Thursday 2 September 2010

A Happy Morning

Hello!

How are you? Is the sun shining where you are? I do hope you're well and it's so nice of you to drop in and see me today! :)

I've had a very happy morning painting, I'm on with the one I told you about last week, still nameless but I'm sure something will come to me in time! Anyway, it's going well, and having totally altered the bottom half of the picture, I am now feeling that familiar excitement of it all coming right and feel jolly glad that I didn't bin it during the bad mood all those months ago.

I like to share my painting journeys with you, and not just show you the Ta-Dah result at the end. I like to show you and tell you about the cock ups and the bits I painted over, I want you to understand that painting is a very nitty gritty journey indeed, and although sometimes it makes your heart soar with joy, at other times it is damn frustrating!!

But I still love it. :D

Sitting at my table easel, with the sunshine streaming in through the window to my left, listening to Take That's greatest hits (yes, I know, I can't help myself sometimes) and singing along (no, I can't help doing that either) I progressed in a leisurely manner for 5 hours, stopping midway for a little sandwich out the garden and a natter with my sister. Bliss.

It's nowhere near completion, but it's starting to resemble something along the lines of what I was dreaming of, here's another little chunk of it for you to see:

That jug of cheery marguerites are sending me quite dizzy with happiness, I think its the zingy white and yellow on a bright turquoise background that does it, but it's such a lovely corner of the painting I think! I will share more pictures of it as it unfolds over the next few weeks. This may sound like an age, but you know how it is when a Small Person dwells in your home, you just have to snatch moments when they're not about to do grown up things like this and those moments are few and far between right now.

Although not for much longer, as the wee person starts her pre-school sessions in a fortnight and Mummy will be home alone for a couple of mornings a week (and once I've got over the shock of an empty house and my girl being 3 and therefore quite big and old enough for little school, I shall paint and crochet alot more! Hurrah!!!)

Something else I'm doing which I'm going demented with excitement about, is this:


The Sketchbook Project is something I stumbled upon recently and involves a heck of a lot of people from across the world filling up a Sketchbook with a Theme, mailing it off to The Brooklyn Arts Centre in New York where it will begin a tour of the USA before taking up permanent residence in the Arts Centre. I've chosen my theme and I'm waiting on my Moleskine Sketchbook to arrive so I can begin. I've got approximately 4 months to fill it and I plan to share bits of it here with you along the way. I'm excited to see where this takes me, creatively speaking - the whole nature of it reminds me of exercises we were set at Uni (a long time ago) and I always enjoyed being given a project with direction by someone else. This fits the bill, it's really going to make me think, and exercise the old grey matter!

If you are interested in taking part, you can find out more at their website by clicking on the link above.


My last arty bit of news today is rather fun and also very exciting too. For some time I've been planning to create an E-Newsletter to send out to you lovely souls who enjoy what I do, and I am so happy to be able to tell you that its now up and running!
You may think, ok, so what's the difference between getting a newsletter in my inbox and reading your blog? Isn't it all going to be the same kind of thing?
Well that's a good question dear souls!! And here is what you will receive if you join my Mailing List:

Art & Crochet project updates - current news of what I'm working on and what I'm doing that won't necessarily feature on my blog.

Absolutely and completely exclusive offers and deals on my original art, prints and cards that you will not find anywhere else online - and that is a promise!

Free stuff - yes, that's right! Lovely free stuff like fine art cards, and other bits and bobs which you will not get anywhere else. Promise. Scouts honour etc, etc.

So what do you think? Sound good to you?

It's easy to subscribe and you can do it by clicking here or by clicking on the Mailing List logo in the sidebar up there on the right.
I also promise not to bore you by bamboozling your inbox with 100's of emails - they will be sent out on a happily random sort of basis, and of course if you ever decide you don't want to receive them anymore then you can very easily unsubscribe, no problemo!


Now then, with the remainder of the afternoon ahead of me minus child, I am going to tackle that crocheted bag. I haven't forgotten that I've promised you a wee tutorial on how to join those Popcorn Grannies, but I had me one of those moments the other night when I suddenly thought 'OOH! I could make this in a Totally New Way'
Which is good, but sort of scuppers me a bit as I'm then all up in the air as to which is the best way to continue...

As soon as this problem has been solved and a decision made, I will share more pictures and a tutorial here with you - I promise not to forget! :)


'til next time, I hope September is a happy warm month for each of you - thanks for visiting today, and also, welcome to some new followers!

Mucho love to you,
J x

22 comments:

  1. Bayside Beauty.... that's what I thought of as a name, not that you asked,but I can never resist offering an opinion, invited or otherwise!!! I LOVE those houses, and have chosen which one I'd like to holiday in, and across the bay from my window is a nice beach or quayside cafe with a jug of zingy flowers and a bowl of zingy lemons, just calling me over!
    Enjoy your time with the little person off making new friends. It is fleeting, though may not seem it at the time. I wish someone had told me how quickly the years would go... am I really old enough to have a son of forty!!!! Nah, must be someone else.
    Lovely blog Julia.

