Lyn Donald's Exhibition

I just wanted to remind you that my friend Lyn Donald currently has an exhibition of her gorgeous floral art on at 'Lily's on the Lagoon' Restaurant at the Novotel, Ocean Drive, Twin Waters. Queensland.

For further information please phone Lyn on 0439 615 664.

This really is such a lovely exhibition I didn't want you to miss out on a chance to see Lyn's work.

You can click on Lyn's name to look at her blog too. I paint at Lyn's house every Wednesday, so I was lucky enough to watch this wonderful painting come to fruition, it's truly beautiful, don't you think?

Recycling for Arts

Have I told you how much I love recycling? I’m a collector, but not just for the sake of collecting and stashing stuff, I like to collect and repurpose stuff, make it new again, give it a chance to live once more and be appreciated in a new way. Therefore, I make art out of things others might throw away or store in a dark box. I like to bring things out to decorate with.

Pictured here is a collage I have made from collected memorabilia. The items have been gathered from secondhand stores all over Australia. I’m always sticking my nose into some op shop, antique store or garage sale wondering what goody I might find. Even the frame has been given the ‘Miss Penny once over’ (it was once an outdated 1980’s looking thing).

This particular collage is a collection of masculine items. The writing on the front of the postcard reads; Bruxelles Musee Wiertz, La Brigand Calabrais, it looks very old, possibly from the early 1900's. The Players Medium Navy Cut Tobacco tin lid is also well worn and gives a lovely rustic vintage feel.

I’m thinking it would make a great gift for the man in your life, a talking piece for his office or games room, very blokey indeed!

I feel good about myself when I recycle - all happy that I've done some little bit to save the environment and use up stuff we already have. What do you do? Do you make interesting items out of old stuff too? I'd love to here your recycling stories.

I’ve had a sensational week!

I’ve been guest teacher at a dance studio teaching ballet to little children, filling in for a teacher who is on holiday. It has been immense fun. Usually, I teach senior full-time students, who are always lots of fun too.

Sunday was FAME (as you already know).

On Friday morning I watched our beautiful En Pointe students participate in a Masterclass with the International Stars of Ballet. There I caught up with a ballet colleague, Ms Robyn Hick who I haven’t seen for some years. Robyn was in town to see one of her former students, Damian Smith who dances with the San Francisco Ballet, Damian was one of the organisers responsible for bringing the International Stars of Ballet to the Sunshine Coast for the Noosa Long Weekend. Our En Pointe dancers auditioned and won their opportunity to participate in this prestigious event, so we are indeed very proud of them.

Today, I was off to Brisbane for the Textile Show at the Exhibition Centre. What a lovely day, spent with two wonderful girlfriends, Anne and Lizzie. I gathered lots of lovely materials, wools, felting supplies, and beads not to mention a head full of new ideas.

Then I finished off the day meeting up with my former student, Aaron who is now a musician. It was great to see him again after nearly ten years (I’m going to make sure it is never that long again). He is an inspiration, bubbling with creativity and incredibly lovable.

I’m blessed to have many wonderful relationships with my students past and present and I never ever take for granted the gift it is to be a teacher. Of late, I have had a great deal of pleasure and reward returning to me from my past students, for which I am truly grateful.

This week I also got to see the most beautiful rainbow and the most gorgeous sunset and a stunning full moon AND a frog has taken up residency in my front garden. Auspicious omens I feel sure.

I was also offered the most amazing opportunity I have ever been offered but it’s a SECRET! So, you will have to wait for the news on that one.

I only hope you have had a great week too. xxxx

The Circles of an Artful Life

The subject of today’s musing was the realisation that my life runs in circles. I’m circular in my work, I constantly return to dance, I have tried many other things but repeatedly I come back around to dance, it is where my heart resides and is my true vocation.

At the beginning of the noughties (2000), I embarked on a big sweeping circle, namely my academic phase, studying communications at University, the circle was complete when I returned to the arts to offer this knowledge to artists and creative organisations to assist them to better preserve and grow their enterprises.

