This is what I find funny

I haven't laughed this hard in ages ... two of my favourite movies, perfectly combined LOL


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Marvellous Meerkats

While I've been unable to take photographs of new dolls for HelloDollies, I've been a bit itchy ... you know the feeling. Desperate to list something. I realised that my other shop, DawnLewisImagery, had been neglected and thought it was time to give it some love with new listings.

I had an absolute ball looking through a large batch of photographs I took last year, and editing them into cute little 4"x4" photos with funky effects. I have 2 sets listed in the shop, and a few more in the works. This set is a gorgeous little family of Meerkats I photographed at Taronga Western Plains Zoo (in Dubbo, Australia) and they're just too cute! Wouldn't they be adorable in 3 matching frames on the wall? Or to decorate 3 matching notebooks? Or to szhuzz up the front of a boring filing cabinet? :D

Click here to see them in the shop

Don't you just love a genius?

I do ... and I am extra super lucky that my cousin is such a genius. I've been having sooooooooooo much trouble with my CompactFlash card, and haven't been able to retrieve a single photograph from my camera.

Turns out it's a particularly nasty virus, and my very clever and patient cousin spent a very long time on the phone with me helping to fix it. He's also going to clear it off my memory cards (and I realised it could also be on all my thumb drives!). The down side is that I also passed the virus onto my laptop and my mother's laptop. Still ... he showed me how to remove it, so I'm crossing fingers that I can read my notes and get the job done.

So the moral of this story is to keep your anti-virus software up to date, and ask everyone you meet if they can help you with your computer problems until you find someone who says yes LOL.

The ups & downs of pizza

Today I thought I'd share the story of our family and pizza. We have always bought takeaway pizza, and enjoyed it despite knowing the calories lurking within were bad.

Then one day I received my issue of Super Food Ideas (my only magazine indulgence) and found an awesome recipe for pizza. I had dabbled before making pizza, with shop-bought bases, and even my bread-maker (1.5 hours to make 2 bases), but we always returned to cheap & easy take-away. this recipe looked really easy, and I could have any toppings I liked, or even make little individual ones ... so I tried it. Everyone liked it, so I kept making it.

Then one day we got lazy and ordered a takeaway pizza, and what a mistake that was! We were so used to home-made that this fat-laden pizza played havoc with everyone's stomachs. We swore never to buy a fast food chain pizza ever again.

Now ... since I love the recipe so much, and I think everyone deserves awesome pizza, I want to share it with you all. Here are some tips first:

* If your pizza toppings are freezable, then pre-cut and freeze. I always have baggies of cabanossi, beef mince, diced bacon, cooked onion and grated cheese in the freezer. It saves an enormous amount of time.

* If you like garlic bread with your pizza, have one wrapped and ready in the freezer next to your toppings. I defrost in the microwave for 3 minutes, then re-wrap in foil and cook with the pizza.

Now for the recipe!

3/4 cup warm water
1 sachet instant yeast (approx 7 grams)
1 pinch of salt
1 pinch of sugar
2 cups plain flour (all purpose)
2 Tbl Oil (I use Extra Virgin Olive Oil)

Pre-heat oven to 220 (celcius) or 200 (celcius) for a fan-forced oven.
Measure 3/4 warm water into your pyrex jug. Add the yeast, salt & sugar then mix, cover and let it stand.
Sift the flour into a large bowl. Add the oil and yeast/water mixture (which should be all frothy, but don't worry if it's not ... it'll still work fine).
Mix it all together and knead for a few minutes.
Roll out your dough and place onto your favourite pizza pan.
Add your favourite sauce and toppings.
Bake for 15 minutes (don't forget the garlic bread!).
Cut.
Serve.
Enjoy!

