Flora

My husband recently cut up a load of woodblocks for me in all shapes and sizes....so I thought it was time I used one of them. This is Flora...a mixed-media piece with pencil, crayon, acrylics, gesso, paper napkins, gold flakes, stamps, treasure wax and upholstery studs.

She's quite small!
Whilst I'm here I'd like to thank my lovely new friend Caterina at La Dolce Vita for giving me a MeMe blog award. I am supposed to pass this on, but I find that kind of thing just too difficult. I've looked up the meaning of MeMe (rhymes with dream) and it means a unit of cultural information that represents a basic idea that can be transferred from one individual to another, and subjected to mutation, crossover and adaptation. I've been asked to say 7 things about myself.............
......here goes:

1. I LOVE flip-flops and have a huge collection of them. I even wear them throughout the winter (but not in the snow).
2. I HATE halloween (and orange with black) - not too sure why, but I do like Gothic images, crosses, Poe, crows etc.
3. I LOVE David Beckham and really don't care what you say about his voice. Its not his voice that I'm interested in (although I do think it has improved).
4. I HATE clowns.....they just make me feel funny and shuddery. Just weird.
5. I LOVE feta cheese. Especially with tomatoes and olives. Preferably in a greek taverna.
6. I HATE pasta. It sits in my mouth and won't go down. So you see....I have tried.
7. I LOVE fairy lights and have them on in my lounge and conservatory every night of the year.
Like dogs......they are for life, not just for Christmas.

I would love it if some of you in my bloglist took on this challenge....go on, I dare you.

Give Away - and a great blog!

I've discovered a great new blog and a fabulous give-away.......but there's only one day left to enter!
I recommend a visit to Cindy's Art and Soul - Cindy makes the most beautiful jewellery and sells it in her etsy shop. Here's the link to the give-away ($50 woth of her jewellery!)
Those earrings are adorable!

Maria

Here's my completed piece on wood following SuziBlu's week 4 class. We used modelling paste to create an aged effect....I think I've discovered a new love! I can't wait to start another one....

Here's the progression.
And the finished piece. At least I think its finished.....it's really hard to know.What's interesting is as soon as you put a photo on your blog you can see all the faults. I can now see that her nose is a bit wonky and her lips aren't symmetrical........but I quite like that.
Some close ups.....

Take Time........

I spent today doing a mixed-media piece in my new Moleskine journal. This is a double page spread, 8" x 10".
I tore a previously drawn face from my sketchbook and stuck it down along with some torn tissue, text and painted text (made by Patty and used to wrap one of the gifts she sent me).
Then I added paint, stamps, words, ribbon etc.
Close-ups.......

The words say...... 'Take time each day to sit quietly and listen'. They are from a lovely painting Sesga sent to me a long time ago, so I hope she won't mind me borrowing them.

This is stage one of my next project. I drew the face on cartridge paper, tore it out and stuck it down onto wood.
Its going to have a lot of paint, crayons, ink and modelling paste added to it. It will possibly become Mary....like SuziBlu's example.
I hope I don't spoil her!

The Fabric Book Returns!

My angel book returned from its travels a few days ago - its hard to believe that it has spent time in Wales and Australia! Sesga, Dot and Jacky made such beautiful pages - its very precious to me and I will treasure it. You've seen my pages before (sorry). The cover is at the top...and below are the rest of the pages............

(all pics are clickable)

mine

Dot's

Jacky's

Sesga's

Back cover.

I hope to make another page before I stitch everything together.

I have been involved in a swap with my lovely friend Patty and received a wonderful surprise in the post this week....lots of gorgeous things......

...including a beautiful arch, an ATC with a very special image......

.......a decorated little sea urchin shell (how sweet!).........and a delightful fabric bookmark.There was a wonderful smell when I opened the parcel because she also included one of her woven Lavender bundles. A parcel of delights - thank you so much Patty.

I received another surprise birthday present from Dot this week. I had admired her cute little felt 'seedling' from Squirrel Momma and couldn't believe it when I opened the packet to find this letter from the 'Momma' herself!!And here he is.....the naughty little Tomi! I love him!! Go and check out Amy's etsy site - there are lots of cute things to buy including felt seedlings and little owls.

Big hug and huge thanks to Dot....what an incredibly thoughtful friend you are.

