A Lack of Water and Candy Colours

The saying is true … ‘You don’t realise what you have until it’s gone’.

It happened last weekend. My husband realized that the water softener hadn’t been turned on for a while so in an interest to try and preserve our water pipes, he turned it on. The only issue with that, is that somehow the salty stuff all got stuck in a pipe somewhere and caused a blockage. This meant that we only got a trickle of water out of the tap when it was turned on, and hot water was practically non existant.

I am in no way blaming my husband for this event, as the water softener really needed to be turned on, but it did pose and interesting challenge for a day. Boiling rain water on the stove in order to have hot water to clean dishes and trying to ensure that your person is cleaned and ready for the day. It did cross my mind that before indoor plumbing and hot water services, this was how people made sure they had hot water and that they had to wash in a different manner. It also hit me quite hard that I do live in a very privileged society – that there are so many people that have to deal without running water, let alone hot water, everyday. It is saddening and sobering to realise that others miss out and that we live in an unequal world. In the end, the plumber did arrive at the house and altered something in order to avoid the problem and I am very relieved to have water pressure and hot water back in the house. Indeed, I am very blessed to live where I do and in this day and age (I do have plans for a way in which Tupsy Turvy Designs can help and benefit others less fortunate later in the year).

The latest art creation to hit the studio table is a collection of painted book pages that will become the base of a set of cards that will be used for my first ‘Snail Mail Surprise Challenge’. This time, I thought I would go with a mixture of vibrant colours – bright, happy and cheerful, all ready to provide some encouragement to others. This colour scheme was inspired by a mix of sugar coated, colourful gumdrop lollies. I am getting a bit daring with this set as I am going to try a few new mixed media techniques in their creations. I love seeing the layers unfold in the painting process.

Thank you for stopping by. Once this card set is finished, I will launch the first ‘Snail Mail Surprise Challenge’. I can’t wait! I hope to see you soon.

~ Jen.

P.S - If you have enjoyed reading about the story behind Tupsy Turvy Designs' products, why not become a 'Golden Ticket Member'? It is FREE and membership entitles you to regular updates, exclusive sales, discounts and opportunities. Simply click here and enter your email address. Easy! I look forward to sharing more ideas with you soon ...

Getting organised and greeting cards

A couple of weekends ago, we celebrated Mother's Day... 

Twelve months ago, I celebrated my first Mother's Day after what seemed like an epic age of heartache. Then, finally, I became a mother of two (very!) bouncy boys through adoption and my world changed. I now experience a different heartache: a heart aching with love my boys, a heartache when they are sick or upset, a heart aching with worry about problems, a heart aching with pride as I witness their amazing growth. It was a special day for me.

Mother's Day is also a time where I like to remind my mother and mother-in-law how much we all love them. I like researching easy, yet beautiful crafts that the boys and I can create together. However, there is only one problem with this ... I always leave the creation part to the last minute. I don't know how it happens ... I make up my mind what to create early enough and have everything ready, but the 'doing' part seems to happen days before it is due for giving. As it is, our creations are still drying and will be late in the post.

I often feel the temptation to 'pop into the shops', however, my creative streak is strong and the determination to make something personal overrides this. That is why I love handmade items and gifts - they are personal and created with love, whether you have made them yourself or bought from someone who enjoys creating. I love that I can have the help from my boys in creating these gifts and this year they have their hand prints (purposely) stamped with paint on them as a record of their growth in a year. Now, if I can only get myself more organised with birthday gift giving ...

Welcome to my new range of mixed media cards! I wanted a new design - something a bit more abstract and eclectic, however, I wanted to maintain the recycled/reclaimed material element. That is why every card uses a background consisting of a used book page. I initially wanted to add words to the card design, however, it just didn't look right, hence they are created without them. This has become a plus, as these cards are now free to be used for any occasion. Handmade cards are a wonderful way to convey personal greetings, particularly when each card incorporates a unique design.

These cards will soon be added to the store. To view what is currently in store, please click here.

Thanks for viewing!

~ Jen.

P.S - If you have enjoyed reading about the story behind Tupsy Turvy Designs' products, why not become a 'Golden Ticket Member'? It is FREE and membership entitles you to regular updates, exclusive sales, discounts and opportunities. Simply click here and enter your email address. Easy! I look forward to sharing more ideas with you soon ...

New greeting cards - Lemon Yellow and Blue

Blue and yellow are one of my favourite colour combinations. To me, it evokes happiness, hence this colour combination is ideal for greeting cards. These cards are the newest out of the studio...

These cards are created using mixed media techniques (that include paint, texture work, fabric and drawing) that have been applied on collector cards. Every card is different and unique - no exact copies! Each card has a blank insert added, ready to add personal sentiments.

To view the range of cards that are currently in store, click here.

** Special Price: Choose any three cards in store for $12 **

To view more information about this special deal, click here.

~Jen.