Hello Spring!

Hello spring, I see you sneaking in with your warmer winds, glints of sunshine and unfurling buds, the eking out of days and the lightness in my heart.
My most favourite time of the year!
It's brought a hustle in our house with painting and DIY, and a serious urge to de-stash. So much clutter here.
It has also brought relief and hope that maybe, just maybe the only 3 pairs of tights my youngest will wear will provide leg coverage for just that little bit longer......I have perfected my skills in darning this winter, that is for sure.

I found myself with the urge to paint a pink doe the other day...so I did.
who knows what urge Spring may bring tomorrow!

My website has been getting the spring treatment too, with some new bits and bobs added..still working away on the shop though..the big reveal will be sooooon!

Oh and I finished the BOOTCamp assignment....

This is what I handed in for the submission to Lilla's Gallery. Not entirely overjoyed with it, but felt it was time to move onto the next thing (like the pink doe!) 

I did find the phone case a struggle to get into...the fact that they are such a small and odd shaped "canvas" ...plus  I guess I should bashfully own up to being one of "those" who has a phone (still the size of a brick..I do believe they are coming back in fashion now) which is either not switched on, misplaced or left at home. Stu loves that part of me I am sure ;)

Anyhoos I digress...

Back to spring, hope you're feeling it in the air x

A collection of love x

  I can't possibly start without sending out a heartfelt THANKYOU to those who left such dear comments (here and over on facebook), words of support and sweetness that celebrated my business birthday alongside me. It never fails to astound me, that a single individual has the capacity to fill another up with so much love and support...and this can be with someone we have never even met! I am so GRATEFUL. (insert very smiley face with a wee tear in the eye and holding a hankie!)
Maybe Cyril can say it better....here is a flower for you x

Love from Cyril

                

I'm not sure if you noticed, but I've turned the comment option back on too.
I had turned the comments off way back in the Summer as I was feeling bad about never replying to the lovely messages people had taken the time to leave. It was a time thing...not enough of it and having to use it wisely, which my polite upbringing struggled with. It was also to help create a bit of space for me to allow new things in , new style, new items, new approach, without outside influence.
Its a tricky thing this social media, or atleast I find anyways...that slight need for external validation..do they like this piece? Oh I've only got 1 comment this week, maybe this piece is not so good...and so on!

Anyhoos.....the reintroduction of comments for the giveaway (and then left on accidentally afterwards) has made me realise it's no fun being in a vacuum. Quite lonely in fact! Its not so much the comments that I missed but more the feeling that when I write a post someone somewhere will actually read it. Without the comment option I knew it was just for me and frankly I'm over that self indulgence! So if you ever feel like tinkling on those type keys, tinkle away....or not.  I'll feel delighted to know you are out there either way.

Side by side

So if I can draw breathe after this long ramble...I just wanted to share some of the new card designs that will be accompanying me to Pulse Trade Fair in May. These 3 are all about the love....

Beauty-FULL

Which I am sending out to you all tenfold xx

A pleasant little interlude...

"Admiring from afar"

To counteract the feeling that everything I'm trying to put together is taking so long, it felt great to do a bit of tearing and gluing, painting and drawing, and end up with something to show for it...albeit  a bit teensy!

(A little jiggery pokery computery collage added to the mix!)

"Footprints"

I am really excited about showing you the goodies I almost have ready to launch into the world. But for now I offer you these little mixed media pieces. I love how they have turned out, especially the bear below..but you know I have a soft spot for these furry fellows!

"Friend..?!"

The tea bags even got involved in these ones...yet another excuse to pour a cup!

Hope you're all getting back into the swing of things again after the hols...did they even happen?! xx

Christmas Cards!

Hello lovelies! Can you believe it's November?

