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

Another Journey Begins

My sleepy winter self is stirring now the days are getting lighter.  I hope you dear readers had a wonderful Christmas time and I wish you all a rather belated Happy New Year!
I will begin by sharing with you a painting that I did in the last quiet days of December.
                                                    'Another Journey begins'

It's a beginning and an ending. As 2017 drew to a close I thought about what the year had brought and wanted to do a little picture to honour my dear feathered friend who I lost that year. 

I've been quietly recharging on these January days. Wandering beneath the apple trees looking for the wind fallen oak moss and collecting kindling to lay the fire at night. Sitting beneath the golden tails of hazel catkins with a mug of hot spiced berry juice and delighting in the snowdrops return. This has been my 2018 so far.

 My sleepy hibernating self is reflected in this recent work.

'The Quiet Sleep Of Stars'

Although quiet I've been quite busy spending some time designing new cards. I re-designed the bee card that I previously used to sell as a hand made card edged with glitter. Now it comes all printed, including the glitter effect.    

The next card, was using the small image Moth Spell that I created last summer.

'Stay wild and enchanted'

And lastly my heart images have also been added to cards in the shop ready for Valentines day.

I finished a little donation piece for the 2018 Twitter art exhibition which this year takes place in Australia. This year all money raised will go to a riding for the disabled charity. in Canberra.

'Origin' 

With the beginnings of a brand new year, my little white hare decided it was time for him to dust off his magical wooden staff and prepare himself for an adventure. The mountains are calling and he longs to see the silver lakes again and to head for the wild wood once more.

"Then something Tookish woke up inside of him and he wished to go and see the great mountains and hear the pine trees and the waterfalls and explore the caves and wear a sword instead of a walking stick."~ JRR Tolkien

Well this hare doesn't need sword, as his walking stick is rather special ;-)
The picture evolved from playing with ink. Once dry I could see a landscape. Forests and distant mountains, silvery lakes in the soft swirls and watery marks. And so the map was born and the continued travels in a Tolkien inspired landscape.

Where he is heading? Well that my dear readers we shall have to wait to find to out?

 'No half heartedness and no worldly fear must turn us aside from following the light unflinchingly'~JRRTolkien

Karen 
x

A friendly robin and a dream fulfilled

Let me introduce you to my new friend.

Just lately I have had this little chap (at least I think it's a chap) following me about when I'm in the garden. Each time I would take a tea break from working and sit outside, he would appear.

He clearly wanted to get close, as would hop within an arms length and swoop close by my head as I walked past.  One morning whilst sitting at my computer I even noticed that he was outside on the window sill, head cocked slightly to the side and peeping in the window.
I wouldn't normally encourage wild birds so close, as obviously being a cat owner it could lead to a disastrous ending. But this little chap was clearly asking for something? So with a few crumbs on my hand and some tiny morsels of cheese I stretched my hand out to him. It didn't take long before he was brave enough to fly down and peck at what was on offer. :)  

Such a beautiful little bird. I feel truly privileged. I know lots of people have had birds feed from their hands, but this is the first time for me, so I am so happy.

Whilst summer has slipped away and the leaves are beginning to fall here, we have been blessed with glorious sunny days again. The garden is still blooming and the birds are still feasting on the late blackberries that shine in the hedgerows. Butterflies flit from michelmas daisies and verbena bonariensis and myself.

The ivy is humming each time you pass, from the hundreds of bees, and various flies that are attracted to it's flowers in bloom.

I love this time of year when all is quietly winding down the slow path to winter days.
I've been working away on some things that I will be back to show you quite soon.
In the meantime I've updated the shop with some cards. Some are homemade, some professionally printed.

September has passed quickly, my boy has left home to begin a new adventure studying Music at university and it is strange here without his piano playing. On our way back from dropping him off we stopped off at the seaside and watched the gulls and the silver sea and reflected on how time goes so fast.

Hiding behind my hair. 

September has also been the month for dreams coming true. One of mine I never guessed would ever be fulfilled was so, last Saturday when I travelled up to London to see Kate Bush perform. I was one of those lucky one's that managed to grab a ticket at two minutes past nine on that March morning. Yes, I remember it well.

The show was amazing and every bit I had hoped it would be and more. Kate's music has been an inspiration to me for years and many many pictures have been created or inspired, listening to her sing.   

My all time favourite by her and has been since it came out back in 1985 is the 'Ninth wave'. For those of you that don't know her work, it is a series of songs linked together that create a story of someone that has fallen into the water and is lost at sea. While she is floating and waiting to be rescued she drifts in and out of consciousness near death's door. Seeing this on Saturday being created visually on stage was truly too magical for words. I admit to wiping tears away when she broke into the bars of 'Hello Earth' my ultimate favourite song by her. 

The show was visually stunning. It's hard to put into words, but some I would use to describe are hypnotic, beautiful, enchanted, haunting, moving, perfect, wow wow and unbelievable. ;) 

There are no photographs to share as Kate wanted to interact with the audience, not their camera's and phones which has become the normal way of things these days. I am glad and everyone that was there abided by her wishes, which was so good to see. The picture above is of the programme that I bought and the piece of paper is confetti that blew out into the audience during the ninth wave. The words upon are an extract from 'The coming of Arthur' by Tennyson they read:

Wave after wave, each mightier than the last,

Till last a ninth one gathering half the deep

And full of voices, slowly rose and plunged

Roaring, and all the wave was in a flame

I shall leave you with a beautiful song by Kate and wish you a wonderful  October. x