The Epic Three Tea Tuesday Post

I will open with the warning that this is an epic post... The Tuesday itself hasn't been Epic, but this post has taken on Tolstoy proportions, so you may want to make a cuppa before you start...  and if you read on and then start bitching and moaning just remember that I did warn you....

So...I don't think it is any surprise that it doesn't take much to amuse me... and I'm not exactly  deep and meaningful type person... I'm not given to a great deal of introspection and have a tendency to not delve into those scary deep waters of my psyche... I am more a shallow pool of obvious... so when I got a couple of emails saying I had been tagged there was some trepidation at the fact that they may ask searching questions... what if I couldn't answer them... what if the veil of cyber wonderfullness slips and I am revealed to be the boring sod that I have a sneaking suspicion is my real self...  and normally I don't participate in things like this but I kind of figured why not...

So my answers are being accompanied by a huge cup or three of Green Tea with Jasmine and Pear, which should mean I can focus and give great answers but sadly it is not being drunk out of one of the mugs that I have drawn, because it turns out that the shop catalogue that showed them on Sunday lied about them being available on line and despite feeling out Sinus yesterday morning to see how he felt about us driving into the city so I could buy one and use it while I blog... it would appear that that didn't appeal to him... funny that ... 

Anyway tag one questions are from Lori Moon at Lori Moon Studio

1. Coffee or Tea? Easy Peasy  it is Tea all the way

2. What's your favorite color? Cobalt Teal

3. What's your least favorite color? Baby Poo Brown... or vomit yellow... or snot green 
4. Do you use your favorite color more in your art? Abso feaking lutely
5. Are you a cat or a dog person? Dog... infact prefer puppies to babies even...
6. If you could have lunch with one person (alive or dead) who would it be? George Clooney
7. Carnivore, Vegetarian, or Vegan? Carnivore with Chippy monster tendencies
8. What's your favorite piece of clothing that you wear often? Sadly that would be a pair of Velour track pants...
9. What's your favorite way to spend a rainy afternoon? ... doing bugger all in said velour track pants 
10. Snow or Sand? Sand
11. If you had 12 hours in between flights in NYC, what would you do? Visit Lori for a cuppa and chat in person...

And because I am an easy target I also get tagged by Pauline Leger over at Journal Illustrations and Musings and can I say these are a touch tougher to answer....

1. Favorite ice cream flavor? Butter Pecan

2. Favorite book (or movie)? Have to go movie here cause can't pick just one book... Movie is George Clooney...  and yes yes that isn't a movie but I don't care what it is along as he is in it...

3. One thing that you love? (thing, not person) :-) My Blue Kitchen aide mixer

4. What makes you smile? Someone tripping... or even funnier is the dog tripping... anyone tripping really as long as it isn't me

5. Where was your best vacation? Coolum Beach

6. What color is your car (if you have one) or your bike? Black

7. If money was no object, what is the ONE thing you would do? Buy a self cleaning and self organising house

8. Where do you feel most at home or 'connected' to the world? In my studio

9. high heels or flip flops? Flip Flops

10. If you could change one thing about your life, what would it be? I would have one of those metabolisms that meant I could eat anything and never never put on weight...

11.What are you most proud of? My daughter and husband... boring but true

Of course over night it occurred to me that I also get to write 11 questions and I have to say this appealed mightily and seeing as Sinus Man was in full and glorious flight last night , I had plenty of time to think about it ....which is a lot more constructive than the normal thoughts which I have in that situation which usually go along the lines of wondering if thumping someone with a telephone book would actually leave no mark... or how long I could pinch his nose shut before he would actually suffer from brain damage... you know normal I can't stand this snoring for a moment longer thoughts... so I bounced out of bed with a giggle in my heart rather than my normal grump a thon that usually greets the start of my day at 5.30am... 

I did try some of the questions on both Sinus and Phoebe and while they were not as amused as I hoped... ... they did elicit a small snort or two of mirth and only minimal eye rolling and so here are my 11 questions....

1. How would you rate your breakdancing ability.... 1 being a demented spider and 10 being a drunken sailor???
2. What is the worst book you have ever read???
3. George Clooney or Brad Pitt???
4. Do you prefer Chocolate Eggs or Bunnies???... chocolate bunnies that is... I mean of course you would eat chocolate eggs rather than a real bunny.... or at least I hope you would....
5. What is your guilty TV watching pleasure???
6. If you could change your name, what would it be???
7. What is the worst.... and I am talking the absolute worst present you have ever received????
8. What song do you sing at the top of your lungs when no one is listening???
9. Mummy/Mommy issues or Daddy issues????
10. How good are you at parking a car.... 1 being you could reverse park blindfolded in the world's smallest parking spot and 10 being any car in a three spot radius is in danger of being bumped????
11. The perpetual catered function dining question.... Chicken or Fish?? 

