Snow And Celebration

Just as the day was ending the snow began to fall bringing with it the accompanying stillness and peaceful silence. The muffled buzz type of quiet when you can hear the tiny flakes falling. Quickly I took my camera out as the darkness was descending fast.

I walked down the path and into the little wood. Sounds of rook settling for the night and the gentle trickle of water from the stream seemed even more enchanting with snow falling. Not thinking I turned my camera up towards the sky and of course got a wet camera lens. Very silly of me, I know. So some of the following pictures have a misted look and patch to them. I think it just adds to the atmosphere. ;)  Luckily the camera has dried out now and is no worse for wear. 

I walked slowly, conscious of each footstep, enjoying the moment, feeling a powerful connection to the Earth's magic. Across the hill in the fading light I imagined the millions of snowflakes falling, swarming in the blue light, each a beautiful work of art and each unique. And I thought of water and all that we don't understand and I thought of  this.

 Then back  home again I headed, returning with coat and scarf frosted.

The snow carried on until later and it really did look like Narnia had arrived. Sadly as it was dark I didn't capture anymore photographs. My two teens took their sledges and disappeared into the dark to the big hill.

Just a fleeting visit from the Snow Queen this time.  I hope she returns!

Now for a little celebration....

Recently my Etsy shopped passed a 1,000 sales. I'm so happy, grateful and amazed by this I thought I must do another giveaway to say thank you. :) 

So I had a little rummage  and came up with these bits and pieces. Two small prints, a postcard and a greeting card.

If you would like a chance to win them, just leave me a comment telling me what you would like to see for sale in my Etsy shop? I'll draw a name out and announce it on my next post.

In the meantime I have a new painting to draw out, an older one to finish, hangers to cut and hangers to paint, and a suitcase to help pack. Smallest is off to Italy on a school trip skiing. I  hope the snow follows her back. 

   

Travellers Joy And A Little Hare Love

The latest painting is finished. I have named it Travellers Joy.

Someone asked me in the comments on the last post who he was? The answer to this is no one in particular, just a man, a traveller and this picture is just a glimpse into his story. He is one of the many characters that tread the starlit paths through the landscape in my mind. He first appeared last year as a sketch then waited patiently to be brought to life in colour. My head is filled with characters and places and snippets of scenes. I like to think they all live together in a kind of other world . I have access to that world. But then we all do don't we?
Travellers Joy is available to buy as a print in my Etsy shop here.

The weather here has turned icy cold. Wind chill feels about -7 when out walking. I've seen catkins, kingfisher, snowdrops, velvet black rooks gathering in the icy field and two swans in love. Raindrop sparkles on windows, rainbow colour on crystal and I made some Rainbow Tree Pendants.

And with valentine's just around the corner, I thought it time that I made a few more hearts too, so here they are.

A little 'Hare love'

They are also available to buy in my Etsy shop.

This time instead of the plain ribbon, I used what I call my raggety ribbon. It's been in the drawer since last year and it reminds me of the lines and soft colours of the winter garden and also adds a kind of vintage appeal to them  I think, which seems rather nice?

Pale greens similar to the iced moss in the garden this morning.

And the memories of last year in a crumpled leaf.

Darkness descends a little later now and the light stretches with each day that passes. Soon our winter dreams will be replaced with warm and the soft flutter of moth wing. I have missed the moths.
Happy weekend! xx

The Slow Path

January is flying by but I wasn't fast enough to jump onto her wing and hitch a ride. I feel I have been left behind and  am taking the scenic path. I have been working very slowly. I'm not sure why this is? I think I'm gathering my thoughts and still recharging my creative battery?  It's strange as when the new year arrives you want to throw yourself into the fresh new beginning. But the mind is not willing and is telling me it's a journey not a race. So I've been looking.

I've met Jack Frost a couple of times, but this year he has more business elsewhere, not Wiltshire.
Sky watching. I've done a lot of that. In fact I always do. There is more magic in light than in anything I feel.

