Pippi ² - Deja Vu

Just HAD to share this...

You all know me as Pippi, from my avatar/old photo from when I was approximately 9 years old and when I won first prize in a dress up contest party. This set off my complete Pippi connection for life. I had always liked Pippi and thought she was my hero etc. etc., but after that prize, she and I merged somehow and she became my muse and alter ego spirit kind off gal :D

So this week, my daughter (al;most 9 now) wanted to dress up "like you mum !" for her bookweek parade at school....so we did.....and here she is and just for fun I put that old photo of mine with hers in this post. Only noticed when I did this that Mr. Nilsson (the monkey) is on the other shoulder...

Loving Wax

Just as the title indicates, I LOVE {bees}wax / encaustics, hmmmmmmm ;) I am experimenting, learning, waiting on more supplies to come, impatient, trying, melting, making ... I have been using beeswax as a topcoat for quite some time now, so I know how to move wax around and what it does, and what it can hold. I never did much with coloured wax though and these first trials are surely not all good yet and I'd probably be better of waiting for my coloured encaustics to arrive really. But I'll share with you what I have been fooling around with so far. A journal page with a transfer on one side and a matiching tree in melted oilcrayons on the other side, a little Pippi portrait of course {she grew up a bit, her pigtails are down this time} and a sample chart if you will for me to have as a reference using different pigments with the waxmedium. More to come so stay tuned, and check out Jane DeRosier's the Trodden Path's Loving Wax !

Take a ride - wips and then some -

I am surrounded by "wips" (works in progress) It actually is the way I like to work, it inspires me and it pushes me at the same time. Sometimes it punishes me and smacks me right there too yes. I am also a master at procrastination, but I also never leave loose ends. This here now for me is a time for finishing these wips that clutter my peripheral vision now, I need to have a clear start for something else that is brewing again ('cause I also always have things bubbling, brewing and growing) So I have been making loads of stuff, for the gallery/studio, for the different classes I teach and just to quench all kinds of personal thirsts. So I will share these with y'all, spread over a few different posts, otherwise they become so looooong ...and personally, I find very extended posts harder to read. Anyway.....here is some stuff I finished lately: My gal, my muse, if you have followed me a while, you know my connection with her, my alter ego : ...
Pippi - on her bike, I call it "Take a Ride"

 started her on top of an ugly old painting of mine by collaging papers

 one of the pieces read "Dutch Bikes - Omafiets" so it had to turn into something on a bike

Getting Ready

This Pippi is working like Rumpelstiltskin at the moment 

and almost exploding with things to show....

just a little while longer, long days and all-nighters ....

The Magic will happen, from straw gold will glow !

 - Soon -

♥

Laughing all the way

 

Okay, so today I am laughing :)

I am laughing because @ April Fools I didn't even need a silly joke to put this a smile on my face :)

I am laughing because I AM going to finish the painting I was talking about in my last post and I CAN because I dealt with the feelings that were hindering me to do so :)

I am laughing because the lady from a Gallery closeby called to say I sold 2 paintings last week :)

I am, laughing because I just had 4 of my girlfriends from Christchurch for a visit, they stayed 2 nights and we had SUCH a great time :) 

I am laughing because I just found this wicked wooden stand on the local market and got the deal of the day ! It's gonna go in my studio shop :)

I am laughing because I painted some cool paintings at my studio this week :)

I am laughing because I am laughing because I feel GOOD !

♥

(btw: up at the top, that flower-power kinda girl, that is me, a while ago, a long time ago actually, will have to double check with Dad to see when exactly, but it looks the way I feel today :)

♥

Introducing - A Portrait - A Challenge

Hehe, I finally did it ! I made a videO !

Now I had a reason, or many reasons for it.

First of all, it had been brewing for a while, I just never had enough courage to start. But somehow this particular question from someone about if and why I had never done a self portrait before (well ....hellOOO ?!!!) set this all in motion. I suddenly thought, what the .. ? I can do this, I don't care what others will think or say and so what, if the portrait is not what I want it to look like or even not what I look like, I had  a good play and same goes for the video. It might not be all THAT, but learning how-to is so much FUN !! I hope you all enjoy it as well. Be BRAVE !!