I’m circular in my creative arty, crafty endeavours too, I’ll think of an idea, gather materials, start a project and then invariably the project will not get finished and it will sit and sit and sit until finally I will come back to it.

I used to be frustrated by these long waiting periods, annoyed by the everyday stuff that would prevent me from bringing my ideas to fruition. Now I’m much more patient more prepared to wait because I’ve become comfortable with the notion that things will come-to-pass, the time will come for my projects to find their natural way into the world.

Somehow artworks have a life source of their own, they will ‘birth’ when the time is right, with no interference from anyone apart from the creator (me) actually turning up to do the creating. My life is no different, it’s following an extraordinary path I would not have predicted, it has delivered some momentous occasions of perfect synchronicity leading me on to the next phase, some I might say I have not enjoyed, yet these have been the most necessary.

So, may I give some reassurance to other crafters and artists that the time to create won’t allude you forever, try to breathe and hold your ideas close to your heart, they will not wither on the vine, they will still be there when you come ‘full circle’. Do try to journal, just in case you’re forgetful.

I talk with many men and women who seem to spend a great deal of their lives in bitter frustration. Many are blessed with creative talents yet thwarted with difficulties of one nature or another that prevent them from realising any sort of satisfaction in their chosen art form. I believe their lives will ‘circle’ at some time in the future. Patience and persistence are the only two things I see that stand between a successful (or happy, depending on how you look at it) artist and one that gives up! Hang in and do what you love.

The circle of Miss Penny’s life: Dance, knit, crochet, sew, paint, collage, write, photograph, dance, knit, crochet, sew, paint, collage, write, photograph, dance................

And yes, if you are wondering - I have four children and a husband (with a business) and two dogs and three chooks and a job and aging parents and friends and a sore back and blah, blah, blah. I’m probably just like you!

FAME opens in Brisbane

'Fame the Musical' opened in Brisbane this weekend and what a fabulous show it is. I was determined to be in attendance as I have a friend and former student, Charles Bartley (pictured here with Hugo and I after the show) in the cast.

Charlie has given me a lot of pride as I've followed his rise through the ranks of the 'So You Think You Can Dance' series last year where he finished second. He now joins many of the other former SYTYCD contestants in the cast of FAME, including some of my favourites, like the beautiful Amy. Charlie is 'dancing dynamite' in this production and of course I would go just to see him alone, but the show has many draw-cards.

The whole production is just sensational and Talia Fowler, the SYTYCD winner from the 2009 series was absolutely fabulous dancing alongside Timomatic (another of the wonderful SYTYCD contestants).

The outstanding choreographer, Kelley Abbey has just blown us away with her work over many years and this production really shows just how brilliant she is.

Now if it's 'impressive voice' that 'floats your boat' then the portrayal of Mabel Washington by Jaz Flowers will really do it for you, she was incredible!

I really loved FAME and I would highly recommend this Australian cast and this wonderful and refreshing production.

Do try to get along to see it.

World Tours with Miss Penny Bags

I'm doing a little feature with owners of Miss Penny bags sharing their travels. Here is Anne, the absolute best customer I have, having purchased in excess of a dozen Miss Penny bags to date, enjoying herself in Thailand.

Anne tells me she loves to travel with my bags because they are light weight and in the case of this fabric "Cocktail Hour" number, easily washable.

I've asked other owners of bags, to share their photos of themselves, in exotic locations and will be adding these to the blog as they come in.

Happy Holidays Anne.

Disaster Chef Competition

One of my readers asked me what it was that I had done that had caused me to be 'banned from the kitchen' after reading the post "The Act of Musing" (April Archives) well I'm prepared to tell all, if you will tell your Disaster Chef stories.

I've got four handmade crocheted (by Miss Penny of course) pot-holders to put up as bait.