January has gifted me with  lavender sweets, celandines in bloom,  a tear shed or two over War horse, falling into heather and the highlands by candlelight via the pages of my book, answering a song thrush that definitely spoke to me! Beautiful new music, browsing in bookshops, sweet incense and warm spicy soup, a meteorite so ancient my mind boggled and of course  the prettiest thing of January, snowdrops.
Thus have been my days. Simple days.
In between I've been painting. This one, a sketch from last year has been on the list for a long time. And  with the muse deciding it's rest time, it's taking longer than anticipated. But, we'll get there. ;)

There's still quite a lot to do on this painting, but hopefully it should be finished next week?

I'll leave you with a clip of War Horse. Do go and see, a beautiful book  an amazing theatre production (which I've yet to see but so want to) and  now magical movie and part of it filmed here in Wiltshire just a few miles away at Castle Combe.
 

The Sun Has Returned

What a change this morning. A return of sparkling sunshine. Pure delight after the past few wild and stormy grey days. Much too nice to stay inside so I decided to tidy my out door work space. I brushed up, moved things around and re-blutacked pictures/postcards that had fallen down. I shook out the rug, cleaned the windows so now it's ready to use again. In fact it was warm inside. Warm enough to work in while the sun is out.   

These two, of course followed me.  Here they were having a little tiff. Willow was adamant she wasn't moving from 'her' space in the corner where the sun was, even though Jasper was originally there first. Do you see the look on her face. There were several hisses in between shots. ;)

 It seems almost half the lawn has turned to moss. How did that happen? I don't mind at all as I love moss and find lawns rather boring, unless of course they have lots of daisies. 

Maybe I'll make a coat out of the moss. I never did find my green mossy velvet coat that I planned to buy?

I could add these delicate ferns as lace around the collar?

Spring is in the air. I peeped my lens through the hedge and zoomed in the best I can with my little camera. I felt a teeny bit like paparazzi...

On better terms ten minutes later...

                                                                                    ***

So, the children are back at school and the new year has well and truly started. I'm not making any written down resolutions as I'm totally rubbish at keeping them. 

I've been drawing out a new painting this week and finishing off a bath panel. We've been without one for 2 years. Two years of looking at a horrible nothingness beneath the bath where dust collects. The last one cracked and it was so nasty we decided to bin it. Our landlords choice, the cheapest of cheap white plastic. So here is the new one....

And some close up shots...

Now to the giveaway!

  

Thank you all for entering. I used the random generator thingybob again this time as there were quite a few comments to cut out beautifully in the shape of leaves as I had originally planned.  Extra numbers were added for people that had shared via Twitter and Facebook too.  So the winner is .........

                                                                    Celtic Heart

Congratulations! the book will be on it's way to you as soon as you message me details of where to send. :)

                                                                                   ***

Have a great weekend everyone! lets hope this sun stays, as we have a chicken house to move. 

xx

A Goodbye With Thanks

Goodbye 2011 and thank you  for all that you have given and shown me. For helping me on my journey. I don't know my destination but I know that each day, I have taken just one small thing with me in my luggage. One small thing that's bright. One small thing that shines as glittering light on silver sea does.One small thing that at times it may seem is just barely visible as a spark in a dark cloudy sky.
There has been a lot of talk about this new year. Lets hope if change comes it will be only good. The shift  will be a realisation and opening of eyes. Lets hope we realise that we are not the only species of life on this planet and that the only way forward is harmony and interconnectedness with the earth.
I wish you all a happy, healthy and most magical 2012.

 And to anyone that hasn't had a go in the giveaway. There is still time. :) x

Winter Guardians

I finished the painting so here I am, back again to show you. 

                                                           

                                                             'Winter Guardians'

As soon as I take it to town and get it professionally scanned it will be available to buy as a print in my Etsy shop. But that will be the in new year now.