So we are supposed to target 11 victims and get them to answer and link back here and then pass it on and yada yada... but I have never handled being told what to do and if you want the rules head back to Lori or Pauline, so here are my victims and I hope they have some fun....

1. Lori Moon... payback baby
2. Pauline Leger... ditto on the payback
3. Stephanie
4. Vonny K...
5. Jean
6. Laurie 
7. Carolyn
8. Sandra De
9. Tracy without and E
10. Renee
11. Andrea

Now if you would by some chance like to answer these questions and you are not on the list... I would love to hear and please please do so... maybe even just answer one if you leave a comment... just give me a little taste...

Congrats to all who made it to the end of the epic...thanks for hanging in there... and if you didn't read it and just scrolled down to see just how long it is... I do understand...xx

A Welcome Distraction

Can't believe I'm saying this 

but think I need a break from Chocolate

pacing myself might be a prudent move

as Chocolate Day is still two weeks away

and I want to be able to enjoy the chocolate season

in its full and magnificent sugar haze inducing glory

plus I managed to demolish a bunny

and several small eggs

after painting them the other day

and as I have a major allergy to exercise

it may be best if I limit my intake

I tried the whole park the car a bit further away

at the grocery shop this morning

thinking I could sneak up on some activity

but even I can't maintain the delusion that that is enough to warrant

an egg fest

so I plan to be strong, or at the very least strong ... ish

So no more eating of eggs prior to egg Sunday

and I will virtuously turn my head away from temptation

and return from the grocery shop with no rabbits, eggs or chocolates

and more than anything I will not paint any more chocolate products

This is the most important because to paint them

they must sit on my desk

and then they start their siren call

and everyone knows that once the call starts it must be heeded

I don't want them to think I don't love them after all...

soooo

no chocolate themed drawing here today

no way 

I am turning over a new leaf...

or maybe petal might be more accurate

as I seem to have edited out the leaves

and 

I have drawn and painted some flowers onto a card

from a photo 

taken by Sophia over at 

Blue Chair Illustrations

and as it has provided me with the distraction

needed to get back on the chocolate wagon

 it only seems fitting that I link it up with Sunday Sketches..xx

update two hours later... one small egg gone

 distraction failed miserably

I curse you shiny pretty eggs glittering 

so sweetly in the light of the fridge....

Getting my Elmer Fudd on...

It is that time of year

when wascally wabbits

are evewywhere...

They stalk me in the grocery shop

I feel their pleading eyes following from aisle to aisle

standing there in their shiny purple jackets and clutching their purse

but I am strong

stronger than I am faced with Arizona iced tea

stronger than when faced with George Clooney

then again

maybe I wouldn't resist too hard there

sorry Sinus.... but it is George, you understand

and I know I wouldn't be able to resist a chocolate George Clooney

Yummo!!!

Anyway.....

 some have slipped through the net and now

they stalk me at the top of my stairs

where the daughter

has them standing like a row of

yummy chocolate torture...

I actually bought Sinus a chocolate football to distract him

because he is quite the wabbit man

and so far it seems to be working...

mind you the football is gone

so not sure the wascally ladies will survive the weekend

and I am distracting myself with these little beauties

well I was until I devoured the last one

allowing me to type in a glorious chocolate haze...

this is simply my favourite time of the year

and I am sure there will be other chocolate seasonal goodness 

over at Paint Party Friday...

There is a dog on my Workdesk Wednesday

There is a dog on my desk this Wednesday

poor Mushu had a haircut last week

but unlike Samson losing his strength

poor old mutt has lost his courage

not that he had much to start with

but for some reason he has become sooo clingy

he is not content with sitting at my feet

and instead has positioned himself on my desk

I didn't think he would actually stay there

and just sat him there to give my arms a rest from holding him on my lap

but he has been there for an hour

watching me as I was drawing

but then I started to add colour

and he started licking the paints

which are thankfully non toxic 

so I figured it may be best to abandon that for now...

so while I don't have exciting artwork to show off on my desk

at least I have a dog on my desk

and that is a line I never expected to write in a blog

and seemed like too good an opportunity not to share it with Julia 

and all her desk stalkers over at Stamping Ground...

