TWO THINGS ..both exciting

SPECIALS 

SOME OF THESE HAVE BEEN PRICED ON THE WEB NOW

Others I have a stash to clear..but need to paint up a sample...

I am making some space for new designs to come on board & be there smiling very soon.

I sell christmas all year & rarely do many specials..but this year I am changing a bit so I need to keep my stock all just enough until July ..but I can always order it in..

nothing ever retires.

as you will see the return of some angels..of a few years ago..

You see I am different than a lot of these designers in that I personally paint it all...

& I see my design faults, dislikes of a shape or the detail takes so long when peak times..

or I start to think I want to try this or that...

So I place things into the retired box & I store them on file so can browse them whenever to see....

So do take advantage of the specials & the prices...

Barb 

www.theodoracleave.com
do NOT copy to your computer thanks

 Karene's creative work with some wood pieces & 

dream a minute 

& 

use buttons also.

How gorgeous these look & it is a wonderful creative of Karene's from Crookwell.

More to see

 Michelle in Frances sent me her newsletter last night

I 

was so thrilled to see more buttons 

& using Marg Low's tag designs 

So beautiful

& 

so many 

Gorgeous Michelle.!!!

http://carnetsdebroderie.over-blog.fr/ 

I love seeing what is made with the buttons...

Below photo are things I was playing with last year at the beach

www.theodoracleave.com

copyright Barbara Smith 

been browsing

www.theodoracleave.com

I was wondering what to do next ..a visitor had just left & it was too hot to roam far if at all!!!

So I had saved a couple of sights to look at & one look led to another & etc

I pleasantly came across this blog which featured a gorgeous heart 

so I click

& find

 It has the Robin in Blossom Bird on it

Really gorgeous

so go see...

http://karencunninghamdesigns.blogspot.com/

Saturday....

For me it is interesting, as the days after Christmas seem to stretch out before me...

What would I want to do now...

Besides walk before the heat sets in for the day  ?

Sometimes it is a bit of housework...

Believe me choices like this are fantastic...& it feels good after all is done.

I do need to get the Millie stitchery booklet finalised

& I have a big table to spread all of that on...!

I am really very excited in all of the new wood designs

but

very excited to see how a couple of these turn out..

all very well drawing the pictures...

they then are into another medium that is more rigid & has some boundaries in movement.

I look at the drawings beside me here & they are in pen now & I am wanting to do some more in this style..

It's kind of ????? different...unexpected to what I set out to do...

Love that bit !

www.theodoracleave.com

Table Setting Christmas day

I used this as our table setting 

for Christmas Lunch

Each 1/4 of the tree had a different view.

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Gone for another time !

Boxing day being on holidays & feeling like I had indulged in BAD stuff on christmas day..

I went for an early walk in the park..and again today.

Really lovely walking under the huge oak trees & pines....

Then I decided to go to the first session of the movie 

Philomena...

I did enjoy it... it is truth & can be raw on the emotions so take a tissue...

well 3 will be best..

It's about homes for pregnant young mothers.

I grew up in this era & knew of people who had children in homes & even in our ancestors this has happened.

It is excellent for social history...

 I arrived home very restless for some time...

Eventually settling to attend to my next batch of designs...

things that need to go from pencil to pen & think of sizing....

& then 

things just got out of control...

Some are Christmas....& with the French Rabbit....buzy body's itself in a few designs...

Including some for everyday...

Few buttons...one santa has made it to the selection I have already..

Some garden scenes... some cats & birds...& flowers

Any circles have thin frames

&

Many are earmarked for bigger things as well...

Then I await with baited breath for the cuts to arrive back once all work goes into normal mode.

Which I must say in some ways I welcome 

as I drift into a doze on the couch if I sit to read...or just watch TV....

I am so used to being occupied...

But it is also great not to be snatching time out....for a while.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

 

theodoracleave.com

Soft rain cools my Summer

What bliss... 

Soft gentle rain ..

the air is deliciously cool.

It is refreshing..

it softens the hustle & bustle

Just the birds 

&

Distant traffic...

The images in the photograph

are to one side of the computer on my desk

I have been staring down on them for several days now..

It is funny as I often rearrange them

look at them in a different way

Just things that have fallen together..

and they make interesting patterns !!!

You can gather this laid back feel is still with me..LOL

www.theodoracleave.com

copyright B Smith 2013

wound right down now

It is sooooooo lovely this swanning about doing whatever happens !!!

