http://www.trademe.co.nz/Home-living/Party-festive-supplies/Christmas/Trees/auction-259512174.htm
It has a starting bid of $300.00. Knowing what I know, I reckon it's a bargain at that price. $1,000+ would be more realistic.

I've been browsing through this thread. What a talented bunch of people out there!

I love arts and crafts. I used to make all sorts of things out of all sorts of things. I love coming across country stores or museums that sell all the `old fashioned' things that people used to make.

I have this eye where I can visualise something finished, see a shape that no-one else can see and make it into `that thing' I saw.

I enjoy sketching, but rarely do these days. I'm a little too stressed to get it all out and draw. I think, when things settle down a bit I'll get all my art stuff `set up' so I can sit and do it when I want.

I like to paint too. I would love to learn to paint in oils and water colour too. I have friends that can do this and they produce such beautiful work. I have the flair but I don't have the patience.

If I paint, I paint in acrylics because they are `easy'. I painted one of `Tumbling Rubic Cubes' and my sister liked it so much she went out, unbeknownst to me, and got it framed. Then she insisted on hanging it. Because of the colours of the Rubic cubes we ended up almost redecorating the entire room so it didn't look out of place!

I used to love doing tapestries but have never mastered cross-stitch. I enjoyed doing macrame and weaving too.

My mother used to knit the most fabulous things. She could transform pictures onto jumpers and work out patterns for knitted tops without a printed pattern. She was always finishing off cardigans that others never finished or couldn't because they'd lost the pattern.

I can't knit for nuts. I made a plain jumper once. Mum helped me with the shapings, collars and cuffs; all I had to do was the plain knitting. When I sewed it up I found the back was 13 rows longer than the front.

The only thing I knit now is bed socks. My mother wrote out `an idiot proof' pattern. They are quick and easy to make and I can do them while watching tv.

My aunt was a bespoke tailor and she could go into a shop, see an outfit, sketch it on her cigarette packet and go home and make it for herself. Amazing talent.

My father loved words. He used to write funny poems, beautiful poetry and lyrics to songs. Suzanne Prentice recorded one of my dads songs. It is on her 25th Anniversary Album. If any of you have it the song is called `She'll Always Be Your Little Girl'.

I think I have his passion for writing because out of all the things I like to do best, writing short stories is it. I have written several, got a couple under way and am half way through two novels. I seem to get writers block after 35,000 words (but I always go back to them).

I've been lucky to sell some of my `5 minute fiction' type stories to `New Idea' and the like. I can write funny verse and poems (if I have to) but I usually steer clear of these.

Anyway, enough of me rambling.

Sounds like you are a great multitasker GG keep the ideas going ,and any of interest put em on here. The more the merrier..

Remember a picture tells a thousand words, so let our imaginations do the rest..and add as many on here as you can.. Even the rubics cube idea in your piccy.,,,, found 2 a couple of months ago in Retro shops and the grandies love them........

Cheers Kai

I can't find a photo of my `Tumbling Rubic Cubes' and unfortunately, the flash keeps reflecting off the picture. Shame really because the cubes look 3D and jump out of the picture. I think that's why my sister had it framed.

These are a couple of my first attempts of getting back into painting. I only paint for fun.



I painted `Inspiration for a shirt' for a friend who always wore loud, floral shirts.



This was painted for one of my nieces who is balloon crazy. Unfortunately, again, they look `flat' in these shots.

Hey they are really nice GG ...I am sure they would look good on the acrylic painting part of the thread. I agree trying to photograh a pictute even with or without non reflective glass always seems to cast a light also with digi we find the same...

Cheers Kai

GG don't use a flash for photographing pictures, paintings, off the tele etc. Esp' glassed ones. The photos are so much better without the flash.

Love your paintings. The humour in the Tshirt one is great and you have shaped the balloons nicely. personally, I have no idea how to make a picture look really 3D.

loved reading the details of your family talents. Your Dad must have been so pleased... I think I know which song it is.

I get my `3D' effect by shading.

I simply decide what angle the light is coming from then painting, using darker shades from that point on, I form the shape. The darkest shade is the furtherest colour from the `light source' (unless it is reflecting a shadow).

Same with faces, Bobbity.

i thouight that was 2d.. and I thought 3d was that you could get in behind sort of thing. it befuddles me. My faces are only 2D i think.

You might be right, Bobbity.

GG you have a talent that you really should persue more. The clarity of lines and symetry are quite superb. My mother is now into her next Christmas tree. This one is titled 'From the fruits of your labour'. It's based on the export produce from our region. So far she's made boysenberries, black currents, hops and she's getting ready to make apples, pears, kiwifruit, strawberries raspberries. The proceeds from the sale of her Pohutukawa one has funded children in Uganda.