When is Australia Day?

Whether you're a 100% Australian born and bred, or you're a newer citizen, there's nothing like a celebration of this great country of ours.

I hold a strong opinion about Australia Day and I'm happy to share that I support #changethedate for a number of reasons. Anyone who doesn't like my opinion (based on researching both side of the story,) please feel free to unfollow me! 

For anyone else that still wants to see a united country but on another day (May 8 - MAAATE works for me!) I have these lovely little earrings to help you celebrate, whatever day we decide on!!

Polymer Clay Earrings

Using my 3D Printer I created this cutter - check out my TikTok on how I made sure I included Tasmania!! lol

Speaking of Tasmania

These ones were created using a cute hoop to make sure Tassie doesn't float away!!

Aussie Aussie Aussie - Oi Oi Oi!!!  

Who hasn't been guilty of saying this very thing in a crowd at the cricket or even if someone in a moving car shouted it out at you as they drove by!?!!

I hope you like the earrings and enjoy the 26th of January in whatever way you like. We'll be having a few beers, reflecting on the past and looking forward to a date change in the not too distant future (fingers crossed!)

 

Want to design your own earrings? I can print them for you!!

 Have you got a special occasion coming up that you need something SPECIFIC for, but haven't been able to find it?

Or have you had a design in your mind but haven't been able to work out how to make it yourself? Maybe myself and my adorable 3d Printer can help you!!

The process of making earrings is not as complex as you would think. There's a few steps along the way that can give you an understanding of what's involved, but the hard stuff is done by the software and printer, and not by me!!

Here's an example of an idea I had in my head and then turned it into a finished piece.

STEP 1 - DESIGN

Start with an idea of what you'd like to see the end product look like. You really need to have the image drawn instead of in your head, as the idea in your brain is never easy to print with!!

STEP 2 - CREATE ON SOFTWARE

This is the part where you can either DIY on Tinkercad (really easy for beginners,) or on any other CAD software if you're fluent in it. My son is studying Engineering at school and created some amazing pieces on Autocad that then converted to great 3d pieces. You'll need to save it as an .stl file here and then upload it to a slicer (that's something I can do for you!)

STEP 3 - PRINT

Pop your mini SD card in the printer and be mesmerized for hours (earrings only take less than 30 minutes as they're pretty thin.

STEP 4 - DECORATE AND ASSEMBLE

Get your creative juices flowing here - I used posca pens and glued some backs on these beauties before gluing them together

STEP 5 - STEP OUT IN STYLE

Voila! Doesn't take that long once you know what you're doing! I even added a glitter version to my collection (cause I frikkin love glitter!)

If you have an idea, why not get in touch and see what we can make together!!

The wonderful world of 3d printing

If you're a creative creature like me, you've probably spent half your life wandering around in, let's call it, a bit of a distracted cloud of glitter, no1?!! When you look at something made by hand, I bet you stare in awe and think about the process of how that piece was made. Whether it be wood, fabric, tiles, paper, plastic or metal, you've no doubt spent more hours than you should on thinking about the process instead of just buying the piece and supporting the artist (I often say to myself, "I can make that!," when what I should be doing is saying "thank you for making this," buying it and then heading off!)

I've been on this planet for over 4 decades now and much of my time was searching for the process that gives me the freedom to create anything I want. The only problem was that the product of choice hadn't actually been invented yet!! If you don't know what it is, come for a ride with this nerdy mum and find out what it's all about!

3d printing is the process of creating a three dimensional product on a machine that extrudes plastic through a tiny nozzle. The art is in the designing of the product and then uploading this to the machine that does all the work. Although the machine is 100% reliant on the coding entered in to create the pieces, watching it in action is something that I get tired watching! It's so COOL to think that something that was in my head as an idea can then be quickly and easily created into a fully functional piece in just a matter of hours! It doesn't always work out perfectly, and sometimes you can't break physics to make the product exactly the same as what is in your head, but when it does work out, there's a pretty cool atmosphere in the air!!!

Here's a few of my finished products that I've started working on. More details about the process of design and printing as well as resources in other posts......................

 If you like my work or want to find out more, check out my facebook page or visit me on instagram, where I'm currently running a year long #dottiwilldoweeklychallenge on self-care and love!!!

I'll also be starting at the Redcliffe Markets here in Brisbane for the month of October - you can find me there and we can talk about creating the ideas that YOU have for yourself or someone special in your life!

OPINION: What’s your currency!?!!

My son recently asked me, “mum, are we rich?”

