Xmas Cards

Puppy has completely taken over my life!!!!

While she was sleep this morning i quickly made some Xmas Cards to keep my hand in. Have listed them on Etsy. I think i'll make all of my xmas cards this year! It costs a fortune to buy them and how long do they stay up???

Ibuy5 Section on Etsy

Above is one of the items in the ibuy5!

Everything is $5 for this weekend only!

Go check it out :) There have been so many sales already!

I have a section in my shop

Mini Moo has whooped the art out of me!

It's been a week and haven't created a thing!! I've had sleepless nights, messy carpets, crying puppy, bitten fingers and toes, jabs, vet visits and its been great! We're all still adjusting....but getting there :)

This weekend i hope to paint something, although painting on the floor will be a no no from now on unless i wanna create some puppy art ;)

There certainly were fireworks last night

In the form of Mini Moo....she arrived!! And oh wow! She is beautiful and the most loving little bundle of fluff...but omg....its been 14 hours and if this is half as hard as having children....i'm glad i didn't!

She's still only 8 weeks old and very dependent, playful, inquisitive and we got about 5 hours sleep! Every couple of hours she's awake and crying :) She's not toilet trained yet...so a few lil accidents! I have training pads everywhere lol! So...she's asleep right now after having a mad few hours playing so thought i'd quickly update :)

I have many thoughts going round in my head....is this the right thing to be doing is the biggest!

I've just got used to having the fish....and getting their tank around to a healthy state (new additions were 2 snails to help rid the algae problem). But....all of a sudden...this lonely flat has become a cozy home! And hopefully in May next year i will have a house that i so want...and especially for mini now :) Then thats it...i'm done....a wee family is all i needed :)

Colourful new cushions

I purchased these from Veedubz (the purple and green ones). Her cushions are fab! Go check her out!!!

Might list this painting on Etsy today, even though i'm on Etsy strike (SCAB SCAB lol)!!

Autumnal Afternoon Out

I had a really lovely afternoon out at Audley End House yesterday, with my mum and aunt! What a stunning house!!! My Nikon is all back on track but the images are a little dark. Autumn has been beautiful this year....the colours are amazing! And the top pic is my little 'sunny' molly! Such a happy little greedy fish :)

ETSY STRIKE!

I am officially on Etsy strike! If the Royal Mail can do it...then so can i!!! Kinda burnt out with all the promoting i've been doing. I've had to give one refund this week as the item has not arrived (stupid postal system). The annoying thing is, i have no disclaimer (stupidly) on my shop, therefore, out of good will i'm open to refunds. I'm hoping there won't be any more!

There is only 4 days left to vote on my poll (see below) Would just like some feedback on my website that i worked so hard on! :)

Feedback poll

I spent most of the weekend working on my website. Getting the design i wanted...but i'm still not sure it works. I would love some feedback on this!! How can i make this better? what would you like to see? would you use it to see my work????

www.caralara.com

Veggie Christmas!

Newly listed on Etsy, really enjoyed drawing these :)

What a day

Woke up as usual on a cold morning....upped and dressed and out to work....got in car! hmmmmm!!! i knew there was something not quite right with it and it was booked in for tomorrow anyway...but was making the strangest noise. So after numerous phone calls, £89 later my little car was being towed away by the AA. My clutch bearing has gone and have been told it will cost quite a bit of money!!! So i need to sell sell sell lol.

So....without a car...unable to go to work, i worked from home this afternoon on the company website. This evening i've worked on my own website again and its kinda getting there. Also made up a few little business cards.

My mum and step dad came round to lend me their car...and we got around to chatting about painting, making, cards, blah blah....We thought that turkeys on a christmas card would be quite a cute idea (marti if you're reading!!! do the meat version lol) But being veggie that seemed kinda cruel. Sooooooo Veggie Christmas was born :D. I'm not sure how they will work...but have enjoyed drawing and colouring in tonight hehehe. And back to work for me tomorrow :( Not enough hours in the day!

Website

I know i can do it!!! but its just getting it right. I've changed it sooooo many times!!!

Here is the latest.

Check it out for real at www.caralara.com

New Tags and My 2nd Prize Gift :)

Have been a busy little bee again today! printing, cutting......it's 5pm and i haven't got any make up on! Haven't dusted, hoovered, tidied! Just made things!!! and i love it :)

So made some more gift tags. 14 of them so far. Then decided to print straight onto the same card stock and made some more notelets. I love this image and the original has had a lot of interest on etsy so i hope they do well in my shop.

I'm also going to work on my website today. Get it how i want it....tie everything in together so that its all in one place.....no flitting between loads of windows.

Also....Karen (purplecatscorner) sent me a lovely 2nd prize for entering her blog giveaway this week. It is one of her gorgeous lil' houses! and has pride of place in my kitchen. Every where i look at the moment i have a little bit of karens fantastic artwork :)

My new painting and bag

So...used my new bag tonight that i got from purplecatscorner ;) Jumped into car or should i say squeezed into car with big canvas, paints, table top easel and spent two hours at the art group painting the painting requested by Martina! Still a long way to go with the painting and the bad bad picture does not do the colour justice! I'm hoping to finish this and hand deliver it before Xmas :)

Giveaway Winner!

Thank you to all that entered! I tried to do this fairly so enlisted the help of a work colleague!
So...Enyaeire!!! Congrats :D

Making Gift Tags

Hopefully these will soon be listed on Etsy!

2 weeks and counting!

