Bless this Mess

This week I started an online course with Junelle Jacobsen and Christy Tomlinson. I signed up for this late one night while I was at retreat and have been waiting anxiously for it to start. When they say it will start on the 23rd, but in reality it doesn't start till the next day as the time difference is about 16 hours.
The first weeks lesson revolve around breakfast and autumn leaves. Sketching and painting with water colours on gesso is what we are practising. I have always drawn, but I find that I don't do enough actual drawing. So that is the focus of the lessons. Here are a few of my "works of art".














This the title page of my latest art journal. I am using a hard covered book that I bought at a library board of WA sale years ago. I am using a lot of gesso to prepare the pages for drawing and painting.
School is busy as usual, but this week will see the final preparations for our fun fair. I am running a craft stall and have been making things with my students to sell. I wonder if the book stall will have some new art journals for sale. Lol!

Home again, home again, jiggedy jig.

We have been home from our trip for nearly 5 weeks, so I thought i'd better do an update. The flight home from Melbourne was very disappointing as we had an older aircraft without individual entertainment screens. I had planned what movie I would watch as it was an afternoon flight and I would be awake. Never mind.
We also missed out on some duty free alcohol as we forgot to buy some when we landed in Melbourne.
While I was on hols in NewZealand I signed up for an online class with Nic Howard. I was itching to start while we were in Melbourne, but there was no time or materials to work with. here are a few of the layouts I have done so far.

The course is called Dimensional Details and is found at Big Picture.com

Monday 9th July 2012

After a breakfast of pancakes with maple syrup, we caught the tram that went past the zoo. The weather was still dry, but it was overcast and grey. As it is still school holidays, there were a lot of families with children in tow. Early in the day a lot of the animals were keeping warm in their burrows or sleeping areas. The cages had wire fronts so it was difficult to take photos. Luckily other areas of the zoo had more modern enclosures with clear perspex windows. We did not get to see the butterfly house as it was undergoing renovations.



Water hens roam around the zoo.



Meer cats.
























We headed home by train and tram, uploading some more money onto my Myki card to pay for the trips. We had a lovely meal at the restuarant and then I headed up to repack our bags, while Kevin went out to take photos.

Location:Melbourne

Sunday 8th July 2012

Last night we went to the football at Etihad Stafium. We went by tram and train. Our seats were right up the back of the lower level and we discovered that the gates were right behind us. It was freezing as there was nothing to stop the cold air on our backs. We demolished a bag of hot donuts, a coffee and a chocolate bar as we were so cold. Saint Kilda won the game easily as Essendon did not seem to be able to get through their defence. It was great seeing Ben Howlett playing.



When we went down this morning to have breakfast we saw that the Giants were staying at our hotel. Chris went to see them play against Hawthorn this afternoon. We checked out of the Sebel Hotel and took a taxi to the Mecure Hotel in Spring Street. It is nice and central and will be great for our last days.









After we checked in our bags we went down Flinder's street and met Mike and Louie at Elizabeth Street. After a long walk through a rabbit warren of arcades, lanes and cafes we settled on a food hall. After eating we walked over to the South Bank and had a coffee and macarons at Lindt. We sat and talked for quite a while. We then went in search of a new bag to carry our extra baggage. We got a duffle bag with wheels for $60.









As my feet are complaining about all the walking they are doing, we cut short our evening photography, had tea and then went back to the hotel to watch some telly.

Location:Melbourne

Saturday 7thJuly 2012

We explored St Kilda this morning and had breakfast at Rococcos in Acland Street. I had the best buttermilk pancakes with berries, marscapone and pistachios.


We then took the tram back into the city for a spot of shopping. I found a great shop called Typos. I picked up some scrapping papers, alphas, alpha stamps and some washi tape.


Kevin and Chris looked at some magazine shops but didn't buy much. We then took the train around the loop to the Southbank where we joined the locals for a walk and along the Yarra River. The weather was beautiful today, so everyman and his dog was out enjoying the sunshine.


Pavement art.


Sculpture on the broadwalk.


Artists plying their skills.



The view from the hotel window this evening.
Tonight we are off to the football to see St Kilda play Essendon.

Location:Melbourne

Friday 6th July 2012

We set off very early this morning to avoid the traffic. We stopped for breakfast at a Maccas on the way. We arrived in Geelong at about 9am and we did a ticky tour of the sites, including the Geelong Football Club, the pier and the botanical gardens. The art works in the steampacket gardens were wonderful.


















We stopped at the Ford Discovery Centre. I decided to miss this and sat in the car. Eventually the boys came back and we headed off to get some lunch and return to Melbourne. We did stop at another model shop but left them all in the shop. The drive back into Melbourne was quite difficult as the GPS sent us the wrong way a couple of times. Eventually we arrived at Loumik Design to visit Kevins brother and his partner. While we were there I checked out a wool shop and Kevin spent a lot of time and money in a bookshop which specialises in old motoring books. He was filling a box when I went to see what was taking so long. He organized to post them to Australia for us, so we did not have to pack them in our luggage.
We caught a train back into Flinders station and a tram back to the hotel. We are now owners of a MET card. After a quick refresh we were back on the tram heading to the MCG for our first football game between Carlton and Collingwood. Carlton had a good win. We walked back to the tram stop with the crowd and then caught a tram back to the hotel. I was eying off a seat that had become vacant when it was time to get off. Today has been a very long day.

Location:Geelong

Thursday 5 th July 2012

Our first full day in Melbourne was busy. Chris picked up the hire car and we headed into South Melbourne for breakfast at a gorgeous little cafe called "Cafe Sweethearts". I had poached eggs with bacon on rye toast.



Then we went in search of some motoring icons. First was the Albert Park raceway used for the formular one race. Then we headed for the Holden headquarters to look at the display of concept cars. It was right next to the Kraft factory and there was a distinct smell of vegemite in the air. We walked up to the Holden entrance to find that it would not be open to the public until 10.30. We did not have time to wait so had to miss the display. Kevin took photos anyway.


We eventually headed off for Phillip Island passing through suburban melbourne on the M1. We then turned off onto the South Gippsland freeway and headed south. It was rather hard to see anything as we travelled as there was a very grey fog. We stopped for a late morning tea at Caldermeade Cafe and Farm.


We next went through Lang Lang where Holden has a private testing facility. It was well hidden from view. We arrived at the Phillip Island track at about 1 pm. We had a look at the museum and the gardens and then headed off to look at the Phillip Island Nature Park. There was a very well built wooden walkway which gave us great views of the ocean and Round Island ( Nobby Is). There were fairy penguins in their nesting boxes and the fur seals were out of view on a rocky island. On our way out we took a track around the coast and managed to see a few birds and a local wallaby.











We think this was oil on the water. There was a wide spread slick.



Kevin was asked to take a photo of this friendly group of tourists. He only took one as the battery was flat.



Lastly we drove on into Cowes where we had a late lunch of fish and chips. This town was similar to many holiday towns in Australia.
On our way back to Melbourne the sky put on a show.






Hopefully this is a good sign for tomorrows weather.

Location:Phillip Island