Chocolate Days ...

Chocolate days are finally upon us

and the house is slowly but surely filling bits and pieces of family

not actual bits and pieces... no arms and legs are arriving devoid of rest of bodies

but one by one the actual people are arriving

not to mention Easter treats and eggs

and fun table decorations which starting to transform the dining room

in a suitable chocolaty way

mind you not so much fun to paint... all that paper was a bit of a pain

and the temptation of having them on the table in the studio was all but unbearable at times

But they survived intact and are in place on the table set for the coming feasts

and family fun over the next four days

which also places them at the furthermost point from the studio

and therefore safe from my chocolate nabbing tendencies

although these little baby eggs in the reference photo I took for the painting

have already been gobbled  sacrificed themselves for the sake of this post

I came down this morning and was greeted by this wonderful sunlight

as we start to see change of seasons in sun rise times, if not in relief from the relentless heat

I love the light at this time of the year

almost as much as I love putting together Easter baskets and cards

and I am using the chocolate rabbits I painted up last year

and unlike last year we haven't got a house filled with chocolate rabbits stalking us

we have shown considerable restraint and are just snacking on the occasional mini egg

all right not so occasional but better than the rabbit scoffing of last year

So the cards are made and ready to be added to baskets

except for Phantom's who is getting a different card

she loves the cartoon Adventure Time, which I talked about in a post last year

 and I found this awesome photo

as part of the Big Egg Hunt eggsibition in London

and felt it was just perfect

So I am now off to paste it onto some card

and finish finish filling the baskets

and maybe snack on an egg

Hope you all enjoy the Easter season

and have a great time with family and friends

I will be visiting you in dribs and drabs over the next four days

as I squeeze time in between family madness ...xx

Linking up with Paint Party Friday and Sunday Sketches ...

If you missed my last post or two the links are here ...

I did a step by step of my painting process in

Little Forks and One Big ...

New Colours and a Tea Party ...

Little Forks and One Big ...

I did a sort of dangerous thing and signed up for this decorator sale site

which means that everyday I am sent these emails that have great sales on fabulous things

of course I don't have the fabulous designer type home to fit them in

it is more that slightly scruffy much loved type abode

not to mention the damage I could do to the bank balance

It is fun to dream and oohh and aahhh over all the loveliness

but not give in to the temptation to buy things I really don't need

Until the other day when this bone handled cutlery was up on the page

I started doing sums in my head and planning and plotting

how I could justify the purchase

but luckily for all concerned I was saved by my impressive degree of procrastination

and when it come time to hit that purchase button they were sold out

I was instantly plunged into a state of despair tinged with a glean of relief

and to help ease the pain/ guilt/ relief

I decided to source some pics and paint them up

which is a much cheaper alternative ...

I love how it turned out and it is almost as good as owning them

and because I have had some people ask about my process lately

this is how I got to the end result ...

I started with a line drawing using pen

realize that I have composed it a bit wonky and so added the extra fork and knife

have another look and curse that the last fork is bigger

pretend that the other forks are small on purpose

after all I have big forks and little forks in my set so I figure I can get away with it

Step 2 is to add some water colour... splotch it on in stronger colours

and try to just get the tones and shadows in

I always try to look to underlying colours and really see the variety of shades

so in these there were light bone coloured areas, but also darker golden brown

and even some yellowy highlights

as well as some bone and brownish reflections in the steel parts

so I try to get these in the right places

I also that I have had my hand on the left hand fork and smudged it

so go and make a cup of tea

This next stage is the stage that always does my head in just a littler bit

I strengthen up some colours and shadows

then knock them back with some gouache

it always looks a bit like a dog's breakfast at this stage

and there are all sorts of parts that freaked me out a bit

and I got a touch cranky thinking I was going to have a rubbish page in my sketchbook

so I went and had a piece of chocolate and contemplated how I was going to pull it together

I then went into procrastination mode and put on a load of washing

threw some toys for thew dog

even though he shows no interest in fetching them

which means I am just standing in the garden throwing dog toys

while he sits and watches me which is a new low in the avoidance stakes

so big girl pants go on and I get back to it

add some shadows to make the colours pop and strenthen the lines with pen

and I am thinking this is looking pretty good

the dog throwing obviously did the trick because I have pulled it together

so a few final touches and strengthening up and darkening some bits

and a fork is in it and she is done ...

