Australian Friends

Here is a great Blog link I wanted to share on my Blog, enjoy!
The Byron Life: In Pictures :: Donna's Art House: "Hello. Today you are invited on a tour of the colourful home-studio of one of my favourite North Coast artists; Donna Sharam. Last week..."

The above blog link is worth taking some time and enjoying the vibrant colors and beautiful fun art of Donna Sharam. I met her on facebook and really love her style and just recently chatted with her about what she's up to lately. I was interested if she did art work for children's books. Here is her message to me I received that gives an insight into how busy she is and a bit about her life.

Hi Nicole,
Hope you guys are all doing well.
You asked me if I do any paintings etc for story books - so thought I'd answer through our personal message.
I have actually just written a picture book - about 30 pages ..... and I will be doing the illustrations / paintings for each page - it is just about having enough time!!!!
At present I am also working on 2 large paintings commissioned by people who want a specific painting - one is the Sydney Harbour and the opera House ....the other one is the waterfall view from the clients holiday house ...... I am also working towards - 18 new large paintings for an exhibition in Feb next year - ....I think it will be called 'Lying under Trees' ..... hence the new work you will start to see pop up on my visual art page ......
How is your Visiting Australia Blog going ????
Feel free to use my Sydney Harbour Bridge Painting to post on your blog if you want.....it is called 'Flame Trees'.
Cheers,
donna 


You can visit her site below
www.donnasharam.com


So fun to make new friends that can share in the beauty of art.
xx (as they do in Australia) or xoxo (as we do in the USA:)
Nicole

Here is a Guest Post from my Aussie Friend Grant Woodward, Enjoy.

I was speaking with an awesome friend from Naples, Florida ( Nicole Flothe in fact)  on skype the other day and a few words or phrases popped up (arose in conversation) that we had a laugh at because of the difference in phrases between ozzies and usa’ies. Thought I would share a few .

Aussie                          USA

Ice block                       popcycle
Knackered                     tired
Jetty                             dock
Bottlo                            drugstore
Bushwalking                  trek in the woods
Ankle biter                     young kids
Amber fluid                    beer
Schooey                       schooner glass 425ml
Arvo                              afternoon
‘avago                           to have a go at doing something
Out the back o burke      a long way from wherever you are
A barney                       an argument
Call it a day                   finish up work
Dogs eye                      meat pie
Dead horse                    tomato sauce
 Zebra Crossing            Pedestrian Crosswalk
For heaps more aussie jargon try http://www.aussieslang.com/slang/australian-slang-a.asp


Grant Woodward
Abundant Constructions
Mob: 0411 228 475
Fax: (02) 8544 8155

grant@abundantconstructions.com.au

www.abundantconstructions.com.au
 

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

So I know New Zealand is not Australia but I hear from many of my Aussie Friends that it happens to be so close that they spend a lot of holidays there.  I made this quick video on Animoto from my friend Grant's photo's he sent me on his trip to New Zealand with his wife Nicole and friends. 

My boys just finished watching the Lord of The Rings series and would love to visit Hobbiton.  They have that on their plans as a trip of a lifetime.