Moorhen - Again?

After the debacle with the last moorhen, I got very excited when someone contacted me a few days afterwards asking if I could make them a moorhen.  I thought it would be a chance to get shot of the poor unwanted one I had just made.  However, they didn't want one with wire legs and fancy feathers, they wanted a simpler one to be used as a class mascot.

So back to sewing moorhens, this time with felt legs and felt feathers.

He turned out rather nicely - love those sticky-out legs!

Today is receiving day for paintings that passed the pre-selection for the Society of Wildlife Artists exhibition at the Mall Galleries in London.  So I have to take this, all framed & pretty, up to London today and negotiate engineering works on the train lines and the Tour of Britain cycle race right where I need to go in London.  Just hoping I manage to deliver the thing without too much hassle!  Keep your fingers crossed for me, I will find out on Tuesday if it has been accepted or not - if not, that means another trip to London this week to pick it up again.  Fun & games!

Been growing some cucamelons in the garden - only two have reached the correct size so far, but at least that is something.  Can't wait to see what they taste like!

Zebras!

It was with a tinge of regret that I completed this yesterday - when a painting is going well and I'm totally involved in it, it is always sad to add that final brushstroke.  However, I am pleased with the result.  It's been a very long time since I attempted something this challenging and it was thoroughly enjoyable.

This was painted on smooth watercolour paper, using White Knights watercolour paints - these are very intensely pigmented watercolours.  I found them a bit intimidating initially, but once I had got used to not picking up lots of paint on my brush to begin with, I really like them.  I have used a very limited palette - Payne's grey, cerulean, and a terracotta.  I used a touch of black here and there, to darken the eyes or add a bit of depth to a forelock.

The top photograph is taken indoors with a flash, the bottom photo taken outside in the sun.  If you can mentally combine the two you will get an idea of the true colours - my camera just fails me sometimes!

This painting is now for sale in my Etsy shop.

Stripes & Tights...

 A long time ago, I told someone I only paint when I am happy.  I guess that is quite true judging by the scarcity of artwork produced over the past year and the fact that this week I want to spend all my time on the above! I am enjoying this one so much, combining the strict structure of the zebras' stripes with the splashes and drips of paint.  I'm using watercolours and a very limited palette - Payne's Grey, Cerulean blue, and a kind of terracotta hue.  Funnily enough, no black other than for the eyes! I think I'm back in the game....

Other (paid) work on the go - I have to crochet a sixties mini dress from old tights....not the most practical of 'yarns', it hurts my hands to crochet with and the resulting fabric is stiff and will surely be uncomfortable to wear.  It is for a university student, so I am assuming it will just be making an appearance as part of her coursework.

I've also been sewing a plush tree for a future animation which has been quite an undertaking and I hate to have to say the most boring words ever used in a blog - I can't show it yet.  Argh!  I'm really proud of it and find keeping things under wraps very frustrating!

Drips & Dribbles...

Over the past few months I seem to have lost my impetus for painting.  I'm not sure why, maybe due to the relentless noise and disruption caused by the builders throughout the winter, maybe because I have had so much other work with yarn and fabric to be getting on with.  Whatever the reason, I've missed it, but it is far too easy to let each day slide by without picking up a brush. 

So with that in mind, I picked a tricky one to get back into the groove with!  I'm trying to re-train my brain with the discipline it takes to draw zebras completely by eye, plus getting each and every stripe in and in the right place.  Initially it was quite worrying - the zebras looked like circus ponies and I had a lot of self-doubt over my abilities (as usual!)  However, as the drawing and painting progress, I feel my confidence slowly returning.  It may not turn out to be the best thing I have ever done, but it is certainly getting me back on track.

When's The Best Time To Go To The Zoo?

The weather forecast for this weekend was abysmal - rain and more rain.  Despite this, we decided last night that we would chance a day at the zoo today. It was clear skies at home, but as we drove to Marwell Zoo, the heavens opened and everywhere was flooded.  However, as we pulled into the carpark, the rain eased off to a light drizzle and we picked our way through the mud and puddles and had the best day at the zoo I think I have ever had.

Some of the animals preferred to stay snuggled up indoors, but the majority were outside and the best part was, we just about had the place to ourselves!  There were some places where we were the only people, no-one else in sight.

My camera perfomed well today - I got some great reference shots.  As well as some unexpected bonuses:

A crow photobombing!

Do you ever wonder where pigeons nest?  This one has found a lovely spot.

The zebras were curious and friendly today without hordes of people passing by.

Unfortunately, it was so quiet that my favourite animal and the reason I wanted to go to Marwell, the snow leopard, could not be bothered to wake up. Oh well, you can't have everything!