It’s a tough question to answer, and doing it diplomatically is also something that poses a challenge.

We certainly aren’t on the poverty line when comparing ourselves to others in third world countries,

and even comparing ourselves to people in our own country too. I would consider us to be in the

working-class zone – both of us have to work to pay our bills, but if we play our cards right, we

usually have enough at the end of the month to have a play or enjoy a few luxuries.

Given that I recently closed a business means that our future is not as bright as it could have been.

We were hoping to invest in property, but alas this ‘dent’ means that our plans are on hold for the

near future.

Having said that there are lots of other people out there driving fancy cars and going on amazing

holidays. I’m not to know if they’re up to their eyeballs in debt, or if they are simply so

loaded that they could easily wipe their noses with $50 notes...........plus it’s not any of my business if

they do.

What I do know is that everyone has their own currency. It’s something we’re taught as parents

when ‘negotiating’ with our darling offspring. Some kids love a certain type of food, some enjoy

their books. Mine, like many others I suspect, are serious screen addicts, which makes it easy

to ‘seal the deal’ when making agreements with them.

“If you don’t put out the rubbish you can’t play on your ipad after tea.”

“Don’t talk back to me, that’s 10 minutes less screen time for you, young man.”

“Your room looks like a bomb has gone off, maybe if you clean it up you might find your PS3”

But the more I think about it, the more I think that EVERYONE HAS A CURRENCY. Some of us love

time alone to read a freshly delivered magazine. Some enjoy a bike ride with the kids. My darling

hubby enjoys uninterrupted football games (I’m not alone with this, am I girls!?!!) If he is watching

the game, I will simply amuse myself because there’s just no point getting through. I love him to

bits, but it’s taken a while for me to work this out!!

So................what’s your currency!?!!

I know mine without even thinking about it........................ART SUPPLIES!!!!!

Give me a thousand bucks and a shop full of things to make and it would be the best day of my life

HANDS DOWN!! (sorry boys, it’s a close second, but your births were amazing but PAINFUL AND

LONG!!)

And it doesn’t have to be a particularly famous supplies shop – I’m just as happy at a recycling centre

or small fabric shop. Just give me the opportunity to make something from something completely

random, and I go a bit weak at the knees!!!

I'd love to hear your thoughts on what makes you stop and pay attention too!

CREATIVE: The sickness that I want to have

So you know I love anything upcycled........anything that was once destined for the trash that can be cleaned up & reused in a new way?  Yeah, that's what I'm all about!!

From turning old tyres into funky lamps

Old t-shirts into yarn & then into funky bowls

Even old bathtubs being transformed into day beds

I'm in awe of what can be done

You don't have to look for to find inspiration - all of these ideas were found on Pinterest - and there's a WHOLE WORLD of op shops (thrift shops) and recycling centres for you to fossick around.

It's just a matter of seeing something within something else.............which is the biggest challenge for me

How does someone see an old cupboard and think to themselves, "I'm going to turn that into an aviary!"

upcycled aviary

Who see's an old cup & saucer and think to transform it into a bird feeder!?!!

bird feeder

These people make me sick!!!  And I want their illness!!

I've started a board with a bit of inspiration on Pinterest - if you want to add to the list, why not join me down the rabbit hole!?!!

http://www.pinterest.com/vicki_sinclair/upcycling-love/

POETRY: Not so cheesy

 POETRY:

Haiku about the recent cheese debacle that is making some Australians lose their shite.

To all cheese lovers

Name calling was never cool

Just eat some damn cheese

Thank You!

17 Jan 2021

OPINION: #committobeingcreative

The Grammar Nazi in me is hating on the title of this blog.............just sayin'

A reintroduction if you will!

Hi, my name is Vicki, sometimes called Dotti - mostly called a busy girl who doesn't stick with one thing for very long.....as my blog page would attest!!!

This year (I know it's nearly 1/4 through, I'll explain about that later!) I'm going to get back to being creative, if only for 10 minutes a day, and keep the creative side of me happy!!!

Do you remember this blog post I did all those years ago!?!!  well it's all still true!!  And close to 3 years later, it's more important than ever!!

I'm not going to make this super long...........just want to put it out there again that I plan on doing something small every day to feed my creative heart, and PUT MYSELF FIRST, even if it's only for 10 minutes a day!!

Make sure you stay creative - do a big project over months with your ten minutes, or do something new every day - JUST DO IT IS WHAT I SAY!!

But don't let me talk you into it - here's Shia LaBeouf to get you inspired!!!