Mad Dogs and English Women....

Myself and a group of friends must have chosen the hottest day of the year so far to go for a ramble in the local countryside, we must have been mad but off we went, setting off from a local pool, notice the flotilla of birds heading our way looking for food, they were out of luck.


The skies were glorious and we set off across fields in the baking sun, water bottles at the ready.

The acorns are just forming and the teasels are still green.

These archetypal stripey caterpillars were making light work of this plant, munching away.

After a pit stop at a local cafe, sitting out the midday sun, we set out again with the sky hazing over, thunderstorms had been forecast for later but they didn't materialise.

I can't resist roses and these were hanging over the footpath from a garden.

Note to self - must take along wild flowers book next time and do some identifying as no idea what the pretty flower is below.

This church had roses all round the doorway, so pretty. I had no time to go into the graveyard but I'm hoping to visit on of the big seven cemeteries in London later on this week so I'll get my fix then :)


A lovely pretty cottage, how I'd love a house like this, maybe one day...

And back to the pool and a delicious picnic lunch. My legs are still aching but it was a great day!

Whilst Billyboy snoozes....

It's no joke being an active long-haired cat in this heatwave. After doing what a cat does down by the river, chasing water birds and the like, then chasing bluebottles around the house he got his little head down, ahhh.

I got my head down and made this journal page for a lady from Roses on My Table. She's not well and we are contributing a page each for a journal to wish her a speedy recovery.

I've got this week off and hoping to get a few more creative projects completed. There, I've said it, made myself accountable, lol. Hope you have a great week wherever you are!

Ocean ATCs

I've been a bit quite on the creative front for the past couple of weeks but I finally got my act together and made these atcs for a swap on Roses on my Table, the theme was Ocean.

There were far too many lovely images on the Graphics Fairy to choose from (part of my problem of the past few weeks has been making decisions, or rather I couldn't so I did nothing), so I chose to make 2 each of 3 designs.

I've used pearlised acrylic ink on vintage book paper (all about sailing so keeping it in theme), cotton fabric, lace, organza, sequins, hand embroidery, beads and real tiny shells.

Bluebirds ATC Swap

I've made these for a swap hosted by Mary at Tin Can Tart, through the Milliande site. I just can't seem to move away from the little vintage collages at the moment but this is the first time I've made them into ATCs.

I used vintage music paper as the base layer, edged with vintage photo distress ink. I transfered an image from the Graphics Fairy, one of my favourite images of a bluebird, eagle-eyed bloggers might recall I used this image on a page of my fabric journal here, alas still in production. Now doesn't that sound positive as opposed to - it's not finished yet, lol.

The scraps of fabric came from some patchwork swatches I got way back in the eighties, so glad I don't throw much away, lol, you never know when you might need them. All finished off with a little loose hand stitching and a button. They were great fun to make. I made an extra one for Mary to put in a display at her father's hospice, what a lovely idea.

It really is a Graphics Fairy day as I'm sending along a card with the ATCs, and the image of the tea pot came from the site as well :)

It's been a very wet day over here today, alot of mooching of cats with reproachful looks as it's obvious to them that it's my fault they are getting wet and having to come in. But there is something quite comforting about sitting in my studio, listening to the rain beating on the window panes above the Classic FM on the radio, and knowing that I can just make something and be happy!

Now on the next item on my to do list .......

Things to Do on Wet Sunday

I've enrolled on Alisa Burke's Watercolour Bliss course on line. For a long while now I've enjoyed seeing snippets of her sketchbooks, with lovely bright vibrant watercolours and intricate patterns.


My watercolours hadn't properly seen the light of day since my university days and even then I was never really comfortable with them. I know there are techniques to using them to be learnt, I'd taken an eight week class many, many years ago and was introduced to some of them but had been unable to continue the class when the tutor moved to teaching in the day and I was at work.


Alot of my tubes were dryed up but I've been doing my homework with what I've got, Alisa Burke's philosopy is not going out and buying lots of expensive paint and brushes (be still my beating bank balance) but using what you've already got and even using childrens paints. I was convinced I only had drab 'landscape' colours but I was really surprised to find that across my tubes and pans I have some really rather pretty colours and so far all I've done is put a daub of colour on paper and haven't mixed colours yet.

I'll occasionally use watercolours when journalling but I'm more likely to use acrylics at the moment. It'll be good to work through some exercises and techniques with watercolours as I'm the kind of person who like to know the rules before going ahead and breaking them.


Another reason for doing the course was the fact that I found on a recent Still Life art day that I really couldn't use them to show simple shading very well. This drawing of a small brass unicorn really highlighted the fact. So for the next few weeks I hope to be a good student and study hard and pick up some tips along the way, there's another 4 weeks to go and then the lessons are there after that so I can access them when I have time.

Talking of time, things to do today include

• Bluebird ATCs for a swap on Milliande
• Ocean ATCs for a swap on Roses on the Table
• Fathers Day card
  
• Niece's Sixth Birthday card

So I'd better get my skates on. Have a great Sunday!

Beautiful

Just loving my foxgloves! Have a great day wherever you are x

Roses and Pomanders

This is one of the first roses out on my St Swithin bush, a lovely delicate pink with a soft scent.

Dear fellower bloggers and surfers of the net, do you recognise the above paper napkin? I got a couple of these in a napkin swap a while ago and I'm trying to find out where I can buy some. My friend who is getting married absolutely adores it and would love some to use at her wedding reception so if you know where I can get some I would be really grateful if you could drop me a line.

This is one of my favourite pomanders, egg-shaped with a sweet little forget-me-not flower on it.

These three are also favourites, two with Scottish themes with the Trossachs on one and heather on the other, and a lovely pink backgrounded one with flowers including roses.

Talking of roses I couldn't not show you another St Swithin bloom, just so perfect!

And my all time fave, a heart shaped pomander that hangs on my toilet cistern, with a very seventies boy and girl.

Typical Sunday Afternoon

Archie is adorning the shower mat, sprawled out on his back.....

Mickey is curled up asleep on his favourite comfy chair in the dining room....


Billyboy is asleep on the bed, clutching is tail, ahhhh.....

I'm tinkering around with paint, paper and my sewing machine.....

And Merlin has taken the veil, stretched out on the studio window behind the voile curtain. All in all a lazy, laid back, Sunday afternoon x