Blog look no. 2

Like I said, I'm gonna be changing the blog look a lot.




This one was inspired by a LO I did a while ago and since I'm loving all things red and blue with a "brown paper packages, tied up with string" feel, voila!

I just have to figure out the background. Not sure if I'm still loving that shade of blue.

Happy weekend, lovelies!

Whoopsy daisy!

Uh oh! Due to some unforseen technical action, my website's gone missing, or rather deleted by accident! Whoops! Until my super smart technician also known as Darren resolves it, here's what I'm working on. I am still designing it here and there. Adding a better 'About page' and stuff like that. It's going really slow though. I am such a hopeless case when it comes to web stuff! I need to work on it a little faster. I created a brochure last night for my home kids classes and I plan on printing heaps out and cycling around south side so I can pretend to be a mailman and slot them into nice mailboxes.

Thank goodness for such inspiring scrappers...

I'm really having fun with this, my little challenge to actually use my digital kits, instead of hoarding them.

I shamelessly lifted one of my all time fave scrappers evah, the amazing Keisha Campbell.

I used Sahlin Studio's Vintage Carnival kit.

mod shift

Happy Friday, everyone! We made it! Any fun plans this weekend?

Jacket: Trench coat with sleeves cut off, Old Navy
Dress: Striped shift dress, H&M
Shoes: Black suede heels, Charlotte Ronson
Purse: Green leather clutch, Zara
Watch: Gold and tortoise shell oversized watch, Michael Kors

New blog look, long overdue....

So, as you can see, I have done a blog revamping. I was kinda tired of the same old look and I think I'm gonna be changing it a lot from now on.

Since Blogger has made it much simpler, I feel the need to make lots and lots of new blog looks to suit my mood. Ha!

I hope you like.

Commissioned illustration

It was my birthday yesterday and I spent the morning singing along to Bieber's 'Baby' ( Not that I'm a fan. Sorry Bieber lovers! ) and working on a commissioned illustration for a nice foodie magazine. Well, before this project, I never ever thought beef ribs or any form of ribs were that difficult to draw! It was kind of exciting. Haha. My day was pretty much spent after that, having the worst dim sum at a dim sum buffet with Darren. The food was so bad and the service was just atrocious. But it was what made it so fun. I think the both of us had too many rock-hard dumplings, we started giggling a lot and coined the term ' death by char siew'. Their rice noodle char siew roll, oh it was just bad. After lunch it was a whole lot of errand running and buying stuff for my classes next week. It's nice to not have to think about job hunting ( I'm trying to look for a full time art-related job in a school ) and just spend the day laughing and having bad dim sum. Darren gave me a super lovely ring as a present. I'll show you more in the next post!

Till then, I'm off to spend my day with Darren, have more birthday cake, and just relax in this nice sun before we come home and camp out in front of the television in anticipation of the royal wedding! And yes, I am one of those funny ones who's pretty excited about it. I am not really in support of all the money that's being spent. But well, I must admit, I can't wait to see Kate's dress! Anyone of you excited too?

into the wide open

I love me a good Tom Petty reference every once in a while, don't you? (Side note: Check out that vintage Johnny Depp!)

These pants, clearly very wide, were the comfiest thing for a rather jam packed Wednesday. I love that they're almost indistinguishable from a long maxi skirt, unless I kick my leg up really high (I omitted those photos from this post -- my better judgment got the best of me).

Happy Wednesday!

Day four...

Ah, I have to say, I'm really enjoying this little challenge I gave myself. I can feel it getting easier and I actually look forward to creating my pages and choosing the kit of the day.




I lifted Susan Weinroth this time. Her page was paper, mine's digital.
I had wanted to do a LO with a BIG black and white picture and Susan gave me the push I needed.
I used Sahlin Studio's Grandma's Dresser kit. So full of vintagey goodness. Loved it.

Frankie Time!

Hooray! Once again, I got to do some fun drawings for Frankie and here's the page in print. Before this project, I never thought beer bottles were that tough to draw! But well, a challenge is always good! I hope you like it! Here's the close ups of each bottle. I wonder which is your favourite? I can't decide which ones I like best. The Dogbolter, Coopers vintage ale or the Long shot. Hmmmm....

Day three...

I'm as shocked as you to still be doing this and to be slowly but surely getting some inspiration back.
This time my muse was Karla Dudley. Yep, big surprise, huh?



The colors in this kit, the elements, brushes, the pp... Swoon! I dunno how I had resisted it this long.
You can get it here.

Kids home art classes

To all Melbourne parents with young kids who are ages 3 and up, I am now offering home art classes for kids! Yes, you don't need to travel, I'll come straight to you and have 2 hours of fun with your kids, making art while you sit back and relax. Your kids will feel safe knowing you're around too! No crying or anxiety issues. No waking early and driving your child halfway across the city for classes. All's good! It's such a good thing I reckon, especially for busy parents who work in offices or even at home.

My classes are specially catered for kids who are interested in fun crafty hands-on type projects. Perfect for pre or prep schoolers. Depending on what your child likes, I will come up with a extra special lesson for your child. For example, if your child is into fishes, we could do a mini little crafty aquarium. Or if he's into spaceships, we could do our own super rocket and he or she can pretend to be an astronaut. Wooohoo! There's really so many fun things out there that can be done. So it's really up to what your child likes! Oh and did I already mention, all art materials will be provided too.

