The Kim Archer Blog

More paint-y, messy fun!

Yesterday Lisa and I headed back to Pages 2 Scrap in Tuggerah for another arty, painty class, this time with Nathalie Kalbach who had travelled all the way from Germany to be with us.

Nathalie works for Tattered Angels and as I only own ONE SOLITARY SINGLE bottle of their Glimmer Mist and KNOW I don't use it to it's full potential, I thought it would be good to get to see what all the glimmer mist fuss was about.

We only had a lovely small group of ladies which was good for us as it meant lots of teacher attention and free reign of all the pretty bottles of Glimmer Mist and chalks and glazes, screens etc that Nathalie had with her.

And we got inky and messy as we layered and gesso-ed and sprayed and painted and embedded Vintaj bits and inked and stamped. And Lisa and I also chomped our way through a packet of mini chocolate caramel Easter eggs...yummo...

I wasn't at all happy with how my canvas was evolving during the class and felt a bit like the needy student up the back struggling with the spray bottles!!!!! but I figured I was learning a bunch of cool things I can use on other projects and I was enjoying the company and the break away from work....I was looking enviously around at all the other TOTALLY COOL canvases from the other girls and feeling so sad that mine looked so blah!

BUT once I grabbed a paintbrush toward the end of the class and some glimmer glaze, I felt instantly more at home with the paintbrush compared to handling the spray bottles, and I was able to "fix" my little canvas and some shine and glimmer and a more painter-ly finish and now I am pleased to admit...I LOVE it. Phew.

I don't get to be a student very often but it was nice to settle back and learn a few new things with Nathalie who was such a lovely lady. And there's certainly a few ideas she showed us that I look forward to trying out on other canvases...

Am I now a glimmer mist convert?

Um, not really. I love the pretty colours and the effects other people achieve with the glimmer mists but I am much more at home with my paints, inks and a paintbrush:) Although I do like a little spritz here and there of beautiful glimmery colour ..just now and then.

Our family photo was taken by the lovely Rachel Greig several years ago now..these days - Brandt's curls are now gone, my hair is shorter and blonder, Capri's hair is straighter, Kens hair is a bit thinner and Jamison is now 6'3" tall!!! 

Meet The Support Team - Sheree Forcier

------Sheree Forcier------

1.      What craft do you like to do curled up on the sofa in front of the tv (if any).

Lately I’ve been hand stitching hexagons and doing a little crochet…both perfect ‘on the couch’ projects that I love to do.

2. Is there a craft you would like to try?

I’ve always wanted to try quilting and I’ve recently started on my first ever quilt.  It’s a simple design but I’m learning a lot along the way!

3. What's your earliest crafty memory?

I think it would be making my own Barbie clothes out of scraps of fabric and old t-shirts. 

4. Have you always been crafty?

Definitely!  As a little girl I loved playing with a toy sewing machine that I got for Christmas one year…and I’ve tried a few different crafts since then.

5. What other crafts have you dabbled in?
I did cross-stitch for years before I discovered scrapbooking but I’ve also had fun with tapestry, embroidery, sewing, knitting and crochet.

6. Do you consider yourself arty or crafty or a bit of both?

I don’t think I’m very arty so I’d have to go with crafty.

7. Where do you get your craftiness from? Does it run in the family or are you the only crafty person in your family?

I remember both my Nannas creating the most beautiful crochet blankets, doilies, etc.  My Mum has always sewed and now loves stamping and dabbles in scrapbooking too.

8. Finish this sentence.."I am most happy surrounded by...."

...family, friends and something crafty to work on.

9. What crafty or arty projects are you working on right now?

I’ve got a few things on the go at the moment…crochet squares for a blanket,  my first ever quilt and I’ve got an unfinished scrapbook page sitting on my desk.

 
10. Who would you love to sit and chat and create with ..if you could choose three people?

Oooh that’s a hard one!  I always love a good chat and craft session with my close friend Melanie, but there’s quite a few online friends I’d love to catch up with again or finally meet in person.  I don’t think I could narrow it down to only three!

Here's a peek at Sheree's FIRST ever quilt..beautiful!!

Sheree's @Home Gallery
Sheree's Blog

Meet The Support Team - Janelle Wind

------Janelle Wind------

1. What craft do you like to do curled up on the sofa in front of the tv (if any).

Usually you will find me with needle and thread in hand, either hand stitching my latest design or stitching press studs onto the back of my tiny doll dresses that I make for my etsy store.

2. Is there a craft you would like to try?

I can't think of any craft I haven't tried as I have tried SO many over the years.

