A bright new year and The Colours of Paisley

Wishing all of my blog followers a bright new year.

I have a few paintings I couldn't show before Christmas, so I'm starting the New Year off with those.
The first is a painting of the most beautifully mannered, friendly Rottweiler I've met.

The Colours of Paisley

Painted on Saunders Waterford 140lb rough paper, using Winsor & Newton paints.

Christmas wishes and a Winter Visitor, painted.

My lovely friends, Christmas is nearly here and there's just time for this blog post before the season begins.

I'd like to wish you all a wonderful Christmas and a very happy and healthy New Year.

I'd also like to show you this lovely visitor, painted as a Christmas card on a painting exchange. It was painted on a quarter sheet, folded in half to make a large card!

Winter Visitor

Have a blessed Christmas, one and all.
 

Snow Day, a painting of glass and figures.

I love Snow Globes. Shake them all and all the "snow" falls softly around the figurines encased in glass.
At Christmas time I have a few that are specific to the season, which come out solely at that time. This year I took some photographs and decided to paint one.

The one I selected is represented here in "Snow Day"
So called because the little girl isn't at school, but being read to, by her friend, the Snowman.

Snow Day

Painted on Saunders Waterford paper, 140lb Rough. 

I hope you enjoy seeing it.

A gift of Aqua Bronzes and The Sparkly Podium

Over Christmas, I received some art related gifts. One of these was a set of three Aqua Bronze painting mediums.
To see how these would behave, I decided to make a painting using all three. What better way than to paint the bottles themselves?

First we have the bronze Aqua Bronze

then we have the silver Aqua Bronze

and the Gold Aqua Bronze

finally, the finished painting - The Sparkly Podium

I love these mediums and can see where they will be very useful for adding highlights to paintings. I'm looking forward to using them again, soon. 

Arty fun with recycled Christmas wrapping paper

Christmas comes and there are presents, covered in wrapping paper.
This year I decided to recycle some of my wrapping paper, in an artistic way.

Firstly, I tore the paper into strips

and then I took a cheap canvas, which already had a picture on it - and painted over that with white emulsion.

Once that was done, I took my strips and applied them in a random way to the canvas, using PVA glue.

Just LOOK what the end result was!

This was great fun to create - and an inventive way to recycle my wrapping paper!

Christmas card and wishes

Good morning friends!

Time seems to be hurtling towards Christmas.. and so today I thought I'd share a card with you, to wish you all a very merry Christmas.
I look forward to seeing you all in the New Year.

Christmas Card 2015

Grandmother's Delight

Here is a recent commission, which I couldn't show you until after the person had received it.
I'm pleased to report that they are delighted with it.

Grandmother's Delight.

I'm currently painting Christmas cards, so it's not possible to show those either!
It's a strange time of year for my blog, but normality will return next year.

Christmas Party at Holly Tree Farm

Hello friends!

I had some free time and decided to have a little fun with paint.
The result - this...

Christmas Party at Holly Tree Farm 

on Bockingford Not 140gm

Christmas Eve is a week today, so I'm pretty sure this will be my last blog post before Christmas. 

Wish you all the joy of the season. Look forward to seeing you again next year.

Have fun. God bless.

A few painted cards

Good morning my blogger friends!

Gosh, it's been hectic round here. There's been a book launch and birthday party (see HERE ) and now I'm posting out some thank you cards.

So what have I got to show you on the painting front?
I've got a few painted cards that I made, that I can show you, because they have arrived at their destination. I have no non card related paintings. I do hope you'll enjoy these - and once Christmas is all over, I hope to get back into my blogging routine!

This card was made as a 'thank you' to the ebookpartners, Matt and Diana Horner, who helped me get my novel out there, ready for sale.

and a thank you card for my editor, Diane

a birthday card for a good friend, Hayley

Then, a Christmas card for the wonderful illustrator, Teresa Palomar Lois, who designed the cover of my novel, All in the Leaves.

and finally, a card for my Painting Friend - in our Christmas card exchange.

I hope you've enjoyed viewing my recent artistic efforts. I'm looking forward to seeing yours, soon x

MissyCard

Good morning friends!
It's the time of year to be painting my Christmas cards, which means there isn't a lot of painting to show you!

But, I can show you one - that's because it's going to be the card for my OH.

