The Beekeeper's Daughter; graphite and oil on board

After many years I have picked up my oils and completed a new painting. I can't remember the last time I painted in something other than acrylics or gouache so this has been a big experiment.

The Beekeeper's Daughter 2014, 25cm x 25cm; finally made real after about three years in my head :)

Dream big, little one ~ Custom skate deck art

This one was a big nerve-wracking to make, it was a gift for my niece's first birthday. Firstly, we were ordered to not bring gifts (lol! like I'm going to promise that) so we decided on something that cost nothing but time and would be super special and grow with her.

So my husband and I joined forces and planned a bird and dreamcatcher design with the words "Dream Big". This is a standard full-sized wooden skate deck, painted, inked and drawn with a variety of different mediums.

Another addition to the miniature canvas menagerie

Another abstract background chosen and this time, a bright green frog popped up! I adore frogs, they are so bright and beautiful and have such amazing physical prowess. Did you know that along with breathing through lungs, they also breathe through their skin to regulate moisture and fluid transfer in a process called cutaneous gas exchange? NICE!

A new miniature painting - little Broadbill

Getting the paints out was very therapeutic! I painted a bunch of abstract backgrounds on some 10x10cm canvas boards and picked one for this little guy.

Valentine's Day hand-carved stone pendants and GIVEAWAY!

It's nearly that time of year again, the day where we wear our hearts on our sleeves and confess our love. So this year I have created a limited run of hand-carved natural beach stone pendants for you to woo your lover with.

What says 'our love is strong' better than a stone pendant direct from the waves of the Australian beach?

$18.00 AUS + postage, available worldwide.

Also, visit my Facebook page for your chance to win one!

Please direct any inquiries to my Facebook page or email me at nikki(at)eveningsongink.com

Hand carved stone pendants for Valentines Day

Coming soon for Valentine's Day - hand-carved, local stone pendants engraved with tiny hearts.

If you would like to keep up to date , come on over to Facebook and follow my page :)

The circus is in town!

I just put the finishing touches on these three beauties. The Lion Tamer and The Fire Breather are extra special to me as two of my very close friends posed for these ones for me :)

All three of these are pen, ink and pencil on watercolour paper. Once I have them photographed at a high res I'll add limited edition prints to my store.

More Spoonflower fabrics. Cut and Sew plushies

Brace yourself for the wickedness...

I present you with Zombear and Frankenswine!

These fellows kept me company at my showcase and Dexhibition last week and did a wonderful job of it :D

This fabric is so easy to use, all the pieces are labelled and you just have to trim around, stuff and sew. No fiddling with decorations unless you want to embellish!

Available via Spoonflower - both Frankenswine and Zombear come on one fat quarter.

A new Spoonflower fabric collection, Sassy Fox

I finally have my Sassy Fox collection available via Spoonflower! It consists of four designs, each in three colourways and is based around the main fox fabric which has Sassy Fox and Sleepy Fox together with toadstools.

DIY best ever spa-quality body scrub for free

Ever felt like your skin is terribly dry, or bumpy, or oily? Ever had one of those days when you just want to 'me' time and a little pampering? Yep, me too. My remedy for all of these is some tlc in the form of a quick, simple and free beauty treatment.

This body scrub is EASY, QUICK and best of all, usually FREE!

Necessities: 
Oil (see note below)
Sugar - any sugar with a good grain will work, I love raw sugar as it is a bit rougher than white sugar. Brown and caster sugar are a little finer which would be good for finer skin but don't ry icing sugar or you'll just end up with frosting!

Oil note: any unflavoured oil is good. I use olive or rice bran as they are both light and gentle. Coconut oil would be fabulous for drier skin, just heat it a little first to soften it. Stay away from the garlic or chilli infused oil unless you want to smell like a pizza :P and yes, you can use baby oil (mineral oil) but that stuff is a petrochemical product so it really isn't good for you.