I managed to get some sketching done in the giraffe house too - usually it's impossible with lots of people jostling for a view.

So a good time had by all, and well worth taking the chance.

I Think We Got Away With It!

Every year the Year 1 class trip to Marwell Zoo is scheduled for January - I always feel that's a bit of a risk to take with the British weather being what it is.  Our first date had to be cancelled due to snow, then it was re-booked for today.  I've been watching the weather reports with great trepidation as heavy rain was predicted since last week and the forecast didn't change.  The idea of traipsing round a deserted zoo with 90 wet and miserable children was not appealing....

However, the weather gods smiled on us today - it was damp and a bit drizzly, but we managed to stay dry and most of the animals were out.  I got quite a few reference photographs - these will be put in the 'future paintings' folder.

We were subject to time constraints so didn't manage to see everything, but it was still pretty good.

My favourite animals were willing to pose for pictures, so I'm happy!

On the creative side, there is another snow painting on the board; I've been labouring for a week over a knitted Alsatian dog;  there will be another little dog set going in my shop soon, and I just received something in the post which will be the perfect prize for my 1000th post giveaway!

Back In The Groove...

A few weeks ago I had the most awful case of painter's block - no inspiration or enthusiasm whatsoever.  So I made myself paint this zebra - it was something I knew I could do without much risk of failure and also got me back into the discipline of working on a daily basis again.  That's the trouble of not having commissions, you get lazy!

This is a watercolour, with a few touches of coloured ink at the end.  The zebra is one photographed at Marwell Zoo a couple of years ago - I have many reference photographs from Marwell saved up!  Now this is complete, I have a commission on the horizon and also a couple of ideas for my own work, so all is back on track once more - phew!

Are We Nearly There Yet?

The summer fair at work is tomorrow (Tavistock Infant School, 2.45 p.m. if you are in the area) and having worked every evening for a week, sometimes until past midnight, I have managed to make two knitted cats and two knitted dogs in coats plus their beds. Hopefully tonight I can complete the sets with their food bowls and toys.


The scruffy little terrier is the latest addition...he looks very like my dear departed Jasper, especially in his black coat.

Any of these little sets that don't sell tomorrow will then make an appearance in my Etsy shop over the weekend.....apart from the Tibetan terrier who already has a prospective owner waiting in the wings.

If you would like one of these sets custom made for you, don't hesitate to get in touch - especially with the summer holidays coming up when I will have six whole weeks of free time to be creative.



I had a nice surprise this week - this painting has been on show at the local hospital for a couple of months and has now been sold. Some of you may remember the trouble I had with it......I'm so pleased it has moved on despite the rocky start it had!

Glad This One Is Over!

Perhaps some of you were wondering about the lack of artwork on here lately? It's not just because I can't display the potato illustrations I have been doing, but also because the above painting has been such a sod to produce. Sometimes the creative process is described like giving birth - if that's the case, then this was a 12 lb baby, born breech and with the cord round it's neck and wearing a hat of thorns!

The problems started when I had just about finished painstakingly painting all the stripes on the main zebra - about a week's work. I decided I didn't like the line of trees I had painted in the background and tried to lift them out with water and a paintbrush. Unfortunately, the paper I had used (The Langton Extra Smooth) doesn't like having paint removed and clings on to it for dear life - the trees remained. So then I had the bright idea of using some bleach, diluted just a little bit, which I put in a small ceramic pot. (Can you see where this is going? It's excrutiating and I cannot believe my own stupidity!) I painted this solution over the trees carefully, but nothing changed, they were still there, dark as ever, and I leaned back to have a better look......knocking the bleach all over the painting, zebra and all. Luckily I always have a wadge of tissue on my desk and mopped up the mess as quick as I could and then walked away in despair, not wanting to see the destruction I had caused!

So, a couple of hours later I went back to see what I'd done now that it was all dry - there were several splashes on the zebra that had removed the paint but nothing like as terrible as I'd imagined. But the trees were still there.

Two days later and in a better state of mind I came back, patched up the zebra and tried to paint over the trees with some white gouache. Failure. Tried to paint over them with white acrylic.....three coats later and the damn trees were still showing through, mocking me. By this time the sky was also looking patchy and there was a horrible white line at the top of the trees. Tried to re-paint the sky with blue acrylic....got the colour too dark and it looked awful. And you could still see the faint outline of the trees. Painted over with a paler blue acrylic.....still too dark. Painted over with yet paler acrylic - trees disappeared but now the paint was so thick it made a ridge on the horizon. Walked away in despair.

Two days later, got out my new box of scalpels and it was a case of do or die. The sky and trees were removed with no mishaps and I painted a new pale, tree-free sky, and carefully glued the bottom section of the painting on.