Here it is - loosely based on our darling Missy

MissyCard

a very happy Missy

Christmas Eve Missy had an end of year check at the vet's surgery.
Everything was well, she's in fine physical shape, with only the beginning of slow growing cataracts. That's probably due to her age - she's 14 now!
But, they show no signs of stopping our darling girl enjoying life - as you can now see :)

Here's my Christmas goodies!

I particularly like that one - there!

How did mummy miss the hedgehog out?

wrapping paper's all mine too!

You're not tidying my hedgie away!

All that playing makes a girl hungry!

After a good lunch comes a snooze! 

We're fortunate to be off work now until the New Year, when we'll be back and ready to resume normal blogging. Have a great time all, til then xx

Mankind is my business

Have you ever read a book which touched your life?

Touched it in such a way as to change it?
"A Christmas Carol" did that to me.
The part where Scrooge told Marley he was a good man of business, poor Marley wailed and cried "Mankind is my business". He lamented he had not taken care of that business in life.
Later, after all the spirits had visited Scrooge, he changed how he viewed life. The book closes with Scrooge being the man who kept the spirit of Christmas in his heart all year.

So, in keeping with the upcoming season, I should like to spread a little cheer.
To that effect, my dear readers, I am offering this painted sketch of a Christmas pudding to one of you. (6.5" square)
Just leave me a comment and I'll pick a random name on Saturday and get it in the mail the same day. Open to all, no matter your country :)  Fingers crossed you will receive it in time for Christmas.

Blessings to you all xx

Christmas!

Merry Christmas to all my blogging friends and your families.


I think my card expresses what I wish for you all..

May the Light of Christmas bless you...

An Early Christmas

Celebrations for my blogging friend Tonya came early this year, because the only day all her family could get together was Saturday just gone.

I'd made some bookmarks for Tonya and her family and was delighted to hear that they all loved them. I had tried to tailor each to the hobbies of the recipient.

Here they are

Tonya's blog can be found here Hillbilly Handiworks.

Christmas bookmarks

I haven't had time to paint a big picture, because of all the arrangements that have to be made for Christmas.

But I have had time to paint a couple of bookmarks, both of which make me smile :)

Hope you enjoyed them too!

A few more cards

Today I thought I'd show you a few more of the cards I've painted.

All for Christmas and soon to be in the mail !

Creating a Path

Its the build up towards the holiday season, so some of the painting I have been doing, I cannot show you, because they are Christmas presents. And I am not one for spoiling surprises!

So here instead, you can see how creative I am being in my garden.

When we knocked down the old decrepit sheds, we found behind, some 400 bricks and numerous broken pieces of paving.
Rather than throw these away, we decided to recycle them when we made the paths in the garden.

Here's my little helper, checking out the quality of the materials

and here she's making sure there are no creepy crawlies or mice to make me scream...

and now she's wondering what I'm doing

and here is the first part of the path laid out.

More will be done as the weather allows.
Once the path is complete, I can go back to painting in the studio. Right now I do not want to be treading mud into the beautiful studio. So for now, I am painting at my old friend, the dining table.

Missy on Christmas

I had to give mummy a severe talking to about her Christmas cards. 

I told her, don't you know, if it had me on there, it would naturally be a winner.

I am pleased to say she took my advice - and this card is better by far!

Christmas is coming...

and I thought - cards! Why not try and paint some for Christmas?
So I ordered a pack of 10, not because of that few friends, but because I wasn't sure how well my small paintings would come out.
These cards were only 5x3 inches, you see!

Christmas cards should have some religious theme - after all, its the reason for the season, yes?

So on with the painting.. the barn, the crib, the infant Jesus, the Holy Family, the animals, a feed trough, three kings, a star, a starry night sky with aurora effects and shrubbery in the landscape. Everything but the kitchen sink!

I stepped back from the painting and laughed - it looks to me as if a complete novice has painted it! It is not my best!
So I show it to you, my blogging friends, just so you know, some days, the painting doesn't quite come out on paper as you had it in your head! :lol:

Presents

Painted and framed for hubby as his Christmas present:

Trojan




I was the lucky recipient of two new brushes, some art dvds and a book "Anatomy for the artist" which not only shows you how to draw body parts, but explains what function each has. Diamond present!

Missy's favourite two presents (apart from the edibles) - the supergold fleece and a kong on a rope