Owl Give away!

As much as I've avoided kisses and hugs and most of my family over the last week, I finally feel their cold catching up with me. Blech!

So to cheer me up and because it's my birthday in a few days  I've decided to host a little give away this week.

Some lucky person will be getting this little owl.

About my owls:

These psychedelic little owls are sewn, stuffed, painted and detail is added with markers. A layer of varnish is also added to protect them.
They are fun and colourful and each owl is totally unique. Each owl comes with a black hanging strap which is big enough to fit over a door handle.
They measure roughly 14cm x 11cm (5 1/2" x 4 1/2")

If you would like to enter, you can do one of the following:

a)"like" my Georgia Mars Art and Design page on Facebook

OR

b)"favourite" my Georgia Mars Art and Design Etsy store

OR
c) "follow" this blog

AND leave me a comment to let me know that you have done so- and how I can contact you.

Competition closes Sunday night (Feb 5th) and I will announce a winner on Monday

round up

  A lovely very chilled weekend in Vermont.  The weather up there is just as strange as down here, and it was more like the end of winter, rather than a month in!  These were the only 2 photos I took when we went out for a walk.  That's the "mail" car and it cracks Matt up that his license plate says "US MALE". Good to know he's a home grown postman!

 We had haggis for Robbie Burns night with our Scottish friends, and I delivered my birthday present painting as we had one less in the car this weekend, so we could actually fit the painting in.  It was even more of a hit than I could have hoped for.  It always makes me happy when I know that someone really loves something I've made.

Today, I've been keeping away from Matt who's sick with a cold- hiding up in my studio.  A bit of painting, a bit of sewing.  These lovely woolens arrived today (they were on special) and I can't wait to turn them into fox pillows.

 And playing around with a cat....I find cats so hard but I really want to get it right.  This is getting there- a bit of tweaking is required.

studio futzing

 Happy Australia Day (although I know it has come and gone in Australia).  The kids were over the moon that I made them lamingtons for after school snack today.



And while it rained/snowed/sleeted on and off through the day, I took myself up to my studio to kind of futz around on a few ideas that have been rattling around in my head lately. (avoiding sick children- Kit was home with a cold today and Oscar and Remi have been sneezing all over the place too).



This little chipmunk almost got made into a 3 dimensional painted fabric little guy, but half way through, I decided he wasn't working so he was deconstructed.  But I still liked him, so I had a go at painting him  2 dimensionally.

 And I had a play around with doing some collages.  Kind of like my pillows, but I'm waiting to make some more of those until I work out the best way to just make covers as the postage costs of sending a full cushion is just to much.  These photos were all taken tonight, so they're a bit dodgy. (And we're off to VT tomorrow -finally- so I wasn't sure if I'd get around to doing this post then).  That's why I put both photos in... to give you a better idea.  I matted this one, as I had a spare mat that fitted.

 And a raccoon and fox who were too big for the mat.  I kind of like where these are going- would be cute in a kid's room, but not sure they are how I want them yet.  The fox looks like he has sunglasses on...

I really want to make some more of the cushions.  I sold all my foxes (except for one I kept for myself), so I think I might make some more of those.  And I want to make another raccoon as I loved that one and almost kept it too.  But the woman who bought him said she loves him, so I have to be happy with that.

rag rugging again

 For Christmas Santa gave me this enormous crochet hook.  I mean, how does he know exactly what I want?  And I have been promising Ella for months that I'd make her a rag rug for her floor in VT- she often sits on the cold floor playing legos or playmobil - but couldn't face the amount of time and effort involved in making another plaited one, but thought I'd have a go at one crocheted from old t-shirts.

The cutting is very tedious (thumb blisters and all), but I only started this yesterday afternoon.  And yes, these are all real rags- old t-shirts and hoodies and old pillow cases made from t-shirt fabric.  Hopefully it will do the trick in Ella's room up there - although I'm not sure how that red will look with the pink (!BLECH!) painted floor in her room....

Year of the dragon

Dragon brooch available to buy in my etsy store

恭禧發財 Gong Xi Fa Cai or

 Gong Hey Fat Choy

Or Happy Chinese New Year for the Year of the Dragon.

