The Spider Month Of September And A Shop Update

I like to think of September as spider month because of the sheer amount that seem to be visible at this time of year. Not only are they in the house, (it's okay I'm not scared of them ;-)) outside the windows  are covered in spiders too. They love to make their webs on the panes of glass. A dark trick for the poor unsuspecting fly that thinks he will just head on into the house, but then realises there is glass between itself and the room and a deadly trap made of spun silk.  Meanwhile the sweet blue tit knows that the spiders and flies are  up to things on the window, so it's the month when I hear a tap tapping and look up to see them peeping in at me during their autumn feast.

I was happy to have captured the above picture, even if it is a little blurry as they move so fast, too speedy for my camera.
September is the month when in the morning the hedgerows, fields and  gardens are decorated with dew dropped webs. And the early morning Autumn light just makes them look as if one had stepped into another realm. Such beauty.

The garden is still filled with flowers.

 And butterflies. Every time the sun comes out, our big patch of ivy is a nectar magnet for them.

It's been a busy month behind the scenes. New Autumn cards have been designed and added to the shop. You may remember these images from my wooden hangers last year? I thought they would make cute cards in the style of a nature journal type page again. I'm selling them in a pack of 3 in the shop.

I've also been busy organising a 2018 calendar which is now available. 

The hangers have all been finally finished. Below are most of them. There are 16 in all but some are similar, so I won't share every single one here.

                                                                             ~ *~
The shop update will be next Monday 2nd October at 7.30pm (uk time) First come first served.

There will also be some new sets of cards in the shop. I know Christmas is still ages away (thank goodness) but because a lot of my work sells abroad I have to get the cards and things in the shop early.  Sooo... if you are not keen on looking at Winter things yet, please avert your eyes. ;) 

With October just around the corner now, it's time to get back to the sketchbook and some new paintings. My little studio has been tidied and changed about in preparation. 

Happy Autumn
X

A July filled with Flowers.

With July almost over it had to be time to pop in and say hello to this rather neglected blog.
I've been having a sort of semi creative break for a while, so haven't got anything totally finished in the way of art to share... but I have flowers, so many flowers.  My July has been a July filled with flowers.
Flowers are I believe, a good way to balance the negative news that seems to be happening in the world almost on a daily basis these days...
Lets begin with a walk in Gloucestershire. The Slad valley, home to Laurie Lee. Cider with Rosie country.  A warm but overcast day, quiet except the gentle hum of bees and summer soothing sounds of cricket and grasshopper. Marbled white butterflies flitted from one knapweed bloom to another.  Fields of wildflowers, scabious, clover, orchids, yellow rattle dotted the fields.

We passed an orchard with the prettiest white cows and apple trees laden with mistletoe. 

Through a wood where a faerie had been busy making a home  

And a holloway,  silent yet so full with the whisperings of ghost horses and travellers.

“Bees blew like cake-crumbs through the golden air, white butterflies like sugared wafers"

~Laurie Lee Cider with Rosie

Take my hand, follow me to the purple scented fields of lavender...Somerset Lavender

Now if I had brought with me a discreet blanket and soft pillow then I would have been quite happy just to have laid myself down between these rows and spent a whole day and night here, breathing in this wonderful heavenly scent and soaking in it's energy.  Do you think anyone would have noticed me? ;-) No doubt the bees would have and maybe the hare that has been spotted in the fields on occasion I hear. 

This was my first ever visit to a lavender farm and now I would like to have my own. So I bought two little plants of the favourite variety to start me off on a small scale. :-) 

After browsing the shop filled with all things lavender, I bought some essential oil and then we sat for a while on this bench soaking up the surroundings and eating lavender ice-cream. 

Such a lovely place, if you are in the area then you must definitely pay them a visit. 

There were other  flowers at the farm too. The sweet peas were a joy to behold. The scent took me straight back to working many years ago in a local hotel. The smell of beeswax on old wood, and picking the sweet pea posies for the freshly cleaned cottage rooms. I always loved that simple task of putting a posy of flowers in a guests room to welcome them.  

More memories are stirred seeing  marigolds. Bright and cheerful and the smell and sticky, sappy marigold scent of childhood summers.

“I must have flowers, always, and always.”   

~Claude Monet

And now to home and to the little patch of Earth that I lovingly tend to. Such magic that comes from a tiny seed scattered on bare earth.

“People from a planet without flowers would think we must be mad with joy the whole time to have such things about us.” 

~ Iris Murdoch

I am not normally someone that is into bedding type plants or hanging baskets but this year I couldn't resist this petunia which I have just planted on the edge of the border. It is surely made of velvet! The purple black reminds me of a Queen's gown or cloak in a fairytale Or the Queen of the night from the Magic Flute? How wonderful it would be to design a fairytale garden.. . Now there's a thought.  

My rather delicate Tolkien inspired structure that I shared earlier, has survived so far and has sweet peas blooming now and is doing it's job rather well.  

“A garden to walk in and immensity to dream in--what more could he ask? A few flowers at his feet and above him the stars.”

~Victor Hugo -Les Miserables

Flowers give so much pleasure and scent can really lift your mood. So if you are feeling  sad with the world or lonely or just want to lift your spirits, take the time to go out and smell the flowers and if you haven't any nearby then go on, treat yourself and buy a bunch. We need the return of flower power! 

“Find gratitude in the little things and your well of gratitude will never run dry.” 

~ Antonia Montoya

I shall leave you with this little angel that flew inside the other day. A plume moth. Plume moth caterpillars feed on bind weed so please please remember to leave some in your garden for this sweet soul.  Its all in the little things...