And this wonderful, creative journey continues.....

Hi all,

We are finally back home after a wonderful break with the folks!!!!!!!!!

We are well rested after spending our summer days lazing around the pool, seeing beautiful friends and family and enjoying a holiday away!!!

There is so much that I need to write about I hardly even know where to start.

Firstly I was so busy being creative before I left that I didn't get a chance to share what I had been doing.

Here are some peeks at what I got up to on my creative 10 day retreat......

My selection of paints, on the floor!!!!!!!!!!!!! I actually took over the lounge room and used that as my studio!!!!! (Close to kitchen for a cup of coffee:))

These are the 3 Lighthouses I completed all lined up in a row. I drove them all to Latitude Gallery in Geraldton and they have all already sold. YAY!!!!!!!

A gorgeous friend of mine has the blue and gold one and is taking it back to America with her!!!!!:)

Here is a close up.

Then I have remained inspired by my Salt Dish Tree and painted this one. I love how bright and full of life it is.

This one has sold too!!!!

I also did a midnight blue tree but forgot to take a photo of it!!!!:(

I think that I might have one on my iphone so will try to upload it to facebook. So please check it out there:) Yes it's there!!!!

Then after Christmas I painted madly to produce 2 pieces for the Midwest Art Prize. Unfortunately my work was not accepted. But I am thrilled that 2 of my great friends Donna Heart and Helen Ansell were successful. Way to go girls!!!!!:)

These images are close ups of a seagull tree that I painted titled Liberte d'sprite....Freedom of Spirit!!!! I absolutely love it and thoroughly enjoyed painting it!!!!!

The wings of the birds have detailed, hand drawn Australiana flora on them to create an intricate pattern.

This is the top of the tree.

Then the waves below!

And then the detailed ground...made into a freeze, with fish, sea weed, seeds etc etc

I also added a quote from Marianne Williamson. (I think that Nelson Mandela also used it in his Freedom Speech.)

"Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond message. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us."

I also seem to have not photographed my final piece or the peacock that I drew. Once again I think that they are on my iphone and will try to upload some images onto facebook!!!!

(It's there so please have a look and let me know what you think!!!)

Then after all that it was my gorgeous girl's 5th birthday:)

Look at that cheeky beautiful face!!!

This was her Ariel birthday cake!!!!! Phew!!! Thanks mom for your help here!!!! I am so not a baker!! Poor Starzia:(.

And this was her dressed up as Ariel for her birthday party!!!!!

She had such a wonderful day. We all did!!

Then I started painting again!!!! Besides trees I am also madly into mandella's.

This is my peacock mandella in progress.

I will show you the finished piece as soon as its done!!!

So now I am home, and loving it and ready to paint up a storm.

My goals are to get my work into the Gallery here in town, take a Tafe course so that I can be a student again!!!, approach some shops to take my clothing label and strive to get my business off the ground.

(And yes get my Etsy site rolling too!!!!!)

Plus it's my big birthday on Monday so it has been a whirl wind of an ending to 2011 and the beginning of 2012. But what a lovely way to live life....... :)

Skye and Starz xx