Illustration Friday - Perspective

Chalk on paper

From the fox's perspective broken chicken wire is an open invitation to the hen house.

Macau and Hong Kong

I started this post about our trip to Australia in December, weeks ago! Better late than never, I guess!

I'm starting with some photos of Macau which was our first port of call en route to Sydney at Christmas. We just overnighted here so didn't get a chance to take photos before travelling on to Hong Kong. However, I'm posting some pics I took a couple of years ago when we visited whilst living in Hong Kong. Macau has been undergoing a building boom, with new Casinos and hotels being constructed at a rate of knots - there are some amazing buildings - I had some fun with the reflections!

Macau - Reflections

We took the ferry over to Hong Kong where the skyline is one of the best in the world!

View across to the Hong Kong Harbour from the Peak (good visibility - rare these days!)

More amazing buildings!

I love the colourful markets - always something to snap!

Beads galore!

Pharmacy window

Pretty lanterns

I couldn't resist popping in these two colourful heads from dragonboats - I took these photos on Hong Kong's outlying islands where we used to have wonderful days out hiking.

A finally a beautiful lotus flower.

I'll post photos from Australia next time.

Thankful Thursday

I am thankful that we are at last up and running with a shiny new laptop and modem! I've really missed my keyboard ....

I had to resort to plastic bags for fun places to hang out!

Being without her beloved computer has meant that 'She' hasn't been very friendly either . She even yelled at me and then wouldn't speak to me for a whole day!! What's that all about? You may well ask, though I believe it had something to do with me testing my teeth on one of the new modem wires and chewing right through - I mean, what's another day without internet access? So I hid in this bag waiting to swipe her ankles MOL!

Ok, enough of our computer woes - I'm handing this back to Mum again to tell you about all the lovely things that have been dropping into her mail box over the last couple of weeks.



First off - my travelling book arrived safely back home! This photo shows all eight pages (best to click it to enlarge) and what a treat it was to finally see all the lovely work my Arty SoulSisters have made for me - thanks so much girls, I'll treasure all the colourful paintings, textiles, collages and folded paper you've created for my colour and shape-themed book!! Now just got to work out how I'm going to bind the whole thing together with my cover and first page.



I was totally surprised by this wonderful stitched textile which arrived from Dolores Sedore in Canada - this was a piece from the art exchange I took part in before Xmas! If you're reading this Dolores, I'm sending you a BIG thank you - I truly appreciate how much work went into its making. Unfortunately, I don't know where your blog is - does anyone else out there know?






Also from the same art exchange came these adorable pieces from Paola Zakimi - all the way from Argentina! I think they've been on their travels for a long while (posted before Xmas!) but they eventually made it here safe and sound. Aren't they super? Thanks Paola!



Next up is this lovely little painting from Silke - we agreed a private exchange a while back and she sent me this pretty lady with the most gorgeous green eyes - thanks so much Silke, it was fun to exchange with you!

Finally, a delightful Egret postcard from Suki from our Global Greetings Mail Art group - please hop over to visit our blog to read more about it and all the other great cards that are being exchanged - there's lots going on over there. Thanks Suki!

And last, but not least, many thanks to all of you who left such supportive comments during my enforced blogging absence! I've missed you all !

We are not amused!

Originally uploaded by carolinesoer

Indeed - we are not amused!! Our laptop and the internet were struck by lightening last week and we are still not back to normal here. What's a cat to do without a warm keyboard? Anyway, Mum just wanted to send a BIG thankyou to all who have left her such super comments on her last two posts and to let you all know that we'll be back commenting and posting just as soon as it is possible! Thanks, Tia x

Illustration Friday - Muddy

'Muddy' - watercolour

Getting muddy - that's what happy little piggies do best!

I painted this quickly this morning and enjoyed sloshing the paint around a bit after last week's more precise painting. Here's a link to another 'muddy' which I posted some months ago for IF Wallow.

Illustration Friday

Appleblossom and Bees - watercolour

click to enlarge

Just scraping in here with 'Focused' with a few hours of Friday left before the new word is posted! A botanical watercolour painting this time which has had me focused for several days. I've been using a magnifying glass to create this and definitely need to rest my eyes for a while!

Stop Thief!

Me (Charlie)

Hello! It's Charlie here. Mum's busy so I thought I'd help her out by writing a news story for her blog.

Are you sitting comfortably? Then I'll begin.

Just a couple of nights ago I was in the kitchen helping Mum to prepare dinner, when, ever alert, I began to feel there was someone else there in the kitchen with us....

Yep, lo and behold, there behind us, bold as brass, was a monkey sitting on the counter!! I mean ... how cheeky can you get? And, he was helping himself from a bowl of rice, if you please!!!!!

Well, cheeky monkey !!

Yikes!! I was speechless and Mum was shrieking and waving the spoon and stir-fry chicken all over the place! Whilst pondering how best to approach this situation, i.e. whether to eat the chicken or chase the monkey, he scarpered! Phew, that was a close shave! Don't tell anyone, but I get a bit nervous around Monkeys - believe me, it's definitely best to keep a low profile if you meet one! After all, they're bigger than me and fierce ... and I have it on good authority from the mutt next door, that if they get really annoyed with you, they throw their poo at you!! Eeuw!! No manners!

Well, fortunately, this one was more concerned with his prize, though he had the audacity to hang around for a while on the wall by the kitchen door, gloating! We had the last laugh though - that rice must have been less than tasty , as it was just out of the freezer and still frozen solid , MOL!!!!

Here I am hot in pursuit - of course, I gave him a 5 minute head start!