The Little Folk e-zine

Recently I was approached by an amazing señorita who asked me if I wanted to share my story with her new mag called 'The Little Folk', as I researched it I read that 'it's a journal of lovely things for little people' and that's all I needed to know to fall in love and want to get involved.  

In this journey I have been very lucky to meet wonderful people such as 'E' and it makes me happy and proud to know that other mamas are working hard to look after their babies and to follow their new dreams and adventures....balancing family life and running your own business is challenging to say the least but doing both with love is the key and accept that somedays you're not going to get much done....

To read the first issue of 'The Little Folk' e-zine go to ttp://www.thelittlefolk.com.au/magazine...put the kettle on, take out your cutest cup fill it with your most calming tea and chill out because you will love every page.  We are on page 146....we hope you like the visual fiesta!

Keep the site on your favourites and keep reading this little piece of sunshine!!!

amor y paz

xM

Queens Birthday Latin Style

In honour of the Queens birthday, I have decided to show you how to make a piñata that you pull instead of bash with a stick......so get your party on and celebrate Latin style!!!

Piñata time is probably my fave thing about childrens parties....it brings back so many memories of my childhood. That's me with my birthday Pinatas...and my pretty dresses!!

If you aren't familiar with what a piñata is, here are some facts:

• Traditionally used in Latin American countries to celebrate a birthday or special occasions
• They are made out of paper mache and wire/cardboard molded into a shape, and then covered in strips of shredded coloured crepe paper.  They are filled with lollies and treats, hung and each child gets a turn to hit the pinata with a stick until it breaks and lollies fall out. 
• The piñatas originated from the Aztecs in Mexico, to celebrate the birdthday of the god Huitzilopochtli (the god of war, sun and human sacrifice) which is probably why the stick goes with the piñata. 

This tutorial is to demonstrate how to turn an already made piñata into an easier, less dangerous and more practical activity for the little ones.  My little chicas never wanted to 'bash' the pinata which was normally made into the shape of an animal or Dora as they didn't want to hurt it....so I got creative and turned it into something that they could join in too.

You'll need:

1 Pinata (discount stores/party shops/sparties spotlight)
1 packet of helium balloon string/ribbons (Sparties Spotlight/party shops)
bags of treats
scissors
tape

Choose a pinata that has a large flat base

Make sure you have enough strings for all the kids attending the party

Fill it with lollies, small treats, presies etc...make sure that they are individually wrapped

Make sure when you seal it, it's tight enough to hold the weight

of the lollies, when you hang it at the party you might need to loosen it...

Hang it, grab a string and PULL.

Happy birthday Queen E...you're never too old to have a pinata at your party!

x

M

We're threaded

I love showing Allegra (4) how to make the things that I used to make in my childhood like the friendship bracelets.

We sit and talk and plait and knot the threads together and wear them happily. She has made a list of all her friends and cousins whe wants to give friendship bracelets to....she's so sweet as she thinks about that person when she's choosing the colours and charm.

I love this time it reminds me of my childhood whilst Allegra creates hers.



AVE will be creating friendship bracelets with a twist....

x M

Got the bug

I've been a little sick the past few days, nothing serious just a bug.
Not big into the meds but rather sewing....it always works for me.....probably because I get to sit down on the couch, relax and just let the needle dance on the fabric and it makes me happy.

Love bird

These birdy embroidery illustrations are inspired by a collection of my favourite things that make me happy; Colour, pattern, birds, Genine Z (an amazing Chilean artist living in Mexico) and treasures...

I picked up these Australiana bird cards in an op shop...(regret not getting more) they are the perfect collection for a bird lover.

I wish these pretty little birds would start flapping their wings and fly all around my head (and like Cinderella's little birds, maybe help me clean the house a little)...!

mucho amor


x M

Sweet Valentine!

Meet my sweet valentines!!! My beautiful husband and my gorgeous girls....I am so lucky to have them in my life. They are my loves, my home, my everything.....my life is complete!. Unconditional and eternal love to the power of infinity! (and I'm not exagerating)

Love creates love!

Happy St Valentine's Day!

x
M

Moments/Momentos

My hours are turning into days, the days are turning into weeks. time just doesn't stop....so I am learning how to STOP>BREATH > ABSORB.

Looking back at my week I wanted to share with you my fave moments....oh and by the way, I am also posting in Spanish to celebrate AVE's heritage, but if you're my Spanish teacher or my mami or papi reading this, I apologise for any mistakes!

Mis horas se combierten entre dias, dias entre semanas. El tiempo simplemente no para...entonces yo voy a PARAR>RESPIRAR>ABSORBER

Viendo mi a mi ultima semana queria compartir con ustedes mis momentos favoritos....oh y boy a escribir en Español para celebrar el patrimonio de AVE, pero si usted es mi profesora de Español o mi mami o papi leyendo esto, perdonenme por los errores!

