Friday Friends, Dusty Divas Part 1 - FaerieMajikk

Welcome dear readers to the second edition of Friday Friends for 2011. This post will give you a chance to escape, just for a few moments, from the harrowing events of the past week - the floods in Queensland and the Fires in Western Australia that have been televised so intensely. Maddabling sends her love and very best wishes to all those affected by these events, either directly or indirectly, one feels quite helpless at a time like this.

Now, it is with great pleasure that I introduce my first Dusty Diva for 2011 - Lindsay from FaerieMajikk



I first "met" Linz through a DUST team Christmas in July Event where I was so lucky to win a beautiful Seductive Selkie - Open Edition ACEO Print.

I have purchased further works from Linz (I have a fascination with Selkies and Mermaids, the folklore and imagery)




and thought these four Open Edition ACEO Prints make quite a stunning display together !


I am excited by Linz's new body butter and perfume range, but you can read more about this further down the page :) Lovely readers, I invite you to leave behind for a few minutes, the real world and to enter into the fantasy world of FaerieMajikk and to learn more about what inspires Linz to create such fabulous art. Enjoy !


The Story of FaerieMajikk and the Art of Lindsay Cheesewright

Like all young girls I grew up playing make-believe games in a mythical land of faeries, unicorns and mermaids. I think it was the normal thing for young girls to do. No one thought I was strange or peculiar - that's just what kids are like! As an adult however I don't think that I truly have grown up, sure I don't play those games any more but I do illustrate these beautiful and magical places and beings into my artworks.

Whether or not people still don't see me as strange or peculiar is a matter of opinion. Some I am sure think me as 'mad as a hatter' but that is ok, I don't mind at all. To me faeries and the world of faeries is not simply being immature and refusing to grow up - it's deeper than that. It's about still holding on to those ignorant dreams and fantasies we had as children - to look at life through the eyes of a child.

Looking at life as though anything is possible is really a good way to be and the way I want to live my life, to strive for those things that seem unattainable if not what hope is there? To go through life doing the same mundane things is certainly not living.

I am a Mother of 4 boys and I will let you all on a little secret ... mother of 4 soon to be Mother of 5 eeeek! Ok now with that out of the bag I will go on, I am also happily married and we will celebrate our 7th Anniversary this year. So as you can imagine being a full time mother whilst trying to pursue a career as an artist is very hectic and usually something gets pushed to the side - my art. I usually work on my art late of a night or before the kids wake up in the morning.

I was first introduced to the world of fantasy through my older brother who gave me a poster of a unicorn when I was young - it was from that moment on I loved Unicorns and although i still do, it wasn't until my late teens that I realised that even though I liked fantasy and unicorns, I really enjoyed figurative art - so that is where my love for faeries really came about. A way to create fantasy creatures while also figurative art.

I am inspired by so many things - mostly the way a child looks at life, but also nature as Mother Nature always gets things right - the closest I feel you can get to perfection. One of my most favorite paintings would have to be Ophelia by Sir John Everett Millais but pretty much any Pre - Raphaelite paintings.
I work mostly in watercolours, simply because pans are so easy and quick to work with, also because I do like the look of transparent paints as it gives that magical and dreamy feel which really suits fantasy artworks.

I do like oils as well as I just can not get enough of the smell of oil paint. Oils are something that takes a little longer to set up and work with, I do hope to create more oil paintings in the future.

My currently favourite piece that I have created so far is Crimson Wings, it's the most recent that i created for the Enchanted Visions Project. A tutorial/walkthrough can be seen here: http://www.squidoo.com/fantasy-watercolour-tutorial-crimson-wings Usually my most recent painting will be my favourite which is good as it means i am improving - although i do still find many flaws in each painting, i guess we are all human and we are our own worst critic.

I am working on many things for 2011 - always thinking with cogs spinning around in my head at all times! Last year I finally released my range of Body Products (perfume oils and body butters)

I had been working on them for months, I wanted a new way of showcasing my art and having a love for scents and generally nice smelly things in general I thought hey I'm going to do this!

It has been a slow process as i have to not only make sure the product itself is tested properly and is of high quality but I have also created the art for the label especially for each scent. Which is why I only have three scents at the moment, I have an artwork half - finished for a new scent: Vanilla Earth so that will be the next one I will release.

I am also frantically working on an Online Solo Exhibition, simply because there is no where locally that I can have a physical exhibition - or perhaps there is, I am just a big hermit and would prefer to stay at home LOL !