I find a short nap in the afternoon creeps in..

But I don't want that habit to kick in ..just in the heat it is ok..

Walks in the park...

today a lot of activity was setting up for carols this evening.

Men on things high up in the trees..trucks & cars about in what is usually walkways.

Visitor pop in.. phone call there...email & no post...today

I am waiting for several magazines to arrive from Stampington in USA & they are never getting to me...or they are so late.

I think our postal system is slower...because of the parcels coming in from overseas..

but I so long for these magazines to arrive.

Since Borders left our shops..no one takes these divine magazines on...or just an odd one ...

I shall go draw now....the floors ..a little later in the day. 

www.theodoracleave.com

copyright Barbara Smith 2012

Closing Up for Christmas work

I have finally made a decision !!!

I am closing my work shop now until 

6th January 2014

I have been in holiday mode for a couple of days & rather liking it! LOL

The hot weather as usual I am not in favour of...wake up all tired & sluggish...

curtains closed, air cons on...

so who should be complaining..

I have these things to close & turn on. 

www.theodoracleave.com

copyright Barbara Smith

I will still chatter on here 

It is just a lovely break of not snatching time for myself

but

having an absolute luxury of having time for myself..

It is  at this point I realise how much time I spent focused on work.

I may do some specials on the web.. as I have stuff etc that I am a bit bored with moving from one place to another..

we'll see.

OPEN IN COWES Vic...

COWES 

has now a new coffee & cake spot inside a gallery of photography & glass...& pottery & 

If you are down that way over the holidays

Experience this new spot.

A girlfriend & her husband have opened this new venture on Friday

The belief in santa & christmas decorating

.....That belief in Santa began back when...

( see the picture )

Where the tree was a gum tree branch Dad would cut in the bush where he worked..

Always a drama that tree & bucket matched & bucket didn't leak..

Afraid my do his lolly sort of father would just discard the tree..

before I had time to put the silver tinsel over the leaves & small branches.

Paper chains I had made with Mum would scruffily adorn the tree too & maybe a crepe star or a round bell would unfold, same as the little baubles I found last week .

Then I would wait the few days for Santa to come down our chimney with his sack of 

presents & the stocking covered in red netting that house a tiny bag of sweets & a whistle & a magic fish and ??? do not recall the rest.

So today I do capture the Spirit of Christmas..

it is such a glorious memory to relive over & over as I paint or in the past also sewed & stuff Santas..

The memory of occasions are planted so young...

It was  a day I always waited with expectation to play with whatever Santa brought...

it was a tense household & for someone young this swirls & folds into their fabric of life.

PLEASE do be MINDFUL of this if you fancy  a fissy fit is in order when small children are about & especially at Christmas time..

grasp the Spirit of Christmas not the haste of a different world which produces bad memories for children mixed with that hope of Christmas. .

www.theodoracleave.com

copyright B Smith 2013

My Tree..well perhaps Theodora's

My own decorations...this time I get to keep these ones for my samples & display

The BIG ANGEL is missing..

but she had to fly off to Stitch'n"Patch in Lilydale Victoria

I have been delighted with the larger twig tree..

So we'll see more of those in 2014..as they are everyday things...

www.theodoracleave.com

copyright Barbara Smith

This Was Fun

Saturday

I began to wrap presents to post off...

and

on the table I had a packet of stencils

I had bought the day before at Typo.

What am I going to do with these..Ithought...

Then brown paper, a spray stuff from scrapbooking shops 

which I'd played with before...

So I took myself outdoors & in a moment I had these things..in the photograph.

It went from paper to art paper to linen mix fabric in a moment..

So some parcels are wrapped but I confess I was having far too much fun with my free range time to be too focussed on what the job at hand was really about. 

www.theodoracleave.com

Decorating trees

picture copyright B Smith 2013

I began playing yesterday....

And 

into the night..

The white tree is a wood one I quickly painted in white ..with a foam brush

added a strand of silver bells..

it was done

The Vintage round tree I found a couple of years ago..

It dismantles so travels ok...

The Pom Poms are dear sweet little paper ones I found in Daylesford at Harry & me last week..

Little expensive  but I knew they would be unique...

I had intentions of mixing them with painted wood gear...

Which works

but.....

I just got carried away.

Tapering

Ahhhhhhhh my year is nearly done...time to just about play...

after I sit down & paint an order 

& 

then

Paint for my decorating....