3. What's your earliest crafty memory?

At approx. age 8 I was given my first sewing machine and let loose to stitch to my hearts content. I vividly remember designing and making my own Barbie doll clothes, wrapping them in glad wrap (such beautiful packaging) and trying to sell them at a family garage sale that we had. Sadly no one purchased any of my wares, but thankfully it hasn't stopped me LOL

4. Have you always been crafty?

Absolutely yes, if I can't create, I don't feel whole.

5. What other crafts have you dabbled in?

I have tried so many - cottage craft, cross stitch, tapestry, pottery, painting, drawing, dressmaking, embroidery, macrame, string art, knitting, crochet - just to name a few.

6. Do you consider yourself arty or crafty or a bit of both?

That's a tough question. I really just describe myself as a designer - I am not really arty or crafty I don't think. Others may think differently though - I often find it hard to describe myself and what I do.

7. Where do you get your craftiness from? Does it run in the family or are you the only crafty person in your family?

Both of my Grandmothers were stitchers, one a beautiful dressmaker and the other a milliner. I am the only crafty one in the family though - my mother is very capable but doesn't craft.

8. Finish this sentence.."I am most happy surrounded by...."

Fabric, thread and peacefulness.

9. What crafty or arty projects are you working on right now?

Right now I am working on three stitched projects, one for a store club, one for a magazine and one for a retreat. I am also constantly working on my etsy store and trying to keep things original and unique to me in there too.

10. Who would you love to sit and chat and create with ..if you could choose three people?

Ohh that is a tough one, I am not really sure who I would like to sit and create with as I work best on my own. I would just choose Mardi every time. And I would also choose Stephanie Nielson, Kelly Rae Roberts and Elizabeth Kartchner

Here's a look at what Janelle is creating at the moment.

Janelle's @Home gallery
Janelle's blog
Janelle's Etsy store

Meet the Support Team Girls

For our lovely new @Home blog readers as well as our beautiful regulars, I thought it was time to introduce you to our @Home Team.

Without the support and creativity of these beautiful girls, the @Home site would be nothing like it is today! They all work hard to produce additional samples for each of our workshops as well as designing and teaching their own classes from time time over on the @Home site.

Each of the girls has their own unique style and I do love to see how they interpret each class and give their own twist to our projects. They are all incredibly talented girls who aren't just papercrafters but all round crafty, arty souls!

Over the next week I want to introduce you to each of the girls as they talk about their crafty projects, arty endeavours and the projects that are keeping them busy right now. Plus we take a little peek at what they are working on in their crafty/arty world!

We kick off this afternoon with our first Support Team member. So check back to see just who it is.

Wingham

On Saturday mum and I headed off up the highway in the torrential rain to Wingham where I taught at the Scrapsidaisy Retro Retreat. Long time readers of my blog may remember that I was born in Wingham - well, I was born in Taree hospital but my parents lived in Wingham at the time.

And I have a special fondness for the lovely little town of Wingham which is just outside Taree on the NSW North Coast and about 2 hours or so from Newcastle. We still have very dear family friends who live there and Mum came along with me for the day so she could visit with Barb and Tony while I taught my workshop. Perfect!

The rain was relentless ALL the way up and ALL the way home from Wingham. But it didn't matter as we were so looking forward to meeting up with the Bakers again..

Now the Bakers are LONG time friends of our family. My mum met Barb when she was only 20 years old, not long married and newly moved to the tiny country town of Wingham from the big smoke of Sydney after my dad was transferred there with his job. They met the Bakers and became instant friends.

Even though we then moved to other country towns we always stayed in contact with the Bakers. And had a LOT to do with them when we were growing up. I remember Timmy pushed me down the steps when I was four years old and I split my chin open and have the scar to prove it (thanks Timmy), Mark was my partner for my Year 12 formal, Janet lived with us for six months while she went to Uni in Newcastle and my mum is Paulette's Godmother...Barb and Timmy are probably the only two people who STILL call me Kimbo to this day!!!

Here we are..check out the fashions..very 70's..and we are all in need of a haircut..thats me in the red shirt buttoned RIGHT up to the neck, navy knitted vest and navy slacks. Lookin' H-O-T

Anyway, back to Saturday - Barb and Tony had made us a lover-ley lunch and Paulette also called in for a visit. I wished I could have stayed longer to catch up..Was wonderful.

I then headed off to the retreat to teach my class...

The girls were lovely - so friendly and welcoming and busy bees during the class..I had met some of them before in other classes so it was great to see some familiar faces. And lovely to meet some new ones.