My up coming exhibition is Postcards from the Imagination, they will be portraits, all of them will be OSWOA (Original Small Works Of Art) the size of these are 4"x6" in size.You can find out more on my website that I created for this event:
http://exhibition.faeriemajikk.com

The site has been done very quickly and is a little crude in design but I will be working on that. I hope to have 25 pieces ready for this to begin on the 19th of March, the exhibit will run for two weeks and i will be giving away gift certificates for those who RSVP. I update my facebook page regularly on my progress of this at http://facebook.com/FaerieMajikk

I am also working on getting more prints/ gift items in my etsy store: http://www.etsy.com/shop/FaerieMajikk i hope to have a good range by mid year including prints, pendants, cards and bookmarks.


You can buy your very own piece of FaerieMajikk at this etsy store:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/FaerieMajikk


or at this link :

http://faeriemajikk.com/store

Check out Linz's website at :

http://faeriemajikk.com/

connect through the FaerieMajikk Blog :

http://faeriemajikk.com/?page_id=14

or find FaerieMajikk on Facebook :

http://www.facebook.com/FaerieMajikk

Wednesday Wishlist, Australian Flood Appeal

Todays Wednesday Wishlist is dedicated to the Etsian Australian Flood Appeal http://www.etsy.com/shop/AusDisasterRelief

Important Information About the Australian Disaster Relief Store
The Australian Disaster Relief store has been set up to raise much needed funds in times of need.We are a collective of generous Etsy Sellers who have donated items to raise money for the Queensland Premier's Disaster Relief Fund (http://www.qld.gov.au/floods/). 100% of proceeds (less Etsy and Paypal fees) will go to the fund to help the many communities and families who have been devastated by this natural disaster.

Please be patient in all situations, as it is, and will continue to be, Another Huge Job for the DUST team volunteers,
http://dustteam.com listing everything, replying to emails and convos, and then sending out shipping details.etc.etc.etc.

If you would like to donate an item to the shop
1.... Please send the following information in an email to

etsyfloodhelp@hotmail.com and put “Flood Appeal Donation” in the title line.

*Your shop name/link
*Your location and country
*Item Name/Title
*Item Price
*Item Description
*Materials used
*10 tags
*Up to 5 clear photos of the item

**AND 2 **
MOST IMPORTANT - If you donate something already listed in your personal shop, you MUST UN-LIST it when you send your email details !!!

Please remember that you will also be donating the cost of postage so please specify if you have restrictions of where you post to. When your item sells one of the admin will contact you with the shipping info.

Thank you all, for the support so far, items in the shop are selling as fast as we can list them. This shop will continue on for as long as is needed, as it will be a huge job over as the areas affected is larger the the state of Texas, or France and Germany combined. Brisbane is the third largest Capital city in Australia !
Floods and wild weather are now affecting 5 States in Australia Qld, NSW, NT, Victoria and Tasmania !

I hope that this wishlist contains something that will tempt you, every little bit helps x

I Heart U Valentine Cocktail Ring generously donated by StudioLeanne from Melbourne, Australia.

Fine Art Photography Print Set (2 5x7) - Old Chevy

generously donated by Filmless Photos (Kirsty2715), from Wagga Wagga, Australia

Vintage Lucite Floral Charm Bracelet

generously donated by lushbaubles , from Perth, Australia

Camera Strap Slipcover Organic Leaves

generously donated by HappySnapz from Newcastle, Australia

Silver Charm Bracelet - Coloured Lucite Flowers

generously donated by Lace and Links from Millicent, South Australia.

Girls Blouse - Cream Floral Summer Tunic Custom Handmade

generously donated by Little Star Clothing from Melbourne, Australia.

6mm Lavender Amethyst Sterling Silver Stud Earrings

generously donated by RiverGum Jewellery from Sunbury, Victoria

Softly Softly Lip Balm, Healing, Rejuvenating Oils, Shea Butter, Sunflower Oil, Castor Oil, Rosehip Oil

generously donated by New Earth Soaps from Bunbury, Western Australia

Midnight oil triangle pendant
generously donated by planettreasures from Blue Mountains near Sydney, Australia.

little silk rose ear flap hat hand knitted
generously donated by plumfish - from Perth Western, Australia.

Sunshine mini clutch - Cobalt, Yellow Retro print - recycled materials
generously donated by re-deem designs from Gold Coast, Australia.

Midnight Owl Earrings

generously donated by Petaliferous from Melbourne, Australia

Giant shopping tote - Sneakers

generously donated by AliPink from Gold Coast, QLD, Australia

Berry swirl resin bangle

generously donated by DELiciousDesignz from Albany, Western Australia

Rainbow Non Slip Hair Clips - Pair
generously donated by VanillaPixie from Sydney, NSW, Australia.

