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A very special sign

what a glorious sunny day today when I installed this very special sign in a most idyllic spot called "Angels Rest"

it was a pleasure to be chosen to work on such a fulfilling commission 

more images of this sign in the making are on my facebook page, just click on the top or bottom photo for a direct link.

A Huia and a double twist pendant

I finished a very special commissioned mermaid on driftwood today.

She is a Gypsy Mermaid and carries in her hand a Huia, an extinct New Zealand native bird {click here for more info if you like to know more} 

 I was asked to make her as a gift and I just received a phonecall that she was very well received, this warms my heart.

And I also finally finished this portrait this week, had to touch her up when I re-stretched the canvas and suddenly felt she needed something around her neck or so.....she now wears a necklace with a traditional Maori carving pendant. It's a double/triple twist which symbolizes "Infinite" {click here for more info on these carvings and there meanings} 

And I helped out at the Midnight Circus again this morning, art activities with the kids. I made stencils of circus Monkeys and Elephants and had a ball making loads and loads of cool pictures with the kids.

It's been hard work lately, but hard work is okay when you like it :)

  

Time flies......

I saw "Frida" -the movie on TV the other day. I had seen this movie before, but that was a while ago now. It inspired me to make something Frida-ish again....she sold within a day.

Time flies when you're having fun.

♥ 

hehe, I heard a little innocent joke about two frogs: 

One frog says to the other:" Time's fun when you're having flies..." 

I had to laugh, I love frogs and I like simple jokes. The world is too dark as it is.

 ♥

But anyway....what I wanted to share with you today is this: I have been really really busy with lots of things and have not been able to find proper time to blog at all. I manage to quickly throw things on my Facebook page though, but that's about it. (So check out my page here if you want to see the quick posts) I am teaching lots of art classes and preparations (and patching up help in between) takes up quite a bit of my "spare" time. I desperately wish for some "me" art time and even that seems to be a little rushed, although..........see, there's the thing.....every disadvantage comes with opportunities and I am at a stage with my art that I actually wish for some "loosening up" in my works and not having an abundance of time to work on a project makes it so I HAVE to loosen up and accept the imperfect in my eyes as being a finished work. And I am studying different painting styles again and practicing when I can (see HERE) Stay posted I will share what I am up to of course, but for now, if you don't see anything here, check out (and "like" my page)

♥

Time......

Time flies, where does it go ? 

It's been quite a while since I blogged. I have been busy which is good of course. I have been challenging myself, done some 20 minute painting excercizes (want to keep doing that, they are so much fun and so exciting!) I have also started to do some palette knife excercizes again and this picture "Worship" is  the biggest knife painting I have done so far. Oh and one of my paintings has made it into the Beachside Art Auction (fundraiser for the Papamoa Kindergarten) on the 15th June (that's pretty exciting too) 

And my weekly classes have started again of course, so yes, this Miss Pippi is off the street and again searching desperately for more hours each day....but having loads of fun with everything.

Iphone cases and skins ... and more !

I have recently set up shop at Society6 and they have such great products, it is so excited to see my own images on Iphone cases and skins and pillows etc.etc.

Maybe you see something you like...just follow the clickable links and have a look yourself. You shop on-line and get the goodies delivered on your doorstep !

Any design of mine that you would like to see, send me a message ;) 

IPhone cases and IPhone-IPod skins

Laptop-IPad skins

Pillows

Somewhere over the Rainbow -by me-

Here's my latest entry I did in my journal. Partially done on the ferry between South and North Island and finished last night at my new home amongst boxes still to be unpacked.... I just had to do something creative, couldn't stand it any longer. The spread in my Moleskine shows a little how I feel at the moment, like jumping in a deep deep pool with my eyes covered and taking a plunge.....where will we end up ? Adventure and excitement, but also uncertain and a bit scary. I need to play art some more, maybe will find a bit of time tonight again.....but will start putting things away first now, finding places for all our stuff....need to get that done as well...

Where do I belong ?

One of the journal entries...

While I was starting to draw something over the gesso layer that I had painted over my text,

I suddenly had to think about the little hermit crab with its house on its back, that little hermit crab belongs wherever it is, because it's got its house with him.

A comfy thought....

Mermaid Journal so far...

I am steadily adding more to the Mermaid journal/sketchbook

... thought I'll post a "so far"...

here are some excercises with paints and materials

some prompts I worked on

...there is more...

...which I'll show at a later stage...

Retro-ish

A cover I did for my Journal/Sketchbook

where I keep all about my mermaids

limited print now available on Etsy

Tangled Maids

These are Chunkies, the challenge was Black and White

I thought this was a nice opportunity to do some

Zentangle practice

for a swap at atcsforall.com

dowN wheRe iT's Better

Down where it's Better ~ Under the Sea ~ The Seabed

PiraTeS love MErmAidS Yo Ho !

"Yo Ho, Yo Ho , a pirates life for me

we pillage and plunder, we rifle and loot

Aye and we're loved by our Mermies to boot,

Drink up me 'earties YoHo !..."

(my own spin on the lyrics of "YoHo" by Xavier Antencio)

Pensive

A work in progress or no longer ?

I like the unfinished kinda look to it

and the monochromatic with a hint of colour,

we'll see if I can keep my pencils

and brushes off her long enough...

Eskimo Blues

"Snow falls thick and cold

the Eskimo takes a deep breath

and pulls up his hood"

~

Haiku by Joyce van de Lely 2010 ©

~

I really like making these little Haiku or Poems with my work now, every time I draw something I find my mind wondering to find words that would go with it.

So this is another combination of ATCs I made for a swap and a little poem to go with them.

Antler Maiden

"Deep in the Forest

I found two peaceful Doe

and captured them with paint"

~

Haiku by Joyce van der Lely © 2010

~

I have been a bit disturbed by the Earthquake we had Saturday

and we still have aftershocks regularly throughout the day and night.

I try to get some peace and quiet by making my Art

but I am not always succesful with this

it's a creepy experience

I hope a -once in a lifetime thing- only...

Needle felted Mermaid

Here's a needle felted mermaid I made a while ago

I found her again and I realized I have to do one like this again soon

Dry-needle-felting is great fun !

(stay focussed or you'll poke your fingers...believe me, I know...)

-I used New Zealand Merino wool-

Here' a youtube tutorial for sculptural needle felting

Fur Babies !

Two of my friends just got FUR BABIES !!

They each have an 11 week old Miniature Schnauzer (they are sisters...the doggies, not the friends...) and tonight we had an impromptu Puppy Shower for them.

It was so much FUN ! We had shortbread biscuits in the shape of doggie bones and other yummie stuff too and of course the two little ones were there as well, receiving their presents.I got them a bag of puppie bones to chew on and some beef jerky treats and I made them a card. Just simple pencil drawings - monochromatic with a little pink on creamy cardstock

A Mermaid Booklet and her value studies

I am doing colour value studies

for La Sirena

(the back-to-school-feeling is creeping up on me, haha)

but of course I cannot resist the odd little portrait in between the excersises

Red Work

An in-between-project...

A Birthday present:

It's a recycled journal I bought and I made a journalcover of pieced fabrics

with a little portrait on cotton on top.

It's for a friend who had her Birthday when I was away

and she likes patchwork, stitching and quilting.