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  2. Love the new painting... like you, I think the jug of daisies in the corner just makes the whole picture sing.

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  3. Great post Julia - it's just lovely to see your work in progress. Your pictures are always so fresh (as a daisy!) and vibrant.

    The sketchbook project sounds great too - I've always loved nosing through people's sketchbooks so will look forward to seeing your ideas.

    Bye for now ... am just off to subscribe to your newsletter! :-)

    Hx

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  4. What a lovely day you've had,filled with creativity,I love the painting,like a tropical Balamory,I love the vase of Daisies,makes me think of Edie Mcredie's mini bus. Big step in my house today,my baby started secondary school,so for the first time in 14 years my trip down to the school was souly for my work at the pre-school next door. I felt like I'd lost an arm coming home in the car thisevening alone :( Make the most of your time with your little one,she'll be at school before you know it! Happy Monday,Julie.x

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  5. I love the colours in your new painting, the blues and yellows are so vibrant. Enjoy the time you'll get to yourself from now on - those few hours will go all too quickly, believe me!
    Good luck with the Sketchbook Project, sounds great.
    Oh, and I LOVE Take That too - another thing we have in common. You should move to Cornwall and we can sing along together!

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  6. You're making good, steady progress on the painting Julia. There is so much to absorb on this post and comment on but I will just say that I have subscibed to your newsletter!x

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  7. I love your new pisture - the colours are fabulous
    Gill
    PS Great idea for a newsletter - I've signed up!!

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  8. oohh i love to see your work in progress, it reminds me of summer breezes, sitting on a veranda with a lovely bunch of flowers in a jar - gorgeous!

    I am on your mailing list, lovely bright first e-mail thanks (I am Zoe Leeson on Facebook).

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  9. I've seen the sketchbook project mentioned before and I'm looking forward to seeing what you fill your book with over the coming months.

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  10. Julia, you're work is simply stunning! I could lose myself in that scene.
    Oh and the Take That thing, you are not the only one, can I confess to doing the same thing with the Backstreet Boys too, would that be OK?
    x

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  11. Hi Julia
    Well I love your picture and it looks like it has been progressing well, it makes you think of sunshine, flowers, beaches and all things that relate to a lovely sunny day. I can remember like yesterday when the last of my three boys went to school, I wasnt sure whether to rejoice with my new found freedom or cry for my little boy who was now going to grow up so quickly. But it is a lovely time so enjoy! I will be joining your newsletter and look forward to the first one.
    Jill x

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  12. I've just found your blog and I love it! Your paintings are gorgeous, and JUST the kind I like around my house! The new painting looks so fresh and lovely, I look forward to coming back again soon to see some more.
    Helen x

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  13. How exciting!! I will of couerse sign up!! I wish I could paint - you ought to do art classes - I'd come! Good luck to the wee one at nursery - I'm sure she will love it. xxxxx

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  14. I love that summery seaside pic - perfect. I will sign up for your newsletter too.

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  15. Hello Julia. I know what you mean about little ones going off to school - Isabella starts big school part time next week...argh! I am looking forward to a bit more time though it has to be said.

    Brilliant news about the newsletter. off to subscribe now (and oddly enough I am trying to set my own up, a task which has taken me almost a year of thinking about!).

    Love making sketchbooks, so looking forward to seeing the progress of yours x

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  16. Wow, that's great seeing a painting unfold!
    I have always wished I could paint, but alas, it's not a skill for me...
    I love the flow of your painting, how the land makes your eyes sweep around the painting to the beautiful flowers, it's fantastic.
    Have a lovely week,
    love Alice and Raymond XXXXX

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  17. Hi,
    You were 1 of the first 3 top sign up for my Pay It Forward post so I will be sending you a little something sometime ... please email me your address!
    Thanks for reading my blog
    Heather x

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  18. Julia, I LOVE the painting! Just what I needed to see on this grey day. Laura x

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  19. Lovely post Julia, it's nice to see work in progress and try and guess what you'll be adding to it next.
    Finally recieved my copy of 'the handmade market place', just need to find the time to read it, lol.

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  20. Beautiful painting Julia - very inspiring and love the colours!! Louise
    xx

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  21. Hello my lovely....just bobbed by to wave and say hello...and to tell you I adore your current painting, my heart skips a beat when i look at it!
    I gave you a little mention over in the Attic yesterday, I am still smitten with my little print, I gaze at it every single day and love it more and more.
    Just off to join your mailing list, what an ace idea that is.
    Is your Littlie starting nursery/preschool this autumn or is she still too little??
    love and hugs
    xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

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  22. Just found you through facebook, love your style.....thats my sort of art :)

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