Beside my desk however

is full of finished bits and pieces

only because I now have masses of storage

in which to hide away

all the unfinished stuff

actually I am lying a bit because this pic was this morning

and it is now clear after a trip to the post office

which is just as well because the post man just delivered a wonderful surprise

The lovely Rita over at Soul Comfort 

has made me this beautiful tea themed card

and sent it through to me

which is a big deal

as Rita is a coffee girl and I know how territorial you coffee people get

It is just beautiful and gave me a lift 

on a very grey and miserable day

and there was a great letter inside

written in the most wonderful handwriting

which means that I am now slightly embarrassed 

that she will be getting my chicken scrawl in hers

but at least I got it sent off before this one arrived...

Rita suggested a swap after I posted this painting that I did

 on my blog recently

and in that post I  had a whinge about 

not liking snail mail because I all I get is bills

and that all the good mail came via email

so I stand corrected

and great fun things come via the mail

and a huge thanks to Rita

for making my day

and the card will be on my desk

as soon as I get the dog to move over a bit...xx

My Little Pony in a Cup

Sometimes I am so taken in with great packaging

that I end up with some slightly dodgy tea

The colour and design of the package is wonderful

the colour of the tea is just stunning

and I was so excited to have that first sip 

when I saw its glowing pinky orange wonderfulness

but that sip induced a pursing of the lips 

and a squinting of the eyes of epic proportions

This tea is sweet

and not just that pleasant tinge of strawberry and cream sweet

that the beautiful beautiful packet suggests

this is more than a touch like drinking a blended my little pony

it actually tastes pink and oddly plastic

not at all like the usually lovely T2 teas that I am accustomed to

I am sad to say that this is not my cup of tea at all

or at least not today

actually not quite sure when it will be 

but thinking the packaging alone 

will probably sucker me in again at some stage...

So with a palate cleansing cup of Lady Grey at my side

I am attacking the first pages of my zine

the planning stages are done

initial sketches are planned and sorted

My favourite Micron pens are itching to come out

and create pages of tea themed drawings and illustrations

I am so excited about this 

though there is one page that will be redrawn in part

because that package 

no matter how pretty is just

not making the grade into the zine...

So I am settling in for a lovely afternoon of drawing

and tea drinking

and in my breaks I am going to head over to Kimmie

and see what tea her and her tea buddies 

are drinking this fine Tuesday...xx

Something Green Sunday Sketch

Hello there Mint Creamy Eggs

I have missed your chocolatey goodness

I have missed the way that shiny alfoily jacket

hugs your wonderful curved middle...

the way you shine and glitter so beautifully

even under the ugly glare of supermarket lighting...

I have missed that magic creamy minty inside

so perfectly encased in smooth dark chocolate

The wonderful delicious knowledge that you are in the fridge

getting all chilled and crisp

just waiting for just the right moment

to make my day just that little bit better...

that little bit sweeter

and are so inspiring that I even try the dreaded inktense pencils again

and you make them look much better than they normally look

I tell you there is no end to your talents

Ahhh Easter thank you for heading our way again

and giving me my favourite Something Green

for the Artist's Play Room and Sunday Sketches

and now I am off to eat one of my subjects

or maybe both...xx

The Family Opera House

Family and old photos are one of those things

that fill us with that mix of joy and nostalgia, and dread

and for most of us they provide 

some reminders of incredible dodgy haircuts

and the evidence we need to be amateur blackmailers of our siblings..

the joy of knowing where the photo of your brother 

covered in a full face of make up 

after being ambushed by his two older and loving sisters

it is just so precious to me...

But I often wonder how the facebook generation is going to handle 

a never to be lost 

share with the world

cavalcade of bad fashion choices and bad haircuts

Because those of us lucky enough to be born

to the generation where photos were actually taken, and processed

by slightly odd people who seemed to have a thing for white coats

and put into books that can be hidden away 

get to cringe in private

we get to ruefully look back on our bad choices and shake our heads

but these poor stupid sods

they are stuck with those things forever...

no hiding them away when they are out in the cyber world

Which brings us

 back to that delightfully old fashioned concept 

of the family photo album

other people have all these family albums

filled with people and get togethers

my family growing up however

  filled albums with an alarming number of shots of the Sydney Opera House

I swear for every photo of a kid being cute

or doing something parents could be proud of

there are 10 shots of the Opera House and The Harbour Bridge

Every holiday seemed to involve a trip that somehow meant a pic of the opera house

it is still a running joke in our family...

