The Magic Of Morning Light And Notebooks For Those Who Love The Moon

Morning light as it quietly rises beyond the hill. Taken from my kitchen window.

Being more of a night owl, I'm not normally an early riser so don't often see the dawn rise. This morning though something woke me. Pink glow through lacy curtain stirred my heavy eyes to open. I went downstairs to put the kettle on for the first cup of tea of the day and took my camera to the window.  A soft misted morning of late August.  'Red sky in the morning shepherds warning' the old words pop into my head, memories of childhood. My neighbours cockerel crows and in the field just over the hedge the sheep begin a dew drop spangled breakfast. I stand with my mug in hand watching nature paint her masterpiece on the horizon, feeling blessed to witness it.

On the ceiling is a blood vein moth. Through it's wings streak the darkest pinks of the morning sunrise. This beauty rested all day, until the moon rose, then I delicately cupped it in my hands and let it fly free outside.

I'm still working on some moths. This time painted on hares again. They really should have been ready ages ago... but other things have a habit of getting in the way, like they so often do.
As soon as they are ready I will add the dates of listing times etc in my Etsy shop announcement.

One of the things that got in the way of finishing the hares was designing some new notebooks.
A pack of three,  especially 'for those who love the moon.'

'Moon Gazers notebook'

'Moon Dreamers notebook'

 And a 'Little notebook for moon lovers'

Notebooks are available here
It's quiet in my studio, enjoying the last days of summer. Just the radio on, a cd or an audio book.

And when I'm tired of the chatter of radio and sound of human voice it's just me and the sounds outside with my door ajar. And occasionally if I'm lucky I will get a visitor. This sweet one was waiting for me to add extra treats to the bird table. A relative of Robin Goodfellow? I hope so?

Some other work I've completed since my last post here.
'Dreaming Of Bees' Small hand painted talisman

 Bee pendant/talisman

(Both of the above, have already been sold in the shop)

Now summer has almost come to an end. I have a calendar in the pipeline ready for 2018 (which hopefully shouldn't be too long in the making) and some winter cards to finish designing.

Some favourite things of my summer 2017:

• Flowers, flowers and more flowers! :) 
• Pottering in the garden
• Visiting my sister on St Michaels Mount and midnight swimming beneath the moon in the causeway
• Lots of elderflower cordial
• Drinking mead sitting around an outdoor fire
• Roses. (yes more flowers)
• Swimming in the Aegean and walking among ancient olive trees
• The gentle meditative sound of grasshopper and cricket in the garden
• Seeing hedgehogs back in the garden
• The friendly birds on Holy island
• Feeling warmth on my skin and walking beneath blue skies
• Spending time with Son and Daughter both home from Uni 
• Finding beautiful moths

Flowers are those little colorful beacons of the sun from which we get sunshine when dark somber skies blanket our thoughts. ~Dodinsky

A Touch Of Golden Light And What Happened Before Concerning A Hare Fox And Owl

The sun rises on a new day. The golden light we haven't seen so much of this summer, glittered through the dew drop dappled windows at dawn, gilding them in July's apricot hue.

Early morning light, the light of magic. Indoors is quiet, folk are still lost in the world of dreams but outside the song of a new day is being composed....
Today the sun shone and the ground felt warm. Bees, butterflies crickets, grasshoppers and all manner of other insects ventured out to enjoy the golden rays that have been so rare this summer.
I picked some flowers to brighten our shady north facing kitchen.

I love the twirly stamens of Nigella ( Love in a mist) It self seeds everywhere here and is so pretty.

 Everything in the garden is lush and green from excess growth and water. Below a patch on the lawn that had to be left because it was much too pretty to cut. Another area that has sprouted yellow and orange hawkweed. The brown butterflies like it too.

I've been busy with the illustrations for the book that I'm working on and in between time have been painting some ACEO's. These are tiny paintings measuring 3.5 inches by 2.5 inches, the size of a collectable trading card. They are based around my painting 'Moonrakers' I started to think about what maybe happened before that moment that was captured in paint. What was the story of the white hare, the fox and the owl? So, I had the idea to do a series of tiny pictures for continuing the characters story. Or I suppose they could be called 'prequels'?

Note the Wiltshire corn circle! You see there were strange goings on that night of cheese raking. ;- ) Maybe I'll do another batch and call them 'sequels'. I suppose it is the Illustrator part of me that wants to continue the story?

Then I did some more..

These were playing with paint really and the wash formed mountains. Mountains that needed to escape on to paper after my visit to Wales and ascent of Snowdon? I really had no part in it, except maybe adding the hares? ;-)

These paintings will all be for sale shortly in my Etsy shop, so if you are interested keep an eye open here.