musics in your car and sing like no one is watching, even better when your kids join along.
Eat a piece of chocolate with your late night tea.
Stay in your pyjamas all day.
Have one day without cleaning.
Plant some seeds.

Can you add to this list?
Would love to see or  hear what makes your day a good one.

In the art world, I made a compilation of some of my positive words videos...hope you like it....click HERE

Hopefully I get better at making  these videos. Heeheehee

Would love to reach  10 subscribers this week...yeah, it’s  not a big number, but to know that others are watching my videos and see them as adding to their day, well, that’s a great feeling.


Here’s an illustration or two I did...the words were, long-neckedo







And

Bushy-tailed




Hope you like them
Looking forward to checking out everyone’s art from paint party Friday. You can check them out ion the image over on the right on my sidebar.


Until next time
Lots of it
Mamdy
XXX





Wednesday, February 28, 2018

Magic Positive Messages

I have been making little positive messages. It's therapeutic for me but I would really like to think that others feel the love from my message. I don't have a huge Instagram following, nor is my YouTube channel very popular...but that doesn't mean that I will stop. If it makes one person's day a little brighter then I'm happy.


I have made a little collage video of my positive words...hope you like it...
If love for you to follow me on Instagram, and maybe even subscribe to my YouTube channel.
I would like to check out you Instagram and YouTube as well...
You will find my YouTube channel HERE.
You will find my Instagram account HERE
Here is my latest positive words YouTube video.

Let me know what you think...❤
And don't forget to share your own links in the comments so I can check them oit.

Until next time
Lots of it
Mandy
XXX


Saturday, February 24, 2018

How to Edit to make your Image POP and weekly Round up.

What have I been up to this week?
Lawn bowls, teaching, painting, playing games, shopping and creating a wicking bed.

And all the everyday stuff life brings.


Another week has gone by and it just makes me realise how quickly it goes, and I really need to make the most of it.

Lachlan turns 23 tomorrow. How blessed I feel to have him in my life.

So many people wonder how to edit an image, as sometimes the photo never looks as good as the original...I have made a short less than ten minute video n how to edit, just like in the below image.

Let me know what you think...
Here is the YouTube instructional video.

And this is what I got up to paint wise.


I have also been creating little positive word videos and putting them on instagram. I would love for you to tell me what you think.

Here is one of them...

And here is another.

If you are on instagram I would love for you to follow me...
And here is my YouTube channel. It is only just getting started but I would love for you to subscribe and tell me what you think.

I am linking this post to Paint Party Friday

Happy weekending everyone.

Until next time
Lots of it
Mandy
XXX

Monday, February 19, 2018

Easy Cheesy Scroll recipe

Today is Monday so a recipe it is. Got to love a quick and easy recipe with using stuff most of us have in our pantry.

An did this one is it.

Easy Cheese and Vegemite Scrolls.



I have created a video for those of you who like to watch and learn how to make.

Pre heat oven to 180 c

Ingredients
2 cups of self raising flour
1.5 cups Greek yoghurt
1 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
1.5 cups grated cheese
Vegemite(can omit if you don’t like it)

Basically just mix the dry ingredients then add the yoghurt.
Mix until a dough consistency. Add more of either one til it’s right if needed.

Roll out onto a piece of baking paper and then spread the Vegemite and then sprinkle cheese over the top.
Roll into a scroll and then cut into about ten pieces.
Place on a lined baking tray and cook. I put mine in for 23 minutes. Time will vary so just watch and take out when Brown.

Let me know if you tried them.

Would love for you to like and subscribe to my channel. Then you won’t miss out. ❤️

Until next time
Lots of it
Mamdy
XXX

Sunday, February 18, 2018

How to Video for Begnner Artists

Seems I am wanting to  spread the word that everyone can create.

I so often hear people say they are not creative or they cannot create art. But I am a great believer in the reality that everyone can create.

I am on a mission to show how it can be done. And  am learning a new skill myself. How to create videos...lol...so forgive me if I inundate with them.

I’d also love for you to like and /or subscribe to my YouTube channel. The more that do the more it gets the word out there that anyone can create art.

I believe that creating and being creative is good for the well-being. Producing something that looks good makes you feel good, and even the process of it all is relaxing, makes you forget the worries or concerns etc you may have.

I did this with Jacob, and remember we are beginners...just the second time I have tried it, so it’s not perfect.

But we created this together.

So, here’s is the how to video.

HOW TO CREATE AN ACRYLIC POUR FOR BEGINNERS



Let me know what you think.

Until next time
Lots of it
Mamdy
XXX

Friday, February 16, 2018

Oooihhh...a new Art Form❤❤❤

So....I am pretty excited. I have learnt two new skills this past week. . How to do acrylic flow paintings and how to do YouTube videos and upload them ...thanks Jacob...

So...what I thought I'd do is link my two videos and would love to hear what you think about them, if you get a chance.
I will show you the final paintings and have the link below. They are my first so they are pretty average...lol..i am going to be doing a true how to over the next couple of days...so maybe subscribe to the youtube channel so you dont miss out...❤...this is just a bit of a sneak peek....lol...oh...and the links are under the photos, just below them.

Thanks to the dynamic duo over at Paint Party Friday...HERE

And you will find my less than 2 minute video.....HERE




         
                  Here is a little sneak peek at the making of these.



        Here is a little how I painted her.

Ok...well...thanks for popping by ...I appreciate the time you took to look and comment and maybe some of you even had a little look at my videos...I promise the next will be better...lol...
I will be linking this to PPF and will be looking forward to seeing everyones work this week. You can see the link to the right on my side bar...

Until next time
Lots of it
Mandy
xxx

Saturday, February 10, 2018

Owning A Pet

We have had Byron the Labrador for 5 years. He is like part of the family, and just quietly he thinks he is a human!

He had to visit the vet last week as he had a rash on his belly and he seemed to be scratching at his ears.

It turned out that he had a very little infection in his ears, apparently from all the humid weather, and he had just a bit of inflammation on his belly, so he got some meds to help with both. Almost a week has gone by and he is almost back to new.

Dogs are truly a great addition to a family. Who else will listen with such intensity to your problems with no judgement. Dogs in particular are great walking buddies (don’t forget to take a bag to clean up their poops). They also have been known to have great health benefits and are great for anxiety and other mental illnesses. I guess that’s why they have companion pets right.

He is certainly not an inside dog but he does come inside (and goes quite crazy at times running and sliding on the floor) and enjoy the coolness on those really hot days.

He has been on a diet for a while now as he is a little bit too well fed, so we give him a little food in the morning then a little more half way through the day. I think he has lost a little which is good. The walks help as well.

I have included a little video of Byron, with all his slobber, and tongue licking and food demolishing...lol...I am new to creating videos so any suggestions would be welcome....

I would ❤️❤️❤️ to hear about your pets. So let me know about them in the comments.












Would love for you to like and subscribe to my video. Thanks...😉😊😍
Until next time
Lots of it
Mamdy
XXX

Challenge For This Weeks Food for the Family

It’s been a while I know. Life happens, keeps us busy, and you even forget you have a blog let alone write in it. So here it is...a CHAL...