Stop animation fricken rocks

http://www.amazon.com/New-Terrarium-Creating-Beautiful-Displays/dp/0307407314/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1229989324&sr=1-2

Em needs this book. Must make stuff to sell on Etsy to buy this book then make one, been saying that I am going to for ages...

We're resting up today for tomorrow we go to Bondi for New Years Eve with Smem teh DJ. Ten's got a fever and is looking rather see through, I broke a tiny bone in my foot jumping off a table (yes, I am that useless). Not going to the doctor because:
a: my doctor is on holidays
b: I've done it before and there isn't much they can do except say "rest and elevate"
c: It hurts, but Smem manages the pub so I can wear my slippers with my party dress if I want to :P

All said, we're a pretty sorry pair, but injuries don't dampen our party spirit, especially not when there is French champagne involved. Hot as hell here today, am about to decamp for parents house where there is a pool and the world's comfiest couch.

So Happy New Year dear blogging friends, I'll be thinking of you while I'm partying like a mad thing (it is after all what I do best... after art ;)

Much love,

Emmeline :)

Merry Christmas/Boxing/Holidays everyone :)

This is what we did on Boxing Day at King Edward Park. You can see Ten slide down around the two minute mark, I'm the one in the white and red striped dress. Didn't go down the slide myself due to very sensitive skin (does not mix well with dishwashing liquid) but given the state of Ten's skin, will find a photo later, I don't think I missed out too badly :P I had vodka and a video camera so I was happy.

Post Christmas photos later, am off to a party called Inbetweendays (because we're in between Christmas and New Years).

MWAH!
-Emmeline

They say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery...

Could just be coincidence, but I think that this pencil case from Smiggle looks rather a lot like my Voodoo Susan. Guess that's flattering, but it wierded me the hell out. Same general body shape (it's been on a diet :P) and the heart and the "voodoo". Not saying that I'm miffed about it, it's just.... wierd.

Don't get me wrong, I don't care if people nick my work and adapt it to their own desires, it's a part of the creative cycle. As Picasso said, "Good artists copy. Great artists steal". So I guess this is a good thing, big company likes designs enough to adapt them.... hmmmm

Or I could just be paranoid and this is just a quirk of fate that this pencil case looks like my Suze.

Since it is the silly season... here are some pictures of my friends being silly

This is Benny, inspecting a tiny sculpture from a shop in Hawks Nest.

Myself, Sarah and Case playing in the fountain outside Custom's house for Ten's birthday.

Dani is the world's greatest stylist, seriously. If you need someone to make your skin look flawless or you want huge peacock feathers in your hair, talk to her ;)

Scotty at Ten's American Trailer Trash birthday party another year. His was my favourite costume by far. He grew the whiskers for the occasion. What a champ.

Gra and Smem, destined to one day become world famous Deejays. The one with the wicked grin is Smem, who just so happens to be spinning the launch party for Emerald Arts (the shop).

Me and Gra at a New Years party. We are just friends. We are also just major exhibitionists, which helps me to be an artist and him to be a DJ.

Benny, Jen and Nifty Nige. Benny feels like he's a brother or a first cousin, cos he's Ten's bff and we've been mates for years. Been friends with Nifty Nige, however, far longer. We first met at Playgroup (which is for ages 0-3) in Oz. He's my bff.

And this is my golden boy, Tenski.

Off to do some painting ya'll

-Em

Planning and pretty pictures

It's the Farmer's markets tomorrow, so I'm making macaroni and cheese with a lovely cheddar and some fresh corn, listening to Frank Sinatra and recovering from my friend Shelley's most fabulous birthday dinner last night. She manages Hamilton's best Thai (or rather Newcastle's best) and we had a table outside with balloons and incredible satay prawn skewers and pad thai mmmmm

Speaking of tasty, how about that Chuck Bass hmm? Soo so hot.


