A Winter's Sunday.

Today was cold. Finally  winter has really decided to announce itself. The rain, and fleeting sunshine, was lovely but the wind chill factor was not at all pleasant.  As a result, I spent little time in the garden. I did manage to do  a little weeding; with the rain the ground is soft and it is so much easier to extract those stubborn weeds with long tap roots.

I also managed to pull a lot of rocket (lettuce) to take to work tomorrow. (Not a favourite in our household.) I sowed a mixture of lettuce seed and the rocket had decided to, well, rocket ahead of the green and red lettuces.  While I was there, I also thinned some of the broccoli seedlings and moved them to the now vacant spaces.

Today, I decided to concentrate on some artistic adventures. I managed to make a couple of sets of amulets and matching earrings in my Ocotarm series. You may remember my bookmarks that are now available also.  (New Portable Art to Carry with You)

These have pierced drop earrings and an amulet on adjustable leather cording. Earrings $15, amulet $15

 

I have also some individual amulets on cording. Large $20, Small $15. And finally, a bangle in silver $15.  

More information can be found at my website for my Portable Art or on my Facebook Page for Ocotarm Jewelry.

When I Am Not Writing...

I have an idea for a short story, a little less fantasy/speculative fiction than I normally write but today I had problems getting the words to flow. I did manage 645 out of maximum of 2000 words so I have got  a start on it. There is just this segue scene.... 

So I took a break to let them muddle about, in my head, and see if they will come out to play tomorrow. 

My break  consisted of  some arty stuff and some garden-y stuff. 

Firstly, I tried out some new designs for Octoarm jewelry. Right now I have two new purple necklaces ($15+postage each). I have almost finished two sets of necklace with matching earrings. One set in purple and the other in red. I also made up some new bookmarks in red, green and blue.

Then some gardening: We had an old twenty-year old golden diosma bush in the front yard. Over this past (very hot) summer, it died. Since then, it has been a large, brown eyesore welcoming everyone's arrival at our house. Yesterday, we decided it had to finally go. (This photo was taken at 9.00 pm so is very dark...) My husband assisted me in digging it out.

This was no an easy task as we had to coax out all of the roots and then do a modern archeological dig to find the water pipes. We had previously 'dialed before we dug' so knew roughly where they should have gone. The information supplied, however, is not very detailed so today we returned to the scene of the crime and just kept digging along the pipe to ascertain its path. Luckily, it was in the opposite direction to our preferred place for the new lemon tree that will replace it!

The next step is to dig in buckets of old manure and compost and let it settle for a few weeks before we go shopping for a new dwarf lemon tree!!

Have a productive day, dear readers!

More gallery showing, Portable Art for Sale and lots of Framing!

This weekend, I have been putting together items to sell at a new location:

A Rare Notion - a shop in the Adelaide Arcade in the city. 

You can find the shop at 110 Balcony Level, Adelaide Arcade. The lovely Mandy sells jewelry, craft and art supplies, vintage clothing and collectibles. 

I now have some of my Octoarm bookmarks, badges and The Question mugs available for sale there.

  

I have also got some of my original photography on mini-gallery display and for sale at A Rare Notion. Pink, Yellow and Dots are now available for purchase as matted 5x7 " in an 8x10" frame, for $30.

 

It was definately a day for framing today. I have also framed my latest photography work, Writing and hope to have it on sale soon.

Today, I am making some more badges for sale and planning a new tshirt...

Just for fun, we dug out some of the autographed photos we have collected at recent conventions. We spent the afternoon framing them and (my now  thumb-sore) husband did some hammering so we could put them on the playroom wall. Somewhere in boxes or suitcases, I also have various autographed photos, from the many conventions I attended in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s... 

somewhere.....!!

New Portable Art to carry with you

After some deep-thought posts, here is a lighter one. I have been doing some more arty stuff.

Introducing new  Optoarms bookmarks. Something new I have been making for the discerning gentle who has an affinity for octopi!

These are available direct from my website for now.
http://purplefiles.net/karencarlisle/KCC_BuyStuff_PORTABLE_ART_DirectSales.html

Each is individually made, so pictures of each one will be posted as they become available.

1. Light Brown OCT0B1

2. Dark Brown OCT0B2 

3. Gold OCT0G1 

4. Silver OCT0S1