People often imagine a designer & artist studio/ place is the picture of inspiration

How sadly disappointed they can be if they are ever allowed into my space for a look..

It never happens like that anymore..

But occasionally friends & new friends are invited over.... things are all around me because it is who I am & thus how I present for my own pleasure & world..

Some who are extremely neat people have a look of complete horror

the opposite is the ones who do not know where to look first..

A jar of braids excites them...

It is a work always in progress...

One day I may just toss up a different sort of trunk show....

It could only be for the dedicated creative spirits...LOL

www.theodoracleave.com

copyright Barbara Smith 2013

And so... as I taper off my work 

&

my mind is roaming into spaces..

where to go first

Do Millie's Travels booklet...

It is together but I am not..

Do that other little stitchery booklet...

the majority of drawings are done too.

Draw some more wood stuff..

some were done last night before I wandered out to friends for nibblies & drinks

Then I recheck them this morning because I kind of have changed my tune on the format & design of some cats....

I want to sew some stockings & cats now too...but that involves a messy day...

I see the painted fabric collages & buttons 

& yes I want to get to that some more..

But that involves a different mind set of thought...

so tidy the other gear away first..

Nothing has gone any further 

& won't now 

as it is nearly lunch.

I should drive out to visit my brother...but a tomorrow springs in maybe Monday oh no I have appointments.

See soon Santa will land on my roof & I'll never be ready ...

Because now I have tapered off....

I have begun that bone idleness .

but No... I cannot I have my vision stuff to jot down... 

Designers are often very distracted & very different folk life is viewed from a different spot...

But it is exactly my space....

I love the way my life has been etched out just for me to play in..

Bling works

www.theodoracleave.com    

Barbara Smith copoyright

Yesterday a Christmas version of the Twig Tree arrived..

It has a star cut out in the pot...

I was trialing some bling on a deer & did a bit here too.

It works so well

Just enough on the off white...

This is the deer in a simple fine frame with bling..

 Now it is time to begin the day.

FROM TODAY OVERSEAS ORDERS NOW,

 WILL HAVE NO GUARANTEE TO REACH YOU BY CHRISTMAS

REFLECTING

Reflecting on what one has done during the year can be an odd mix...

Actually some of this is much older..the bird stamp on the box is about 8 years but still one of my favourites.

Speaking with one of my store customers yesterday ..

it is so good to be thinking with another at times..

listening to what they ask for ...

discuss what idle plans I have for idle moments

adding things to my mix of thoughts....

bit like adding salt & pepper to meal...

just enough & not too much.

I want to begin once again with renewed vigour...

I say that when I have done a long marathon painting session that lasts for months leading into the seasons..the shows..around the globe...

It is amazing how one does adjust..

the view broadens ...

even though I work in a space that is not so big...

the horizons are like the plains I drove across...

they seem to go forever.

Today in one  spot I am sparkling like the glitter I go to work on some of the painted decos.. yesterday...

I have so wanted to really mess with that for a long time...

There is the yearn to go back to the soft painted fabric stuff and play more in that

other things new designs for painting...

maybe a reflection of what I have now..retire a few... bring back one or a few from retirement...

It is such a Vision Board that maybe I need for just this design work

one for me & one in a bit more detail for the work...

I suppose many of you are frantically getting all the things for the Christmas celebration..

I get excited because the entire floors were vacuumed & I planted some herbs & lavender in the garden yesterday  & I wrote 3 cards & posted those ...a start I told myself

because I had at last, some time to do this..

Today I paint again...& post  & share a laugh with the posting people...

Then an appointment ... 

and 

I guess my day will be done...??

Enjoy the day....

Remember to smile at a person you pass by in the street...

don't shove & push..or speed in the car

Be in the moment...then you'll taste life much better..

I'm the one who slowly strolls the street.. as if I had all day stretched out beside me..

when that is not the case..

but 

I get to watch things as I stroll to where ever it is  I am going to..  

www.theodoracleave.com 

copyright Barbara Smith

WEARABLES

For many many years I mostly painted wearables...

I do enjoy a little batch of this painting & etc...

so yesterday when I finished an order & I had noticed these blanks in a box as I walked by...

Thought I'll go paint those..

I will place them on the web late today..