Classes are offered as mostly one-off classes, but you can also sign up for a month-long 4-week block. Group bookings are available for siblings, best friends, cousins, neighbours, etc. Art making's always a little more fun with little friends around! At the end of each session, you'll be surprised with a beautiful spiffy new artwork from your kid! Now doesn't that sounds wonderful? Do hop over here or email me at dawntanwenyi@gmail.com for more info! Thank you : )

* Do take note, I am still teaching at both Harvest and Art encounters. I started home art classes because parents who read my blog ( hi there! ) have been emailing to ask if I could go to their homes to teach, due to conflicting work schedules, location, etc. So I thought why not! Thanks mummies and daddies for the suggestion! It's such a great idea and well, thanks to all your encouragement, I've started it!

Still at it...

Since I have been away from all my paper and glue for two looooong years now, I cannot thank my dear friend and über talented designer Karla Dudley, enough for getting me into digital.

Thanks to her, I have been able to keep from going nuts because of a scrap withdrawal and I have amassed an obscene amount of digital kits... Yes, I know. Hard to believe. Ha!

So, in an effort to use them all at least once, I have given my self the challenge to scrap a page a day using a different kit each day.

Here's hoping I keep it up and that it helps me get some of my mojo back. There will be lots and lots of shameless lifts, but... Oh. well.





This is one of my shameless lifts. My vicitim this time is the crazy talented Peppermint from One Little Bird. Thank you for the inspiration.

The kit is a Paislee Press collaboration and one of my fave kits ever.

Happy handmade things

It's my birthday this week but I have been so stressed over some things. I've been tearing a lot and not sleeping much, or rather waking up too early cause I'm too stressed. But yes, let me take my mind of things for a while and introduce you all to the cute things Molly Dyson paints. Oh and that's a quilt she made for her friend ( how nice! ) and oh that's her room. Yes! A map on the wall! I'm sold!

I went to uni and she was in a few of my history classes. We never quite spoke to each other I think. For most part of my uni life, I thought Molly reminded me very much of Nancy Drew. In a cute way of course! In class, she always wore the cutest clothes just like Nancy Drew's. Art history classes were always so boring so sometimes I'd be looking at what others wore to make time pass faster. Molly's outfits were always the highlight! During grad show, I came across her work and have been smitten ever since. The painting above is just so beautiful, my photo ( 3rd Picture ) does it no justice at all! It is so amazing and it makes me happy just looking at it. Well, I think I am not the only one who thinks she's cute. The lovely Pip wrote about Molly here too! Molly has a cute blog here, why not you take a look!

pictures all taken from Molly's amazing blog! ( Except 3rd picture! )

I miss this... I miss YOU.

Times have been hard for me for the past two years. Even though at the beginning I tried to keep the blog up, I just couldn't find anything to blog about and I had absolutely no desire to scrapbook.

Times are still hard, my mojo still refuses to come back to me, but I'm trying...

I did this page just to see what would come out of me. I liked it. Kinda. It's very frustrating to struggle so much to find any kind of inspiration to create.

Even though I love, LOVE digital, I have been missing all my paper and glue like crazy lately. I miss cutting paper, and picking embellishments. I miss it all.

So, here's my attempt at updating this poor dusty, cobweb covered blog. I hope it sticks.

I have missed you...

All elements are Karla Dudley Designs at Design House Digital.

cold shoulder

I remember spotting this exact shirt on Hanneli last summer and have been lusting after it ever since. Can't wait to wear it for nice brisk spring days walking around San Francisco.

On a side note, my dear friend Christine of My Style Pill, did a fun little webisode with The Shops at Columbus Circle, shopping and doing what she does best -- styling! Check it out here!

Holiday fun at Harvest

Three days filled with lots of colourful crafty bits. Beads, vegetables for stamping, crayons, markers, paint, paper and even umbrellas! I got bright fluorescent green paint on my favourite black skirt but it's ok. I had fun, the kids had fun and well,there's always dynamo right?

Have a nice Easter holiday everyone! I'm going to dye some eggs tomorrow. I cannot wait!

Style Remix: Bold Stripes

You know we had to do it -- yep, my dear friend and remixer extraordinaire, Christine of My Style Pill and I are at it again for another remix. This time, we had our sights set on this little bold stripe number, mine from Zara and hers from H&M.

Since you've seen me wear this shirt before with somewhat of a bold color -- I figured why not continue the momentum? I picked up these Spring 2011 Milly pants over the weekend at a small boutique before a hike with the boyfriend (surprisingly, he LOVED the pants, I was convinced they would be a tad too 'man repelling' for him).

I fell in love with the bold pattern and thought some pattern mixing and saturated colors would do me some Prada good. All in all, it was hard not to smile in this outfit!

Now scoot over to see Christine's outfit -- I know I am!

Shirt: Green and black striped tee, Zara
Pants: Floral pants, Milly Spring 2011
Shoes: Black suede pumps, Charlotte Ronson
Clutch: Orange leather clutch, American Apparel