I know it is hard to see the differences, but they are there

and it is always those last few lines and highlights that somehow finish it off

Of course I am now thinking I need to get some bone cutlery

because I really want to draw it some more times

so here is crossing fingers that I can find some soon ... xx

My last two posts links are ...

New Colours and  a Tea Party ...

Putting My Happy On ....

New Colours and a Tea Party ...

Painting my new supplies is becoming a bit of a thing with me

and it makes perfect sense to me when it comes to paints 

because it means I can test the colours in a more interesting way than doing a test page

I must admit I am sort of a work it out as I go along sort of person

it is like learning a card game, I know some people need the rules explained before they start

but I am a sort of deal me in and teach me as I go person

which probably explains why I am rubbish at cards

and why Phantom and Sinus Man are not fans of playing cards with me

but I think they are a bit limited in their thinking

I think it is quite the philosophy for all sorts of things

except maybe cooking

 the throw it all in thing has resulted in some god awful disasters over the years

When it comes to testing new tubes of watercolours it works a treat though

and it was fun to familiarise myself with my newest babies

I also put the new colours to the test on a bit of a fun sketch this Sunday

Cindy over at Cottage Remnant planned a tea party for the change of season

she set a lovely table and invited people to a virtual tea party

and as I have the matching tea cup set I thought I would play along

I wanted to paint in the lovely table she had set as well

and it was fun to get back to painting a tea cup

I realized it had been quite a while since I had done one

and have to admit I had blocked out what pesky things rims can be

but it was a fun sketch and I might need to do a few more of the tea cups that are stashed on the shelves here in the studio

Not today though as I have a desk full of half finished things that I want to get to

as it is shaping up to be a busy week

 hope you all have an awesome sketchy Sunday ... xx

Some posts to catch up on ... 

Putting My Happy On ...

When Artists Cook ... they BBQ ...

Syrup Season ...

Putting My Happy On ...

It has been the most insanely frustrating week I have had in a long time

and it is not pretty when I am frustrated

I stomp around like a mad woman, scowling and thinking the world is out to get me

I snarl at life in general and have a short fuse

in short I am a nightmare to live with

so in the interest of the family not cowering in terror at the sight of me

I am coming clean and taking a break from bloody acrylics

I used to love working in, and even teaching acrylics

until the fateful day I found watercolours

and then that old relationship soured a touch

I admit it I fell for watercolour's many charms

the clear, clean colours

the gorgeous light and the speed that I could work

the way I could combine drawing and pen with it so easily

it seduced me big time

so much so that going back to acrylics turned out to be a bit of a chore

it was kind of like that awkward meeting at some bar

when you run into an old boyfriend who was a bit of a dud as it turns out

I spent all week trying to find something nice to say about acrylics

but basically I just wanted to make a rather hasty retreat

Now I am not so fickle as to abandon it all completely

indeed I decided I would do a test just to make sure I wasn't being hasty in my judgement

and I acknowledge this is a touch over the top

but I painted the same thing to various degrees three times

once on canvas with acrylics which started this whole palaver in the first place

and I'm not unhappy with the underpainting, but it just takes soooo long

it felt like my very life was draining away with every layer

then on watercolour canvas with the appropriate paints

but it was all types of wrong, did weird things to the colour of the paint

and was crazy unstable... nightmare really

and finally I gave in and did it on some pen and ink paper in my newer style

though I went really big... 34cm x 48 cm big

which is 10 in x 14 ish inches I think... don't quote me on that but around there

So big that it won't fit on the scanner so you have to make do with the dodgy photos big!!!