So to pay homage to that 

and all the excitement 

and absolute wonder that accompanied

the advent of the polaroid camera in our house

I mean this thing made instant photos... it was amazing

ahhh the old days... we were so easily impressed weren't we...

Over at Inspiration Avenue this week 

the topic was Vintage Photography

and I am sad to say that polaroids qualify as vintage

but I think they do...

and don't forget to check out the new blog hop

over at Just add water silly

head over and sign up to be part of the Artist's Play Room...xx

A Perfect Start to a Friday

Monthly Painters Challenge - Rhapsody of Colour

This is how I want to start every Friday...

I sit here at 5.54 am

yes you read that right A freakin M...

and yet I have a smile on my face

normally this is more a grimace

more of a woe is me sort of half smile

which is the Sup nod equivalent for mothers the world over

but I digress

I am happy and smiling because it has been a great week

I have painted well

I attacked the tea cup canvases

and they actually look like they are going to be half way decent,

my Monthly painters Challenge piece

which is usually a source of mild angst

came together quickly and with ease

I actually opened the draw beside me

messed up the paint tubes a bit so they looked a bit more interesting

and painted them

woohoo easy peasy

and I really like the end result

I also got to use Buddha's Last Balls as a title for a blog post

which has been an ambition for quite some time...

and the dog got a hair cut

which is most unflattering and somehow makes him look fat

which normally would be a very bad haircut

but it is causing me to giggle every time I see him

because he sort of looks a bit like ET

with a white fluffy face

and he is clearly unhappy with it... priceless

and the greatness doesn't stop there...

I was showered with fun and kindness via the blog world

I was a Showcase winner

for a Challenge over at Inspiration Avenue

which meant I declared myself awesome 

and wore a tiara all day

even for school drop off which resulted in a level of teenage daughter angst 

that truly made my soul sing...

double woohoo

I had a few people email me about doing some little swaps 

which is great fun and all exciting 

and one involves Balls

which is a customs form I would like to fill out!!!

and I got to wake up this morning

to see that the lovely Jenn over at Just Add Water

had put up the post that showed me as a featured artist

Which featured an official seal....

so I am official and reading that interview I am very impressed with myself

seriously I sound quite mature

and thoughtful and all those good things

while in my heart of hearts I am still the same old me

it is nice to have a space in the cyber universe where I can sound so together

and it was such a pleasure going through the process with the lovely Jenn

who was so supportive and generous in making it enjoyable

and it was such a thrill to wake up to see it there

and to see my work in one place like that

no wonder I have been a bit tired

I have been quite busy

recognition is like just the biggest smile inducing thing isn't it...

especially at 5.54 am..

So I challenge you to not smile

even at 6 am, 

when your week has included

painting without angst

awards, tiaras, teenage embarrassment

your dog doing a days long impression of ET, 

an official seal, and interview which 

makes you sound much better than you are in real life

linking up with your friends at Paint Party Friday

knowing there is a new Blog Hop -

 the Artist's Play Room starting tomorrow

and balls... I dare you xx

Buddha's Last Balls

 You have no idea how long I have been waiting to use that title

ever since I bought

Buddha balls from the tea shop

I have been wanting to use them in a title

which is totally juvenile I know

but something about even typing balls makes me giggle

so I finally got down to the last two Green Jasmine Tea Buddha Balls

so felt that is was now appropriate

as they are indeed Buddha's last balls

well in my house anyway...

So I made myself a strawberry flavour buddha tea 

and had every intention of painting it

until I looked really closely at just how complex that flower

becomes when it unfurls and figured that that was way too hard

and perhaps I had better things to do with my time

like work on the tea themed canvases

that have been hanging

neglected on the wall for the last few weeks

that I have started and stopped about a million times

and are in danger of being forever unfinished unless I attacked them

 So by the time I finished the second last ball

I had got quite a bit further along with them

and they are starting to look like teacups

and the H2O's that I am using are twinkling nicely

even if that doesn't photograph too well

 trust me they are twinkling and shimmering

and now I am dying for them to dry so I can get back to them

So it is looking like the last Buddha ball 

will be disappearing this afternoon as I get back to them

and if you love tea themed posts 

head over to Art in Red Wagons

for Tea on Tuesdays with Kimmie...xx