Images of the Southern Highands Christmas Fair

 

7 things - not-christmas-trees

Have you got your Christmas tree already? Are you getting a "real" one, or do you have the kind that you pack away in a cardboard box every year?

We always used to have a fresh one sold by the local bushfire brigades as a fundraising thing, but the last couple of years we haven't had one at all.
Something to do with kids not being here + us not being here + not being here for the tree-selling weekend +

How about a not-tree?

Here are some ideas -

branch tree from Turtles and Tails

little drifwood tree from notonthehighstreet

wall decals from tinyme

bottle tree from C.R.A.F.T

DIY alternative christmas tree from freepeople

I think I could just about manage this one!

shelf tree from hoipippo

Amelia Herbertson - an Orange Friday Friend.

I'm in love.....with Amelia Herbertson's art!
Seriously how sweet is it?
And she is the sweetest person too.....read on.....

Who are you and what do you do?

My name is Amelia Herbertson and I am an artist living in Orange in regional NSW, Australia.
I like to paint with watercolour and gouache, as well as use fine tipped ink pens to create intricately detailed patterns. 
I turn my artworks into art prints, greeting cards and gift tags. 
I am also a print maker, and have a range of bold colourful lino prints and lino printed greeting cards.


Who or what inspire you?
 I am inspires by old children's books and have a large collection of them. I scour book sales and op shops for them and my favorites are from the 1950's and 60's. I love the style and simplicity of the illustrations. I also have drawers and boxes full of paper ephemera - postage stamps, scraps of vintage gift wrap and wall paper which I also love to look through for inspiration. 

Your signature or favorite item.
My "Big Bird" lino print.
It's my largest print and has been my biggest sellers over the years. I really love that design and I think it is probably the most recognisable of my designs.

What do you most enjoy doing?

I most enjoy sitting at my desk with a cup of tea and a fresh sheet of paper and my paintbrush. 

I like to get lost in my thoughts and lose track of time. 
I don’t get to do this as often as I would like, as I have to take care of all the other aspects of running my tiny business.

How did you start along this road? 

I have always been creative and loved to make my own greeting cards when I was a kid.
I have never had a proper 9 - 5 job and this just seemed like a natural progression.
Years ago, when I was still at school and first discovered design blogs, I came across the work of artists who sold their work on a (then) little webite called Etsy, and I thought "I want to do that." Seeing them doing it made the possibility of being an artist seem more available to me.
I began drawing in a sketchbook every chance I could and learning as I went.
It took me a long time to gather the courage to show anyone my work.

5 things you would say to other new artists/crafters/home businesses.

  1. Work hard and keep practicing. Make new things as much as you can and keep at it. It can seem daunting at first but just do a little bit everyday and you will get there.

       2.Make mistakes. Don’t be afraid of failure. You will make mistakes (it won’t be the end of the world) and you will learn from them. Every single artist/maker/business owner you admire has made plenty of mistakes to get where they are.

3     3. Be true to yourself. Don’t listen to others who try to put you down for being brave enough to take a risk and try something that goes against the conventional way of making a living. Prove them wrong!

4     4. Don’t give up. You will want to give up many times but remember that you will have always have ups and downs and things will get better again.

            5. Have fun. The most important thing to remember is that you are doing this because you love it, so remember not to get bogged down in the little things and enjoy it! 

I regularly (well, twice a year) catch up with Amelia at the Millthorpe Markets and her stall always look so fabulously enticing.

You can find her here -
www.ameliaherbertson.com

https://www.etsy.com/shop/AmeliaHerbertson

https://www.facebook.com/AmeliaHerbertsonArt

ps. I apologise for the font-strangeness and the uneven layout but I'm having all sorts of problems with my blog today. I feel like I'm shouting a bit and I'll try and fix it up later.

An Orange weekend

Photos above are at our favorite winery in the Orange region - Patina Wines.
There is an enchanting garden walk with all sorts of old-english flowers.
It's well worth a visit.

Then we found a fig farm.
Unfortunately the figs are not quite ready but we met the charming Mr Bradley of Norland Figs.

Some unusual farm sheds.

Last stop for a late lunch on the terrace at Brangayne Winery with a fine view over Orange and a very fine tipple of sauvignon blanc.

What I've been working on.

It's crazy week!
It's crazy at this time of year anyway isn't it?
But I've got 2 more weekends of 2 days markets and tomorrow I take my wares to hubs work and set up in the canteen. It's always good to catch up with the people he works with and a very convenient opportunity for the guys there to pick up a pressie for their wife.

So this is what has been on the bead board the last few days.

natural amethyst necklace

blue lace agate necklace

simple white howlite necklace

long white shell beads necklace

funky purple pearl shell necklace

rough cut rose quartz necklace

many treasures memory wire bracelets

long accent bead and seed bead necklaces

I also managed to whip up a few more kombi tshirts as these seem to be the most popular at the moment....but when they have gone, that is it! No more Boos Tees tshirts.

What have you been up to this week?
Is it mad-crazy in your neck of the woods?

#reverb13 days 1 and 2

Day 1.
How do you feel, on this first day, in your mind? In your body? In your heart? In your soul?

I feel

tired,
excited,
apprehensive,
torn,
tentative,
unsure,
worried,
stressed,
worn out.


Day 2.
Nourishment.
The way we nourish ourselves determines our ability to shine our light in the world. And nourishment doesn't just come in the form of food and drink and sunshine; it's equally important to nourish your spirit.

What made your soul feel most nourished this year?

A holiday in Italy.
Seeing my children continue to grow into strong, successful, independent adults.
Walking in the bush.
Coffee with friends.
Reading books I probably normally wouldn't and sharing them in my book club.
Finally getting to a Bruce Springsteen concert.
When people love my jewellery creations.


It's not too late for you to join in as well with Kat McNally's reverb13. - a chance to look back and reflect on the past year.
You can find out all about it here.

Scenes from my life.

Katoomba roofs

Orange raspberries

Orange wine

Penrith Lakes

sunny day

burnt bush

unburnt bush

weeping gum

Millthorpe markets