Usually I'm not a fan of tanning salons, or cats, but together they are dreadfully cute


Jelly Blubbers.

This is water dropping onto paint. We used it for Ten's birthday invitation.

It's funny, when I was a kid I loved my troll from Norway far more than my barbie dolls. In fact I let my best friend Nifty Nige ride my barbie bus down to the end of my street. It killed it. This was at my fifth birthday. The kid that gave it to me was, fortunately, most amused.

Oooh... that's right, I was cooking. I have decided that rather than let the loss of my beloved sunglasses make me sad, I'm going to sell lots of paintings and buy some ridiculously hot new ones.

Also, I found the most incredible necklace of a monster on the interwebs last night. It's one of my Christmas presents. Wiiiikkkeed ;)

*sniff*

Usually, I think the world is a very awesome place. Most awesome of all are the Ocean Baths that I swim laps in every day. Today while I was swimming, however, some low life stole my prescription sunglasses while I was doing laps.

So this finger is for them. In retaliation for stealing my beloved sunglasses I hope some horrible misfortune befalls you, stealerer. I couldn't remember anyone's phone number besides my mum's, and she was out. So I had to drive home very slowly, squinting and hoping no one ran out in front of my car. Not. Happy. Jan.

Sad face :(

Last Weekend

Ten's Christmas present from work (aside from a very awesome Hamper) was a weekend away at Smith's Lake with the Boss and his wife and a couple of their friends. Thought I would share a few shots on here, as well as a picture of the outside of my new shop.


*dances* can't WAIT to move in. The website said they hoped to have some of us in there before Christmas, but Marcus is on well deserved holiday and I'm not sure if they'll be able to get all the legalities organised in time. Whatever happens, my boxes are all packed and I am ready and raring to go. Spending this afternoon searching the interwebs for design inspiration.


This is (I think) a rainbow Lorikeet... but I could be wrong. Whatever he was, he was extreemly friendly, even let me pat him very gently with one finger.



Found this shop on the high street at Forster. Love the hours. Could this work for the Hunter St. Mall or could one only get away with such things in a holiday town?


Ten on the beach at Seal Rocks.

Very interesting rock formations. I spent about twenty minutes clambering around on the rocks taking pictures of rockpools, but in my woozy state I had my finger over the viewfinder (really easy to do with my phone) half the time, then I slipped on a rock and scraped my hand, squished my finger, so then I grew a brain and sat in the sun for a while :P

Note: was woozy because I was drinking wine with dinner like the cool kids and then had to take phenergan, was also coming down with something. But as always it was totally worth it. Next time, however, I'm going to sneak vodka in a hip flask so that I can drink without turning into the itchbot.

Merry Crittermass to you all :)

As a bit of a Christmas present to all and sundry, I've made some present tags that can be printed onto any kind of paper. These two are best suited to being printed on sticker paper or coloured card, the next ones will be slightly bigger, with a space to punch a hole through and tie on some ribbon.

So take them, share the file, share the love, get christmassy.

Much love, Emmeline.

widget christmas label

Publish at Scribd or explore others: Culture widget christmas tag

Christmas Tree Label

Publish at Scribd or explore others: Culture christmas tree label

Etsy feedback for Book Art

Crowbelle

Interesting work. I lean towards the second issue: I like the smaller
size and the greater contrast of dark and light in the pictures - I think the greater contrast allows the viewer/reader more access to the book.
Lets see, one of my favorite
pictures is in the first book - the one where you wrote: When dealing with nature....
very strong image. I like Zines that have strength of vision - ones that reach
some truth visually and with words. Ones whereby the author clearly says "Look,
this is the road I'm on & this is what I am seeing/feeling."
Thank you for writing these books. Belle

My reply:

I lean towards the second issue too :) A few people said that the first one, while pretty, was a bit lacking in content. So with the second one I included some pages from my sketchbook that were more text heavy, give something more to read.