The rest of the painting went as well as it could, although towards the end I realised that the line of trees had been ok really...so I put them back in, but much, much lighter this time!

I have never had such problems with a painting - possibly in the past it would have been consigned to the bin, but I'd already entered this in the Fleet Art Society Spring Exhibition, due in on Wednesday this week. Now let's see how I can bodge up the framing.........

That Was Quick!

After the enormous struggle it took to make the horse using this pattern, I was surprised to have finished this zebra in one day - admittedly, I used the sewing machine for quite a bit of it and also due to the cancelled zoo trip I had a bit more spare time, but even so that was really good going.

I used the zebra print felt that I bought a while back which luckily lent itself really well to the pattern shapes and the stripes are almost in a natural position. I'm a bit funny that way, I like things to look as realistic as possible.

The pattern just used plain black eyes, but I decided to give them the more natural zebra 'eyeliner' effect to make them stand out more against the stripes - and for authenticity. He will be up for sale on Etsy later on today.

Overall, I am very pleased with how this has turned out and now that it is not so scary using this pattern, I may make more - but perhaps horses this time as that was the only zebra felt I have for now.

Nearly finished the cheetah painting - this afternoon should do it if I am not disturbed! Just in time, as the potato illustration starts up again this weekend.

A Zillion Zebras

Yesterday I completed the zebra painting at last. Considering the amount of stripes, it hasn't actually taken that long to paint, particularly as I had to take a break in the middle to fulfill a commission. A few days ago I thought I had completely ruined this by messing up the water, but after a couple of days away from it (and a stressful situation at home being alleviated) I could see that all that needed to be done was to calm down the colours I had used with a wash of Indanthrene Blue to bring it all together. I'm now champing at the bit to start a cheetah in acrylics.....


Yesterday also saw the above scarf/wrap completed successfully. It is knitted using Japanese Habu mohair yarn in a beautiful slightly varigated violet blue. This yarn has to be seen to be believed, it is incredibly light and soft with a slight sheen to it. I have used a simple wavy lace pattern, and the whole thing looks like an undulating stream, with the lights and darks accentuating the ripples. This will be for sale on Etsy later on in the day - if you'd like to grab it first, it will be £30 plus p&p.


Finally, yesterday the post delivered to me the above fabric from The African Fabric Shop. It is actually from Africa and printed on a soft cotton. I will eventually be making a zebra, but this project is on hold until the Easter break when I will be less stressed and have the time to devote to it - it would be a disaster to waste such a special fabric!

Ongoing...

I have to admit to being somewhat disappointed in the Stitch & Creative Craft Show last Saturday. Once again the predominant theme seemed to be kits rather than supplies for those of us who make our projects from scratch. If you were into cross-stitch or making cards/scrap-booking, it would have been a paradise, but actual supplies were...well, in short supply! I did manage to pick up a few bargains - the above yarn, with the exception of the purple/blue Habu mohair, was all on offer and I look forward to finding projects for it all.

The Habu yarn was bought at Iknit, a shop just down from Waterloo station and worth a visit if you are into unusual yarns. I'm knitting a wide scarf in a wavy lace pattern and with the slight variations in colour it looks like ripples on water. The yarn is incredibly soft and very high quality. The scarf will be for sale upon completion although it may break my heart to part with it!


I've been knitting a fair few socks lately - some for other people, but the above pair will be for me. They are in a Trekking yarn in the exotic shade of 'Tonga'. I hate slippers but get very cold feet and have discovered hand-knitted socks are the answer.


Finally, the zebras are still ongoing - I worked two hours on the water yesterday and still have a lot of work to go. I'd forgotten just how long these paintings take...

......Waiting.........

I have been incredibly busy lately but there is not much I can show for it just yet. Three things pending are gifts so I can't put up pictures until after they are given, plus I have several other WIP's at the moment. However, I can show you the latest picture of the Bird of Paradise bud which is taking it's own sweet time....

...but is getting there slowly.

I can show you the zebra picture which is nearing completion - a few more touches to the zebras in the foreground and then on to the water and finishing off the rocks behind.


It's been terrific getting back to painting what I love and I already have another wildllife painting lined up to start when this is finished.

Talking of wildlife, Giselle the Giraffe has found a new home all the way across the Atlantic in Georgia and will be on her way within the next 24 hours. So I have now started her cousin, Gina, who is currently just a disembodied head....

Socks, Beads & Zebras....

This week I've been making a few things for myself for a change. I've had this yarn for months - it's been a failed scarf, a failed pair of gloves, but finally found it's calling as a pair of socks. I'm not usually very good at socks, but these turned out pretty well - they fit and they match each other which is all one can ask for! And they are nice and warm too..