  

Today is Winter Solstice. I'm sure the birds outside know this or is it just me that is imagining the rooks and pigeons are  moving quicker with a sense of spring on their wing?

Magical Solstice wishes to one and all.... and in case I don't get to pop in again?

Thank you all for taking the time to stop by here this year and for all the supportive wonderful comments. 

I wish everyone a peaceful Very Merry Christmas filled with love, light and good will. xx

                                                                      

                                                                               xXx

Dreamings, Musings And Magic. A Christmas Giveaway

Only a few days away from Christmas and it's pine scented and cosy here. We put our decorations up the other day. Here's a glimpse.

The lovely old mirror was a car boot sale buy for £5. And below, the newest addition to the room, little hare, a birthday gift. I think he looks just right sat here for Christmas.

I'm painting something wintry at the moment. Here it is in progress, probably about half way done?

I've really felt the cold all day today. Although it's not that cold outside, just very wet. Whenever the weather is like this though, this house always feels cold. A bit like a cave really.
I have presents to wrap and tomorrow holly and ivy to bring indoors but before I do that, I have a little something to give away!

Here it is....

It's a blank lined book and features my painting Autumn Hare on the cover. Just perfect for writing your dreams, musings and magic in.

If you would like a chance of winning it, all you have to do is be a follower of my blog and leave me a comment and I'll  pop your name into the lucky draw. If you are on Facebook or Twitter and you share, I'll put you in the draw again! :)  I will draw the winner between Christmas and New year, so there is plenty of time to have a go.

Good luck!  
x 

My Lunch Break

December. A month that is so important to many, yet passes so quickly without hardly noticing because people seem so busy. Busy preparing for Christmas and planning the next fresh new year. December always seems to be wished away. I arrived into the world in December. Winter born, on an icy morning. I feel I have a bond with December. I'm going to savour the month.

 Snowflakes have joined the crystals in the window. Today the light was so pretty.

During my  lunch break I decided to go for a short walk to the Abbey, as I'd heard there would be Christmas trees....

Not a trace of Harry Potter in the cloisters... ;-)  just a faint delicious forest scent of pine.
(For those of you that might not understand why I mentioned Harry Potter, it was because the first two films had scenes shot here. I feel very lucky to have been able to visit the set here during that time and enter the defence against the dark arts room and the potions room. Unfortunately cameras were not allowed. Anyway that is a story for another day maybe?)

The trees are each decorated by an organisation in the village. They will be there until the 18th December if you are nearby, feeling festive and fancy a visit.
It was cold, still and quiet inside, the only sound were my boots on old stone and the birds on the roof. It was so very peaceful.

My shadow in the doorway. A scarecrow with a wooden post as a leg..?  ;-)
Of course I couldn't leave for home without a browse in the second hand bookshop. I wish all shops were like this, don't you?

The owls on my desk in the previous post were all finished and flew across to the Etsy shop. There are still some left.

I found this enchanting wintery video on youtube. The song is Kate Bush's beautiful new track Snowflake which I have fallen in love with and can be found on her latest album 50 Words For Snow. I wonder if you will fall in love too?  x

Winter On it's Way

As I sit writing this I can see through my window the wind has got up. The last week has been so still and grey, but today the light has changed. The first glimpse of winter in the pale pink tinged afternoon.

Light and shadows on the wall look like other worlds and landscapes. Maybe I will paint pictures inspired by these. More to add to my long list. ;)

I've been busy with wooden hangers. I have 16 more to paint and then I am having a break from them.  There is always a balance that needs to be met with me in regards to  painting and crafts. If I sway to one too much, then I have a desperate urge to do the other. Recently It's been mostly craft, so it's time to get the balance back.

 Above, owls waiting their turn. There are 11 to paint, barn, snowy and tawny. Below some woodland fairies which have just been listed in my Etsy shop.

This time last year there was snow on the ground. This year I have two pink roses in bloom.
The furry two know winter is on it's way though I'm sure....

Hmm...sister hasn't quite mastered the art of cosiness though...