The watercolour was the hands down winner

 it took no time compared to the other two, the colours were gorgeous

it didn't even bother me that I didn't have a big mop brush so the washes weren't perfect

or that the paper buckled a bit

I could forgive the imperfections and enjoy the process in a way that I hadn't been with acrylics

so acrylics are being given the heave ho for now

they can just go back to the corner and wait until I am in the head space to revisit them

and I know I will at some stage, just not this week, or next, or maybe the one after that

Instead my grumpy, frustrated self can go join those canvases in the corner

and I am putting my happy back on and playing with watercolour and ink

because for now it is all about exploring working big and having fun

have a great creative weekend everyone...xx

Linking up with Paint Party Friday...

and my contribution for the series When Artists Cook is also up

so head over to check it out...

My last few links are here for you if you are interested...

Syrup Season ...

Cork Screwed ...

Syrup Season ....

I am loving that we are heading for golden syrup season

you may not have been aware that there is such a thing

or in fact that golden syrup actually exists

and I can't say that I remember ever seeing it when we lived in Florida

but in our place all roads are pointing to syrup town

Golden syrup is like honey on steroids

it is all golden, dark, smoky and thick

and has a totally unique taste

it is probably the unspeakable by product of sugar cane crushing or some such thing

and I kind of don't want to know how it is made

I just know that it is glorious

It is divine on porridge,crumpets and pikelets

and my sneaky favourite syrup treat is crispy toast with cream cheese and syrup

sounds totally disgusting and it will never win any awards for healthy snacking

but is better than other favourites which are

scones fresh from the oven with syrup and cream

or a splodge of it on ice cream is crazy amazing

like George Clooney telling you he has waited his whole life for you amazing

so as Autumn starts to creep up on us

and thoughts turn to syrup puddings and Anzac biscuits

the golden syrup is making its first appearances of the season

exciting times , or what passes for exciting times in our house

kind of thinking we need to get out more if syrup season is getting a cheer

But sad state of our lives aside

I painted this not just because syrup season is here

but also because the prompt this week over at Artists Play Room was

What do you overlook

and I think golden syrup is overlooked all the time

people seem to either go for honey

and I must admit to loving some honey at times, especially when it is infused with ginger

or maple syrup, which is totally not right on toast

Poor golden syrup seems to have become decidedly uncool all of a sudden

so much so that when I sent Sinus off to buy some the other day

it wasn't even in the jam aisle anymore

it is in the baking goods aisle which is a very sad state of affairs indeed

and to make it all worse my beloved Lyle's syrup

which comes in this amazing tin isn't even stocked at the supermarket anymore

which means I am left painting this squeeze bottle

not as glamorous as the green and gold of Lyle's but until I can source the real deal

then this will have to do the job, and it is delicious no matter who has made it

So I am calling for all you closet syrup lovers out there to join me

in demanding that it's status as a glorious topping be reinstated

let Golden Syrup be overlooked no more...xx

You may have overlooked my last few posts

so here are some links in case...

Cork- screwed ....

Who Needs Nose Hair Anyway ???

Cork- screwed ...

My Sunday sketch is a corkscrew

not because I am thinking of glug, glug woohoo at 11 am

the inspiration came from rummaging through the scary utensil draw

trying to find the lemon zester, which could win an award for hiding by the way

how it always makes it way to the back bottom left corner I have no clue

but while on the zester quest I came across the corkscrew

all forlorn and forgotten because we haven't used it in who knows how long

and it does have great shapes and lines when you stop to have a look at it

so I set about recording it in all its twisty interestingness

which was a lovely break after the week of wrestling with acrylics that I have had

I started the week thinking I would get in an finish off some unfinished canvases

and start some new ones as it turns out

and despite the fact that I haven't touched acrylic paints in almost a year

I blissfully thought it would be like riding a bike

of course I should have taken into account that I haven't ridden a bike in 30 years

and even when I did I was rubbish at it

so the transition back to acrylics has been anything but smooth

in fact it has been insanely frustrating in the extreme

which means it has been so lovely to sit and draw and add some touches of watercolour

all of which leads me to think maybe I should consider opening the bar

before I go back to the bloody acrylics

maybe it would all go a bit smoother with some alcoholic lubrication

hope everyone is having a great weekend... xx

The last two post links are here...

