The Cats Grin Primitives

Some new things! SOME OLD!

2010-03-21T15:12:00.001-07:00

The Chocolate Crow competition!!!

2010-02-14T17:19:00.000-08:00

Hello all!

Hope you have all had a great weekend!

Just letting everyone know... I have donated the competition this month for the TCCT (the chocolate crow trader) to enter... all you need to do is email me a funny quote or saying!

wendyolsen8@bigpond or join my website mailing list http://www.countrycraftsandarts.com/ alternatively... If you leave a comment here I will also enter you in the draw!

By entering you can win Ol' Hetty the prim angel! She is aged and scented and oh so quirky!!

The competition will be drawn on the 13th of March and I will email the winner as well as announcing it on the TCCT!!

Soooo..... please pass it around and spread the word!

Hetty needs a new home!

Another post for today!!

2010-02-09T00:27:00.000-08:00

Hello all,

I have been extremely busy over the past few weeks! I am painting fine art for the painting site I have been given at The Jindi Harvest of Gippsland, as well as for several art shows I have entered!

I did manage to get one weeks painting in for my Market stall that was looking mighty empty, it is looking a bit better, but not quite up to the cluttered stage I am really happy with!

That is my Daughter behind the stall! She is a great help!

The Berwick show is on the 28 th of February, and we need to pack up our stall to make way for that... it is the only day of the year we aren't at the market! Yay... a day off, sort of!

I am lucky to be able to work from home, and then go out and sell my things at the market.

I haven't quite got into the swing of things yet, and I must get posting things to my website again (http://www.countrycraftsandarts.com/) for this week ,I will be adding the items I have listed in the last posts here!

Take care all!!

Wendy.

And some more!!

2010-02-09T00:18:00.001-08:00

A few of my new things I will be listing on my website this week!

2010-02-09T00:13:00.000-08:00

Childhood memories....

2010-01-15T05:14:00.000-08:00

I used to own this book as a child.

It horrified me and scared me, but i loved looking at it.

I used to wonder why Punch was so horrible....

Now I wonder where that old copy went!

It was so old, its pages were like plaster attached to material...

I think I have a new goal for the year... to find a copy!

A few things coming up....

2010-01-10T14:35:00.000-08:00

Hello to all!

Here is a sneak peek at what I am adding to The Chocolate Crow Trader coming out on the 15th of December!!

I know it is the valentines and teddy edition.... but I failed to finish in time!!

Next month will hopefully see me on track.... I doubt it but I will try!

I have had a small clean out of some of my clutter... It doesn't look any different!

By clutter I mean the ever growing pile of things to paint!!

Currently in the pile and on the shelves are about 10 teapots, three big kettles, 6 tea towels, about a dozen patchwork panels to be painted, 12 signs, 6 suitcases of various size and age! A bread box, a potato and onion box, an egg cupboard, 3 sets of vintage scales, a box, a magazine rack, a spice shelf 10 jars, 6 condiment bottles, 3 sets of salt and pepper shakers, about a dozen dolls needing faces, clothes and hair, 1 that needs clothes, and one that just needs hair......... I know there is more buried under there.... I have about 6 weeks to get through it all... well I wish anyway!

In 6 weeks we have to pack up our permanent stall site, to make way for the Berwick show.... what a job!! I have all the stock plus tiered shelving, lattice walls, and two shelves, a set of drawers, and a large rust coloured wire shelf bowl thingy.... I don't know its exact purpose, but it is great to hang dolls on, and put teddies and scented thingy's in!!

I am dreading the pack up!! Then the storage... then the set up again fiasco which sees nothing go back the way it ought to!!

Oh well.... must be done!

There... That is my whinge for the week!

Take care all!!

A change is as good....

2010-01-05T16:12:00.000-08:00

A change is as good as a holiday ... or so the quote goes!!

I don't have as much washing to do as i would have had we been on a holiday!! Small blessings!!

A change in header for the new season... just so cute , the cats look allot like our hose cat Caspar!

I am trying desperately to organise my time so I can head down to the beach for a painting demonstration at the Inverloch Gallery of fine art.... Great weather, and a great location, it will even be fun!! But.... the time is flying and there is so much to do.... I must organise my self to get my Chocolate Crow Trader items photographed today...... Oh well that's about it from me for now!!

Take care all!!

Little Moon Lady...

2010-01-04T17:52:00.000-08:00

Hello all,I am hoping everyone is off to a great start to the year

I have taken a little break from Market painting (yet again!) and have painted a Little Moon Lady, she is painted in acrylic on paper, and is very different for me !

I have had a blast painting her, and will frame her up when I can decide what to paint in the bottom right hand corner... I was thinking another snail, but some one suggested toadstools, which I like as well... but then a frog might look all right as well..... Oh the decisions!!

