Forgetmenots And Daisies. Primroses And Dreams of Imaginary Sea Creatures

What a difference since my last post. Spring is well and truly here now in all her sweet perfumed glory. My old friends the forgetmenots have returned and the gentle daisies  are saying hello upon the lawn with the heavenly primroses.

Such a perfect colour the blue of a forgetmenot don't you think? 

The lawn is coming on nicely not being a lawn. Now our children have grown up we don't need the space for ball games and driving little pedal cars or bikes around, so there is really no need for such a large area.  Each year we have been letting nature paint her masterpiece a little more instead. This year will be the same and we will cut it back accordingly to whats coming up. We have some shorter areas up near the house where we put chairs and such, but the rest of the space the bees and butterflies and all other insects need it more than we do, so I just can't justify a blank green cut space for no purpose. Wasted in my opinion when you can have a much prettier beneficial space such as this. I will share the lawn progress at later stages so you can see what comes up and keep a list this year of everything that grows. I haven't planted anything except, fritillaries years ago and some crocus. Whatever else comes up just seeds itself or has been there hiding all along. Our lawn has always had a lot of moss and not much grass which I've always loved and is good as it seems to give the plants more of a chance and less competition having to compete with tough grass?

Easter came and went in a flash. There was feasting and family and then they were gone again. My chestnut and chocolate meringue sort of collapsed, but was quickly eaten by all. :) 

With the newness of Spring I bought myself a few fresh supplies.  

And after all the cold weather and the long winter I have found myself dreaming of the sea and sand and shells and the magical imaginary creatures that inhabit those salty turquoise waters...

Sea hare: An extremely rare and shy creature that if you are lucky enough to spot will  almost certainly be hiding in empty shells.

Sea Unicorn: You didn't really suppose that all the unicorns had disappeared did you? 

It was lots of fun doing these, so there maybe more creatures in the pipeline? I've made these into greeting cards. Pink! now you don't often see pink in my designs. Maybe it's my age? Maybe as I get older I will become one of those sweet old ladies that wear pink hand knitted cardigans? ;-) Although I don't use it much, I do actually like it and think it is gentle and pretty. 

At the same time I made a couple of my older sea themed designs into cards too. The Selkie and Narwhals designs.

And I also turned the recent notebook designs into cards too, and added another one to the designs. 

All of the cards are available in my shop now in various sets.

Until next time...
Enjoy the sunshine!
x

Days of Roses and Honeysuckle and Small Offerings of Light

It was a little budding rose,
Round like a fairy globe,
And shyly did its leaves unclose
Hid in their mossy robe,
But sweet was the slight and spicy smell
It breathed from its heart invisible.

~ Emily Bronte

June is the month for roses. I've been enjoying the ones I'm lucky to have in this garden and stop to smell their heavenly scent each time I walk past. How can you not, when their time is so short? I treated the garden to a new addition when visiting the local garden centre recently. It's a rose that for years I have had my eye on but never got around to ever buying. So the other day when I saw it, I gave in and it came home with me.

 It's a repeat flowering one so I'm looking forward to smelling the roses for a little longer. It also has the most vivid colour petals which I've saved each time that they have dropped, for drying.

This month I've been finding it really hard to concentrate and my mind has been all over the place so  recharging for longer each day outside has been important. Watching the flowers emerge from seeds that have been tended and nurtured, soaking up the scents really help to clear a busy mind.

There are always so many wonders to see! The hornet in the picture below, lost it's way the other day and came in through the window.  We caught it in a beer glass and admired it for a few moments before releasing back outside and on its way. The caterpillars were having a feast on the mullein and one of the roses. The top right hand one is a mullein moth and the bottom impressive green one I'm hoping (fingers crossed) is a humming bird hawk moth? 

In the green house was a stunning tiger moth. Such beauty! 

  Moon daisies (ox eye) are in abundance and the grass snake is back in the compost heap.

With so many distractions it's a wonder I get any work done at all this time of year! Some how I do though. Here are a set of small paintings 'Midnight in the wood' series that I've made into new designs for cards.    

The cards are available here to buy as a pack of four.  The photo of the originals above look much bluer in colour than they are. In reality they are more like the cards below.  It's hard to pick up the colours correctly with a camera sometimes though.

I've also had a little play about with some pendants. The ones that I added to the shop have already sold, but I will be adding more shortly.