Who Needs Nose Hairs Anyway ???

The Procrastination Stakes ...

Who Needs Nose Hair Anyway???

Trying to run a greener household is doing my head in

I am using all these biodegradable, save the waterways type products

and go through bi carb and vinegar like nobody's business

and the house is apparently clean at the end of a cleaning session

you will note I said clean and not tidy

and for the record dust bunnies are like pets 

how could I destroy them when they are having such fun

hiding and playing under the cabinets and sofa

but aside from wanting to form the Preservation of Dust Bunnies Society

I have run into another problem

At the end of the day the house just doesn't smell right

I always felt that a bathroom in particular was only clean

when the smell of bleach had singed all nose hair from your head

after all does nose hair matter in the grand scheme of things???

I think not ...

and I loved my feet having the slight burning tingle from standing in bleachy water

and the bleach has gotten rid of your pesky fingerprints

which have always limited my possible career as a bank robber

and at the end of a good session that brain blasting smell meant a job well done

but alas I have had to wave goodbye to my dear Domestos and White King

and have to just trust these green products when they tell me they are working

so my new cleaning involves using the green stuff

and then sitting down and drawing and painting the bottles

I am thinking I can gaze at their bleachiness and pretend I have no nose hairs

and maybe that will induce the same sense of domestic satisfaction

Not that a lot of cleaning has been done in the last few days

mainly because I have been trying to get to some unfinished canvases

and I can happily report that I finished one

it is the teeniest, tiniest canvas I own, but I am taking any finish at this stage

so the prawns are done and on the wall awaiting some possible finishing touches

but I am still declaring it done all the same

the other five are still in various stages of not even close to being done

but I am putting this progress shot up in the hope that it shames me into finishing it off

which means that once this is posted I am going to make a pot of tea and get busy

So I am taking my hairy nose and going to get my painting butt into gear

hope you all have an awesome weekend... xx

PS ... Don't forget to check out the Paint Party Friday Auction Blog Hop

benefiting the Sandy Hook Elementary ...

My last two post links are here ...

The Procrastination Stakes ...

The Perils of Chicken Scrawl ...

The Procrastination Stakes ...

For the next few days I am endeavoring to turn off the computer

and get some of these bloody half finished canvases worked on

about the only down side to my perfectly formed but tiny studio

is that you work either on watercolors or acrylics

there is just not enough room to have both going at once

so the time has come and I am getting out the acrylics and getting busy

First on the agenda is this canvas I started back in November

and while I can try to tell myself that it is unfinished due to the fact that it is way too big

that it barely fits on my desk and doesn't fit my table easel

truth is I got distracted and now I can't quite remember what I was going to do with it

but maybe it will all come rushing back once I get a brush in my hand.......

Then two weeks ago I got started on this one of my beloved blue Kitchenaide mixer

I even carried the flamin thing into the studio, which was quite the task

but after all that lugging and positioning and cursing, this is as far as I got

bit of an underlayer and then a grinding halt

the canvas isn't  even too big, in fact it fits a treat

and I haven't used the mixer so I can't blame that

just absolutely no follow through

And here we have the tipping point

today I drew up yet another one

the idea for it came to me while standing at the stove this morning

and as my gaze fell on the jug of mismatched utensils

all I could think was that it would make a fun painting

so I promptly turned off the stove, forgot what I was going to cook

and brought the jug in to be drawn up and that is as far as I got

These aren't the only unfinished, or barely started ones either

I am too embarrassed to show the still life of cutlery in a jar

 and the Maltesers canvas

and the prawns

and there is a tea cup one on the wall also

that makes a totally embarrassing total of 7 barely started canvases

which is quite the record even for me

So I did what all self respecting procrastinators do

and painted up my tubes of acrylic

didn't crack them open and get started

oh no people 

I just painted them which is a new high in the procrastination stakes

even for me!!!

See you all on Friday... hopefully with some canvases done

or maybe just a whole lot of watercolours of paint tubes and brushes...xx

The last two post links ...

The Perils of Chicken Scrawl ...

The Party That Never Was ...