Weekend Fun

I was determined this month to be on time for the Scrapbook Cupboard's ATC Swap due on 25th April (I was a couple of weeks late last time) so I finished my interpretation of the "Clowns" theme last night.

These ATCs took me much longer than I expected, as the front and the back of the card are both hand painted. I also did Bernie Berlin's emboss resist technique on the inside as well as cut the cards into the shape of a tent ... all quite time consuming.

I did learn something quite valuable in making these ATCs, I started with cardstock as the base that I painted with gesso on both sides to get the surface ready for the paint, but when I did the emboss resist technique on what was going to be the inside of the card (which uses an iron) I found the gesso had bubbled up on the outside of the card due to the heat. I didn't mind the effect for this ATC as the outside is to look like a circus tent, so the bubbled up texture I felt made it look more authentic.

The outside of my ATC with the bubbled up gesso before being painted.

The inside of my ATC once painted and with the emboss resist technique done.

Front of Clown ATC - closed and painted to look like a circus tent.

Open Front and Back of ATC.


Finished inside of the ATC with an image of clowns added (received from the gorgeous Glenda)

I had a ball making these ... maybe focussing on clowns brings out the "fun" !!

Here are some happy snaps from the Easter Weekend ... my mum and dad flew from Sydney to visit so we took them up to O'Reilly's Rainforest Retreat on Sunday and got the full "rainforest experience" (because it rained the whole time we were up there) ... it's about an hour's drive from our place. After the retreat we stopped at O'Reilly's Winery on the way down the mountain and enjoyed a picnic style ploughman's lunch with wine, beautiful views and believe or not ... sunshine!!

Feeding the beautiful Australian Native birds - Green-Red King Parrot and Blue-Red Rosella.

The Rainforest Treetops walk ... very wet.

Proud Oma & Opa with Harry - having only met him for the first time this weekend.


Can't have lunch at a winery without tasting the wine!!

It was like we hadn't eaten in a week the way we were grabbing for the food.


My gorgeous Ferg.


Good food, wine and sunshine ... it was all a bit much!

The rain we've had over the past week really has brought out some of the best nature around our property ... everything's green, the dams are a bit murky but the water lillies are divine and every now and then we can spot a solitary toadstool.

"Study nature, love nature, stay close to nature. It will never fail you."
~Frank Lloyd Wright, 1867-1959, American Architect~