I've been wearing my Winter survival collection lots the last few days as we've finally had some snow.  Must get out and take some photos of it; it's lovely fluffy dry snow, but it won't last for long as temps are supposed to get up again next week.

I've put a few more things in my etsy shop for sale today.  Plus changed a few things around here yesterday.  Do you like?

And something else fun to share.  I came across this article about iPad art in the Guardian the other day and was just blown away.  I saw something similar in an article about David Hockney a few weeks ago.  Who knew that I could love my iPad any more than I already do???

If you go and have a look at the specific artist websites, there are some fantastic videos of them actually drawing - one of the apps records how they do it. 

Now, I only have a free app, but it is SUCH fun to play around with.  Totally different way of drawing/painting.  It's a bit like finger painting, and there is something really kind of primal about doing it that way.  Here's some of my very-much-just-mucking-around-getting-to-know-how-it-works "finished" pieces.

Fun hey!?

New knitting patterns

 (I braved my greatest fear, and stepped in front of the camera for a change....)

Announcing the release of my Unisex Head to Toe Winter Survival Collection.  

These 4 patterns are available for purchase as one collection in my etsy store. Once purchased they will be emailed to you in PDF format.


I have designed these patterns to be easy to knit.  All you need to know is how to knit, how to purl and how to do a Knit (or Purl) 2 together decrease.  Plus casting on and off, of course.  All patterns are knit in the round; 3 on Double pointed needles (no need to be scared of them) and one on a circular needle.

I used the Lion Brand Fisherman's wool, because I like the price and the way it looks and it is WARM.  I used less than 3 skeins to knit all 4 pieces.  But I wrote these patterns so that you can use whatever yarn you wish- either 2 strands of worsted weight, or one of bulky.

I will also be offering these pieces for sale individually.

Unisex

 Did I mention that my Head to Toe winter survival set is unisex?  

 I really wanted to create something that worked just as well for men and women.  In the neutral colours this is totally a his or hers set.

 I managed to bribe Remi into modeling for me.  Lucky for me that they have exams this week- most of the time they leave in the dark and get home in the dark.

Just need to do the female photos now and write up all the patterns.

Wrestle

Got to go to one of the boys' wrestling matches last night.  I've only seen them twice before I think, even though they have about 3 meets a week.  Usually I'm running the other two around to their classes, but this week is snow day make up week (ahem!  We've had NO snow) so there are no classes.  

It was good, because it was senior night, where they recognised the seniors on the team- had them walk in with their parents, so it was nice that we could both be there.  Unfortunately, I gave the camera to Kit, so I don't really have many photos.

 I had to drop Matt at the train, and made it back in time to just watch the last few minutes of Oscar's match...(Kit had put some weird setting on the camera, which I didn't even have time to check, so the photos were all a bit blurred.)

 Still not quite sure how Oscar managed to turn this guy over (he was wrestling up a weight division and there was a 50 lb weight differential).  Oscar is in grey...

 It was also a good one to watch as both Osc and Rem won their matches.

Remi's (in black) was over very quickly- both ma boys won with a pin.  I don't claim to understand anything about the sport, but I do actually enjoy watching it.  It is such an honest physical contest, and you watch these boys put their all in to try and win.

That's noo how you make porridge

I have spent the weekend working with this lovely oatmeal fisherman's wool.  Inspired by the cold blast of weather (and the entire heating in our house going- and then being repaired), I've been developing a "Head to Toe Winter Survival Set" consisting of a hat, a cowl, hand warmers and boot toppers.  I'm hoping to finish my knitting by tomorrow and to do some photos and upload these patterns into a PDF document which will be available for sale through my etsy store.  I have Friday as my deadline in my head, so I will be busy this week.

Clearing the dance floor

I realised that I still had a few photos of the kids dancing from last week...

Kit and Ella at their jazz/hip hop class. This one has been a bit of a change of pace for them both this year, but it's a fun class. It actually reminded me of when I used to do jazzercise and I really wanted to join in!





Ella, but not Kit, also does a jazz ballet class which she loves.






I always love to get photos of her long hair...


There was another ballet class that they do together, but I had to go and pick the boys up from wrestling practice, so I didn't get any photos.
A week off from classes this week, and thn Ella starts her pointe class.
And now no more dance photos until spring concert.....

Posted from my ipad