Hello and welcome to week two of my top ten roundup...some fabulous things to share with you this week so lets get right into it. ;)

1. Flowers...more flowers I saw this week and loved...the colour combos in these are just too beautiful!
http://prima.typepad.com/prima/2008/07/its-a-wonderful.html
get a load of the FLOWER POWER!!! YUMMY!!

2. There is a whole lot to be learned from amazing photographers...ideas for themes and close ups and colour schemes, even just new angles to shoot from. Two of the best here in Australia are Rachel Richter,
http://www.rachelrichter.blogspot.com/
and  Donna Wild.
http://www.wildcreativephoto.com.au/
Talent in abundance, and a tenderness and a softness in the way they shoot each special subject. Go and be inspired!

(Read on for more...)

3. As regular readers of mine will know, I am very pro self-expression, and VERY pro art about yourself.
This book fascinated me, both for the richness of artistic expression, AND the fact that all the pieces were SELF portraits. FABULOUS!
http://www.quiltingarts.com/shop/MixedMediaSelfPortraits.html

4. Some utterly GORGEOUS collage sheets here...and they are FREE! (dont you just LOVE a freebie??, me too. ;) )
http://freecollagesheets.com/backgrounds/oriental-designs-collage-sheet/45

5. Kaisercraft have a brand spanking new website...and some new product coming out too.
http://www.kaisercraft.net/au-nz/
I particularly love this project by "paperdoll"...Just so classy and lush !
http://www.kaisercraft.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=442

6. One of my all time favourite Aussie designers Sally Wilson of Delish Designs is queen of the bejeweled embellishment. Get a load of the petite diamond bling!!!!!!!!!
http://www.delishdesigns.com/embellishments-brads-c-18_2_34.html

7. Hambly Screen prints, how do i love thee? EVER so much!!!
Their blog is here:
http://hamblyscreenprints.typepad.com/
some amazingly simple and effective work with their product by Danielle Thompson here;
http://hamblyscreenprints.typepad.com/photos/guest_dt_girl_danielle_th/index.html
They have the BEST rubons and now stickers too!.. I am very keen to get my hands on these:
http://www.qbaroo.com/HamblyScreenPrints/largeImage.cfm?product=1300&categoryoid=5&productoid=221
and these! coloured woodgrains. YUMMY!
http://www.qbaroo.com/HamblyScreenPrints/main.cfm?categoryoid=1&productoid=170

8. a new (to me anyhoo) company...with some lushious stuff to make you sigh...
http://www.octoberafternoon.com/
and you can see some product here.
http://www.twopeasinabucket.com/shop/list/?qa=october%20afternoon&f=qa
especially these.
http://www.twopeasinabucket.com/shop/62138/?qa=october+afternoon&f=qa&pg=2

9. For some inspiration...take a look here: SO much fun!
http://www.craftychica.com/welcome.html

and finally...

10. this weeks  "Artist blog of the week" is....HUH???... :)
Jill Geraghty-Groves
http://jillgg.typepad.com/jillygg/
Jill is an amazing mum, artist, photographer and simply one of the most divine women I have ever had the luck to become friends with. You will be inspired and thrilled by her work and her approach to life. enjoy.
for a complete sensory overload of layout genius...go straight here.
http://jillgg.typepad.com/photos/published_layouts/index.html

Ok...so there are some cool things to go take a look at...I hope you find something here that tickles your fancy!

Ooh also...if you are in Brisbane...make sure you take the time to go see the Picasso' collection exhibit at the GOMA...
http://www.qag.qld.gov.au/exhibitions/current/picasso_and_his_collection

some of the most amazing art...and better still...photographs of the man himself interacting with his art collection. Totally worth  a few hours of your time.
and finally this quote...by the man himself, and one of my favourites.

“Each second we live is a new and unique moment of the universe, a moment that will never be again. And what do we teach our children? We teach them that two and two make four, and that Paris is the capital of France. When will we also teach them what they are? We should say to each of them: Do you know what you are? You are a marvel. You are unique. In all the years that have passed, there has never been another child like you. Your legs, your arms, your clever fingers, the way you move. You may become a Shakespeare, a Michelangelo, a Beethoven. You have the capacity for anything. Yes, you are a marvel. And when you grow up, can you then harm another who is, like you, a marvel? You must work, we must all work, to make the world worthy of its children.”
Pablo Picasso

Beautiful.

Until next week,
peace.
Ngaire.
xx