An explanation.

Well hello,

So, it seems my blog has gone in to a little bit of a winter hibernation (a little early, but it's cold enough). I am just writing to explain to you the reason for my going AWOLL for the past, well, month(ish).

So, most of you who read this or know me will know that I had been suffering from chronic fatigue for some time. It was during this sickness that I started up this blog as a way of taking up my time and still helpings people and sharing my thoughts and creativity. I've been lucky enough to have a lot of support (and a bunch of views!) in this time, and I am so thankful to all of you who have become avid readers here!

Well, I have some pretty spiffy news. A couple of weeks ago, there was a guest preacher at our church. While he was there, there was a bunch of healing going on. My sister texted me and gave me the kick up the bum that I needed to get to church that night (I hadn't been since I got sick), and I am so glad I went!

Tony Aloe prayed for me, and the Holy Spirit came upon me and, in the most incredible experience of my life, He healed me of my chronic fatigue!

Yep, you heard me!! Healed! God is AMAZING! He really can do anything

You can check out this link here, if you want to see mine and Rachel's (an awesome girl who was ALSO healed of chronic fatigue!!!) testimonies!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJa3uziYmms&feature=youtu.be

That was on the 5th of this month. So between then and now....I've been living life! I've been going out late, going to church, shopping and partaking in various shenanigans. It is due to said shenanigans that I have not been blogging. I simply have not had time! I've been having too much fun!

Now that I'm healed, my relationship with God has been growing and I try to put my trust in Him with everything (I'm still learning!) and I'm looking at my career paths and getting a job, getting fit and healthy, socialising and so on. I'm living a normal life! I haven't had this much energy in years.

So about this blog of mine. Until I settle in to some type of routine, I'm not sure you'll see many updates. I'm just letting myself go for a while, I think I deserve it! As to when I will get in to a routine, that depends on my job situation and how I get involved in church and how busy I get. It depends where God takes me, and I'm SO excited to see where He does!

Praise God, He is just so wonderful.

I don't want to give up my blog, but I don't know when I'll be regularly on it again, because I'm just having so much fun!


So I want to thank you (yes, you!) for reading this and supporting me throughout the past little while.

I'll be back.




Ciao for now!



Annabelle



<3



xxx

I'm back! + Inspiring Artist: Katherine Tromans

Before I start, I just want to acknowledge that today is a very important day in Australian history, today, on ANZAC day, we remember those men and women who have risked and lay down their lives for their country and for all of us in wars throughout our history.

Lest we forget.



SO, I have returned from my little break! I'm rested and ready to get blogging! Over the next little while I am going to do a bit of makeovering in my bedroom....and when I am finished I will FINALLY do that next post on living on a budget, Decor! I'm so sorry for the wait on that one! Unacceptable. Really, I know.

Anywho, now that I am back, I've been back on my Pinterest (yes, I can't help myself) and via that lovely little nook of the internet I discovered myself a very talented artist: Katherine Tromans. (See her website and all her creative creations on her website)


Now, I just love watercolour, whether I'm using it or looking at a watercolour painting, and I love pastel colours, and I also adore nature so naturally, when I see these combined, I get a little high.

Katherine is an illustrator and graphic designer from Birmingham in the UK. This particular collection of hers, deemed "Paradise", is a series in which she explored the theme of paradise, taking people's descriptions of their own personal paradise and interpreting them in to these beautiful, otherworldly little pieces of prettiness:

(Images sourced here)

ALL images exhibited here are created by artist Katherine Tromans, and all copyright belongs to her.

That's all for today!

Have a lovely day, God bless!

Annabelle

<3

xxx

Inspiring Artist: Alphonse Mucha.

At the start of the year, I was wondering around town with my mother, looking for a calendar. I came across a really stunning one, full of art by an artist I'd never heard of before. Whoever put the calendar together added sparkles for accents (which, with my obsession with sparkles, I just couldn't pass it up).

A couple of days ago I was on Pinterest and saw an image someone had pinned that looked like it was from my calendar, and lo, my love for Alphonse Mucha was born.

Mucha lived and made art from the mid 1800's to early 1900's, and I'm so glad he did, because his work is just beautiful! Check it out:

(image source)






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(All works shown here by artist Alphonse Mucha)

That's all for now folks!

Annabelle

<3

xxx

EASTER SPECIAL! DIY Chocolate + Recipe!!

Homemade dark chocolate, mm mmmmm!

I made these chocolates for my family this easter, and they were delish!

So if this picture doesn't make you want to stuff your face, I don't know what will! Wanna make some? Yeah? Alrighty, this is what you need:

~ 6tbsp Cocoa powder (or ground cocao beans, but they're 'spensive!)
~ 5tbsp Coconut oil. I got mine from safeway for 6 bucks (coles sells for $10) and so far I have gotten three batches out of it.
~ 1 1/2tbsp Honey or syrup (or a little more for sweeter chocolate, but that makes it fudgier! You could use sugar and dissolve it in over the heat!)
~1/4tsp vanilla extract
~ Some kind of chocolate mould. Now, I recommend silicone moulds so they're easier to get out. You could use an ice cube tray, but it takes a lot of banging to get the choccies out! You could also line a tray with baking paper and pour the chocolate out on it, then when it's set take it out and break it up, or wrap it up as a big slab!

Let's go!

1. Melt your coconut oil over a medium heat until all melted.
2. Take the oil off the heat and add all your ingredients and mix well!
3. Pour it in to your tray, or spoon it in to your moulds, and pop it in the fridge to set! Yippee!



And then when it's all done, wrap it nice and give it to your friends and family! This is how I did mine:

Enjoy!


A couple of thousand years ago, one man paid the ultimate sacrifice. He died, humiliated, for us, out of love. Now we are all forgiven because of that one man. How blessed are we! Happy Easter!!




Annabelle




<3




xxx

Inspiring Artist: Mark Crilley.

Lately I have taken to watching drawing and painting tutorials on YouTube because I've been too tired to do much of my own work for some time now, and WOW, there are some seriously talented people out there. One youtuber in particular I have been absolutely loving is Mark Crilley. He specialises in manga, which I have never had an interest in doing myself, but I absolutely adore his techniques for colouring his illustrations and backgrounds.....along with his occasional dragon tutorials ;) (yes, I admit to being a bit of a fantasy nerd).

He has mastered a mixed media type of illustration, mainly working with watercolour (my favourite medium), coloured pencils (my other favourite medium),  dry pastels, and gouache (which is a miracle worker.)

Mark uploads every Friday, and I find myself visiting YouTube constantly checking if and what he has uploaded and getting very excited when I see if involves watercolour and/or dragons. His imitations of surfer dudes and gangsters certainly make for interesting viewing. And his realism challenges.....WOW. Just woweeeeeeeee! They make me want to pick up my pencils and draw and draw and draw until I can't tell the difference between my drawing and the muse. And trust me, I would, if I had the energy! This is my particular favourite:

So uh, if you like to draw, or fancy having your socks knocked off, swing on by to his YouTube and prepare to be amazed!!

I just wish he'd do a tutorial on how to draw a portrait, then I would never leave his channel.



(see his works here)
(see his Youtube here)



That is all!


Annabelle


<3


xxx