My Muse

Pippi Longstocking or Pippi Långstrump has been my muse, even my alter ego for quite a while. I was Pippi when I was 9 years old and won the first prize on a dress up party (see picture on te right here, yes that is me !) I used to watch Pippi programs and I still love to see them. I never get tired of her adventures and I love her free spirit and her endless positivity. She can take on the world, so at the moment I need some of the same....so here are a couple of Pippi's I have done....just to get me in the mood and then I will put on a DVD and watch some episodes again, channel her joy and gutsiness. TjollaHopp !!

Surprises and Fun things !

There are a few nice things that have happened
and that I want to share with you all.
I got my first Blog Award !
Thanks to Darlene Pringle / the Dancing Mango
♥ Thanks Darlene ! I feel very special :-)
So the thing about receiving this award is that I have to spill 10 things about myself that some of you don't know, so.......

1- That Pippi Longstocking in the sidebar is me
(when I was a bit younger)
2- I was born on the other side of te globe from where I now live
3- I have one sister
(on the other side of the world and I miss her)
4- I speak 4 languages and can understand
and talk a little in a few more
5- I love scuba diving
6- I am an Aquarius
7- and a Tiger in the Chinese Zodiac (you do the maths)
8- I love spicy food
9- and have a sweeth tooth
10-I have 2 adorable kids

also I get to nominate 7 creative blogs for this award
mind you I could nominate many more, there are so many lovely blogs around, but these are a few of my favs, so yes I am nominating 8...
My Art Journal - Diane Salter
Milda Malin - Malin Walkeby
For the love of little things - Jane Davenport
Borealis Shine - Sol Santiago
Doings of Doone - Donna Louise Rogers
Ottilias Veranda - Eva-Liisa Eriksson
MegansCreativeBliss -Megan Suarez
Journey of a Mermaid - Goog G
Each of you can pick up your AWARD and post it to you blog, linking it back to me and tell ten things about yourself we did not know.. then choose 7 blogs of your choice.
Thank you.. Enjoy my friends..

♥

another great thing that happened was that my folks came to visit
(yes from the other side of the world)
and...
I found out about the Strathmore FREE online workshop
(Pam Carriker's Visual Journaling class)
by reading Jane Davenport's blog entry about this workshop,
so I signed up, yeah !
and I am so very much looking forward to starting with that class
And so the new year has hardly started
and I am already looking for that "Time-Tree"
(ummmmm, that "Money Tree" would be great too hahaha)
anybody has the seeds for a tree like that, or knows where to acquire them?
But hey, go check out some of the blogs I nominated, it's awards time !!!!

♥

Chunkies for a swap

See here 4 Chunkies for a swap with a friend in the States.
The themes we picked were:
1 "My Muse" - 2 " Fairy Tale character"
3 "Antler people" - 4 "Mermaid"
They made it there before Christmas, which was nice for both of us.
Little Christmas present for JoAnn
and peace of mind for me
with all the busy postal activities around this time of year
....and....she loved them :-)
♥

Some finished mixed media projects

I'm in the Art-zone now, after about a, hmm, 25 year break I am back and enjoying every minute of it ! ♪♫ I sing all day ♫♪♫♪♫

Here are some images of works I have finished recently.
I learned so much about the shabby shabby stuff !.....
I cannot get enough of the drawing and painting process so I will be posting more images in time to come.

☼ Pippi Longstocking on 8x12 pine plywood.Coloured pencils and dripping inks; paints; paper collage; arnica flowers; teadied linen and beeswax finish.




♫♪♫Madame Butterfly on 12x16 pine plywood. Coloured pencils; paper collage and dye; paint; dripping inks; stamps;gold; silk; sequins; embroidery thread; tulle finished off with beeswax.









♫♪♫The Matryoshka Angel burned on 8x12 pine plywood and then I worked with coloured pencils and paint; stencils; stamps; goldleaf; lace; collage music scores and finally beeswax.