As for the quote on the wire page, that pretty much explains my world philosophy in one sentence. We can philosophise all we want, pretend global warming doesn't exist, but the world keeps changing and showing us the effects of our actions all the same.

I'm so glad you liked Book Art and gave me such awesome feedback :)

-Emmeline

And Teh winnar is....

LISA!!! YaaaaAAAAyyyyy!

Messaging you for your address so that Festive Phillip and Book Art can wing their way to you :) Realised after I had the lovely Ten pull the name out of the hat that I should have taken a photo, but it was a bit late then LOL

Thankyou to my other lovely entrants, I wish I had enough Festive Phillips for all of you, mebbe next time.

-Emmeline

The 2008 meme (stolen from my lj friend CherryPizza

1. What did you do in 2008 that you'd never done before?
I quit my job in admin and enrolled myself in the NEIS program, set up my own business and learned how to paint. That's quite a lot actually, looking back on it.

2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I'm going to learn to balance work and playtime. Been pretty shocking at that this year, everything has to be done NOW

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Meighan my friend and hairdresser :)

4. Did anyone close to you die?
Uncle Len (who was not a real uncle technically, but I loved him more than my actual uncles ;)

5. What countries did you visit?
None this year, been too broke :P

6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
Haha well this one is sorted, I'll be opening my own Art SPace "Emerald Arts"

7. What date from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Ugh, I suck at remembering specific dates, let's just say that it was my birthday, since the world revolves around that and it should be a public holiday anyway.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Developing my own watercolour/scan/paint method. I wonder sometimes if I would have come up with that if someone else had been teaching me to paint rather than doing it myself.

9. What was your biggest failure?
Eating far too many foods with Salycilates thereby reducing my immune system. That or losing my best friend to her new flatmate (she who believes that she has a bubble in her brain that can be cured by herbal tonics).

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Besides the usual? I sprained/broke my finger yesterday while checking at rock pools at Seal Rocks. Drank a lot of wine the night before, Ten's boss took us up there as a weekend getaway/christmas party, so I had to drink. Then, so that I could sleep, I took phenergan. So here's your lesson dear readers, don't phenerg and go investigationing, or you'll end up with a gimpy finger and a brused bum :P

11. What was the best thing you bought?
My silver heels

12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
Ten, definitely. He's the rock that my limpet self clings to. Unlike pretty much everyone else in my world he doesn't get the shits if I am too sick to go out, he gives me hugs and he's dead sexy. There is no way that I would be where I am now if he didn't believe that I was going to get somewhere with this art thing.

13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and/or depressed?
The girl who pretended to have anaphylaxis when we were having dinner in Melbourne but refused to use my epipen. Such a fuss.

14. Where did most of your money go?
What money?

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Still excited, my shop of course!

16. What song will always remind you of 2008?
"American Boy" Estelle & Kanye West

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. Happier or sadder? I'm always happy :)
ii. Thinner or fatter? about the same, but I am fitter
iii. Richer or poorer? same thereabouts, but hopefully with the shop that will change very soon.

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Dancing and clubbing, but yeah, no money :P

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Sleeping, but I can't really help that

20. How will you be spending Christmas?
God knows. Probably spend christmas lunch with the parents then the rest of the day drinking with mates

21. How will you be spending New Year's?
At the moment it's a toss up between a friends party up here or Bondi BEach

22. Did you fall in love in 2008?
Fell further LOL

23. How many one-night stands?
Unless you count fantasising about Jason Segal (Forgetting Sarah Marshall) then none.

24. What was your favourite TV program?
Oh that has to be Pushing Daisies. So beautifully crafted, completely devastated to hear that it has been cancelled. I am going to write a strongly worded letter.

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
I don't think I have ever hated anyone. I have cut off contact with a couple of frenemies, but that's not quite the same.