Fancy stuff:
Essential oil (or cheaper scented oil from the dollar shop - the scent won't last as long but it's still good)
Botanicals like dried ground flower petals, dried fine herbs
Cupboard-based scents like ginger, vanilla, cinnamon, cooking flavours or essences
Baking soda, epsom salts or ground oats

1. Do me a favour, before you use your scrub, feel your skin. Is it dry? bumpy? clogged? Take note :)
2. Find yourself a wide-mouth, shallow container. It needs to have an opening big enough for you to get your fingers into and shallow enough your fingers can reach the bottom. A bowl is fine or a wide-mouth recycled jar if you want to make extra or give as a gift.
3. Add at least 1/2 cup of sugar and if you are adding any botanicals, baking soda, salts or oats add them now and mix them in.
4. Slowly add and mix in enough oil to make the sugar look like wet sand. It should be wet enough to clump together but not so much that it oozes. 
5. In the bathroom fill your tub or shower with enough water to reach your ankles. WARNING: when the oil and sugar drop to the floor it will be slippery; use a non-slip bath mat and water so the mixture falls into the water and disperses, rather than coating the floor with oil.
6. Stand in the water and grab small amounts of your scrub ( about a tablespoon)and smear on your hands. Starting at your feet, rub the mix over your skin in circular motions, moving upwards towards your heart. When you get to your arms, go from hand to shoulder and from your face down your neck towards your heart. This gets your circulation going.
7. When you are all scrubbed turn on your shower and rinse off. Follow with a good clean with your favourite soap or body wash. I love to use a body wash and loofah to add a little extra exfoliating. You may want to soap up twice if you can still feel the oil on your skin.
8. Now feel your skin again. I guarantee it will feel smoother, less bumpy and much more supple.

Best ever pick-me-up: 

1. Follow your scrub with a hair wash and condition, brush your teeth and shave whatever bits you shave. Grab your foot file and exfoliate your feet too.
2. Moisturise all over, including your hair. Don't forget you can add a few drops of light cooking oil to your hands and work through the ends of your hair in lieu of conditioner. Lather your feet in moisturiser and pop on some socks.
3. Grab some nail polish and a file and give yourself a manicure and pedicure and follow with a bright nail colour. The best remedy is to do this while watching your favourite movie/tv show or listening to your favourite music.

NOW you should feel better/more relaxed/calmer/happier or all the above!

I like to use this scrub at least once a fortnight but weekly would do your skin wonders. Don't forget to drink lots of water too, for great skin and if you have cornflour and baking soda in your cupboard, why not treat yourself to a homemade body powder too?

Strange Fruit

This is an idea I've had for a while and it feels really good to finally get it down on paper. Sometimes I have an idea that's really strong in my mind but no matter how hard I try I can't find my groove and get it down on paper the way I feel it should be. This one, however has pleased me :)

Strange Fruit

Strange Fruit is a bit darker than my work of late. The tree reflects on itself, showing a summer tree, full of apples and a swing and covered in leaves. The reflection is a bare winter tree with old rope tendrils and various human remains hanging from the branches. That it where the name comes from.

While the piece is perfectly timed for Halloween, it is really influenced by a Laurell K Hamilton novel.

So much drawing, so little time

Wow, today has been chock-full of drawing! It's been lovely to get into some new work and in between science breaks with the kids I managed to exhaust my poor hand and finish these two up.

The Jelly-thief

Muertos Fox

I have a skate deck design to complete next week to be laser-etched onto a 7 ply Canadian maple deck and one of these may be the one, but I'm still undecided.

Stone Carving for jewellery

So, my first holiday experiment was stone carving. I adore using local beach stones in my jewellery but they are frustratingly difficult to bezel-set in silver due to the natural size differences around the edges. Instead, I figured I would whip out the trusty rotary tool and see if I could drill those suckers!

The musical note became a gift for my lovely sister-to-be and the heart and arrow were for practice (and me :P)

I am really pleased with the result and I think with a little more experimentation with the drill bits I should have some of these available for sale via my Etsy shop :)

Adorable, stackable, dainty rings

One of my Pinterest pins was about dainty rings. Those adorable, stackable, charming little rings that look gorgeous. I figured since I'm on holiday I should go about making some, especially since I have the most adorable, dainty sister-to-be to wear them AND it's her birthday.

 

Five little rings all ready to wear. Sterling silver and a mix of plain, hammered, filed and heart-ed :)

Wear one alone...

Or stack them high.

All dressed up in a little Eveningsong Ink fox box.

She loved them! Tomorrow you will see the carved stone pendant too.