Ice cream van....4 choc cones please!
Sorbete....4 conos de chocolate por favor!

Making wishes
Pidiendo deseos

Got a dollar?

Tienen un dollar?

Pistachio love
Amor de pistacho

much love
mucho amor

x M

plate it up!

Our Matisse is staying true to her name....at 20 months she is a little artist! We've found her drawing on the walls, the couch, the floor and then on her plate....the strawberries were tipped over and her pink bowl was decorated with a purple texta. As a mamma, my first instict was to correct her behaviour but as an artist I totally got what she was doing.

I'm so lucky to have such sweet, creative and funny daughters who present me with this gift everyday, it's a pleasure to channel it via AVE.

Here are some pieces I created to test Matisses' decorating theory and I think I like, thanks baby girl!




Soon you'll be serving it up AVE style!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/AVE/197791265001 and www.aveisbird.com.au coming soon......YAY!!!

x
M

Who needs sugar in their coffee when she's around?

Its a sequence of facial expressions of my little chica at brekky time . This hungry little Taurus is funny, sweet, special, loving, happy, curly, delightful, inquisitive, growing, fearless....and everything cute.

Matisse at age 20 months

x

M

migrating times

Happy New Year peeps!

This year AVE is migrating....we're taking the journey to a new place, it's different and it's going to be amazing! Its not that we are looking for greener grass, it's just that AVE has grown so much in the last year and it needs to be recognized. RESPECT the little bird! It has been hard with two kids, the daily running of our home and a million other things to do but it's been worth it.

With the help of another sweet little bird (Petite Marguerite Design) we are getting closer to where AVE needs to be and that's a good feeling. Part of that is getting the website up and running!

In the mean time, I am committing to share with you my visual diary....everyday I will post a picture of something I've drawn to document a moment that's touched my heART in some way this will be an interesting exercise to in so many levels.

Today, I share with you a picture I drew last night whilst reflecting the extra huggy day my little chicas had....we love cuddles around here!

'dos hermanas' meaning 'two sisters' in love.



x
M

Barabing - it's Christmas!

Christmas is here! Where does the year go? I hope Santa brings me a big box of time wrapped up with a nice puffy bow on top!

I wish that all the kids in the world have an amazing Christmas creating their childhood memories celebrating with their cousins, friends and brothers and sisters....I know my daughters are already excited about all the flashing lights that light up the streets at night it makes me smile looking at their happy little faces.

What's your best Christmas memory? Mine is getting all our fireworks ready.... I grew up in El Salvador and firecrackers are part of our culture. We would buy all the different styles and sizes...my brothers and cousins always put on a show!!!

Barabing! Bam! boooom! Pop! baaaaboooom!

AVE wishes you a colourful Christmas full of love, happiness and peace!



x
M

Love is....creating from the heart.

As part of my creative soul searching I have asked myself, what was my first memory of illustration that I connected with....and I realised that back in the 80s my mami used to give me these little lollies wrapped in the 'Love is...' illustrations by Kim Casali....she illustrated simple boy and girl figures that spoke a thousand words, the images were from the heart, they captured emotion and made complete sense without making a big deal. The funny thing is that 30 years later this is what I look to achieve in my illustrations, to draw feelings and to represent what some cannot find words for. As I look through some of Casali's images I realise how similar our thinking is...here is an one that made me realise 'wow, what ever we give our children moulds how they'll think and act in the future'. I thank my beautiful, thoughtful mami for sharing Kim Casali's work with me at such a young age (as innocent as she thought it was)...and for continuing to show me what love is....and thankyou Kim for spreading the word of what LOVE IS....

Kim Casali Cartoon illustrator

Maria @ AVE

x
AVE Maria

mi alegria = my happiness

An illustration published in BIG kids Magazine Artist Collaboration themed 'my first flight'

a self portrait of my girls and I....COMPLETE FROM THE GROUND UP

Creating is something that comes natural to me...I love being part of such a magical process....it comes from deep within my soul to be creative. Since I was a small chica I have created, from making the most elaborate nativity scenes to making an ice-cream parlour shop with my upside bike, but now that I am a mother, creating takes a new meaning. I just never knew how to express what I felt whilst giving birth....well, last night I found something that allowed me to understand and voice what I felt.

“Birth is very challenging in the best way possible. Every fiber of your being in alive. It’s like you are conducting electricity, literally creating something..... I felt as though I’d been introduced to myself for the first time. You become totally uncompromising, wild and fierce.”~Actress Thandie Newton,mother of two.

So now that I am a creator of art and life I am content. I am complete. I am woman. I am me. I am powerful. I am happy. I have wings, my feathers are bright coloured brushstrokes of love, painted when they were born...I take flight when I create. High up in the sky I see what it's all about.

x AVE maria

right turns....