26. What was the best book you read?
It was a book by James May (Top Gear host) on the world's greatest inventions.

27. What was your greatest artistic/creative/musical discovery?
Oops, I already mentioned this one. Let's talk about my greatest artistic motivation. Entering into the Waste As Art competition made me realise that just how much paper goes through my house on a daily basis and that I should try to do something with it. So I started folding the cranes and putting them on ribbon cut offs from a factory at Sandgate.

28. What did you want and get?
A new car stereo (thanks Ten :)

29. What did you want and not get?
one MILLION DOLLARS!

30. What was your favourite film of this year?
Hellboy 2. I'm so besotted with the universe created there, same guy that did Pan
s Labyrinth, just amazing.

As for unfavourite film of the year, have to pick Juno, it was so so crap. Selfconsciously cool, clearly trying to coin catch phrases. I just hated it.

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I was twenty nine, have no idea what we did. Next year is going to be a massive blow out though yeeeaaahhh

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
meh

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
hot

34. What kept you sane?
I am so bored of this quiz right now, this is why I never do these things. And my finger is hurting *sniff*

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Horatio Hornblower

36. Which political issue stirred you the most?
Does Tina Fey playing Sarah Palin count?

37. Whom did you miss?
My bff Kate who lives in Sydney, which isn't that far away and we do see each other, but I wish I could see her every day.

38. Who was the best new person you met?
So many, but Renee gets tha mad props because she's lovely and makes me laugh so hard no sound comes out (that's how you know I'm truly amused)

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008:
You can't fix other people's problems for them.

My very own media release

Made this up before I went to the Renew Newcastle media launch this afternoon. Just talked to my grandma who said that I was on NBN news looking like a film star (isn't she gorgeous?) but I missed it, those guys work quick. Hopefully it will be posted on their website sometime soon and I can check it out.

Media Release December 2008

A new art space with the Renew Newcastle project
Emerald Arts
By Emma Stronach
A gallery, shop and interactive art space.


Opening Dec 08- Jan 09

Media preview Wednesday 10.12.08


Situated in the Hunter Street Mall, Newcastle.



The Emerald Arts will house original artworks, handmade creations by Newcastle artisans and crafters and will host art classes for young and old.

Emma Stronach is a fourth generation Novocastrian and is beyond excited to be a part of an initiative designed to breathe life back into her beloved city. The Renew Newcastle project aims to revitalize the CBD by opening up its vacant properties to creative types.

Emerald Arts will encourage community involvement in the project by running a series of holiday and after school art classes for kids, as well as zine making workshops and an Anti-Scrapbooking society for adults.

Artworks created in the shop will also be collaborative, with customers able to watch the artist as their sculptures and artworks are created and provide input as to how they will turn out.

A section of the Emerald Arts shop will be devoted to a revolving display of works by local artists and crafters. For a week long period at a time a shelf will be given over to display (and sell) arts and creations by our city’s diverse talent.

Thanks go to the Renew Newcastle project and our first property partner, the GPT group. This is an amazing opportunity for the city of Newcastle. Hope to see you at Emerald Arts soon.

All official and stuff...

This is the official media release from GPT, Renew Newcastle's first project partner:

Revitalising Newcastle
The GPT Group announces its support of the Renew Newcastle project today in line with its commitment to revitalise the Newcastle CBD.
At 3pm today, GPT will handover the keys to the first of a series of buildings it owns, to be managed by the not-for-profit company Renew Newcastle, which has been established to find short and medium term creative, artistic and community uses for vacant buildings.
Renew Newcastle will today move in to the former chapel on Morgan Street, which it will use as a base as it continues to match artists and small businesses with vacant buildings within the CBD.
The GPT Group’s Newcastle CBD Development Manager David Sleet said Renew Newcastle provided an excellent medium for contributing to the revitalisation of the CBD while it goes through a transitional phase. We also see a similar range of activities continuing as an element of the re-developed centre.
“GPT owns a range of properties within the Newcastle CBD and it is important to us that these properties are utilised to the best of their ability as we continue with our plans for GPT’s Newcastle CBD retail project. We are also undertaking other activities to improve the ambience of the area, such as installing the Christmas decorations in the Mall and Market Square.