Here is my lil mini :D

GIVEAWAY! - to celebrate my 20th Sale on Etsy

I've hit my 20th Sale on Etsy today and i am so chuffed! So to celebrate i wanna share some of my good fortune and giveaway this frame with two prints of my original artwork. This can also be found for sale on Etsy.

All you have to do is tell me why you NEED this :D and i will randomly choose a winner on Sunday 18th October and will announce the lucky winner on Monday 19th October.

Nan and Grandad

I went to my Art Group last night. I haven't been for a couple of weeks as i've felt totally underwhelmed with the whole painting thing. I grabbed a water colour pad, some paints and a couple of pics and this is what i came up with. Its not a fantastic likeness of my nan and grandad lol, but i enjoyed sketching and painting it. My nan passed away last year and my grandad in June this year.....maybe by painting them i was trying to heal some wounds! Maybe my down feelings lately have been partially grief. My posts are so doom and gloom these days :)

Mini Florrie

My sister sent me a pic of 'mini florrie' who is now about 4 weeks old! With a message 'when are you coming to see me mummy' lol. I so hope i can have her!!!

Its been a while

As my previous posts, i haven't felt great lately! Therefore, painting has come to a complete standstill. The weather is changing rapidly and the nights are drawing in fast. My heating has gone on and i swear thats partially why i feel the way i do.

I've found a fantastic group of people on a new Etsy forum (karen if you're reading! find them they are great Enyaeiries buy post) They have had 170 odd sales in the last 5 or 6 days! and from that i've had 7! They are all such a talented and friendly bunch of etsians.

I haven't made much recently, although did make a few xmas cards yesterday (inspired by martina) but they aren't my best work lol. I listed them on Etsy at a cheap cheap price all the same.

My fish are doing great and today there are 3 new additions to my little fish family! I bought another molly (silver tail) another glow light and silver tip! The six that i originally had have now totally come to life and are loving their new swimming friends :) I am a total animal lover but i'd never had fish....and i am amazed at how endearing they are and the personalities that they possess!

I've made a shepherds pie (with lamb as per saturday kitchen lol) today! Obviously, its not for me! :) But it has been so totally time consuming and have really enjoyed making it. I won't get the benefit of my hard work lol...but i'll have pleasure in serving it up :) Am looking forward to the evening before my day at work (Shudders) as X Factor is on and i taped 'Arthur' today....one of my fav. films...so looking forward to that tonight.

My talented BFF Marti

Let me introduce you to my friend Martina! Please take time to check out my gorgeous friend Marti's Blog! She is truly an inspiration to me! She has 2 beautiful girls and another (sure to be beautiful) girl due soon :) She works, she cooks, she makes and she puts me to shame! She has just opened up a shop on Misi!!!

Martina lives miles and miles away from me these days! We rarely see each other....but i know (i hope) she will always be in my life. I tend to not have many girlfriends, but those i do, i cherish! I wish she was closer sometimes so that we can share our lives, our ups and downs!

So please, go see her :)

Me and Martina above a few years ago on our hols.....we look so happy :) lol.

Meet my new friends!

I thought i would introduce you to my new fish :) After a horrible day....panicky day....here is a tranquil pic.

Still not feeling so great tonight.

I observed the Kelly Rae Roberts sale on Etsy at 6pm and oh my goodness! Truly an inspiration. Her artwork was practically sold out (at an astronomical price) after half an hour!!!

Whatever this is SUCKS!

Having a panic disorder can be debilitating to say the least.

I have had this for years and have never been able to put my finger on what the problem is. Doctors say 'take tablets'. They can't actually tell me what is wrong and tell me there is nothing wrong with me apart from being stressed, depressed and suffering from panic attacks.

I have bouts of this horrible feeling! And although the panic attacks aren't as severe as they were years ago, the feeling in my head is still the same. Hypochondria is one of the things i suffer from....and strangely its not the stereotypical view of hypochondriacs we have. I really believe that i have some awful illness and contrary to beliefs i do not like feeling that way and it is not a cry out for help.

This stops me from enjoying life....as i always believe the end is nigh. I haven't felt so comfortable in my working environment for a while now and really believe that its because of my current panic disorder. I am associating being ill with being at work and vice versa. Yesterday my head felt weird. Today my eyes are blured and my back hurts when i breath in and of course....i think i'm really really ill. I'm not quite sure what this is....but i hate it....it stops me from being happy! And i so wanna be.

I just needed to share that!

New paintings and off work!

Have a few days off work...which is great :) And i can paint (well i can't paint but you know what i mean hehe)

Checking in

Haven't had much to say recently hence no blog update! My camera is also playing up therefore have taken no pictures. I took some on my iphone last week of my sisters dogs pups! 4 little cute chihuahua crosses. I would love one and have already named her!!! 'mini florie' lol. Below are some really blury pics.

lost my way

It doesn't take much for me these days to lose my sense of direction. I get so consumed with day to day life that i struggle to take time out and do fun things, experiment and create. I haven't painted for 3 weeks! Last weekend i made about 10 pair of earrings....was thinking of listing them...but my camera seems to not want to upload any pictures at the moment.

Saying all that....and after having the busiest couple of weeks at work i'm feeling like my head is bumbling around full of ideas again at last. Tonight i would like to make some more cards....start a new painting.....make some cheese scones and cakes......lay in the bath with my music on loud and pamper myself! When my whole being in consumed with day to day life i cannot function at all sometimes! But....i'm back :) For a bit! :)

Sometimes we all need to think of a happy place....i've never been able to find one....so if in doubt....Google it! The above looks like a super happy place hehehe