Beautiful!

Next job!

Am now sitting putting my small paintings in mounts.  Then what???!!!!

Jewellery all tagged

Whilst watching the London Marathon on this bright and sunny morning, i decided to price up all of my jewellery.  I haven't done the earings yet....but the rest is done.  I just need to find somewhere to sell them now!  Thats the hard work i guess.

Feeling pretty guilty as all of those thousands of people are running for charity and there's me (who drives a half mile down the road) sitting pricing up my crap jewellery!  

Am still here :S

Thought i would share this....This is my fav. Ebay buy recently.  Has pride of place in my bathroom.  Is a cute little cupboard to put all my crap in.  I think the material is Cath Kidston.

Need to hoover this damned place and dust....but i'm enjoying the sun and the wine sitting at my dining room table.  Have got alot achieved today anyway...and for details of my baby steps see other blog hehehe.

And this.....

Is what i'm doing now :)  mmmmmm vino!

My Saturday! Cramming it in again!!!

These are the bits that came today...ebay purchases of course :)  Just a few mounts etc.  And the pic above is what happens when i decide to try and do it all!  It turns into a complete mess.  How on earth can one work in that mess! 

Why is there always so much to do?  So much you wanna do and so much that there just isn't time for???  I hate it.  Anyway....last night....sketching away and having found renewed inspiration from looking at the work by Sam Toft.....i decided to draw upon my thoughts and feelings etc.  The drawing is pretty damned awful....and its not finished.  I used acrylic on mount board and the results were actually quite pleasing.  I will finish off with maybe some pastels or something.  Bear in mind...i was just playing :)

New wave of inspiration!

Speaking to my dearest friend this morning, she introduced me to some fantastic paintings.
So, whilst sitting at work....again my head is full of thought.
http://www.samtoft.co.uk/

Have definately lost my way

Non creative at the mo....so lets just post random pics

Goodies

Ordered a few bits from beads direct the other day.....have this unhealthy obsession lately with buying craft and art materials!  Must stop!!!  But....justifying myself here.....its all dirt cheap.

So....new beads, jump rings, clasps and head pins....all of which i was running low of.

Need to do some more painting!  

Just for my reference

Essential Oil
What it is/what it does
Precautions

Ajowan
Improves circulation and relieves muscle pain
Use sparingly on sensitive skin
Angelica
Restores and strenghtens
Not to be used in sun
Armoise
Muscle relaxant, emollient
Don't use if pregnant
Basil
Soothing, muscle relaxant, toner
To be used sparingly
Bay
Stimulates and energizes
Can cause skin irritation
Bergamot
Conditioner, antiseptic, soothes
Phototoxic
Black pepper
Muscle relaxant
/
Camphor
muscle relaxant, soothing, conditioner
Don't use it if pregnant or epileptic
Cananga
skin conditioner
/
Carrot seed
musle relaxant, soothing, conditioner
/
Cedarwood Virginia
Antiseptic, conditioner, soothing
/
Chamomile Moroc/Roman
conditioner, muscle relaxant
/
Cinnamon Bark
conditioner, anti-inflammation
Can cause skin irritation
Ciary Sage
Conditioner, astringent, soothing, muscle relaxant
Don't use if pregnant, don't drink or drive
Clove Bud
Muscle relaxant, soothing
Can cause skin irritation
Coconut
Emolient, soothing
To be used sparingly
Coriander
Muscle relaxant, soothing
To be used sparingly
Cumin
Stimulates
Can cause skin irritation
Cypress
antiseptic, soothing, astringent, skin conditioner
Flammable
Eucalyptus
Antiseptic, soothing, conditioner
/
Evening Primrose
Used for dry skin and eczema
/
Fennel (sweet)
muscle relaxant, soothing, antiseptic
To be used sparingly
Geranium
Skin refreshner and muscle relaxant
/
Ginger
Astringent
/
Grapefruit
Soothing, conditioner, astringent
/
Jasmin
emollient, soothing and antiseptic
/
Jojoba
emollient, soothing and healing
/
Juniper
detoxifies skin, soothing and astringent
Flammable
Lavender
muscle relaxant, soothing, conditioner and astringent
/
Lemon
soothing and antiseptic
/
Lime
Soothing, conditioner, astringent
/
Mandarin
soothing, astringent and conditioner
/
Myrtle
soothing, conditioner, astringent and muscle relaxant
/
Neroli
emollient and antiseptic
/
Nutmeg
soothing for irritated skin, antiseptic and muscle relaxant
To be used sparingly
Orange
soothing, astringent, conditioner
/
Patchouli
anti-inflammatory, astringent and antiseptic
/
Peppermint
emollient, muscle relaxant, antiseptic
Can cause skin irritation
Pine
antiseptic
Can cause skin irritation
Rose Absolute
skin conditioner
/
Rose Otto
astringent
/
Rosemary
muscle relaxant
Do not take if pregnant or have high blood pressure
Sage
soothing
Don't use if pregnant or have epilepsy
Sandalwood
emollient, antiseptic, astringent, conditioner, soothing
/
Spearmint
astringent, emollient, muscle relaxant, soothing
To be used sparingly
Tea Tree
antiseptic
Can cause irritation to sensitive skin
Thyme
Toner and antiseptic
Can cause skin irritation
Vanilla
emolient
/
Yiang-Yiang
reduces stress and tension
/
Zanthoxylum
reduces stress and tension
/

Have broken the back of my first day back at work!