The t-shirts are in!

Positive Threads have released their first round of t-shirts. Seeing these designs made real is amazing!

To order for for further details please contact Positive Threads.

T-shirt designs for Positive Threads

I have been lucky enough to be a part of the blossoming t-shirt design company, Positive Threads.

The two amazing ladies behind the brand are developing a range of t-shirts for women, men and children with beautiful artwork and positive messages. I love the concept and would be proud to wear (and have my children wear) these gorgeous, uplifting fashions. It sure beats seeing a ten year old wearing a skin-tight shirt emblazoned with 'porn star' - or worse!

Women's designs:

 ^Digitally drawn in Adobe Illustrator CS5 - hand-drawn font

 ^Digitally drawn in Adobe Illustrator CS5 - hand-drawn font

Girl's design:

 ^Digitally drawn in Adobe Illustrator CS5

Boy's design:

^ Hand-drawn on paper, graphite shaded and finalised in Adobe Photoshop CS5


I can't wait to see these printed and ready to wear! For more information, please contact Positive Threads HERE.

Gainsborough Art Awards sneak peek

A sneak peek of my entry into the Gainsborough Art Awards, 2012 :)

"Who knows what song the caged bird sings?" Mixed media on wood, 45cm x 90cm.

Fingers crossed!

Little Miss Leigh logo artwork design

I have just completed a logo artwork for the lovely Little Miss Leigh, who offers make up and tanning on the Gold Coast.   

This piece is 100% vector, so it can be as small as a business card or as big as a building, without distorting. All hand sketched in Adobe Illustrator CS5 with a tablet :D

          

Digital Painting - addictive!

My latest foray into digital painting producing this piece, Crimson's Bane.

Little Red, tiring of the abuse of the wolf takes matters into her own hands and slays him. Unbeknown to her, by killing him she then becomes him. Thus the curse's cycle is completed once again.

A special thanks to the gorgeous Loretta Lizzio for modeling for me!

DIY Birthday party stage 4 - food!

The last thing to organise was the food. Birthday cake, cupcakes, two types of biscuits, drinks and the lunch food.

Since the party was at lunch time I asked each partygoer to bring along a plate of their favourite sandwiches. I prefer to cater my own events but I was very conscious of keeping the stress low and the fun high for this party, so I enlisted help. Sandwiches are easy, inexpensive, well-received and everyone has a favourite.

I also had plain crackers, bbq crackers, carrot sticks, celery sticks and a pack of supermarket dips.

Sweets included the birthday cake - vanilla cake with chocolate buttercream and fondant - and I used the same recipes for the cupcakes. Lemon dinosaur biscuits and chocolate Transformer biscuits, both with coloured royal icing.

Top left: Food table with sandwich plates and party hats.


Top right: Optimus Prime birthday cake.
Cake recipe: Allrecipes - Best sculpted cake recipe EVER! I omitted the milk though. This recipe makes one perfect 8 inch round cake, I made two and layered my cakes with chocolate buttercream.
Fondant recipe: Allrecipes - I replaced the corn syrup with liquid glucose (easier to find in Australia) and used three tablespoons of rice bran oil instead of the oil and shortening. This recipe was SO easy, quick and inexpensive. I made it by hand, stored it in the fridge for two weeks and the fondant rolled perfectly, coloured perfectly and did not dry out as quickly as the store bought stuff.

Middle: Cupcakes with fondant Transformer cutouts.
The decorations on top are Transformer cut-outs from fondant and brushed lightly with silver edible luster dust.



Bottom left: Lemon dinosaur sugar cookies with royal icing.
Recipe: Acorn Advisors - I made the lemon version



Bottom right: Chocolate Transformer badge biscuits with royal icing.
Recipe: I altered the lemon sugar cookie recipe above, eliminating the lemon and replacing some of the flour with cocoa

All the sweets were devoured and the sandwiches were a hit! Especially with the kids :)

Please note: the Transformer badge biscuits and cupcake Transformer decorations are courtesy of the Transformers Play Doh kit. Thank you Play Doh for stepping up! I couldn't find 'real' cookie cutters anywhere but this kit saved the day!
Roll out your cookie dough and fondant using 6mm dowel rods as your spacers and the cutters work like a dream :)