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that I haven't had time to post.... (or do one of my favourite things, hang out in arts and crafts forums).

I'm going to try and give you all the shortened version of what's been happening round the studio and shop-front gallery over the past month....

Those of you who follow us on Facebook, would already know that I've been involved in the creation and release  of two publications.

The first to be released was the children's book written by Chiltern's own Natalie Lappin,

 Getting to Know Archangel Michael.  

I was incredibly flattered, and also a little nervous when Natalie first asked me to illustrate this book for her... it was my first set of book illustrations and the first time that I had ventured into print publishing. I have to say, that if almost anyone else had asked I may have backed away out of pure fear, but Natalie has a way about her that is so very calming that I was more than happy (fear and all) to plunge headfirst into this project with her.

Natalie Lappin (Left) & Meaghan Louise with some of the Children that Inspired Natalie's Archangel series

The first in what is to be a series of twelve books was Officially launched at Lakeview House in Chiltern (Victoria, Australia) last weekend and was well recieved by both the children who inspired Natalie to write the series and the adults who attended. We really do need to give a huge thankyou to Beryl Pickering and the girls who look after Lakeview House (Childhood home of authoress Henry Handel (Ethel) Richardson). Especially to Beryl for the amazing scones... they went down a treat with a nice hot cuppa in the fabulous gardens at Lakeview. If you are ever passing through Chiltern, it's one place you really MUST visit...

The beautiful view from the verandah at Lakeview House

My own publication Art 2 Zee magazine was officially released on Dec 1. Pre Sales went well and feedback from Australian residents who have recieved their copies of the Limited Edition Print Magazine has been both positive and encouraging. Copies of the print publication are selling quite quickly and we are working on the PDF version as I type this.

Originally intended as either an annual or bi-annual publication, I have already recieved enough contributions to fill another issue and it's looking like becoming a quaterly or even bi-monthly publication.

In amongest all this, I've had wholesale orders to fill, commissioned portraits to complete and the general hubub of life to contend with. I have learnt a lot about the publishing business and also what I am capable of achieving when I really set my mind to it. That said, I am looking forward to a quiet christmas break.....

Those of you who follow us on Facebook my already know that last year, fellow 'Gilmour Girl' and owner of the bookstore next door to the studio, Miss Ellen, was diagnosed and treated for breast cancer.

After some treatment, it now looks as if all is well again, but it made those of us around her think seriously about our lifestyles and how we feel about those around us. None moreso than her daughter Kelly.

While Miss Ellen and others have campaigned tirelessly to raise funds for cancer research, Kelly has taken it all a step further and joined the "Kokoda Chicks". After some serious training and fundraising, Kelly flew out of Brisbane airport on Saturday October 30 for Port Morseby, where she and 11 other brave women will trek one of  the most natourious trails in Australian history (WW2), the Kokoda Trail.... Whilst we are all so incredibly proud of Kelly and the other Kokoda Chicks, those of us who are a little less brave (and much less fit) have found other ways to show our support.

Miss Ellen and friends held an Open Day at Rifiki Garden here in Chiltern on October 23, which raised over $700, and Miss Ellen has been making and selling handmade bookmarks (those lovely squiggly metal ones with beads and bobs hanging off them) and donating the profits to help out, but we all felt we needed to do just a little more.

After a little brainstorming and a trip to the local op-shop, we came up with "Bras out for Breast Cancer"... we strung a clothesline across the front of our shop-fronts and began to hang our undergarments out for all to see.... there were a lot of cars slowing down and a lot of  comments  like... "do you have one in my size?" and "It's raining, they won't dry today girls!", but the best question is when they ask... "what's it for?" and when we tell them they ask "how can I help?" ...

Miss Ellen hangs out the washing.....

Everyone who donates is "sponsoring a bra" and gets to write their name (or psydonym) on a little pink tag and attach it to the undergarment of their choice... we plan to keep this up until Kelly arrives home after November 9.... there are still some over-the-shoulder-boulder-holders without tags... if you'd like to donate and sponsor a bra stop by the shop-front gallery or Ironbark Bookz next door and we'll give you a tag and an official reciept. 100% of donations  go to the Breast Cancer Foundation of Australia, and all donations of $2AU or more are tax deductable...

Miss Ellen is still making bookmarks and the shop-front gallery here at MeaghanArt has a range of "pink" items, from which a percentage of all sales will also go to the BCF

We hope to raise LOTS to add to Kelly's already impressive total of over $5000. Every cent helps our scientists get that small step closer to a cure and lets face it, the scientists here in Aus are pretty clever cookies, so have as much chance as anyone of finding a real cure for this disease...

You can follow Kelly's journey along the Kokoda Trail by visiting her Facebook page...

We're TWO ! WOO HOO!

Two years ago in the month of October we officially opened the shop-front gallery!

As (I am told by "experts") a lot of small businesses don't even make it through their first twelve months, I'm just a little bit excited. Actually, we've been so busy around here with expanding into the vacant shop-front next door, running our Creative Kids Program and general gallery business that I almost missed it....

To celebrate I'm offering every single customer who buys from us, either on-line or in person, the chance to win a

FREE CUSTOM PENCIL PORTRAIT

from your photograph valued at $60.

For every single item purchased, no matter it's dollar value, you get one entry...buy a bar of soap, get one(1) entry.... buy a bar of soap, an original artwork and an artisan pendant and get three (3) entries... see how it works.... You can purchase from:

the online shop on this site

 in person in the shop-front gallery

 from my MadeIt online venue

(all the above are in Australian Dollars)

or

my Etsy or Artfire stores (US Dollars)

or

even from my DaWanda store (Euros).

If you can't find what you need in any of these venues, just message us through this site and we'll see what we can do!

Simply make a purchase from any of these venues between now and midnight (Australian time) on October 31st 2010 and you'll go into the draw.

I'll be pulling one name from a hat on November 1st and will notify the winner immediately via email.