Friday Friends - Sage and Mage - Australian Etsy Seller

Welcome everyone to the first edition of my Friday Friends series for 2011. I am going to try to continue the focus on Australian Etsy Artists and DUST Team members this year as I truly believe there is an amazing array of talent out there in this wide brown land !

Making the Mundane Magical, and Daily Rituals Divine - this week it gives me great pleasure to introduce Gennifer from Sage and Mage.



Let me set the scene for you with Gennifer's Etsy store description :

If Sage and Mage was a real-life shop, it would be a small, old house. You would release the smell of lemon thyme by treading up a soft, green path to the porch. The porch steps would creak, a raven would call, and the door would open, welcoming you. Light would stream in the windows, illuminating shelf upon shelf of tinctures, treasures, trinkets, lotions and potions. Strange and wonderful herbs would hang in bunches from the ceiling.

But what you are looking for would be in a small back room with the phantom scent of violets, in an ancient wooden cabinet, in a tiny drawer, in a tiny box...

Welcome, and I hope you find what you are looking for...

Intrigued ? I was totally swept up and transported away with this description as it reminded me of a small weatherboard shop with polished wood floors that I had once visited in a country town that sold handmade herbal products ! Visualisation is such a wonderful tool.

In the spirit of my New Years Resolution - to try new things - I found myself drawn to a few of the products that I simply felt I had to sample for myself. I also love the way Gennifer has described these and to give you a feel for her products have included the item descriptions, in part, as well.

The first was the Mocha Cardamom Body Sand - All Natural Sugar Scrub for Body and Hands - Texture is so important in body pampering products. As I made this spicy, rich blend, I was struck by how much like soft, fine, wet sand it was. I spent some time moulding a batch into sandcastles. Imagine walking along a beach scented with rich organic cocoa, dark coffee and the fresh spiciness of cardamom...The coffee takes pride of place over the cocoa in this mocha blend, and organic sugar gives a sweet base for cardamom to rise above the more subtle notes of ginger and cinnamon.
The second was LAKSHMI Goddess Perfume Oil - Lotus Flower and Mango - which gave me a glimpse of summer (something we haven't had much of weather wise in my part of Australia so far this year) Ah Lakshmi, Hindu goddess of beauty and fortune and prosperity and grace and all things wonderful, how I love you! This perfume oil is in honour of Lakshmi and inspired by India. Lakshmi is very closely associated with the lotus, and lotus blossom features strongly in this blend. Ripe juicy mangoes, white tea and ginger sweeten, brighten and lighten, while sandalwood anchors. You might be able to detect a hint of citrus -mandarin and blood orange - in there as well.

The third product I was drawn to was the Cardamom Cacao Tea - ORGANIC - Rooibos A fresh, rooibos blend with the rather sophisticated and definitely delicious blend of cardamom and cocoa. Orange and lemon lifts the freshness of the cardamom even more, and the addition of cinnamon brings out a little spice...very, very nice, with just the merest hint of cocoa in the finish. All-organic ingredients: rooibos, honeybush, cardamom pods, cacao nibs, orange peel, cinnamon, lemon peel powder.

The fourth was the whimsical Aniseed Scented Black Cats and Trees - Cut out Paper Lovelies for your Notes and Rooms. Put them around the house, in a drawer or a journal, slip them into love notes, books, or spell boxes, make them into little funny arrangements on the windowsill as I have done in a silly mood - they will scent the air with the smell of licorice-y aniseed. These little die cut shapes have been steeping in aniseed essential oil-drenched paper for four weeks.

I heart this bracelet too - Aztec Goddess Bracelet - Coral Tlazoltotl - such a striking combination - The combination of copper, turquoise and red reminds me of ancient Aztec civilisations...Tlazolteotl perhaps, the goddess of both sin and purification. This an earthy, bright, grounding and powerfully colourful bracelet. Ingredients: 8mm coral beads, 10mm coral bead, 10 and 12mm turquoise beads, silver and copper plated bead caps and findings, stretchy beading elastic.


I invite you now to take some chill time and to read the Sage and Mage story in my first Friday Friends feature for 2011. Enjoy - and a prosperous peace filled New Year to you all xox



About Sage and Mage and Gennifer

I like to think of myself as the unlikely lovechild of Morticia Addams and Martha Stewart, which I guess makes me a bit like Samantha from Bewitched... in my dreams at least! Sage and Mage has been gestating in my heart for most of my life, but it was born into this world in 2008.