A series of vacant shops on the Hunter Street Mall are set to become galleries, exhibitions and retailers. GPT has also identified space in Market Square that could be used as studio space.
“We are currently working with Renew Newcastle to fill any vacant shops we own that are clean and meet necessary safety codes.
“Our hope is that artists can begin moving in before Christmas,” said Sleet.

http://www.renewnewcastle.org/

Yaaaay Book Art 2

Book Art Volume 2 is now up on Etsy, both in full size and miniature.

Full: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=18470581
Mini: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=18471729

Am off to prettify myself for the Renew Newcastle media launch. No idea what to wear. My wardrobe is currently on my desk because of all household chores I hate folding washing the most, which is wierd because I love hanging it out in the sunshine. I'm thinking a summer dress with a sparkly bolero jacket, shiny heels (here's hoping I don't fall down at all, or at least not in front of the media hah, notorious for doing that, am rather tall so I don't usually wear heels but these are soooo shiny). Now I just have to find my foundation... which is god knows where. I hardly ever wear makeup either but my skin is still blotchy on my cheeks and arms from drinking too much orange juice last friday (such a delicate flower), so I'm going to foundation them, totally works ;)

Shop stuff

Full steam ahead for the Renew Newcastle project. Official media launch is tomorrow afternoon. Been wandering around Etsy looking for Christmas present ideas and came across the world's cutest robot necklaces, have ordered some from the lovely Kittyrobot for the Emerald Arts shop/gallery thing.

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=13848370

So can't wait till I can tell the world properly about Emerald Arts. At the moment we've been keeping it on the downlow. One of the NEIS girls whose boyfriend applied for a space was miffed when she heard that people had already been to the sites, inspectorating. Was sad that her boyf had missed out. Wasn't me that told btw. Anyway, I told her not to fret, as far as I am aware nobody has missed out yet, it's just that there were a lot of applications and only one person (basically) assessing them all. Marcus is a very busy boy. Basically we're just the first round, the ones that were the most ready to go. Plenty of time and opportunities for everyone else. There are about a billion vacant spaces in Newcastle after all ;)

Ooooh Wow! 2ooth post!

Well, I started this post to tell you that there is a lovely jewellry maker with a giveaway on her blog, then realised that this is my 200th post.

Check it out here ya'll http://jogirlsjourney.blogspot.com/2008/12/drum-roll-please.html


What am I going to do to celebrate? Besides drink the champers that is currently chilling in my freezer? I think I might just have my own giveaway. So here it is, comment on this post and if you win I will send you a copy of the second volume of "Book Art" and a christmas creature called Festive Phillip. I will use the good old fashioned name from hat technique to pick the winner.

Closes Sunday 14th dec, midnight (Australia time).

"Managing Through Turbulent Times" a seminar.

Today the Hunter Business Centre had a free seminar on called "as per blog title" :P It was fascinating. A guy from the Commbank descriped how the current global financial crisis has come about and how the panic in Australia is a result of how we are influenced (emotionally) by the US, even though we are actually powering ahead, with the second best economy in the world.

Did a bit of networking, listened to the speakers, but as you can see by the sketches below I got a bit distracted when they started talking numbers. These are preliminary sketches for one of Dad's developments. He's taking the old Merewether Surf House and knocking it's concrete rotted shell down, then building a gorgeous club/function room/restaurant thing. Wandered down there after the seminar and asked the hot surflife savers what colour their swimmers were. It's research, honest. They giggled.

Circling My Head: Regarding Daisy

Circling My Head: Regarding Daisy

obviously your lucky day since you are going to hear about her

Bah hahahaha awesome ;)

It's wierd, to me any more than three kids in the family sounds like a hell of a lot. Even though my grandpa was one of fourteen or so. I saw a picture of my Great Grandma once and she was absolutely tiny, surroounded by huge almostadultkids.

