Bracelet Project

Hi Everyone
Words can't describe the weather we have had today. Huge storms lasting quite a few hours. Lots and lots of rain. Many areas in our region are flooded. We are fine but what a storm. The sky is beginning to clear a little and it's very warm.
My task to day was to get my work lists sorted and organise the next few days art. I've done that and worked on a bracelet - this is a leftover project so fits legitimately with my priorities. The bracelet is a kit from the bead shop Scotland - here it is :




I love the wrap idea and hope to develop some more of these with stuff in my own store. It's a simple plan but looks so attractive.I started really well and then ............




- I had not followed the initial instruction - and needed to undo all my work. Hence, being left unfinished. This is where I am now








Hopefully, I can finish the beading part this evening.
I'm also keen to move on one of the village mini paintings -




As you see I've added some words of wisdom and I need to add some more definition with pencils and paint. I will carry on with this until it's finished. I need a specific name and a story for these houses. Not entirely sure who lives where yet.
Must get on .
Bye for now.

List Time

Hi Everyone
Today looks and feels as if it's going to be OK weather wise - few clouds and rather damp under foot but ? I'm hoping.
My home needs some TLC - much mess and disorder plus very little fresh food available. So I will spend as much time as absolutely necessary and then do some painting.
My mission is to complete outstanding projects. Harry Vickers needs more and ...... ? I need a list to work to - without a list I will be distracted and in danger of starting a new project.
I've not been trawling around my blogs for a few days so need to do that. This activity sets me up for thinking slots throughout the day and makes me feel I can create all day (even if its just in my head).



Here is a fantastic example of the thinking prompt - love this idea and am now off thinking how can I use this idea in one of my paintings. It's so inspiring that I will come up with something and apply it. The article is from Frankly here.and here (another information link).

Must go

Bye for now

Olympics are here !

Hi Everyone
Weather report is poor again for today. It started Ok but gradually cloud formed and then rain and more rain !!!
I've been out at school events all day so very little time for anything else. I did add a little to Harry Vickers. I added his stick (he's recently had a hip replacement) and some bunting and a few buttons to his hat.



Still much more to do and hoping to add a little this evening
I did manage a photo with the Olympic torch or one of them ( a real one that did go through Northumberland) - I got this opportunity via a visitor to our school sports event which took on an Olympic theme throughout the day. Very successful event and the rain stayed away until the end - only just. Here is a picture of me with the torch



Must go. A little time for some art before bed.

Bye for now

Sugar and Spice

Hi Everyone
Weather poor today - could rain any minute ! Very dull - not inspiring !
Had a great weekend away - rained lots but we stayed in a lovely place - beautiful scenery and a very grand farmhouse - lovely. I didn't spend time with Mary's audience - hopefully I will get something done this week.
Back in the regular world of work and school and all that goes with it. Wimbledon looming - I love tennis so am looking forward to the next few weeks. Lots of busy with school re the end of term. All in all not much time for loosing myself in my art !!
Last week I declared I was on a mission to complete lots of outstanding stuff. So, I've started with a little piece and will do a tiny bit more today.
Here it is - meet Harry Vickers. He is another resident in thepapersac village. He's a farmer and a bit of an artist - he likes to think of himself as a bit of a photographer too. I will spend some more time on him but he will eventually end up as a 'handbad' painting.








This is the other handbag painting (bottom picture)- its more of a style and similar technique to development.




I have another few pieces like these. They combine to form the Sugar and Spice Collection.
That's it for today.
Bye for now.

Not so pretty !

Hi Everyone
It's Friday already can't believe where this week has gone. The weather is very unsettled not raining as I write but almost yesterday it rained all day and the ground is still very wet !!! Never mind. The garden is good with lots of colour and looking healthy.
We are going away for the weekend and if it rains I will have chance to sit and make art. So rain not a problem for me !!!
Have been very busy with life but have reviewed as planned a few days ago. I have my list and will work through it - no more projects (big projects - mini things are ok and do develop and inspire my work ) until my priority items (ie paid for) are complete. There are so many projects on my books that I will be busy for months
Mary is my main task she needs her friends on their seats. I've been meddling with a Papersac painting again - cant seem to leave it or chuck it not sure if it's an improvement or not ?