A small break!

2009-12-29T22:02:00.000-08:00

Hello to all!

I am hoping everyone had a great Christmas, and hope they have a great New Year as well!

I haven't 'prim-ed' anything this week as yet (I have plans though!!) but I have painted some paintings for the other creative part of my life!!

I create 'fine art' for fun, and have it represented by 3 Galleries so far, sales have been good this year, and it seems there is growing interest, that , for me, is fantastic!!

I might be able to give up my 'day-job' one day!!

(For those that aren't aware... I paint country crafts and signs for my Market stall at Berwick, as well as supply a Party plan business.... ) to give this up would allow me to paint more creatively!! No more repetitive cows, pigs 'n' chickens!!

I would miss it though!! Plus... I think I'm dreaming !!

Take care everyone!!

www.wendyolsen-art.blogspot.com

www.wendyolsen-art.com

Merry Season to all!!

2009-12-24T02:34:00.000-08:00

It is the season to be merry...

La....la la...la...la...la...la,la...laaaaa

It is great to eat chocolate and cherries...

La...la la...la...la...la...la,la...laaaaa......

Humbugs...with out the Baa!! I cant think of anything else to rhyme right now!!

Oh well!!

Merry Christmas, or for that matter Merry-what-ever-it -is-you-celebrate!!

For me,it is the week of slow down for the year, the week for spending time with family and friends, of eating, giving, more eating, laughing and thinking of how lucky I am and as a country we are!

A week of giving thanks, and appreciation!

I aim to carry this with me through to the next year and beyond. !!

The photo is of my gorgeous girls Cristelle and Charlotte, decorated and 'photo-played with' by my eldest Daughter Cristelle... my son was out on his bike but is a gorgeous boy too!!

Thanks to all who have offered support and well wishes!

Have a great day tomorrow!!

The Chocolate crow trader!! December issue....

2009-12-14T02:57:00.000-08:00

Here is a little peek...well not really, it is a show off of this months Chocolate crow items!!

Plus all the extra photos that I cant show on the page I have!!

And.... again...all my photos seem to be all over the place...never where I intend them to be!!

Oh well... they are there!!

All these items will be listed on TCCT tomorrow morning, and available on my website...

http://www.countrycraftsandarts.com/

More new items for the website!

2009-12-03T05:54:00.000-08:00

Where is the time going??

I dont feel like I have stopped, and , even though I have been so busy, I feel like I havent got much done at all!!

I finally got some photos, even though they arent fantastic, of this months Giveaways on the website...

Join the mailing list and go in the draw to win a 5 pack (3 pictured though!) od honeyspice and cinnamon scented prim sugar cakes.... YUM!!

Anyone who joined the mailing list last month is still on the list to win them also!!

PLUS..... Purchase anything from my store and you go in the draw to win the christmas pack... a handpainted oval tin, that I have handpainted my own design prim sheep on, in it I have placed 2 sugar cakes, a small snowman head ornie, a big snowman head ornie, some waxed fixins, a scented homespun pear bowl filler, the whole thing is valued at $32.00!! And I will post it to the winner for free!! My little christmas pressie to my lovely customers!!

Meet Hettie Mae... my new OOAK doll that i have just listed on my website...I really like her! She is 78cm tall, smalls like sweet spiced honey, and has her birthdate and name on a prim rusty tag!!

I have other dolls listed aswell!

http://www.countrycraftsandarts.com/

New items on my website !

2009-11-18T15:45:00.000-08:00

Hello all....

These are some of the new things I have just finished, I will be adding them to my website shortly... aswell as more things coming this evening (tomorrow morning at the latest! There is seriously not enough time in the day!)

I love photobucket!!

2009-11-13T00:41:00.000-08:00

I feel so clever right now!!

If only it didn't take soooooo long to do!!

More dolls coming... have been busy sewing and painting all day!!

My first sewing efforts!!

2009-11-12T01:13:00.000-08:00

Wow... Finished finally!!

I have wanted to get into some sewing for a while now... always putting excuses in the way... like no room, no time, too many orders etc.... All it took was a bad day, and a good dose of hay fever!

The problem is once I start something that I love doing I cant stop till its finished, the only reason I went to bed was because I had to get up in the morning for the kids!!

What began as my attempt at some Christmas angels from a Moonchild Primitives pattern... soon took on a life of their own, each one developed a character and name as I painted away and added little bits and pieces to complete them!

It was way to hot to bake them in the oven, so the sun room became the baking chamber... after 10 minutes in there they were dry and too hot to handle!! Anyhow... I have listed a couple of them on my website for sale and have kept a couple aside so I can keep playing around with them , adding more details!

