Halloween stationery!

Hallo! I know I know - it's a little early for Halloween things, but I'm getting excited about it! Firstly, Amelia will be having a party, inviting her school friends around, making gooey things and watching scary movies. She'll be designing her own invitations too!

I've also sorted out a few Halloweeny invitations for you guys - these little notecard/postcard sets, featuring two of my illustrations - 'Jesamine and Nikita' and 'Anouk in the Pumpkin Patch'.

There are a few packs to choose from, so have a look around the 'Stationery' section if you like :)

Mixed pack - five of each design - CLICK HERE TO SEE THEM ON ETSY

 

Ick! You know, I always feel a bit weird about the shameless self-promotion. I think it's a problem we British people tend to have.

I have to tell myself:

"STOP IT! This is your livelihood and you're entitled to tell anyone interested about any new creations. if they don't like it, they can just look elsewhere. Simple."

 

OK. That's better. Thank you. Now time for some dinner-making and more glitter-applying. Let's hope I don't get them confused with each other...

 

xxx

Mystery At Banteay Srei

Mystery At Banteay Srei - acrylic on canvas 5 x 7

 

CLICK HERE TO SEE PAINTING ON ETSY

 

It has taken this long for inspiration to form into an actual painting, since visiting Cambodia in 2010. I feel the chill of Autumn nipping at my fingers and toes and dream of being back in the searing heat with the shrill and constant sound of crickets in the trees all around us.

 

xxx





Gloria Wonders Whether Or Not She Should Change Her Perceptions

 

 ...Perceptions about what? Is it the obvious, with the poster on the wall next to her, or something else? Why is she standing there with that look on her face? Is she waiting for someone, or something? What is in that large leather handbag? What building does that wall belong to?

 

I'm not sure how this lady materialised exactly, but I had been watching a documentary about the life of the amazing Frida (Khalo), and feeling very emotional and motivated and was wanting some Mexican linen (you know, with the white lace and the embroidered bright, happy colours), then she appeared out of the blue (not Frida - this Gloria character), fully formed in my mind and ready to be painted. I find that when characters appear like that, I have to paint them straight away, or it feels as though there's a pressure building up in my mind, then I overthink the image and it gets all confused and distorted, as though it has begun to turn to rot. That sounds horrible and rather melodramatic doesn't it?  Anyway, I feel very lucky that I have the chance in most cases to put these little people onto canvas, pure and fresh from my imagination (or wherever they come from)...which reminds me of author of 'Eat, Pray, Love' - Elizabeth Gilbert's TED talk. Where does our inspiration come from? I've shared that video around about a million times, so apologies if you have seen it before, but I think about it a lot these days!

 

I have a thing for red polkadot things at the moment, but am trying not to hoard examples of it all over the house - which would be fine for Amelia and myself, but Rob isn't such a great fan, but he's a boy, so he can't be expected to understand it, I guess.

 

You can find Gloria, right here on Etsy! Thank you Martha, for the name suggestion - it suits her to a T!

 

xxx

Hot Prairie Fire and all the Colours In Between

Unintentionally, this post has turned out very red-and-yellowy. How apt for our season :)

 

I've been working away on a new painting. Here are a few glimpses. I thought  would have had it finished by now, but Amelia has had a couple of days off school poorly, so i haven't had quite as much time as I though - AND I always mis-time these things, so it will be finished when it's finished. I'm pretty sure we're close...

 

Ever dependable Gardener's DelightTomatoes are ripening in the conservatory :) yes - this year, I just went for the good old faithfuls instead of the usual rare varieties! Yum!

 

...and these chillies are crazy hot! They start with that lovely, capsicum taste, then the tingle begins... Now, Rob isn't one to turn down a good chillie challenge and can usually take the heat, but this is a tough one! If you're interested in trying it out for yourself (or surprising a loved/hated one with a bit of spice!) the variety is Hot Prairie Fire. My friends in the US can also find it on Amazon...and you ovely peeps in Aus, there are some on Ebay too ;) OK. I would love to list every country and continent, but that could get crazy. I'm sure you can find your own if you're at all interested and live elsewhere).

 

 Since Sunday, Amelia has been trying something new. As I got to grips again with the sewing machine (hadn't touched it in three years), we decided to make a little mini cushion, onto which Amelia begged to sew 'something'. I remembered we bought a little pack of pink buttons from Liberty's last year (also have a look at their children's wear - woohoo, but costy!!).

She did get a little frustrated when she realised she had gone and made loops and put the needle in and out the wrong places, but I kind of love it like that. It will be lovely to keep these little mementos and see how her skills develop over time. I can't wait to see her finished product!

 

I've packed and parcelled all orders to date, so had better get off to the village Post Office, then back for a little scintillating karate uniform ironing for Amelia's class later!

 

Toodlepip!

xxx



Bridges and Blooms

Back from an amazing holiday! Really, the Balkans are something else.

I think my favourite place Was this - Mostar. The bridge is absolutely mind-boggling. Something in your mind tells you that it can't possibly stand, can't possibly have held up to people crossing it for almost five hundred years, but it did, until it was shelled 63 times in the war and finally fell in 1993. There are still many stark reminders like this around the city:

Yet, in 2004, the Old Bridge was rebuilt with the stones which had fallen into the river below and is as beautiful as ever!

People are again jumping off every day :)

 

 

The first job on our return was to finish Amelia's wall mural!

 

She loves it!

Today, I've been packaging orders and gently getting back into a normal routine during Amelia's first day back in school (and at juniors now!).

A nice cup of tea

Checking up on the garden :)

Huuuuge sunflower!

Yum!

Multicoloured chillies!

I brought some garden inside, seeing as the Japanese Anenome is flourishing so well.

 

I'm going to take Amelia out for a little walk after school - see if we can find some cob nuts!

 

Hope you're also having a lovely late summer.

xxx