Painting the house

I've been painting, painting and more painting today, this time on our house, our poor house has been sadly neglected over the past few years, I've promised myself to make a little time to pay it some much needed attention, today I painted another Dado wall and also painted and distressed a stained solid timber bar we use, I would prefer it not to be there at all, but if you could see what's stored behind it you'd understand my reason for wanting it to live where it does for the time being, it has come with us on a few moves, but will not be coming again, which meant I really gave it a good distressing, way to heavy to drag it outside, so I've distressed the edges while the paint was little damp, which means less paint dust everywhere, but over the top distressing, I quite like the end result.
You can see in the photo below how it looked before - stained, dark brown, I'm not normally one to instantly paint everything in sight white, but in this case it was needed and I love my freshly painted Dado walls, only about five more walls to go and I'm finished!



I promise I won't show you every single wall I paint - just this one was a bit of a gamble








I probably need to go in and rearrange my accessories, but it was the end of the day and I just sort of took mirrors and bits and piece from around the house to dress things up a bit





Hope your weekend's been a good one

thanks for coming over

~ Gail ~

I want this

I love this Side Table in the photo above Tony finished yesterday - I think he found the legs at the tip - not sure where the drawer and top came from - could have been anywhere knowing him, all I know is he fossicks around everywhere for inexpensive recycled timber etc. so he's able to make his furniture at a very saleable price, this one was up for sale for under $300.00.

Although the recyled timber top is a lovely natural colour and so smooth, we thought it may be better painted, then distressed to match in with the bottom half - yes please I would like it.

Anyway while loading the photo I found another of our market from last weekend, the big three drawer rustic bench at the front sold, thankfully, it was a heavy one to lift in and out of the van, the top was made from the same blue chippy board I used for my original paintings recently, including Roses by the Sea.

Last - a random photo of Guss that caught my eye as I was loading on the other pics

This photo was taken a few weeks ago, it was a coolish day, not as cool as we're having now though, Ellie and I try and walk/jog along the beach as often as we can. Guss isn't wanting to get his little toes wet, not keen at all!! He loves running along the beach - sand side only

Thanks for coming over ~ Have a great weekend

~ Gail ~

Congratulations Cass

Congratulations to my Lil' sis Cass Samms on the Opening of her "Arthropoda Exhibition" at Coffs Harbour Regional Gallery - you can click here for details

We know how hard you've worked on this one and your recent Grafton Regional Gallery Exhibition

Well done Cass!!!!

Saved photos and some little treats just for me

Thursday is usually my day to visit my Dad, he lives about 40 minutes from us, I always leave my list of supplies I need and things I have to pick up till Thursday. Today I sort of got side tracked, I made a little collage of the goodies I bought today at a Factory Outlet Sale - the only one I wasn't pleased with when I got it home was the basket candle holder on a stand in my photo below right bottom corner, I can see me leaving this one outside and it rotting away - it is lovely so I will hopefully come up with somewhere I can put it inside.
Tony and I don't have Autumn trees here where we live -my Dad does - I raided his Liquid Amber tree and arranged the beautiful autumn leaves in my newly purchased basket, it's really meant to be a candler holder, but I loved the contrast of the rustic coloured leaves with the silvery basket

Oh no I did it again, well you see I was going to the Art Shop to buy some canvas, what do you know I just happened to see the "Sale" sign up outside the "Crabtree and Evelyne" factory outlet shop - how could anyone resist? The quality of their products are certainly worth the extra price you pay - two little drops of the Spiced Ginger Oil in my oil burner will last for days

We had a family dinner last night and happened to bring out all the old photos - goodness even the album with our wedding photos!! Tony and I were married in a Restaurant, we didn't have professional photographers, I think my brother took these photos, needless to say when we were looking at them last night I noticed they were all starting to fade - a bit sad!! I have no idea where the negatives to the photos are - remember those - negatives? I decided to scan the faded photos and edit them in Photo Shop - well I must say I was quite pleased with the result - not up to the professional standards of todays photos - but good enough to remember our Wedding Day - whew don't even ask how long ago it was.......

