Friday, April 12, 2013

Friday Friends - Local Artists - Alana McLean Photography

Happy Friday lovely readers, I hope your collective weeks have been just wonderful! Nothing exciting to report on the Maddabling front this week, hoping you all have something exciting planned for the weekend?

This week I am thrilled to introduce you to my guest blogger and Friday Friend - meet local photographer Alana - the face behind Alana McLean Photography. I am really proud of Alana who recently held her first photography exhibition at the Denmark Visitors Centre. This Pelican Reflection on Canvas in a Lacy Sheoak Frame is a firm favourite of mine.

Time now dear readers for me to hand the blogging reigns over to Alana. I really love her work and I hope you do too. Readers - are you ready to sit back and take your place Behind the Lens with Alana McLean Photography? I hope you are - Happy Reading!

P.S. please remember that the copyright for the photographs in this blog post remain the property of Alana McLean Photography and are not to be cropped, altered or reproduced in any way without the express permission of Alana McLean Photography.

Behind the Lens with Alana McLean Photography
Hi everyone, my name is Alana and I am the face behind Alana McLean Photography. I'm currently living the 'happily ever after'! I was born and raised on an idyllic beef farm in Torbay, (where we have since built our ever-after to raise the next generation), so have always had an affinity with the land and all her beauty.

Being a Taurean may also have something to do with loving the 'earthy' elements to life! I love to go bare-foot (don't tell everyone) I love the fact that I have married my hard-working brickie who has continued to adore me and supported my endeavours between raising our three healthy, vibrant and cheeky kids!

Show-casing our region through photography is an absolute pleasure! My camera comes everywhere with me! I have had a love of photography from a very early age with family portraiture being the most significant influence.

My career background was in first child protection and then Social welfare for over ten years. During that time I saw first hand the 'need' for children to be wanted, loved and a part of something - a feeling of belonging. A family portrait provides such sanctum to a child and an empowerment of 'knowing where they belong in this big, scary world".

Family portraits will always play a significant role in my work but for the moment I am concentrating on exhibiting some exciting new works and making others happy through my work (play)!

My favourite so far in the exhibition side of things is my "Fire-tail Flirt" original photograph on canvas surrounded by a hand-crafted Jarrah fleck frame courtesy of my Dad. I recently sold this piece to a very happy husband and wife from the Woodshed in Denmark.

I was very humbled as this gentleman is a Judge at the Woodcraft expo in Denmark every year and sure does see some exquisite local work - for him to buy it meant confirmation to me....but I sure do miss that little birdie!!! xxx

Dear readers, do you want to see more? Here is how you can connect with Alana McLean Photograhy.

Become a follower on Facebook here:

http://www.facebook.com/alanamcleanphotography

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Deliciously Metal - Wednesday Wishes

Grey skies and turning autumn leaves are the inspiration behind this Wednesday Wishes blog post, Deliciously Metal. Filled with beautiful bright silvers and sultry sublime coppers - enjoy x

The Precious Metals Dress by ArmoursansAnguish

Sterling Silver Large Oval Link Bracelet by RiverGumJewellery

Punk Rock Penny Nail Polish by BlackSheepLacquer

Grey wool wrist warmers with silver seed beads by craftasta

Metal wall art - Wire mesh sculpture - Contemporary art by nuntchi

Saturday, April 6, 2013

Art in the Park 2013

Hey lovely Maddabling blog readers, I hope you are having the most excellent weekend. I want to share with you another of the fine exhibitions we had the pleasure to visit over the Easter weekend. It was a beautiful clear Autumn day, the perfect opportunity to go for a drive through the countryside, and to meander through Art in the Park.

Art in the Park is set in the day use area of Castle Rock, in the ancient Porongurup National Park. There were lots of sculptures to discover and admire.

I particulary loved these entries from the Youth Section - Ebony Taylor with her "Lasting Lilies' made from recyc. plastic and wire

and Kieran Taylor with his "There was a redback on the toilet seat" made from Recycled Metal and Plastic.

Here are some other pieces that caught my attention, how amazing are they?

There was even several thoughtfully placed "park benches" to sit on and enjoy the surroundings from.

This fellow was spotted on the way back to the carpark and posed long enough for a happy snap.

We really did see some lovely scenery on the drive, picture perfect in fact.

A small indulgence on the way home with a stop at the Porogurup Shop and Tearooms, such a gorgeous spot to sit and have a coffee.

Well, coffee and a delicious devonshire tea complete with lashings of apricot jam and cream AND still warm scones. Oh my!

All in all it was a perfect way to spend the day and enjoy everything our corner of the world has to offer.

Friday, April 5, 2013

Friday Friends - Local Makers - Tanaza Soy Candles

Happy Friday lovely Maddabling readers - did you have a nice Easter Break? We were fortunate that there were a couple of fantastic sculpture exhibitions in our local area over the Easter Weekend - I blogged about one earlier this week called "Sculpture in the Harbour - Tidelines" and we also caught "Art in the Park" which I will share in a separate blog post this weekend.

This week it is my absolute pleasure to introduce to you today's Friday Friend - meet Tania - a local maker and the face behind Tanaza Soy Candles!

I first had the pleasure of "sampling" one of the Tanaza candles at Cloud Nine Spa Chalets last year - they are really really lovely products! I love to support local makers and crafty folk and I can promise you that there are Tanaza candles in the Maddabling household, and that they smell simply delicious! This one in the frosted jar is "Mojito" (what's not to love?)

and these two little travel tins of Lime Cilantra and Lemon Myrtle freshened up our hotel room beautifully on a recent trip away.

Ok lovely readers, time for you to sit back, relax and take a virtual whiff of all the loveliness contained in The Tale of Tanaza Soy Candles. Have a lovely relaxing weekend and have fun doing whatever it is you are doing xo

The Tale of Tanaza Soy Candles

Who is Tanaza Soy Candles?
Tanaza Soy Candles started out as a hobby which is slowly becoming more of a business.

I started making candles back in 2011 I have a friend in SA that makes them and I really enjoyed getting her products after a while I decided to start to make them myself to save some money and I loved it so I started to sell them and started a small home business

What inspires you?
The satisfaction I get when people say that they love my products

What mediums do you work with - do you have a favourite?
I work with natural soy wax, assorted fragrances and oils, and dye colours

What kind of things do you make/create ?
Soy candles, Soy Melts, Pillar Candles, Reed Diffusers. I also get products in such as Electric Oil Burners, Salt Lamps and other gift ideas.