I especially love the mannequin in red with a vintage overlay look...surprised me that bit of experimenting did  

www.theodoracleave.com

Copyright Barbara Smith

Sara's Snowman

Sara & her little daughter 

made a snowman 

in Italy yesterday 

& 

sent him down under this morning.

He had me laughing with joy when I opened the email...

Rather gorgeous he is !!!

PURPOSE, PASSION & VISUAL BOARD WORKSHOP

I am really excited...

I found this flyer yesterday when I was some place in a waiting space...

Read it last night

Rang up this morning 

Price $250.00

Space yes !!!!

Some of you have read about my vision boards...but I can never get the technique or is it discipline to keep the Vision Board alive & maybe truly accurate.

So I wanted to learn this

for 

my business 

for my work allocation

& for me

It is well timed for the beginning of the new Year on Saturday 4th January 2014 for Bendigo

or Saturday 11th January in Melbourne. 

The phone number is clear & if you are interested a call should get all relevant stuff emailed.

Fantastic experience just for you...

to work what you really want from your life 

&

don't drift ..you can drift but it can have intention in the drifting !!!

Sometimes we are so scared to ask for what we want for us & so never do really ask..

Life has a ho hum instead of a zing ???

Why am I selling this because I really know some of the benefits of this sort of stuff...

Go take the life you want...

see you 

Barb

HOPE

Hanging the stockings up !

I remember when I was young and the list of what I hoped Santa would bring...

The days before Christmas were the longest days..

It is possibly why I adore creating my own Christmas year in & year out..

I have such strong memories of the Hope it did bring...

Here are 3 big deer buttons in off white

in the stocking central is

a little wobbly circle of cut felt..

a smaller version of the deer & 2 winter trees.

Felt ... it was not the best quality as I can see a wrinkle from being packed away

I always promise myself I will make a better one ...

But maybe you can do this..

Maybe you have a few of my buttons about...

kind of saving them for someday..

Well maybe it is today !

Use santa,s trees for the border..

one decoration for the centre...

Get out the machine...it works well !!!! or hand stitch it all if that is how your day goes

*****

 a little more on hope...

A NEW BEGINNING is happening in COWES Victoria

on 10th DEC it is planned 

FOGEL GALLERY & COFFEE

The shop is being beautifully fitted out as I write....

works of art in photography, glass & pottery will be housed here..

along with good coffee... cake & I do believe a French chocolate maker's chocolates.

Victoria & Uri are the creative duo 

Victoria will be styling hair a short walk away from the gallery..

GOOD LUCK !!!!

www.theodoracleave.com

The French Rabbit

The French Rabbit began life in the winter & bounced about wanting to be drawn for some days weeks as I painted until finally he was on paper.

He persisted until he made his way into the Christmas range..

whispering to santa that he was a French Rabbit & santa called him a Lapin..

French Rabbit was so excited he landed in the decorating bag of the snowman...

Then he meandered about wanting to just be a button...

I had rabbit buttons so why why didn't he get the chance..

there was bunny love & bunny family & those leaping rabbits as well as some old old lapins

So he is now a button.... leaping around in 2 sizes & in a button story

and he is now on a roll he wants his own show !

www.theodoracleave.com

Copyright Barbara Smith 2013

ahhhhhhhh Christmas

I am catching up ..the stockings i did for NZ shop this week & loved the white & red together

The top is a bit of a board display with stockings topped with trees & circles with fat robin & holly...more trees & small bird...banners with Ralph & bird & hearts decorations

Last is part of the advent calendar 

****************

NOW go over to my sidebar & click on FLEA 

& be taken for a wonderful Christmas journey..

Today is  a shop just FULL of divine stuff...

and

the 2 long posts previously to that one is a gorgeous open Christmas decorated house.

I think Flea took us there last year too..

So sparkly so inspiring... 

*************

I have visited my 5th cousin today who is not so good...

but we are family...& even though we didn't meet until about 6 years ago..

we get together..heads together & today was no exception.

Some who do you think we are sights

and

my 6th cousin & her daughter's facebook site of her cake decorating.

Lisas cake creations with a Sydney location...

Gorgeous 

www.theodoracleave.com

copyright Barbara Smith 2013

BUTTON SETS

www.theodoracleave.com
copyright Barbara Smith

      I have placed these sets on the www.theodoracleave.com this morning

($10.10 each set.)

These are buttons on sweet little gift tags by Marg Low designs

as

they are featured in

           SIMPLY VINTAGE Magazine

         from France