BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD.

Ive always found that the more things I get done, the more I'm able do get done. So I'm trying to get myself on roll early in the year with art projects as well as things around the house.
My drawing and tattooing is always developing & improving as I grow as an artist and as a person. Right now feels like a good time for a fresh start and Im really keen to put together a new portfolio of where I'm at right now with both my tattoos and other artwork. I'm hoping to do some really fun custom tattoos next month and already have a few lined up, so keep your eyes out.
Heres a few fun things that I've been working on as of late.

My last piece of 2011.

A few fun tattoos for the start of the year.

Animal tattoos are always super fun for me.

You can check out more on my website kittydearest.com
Kitty xx

PAINT DATE GRANTS PASS STYLE

written on the 13th of september

today mick, jeff and i spent most of the days painting in his studio. jeff has an amazing space at the front of his studio that is pretty much its own art gallery, with floor boards, super high ceilings and awesome paintings adorning the walls.

almost done

micks hanya
its awesome

my paint palette

messy fun

jeffs daughter haley went out and got us some scrumptious peanut butter cups, and we snacked and painted the day away.

after dinner at a cabin type restaurant with kim and Andrew we took the left over bread down to the river and fed the ducks and the geese! i cant even remember the last time I did that. it was so sweet and quaint, it truly made me appreciate the simpler things in life.

dusk by the river

im really going to miss oregon, everywhere we went was so green and the people were all so lovely. i cant say thankyou enough to jeff and kim and their whole family for being so wonderful and taking mick and i on so many adventure. i had an amazing first time in grants pass and i will deffienately be going back.

kittyxx

USE A BIG JUG. SERIOUSLY.

mick had a boys night at the steakhouse tonight, so i had a girls night in with connie francis. being sick of the cold melbourne weather i decided to crank up the heater, pretend its summer and make some old fashioned watermelon lemonade. now we dont have a big jug or even a little jug so i had to make it in our fruit bowl but thats ok. we also dont have a sieve (which i didnt realise till after id started) so it came out "orange juice with pulp" style. anywho heres the recipe. its super simple, but use a big jug, and use a sieve.

use. a. big. jug.

OLD FASHIONED WATERMELON LEMONADE
ingredients
1/4to1/2 a seedless watermelon (you want about 3 cups of juice after its been sieved)
1/4cup fresh mint leaves
1/4cup packed brown sugar
2lemons
1cup soda water
directions
1.in a big jug combine the juice of one and half lemons the sugar and the mint leaves. mash with a wooden spoon to dissolve sugar and bruise the lime leaves.
2.cut up the watermelon into chunks and use a blender to puree. (you may need to do this in batches). pour the puree through a fine sieve to remove as much pith as possible.
3.pour the juice into your jug, add the soda water and stir to combine.
4. slice up the remaining lemon and put into the jug (this looks really pretty). chill in the fridge.
5.serve over ice. 
6.enjoy!
*depending how sweet or juicy the melon is i usually mess around with how much sugar/lemon/soda water i use. add to taste.
i also managed to finish the art piece that i was working on. ill be sending this away to my friend joe soon, im almost sad to see it go. i was pretty happy with how it turned out, i hope it makes joe happy.

click for larger image

better get to work on the next one
kittyxx

THE IMPORTANCE OF ETIQUETTE

today i only tattooed in the morning and into the early afternoon, so i spent the rest of the day working on a little A5 piece of art. it was flipping freezing outside and i was grateful to wait out the weather nestled in the office, four inches away from the heater. a lovely quiet afternoon spent relishing in steaming cups of peppermint tea and devouring last pop tart. let us pause for a moment of silence for the last pop tart ................................... so sad. im aiming to get another A5 piece done this week, totally do-able.

click for larger image

when i got home there was a very thoughtful surprise on my desk, a wheat heat pack and a pair of slippers from mick. i am enjoying the comforts of both right this very minute. my boyfriend is wonderful and im super toasty.

its like my feet are wearing mittens.
kittyxx

MY FINGERS ARE LIKE ICEY POLES

today at work (and by today i mean yesterday as its now 2am) was surprisingly busy, i barely had time for a cup of tea throughout the day which is completely appalling. the better part of the day was spent in the tattoo area at work, which is for the most part, teeth chatteringly cold. the only saving grace is the ageing pot belly fire on the far side of the room, when one of the lads is cordial enough to light it. but today just seemed to have that bitter chill in the air that left me willing the infallible warmer to really put its back into it.
i knew today was going to be that particular kind of cold from the minute i stepped out the door and trekked the entire six and a half minutes to work. the coolness of the air felt sharp in my sinuses and the light fog gave the eerie feeling that the day was much earlier than it actually was. lucky i finally warmed my insides at the close of the day with a nip (maybe a wee bit more than a nip) of red wine and a quick car dance party.
i meant to take a photo of the ornate key that i tattooed today on a lovely fashion design student, but alas i forgot as my brain was frozen along with my extremities. so heres something i made instead.

A3 mixed media on 300gsm archers watercolour paper

the traveling classy gent craigy lee is now the owner of this piece. check out his stuff at craigylee.com.

sleepy time
kitty xx