I look quite frightened don't I!

Thanks for your concern about our Guss with the terrible winds we had - yes he's happy now until the next windy day comes along - although I think I now know to wrap him up in his security blankey!!!

Thanks for coming over to visit -

Gail

Our Christmas Day

Merry Christmas to you all!

Hope you had an enjoyable Christmas Day!

I got a new Camera for Christams, unfortunately in my usual fashion, I didn't read the instructions, so most of my Christmas Day photos turned out fuzzy....OK so I went back and read the instrustions and realized what I should have been doing!

Anyway here's a few

I thought Ellie was making a Truffles Centre Piece, turned out to be a Red Apple version, there it is above
I got to set the table, I wanted to keep it simple....of course in line with the colours of Silver, Red and White choosen by the Christmas Co-Ordinator. I think the photos make my setting look a little boring, in real life it looked very Elegant

Below

Present opening time, Ellie and her partner Clint

notice the Christmas Co-Ordinator's dress is Red and White with Silver Jewelry

Todd (son) and his partner Mel and of course Guss making sure everything was in orderNow the fun time - playing with the presents, Ellie gave Todd a quirky laser shooting game - it was loads of fun!!! I think Tony has his tribute to "Queen" dvd playing on the TV (pressy from me)

One of Ellie's presents was Hair Extensions, naturally she put them in straight away for a demo

Here we are below ready to EAT!! and that is what we did....until we nearly exploded!!

Rare photo of me left hand bottom

Below is Tony afterwards....you know when everyone's gone home and you flop

We had a Wonderful Christmas Day, I hope yours was as enjoyable!!!

Thanks for visiting

Gail xo

Merry Christmas!

Not sure if I'll get to do a post again before Christmas so I'm taking the chance now to ....

"Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a Safe and Happy New Year"

Thankyou to my friends from all over the World for your Support and Friendship.

~May all your dreams come true in 2009 ~

x x x x

When a Dog Thinks He's A Human

Hello and thanks for coming over to visit

I'm so sorry I haven't been blogging lately, not only have I not been posting on my blog but I haven't been visiting others or leaving comments either, I feel very rude, I'm always stressing on other bloggers not to worry about such things....but it seems rude doesn't it, sort of like someone ringing you or emailing you and you don't return the phone call or email (yes guilty of that too lately).

I don't have any one reason in particular for being extra tied up....bit of a combination really, Dad finally came home from hospital and rehab late last week, he's been away for at least three months, as you can imagine lots of settling in things to do for him, a few hiccups but I now think he's definetly on the way to independetly living at home and I must say he is a very Happy Man to be back in his own home. Thankfully we have fantastic Elderly Help Service here in Australia.

The internet has been a little quiet this week, but our shops we supply and our markets have been super busy, isn't it funny how things seem to level out.

* * *

I'm very worried we've treated Guss a little too much like a person. Ellie is going to a Girly Dress Up Day at our massive Horse Racing Weekend Event in Melbourne this coming Saturday, it's called Derby Day and is part of our Melbourne Cup Racing Festival, of course she's bought a new outfit, she started making a "Fascinator" or what I call a Head Piece, last night, Guss decided he wanted one too, he would not let up following her and whinging until she made him his very own

below is the fascinator Ellie made for Guss

He was a happy boy (doggy) wonder why he thinks he's a person??

Practice run for Ellie here

* * *
In amongst all the goings on I have managed to finish a new painting, it's quite sweet and simple I think and is newly listed on our website, you can click on the photo if you're interested

Thanks again for coming over, I'm looking forward to doing some blog visiting very soon??!!

bye for now

Gail

My Dad's Home Visit

Thanks for your input on my last post
I hope I wasn't sounding too dramatic on my blogging feelings - it was great to hear from you, I'm obviously not the only one feeling as I do....OK I'll keep blogging away here then and please I want you too also!


