My Turn ...

Last time I used this painting it was Phantom Steve who was exploding all over the shop

 one little session of holding a teapot

 so I could work from photos and she was beside herself

 now it is my turn to look like this

I was cleaning out the drawers in the studio the other day as room is getting a bit tight

and thought I might do a sale over on my facebook art page of some of my originals

and yes I still have a desk full of other work that needs finishing

and no I didn't think it through in any way, shape or form

but half arsery still reigns supreme around here folks...

So here are just some of the originals that are in the sale

and some more that have just gone up

plus way too many to put up here

and while it is so exciting to see so many sell

and the card packs have been going great as well

it is a bit scary on brain power requirements

so I now need to try to put my head back together 

I am thinking tea and chocolates might do the trick

pop over and check them out if you are interested

just click here... happy painting all...xx

Update... 

A huge thank you to all the people who have bought work

I have been a bit overwhelmed by so many people buying work

It has surpassed any expectations, 

and while there are still a few originals and card packs left

I never dreamed so many would be sold and haven't stopped smiling for days

Normally it would be a bit hard to let go of my babies but

It makes me so happy to think of my work heading off all over the world

And will find themselves well looked after in loving homes

Happy thanksgiving to all the US readers and happy painting all...xx

Pavan ...

It has been a week of mysteries and wonder I have to say

 I have actually been productive

 the miracle is that I used a planner type sheet thing and actually stuck to it

 it was only mildly painful and made my brain ache occasionally at the thought of such  organisation, but the results have been impressive

 I managed to get to finishing some commissioned perfume bottle pieces

 plus the November illustration for the GoodnessMe Box

 which means I can tuck in and scoff the deliciousness

 now I no longer require them as models

I also painted up this incredible bottle out of a catalogue for a wine merchant over here

no clue what it tastes like but the colours were just too perfectly me to not paint

and it all went smoothly

no paint in hair, no drips on the dog... small miracle, but wonderful none the less

plus I did a little painted sketch of some of the glorious frangipani blooms

which are making the studio smell so amazing

I managed to capture the colour, though the actual blooms look a tad dodgy

I also found a lost earring, magically remembered where I had stashed my list of ideas for Christmas gifts, cooked two new recipes without any eye rolling and gagging sounds from the family and I didn't get sneezed on once by the dog

 It wasn't all smooth sailing though, there were mysteries

the dog did gut a toy and I woke to a garden

that looked a little like it was covered in snow drifts

but as yet the actual outside of the toy is no where to be found

so innards are everywhere but I have no clue which toy they are from

there was also a rather large spider spotted in the dining room

but he was too quick on his feet and got away

so now there is a rogue spider somewhere in the house

which is doing my head in in a fairly major way

but I am going to put that aside and distract myself with what's on the desk

happy painting all...xx

Did you miss Tuesday's post?

Here is the Link ... Swifty Paris ...

Swifty Paris...

I needed a bit of pretty in my days

so I painted up a bottle of Paris

not that my days have been awful or ugly

I just felt like dipping into some pinks

Pinks have been on my mind as the bougainvillea are blooming like crazy

and the frangipani over the back is in full glorious colour

the smell is amazing and it is a riot of hot pink and orange

and I do love some electric colour

there is never a day that can't be improved with a bit of bright colour 

The day hardly needs improving as it is a studio day

but the colour is a mood lifter anyway

which can be scary as I started in a good mood

and there are times when you can just tip over into the maniacal

not that I believe there is anything wrong with those crazed moods

where you feel like singing but it does worry the daughter and dog

as I am completely and gloriously tone deaf

and I have been playing that bloody Taylor Swift 1989 CD in the studio

so I am slaughtering song after song

with my enthusiastic renditions

There is actually a bigger issue at stake with the whole Taylor Swift thing

as I must admit I have never been a fan

not that I have actively disliked her or anything, just would never have it on in the studio

until this one... it is glorious, unashamed pop music

and I will also come clean and say I may have been a bit wrong about the girl

I used to think she may just give the mutt a run for his money in the lack of brains area

but a bit of instagram and tumblr stalking shows that she may in fact be a genius

she is witty, she bakes, she takes adorable photos with her parents and pets

and she has no trouble making fun of herself

I may have to agree with Phants and consider that she may in fact be an oracle

and it may be going a touch far but you never know

good Old Swifty is a surprise packet

and she made painting this up a breeze

So with the ipod on repeat I am off to go and attack some of the teacups and mugs

I have drawn up this morning

happy painting all...xx

The Cheese Burn ...