Hope you had a fun halloween...ours was suitably spent face deep in green jelly fishing for eyeballs and dooking for apples..oh and doing the Monster Mash of course!
Stu and I had a movie night watching World War Z...zombie apocalypse meets Brad Pitt and block buster..hmmmm interesting mix...though I'm such a light weight I did miss a lot of it hiding behind my hands.
Why do I put myself through it?!
Anyhoos just to change the subject completely, my christmas cards have returned from the printers and I can now show them to you! Insert little star jump *

"All is bright"

"Warmest wishes"

"Secret Santa"

"Winter Wonderland"

I'm really loving these little cards, my homage to to the festive season. I don't tend to dive right into the full Christmas shabang, but I do value the sentiment of love and togetherness this time of year brings, which hopefully is captured in these cards.

They are all available in my etsy shop if you are extremely organised!......

which I must add is where my christmas organisation stops.Damn!;)x

Birdie plates!

I'll quickly swing past the fact I haven't been around for a few weeks (it's been October school break) and still haven't got xmas cards to show (printers getting something fixed)... and jump straight into talking plates! I've had a growing collection of miss-matched plates for some time now, some vintage, others just in need of rescuing from the local thrift shop and given some love. The plan was to add my own designs either using decals or ceramic pen/paints. 

As with most intended projects, the plates have gathered dust  (hangs head in suitable shame!)...but I did paint some little designs over the summer hols with plates in mind ,which I thought I would share.

This has a painted background and digital coloured bird in the foreground. Experimenting again! It's called "The great escape" 

I've mocked it up roughly on a plate below........too nice to eat off of I think!

plate photo:Photo: Kristina Schuster (Flickr)

This second design is entirely paint and aimed entirely to make the eyes zing!It's called "morning glory". 

Below is another quick mock up.......

Loving the colours against the porcelain! And feeling suitable inspired to dusting off that neglected crockery! x

Swooning over Kathe Fraga

Have you seen the work of Kathe Fraga before?....if not, you are in for a treat!
I came across her beautiful  paintings at the start of the year along with my introduction to the term "chinoserie" and instantly fell in love with them....its the colours and dreamy qualities..the simplicity but yet the detail and depth and layers. Swoonaroo!...Or as The Jealous Curator would say..."Dammmmm"!

A rustle of feathers



Pink silk and white roses

She "aims to capture the hand painted, timeworn walls of a grand old Parisian mansion, and each piece resembles an aged decorative fresco panel"

Yep...I'm feeling that! .

Springtime in the afternoon.

Aren't they so deliciously sublime.....It's hard not to share each and every piece she has created......which is rather a lot!

Dans le jardin

Les chansons de le jardin

I urge you to check out her website and blog..and be inspired, uplifted and transported off to a timeless serene sanctuary!

Loving lanterns - wordage wednesday

(c) Jenny Blair 2013

One of the changes I'm making here on my bog is to show up more! And to share more of what I like too...you know like the pretty little things that make you go "ooh"?!

So right now it's lanterns that I'm loving..they are everywhere and have been for some time so I'm not exactly "on trend"...but the array of colors, shapes and patterns tick all my boxes....and inspired me to get the paints out. 

I also likee like words...some singular ,some joined together to create sweet reminders or motivational mantras. So welcome to "wordage wednesday!", where if I have some lovely words to share I'll be doing it ...you got it...on a Wednesday! 

And on that earth shatteringly genius note, I'll leave you with some lantern loveliness.......

1. Silly old suitcase 2.Briony Williams 3.My fling with textiles

Dottie Angel does lanterns in her own inimitable style!

There's a great tutorial on how to decorate and create your own unique lantern here: DIY decorated lanterns

Hope you're shining your little light :)x

A trip...

 
 

Have you ever heard the term Chinoiserie before? Call me ignorant if you like...but google has enlightened me on so many things ! Inspired by a beautful Kimono recently picked up from a second hand shop, I felt the urge to take a trip to the exotic orient myself..if not in body then in creativity!