I nearly had two swims today... but I couldn't be bothered LOL

Just came across this photo while changing my profile pic on facebook, but I'm not going to use it in case a family member sees it and I get into trouble. So I'm putting it on my far more private blog, which is technically less secure, but as there are about five of my dearest reading it, I think I'm safe :P This is my friend Em and I for her birthday a couple of years ago. I borrowed my flatmate Candy's bellydancing costume and went as a genie. I think you can tell what Em was.

So hot today. It's ridiculously late now and I really should be sleeping. Have the markets tomorrow and was sick last night after drinking waaaay too much orange juice at graduation. How ridiculous. If they had just had champagne I would have been fine, but the salcylates are so much higher in OJ and my poor little body puffed up so much by night I couldn't wear my watch. Yeah my body is wierd :P Back to normal now though, after a day lying about in heat too intense to do ANYTHING in. The only time my brain managed even half a thought all day was when I got Ten to drive me to the baths for a swim. In the water, my body temperature lowers to that of a normal person and I feel like a mermaid. If only I could live there.

So happy and excited and on tenterhooks at the moment. Still waiting to hear back from Renew Newcastle about particulars. Such an amazing project and I am kind of champing at the bit to get into it, can't wait to start pumping some artsy blood back into the veins of my Newcastle.

Ok, so stuff sleep, I'm going to watch the delectable Mr Christian Slater in Pump Up the Volume for a while.

MWAH

-Emmeline.

The title doesn't look as light once printed and I kind of like the way that it recedes into the page.


Now I know a lot of zine people aren't into poetry, but sometimes you've just got to love it, especially when it's about the sea.

A quote from a movie or book (could be Only Cowgirls Get the Blues)



A Wip that I liked so much unfinished that I kept it that way.

After learning that tomorrow I have to take tax stuff to Elizabeth at my Dad's office I decided that I would spend part of today making the second volume of Book Art even though I have a million other things I should be doing. I rationalised that I am opening a gallery/artspace soon and I need things to fill the shop section.

These are some of the scans, inc. the front cover. Should have it up on Etsy tomorrow after I figure out how to get the file sizes smaller so that the website will accept them.

Please buy it, it's lovely I promise, and a much better read than the last one.... you know you want to ;)

Creatures & Dreams 2

This is the second issue of my colouring in book (or kidzine) "Creatures and Dreams". Featured inside, with stories, are Widget the Brave and Voodoo Susan. The book is filled with original illustrations and activities to entertain during the Christmas Holidays.

The cover is printed on card stock and the origami cranes are removeable, so that colouring is not impeded. Each crane is folded from recycled art magazines. I scan each cover separately, so the cranes you see in the first picture are the cranes you will be getting.

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=18068507


Taken me a lot longer to do this zine than the first one did, I drew/wrote whole pages in my sketchbook so that all I had to do was scan them into the computer then clean them up a bit. Pretty painstaking process, but the end result looks so much more polished.

The next door neighbours have a new puppy that has barked all day today and yesterday. I love dogs, but I am considering kidnapping it and leaving it at my parent's house with Eddie. The barking is driving me nuts, but I came up with a solution. I'm painting with Pendulum turned up on full on my ipod. Nothing like a bit of drum and bass to drown out the barking.

So much stuff I want to be doing at the moment. Everything is so urgent.

To Do list:
- lay out patterns for christmas creatures
- make up Voodoo Susan kits, Paper dolls, paint your own canvases
- scan in some images from the drop dead gorgeous book Renee sent me so I can show it's pretty on my blog
- go in to shop on Darby st to see how my things look there
- organise art supplies for the move into shop in town
- do some washing (woo exciting!)
- oh god that's so much stuff, too depressing, really got to get off blogger and get to it

ciao for now amores, back to work Emmeline.