Tea cup from Brianne at Sweet Limes

So one week in to the relaunch of the Cuppa Project

and I am already a day late on posting the week's paintings

I actually have a pretty good reason for this for a change

well maybe not a good reason, but a reason other than being half arsed

mug from Brandi Phillips

I had plans to post yesterday

and was on track to share the amazing teacups and mugs

that people have shared for me to paint

when I got the dreaded cheese burn

yep I am that person who seeing dripping hot cheese

oozing out of the side of a grilled cheese sandwich

and tries to catch the molten cheese in two fingers and burns the bejeezus out of them

worst thing was I wasn't even trying to snaffle the cheese as a cooks treat

I was actually trying to save the recently scrubbed kitchen benches from a greasy drip

and scrubbed and gleaming benches deserve to be protected at all costs

those benches had gone a bit feral over the few days I spent battling a plague like flu

which I secretly think I caught via email from a friend who has just had said plague 

and it would appear that no one else in the house knows how to clean down a bench

so once they were all gleaming and shiny again they deserved protecting

mug from Kristin Dudish

so I spent the rest of the day being a tad pathetic

and using it as a glorious excuse for doing bugger all

should I hang out the washing?... nope...cheese burn

should I get in and paint some of the commissions waiting on my desk?... cheese burn

should I answer the fifty squillion emails waiting for attention?

are you kidding ...  I have a cheese burn people

should I fix global warming, or various political nightmares that the news is full of?

well I would except for the fact that I have a dirty great cheese burn

mug from Leslie Armstrong

add to that I got in a sneezing war with the dog due to the sinus nightmare that is spring

and sadly I do believe he won as he managed to get in the last sneeze

plus I spilt my cup of tea, dropped my banana while attempting to peel it one handed

and the house was devoid of chocolate

so it was quite the day and excuse fest wasn't it

plague, lazy arsed daughter, husband, dog sneezes

kamikazi bananas, spilt tea, a chocolate shortage

and most importantly the cheese burn

lets hope today is less action packed

happy painting all...xx

Mug from Debbie from Zenzi B studios

But It's A Dugong ...

Sometimes I get to the end of the week and it is a bit tough

 to find something to write about and illustrate

 not often mind you, but it does happen

 this week was not one of those weeks

it opened with a very frustrating discussion with Sinus Man about this new tea infuser

I showed him and commented how not much makes me happier than a good tea pun

which led to a bit of a puzzled look and head scratching from Sinus

the ensuing conversation went something like this

look at the newest infuser thingy ... I love a good tea pun infuser don't you?

tea pun? ... it's a dugong where is the tea pun in that?

it is a manatee...  spelled m-a-n-a-t-e-a...  get it

but a manatee is a dugong right

yes, well at least I think it is, if they aren't the same thing they are pretty bloody close

so it IS a dugong...  a dugong isn't tea pun related you know

but its not a dugong it is a mantea

but you just said they are the same thing, so it is a dugong

for the purposes of tea drinking it shall remain a manatee in my eyes

you mean a dugong pretending to be a manatee...

at which point I threw my hands in the air and retreated back to the studio

mind you that might have been his plan all along

as he was doing some serious couch surfing while watching 50 sports channels at once

other possible blog topics this week included the dog being in a weird reclining phase

that is seeing him lying constantly on his back... legs straight up in the air

he looks slightly like a cow that has been tipped

but I secretly think is allowing his very smelly bottom burps greater room penetration

which is leading to eye watering stench value

plus the first mangoes are in the market

which leads to sneaky sniffing of the fruit

in the hopes of getting that first waft of wonderful summer scent

 you can look a bit odd taking in gulping snozfulls of the fruit

so you have to be a bit stealth about it

but at least I wasn't the only one I spotted doing it the other day

and while I admit the gentleman I saw doing it looked decidedly mad

he went for the two handed major sniffage and sigh

whereas I went for the casual passing sniff

which I am sure I carried it off with style and charm

plus I finished drawing and painting up some artichokes which means that all week

I have had Sinus' stupid artichoke joke in my head

no I am not going to tell you the joke because it is truly appalling

plus if I did then Sinus would take it as a sign that he was secretly hilarious

and much bad joke telling would ensue

and I am not quite ready to forgive him the manatea/ dugong debate just yet

happy painting all...xx

The Winners Are....

I have to say it was great fun hitting the button to find out who the winners were

  maybe not as much fun as getting the mutt to draw it

 but infinitely tidier and gloriously free of dog slobber

 so without further ado the winner of

 the Steeping Mug from The Tea Spot

 and a print and card prize pack is...

Linda K....

The three winners of the print and card packs are...

Jo Murray 

Dorothy Whelchel 

Neesie

congratulations to the winners and a huge thanks to everyone

 for supporting the giveaway and the cuppa project

and a special thank you to The Tea Spot for their prize

I have had so many new people joining the project and sending me mugs and cups

and it is like my whole desk is exploding with inspiration and colour

which makes just walking in the studio a glorious exercise in wonderful

So here are the first three done for the rebooted Cuppa With Friends Project...

The first mug I tackled is this seriously awesome one from Catherine Constance...

Patricia Dattoma sent me this one...

This final one for week one was from Donna from My Cup of Tea

I have a desk full of mug and cup drawings just waiting for me to add paint and ink

so I am going to get stuck in and get messy

thanks again for being part of the fun

and the awesome support, it is so appreciated

happy painting all...xx