matouenpeluche

The Blue Rabbit and other stories...

The Blue Rabbit

Hello fellow bloggers and casual passers by! Today is Monday but fear not, being one of the first people to be exposed to the horror of Monday (being in the Southern Hemisphere) I can tell you all that it's not too bad and it is over quickly if you don't think about it too much.

So, here is my weekend drawing post. The Blue Rabbit features a blue rabbit and the sweet little Olivia in an encounter. I can't really tell you much more than that other than it's one of those drawings where you, gentle reader, have to fill in the gaps...

Mr. and Mrs. Z Finch

Mr. and Mrs. Z. Finch (Z = zebra) are very like two finches I used to have called Bonnie and Clyde. I think the film of the same name was the inspiration for my Mother's decision to give them those names as she was a huge Faye Dunaway fan (those cheek bones + Chinatown) and thought Warren Beatty was OK too.

I had a sterling weekend. I saw yet another fab movie you might have already seen called Shutter Island. This was another to add to Kick - Ass and Inception both of which I enjoyed hugely for very different reasons. Shutter Island, directed by Martin Scorsese, really was tops. I won't say too much about it because it's one of those thriller/ suspense/ what's going on type of movies that you need to discover for yourself.

By the way, did you know that the queen of cat fanciers Kathleen of Kitty Stampede fame has a giveaway of epic proportions that includes a print from my shop? No? Well here's the link! Thank you so much Kathleen! XX

Happy Monday and all the best for the coming week ahead!

 

Spring Shadows.

A Spring path in the botanics with the shadows of London Plane tree branches criss crossing it. Below is a very lush looking tropical plant with enormous leaves that are folded like a fan. Ah! Nature! She is truly lovely!

Shadow Shot Sunday is a fabulous meme set up by that top Aussie lass Tracy of Hey Harriet fame. If you'd like to join in the shadowy fun, click HERE to read what you need to do!

Happy Sunday everyone!

...and it's Friday!

From top: Gilbertville Public Library, Doppelganger and Conjure

 

I found these super images on Etsy at the Dr Kennedy Jones shop. Aren't they great? They really struck a chord with me and I feel they sum up what I'd like my weekend to be about! Full of wonder and magic! Well that's the plan anyway.

I hope everyone has had a good if not great week and that there is plenty of rest and rejuvenation planned for the weekend ahead!

 

Spring has (nearly) sprung...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is a bit of what I gambolled around in last weekend. The Spring flowers in the botanics are just starting to come out. At this time of year I am suddenly gripped with a total fan girl adoration of all things Spring and am drawn to the botanics in particular to gaze at all the loveliness on display.

...and Happy Hump Day folks!

It's Earl...

Earl

Happy Monday! Hope everyone had a lovely weekend. It was such lovely weather here in Sydney that I got completely distracted with the outdoors and gambolled around in the real world instead of sitting down and drawing. Very unlike me but there you have it. Actually, I did get to draw one picture : Earl.

Earl has a bit of 'tude. He also likes getting up on the top of bookshelves and various other household pieces and peering down at you. My boyfriend also said he looks like he wouldn't say no to a sardine if you happened to have one. Although, I suspect all cats are a little like that...perhaps.

Have a super week everyone!

Shadow Shot Clouds

My Shadows this week are clouds casting shadows on themselves and their neighbours. Cloud shadows.

These skyscapes were taken on the suspension bridge that crosses Parsley Bay that I had as a shadow shot a few weeks ago. These shots were taken much later in the day though. You can see that post here.

 

Viva Shadow Shot Sunday - for it is a meme that is most excellent! Thought up by and conducted by the lovely Tracy of Hey Harriet! Thank you Tracy. If you would like to participate, you can read all about it here!

Happy Sunday all!

Happy Friday!

Image from here.

Oh my goodness! It's Friday! It came around surprisingly quickly this week I feel!

I'll be drawing with any luck and we've got our big election tomorrow so I'll have to drag myself out of the house to go and vote. Did you know that in Australia it's against the law to not vote? You get a hefty fine if you don't get your name crossed off the register on polling day. My students, who are from every corner of the globe, are always very shocked to hear that. So, maybe Australia is one of the only countries on the planet that does that....? I'll have to investigate that one!

I hope everyone has a super lovely weekend and that you get plenty of R'n'R in!

Slim Aarons

  

Sundowners

Slim Aarons (1916 - 2006) photographed socialites, celebrities and the international jet set. He called it "photographing attractive people doing attractive things in attractive places."

Delores Delrio

Penthouse Pool

Mara Lane

Dolly Fritz

He worked over several decades but I have to say I am most fond of his 1950s - 1960s portraits. He also photographed exotic locations too like Lake Como and Capri in Italy but it's this black and white shot of New York's Park Avenue that is my fave.

Park Avenue

By the way, did you know that Jimmy Stewart's apartment in Rear Window was supposedly based on Slim Aarons' apartment in New York?

Hope everyone is having a terrific week!

Images from here.

Look what I found...

Look what I found...

Why do cats bring things to their "owners" like dead mice, feathers, e.t.c. or in the case of my father's cat Harry: leaves. He started doing this when he was a wee baby kitten. He'd go over to a huge camelia pot plant we had next to the TV and pick them off. At first we had no idea what was going on: baby kitten stalking behind pot plant, the plant starts to quiver and shudder and then out pops Harry with a perfect camelia leaf in his mouth. He would then trot over to Dad who had taken off his shoes to watch TV and place the leaf carefully in either one of the empty shoes! He would then sit there and look at Dad until Dad  picked out the leaf and exclaimed "Ohh look what I've got!" Harry would be suitably satisfied with this and  would then do a repeat performance in an hour or so after that.

These days, Harry brings feathers from the garden, very, very large umbrella tree leaves which are almost bigger than he is and spiders. Not so keen on the spiders I've got to say...

So people are divided as to whether the cat brings these as:

a) a gift (they love you!)

b) a trophy for you to admire

c) fresh food for you who cannot hunt

d) something to share

e) something for you to play with

I don't know really but I feel it is a present. I've actually heard of cats bringing in neighbour's washing: underwear, socks, hankies e.t.c. so to me that says present.

Anyway, Happy Monday gentle Blog readers and all the best for the coming week!

Swain Garden Shadow Shots

My Shadow Shot Sunday is from Swain Gardens in Sydney's north. Swain Gardens are one of the secret gems of Sydney. I only discovered them a couple of years ago by chance. They were built by a Sydney book seller from the 1940s to 1960s. At that time they were his own private garden. Then, in the 1970s he bequeathed them to The National Trust who subsequently handed them over to the council. They are so pretty and quite large. They are in the style of an English country garden with a bushland setting. 

My favourite part, though, is the very sweet pussy cat who lives in a house just at the entrance to the gardens. I like to think he recognises me when ever he sees me because he is  ultra friendly and charming. He is also very, very difficult to photograph! That's him top in shadow.

Shadow Shot Sunday is a fabulous meme established by top Brisbane gal Tracy of Hey Harriet blog! Anyone can enter - all you have to do is read the instructions here!