I now think I will paint all the background white -leave the house and the words ? One day something will work !!! The main problem in the background is the straight lines - I think ? Will leave it out of my sight for a while.
I've covered these images before but saw another reference to these not so pretty dolls on the crescendo site (wonderful inspirational daily blog)












They are great - I've drawn a couple of examples for myself - will spend a bit more time on them this weekend. Will share them next week.
Lots of packing to do - I will be back in a few days.
Bye for now

Bracelet Talk

Hi Everyone
Weather is great today - sunny and a little fresh but feels good.
Lots of catching up to do - both the house and my Work Journal need some attention.
So far today, I've done a brief trawl around my daily blog reviews and have come across a great link from a Pininterest post ( I have a Pininterest link here on my blog page - take a look). It's a DIY bracelet page including several tutorials  Link here

Sample tutorial

This is one of the great project tutorials - fabulous resource. I am definitely going to use them. I love layering bracelets in lots of different colours. I have a simple box at home with many simple beaded bracelets in it. I wear some of them almost every day.

my own messy collection of bracelets

As you can see - It's a complete mess and needs redoing - both the storage method ( what method ? ) is poor and the box itself could be better. I have ideas and am enthusiastic to make it happen. Watch this space.

another sample tutorial

Here is another look at one of the bracelet tutorials. Love it. The instrctions with pictures for each stage are very clear and easy to follow.

Thats it for today - I'm so behind on work this week - I've decided to go back to last Mon 12/6/12 and work through my plans. Prioritise and make another list !!!!
Must get to it.

Bye for now.

Inspiration from a 'Lovely Lady'

Hi Everyone
Weather today has been very mixed. One moment hot and sunny - the next almost raining (very lightly but cloudy). Ended up looking and feeling like summer.
Today' was a very sad day - a Great, Great Aunt died last week and I went to her funeral today. Aunt Elenor made it to 100years and 6 months. Amazing. She was a lovely lady with lots of humour and love of life. I spent all morning thinking of lovely memories of her. The church service was a positive celebration of her life and the story of who she was - very well done by the Vicar. I have a lovely image of her in my mind - as an older lady but I also have a wonderful photo of her as a young woman at my Grandmothers wedding . I spoke with her several  times about the photo and the other people in it. These stories retold themselves while I thought of her today. I will miss her.




As a tribute to her I'm going to make (paint) a doll called Elenor and will base it on the wedding photograph. I particularly like my Grandmothers hat and my Grandfather looks very handsome. I will include Elenor's late husband Charlie in the painting. Unfortunately, I didn't know .Charlie but will base him on my Grandfather. I quite like the idea of reproducing the photo as a painting. We will see what happens.
I also managed to make some cakes - here they are. My boys love these muffins - they are quick and easy to make and full of all the things we shouldn't eat much of !! We ate them anyway.

My art has suffered today. So nothing to report there. I'm determined to make up for that tomorrow.
Bye for now

Plans for Poppies

Hi Everyone
I've missed my blog for a few days - I usually make workdays but somehow home life has taken over. Not sure exactly what has been different in my routine. I don't seem to have achieved anything !!!! Weather today is wonderful - lots of sun and warm.

However, we have moved into some garden work and it's looking good already quite a bit of work needed but with the sun shining and some pretty flowers - its an inviting place to be. Here are a few photos of the garden so far :

Fab idea with a poppy

Love this style of drawing/painting

Much more to go but I'm already inspired to do a painting with poppies as the focus. These large flowers return each year and are so spectacular,

The Cat

This is a great image too ie The Cat.
 I'm using the idea to create a Miss Mitchell. The cats head is created using inkjet print on fabric and the body part is paper fabric.I spoke about this a while back on this blog (Look back for details). I will document my project and give some photos of developments here. Eventually, the project will feature in one of my books.

Suzi Blu image

Finally, love this little image. It's from my true inspiration suzi blu. She produces these wonderful drawings (all with so much character), every time a see a new drawing I want to make my version !



Bye for today.

What would Miss Mitchell do ?

Hi Everyone
Weather today is deteriorating - when I got up it was great but now only an hour later it's looking very cloudy and there is a cool breeze. My weather station app tells me all will be well and getting better later. That's good for me.

Well, today is taken up with some volunteer stuff at my kids school. I also want to make progress with Marys friends (see yesterday's blog for more on this). I also want to get going with my little book about Miss Mitchell. I've decided to base the book on a Kelly Rae Roberts idea from her book buy here (see above)

Kelly Rae Roberts Project

This picture is the final product (from the book) - I will adapt the look but essentially I intend to use the plan. Will share when it's complete. I hope to contain a little handmade book in the space where you see the photo. The book will have Miss Mitchell's Story in it and some new images of her.