I have scented them 'American cream' and 'Vanilla musk' smells like an old fashioned lolly shop here at the moment!!

There were a couple of angels that took on a strange appearance ... I hadn't ever sewn raised noses... so the first two turned out a little awry... but i think it just adds to the prim nature of the characters... My favourite one (besides Pretty Una ~ The larger black angel with the larger key looking upwards) is the old looking wrinkly one.... I haven't chosen a name for her yet, but she looks like a 'Hetty' so far!! She is the first photo listed !

What do you think??

Some more christmas cheer!

2009-11-10T16:49:00.000-08:00

I am having soooo much fun painting Christmas things!!

I have either a head cold or hay fever at the moment, it doesn't matter which...they are both awful!!

Sooooo instead of chicken soup (it is WAY to hot to cook!) I am painting and creating what ever I like.... instead of painting my market things, I have got out the sewing machine (finally!) and have made up some prim Santa / angels... they are out drying in the sun at the moment (again...WAY to hot to cook or dry in the oven!!)

They are the second only thing i have ever sewn up...(doll wise...) and I cant wait to finish them.... Photos tomorrow!!

Here is a Santa that i painted the other day he is made from a gourd that my partner grew, with homespun wound around the long thin stem , his ruffle is also shredded and gathered cotton, the same as his beard!.... Hopefully I haven't posted this photo already!!

I would love to know what has happened between upload and post that has made my photo go sideways!! I have tried lots of things to get it right but nothing has worked...Oh !!... sorry folks!

The Chocolate Crow Trader... upcoming!!

2009-11-06T18:24:00.001-08:00

This is a sneak peek of the items I will be adding to TCCT this coming November the 15th

http://www.thechocolatecrowtrader.com/

New items added on my website!!

2009-10-29T04:07:00.000-07:00

New items added today!!

Today I added a pair of old toddler shoes that I painted old antique-looking teddies onto ... sooooo cute!! It was hard not to keep this pair!

I just love little shoes!

I have more pairs in the works that I will add over the next few weeks!

I still have some things to work out with my website... I don't know how to do everything that can be done... But I will get there eventually!@

I have also decided to add new things weekly on a Thursday, and i will TRY to add more things to this here blog every Monday!!

Any how.... enjoy the rest of your week!!

Wendy.

http://www.countrycraftsandarts.com/

New blog!

2009-10-22T09:10:00.000-07:00

Hello to all!

I am just announcing that I have added another blog to my list of things I have going on !!

http://countrycraftsandarts.blogspot.com/

This is just a little something I have created to share amusing, interesting, useful 'things' that I find daily, that may or may-not inspire, amuse or teach others if interested!!

Please follow, and feel free to share your bits'n'pieces too!!

Thanks

Wendy!

Welcome!

2009-09-10T15:50:00.000-07:00

Hello, this is a blog dedicated to showing off my primitive styles altered art creations.

I paint country crafts for my 'day' job... and enjoy this alot.

The work I paint is not typical 'country crafts' and most designs are my own... I am very creative!

Lately I have been captured by the warmth and character of primitive arts... They are based on the wares of yesteryear... the 1600's onward... but i think the modern twist on this theme is something altogether different!

I love it and enjoy creating one of a kind pieces, I love taking a new jar or billycan and turning it into an aged rusted vessel, to fill with gorgeous scented 'fixins'!

Please call back often as this is where all my lastest creations will be found before being added to my website!You will be able to follow the process i go through and see the inspiration I use to make my creations!!

All the best

Wendy.

Special Offers

2009-09-10T15:26:00.007-07:00

From time to time I will have special offers available!

To be notified of any special offers before they are posted to my Blog or website ( http://www.countrycraftsandarts.com/ ) please join my mailing list!!

Competitions

2009-09-10T15:26:00.005-07:00

Just to let everyone know... I have a free give away... not a competition as such but by joining my mailing list, between 15th of October and the 15th of November, you are in the running to win 15 of my handmade prim, grubby, waxed hang tags!!

just add 'mailing list' to the subject line and email me at ....

wendyolsen8@bigpond.com

Keep posted for the next give-away or competition!!

Supplies

2009-09-10T15:26:00.003-07:00

Patterns & kits

2009-09-10T15:26:00.001-07:00

OOAK Artworks

2009-09-10T15:25:00.002-07:00

Stitched

2009-09-10T15:25:00.001-07:00

Grubby Candles & Melts

2008-09-10T15:06:00.000-07:00

General Information

2007-09-10T15:23:00.000-07:00

Thanks for taking the time to browse...and especially for looking at this page!!

This is where all the details are!!