I’ve harboured a passion for spiritual development, the gifts of the Earth and the path of the mystic for as long as I can remember, but I didn’t have the courage to follow this path until fairly recently. After spending eight years at university gaining honours degrees in both music and English, I explored careers such as jazz singing, flute teaching, jewelry making, travel-book editing, seemingly perpetual post-graduate study and even newspaper-quiz writing: usually all at once.

In 2006, a series of chronic illnesses reading like a ‘Who’s Who’ of medical mysteries ultimately led me to rethink my life and career plan, and to make major changes to ensure my future happiness and health. I put away her editor’s cap and hung up my jazz voice, and began studying the magical healing arts. I made a commitment to follow a certain little dancing spark of joy wherever it led me.

I arrived at Sage and Mage after meandering through fields such as natural medicine, aromatherapy, vibrational medicine, shamanism, Reiki, crystal therapy, and magical herbalism, collecting information from each path as I went. Sage and Mage, always developing and expanding, is the culmination of years of personal research and the gathering momentum of that little spark of joy. I adore every single moment working on and with Sage and Mage, and that spark is now ablaze!

The Sage and Mage mission is to make daily rituals divine, and ‘Bringing Joy’ is its motto. It’s sometimes hard to make large changes to bring more joy in our lives, but little ones are easily incorporated and just as meaningful. The pouring of a cup of tea can be an offering to the Goddess as well as a nurturing treat;
the taking of a fragrant bath a cleansing of the spirit as well as the body.

Sage and Mage is wholeheartedly dedicated to the handmade philosophy, which values effort, creativity and personal energy as well as ethical and empowering business practice. Handmade items have an auratic quality that just can’t be found in commercially produced items. Sage and Mage is 100% handmade (by me) and passionately supports other handmade businesses and products.

At home in Melbourne, I divide my time between Sage and Mage and serving one beautiful blue cat whose name is Luna. I cherish all things that smell divine, taste heavenly, feel blissful, look beautiful… and shoes. I am honoured and filled with gratitude that I have been given the opportunity to nurture Sage and Mage and I am really excited about developments planned for the coming year. I’ve had so much encouragement and support and I feel so very, very blessed. Thank you, and may you follow your own dancing spark of joy!

Many blessings to you and yours,

Gennifer


Want to know more ? Here is how you can connect with Sage and Mage :

Buy Gennifer's goodies from ETSY : http://www.etsy.com/shop/sageandmage

or

Connect on Facebook : http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sage-and-Mage/121978711166491?ref=sgm

Wednesday Wishlist - New Year, New Beginnings, New Growth

Happy New Year ! Time for new beginnings and new growth.

2011 (MMXI) - In the Gregorian calendar, it is the 2011th year of the Common Era or the Anno Domini designation; the 11th year of the 3rd millennium and of the 21st century; and the 2nd of the 2010s decade. The United Nations has designated 2011 the International Year of Forests and International Year of Chemistry. On 18 December 2009, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution A/RES/64/134 proclaiming the year commencing on 12 August 2010 as the International Year of Youth: Dialogue and Mutual Understanding. It is the Australian Year of Humanitarian Engineering and the European Commission has determined 2011 to be the European Year of Volunteering.

It is the Chinese Astrology Year of the Rabbit : A placid year, very much welcomed and needed after the ferocious year of the Tiger. I have made a simple but eloquent new years resolution - to try new things. This is a broad and all encompassing resolution and one that I intend to keep.

Welcome dear readers to another year, I hope you continue to enjoy the journey with me xox


Adorable Green --stack rings- Green tourmaline Peridot and Jade Leaf - Made to order by metalmorphoz


New Year Resolutions Original screen print, Stay Free, Resolutions, 8 x 5 on vintage book page by moonandlion


New Growth Earrings - Vesuvianite Leaf, AA Cognac Quartz, Citrine Cubes on Sterling Silver by PoleStar


Embrace New Beginnings by herpaintedword


5x7 - Signed Print - New Growth by lightleaks


Everyday Gives Life To A New Beginning by Suziblutube



Photosynthesis necklace - Prasiolite, Prehnite, Green and Lemon Quartz on Gold and Sterling Silver by FirebirdJewellery


Dare to Begin Letterpress Print by happydeliveries


Baby Ferns Stretching - 8 x 10 Fine Art Photography Print by JenniferAitchison

New Beginnings Silver Bracelet by chicandsweet