Miss Mitchell is the starting point for my beloved Papersac and she is a special character for me. I tend to think of her as a friend and find myself thinking 'what would Miss Mitchell do ?' - when I'm wondering what decision to make in my painting. Here she is.

the beloved Miss Mitchell

Sounds weird to hear this but it's the world I inhabit. Day by day my characters are growing and without realising - I feel, I'm finding out more about them rather than creating their story. I like this idea very much. I think of it as self development therapy.

Well must get on.
Bye for now.

Mary Haversham moves on

Hi Everyone
Weather is ok today - sun is shining !
I've been tackling 'the audience' in my Mary Haversham painting. Will show step by step progress - so far.

Mary

This is Mary although she has changed a little the top flower has turned into a brooch.
This is a range of photos of my approach to the people for the chairs. The numbers show the development phases.
My next move is to make the clothing and add more heads. Much more to do but its moving forward. Mary will have her friends eventually. I hope to continue with more dolls tomorrow.Will report progress.


Must get going.

Bye for now.

(1) basic body shape and sample chairs

(2) basic bod/legs/arms

(3) four body shapes

(4) sample doll on a chair

(5) sample doll on a chair in the painting

Day Dreaming of the sea

Hi Everyone
Another cloudy day with bright sunshine every now and again. The clouds are forming fantastic shapes - worth looking at for inspiration. This reminds me of an article I read yesterday about 'cloud pruning'. Its quite facinating and needs bags of patience.

 link here cloud pruning.
The more I look the more I see - in the clouds. Great for daydreamers !!
Been quite busy doing not very much !!! Day dreaming (again) comes to mind. I'm still struggling from being back after holiday. It's taking me longer than usual to adjust to doing house jobs (always a problem for me anyway ).

I've done a little on the house paintings. I've added some extra colours - mainly red tones. I feel these have lifted the Papersac Village scene. Also added some detail on the main cottage.





Beach Cottage has some pretty flowers now. Needs something else too !


Both paintings are not 'quite' what I want but are moving slowly towards it. I'm going to leave them for a few days and see what comes out - next time I work on them.
I'm on my mission to work through all my 'live' work. I still need to get the digital images into my folders. Must get to it.

Bye for now.

Tales from the seaside

Hi Everyone
Weather today is very specific - this is a new app I have - love it. It gives a detailed look at my weather - not sure you can read it. Basically, its fresh and sunny at times with potential showers.

my weather today

I've been on holiday last week - fabulous time.Weather not that brilliant but we spent time walking on the beach and watching movies and lots of nice food to eat. Even did a few sketches

book cover

These sketches are from a book I made last year from a large piece of good quality watercolour paper. My intention was to produce a range of 'whimsical' animal - like sketches. The book has been waiting for attention for some time. I only had an hour or so to spare on the book - so didnt get that much done. I really enjoyed the sketching plus a little bit of water colouring with some pencils and a 'waterpen'. I will add to the pictures and hope to keep the book going for holiday stuff.

There was inspiration from the beach for Beach Cottage. I saw lots of lovely colours in the rocks as well as fab grasses and small flowers along with sea weed varieties. All these elements seem to come together in a subtle 'light' - which is very specific to the coast. The whole experience was most inspirational and very relaxing. I often find this feeling at the seaside, although - I've decided I need a beach with very few other people on it !! Our beach was such a place - hardly anyone else in sight. Perfect. I've only added a few things to the painting but I'm calling it progress.








Here is another little house to add the the village - very similar but 'different' - I want to use the colours of the beach which have stuck in my mind - mustard and blues washed out and distressed . I need to make lots of paint samples to compare.Not sure who will live in this one ?

Thats about it for my update.



Bye for now.

Fabric on my mind

Hi Everyone
Busy with family stuff - kids off school and a scout camp to pack for. Weather not brilliant - bit damp and coldish (for May).

Have still to complete all my digital photos of paintings to date - will do that today. Also looking again at all my large paintings (while reviewing paintings for photos) and beginning to add extra ideas and paint. It's a good move and the work is benefiting.

Love this deck chair - fancy making one just like it. I would like the wood to be painted white and distressed (a little) - not sure which fabric colour/style ?will think about this.

Great deck chair

Love this fabric - lots of cute motor cycles. Its a Spoonflower offer. The design recently won a weekly competition. I can see a similar image in a painting - will try and come up with a sketch.




Am still working on my mermaids and think I will develop for a fabric. Spoonflower have some great stories in their blog - take a look design on silk. This is a really unusual idea and full of great inspiration. Look at the results printed on silk.

design on silk

Fab little images on fabric

Running out of time. Off to camp.

Bye for now.