Payment

For payment, i prefer paypal... it is so easy to use, and offers SUPER secure payment arrangements for everyone... PLUS you as a buyer are covered for heaps of different things...such as the item not arriving etc...

I happily accept bank deposit, cheque (payment must clear prior to posting though!)

money order and COD

All these details will be included in the invoice i send to you...or just email me with your preference!

Overseas customers... sorry but i can only accept paypal!

Pick-up is ALWAYS welcome if you are in Victoria Australia!

I am at the Akoonah Park market in Berwick Victoria EVERY sunday from 8.30 till 1.30!

Post

I post EVERYWHERE!!

Using Australia post, I post within Australia and overseas within 3 days of receiving cleared payment.

I use recycled packaging...whilst not being pretty, it is practical, reduces landfill and pass-on-costs to customers, as it is FREE!!

I ONLY charge what Australia post charge me... all the wrapping and packing is done on my own time!

If i accidentally overquote post charges... I REFUND the difference, or if YOU choose, retain it towards credit on future purchases

I recommend express post for smaller items, it offers a tracking code so we know where it is at, and is usually only a little bit dearer and REGISTERED post for more expensive or easily damaged items, that way we are both covered against loss.

If the item is listed as FREE POST this means it is free within Australia ONLY (sorry!)

I will quote postage prior to billing!!

Refund policy

I am sure you will love your item BUT... There is always trust involved when purchasing a product online that you have never seen in person and in case my work or products dont meet your expectations, or is damaged due to MY error (not Australia posts...) then return it to me for a full refund or exchange of the PURCHASE price (excluding post charges, as these are not my charges and arent refundable unless the item is registered and is damaged during transit)

The bottom line is... Im not happy unless you are, so we can ALWAYS work something out, just email me with any problems or queries!!

Product information

I only use ARTIST GRADE paints... they are archival quality and are top-of-the -range!

I consider myself more of an artist than a crafter, and most of my items are one of a kind (OOAK) I also seal or varnish my items so they can be used and cleaned gently. UNLESS I have specified different in the product listing.

I take great pleasure in finding 'Thrift shop treasures' and cleaning them up and painting them, or giving them a new 'purpose' in life... i paint everything from glass jars, teapots , old shoes, watering cans... the list goes on!!

I happily take requests... If i can do it I will let you know!!

ALL DESIGNS ARE COPYRIGHT (C) and are my own, UNLESS i have stated in the ad... I give credit to other artists for sharing their hard work!!

PLEASE DO NOT COPY.... If you wish to recreate ANYTHING on this site, in ANY form, please email me for permission, and i will respond accordingly, i am not ferocious, dont bite and are not greedy... i just wish to protect my livelihood, and would like credit for the hard HARD work and LONG hours that i do!!

Contact Details

2006-09-10T15:24:00.000-07:00

To contact me... E-mail: wendyolsen8@bigpond.com or...
wendyolsen.art@gmail.com

Phone: 0435200650

I am usually very busy, and may not get back to you within the hour... but will get back to you within 24 hours!! If it is urgent, please phone me!!

Handpainted Primitives

2005-09-10T15:24:00.000-07:00

This next item is a prim splatter cover, It really is much nicer than the photos, the camera doesnt really capture the small details that make it so special!!
I have reduced the price from $45.00 down to $35.00 to make way for new stock!!

This is a BARGAIN!!! IT took ages to paint!!

wendyolsen8@bigpond.com

or purchase it direct from my website

www.countrycraftsandarts.com

Prim Needfuls

2004-09-10T15:24:00.001-07:00

Handpainted Country

2004-09-10T15:24:00.000-07:00

These are some photos of new items that I will be adding to my website, in conjunction with them being listed in The Chocolate Crow Trader, on November the 15th!

There are different photos uploaded into other categories also!

Please email me for details!

Signs

2003-09-10T15:25:00.000-07:00

Bits 'n' pieces

2002-09-10T15:25:00.000-07:00

Cards & tags

2001-09-10T15:25:00.000-07:00

I have a wonderful array of prim grubby tags...

Some are made using the great printable from Ewe-N-me printables, and others are made from old photos that have been re-printed.

All tags come with rustic jute string for hanging and look great tied onto absolutely anything!!

The grubby waxed tags are scented... so you can use these anywhere you need an air freshener! Great in the car!!

I have Halloween theme, Fourth of July, Americana theme, Family photos, Fairies, and Old time pictures (a mix of old photos and adds)...

Prices are $1.50 each or 6 for $6

Buy 12 or more to receive free post!!

Just email me with the required quantity, and in what theme you prefer,

if no theme is selected a mixed lot will be sent!

wendyolsen8@bigpond.com