Madly Creating

I just got home from a week in beautiful North Devon, as well as enjoying Instow and Croyde among the many places we visited, we also travelled into beautiful Cornwall one day on a whim, which was an unexpected treat and enjoyed sunny blue skies and warm weather. The image above was taken at St Ives, one of my most favourite places in the country.

But now home, and back to business.

Its that time of year when us artists who design and create hand made cards, are thinking and producing wonderful Christmas creations. I admit, Im a little behind with my lot - the gallery are wonderfully patient but with only one day a week to spend on my art I sometimes struggle to cram everything in that needs doing...however, I got down to work today and came up with 5 each of the designs shown below. I used a mixture of watercolour, acrylic ink and shimmery H20 paints and when the images were dry I used a fineline black pen to edge them.

They're going off in the post tomorrow (all being well) with some prints and Im going to be making some more next week.

I can't believe how fast this year has gone by...already Im horrified to see Christmas advertising on tv, it seems far too early to have the festive season thrust upon us while we are only just revelling in the beginning of autumn in all her firey and splendid glory! I cannot begin to start thinking about Christmas shopping just yet, my eyes are too busy feasting upon crispy leaves in shades of gold, russet and flamenco red dancing on the pavements, and my inner-cook is contemplating warming bowls of spicy pumpkin soup, tarte tatin and other delights that I feel drawn towards at this time of year. Its time for wandering in the woods, tramping through fallen leaves and smelling their faint musty decay as you search for chestnuts to collect and take home for roasting, I can't seem to 'feel' Christmas at all until early December and then I welcome the season with open arms and prepare to enjoy.

Would any of you like to learn how to make your own Christmas card?

Would you be interested in taking a one off online class with easy instruction and step by step 'how to' photographs?
If you would, please get in touch, I am working on a class that you can download, hopefully as from next week!

Julia x

Somewhere in the mayhem...

...I found peace.

It felt like a miracle - after several days of major work and upheaval we have new windows and smooth flat walls in our kitchen - the rest of the house is still upside down but I managed to clear enough space to work today for a little while.

At the moment Im creating a class for a student Ive got next week, so its all go but in a good way. Im sending more prints out to the gallery and designing some new Christmas cards, but I expect it will be a couple of weeks before they are put together.

When I have lots going on, I can easily feel overwhelmed, I don't make time for myself as much because Im constantly running through mental lists like 'go to the bank and get the plasterer his money' and 'go to the DIY store to buy screws and new sockets and switches' as well as 'ironing, cooking and cleaning' and the big one 'keeping everything dangerous from the kitchen out of the way of investigative little fingers (which is pretty much most things - lol)'

So I plan extra long baths, where I can dream up new art work in peace. I have been listening to some great tunes on my ipod in the evenings to help me unwind and have discovered a somewhat unbelieveable distraction called Bowling Buddies on Facebook which has relieved me of some unwanted tensions (beware, if you seek this game out you stand to become addicted!!)

Another way Im coping with the strains of decorating our kitchen (perhaps the most utilised room in the home) is to look at the positive aspects of the experience - to visualise the 'before and after' that I have in my mind, to pick the soft furnishings, to browse cool tiles in shades of mellow sage and faded blues, to flick through shabby chic websites and choose wrought iron heart hooks, a new clock and french linen tea towels...its so exciting!

I can be creative amongst the worst mess!

Im taking pictures of the work in progress, when the whole thing is completed, I'll share here the creative project with you all.

Oh ~ a nice thing happened - I was put in the Etsy treasury! Well, one of my paintings was! Here's the link if you want to take a peek: http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=11275

I'll check back soon...probably next week.

Sending soup mugs of warmth and crispy autumnal walks to you-

J x

Upheaval

This is just the beginning!
Rainbow beakers, egg cups, mugs, ramekins, garlic jar, bowls, plates....


We're having alot of work done to this little old house over the next week - new windows, a plasterer coming to deal with the horrible artex that has the kitchen in its present state looking like a scary lemon meringue topping! (bless the plasterer!)
Inevitably, things are moving out of the kitchen so the decorating work can begin and slowly taking over the dining area - I didn't realise how much stuff I had!


Needless to say, myself and the little one will be moving up to Nannie-Mums house next week so I don't know that i'll have time to post let alone paint anything for a week or so until the house is a little more habitable!

I'll be in touch - and if by some miracle I have time to share anything arty or faintly creative with you i'll stop by!


See you soon
Creative thoughts are bubbling - back soon x