Prints!

 Just got the prints back from the shop - they did a pretty good job overall.  I know the chicken painting was a hard one to replicate and there have been a few variations on the original colours, but nothing too drastic or noticeable.

 I have to do a few little extra touches on these and then they are ready to go to their new homes.

 While I was getting the chickens printed, the shop had a bit of a special offer if I bought 3 prints, so I had one done of my Wild Water Horse painting.  It came out very nicely and is now for sale in my Etsy shop - it's bigger than the original, and half the price!

It is printed on stretched canvas and ready to hang as it is or can be framed.

If you fancy having a print of one of my paintings, get in touch, we can talk!

Chickens In Cowboy Boots....

 This has taken me weeks on and off - I'd forgotten just how long a very detailed acrylic painting takes - but it is finally finished.  One of the weirdest, funniest and most enjoyable commissions I have ever had. Painted in acrylic, blood, sweat & tears on Dalerboard.

 It's that time of year again - six jars of grape jelly with more grapes on the vine.  However, I think the birds can have the remainder this time, I'm busy!

If you are slightly squeamish, don't scroll down any further.  I dropped a large picture frame on my bare foot yesterday and for a few minutes thought I might need a trip to the Emergency Room.  However, with the application of witchhazel and an antiseptic cream, it's subsided a bit.  Can't wear proper shoes just yet though - thankfully it is still warm enough for flipflops.

Snow In Summer...

Just for a change, I have been crocheting some snowflakes.  Got a great pattern book and some sparkly thread and off we go.  These are fun to make, relatively quick (when you are not engrossed in watching the Olympics!) and so pretty.

Also been working on this - the end is in sight, just got to add some chicks and finish off the ground and we're done.  Sounds easy, but it will take a few more sessions.

I've also been building furniture - after a visit to the new Ikea branch just down the road from us, I was inspired to finally replace the nasty old bedroom furniture we have had for about 20 years, a lot of which was second hand even then.  So far I have build two chests of drawers and a bedside table for our bedroom, and over the weekend will be building a new bed & some bookshelves for Stacie's room and generally sorting through all her stuff and clearing out the trash...I may be some time!

Over The Worst...

I'm still putting the hours in on this - can you spot the progress?  That chicken on the left nearly finished me off, those feathers, that pattern!  However, she is more or less done now and I feel I'm on the home straight.  There is still a lot to be done, but nothing that scares me any more.

Fox & Chickens...

 I seem to have been rather quiet of late - not sure what has been going on, but there has been work, just nothing I can show for now.  The chicken painting is progressing laboriously - when using acrylics for detail, it just takes so long.  I was having a bit of trouble with one of the reference photos too as it was rather fuzzy, but after much searching, I found a clearer version so it's all systems go once again.  There is still so much to include in this - you'll have to just wait and see what's next!

Last week when walking the dog, we came across a young fox heading towards us down the path.  I stopped, thinking once he noticed us with the dog he'd turn and disappear into the undergrowth.  But no, he had a look and decided to keep on walking, passing us about 6 feet away with hardly a glance.  Needless to say, the dog was going absolutely crazy trying to get him but he didn't care.  Cheeky thing!

Back To Work...

 Well, it took a few days to get the holiday washing done and the outstanding jobs out of the way, but we're back into the old routine now. I've had a few hours to devote to the chickens - I have to admit I spent far too long on the pearls as firstly we were experiencing a heatwave and inside the house was hot, sticky & uncomfortable and secondly, I just could not get them right.  Sorted now I think and I am working on the irridescent plumage of the black chicken now, much more fun.

 I've been experimenting with making little pendants full of the seaside - still in the prototype stage.

 After a false start with a super-glue incident turning the inside of the bulb milky white, I;ve got the look I want.  Now I have to wear the pendant for a few days to see if it will stand up to it and also to check nothing untoward happens.  I've already had one of them where the water has gone a but yellow for some reason, perhaps the cork?  Any suggestions welcome.

I'm hoping this works, as they are so pretty and a great reminder of our holiday.

It's Starting To Get Weird...

I am seriously having the best fun with this commission!

All Kinds Of Everything...

 I've not had as much time to work on this chicken painting as I would have liked - we had a trip to the theatre this week which seemed to take up two days for some reason!  I'm really enjoying this - it's more an illustration than fine art, but I think that's the only route I could have taken with it as there are a lot of components to include.  I think I might paint a few more chickens when this is finished, they're fun!

 The bears are back at Katmai National Park, which means I've been watching the live cams and taking lots of photos for future paintings.  It's turning into a small obession again!

 While looking for something else in his tightly crammed cupboard, Bob discovered this pen and ink drawing I gave him many years ago.  I'd forgotten all about it.

 Last week I took part in an online drawing competion called SketchOff, run by WHSmith.  I won!  I got these two lovely books by way of a prize.

This was my drawing, done in an hour at high speed.  Tigers are one of my things though, I should be good at drawing them by now.

On the needles....weird stuff!