We've had an exciting week family wise
My brother and his family came down to visit from Northern NSW
As a few of you know our Dad has been in hospital, then into rehab centres etc. since, I think about mid July.
We bought him home on Monday, just for an afternoon home visit, but it was wonderful. I think very soon he will be able to come home for good and not just for a visit, sounds funny doesn't it, a visit to your own home.

I know lots of you have been asking after him, here's some photos of him so you can put a face to the name, I think he looks pretty good for 81 years old?

There's my brother Michael sitting in the background, this is our family home we all grew up in!
Below

The Grandchildren

My Ellie at the back

then comes my neices Clara and Jacqui

Now for a bit of a look at my other part of the week

Here's a frame I bought at a market - yes pretty tatty - this I think is what you call CHIPPY!

I had to give it quite a few coats of paint

Then hmmmm??? what to paint to suit???

I came up with these pink roses in a basket...

Help though!!

Is the frame to ornate for the style of the painting?, mind you the frame is very very very chippy, little bits chipped off everywhere

Maybe I should save the frame for a more formal painting

I'd love to know what you think

Thanks for visiting

Gail

Tony's suprise for me

Thanks for coming over to visit. I've been a bit out of touch with blogging, not quite sure why, well of course the obvious, no time etc., but what's new! I think I may be feeling a bit stale after winter or is it because I've been blogging for over a year and have already shown you my house, garden, pets and family and I feel showing every little bit of artwork I create maybe getting a little mundane?

Is anyone else out there who's been blogging for awhile feeling like me, please let me know what you think - maybe it's just me.

I will now do a little post on our family night
Todd our oldest is no longer living at home, he and Mel come for dinner every few weeks, it's always great to see them, I tell Guss all day Todd is coming and he gets so excited. Ellie our daughter is planning to go bush for a few days and wants to take her pink motor bike, as she knew Todd was coming she thought she'd bring the bike out for a bit of a trial run, no she couldn't start it, it's kick starting the old fashioned way, she was done in trying

Todd turned up and she asked him to have a go

No, still no go! Hmmmm .....??? I wonder if it needs some petrol?

YAY!! WHAT DO YOU KNOW she starts!! Guss was of course beside himself, chasing the bike around the backyard.

Next episode

Tony came home and said he had a special suprise for me.....gee.....perfume, roses?? Guss was at the gate waiting in anticipation
Bella on the roof not missing a trick
What could it be I wonder???

A NEW CLOTHES LINE just for me!!!

Can you see my old clothes line in the background, after years of kids swinging on it, it finally collapsed, I had it tied up with all sorts of different wires and string, I tell you it was an art in itself

As I type this post Tony is out in the backyard putting the last mix of concrete to secure my new Clothes Line in to the ground (it's not really new I'm not wanting to know how or where he got it)

Well there's a bit of our real life happenings down here in Mount Martha, maybe a bit boring but it's our life at the moment.

My paintings are also a major part of our life at the moment so I thought I'd show you my latest.

I hope you're all having a wonderful week and have a fabulous weekend

see you next time and thanks for visiting

Gail

Enjoyable few days

Thanks for coming over to visit

We've had visitors of our own at home!

My adorable nieces Clara and Jacquie accompanied by their Mum and Dad, Michael (my brother) and Fiona,

All the way down from Northern NSW they've come to visit us and play with their beloved mate Guss

I can honestly say the whole time they stayed with us they weren't for a minute bored, they had no inclination to watch TV...why...well of course Guss was there to play with, BONUS he didn't need batteries, how wonderful to watch little ones entertain themselves and make up games to play for hours

Not quite sure what the game was about on the stairs...doesn't matter all three where happy!
Miss Clara

Miss Jacqui
WHEW ... hard work and time for a snack I think

Sadly....Time to say Goodbye

The photo below is off Guss after the departure....I think he will be in the same position for quite sometime!!!We all had a great time catching up

* * * * *

Back to work for me now, we have a market tomorrow at Mornington you can click here for details

I've just finished a few new bits and pieces to list on our website

They should be up and ready to buy very soon.

Have a great weekend whatever you maybe doing

still chilly down here in Mornington