Another painting recently done. 'Small Offerings of Light'

Inspired by the photograph that I took not so long ago, of my owl hangers all hanging together.  Here are just a couple of pictures at the moment, as I'm having some camera problems. It will be made available as a print once scanned and ready. 

 ~*~

I hope you all made the most of the longest day if you are this side of the world like myself.  Or the shortest one if you are not. :) It's hard to believe that the Summer Solstice has been and gone now, this year seems to speed up with each day that passes. 

My evening was spent quietly in the garden with a small fire waiting for the beautiful full moon to rise.  It was peaceful and filled with bird evensong and the smell of woodsmoke woven between honeysuckle. 

All made of Stars

Not so long ago, you may remember I drew a sketch, of this half animal, half human. I played around with it digitally and promised I would return to it. So now I have. This is a painting on wood.
                                                                  'All made of stars'

I also returned to other sketches done at the same time.
I often write words down, in a little notebook I keep. Random words that sometimes pop into my head and  sentences that inspire a picture, especially like to creep into my head in the dark hours past midnight when I should be in bed asleep,  instead I  find these are the hours where most of my ideas for work appear.
Words from my notebook....
                                                  Most can see, but many are blind
                                                  Many can hear, but most are deaf
                                            "Remember to open your eyes" said the fox

                                                   'Remember to open your eyes, said the fox'

Or...  'From the light we all came' ?  I'm not decided on the title of this piece yet?........
 I will be making prints of these very soon. First I will have to get them scanned in town though, as my scanner is broken and I haven't got around to buying another yet. (another job on the 'to do' list) Hopefully I should get them done by next week.
In the garden already nature is making preparations for next years fruit. The catkins are decorating the hazel tree.

There are still leaves that are not ready to fall. After all they were late arriving this year. 

 And only 25 days, until the days begin to get lighter again.
I will leave you with a song that I had on repeat whilst painting these pictures.  Beautiful video too.

Wintry Paintings

I had almost forgotten why I never make new year resolutions until I turned my calendar over the other morning. January has gone. Winter put away it's coldest cloak. The white one that tinkles with shards of icicles along the hem. The one that is embroidered with a million snowflakes, each one unique, as a moment. It's February already and I have only blogged twice! I didn't really make any official resolutions but I kind of promised  quietly to myself  that I would blog more. Hmm.. I haven't. You see...it's no good I can't keep resolutions.

  

If you follow my facebook page or have visited my shop lately you will probably have seen my latest paintings. If you haven't then here they are...

'One Day They Will Love You Too Sang The Robin'

                                                     
                                                                        Midwinter Song

                                                          Whispers to the Old Moon

*~*~*

January seemed to be the month for finishing things off that had been started and restocking my shop after the Christmas busy-ness.  Fresh batches of cards.

Some have reached the shop others have yet to fly. Paintings are all available as prints.

***

The other day I went to look for treasures down by the stream.

I found 'Old Mans Beard' or some might know it as 'Travellers Joy'. I like both names. (Officially known as  clematis vitalba) It is one of my favourite hedgerow plants. And maybe I shouldn't tell you this but... as naughty children sometimes we used to light the dried wood and smoke it. :~/ (now I don't recommend that you try this, as I'm not sure what research has been done on effects!?)

 Catkins. It looks as if it will be a good year for hazelnuts. :)

Then I noticed someone trying to get my attention. What a beautiful treasure! (Sadly not mine) I wonder what his name is?

Snowdrops stretching up towards the light.

And yesterday I saw two celandine nodding their yellow faces in the breeze.
More tales from February soon.  x

P.S:  Welcome to any new followers! :-) 

Finishing Touches

I've been busy. I was going to say like a bee, but sadly bees don't seem to have been busy at all this year. Has anyone else noticed the severe lack of honeybees? I've watched this garden for the past 14 years, since we moved here and this year has got me worried.  There have been so few, I spotted this one on the window sill the other day.

 I'm just putting finishing touches to the book illustrations now. Here's a glimpse of some...

  And then I'll be turning these into paintings  for 'The Enchanted Forests' Exhibition at The Green Tree Gallery in West Sussex. 

 Autumn in my little studio, is cosy. I had a tidy up and hung up a twiggy chandelier. 

Here's some more pics from inside ...

Hope you are enjoying Autumn?
  x