And finally.....if you are still with me...I am celebrating the discovery of a perfume that I actually like!
I have a problem with the majority of modern perfumes - they just make me feel nauseous and give me a headache. Well this one (bought for me by DH for my birthday) is absolutely gorgeous. Its by Lollia and its called wish. It has little gold-leaf bees on the bottle - just beautiful.

I have felt well and truly indulged for the past 2 weeks, which is lovely because yesterday wasn't such a good day - I spent 45 mins in an MRI tunnel listening to Jack Johnson on huge headphones (to drown out the sound of the scanner and hear instructions from the doctor). No offence Jack....but I don't think I'll be listening to your music again for a long while.......

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend,
Linda x

Journal Cover......and Gifts!

I decided to have a play with my Luana painting, so I printed out a small version of it and used it as part of a collage for a book cover. I used a variety of paints, plus thick gesso though a stencil, a bronze cross, torn papers and a gold pen.
I want to thank everyone who sent me such kind comments about my painting; this is all new to me so I really appreciate every single one.

My original painting is 8" x 8"....this book cover is quite small - 5 1/2" square.
If you've got a spare minute, I thought I'd show you some of my lovely birthday presents.......

.......a beautiful gold necklace with a freshwater pearl from my daughter and her boyfriend, a stunning chunky pearl necklace from my mum, a bead for my bracelet from my sister (its almost full now!), and a book (one of the presents from DH)..................some gorgeous fabrics, buttons and beads from my lovely friend Dot including 2 hand-made bird beads - just look at that cute little owl! (She also sent me my fabric book back from its trip around the world - I'll show you that tomorrow)

....and last, but not least, yet more luscious fabrics, a bracelet and a delightful hand-made doll from sweet Sesga in Wales.
I am so lucky to have such lovely gifts...and wonderful friends.

Text on Tissue

A few people have asked me how I did the text on my painting.....well I cheated a little.
Sometimes I do write freehand with a Pitt pen, but on this occasion I used tissue paper.
First glue a piece of white tissue onto a sheet of A4 paper (only a thin line of glue around the edge!) Let it dry.
Then type the text on the computer and print it onto the tissue paper.
Pull it gently off the A4 (or cut around the edges so the tissue becomes free), then tear out the words carefully.
Glue them onto your work with gel medium and the tissue won't show! Its a bit like the paper napkin technique I suppose.
Make sure you glue the tissue down well (or use tape) or it will mangle up your printer - if you do that - I take no responsibility!!!
(PS The green mess is the mat I work on - in case you wondered!)

Luana

This is my first attempt at a portrait/journal page. It almost ended up in the bin a few times....but I got there. (Thank goodness for gesso.)
She started off just as a face without much character but gradually developed into my alter-ego. She is Luana...warrior queen.... lol!!! (I found the name that was the most like mine - and it actually means warrior.)
Luana is strong, independent, daring, brave....all the things I'd like to be.

At the bottom it says.... Alter-ego: second self, a part of a person's personality which is in marked contrast with his or her regular personality.
(Please click on the pictures)
I used ....... pencil crayons, acrylic paint, Lumiere paint, gold lace, German scrap, black (Pitt) pen, a gemstone, gold pen, sequin scrap, leaf stamps, gel medium and gilding flakes.
Maybe I'll go and start another one whilst I'm in the mood.......

A Busy Week.....

I'm still practising my drawing.....this is number 8..... but tomorrow I must move on to adding paint and embellishments - I'm lagging behind. (Go and see Lynn's lovely piece and you'll see what I should be doing!
I've had a busy week; it all started on Wednesday when DH and I went to Birmingham on the train (an event in itself!)
First stop was for coffee..... (it seemed a shame to disturb this)

...then we visited the Museum and Art Gallery.....
...where we had arranged to meet Rosie and her husband.

There was a special Edward Burne-Jones exhibition on (The Perseus Collection) which was a lovely surprise.

After all that the four of us had lunch in an Italian restaurant, where Rosie gave me a gorgeous present she'd made for my birthday (plus a fabulous art book.... Collaborative Art Journals). Lucky me!!

It was my birthday yesterday and this is my "official birthday portrait" taken by my personal photographer, lol !!! Please don't click on it to get a better view of the wrinkles and baggy eyes.