Misty Mornings And Mr and Mrs

Mornings have been misty, days quiet.
Things are winding down in preparation for colder days.


There has been fruit collecting and conker stringing. The cupboard is now home to sloe gin. There are blackberries in the freezer, plum wine fermenting in the kitchen, apples, still to be dealt with. :)

The ladybirds are back again. Even if we don't think its cold yet. Nature knows when its time to come in and hibernate.

Hmmmm....I'm sure others would hibernate if they could!....


I've been busy cutting wood and creating creatures. More bears, toadstools,magpie,whale and hearts you might have seen, have all been recently added to my Etsy shop. And there are more to come!

But for now... I would like to introduce you to Mr and Mrs.....

I don't know what there surname is, so I just thought I'd stick with Mr & Mrs?


They will be sold together. I mean, how could I tear them apart!? She is offering her heart....
Or has she stolen his?....

See you soon! x

The Secret -- Planet Earth

Three minutes of something beautiful and uplifting, just the thing for a Monday.

Old And New Brown

I love the colour brown.
Brown polished leather shoes, horses saddles, beeswaxed wood, tree bark, chestnuts, speckled bird feathers, seed pods and of course Autumns leaves as they age on the earths carpet.


Times past, I used to paint much darker. I used a lot of brown in my paintings and the paintings themselves had a much darker feel to them.
This picture below was painted by me many many moons ago. I have a soft spot for it as it gained me an award of 'Best Student Illustrator' at the Benson and Hedges Gold Awards. It also won me £1000 for myself and £1000 for my college at the time.

It was based on the theme of 'Magic' for Angela Carters book The Magic Toyshop.
I have decided to make this available as a print in my Etsy shop for anyone that likes slightly darker things.

So, was it because I'd been looking at this old painting or that Autumn has arrived here, that my palette took a turn to brown once again this week?.....

Autumn inspired scene painted on a wooden heart...

Soon to be for sale in my Etsy shop!

Sorry I'm a little late this week posting this.
I blame it on blackberrying!

Let There Be Light

As the sun begins to sit lower in the sky with the ageing year. Its been a most welcome guest this week peeping into our dim rooms. Things had grown wild and overgrown outside the kitchen window, so the hedge was treated to a long overdue haircut. Now the morning sun can wake us up while we make our tea and toast.

Indeed, there is alot more trimming back to do....

Little hobbit can only open one window at the moment due to the ramblings of a very pretty pink clematis and honeysuckle. This will be a ladder job sometime soon. By next year her room will be covered like sleeping beauty's room if we leave it! ( Which yes would be lovely, but somewhat dark!)
I've made a start at Autumn tidying. This is the view from the living room. There is a big window seat and I like to sit with a coffee here....

I love these old leaded fairytale windows. We only have three like this. This house is a bit of a hotch potch, split into Three eras. 17th century,1920's and 1970's.

As well as cutting back overgrown things this week, I've also been cutting out and painting more wooden creatures which I will have to show you soon and there will be new items being added to the Etsy shop hopefully on a daily basis.

If you haven't already seen them, I also have postcards listed.....


A set of five blank backed with envelopes.
I hope you didn't mind seeing lots of windows in this post ? :)
I do have abit of a thing for them, and doors too ;) Remember here

With Bells On Her Toes

September today and already an Autumn wind has arrived to begin shaking the yellowing leaves off of the old cherry tree's branches.
I have been lately enjoying the last book in the Inkheart trilogy by Cornelia Funke... 'Inkdeath'

As its pages unfold I've become lost in an Inkworld alongside blue fairies nesting in trees, tiny men made of glass and the adventures of Meggie, Resa, Fenoglio, Farid and Mo, now the Bluejay. In the books, Mo (Silvertongue) has the ability to read characters and creatures out of the pages of books. This week I have felt a little bit like Mo, bringing some of my own characters from paintings to life in wood.....Remember the painting I did a few weeks back......'The Keeper Of Time'


Well these owls have flown out of that painting.....

And the fox....

Her name is Luna and she has music wherever she goes, as she has tiny faerie bells on her toes, or should I say paws!.....

These will be for sale on Etsy very soon.
And so will these..........

Happy September to you all!