Artist? Photographer? Stylist?

What do you call yourself? Other than mother, wife, sister... Is it your profession? The role in which you make your wage, or more of a hobby?

 

I've been thinking a bit about this lately. I've always hesitated to call myself an artist, though really I think I always have been one. Yes, I studied art at Uni and have a Bachelor of Fine Art and a Diploma of Education, but does that make me an artist? Is it when you sell work? I always remember a tutor at a big art forum I attended stating that you were only an artist when you had published your own book. That didn't work out so well for Van Gogh or Monet, at least not in their lifetime. What a silly woman! Too big for her boots if you ask me :)

Can I call myself a photographer? It's funny, at work (in my role as Gallery Coordinator) I get asked all the time if I am an artist. I always hesitate to say yes. Why is this? And then when I do say yes, I get the follow up question, "What do you paint?", as if all artists are painters and other art forms are not as valid. I find that fascinating.

What about other titles...Gardener? Yes, I think I'm one of those. Stylist? Maybe? I'm not sure. I do always joke at work that I am a 'turd polisher'. We get such a variety of artwork and in a massive range of competencies, but somehow I manage to make pretty much all work look good. Not sure that title would look so good on my resume!

 

Do you have thoughts or opinions on this topic? I'd love to hear them :)

xx

New vintage postcards

One of the best things about being an artist, designer or whatever it is that I am (a whole other post) is sourcing inspiration. I don't tend to do a lot of regular shopping as we are always on a tight budget but I can allow myself some vintage bits and pieces as  legitimate inspiration for my work. Like these wonderful postcards.

These are some of my recent purchases. For a few dollars they are such lovely things. Not all are good for my purposes, but they have become a lovely little collection.

I really like the used ones as they have so much more character, more of a story to tell. Sometimes I might not use the front image, but the writing on the reverse.

See those two at the bottom of the above photo? I have already printed some fabric up to make pouches from the one on the left. I adore the one on the right, but on closer inspection, the writing on the front actually talks about the person having appendicitis!I'm not sure if customers would find that appealing?

Such little treasures from a century ago. I do love them and adore working with them.

Speaking of, today I must get in front of my sewing machine and get some work done!

Thanks for dropping by.

xx

The potential of spring bulbs

It's bulb planting time!

I'm slowly getting my act together and am planting more bulbs in the garden. I'm also going to grow some inside in a vase, like last year.

So, this year I am planting pink and black (dark purple) ranunculus, white tulips, purple freesias and a bi-colour anemone, which is a blend of white and blue. Exciting! I must drag out my daffs and replant them as well.

I did discover that I am somewhat allergic to hyacinths. Touching them caused a terrible, burning itch all over my face and neck. A google confirmed I am not crazy and certain people can find them very irritating. So beware!

What bulbs are you planting this year?

xx

My 7vignettes win

I was so thrilled last week to be the winner of an online photograph/styling competition. Many of you will have heard of or participated in The Interior Addict's Instagram 7 day vignette challenge, run by Jen Bishop with guest judges. I think this was the fourth month it was run. I have been taking part since the beginning and really love the challenge of setting up little vignettes based upon the theme of that day.

Here are my photos...

Above, the theme was "favourite" - some of my favourite things on my mantelpiece

Above, "layered"

Take two shot of "layered"

"gifts"

"soft"

"rough"

"secondhand"

above was a little shot I posted to say thank you for all the lovely comments I received throughout the challenge and below was another thank you after I won the comp!

I was so surprised! Really! SO chuffed too as it allows me to think that what I do is ok. It's so nice to have other people appreciate my images. It really does bring me a lot of joy.

As my prize I was given a gift voucher to an online store. I did a little shopping and will be back this week to show you what I purchased. I'm really excited about it!

Thank you to Jen for hosting the comp - it is so much fun! And thank you to Louise Olsen from Dinosaur Designs who was the judge who chose me!

x

ps I did it again, a whole week between posts. I was so busy at work last week and had no time for anything, but have some posts coming up. Phew!

Cheery yellow

Oh my goodness, I just realised it has almost been a week since my last post. How times flies! I'm not even sure where all those days went.

It has been a little grey here today so here are some cheery yellow roses. I bought these and the Easter daisies a  week or so ago, on Easter Saturday and they've brightened up the lounge room ever since.

I adore all roses but there is something about yellow ones. The lady I bought them off tells me they are called Eureka. Do you have a favourite colour?

I am currently trying to work out if I have any room in the garden for a couple more rose bushes. Over last weekend I planted agapanthus (thanks Jane), lobelia and pansy seedlings and some variegated anemone corms - so I will be looking forward to seeing those in Spring. In also ordered some more anemones along with pink and black (dark purple?) ranunculus. Exciting!

A busy week for me this week. We have a lot happening at work so I'm doing a 7 day stint. Think of pay day Sarah :)

I hope you are all well.

xx

Easter gardening capers

One of the few things flowering in our garden at the moment are the Japanese Windflowers, though they have been bashed around a bit by the wind.

We have been rather busy in the garden over Easter. Quite a few jobs were ticked off the list.

We sorted through and divied out compost around the garden, we trimmed the lollipop tree (my name - it's a New Zealand native that I cannot remember), re-potted plants, planted out my lemon tree that refuses to grow and swept like nobodies business. 

What have we been doing here you say? Someone decided that a pop-up spray watering thingamabob was in order and spent hours digging up the back lawn, only to discover that we do not have enough water pressure to run the darn thing. They didn't pop up properly and just gurgled. Major fail. Man of the house was not very happy, to say the least.

After another trip to the hardware store, he ripped up the system and dug a new, single route and attached a single 360 degree automatic pop up sprinkler that actually works! It even reaches my garden beds. Woohoo! Success.

In the next few weeks we want to top dress this area so the excavations won't matter :)

Have you been busy in the garden too? Doesn't it help you sleep soundly at night?

xx

Bits and bobs... bunnies

Time for a bits and bobs post and I never realised how many bunnies I have in this house!

Aren't they cute? There's a couple I made, others friends have made, a mini lego bunny with carrots and a tiny chocolate bunny who actually survived being eaten.

I've never had a bunny as a pet. I would rather like one! I'm not sure what Molly would think. Lyn and joked yesterday about getting a bunny and calling him Stuart (Rabbit Stu). I'm not sure I could do that, the poor thing, but there would be no way I'd make any bunny into stew.

I hope you had a nice, peaceful Easter. We watched some movies, visited family, spent time in the garden sorting out the compost and doing some pruning. Still more gardening to do though :)

What did you get up to?

xx