Moon Effects

Yesteday was an odd day. Maybe it was the effects of a full moon?

Throughout the day the weather constantly changed.  It started dull and grey, then the sun came out and I felt sure I'd see a rainbow when the rain began to fall. I didn't. An hour later the hail began to tap against the window. After lunch the clouds on the horizon looked like mountain peaks covered in snow and the bluest of clear skies appeared. Thats it for the day I thought, but how wrong can one be when two hours later there was a blizzard of snow outside? Things were very strange and if I had seen owls flying past in daylight and strange people resembling wizards in  long robes I wouldn't have blinked an eye.

I didn't, just incase you are wondering ;)
The sky cleared again and it was the most beautiful clear night with the brightest full moon. So beautiful we just had to go for a short walk in the garden at 11pm on frosted grass. When we came in we needed icecream.
Yes, I think a full moon can sometimes have a strange effect on things.
Not on these hearts though....

As this time, the new heart hangers listed in the shop are moonless....

Some Hearts For January

I heard Spring in the song of the birds today.
In the garden, we have the first snowdrops in flower.
As the sun set the sky tinged with pink as though to remind me its still very much Winter.

I love winter bare branches against twilight skies.
    

 They remind me of illustrations from a thorny fairy tale world of sleeping beauty and forests to lose your way in as Hansel and Gretel did.

I 've spent most of this week indoors here..

Painting things...

The Green woods

Step carefully through forests of green. 

Ancient twisted branches hide secrets that they long to tell & share.

'Snowlight'

When the snowlight day was dimming, dizzy dancing flakes had fell.

I spied him leap a jig and jump. There were stars beneath his feet...

'Dream in Starlight'

Be still and dream in starlight. Be silent and listen well.

Follow your heart wherever it may wander. Be true

 

Each of these hearts will shortly be for sale in my Etsy shop, so if you are interested pop across and visit.

I have 5 more cut out, ready and waiting to be done, so I think this week will be much the same as last.

Is it me, or is January just flying by?

Just Past Midnight

Its just past midnight...

.

Time for bed, but I thought I'd just leave a short note here about something that is for sale in my Etsy shop. Earlier this year, you may remember I did this picture 'here' for Illustration Friday. I have decided to sell the original and give all money from it to the Haiti earthquake appeal. If you are interested please go and take a look 'here'.
Sweet dreams.
See you soon x

Through The Wardrobe A Little Blue Dress And A Blue Moon

Stepping outside this morning I really wouldn't have been at all surprised to see Mr Tumnus walking up the garden path.

In fact, I was rather hoping I might?...
A fresh covering of snow fell overnight and how beautiful it looked once again. With weather such as this, you may have gathered by now, that I find it very hard to sit still and concentrate at my desk. So, just for a 'little' while, jobs inside came to a stand still once again.

Instead I went through the wardrobe so to speak, on an enchanting woodland walk.

Every step I took and each corner I turned, I captured it through my lens.

I took many many pictures and have lots of wonderful reference material for future paintings.

Meanwhile on the other side of the wardrobe, back home. Earlier this week you may have noticed a couple of new items listed for sale in my Etsy shop.

          Luna Fox with a Valentine heart 

And

A Hare Wearing A Little Blue Dress

And finally this evening, feeling refreshed from my walk. :) I finished my first painting of 2010...

I've named it 'Wishing On A Blue Moon' and it will be available to buy as a print later this week.

xx

White Magic And Rose Trees

Enjoying the warmth from my little radiator at my desk I sit. Listening to gentle music, planning ideas for new work and lists in my head of things that I hope to fit into 2010. All is peaceful. The children are back at school. Its their first day back. Titanium white touches new canvas.

                                                 

 Characters to breathe life into.

But outside a different tale was beginning. A whisper, a hush song, the gentle falling and gatherings of white bees.

That smell of cold and ice, travelled far from the north. She was finally paying us a visit.
By the morning the Snow Queen had painted her own canvas.

And what a masterpiece she created.

School was closed, my painting suspended, and off to find hills we walked. To sledge, with all manner of transport, toboggans, plastic feed sacks, dune boards, inflatable lilos, rubber rings and body boards.
What fun we had.

The Snow Queen has to be  my all time favourite fairytale.
I have loved it from the age of six, when I received this book for Christmas.

 I loved the illustrations, (By a lady named Pauline Hohly) especially this front cover.
And Jan and Gerdas window box gardens with minature rose trees growing in them.

Even now, whenever I see minature standard roses I always still think of the Snow Queens story.
There are so many beautifully illustrated versions of the story around now. I won't show you them all as you can hunt them all down online. But I do have this version here,  Illustrated by Errol Le Cain which I think is beautiful.

If you love the tale too you might like the quite recent BBC adaption featuring the music of Paul K Joyce.
I have both the cd and dvd and every winter, I listen and watch. (you can find it on Amazon through my link on the left side and find more about it here)

So, I have no 'new' finished work to show and school is closed again tommorow.
But we will enjoy the white magic while it lasts.
xx