It's 2.45pm....and i have 2 1/4 hours left before my first day after my break is done and dusted! Am missing being at home...having withdrawal symptoms with regard to the creative me! and again i find myself doodling whilst taking work related calls!

I need to get back to my course work....so....to inspire me to crack on....i have posted a pic of some of the illustrations i did a few months back.

Cramming it all into my last few hours of the day before work tomorrow :(

So not looking forward to going back to work.  I have really enjoyed just being.....cooking, cleaning, making, painting.  For the past few days i've been on the jewellery making thing again.  Have made some rubbish really.  I wouldn't wear it so why do i think someone else would :)

This really made me chuckle

I look like an eskimo!  and ohhhhhh sooooo old!  Too much time on my hands :)

Creatively slacking!

I've lost the will over the last couple of days.  My life is sometimes like a whirlwind....people come....people go.....i'm up i'm down.....for the last two hours i've had my sister here doing my hair and my brother popped in....she is full of life and exciting to be around....he is full of his new girlfriend....then....they go....and i'm here....alone!  And i made a really really nice wholesome dinner too...and there is no one here to eat it.  So, me and music and wine.  Seeing as though i've lost my way with creating over the last few days.....i'll post a lil pic of something anyway....not sure what yet.

More sales!

Well...am totally pleased with today.  I have also sold 10 pieces of jewellery.  Now if this could go on every day....i could give up the day job!  Not likely :)

Yay....I had my first Etsy Sale!!!!

So excited this morning.  I checked etsy as i do every morning and to my absolute surprise....i sold a painting!!  So with much thanks to vivienne straus....my painting will be winging its way to the US this week!  

Its grotty out there today....nearing the end of my week off work.  Still sitting in my jammies....but need to get myself motivated.....so much to do....so little time.

On being a flitter!

Has its good points and bad points i suppose.  The bad....is that i cannot settle to one thing....the good is that i have varied interests.....that usually clash :)  I've been on the jewellery thing again....made about 15 pieces over last two days (inbetween the painting, cleaning, washing, cooking etc).  Not great pics....lazy me as per....but here is a selection of the latest jewellery.

Contemplating - my newest painting

So....my next new painting....'Contemplating'....Sums it all up.  Not much blurb on this one....just the normal progression pics above.

A better pic

A better pic of the first birdy painting i did

This little Birdy......

.......Just keeps popping up.  Ok so the painting on these isn't up to scratch...infact looking closely its pretty damned poor!  But i love them.  How cute would these look on a wall!!  I'm glad i dreamed of this bird now :)  Now available in my etsy shop

The bird from my dream

Painted over an old canvas today and decided to paint the bird from my dream.  Think it has worked quite well :)

My newest painting and the beauty of an ipod!

Blown away.  Sometimes i stick my ipod on and all of my most loved tracks come on and i love each and every one of them....but....sometimes....this little box that belts out my favorites...occasionally throws in a gem that you didn't have a clue you had or even heard of.  Of course, i've heard of casta diva....but never by Filippa Giordano....and oh my....what an absolutely amazing version.  I have listened to it over and over and every time i hear it i get goose bumps.  Anyway....i started on a new canvas.....and was at a loss as to words for it....but as soon as i heard 'Casta Diva'....well...that was it.  Still has quite a bit of work to be done to it....but this is it so far

Two of my fav paintings by John William Waterhouse

Just playing around

I'm too lazy to get my proper camera out...and colours pretty crappy on my phone....but this was me just doodling

My Dream

I just had to share this.  Not a great picture as i snapped it on my phone....but this is the sketch i did after dreaming of a long legged bubble bird!!!  Most bizarre dream....wanted to share as i'm sure that this signifies something!!!

The New Painting

Ok....so the above is the progress of my first proper mixed media painting.  I was totally inspired by an artist i found on etsy - Kelly Rae - She paints the most amazing mixed media paintings.  The reason i was drawn to her work is because how she paints is how i see things.....in eyes, faces, mouths etc etc.  I have always had a thing about drawing womens faces and bodies...which is kinda why i wanted to do fashion design/illustration.  Therefore i have realised that maybe my way forward is to stop doodling faces and paint them instead.

I am quite pleased with my above effort :)  

AND

I would love some feedback! :)

Definition of an 'Artist'

art⋅ist

    [ahr-tist]  Show IPA

–noun

1.	a person who produces works in any of the arts that are primarily subject to aesthetic criteria.

2.	a person who practices one of the fine arts, esp. a painter or sculptor.

3.	a person whose trade or profession requires a knowledge of design, drawing, painting, etc.: a commercial artist.

4.	a person who works in one of the performing arts, as an actor, musician, or singer; a public performer: a mime artist; an artist of the dance.

5.	a person whose work exhibits exceptional skill.

6.	a person who is expert at trickery or deceit: He's an artist with cards.

7.

Obsolete. an artisan. Is the above what one considers an artist?  I don't think so.  I bought my canvas and some beautiful new acrylic colours....it started off so well....gorgeous lilacs and wedgewood blues...and then i plastered on the black!  and messed it up.  I have now re-done the face and will start again.  But the word artist has been going over and over in my head the last few days.  WHAT IS AN ARTIST?  Does the fact that i love art...i love creating art...i love playing....i have NEVER sold a painting or piece of work....make me an artist???  I don't think it does.  I think i need to work harder :)