We declare 'Creative Day'

This morning my girls declared that today would be 'Creative Day'. It's almost lunch time, but they're still in their pj's, and drawing up a storm! They're making some new artwork that we're going to turn into notebooks and birthday books for their Etsy shop, KateDoodlez

I decided it was time to update my own shop, HelloDollies, and so I've listed my first ever doll I made from my original pattern. Her name is Tatiana, and she's an aspiring prima ballerina (who enjoys a kick-boxing session at the gym in her spare time). Click here to visit her on Etsy.

I'm still having some issues getting my photos from camera to computer, but I'm working on it ;)

All excited about Mineral Makeup

OK ... so I've decided that it's time to update my makeup in a serious way. I was absolutely thrilled to come across mineral makeup on Etsy, and this awesome Etsian was helpful, answering my questions fully. I've also bought a couple of awesome brushes and samples so I can find out what will suit me before I dive in face first (as it were).

As much as I love all the pretty colours, I'm a great believer in the fashion rule that if you wore it the first time, you shouldn't wear it the second time around. For me that means pink& blue eyeshadow with blue mascara ;) But how am I supposed to resist????

Check out the shop .... The All Natural Face on Etsy

Princess Pointy Shoes for a good cause

First of all, I beg your pardon for the dodgy scan. My camera card reader has bitten the dust and I've not had an opportunity to get a new one yet, so scanning had to suffice tonight. I really wanted to show you this new one!

Princess Pointy Shoes has a social conscience, and she's decked out for Pink Ribbon day. I will be painting this princess to raise money for the McGrath Foundation. If you're unfamiliar with the McGrath Foundation, please check out the website by clicking here. Glen McGrath is a great Australian cricketer, and his wife, Jane, recently lost her battle with breast cancer. Their foundation helps provide breast care nurses nationwide, who provide care and information, particularly to younger women.

Information very soon on the Pink Ribbon girl and where you can get one, along with $$ raised for the McGrath Foundation.

More Dec-arrrrrrr-ating

I had so many people love my little boy teddy last year at the markets, and someone said "Why don't you have a girl pirate?". So ... I designed a little girl pirate! Isn't she Darrrrrrrrrrrrrr-ling ;) LOL

Both pirates are going to be available as pattern packets very very soon. I'll also be making some video tutorials on how to paint these bears (gotta love YouTube!). I also do custom paintings ... so if you want a teddy or a Princess Pointy Shoes painted especially for you, feel free to email me any time at dlewis71@aapt.net.au :)

Coming to a magazine near you.....

.... my new ad!

I am very lucky to have a talented graphic designer as sister. With my vague mumblings of "not sure what text, but I might have my angel bear, or maybe the pirate, and what about a new logo" she managed to pull together this incredible 1/4 page colour magazine ad. Oh, and she did it all whilst wrangling a 2 year old and 6 month old ... I told you she was talented!

So this is the ad that will appear in the Fine Art and Decorative Painting Magazine Vol 16 No 8. Sure, it might be near the back, but I'm hoping it will jump out and interest people enough that they come and visit my website, and maybe even buy a pattern. Ah yes ... the website. It will be getting a complete overhaul so that it's more cohesive and user-friendly :) It's so exciting!

Yummi-ness heading my way!

I've had this hearted for a while now, and today I decided it was time to buy this awesome little PDF book from threeseasonsdesigns. It was only US$1.50! Thanks for giving us a bargain during hard economic times :D

I'm looking forward to putting together some recipe dry-mixes for gifts very soon!

You can visit threeseasonsdesigns Etsy shop by clicking here to get your own copy of yummi-ness!

Princess Treasury!

I was thrilled to check Craftcult this morning and find that my Princess Pointy Shoes 'Let them Eat Cake' bookmark had been included in this gorgeous treasury. I feel privileged to be in the company of so much royal fabulousness!

Click here for cupcake bookmark

Another bookmark

Just listed another Princess Pointy Shoes bookmark in the shop. This is from my PPS Hippity Hop easter painting, and the perfect Easter basket filler ... totally calorie-free which is guilt free!

Click here to go to the shop