Sorry I have been away from my blog...but I have been existing in other places. I have been thinking, dreaming, living, loving, growing, nurturing, planning, balancing and simply just being.

I have come to a cross roads place, where one road leads to another and then an intersection with no give way signs...I am on a roll with my illustrations and I am on a role, the most important one of my life - being a mama of 2 beautiful little girls. So now what I have to do is to listen to my GPS (only bc I can't read Melways without turning it upside down) let it take me where it needs to take me, however never forgetting that I am the one driving so I am in control!

The next few months it's about making the right turns and getting to the destinations....at the right pace and at the right time. Lots of places to go, people to meet and things to do in my journey. Thanks for hanging around and encouraging me!

My wish list for 2011:

• Creative space (business plan, location etc)
  
• Stockists for illustrations (cards, invitations, limited edition)
• Paper/kids exhibition
• Set up network events
• Charity art and Exhibition
• Holiday or maybe 2
• Excercise
• Learn how to use my DSLR
• Bake more
• Learn how to crochet/spend time with Abuelita Toñita (my Granma)
• Stop writing so many lists

see you at the next lights!


x AVE Maria

AVE = BIRD

The first illustration I made for AVE 'Proud Lorenza'

Lorenza at home (Dad says she's over 50 years old)

Birds are an important aspect of my work as they represent and symbolise many positive things in my life. I am a bird watcher and enjoy the way they dance with each other, the way they fly together, the way they sing amazing tunes and most importantly the way they nurture their babies and I take these as some of life's lessons.

My work for AVE is originally influenced by a particular bird called LORENZA. A green parrot who belongs to my grandma Toñita's, she has been around longer than most of us, standing beautifully on her stick, singing, laughing, whistling and talking. Her big eyes always watching as she chewed on her favourite piece of corn.

I dedicate AVE to Lorenza and her bird friends for entertaining me as a child and for teaching me some lessons as an adult.

'the best things a mother can give her children are roots and wings' anon

x AVE Maria

handmade love

A knitted doily rug created by (Ladies and Gentlemen Etsy store available) so gorgeous to decorate the floor

Stretch with an embroidery frame. They almost look like spider webs carefully woven by delicate vintage looking spiders

Amazing shadows for a pretty corner with plenty of light

I have a facination for crochet doilies, to me they are the perfect combination of handmade love, sweet vintage, delicate patterns and amazing memories of my Abuelita Toñita (Spanish = Grandma) making them.


I have a little collection which include some special ones that have been handed down to me and others that I have found at random op shops. But I am not one to display them on top of my side tables so here are some funky ways to get the most out of these pretty little things and appreciate their detail and intricacy.

x AVE Maria

wondering where the birds go...?

'where do the birds go when it rains?'

I know everyone talks about the weather when there is nothing else to say, but this is not that type of conversation, I promise!.



Today in Melbourne - it was cold, windy, raining, let's say it was perfect for a cup or two of hot chocolate and a movie under our knitted blanky, however we didn't do that as we went to visit a friend and her two little girls...on our way there Allegra noticed there were no birds out, so she asked me 'where are the birds mama?' .....it was an unexpected question to which I replied 'they're sitting ontop of the clouds where there is no rain or wind', hoping that this was a good enough explanation for my nearly 3 year old, ...she said 'mama I wanna go there!'.....



I love how my little girl surprises me with wonderful words that make me wonder, think, imagine, smile and cry with pride.



x AVE Maria

I'm perched...

I have been away for some time, making a nest, watching my egg hatch and flying high, in other words I was organising my home for the arrival of my second baby and being extremely happy with my life...hence the reference to one of my favourite illustrators Madeleine Stamer's piece 'Perched girl with bird' ( http://www.littlecircusdesign.com/ ).

I missed blogging...I hadn't done it much but I liked documenting about my inspiration, my thoughts and the life behind AVE. Now, I'm back and am delighted to have you here!

thanks for sitting on this branch with me......it's a nice view from here!

x AVE Maria

if I were....

If I were a rock.....

this would be me!
and these would be my family and friends.
A. Allegra
B. Levi
C. Natty
D. March
E. Chilli
F. Papi
G. Carlos
H. Alex
J. Mami
K. Carm
L. Vicente
M. Lee Lee

x Ave Maria

Keep your hands gLOVED!

Mama/Papa and bambino 'hold my hand' mittens
Glovetashes because you gotta have humour in winter!

Gloves as pockets...toasty!!

I am the type of person that if my hands are cold so is the rest of my body, I can't sew, I can't think, I can't relax unless my hands are warm...so when I saw these images I smiled because someone else feels the same way!

xM

Show and Tell #1

Here is a sneak peak of my version of thread painting.

They are still in working progress & there's more images as part of the collection, but I thought I'd take a moment to reflect & rest my fingers.

x Ave Maria