Here's what you have to do. You need to be a follower to enter (because that's how I can track you down to let you know you have won). Sign in and tell your story in the comments box.

At the end of June, the four best stories will win these pot-holders. And I will publish my best Disaster Chef story - and it's a cracker, you are going to love it.

Get cracking with those stories - I can't wait to hear them!

On the Mend

I'm pleased to report Grandpa Graham is 'on the mend' this latest event, 'the argument with the bus' is just a mere bump in the road for this legendary Grandfather. The heart attack that followed slowed him down for a while too and will be added to a long list of near misses.

Father has survived the following:

* World War 2
* Numerous dangerous liaisons with venomous snakes (which he used to enjoy playing with)
* A lightning strike (on a shed he was leaning against for protection in a storm)
* A train crash, (where he was in the only carriage which was not derailed)
* An earlier car accident where the car rolled several times
* A taste for buck jump riding
* And cancer of the throat

We love him to bits and hope he will stay with us much longer.

The staff of Bathurst Base Hospital have been just marvelous and we would like to thank them for all they have done.

This bag is called 'Katrina'

Aren't the colours just gorgeous? Subtle and delicious. Wintery and comforting.

"Georgie's Shoes"

My little mate, Georgie gave me her shoes to do a portrait some time ago and I'm feeling a little guilty that it has taken me sooooo long to get around to doing this painting. Anyway, this afternoon I thought I would get back to this job. I had done the sketches before my dad decided to take my attention away (remember the car crash!) and so today I got back to it.

Georgie is away competing at the Ipswich Eisteddfod with the rest of the wonderful dancers from En Pointe and this afternoon (as I was painting) I was sending lots of good luck vibes through the air. I hope it reached them.

The painting is only about half finished, but I thought I'd put it up here to show I'm actually doing something about this 'long promised' task.

What do you think, Georgie?

Nicholas Brothers in Stormy Weather

I have loved this clip since I first bought the movie Stormy Weather years ago. I think these guys are absolutely brilliant!

And if you are wondering, that is the ridiculously talented Cab Callaway bee bopping at the beginning.

Enjoy the dancing - you will be mesmerised - I promise!

This month's feature bag.

This is my latest design. It features hand crocheted motifs.

Inside there are two pockets - on the outside there is a large pocket.

I hope you like this funky bag. I'm really pleased it, let me know your thoughts.

An Environment worth saving this World Environment Day!

I'm lucky to live in such a beautiful place and I wanted to share these images I took this afternoon of beautiful Mooloolaba and of my boys playing. It's hard to believe it's actually winter.

Please do not reuse the images as they are subject to copyright.

World Environment Day

I'm always banging on about how handmade goods are kinder to the environment and I'm certainly not going to back off on this subject when it's 'World Environment Day'.

Let's try to buy better quality goods and keep them for longer, that way saving our landfill.

Handmade is also gentler on resources, making only what is needed in a non-polluting, home environment.

Buying from a local person also keeps the money in your economy instead of sending valuable resources overseas.

Please consider these issues when making purchases, I know I do.

I have two 'Recycle and Think Green' Bags - the other is in a pink colour way. $50 each.

Have you heard?

I'm an avid fan of 'Frankie' magazine and recently (on yet another trip down south to see my sick poppa) I grabbed a mag at the airport and I read about in.cube8r gallery.

Now, "artists and crafters" out there you might be interested in this, because I sure am. This concept could be good for those who create small works of art or craft who are looking for an affordable way to showcase their stuff.

So, if you haven't grabbed your 'Frankie' this month, I recommend you do and then, turn to page 24 for a bit of a chat with Isy Galey and then there's a little more about it in an ad a few pages on. Apparently, in.cube8r gallery might be popping up in Brisbane some time soon. I hope so, I'm so there........

Oh and another mag I highly recommend is 'Notebook' - if you want a good read. Lots of pics of crochet, and you know I love crochet, so if you do too, go and get hooked. You know you want to.