Happy Birthday to me!

It is a Happy Birthday to me today-77 -I cannot believe it!
Well I have finally got my computer back and now all I have to do is learn how to operate Windows 8.1!
I felt a bit strange not having the computer even though I could see e-mails and Facebook on my phone. Not quite the same.
I have been making some cards and have finished a couple of my porcelain pieces. I shall upload the photos always supposing I can work out how to do that. I made my first box card and I have made a couple of cards with moving parts.
I have done my first porcelain piece using sneaky pen work-that was fun. It is still not finished as there is a lot of work to do yet.
So here are the photos!

I love my poppy vase finished too late to enter it in the Castle hill Show but there is always Penrith. I used wet grounding for the black in this vase and that was a first and so less messy than dry grounding. Then I used Dresden Base for Raised Gold to make the poppies rise out from the vase- then I painted them all this with a firing between each function.

These are the final photos.

Off for a birthday lunch with my Arthur now :) 

Good heavens! Happy new year 2014 and into the second month already. I have had nothing but problems with my computer for the last couple of months but as you can see that left out October November...
To cut a long story short Greg and Fran gave us a new computer at the beginning of December and we thought it was just Windows 8 that was the problem but turned out to be the motherboard. It was faulty.All good now all I need to do is learn how to use Windows 8.
 still can't get my old files to open with a permission denied notice coming up on everything.
However I shall take a deep breath and worry about that tomorrow.
I am getting to be like Scarlet O'Hara.
Anyway we have had a busy time with Kate's wedding in October and Pamela, the young girl next door, being married in January. Pamela's wedding was an African wedding and quite lovely.
I have also been into my new hobby and having been making lots of cards.
So as I need to go and have some lunch i shall download some of my latest photos.

The last two photographs are of my latest porcelain pieces. I am so pleased with both of these efforts so am now looking forward to the first item this year.
The other thing is that while I have been unable to do anything on the computer i have been watching a lot of card techniques on YouTube on the TV. And don't start me there one of the TV sets looks like karking it...but that would take too long to tell. Bye for now.

October 3

As promised I am trying to be more consistent with my posts. Not that I have anything very exciting to tell.
We are having the strangest weather at present -it just poured a minute ago now the sun is out. We could do with more rain -as always.
Not that I have read any of his books but I was very surprised to hear of Tom Clancy's death this morning. I wonder how many others like me only know about the films made of his books-Hunt for Red October etc.Too young to lose such a talent.
I have tried playing around with other people's blogs today so if you read this Paula you will know I have added you my list.
I love Gina K Design's videos and have added Gina's blog to my list too. I don't know enough about links and what to do with them or how to use them. One Day. I am even going to have a go at a couple of challenges-wish me luck-they have to be uploaded by Sunday and today is Thursday.
So it might be off to the craft room ASAP. Speaking of the craft room-I am gradually organising things-I upended my ribbon drawer,which was an absolute nightmare,and only kept ribbons and lace that I would use for my cards in there. All the other I have piled into another drawer-LOL-I will worry about that later-much.
It will be hard to believe -for my family-that I need to purchase another three drawers!!!

A beautiful butterfly at our lemon blossom

Another view

My daughter has zentangled this beautiful M for me-my first name is Matilda

One of my recent birthday card efforts

For my big brother Bob

Portulaca at it's best!

Stuart,my youngest son, gave me this after a day in the mountains. I keep thinking I have killed it and then it comes good again.

That is enough for today it is off to the craft room. :)

Happy 83rd Birthday Bob

I can't quite believe my big brother is 83 today! Had a lovely visit with him and his younger son Robert. Robert visits him very week and Reece and his girl friend called in yesterday so that is really nice.

As for me -well it is hot here today-way too hot for Spring.

I have been trying to buy a

top to go with my lovely black skirt to wear to Kate and Tim's wedding but so far no luck. I have until the 17th October but that is cutting it a little fine.The wedding is on the 19th...

I has been The Gazette week too so not happy Jane just about says it all. I think I have finished it but the minutes seem to have gone awry so I will make the next cool day my deadline.

I have never been a procrastinator but the older I get the more I become one!
I will upload some of my latest porcelain work. No china painting until the 22nd October but looking forward to going in for a look at the APAT Objet'D'Art Exhibition at the Grace Hotel on the 10th October.

Penned Mucha lady

This vase is a work in progress -lots of lustre

That vase again with resist that can be fired :) 

My fan plate I love this one

My Mucha lady finished Not a very good photo!

This is my latest toy for my cards-it is an envelope maker-so simple!

That will be me for today I hope to keep making entries more regularly once I get my computer upgraded.

One of Pammy's Zentangles

And she did my first initial m for Matilda!

Our Val the ADI lady nearly ready to go into her cabinet.

Some of my cards!

I used one of Pam's Zentangles for her birthday card!

It is a long long time....

Goodness I can't believe how long it has been since I checked into my blog. There is a lot of catching up to do. I am not sure now is the time as my computer is needing an upgrade but if I make a start maybe I will get into some kind of routine.
Well as I had noted, I spent January doing Zentangles. I gave a book to Pam, my daughter and she has absolutely taken it to another level. I will upload some of her work later.
February it was back to China Painting and so far I have attempted some new ideas and will upload photos later.
But my new love is making cards. I get inspiration from Gina K Designs and Catherine Pooler. I took a class with Nicole Stalker in August, Nicole is Stampin'Up Dealer and lives close to home so all my Stampin'Up goodies I will order form her in future.
My daughter Pam moved to Queensland but has now moved back to NSW and lives in a lovely place called Wangi Wangi (pronounced wonji). We went up there and spent a few days with her and John in July.
Next month the APAT are is holding an exhibition in Sydney at the Grace Hotel. I would love to attend but need to wait and see.
Still going to Encore and nearly at the end of the ADI uniform project. We have decide to do a selection of aprons, for a show next year, from 1860 to 1960.
 So far I have made one apron probably about 1950. As we are concentrating on 1860-1910, I need to get cracking on one of those.
A friend has offered to cut out my 1920's dress as cutting out kills my back! My Arthur said maybe he needs to make me a table like the one he made for Pam. Pamela is very tall and bending was hurting her back and she asked Arthur to make her a table with very long legs, which he did and she can just stand and do what needs to be done. My only problem would be where to put it!
I have to hang the clothes out now but I will be back-promise!