The Mudlarkers Moon and a Good Pumpkin Harvest

With Winter not far off now I thought I'd share two new pieces created.

 The first one is the image below 'The Mudlarkers Moon' 

Some nights when the moon is bright and full and I lay awake unable to sleep, I wish that I was out wandering the land, rivers and streams with the fox. Listening and searching for all the lost treasures of long ago. For their voices are much louder in the quiet of the night.  

 

The second piece is named "Called by Song'  This image has been in my head for quite a while and after a moment encounter a few weeks back, when I spotted a deer casually walking across the garden I felt the universe was telling me it was probably time to paint it. I like to think that my deer was called by the song of the friendly robins and blackbirds in the garden, but in reality I think it was more after an apple feast with the amount of fallen apples that we have left for the wildlife. 

Both new designs are available as cards and prints in the web shop  and Etsy. This year I have gone with more single cards again. Packs weren't that popular last year and I thought especially in the current climate that many folk prefer to buy just a single card? You can watch a little of this painting being created in a film, if you pop across to my Youtube channel. There is also a bit of cider making in it too. 

I'm enjoying doing the videos, although I do find it quite time consuming. Hopefully I can only improve and get faster.  It's good to try something new though isn't it? 

Our pumpkins grew really well this year and we were very lucky to harvest a good crop.  

Lots of pumpkin soup has already been eaten.  And yesterday it was time to choose a victim to be carved. The chosen one!

I felt like doing something more elaborate, so chose a forest scene. Then quickly kind of regretted it once I began cutting it out, (hehe) but it ended up being quite relaxing. And relaxing is good of course and necessary! so all was fine. ;) 

Ta da!

Wishing you all a cosy Halloween! 

Don't forget to come and join me on Youtube! Here is the latest video! :) x

Painting Toadstools And Jack O Lanterns

October offerings.  

I've decorated my wind fall birds nest with colour, to brighten up the fading days.

On the previous blog post, I had an urge to paint toadstools. I've seen quite a few out and about and some in the garden but sadly not any fly agaric which I was hoping to spot. 

So instead I painted some...

It's good to step away from whatever you are doing sometimes, just to be indulgent and fill the creative urge. I added a robin for a finishing touch, just because... ;)

Sunday's walk lead me to this magical Briony plant twining among the hedgerows. There were some fallen berries, so I popped a couple in my pocket and planted them in a pot when I got home. This would look so beautiful in the garden and would hopefully spread in the wild hedgerows nearby too. Fingers crossed they germinate? Does anyone know if they are easy to grow? 

This evening the little pumpkin tea light holder was lit. It's the first year I think that I haven't got around to doing a real one. I was going to today, but decided to use the time on painting instead.

As a child, pumpkins were never as popular like they are now.

Instead we made Jack o lanterns out of ‘mangel wurzels’ These if you don’t know, are sort of like a turnip or swede. A couple of nights before Halloween us naughty children from our estate would go to the local farmers field and pull our lantern out of the ground. Running home with them in the dark, like a scene from Harry Potter, they looked like stolen mandrakes covered in mud. Once home we would leave them by the back door until Halloween, then we scooped them out, carved a face added a candle inside and threaded string to the lid to carry around. They normally lasted until Bonfire night.

🎃✨Happy Halloween 🎃 Happy Samhain✨ May your pumpkins and jack o lanterns burn bright tonight! x 

Old Autumn

“I saw old Autumn in the misty morn
Stand shadowless like silence, listening

To silence, for no lonely bird would sing

Into his hollow ear from woods forlorn,

Nor lowly hedge nor solitary thorn; --

Shaking his languid locks all dewy bright

With tangled gossamer that fell by night,

Pearling his coronet of golden corn.” 

~Thomas Hood

I've seen him too in the misty morn. He was by the hawthorn tree, talking with a magpie. Around his waist twisted a belt of old mans beard to keep his coat of leaves from falling too soon. His coronet was not of corn,  but moss and toadstool, lichen and crab apple and his old beard was woven with thistle down, sticky burrs and seeds like an old vixens tail. Around his neck strung conkers and acorns, and his eyes were ancient amber...

 

I thought I'd stop by and share a little more of Autumn with you before it's slipped by once more. After a misty start the sun is shining gloriously here and the sky is blue as a robins egg. 

There are a few more of the homemade cards appearing in the shop as I make them in spare moments while paint is drying. Some are old repeat design, others images that have yet to appear as cards.

I'm busy creating some wooden pieces for my next shop update (yet to be confirmed)  Will probably be the end of November? In the meantime, enjoy this last day of October how ever which way you celebrate. Happy Halloween, All Hallows Eve  and Samhain blessings.  ;) x

Gold in the days.

As October is being tucked up in bed to sleep for yet another year, the days are filled with hints of gold. There is a golden carpet of leaves on the ground. It glistens in the damp misted morning and crackles and dances like sparks on a bonfire, on the windy days across the paths that I walk.

On the oak tree in the field nearby, we found hornets wearing their golden stripy outfits.

High up in the ash tree a black feathery Sir watches the leaves fall with his birds eye jackdaw view and ice blue eyes. Enjoying the mild afternoon, high up in the wooded cathedral, the sun warms his feathers of velvet and silk.

Meanwhile below the old holly tree, I have continued to feed my little robin friend. He is quite partial to porridge oats I've found out.  I managed to film a little and thought you might like to see.  It's just a short clip and not brilliantly edited, so I do apologise for that. If you follow me on Facebook I've already shared it there but for anyone else here it is.

Golden moments to treasure.
I did this little pencil drawing in between working on new hangers. I think it has captured him and his distinct eyebrows. :)

   ***

In other news... I have two paintings in the latest issue of EarthLines magazine. 

It's a wonderful magazine and I feel very honoured to be included. To subscribe or buy a copy of the latest edition, pop across to here. 

And so the Jack o lantern's have been carved and sit atop the piano waiting to be lit when twilight arrives.

I got to do one this year because Son is at Uni. ;) 

Happy Halloween/ Samhain/All hallows!   It's time to get the fires ready for Winter! x