And it was great to teach face to face again. I realised I missed that connection of real life teaching and meeting people etc as all of what I do these days is online.

Here we all are ...That's Leisa in the yellow on the far left - the owner of Scrapsidaisy and me peeking out over there on the right..



After the class I headed back to pick up Mum and had a cuppa and more of the delicious and far too fattening slice Barb had made while we had a catch up with Janet, another of the Baker kids who had called over to see us!

And then it was home again..more rain. And we arrived home tired out but happy! Was a lovely day!!!!

shake your bon bon

Half way through school holidays and the week has flown by in a flurry of sleepovers, visits with friends, shopping, the movies, cousins and birthday parties!

I also squeezed in a day trip to Wingham on Saturday where I taught at the Scrapsidaisy Retro Retreat, organised by the fabulous Leisa Barwell. Was wonderful.

I made a lolly filled bon bon for each class participant using cheapy wrapping paper in black, kraft and white all tied up with lime green raffia! Easy!!

BEHIND THE SCENES: Here's my happy helper, Capri who divided all the lollies evenly for the bon bons..we had quite a little production line happening.

Photos of the retreat coming in the next post!

 

School hols, catching up and meet Dex

Well I can't believe SIX days have gone by since I last blogged. I was being so good there with my daily little posts and thought maybe one or possibly two days had gone by but the times flown and I was shocked when I checked and realised its almost been a full week.

Its been busy here in the Archer household.

Brandt's well and truly moved back in. We're all settling back quite nicely into a routine for a family of five again. Term 1 has finished already and we have officially kicked off school holidays. We're getting measured up for carpets tomorrow morning and I am *almost* finished painting the bedrooms - just some glossy white trim to go in Brandt's room. AND our new leather lounge is arriving on Tuesday. Its been a LOOOONG wait and I hope the sofas are as nice as I remember way back in February when we ordered them!

And I bought this little guy.

Meet Dex. He's on his way to us from Mardi's lovey new Etsy shop Dudley and Grace

a little mixed media canvas

Inspired by Lisa's lovely painted canvases and also from my workshops with Donna Downey, I decided to paint a teeny, tiny canvas I have had sitting here forever.

I had no idea what I really wanted it to look like and no real direction. I just added paint and gesso and Mod Podge and tissue paper and book paper and fine tulle netting and  water colours and sprinkled on some glitter and swiped on some gold paint. I glooped on some thick Heidi Swapp "Betty" paint for the heart and cut some words from a magazine..

I love the thick sides of the canvas and painted them a dark chocolate brown as I had NO black paint at all. Not a drop of it!

It's only a teeny canvas - 4x4inches and this photo of it sitting on my side table gives you an idea of just how small it is...

And now that this one turned out ok, I am keen to try my hand at even more!!

from us..to Cherie

Of course you remember this..

Well I am pleased to say the lucky recipient has received her parcel of goodies from us here @Home and I can announce just WHO it was for and WHAT was inside.

Way back in January we got the sad news that one of our lovely regular @Home participants, Cherie Walsh who we all got to meet at the @Home|Away retreat, and her lovely family had been badly affected by the devastating Victorian floods.

Sparked by an email from Cherie's friend Marlene, I rallied the Support Girls around and decided I wanted to do something special for Cherie from us here @Home.

So, together with Yvette, Mardi, Sheree, Lisa and Janelle, we created a collection of scrapbook layouts for Cherie to let her know we were thinking of her.

I must admit I had GREAT fun exploring Cherie's blog and choosing photos and stories to scrapbook about. Here's the pages I made for Cherie.

and finally, this one, without photos so that Cherie can add her own photos and stories when she's ready.

I don't have photos of the other girls' layouts so keep an eye on their blogs as hopefully they will share what they made too.

Glad you liked our little gift to you too Cherie:)

 

 

he's baaack

Brandt's back.

He moved back home late yesterday. I didn't *quite* get that last bedroom painted before he arrived home...so he moved in around all my painting stuff!!! And I do intend to have it all finished by the end of the weekend.

But it feels good to have all my chickens back home under the one roof again. Although we did adapt quite well as a family of four there for several months so having him home again will take some adjustments from all of us.

For one thing - Jammo took up residence in Brandt's old (and bigger) room just last weekend. So Brandt's moved back into Jamison's old room at the back of the house. Not that he minded at all. He was quite happy to move in there.

So we are back to being a full time family of five. Until Brandt gets the moving out bug again.