Also hanging around for months was a necklace I bought at a car boot sale last summer with the intention of taking it to pieces and making it into a long necklace. The beads are a dark greeny-blue with AB coating, and the necklace had a fabulous AB clasp that reminds me of the 'shiny beetles' we used to find in our garden when we lived in Greece - if you've ever read 'My Family and Other Animals' by Gerald Durrell, he used to see an old man in Corfu with these beetles tied to strings for sale as playthings. We just used to marvel at their irridescent wing cases and leave them about their business! Anyway, I finally got around to making the long necklace and had enough beads left over to make a matching bracelet with the clasp as a focal point.

Finally, I've been making slow but steady progress with my zebras and enjoying every brushstroke! I did wonder if this was too ambitious, but it's going well - looks a bit strange with them floating in mid-air, but the water will go in last of all.

Lacy Throw and an Ambitious Project......

A few weeks ago when I was going through my black dog stage (!), the creativity mojo was on vacation in the craft department as well, so I started a simple throw which didn't require any deep thought or effort, just nice repetative soothing knitting! It knitted up really fast and I've completed it as well as getting on with other projects around it.


It's knitted in a rather nice cotton mix yarn which is slightly slubby and has flecks of colour throughout. The lacy pattern combined with the size of needles used has produced a lovely stretchy throw, just right for either arranging prettily on your sofa or pulling around your shoulders to keep warm on a cold winter evening. It is currently for sale in my Etsy shop.


Never one to do anything the easy way, I have embarked on a new painting using a fantastic photo given to me by a very kind client of mine who went to Namibia last year. This is the second attempt at sketching it out - first was abandoned due to choosing a rubbish paper which left smudge marks when pencil was rubbed out. I'm about a third of the way through sketching - still more zebras to put in and as for the stripes........well, wish me luck! This will be a watercolour painting eventually.

One Zebra - Finished!

And that's how much spare time I've had this weekend! Finished this this afternoon, ready for the next one whatever that may be. This is in watercolour with touches of ink. If you are interested in buying it, please get in touch - if not, it's going into the Best of Hampshire Artists exhibition this summer.

The Zebra so far....

It has been a frustrating time for painting, the past ten days or so. There just hasn't been much spare time and without at least an hour to devote to it, I can't settle at my desk - and I can't paint in the evenings as the light is just too poor and I'm too tired. So the zebra is making slow progress. I am pleased with it so far, however. The initial sketch seemed a bit odd, but as I've worked, I have discovered what was throwing it off (one of the legs was slightly at the wrong angle and it made the whole animal look like it was about to keel over!) and corrected it.

So far I have painted in all the stripes, but still have to complete the shadows and shaping as well as making him a bit grubby - no animal is that pristine! The legs are still ghost-like, and the mud and water are far from finished. Quite a way to go, but it is a journey I am enjoying immensely.

For those interested, this is painted in watercolours, although I have used my black brush pen to add depth to the stripes at the base of his belly and to the left of his head. I used to follow the puritanical watercolourist rules, but these days have come to the conclusion that whatever gets the results is worth doing - why do a half-baked job for the sake of saying you followed the 'rules'? The phrase 'mixed media' covers a multitude of sins!!

Car-Booty & a Sneaky Peek!

Oh I just love the summer months when the car-boot sales start up again! I trudged round out local one today fairly disappointed at the amount of complete rubbish on display - who really wants a grubby snaggle-haired Bratz doll or someone's really quite nasty mis-matched china? But then, two stalls before the end, I came across a treasure trove - three cardboard boxes stuffed to the brim with knitting yarn at only 50p per ball! Boy, was I regretting coming out with only £10 in my purse!! But I still managed to grab all the above, a selection of the best bits and enough to calm my yarn cravings for a while....yes, I know I got a ton of mohair not that long ago, but every junkie needs their fix!

After that little windfall, I spent the rest of the morning at the local exhibition painting the above, my latest zebra. Please bear in mind that it is a long way from finished - even the bits you see aren't finished yet - but I thought you might like a taster.

Marigold & Spring into Art Exhibition

Finally finished the marigold - it started off as a brooch, but looked so nice with the embroidered leaves I decided to change it to a necklace. It took 3 evenings as I have stitched round the leaves this time, as well as adding a bit more satin stitch to the flower and a little ladybird. This is £20 + P&P SOLD
Two days until the Fleet Art Society 'Spring into Art' exhibition and I have framed four out of five paintings - just a little one to go but I ran out of masking tape. If any of you are in the Fleet area, come to the Harlington Centre to see the exhibition 3rd & 4th May. I shall be 'demonstrating' (well, painting while people walk past!) Sunday morning - I've started another zebra picture, back in the comfort zone!