A New Painting and the Big Blanket

Hello there!
Well, its been a week of completing things! Just this morning I put the final strokes on this latest painting which Ive titled 'Evening Stroll' and which is an acrylic painting on a deep edge box canvas (20x20cm).

Im very pleased with it, I love how the fox is skulking through the autumn flowers in the early evening light, and the unsuspecting hens are absent mindedly wandering about in the garden...!


Ive noticed that I like painting scenes that capture that lovely time of the evening, just between the fall of the night and the ebb of the day - crepuscular is the name for it! I like new moons, water, skies and working with ochres and blues on my palette. I find Im increasingly drawn towards nature, birds and animals as subject matter. I still enjoy character work very much though, and I think my next piece may feature some human beings...yes, already there is an idea on the cards for my next painting which Im rather excited about but which may have to be put on hold as Ive been asked by the gallery that stocks my cards (and some of my prints) to send some Valentine's themed cards asap, so Im going to be busy making those over the weekend.


But...without further ado (insert a tremedous drumroll here folks) - the Big Blanket is finished.

Yes, and oh how delighted I am with it. My first foray into crocheted blankets and already Im itching to start another one! Do you want to see it? Of course you do!! :D

Here we go....

Ta-Dahhh!!!

Just look at all that cheerful hooky gorgeousness!! All ready to snuggle into!!

Its about 1.5 mtr square, its taken me 10 months (on and off) and I love it to bits - I love that its unique, there is only ONE in the WHOLE WORLD!!! Right now it has pride of place on the back of our sofa, for snuggle emergencies and tent building (heartily engaged in by our Small Person with gusto when she found it yesterday morning!).

So there we are - a most productive week in our little house! Im still reading my business books and learning a bit more about the art of marketing and selling, and Im finding it very interesting. I think Ive surprised myself a bit, as that side of things never appealed to me before, but its certainly helping me see that whilst its good to have dreams and goals, the actions are what makes things happen!


Im just going to mention (before I go), a big "Thank You"of gratitude to everyone who comes to my little blog and reads my wanderings and ramblings each week. I started this blog after a friend suggested I do it as a weekly challenge (during a creative dry spot, to give me something to think about). I never thought that I would meet such lovely people through it, and it means such alot to me that you come by and comment and even read the thing!


So! Im looking forward to catching up with your delicious blogs now - its about time I put my feet up under that blanket with a cuppa and trawl through your inspiring posts!! Just the tonic if you ask me!


Hope you have happy weekends, sprinkled with tiny snowdrop discoveries and winter sunshine - chat soon

Julia x x x

A change of plan

'Safe Home' ~ A commission piece

Ive not been around this last week as we have had family visiting, so Ive been out on lots of trips to lovely parks, farms, bird reserves etc, and at the weekend it was my birthday (hurrah!!) so there were cakes, shopping trips and a celebration meal at our lovely village pub!

But now, all is quiet. Im pottering around today, and generally musing on something huge.

I am making a big decision to change the work Im entering for the art show, and this is something that has been playing on my mind for the last few days...kind of like an itch that needs scratching. I am starting to acknowledge the comments that I receive about certain pieces of my artwork, and right now I am very aware that some of my art attracts more attention than others.

As those of you who read my blog will probably know, I have spent the last few weeks working on some new art, works which are illustrative and feature my character 'Little Red' and her band of merry animal companions. Im half way through the third one and I was sitting looking at it the other evening with my other half, who happened to mention that he'd given my business card to a chap who he'd met and that he'd heard back from him that he was really taken with my red boat pictures. Now, he's not the only person to pick these out from all the work on my website and its becoming such a thing that I cant ignore the impact that this type of work has on people.

Suffice to say, the original works are now happily living in Brisbane having being sold more or less instantly (and then this was followed up by a commission request for two more, one of which you can see on todays blog post).

I am really enjoying the character work, but I still feel drawn to creating work with ink and watercolour ~ landscapes with my red boat...Im looking at my website and thinking it needs an overhaul, Im looking at the calendar and thinking I need to get things moving as I have to have 3 paintings ready and framed up for May 10th and with a little one to look after this is no easy feat.

So panic sets in.

I wonder if Im ever going to be able to do it, and I talk to B about it and ask him what he would do if he were me - continue with the character work (which is almost finished) or start from scratch with some totally new work. Im concerned now that Im leaping from one thing to another in haste, that Im not thinking it through, that Im too random...or something...

He said; 'What does your heart tell you the right thing is to do?'

I know the answer to that already.

I dont exactly make life easy for myself, but I cant live with the consequences of knowing Ive put work out there that doesnt feel right. Im going to have to really knuckle down and work hard now in the spare moments I can find - my little daylight bulb lamp will be brought out again and the crochet may have to be put on one side for a while, but I know in my bones it will be worth the extra effort.

Flying by the seat of my pants again!!

...and still finalising the workshop Im running at the hospital next monday...

...and Im helping out at the Craft Candy fair on saturday...

No time to waste, catch you all soon!

J x