And talking of trips I'm taking a little one away from bloggy land (and social media in general!)...

so I can fully enjoy the summer with my family. My youngest, Skye. is starting school after the holidays and I really want to enjoy these few months (and the good weather hopefully!) without the pressure of keeping up to date with blog posts and facebook updates. I'm pretty rubbish at it as it is!

I'll still be creating away and adding new works to my etsy shop and website (which has had a slight facelift after a pep talk from a lovely lady!), so feel free to drop by and see what I get up to from time to time!

I just want to end by saying THANKYOU all so much for your un-ending generosity in support and love..it really is incredible and I feel so grateful for it. TRULY.

Have a wonderful summer 

Let the good times begin :)xxxx

My first exhibition

Finally I have some photos to share! In the end I popped back to the gallery to take some to show you, as it turns out the ones mum had taken from the opening evening were more a sea of heads rather than pieces! (You'll see what I mean later) I'm afraid these aren't the greatest of photos but I hope you'll get the idea...

I have shared the embroidery part of  the pieces you see above and below before..here they are finished with a pencil sketch added. These pieces are the ones I love the most as I put a mammoth amount of effort and time into each one (plus actual blood on occasion!)  But they also hold every element of what I love ...contrasts, layers, colour and texture..and magic too! Inspired by the saying "coming out of the woodwork" my active imagination wandered to animals stepping out of wallpaper....I have fantastic bamboo patterned wallpaper in the bathroom, and while brushing my teeth often smile at the thought of a panda just casually sauntering out from behind the foliage! ...

"Peering through the patchwork"

"A kingly stance"

"Seeing is believing"

I've been sharing parts of the beach scene over on facebook...I created them with the idea that they all sit together to create the scene but are individual pieces....they make me smile..and keep me dreaming of summer! 

It's the most amazing feeling walking past a window and seeing your work looking out at you :)

There are 40 individual pieces of mine exhibiting, including some books and soft sculpture birds. You've seen some of the pieces before and I've saved a couple to show you another time. I have to add I have never seen my home so clutter free! 

Here are the heads I was on about! :) 

Despite  nerves, the opening evening was incredible. Its hard to put into words how whole heart-FULLY blessed it feels to have people take time out of their own busy lives to come along and support little old me. Actually makes me get a wee lump in my throat at the thought. And still the support continues with visits from dear facebook connections and sweet emails enquiring. Just incredible, and amazingly humbling. So so grateful indeed.

                              
What I also take away from this whole amazing experience (apart from the dodgy photo! ) is the realisation and celebration that I have achieved something  I once thought was impossible...so watch this space for the next " impossible dream" to come true ..yipee!
Thankyou all for sharing this adventure with me too.

Seeing is believing!

Silly me.....I have one whole photo taken from my debut exhibition!..so until I ransack my mum's camera (who was very proud and quite the opposite in frivolity of photo taking!) I thought I would share this piece and the stages of it.....

 

I've told you about my love of bears before..and I'd been hankering to create a piece with a brown beauty! My hankering is still unfinished...there will be more!...but this piece is one of my current favourites and is currently exhibiting.

The colours began quite differently from the finished piece....and unlike the way I begin most pieces, I drew a sketch first off , to see how the winged bear would fit....

Not liking the colours, I dripped and shlurped some tangerines, blues and turquoises...a different colour palette  from usual, but I was liking it more this time! Once happy with the background, after adding a cloud pattern using gesso and a hand cut stencil,  I went and bought some embroidery threads to match.

I embroidered the edges first , then began the 26 hour stitch-athon..squeezed into every moment of small child's back being turned!

Above we have 12 hours in ..this is the photo I shared and sneaky of, where I had you guessing who the wings belonged to!

15 hours above

Now I'm 21 hours in...oooh and getting so close ....

26 hours and finished. Hallelujah!

Next was the pencil sketch and a wee spray of artists matt varnish to seal.......and there you have it!

"Seeing is believing" on  8" x 16" boxed canvas.

As Gorgon Ramsay would say..."DONE!"