Samhain sketches for #NaSkeFiMo

Samhain

When the past and present worlds collide.

The veil between the worlds is thin.

Ancestor worship.

When the Witches fly.

 

(Yes I know today is SOLSTICE, more about that later today)

 

The last Mabon / Autumn Sketch

My wild, windswept tree.  
Diamine inks, pastel pencils, heat distressed copper sheets.

I love this one, good way to end this section.

 

Slow stitching

Working on a new piece…. but don’t want to reveal too much about it, nor the project as a whole just yet.

This one needs to be kept to myself for a while.
Maybe 12 months or more.

I have an idea.  It’s a good one….(I think). 
But I want (and need) to reveal at an exhibition, not before.

No, there is no date yet, nor a venue.

This makes it hard for me to blog sometimes, I want to show you everything I’m working on.

 

I will show you work based and around the Hare and I will show you my painting and sketching.  
#NaSkeFiMo (National Sketchbook filling Month) has expanded into December (and possibly beyond).

I worked through some Mabon / Autumn ideas and now its time for Samhain, so I’ll post those over the next few days.

I know you’ll understand.

 

Then another frost

Jack Frost was doing his thing, lovely hairy frost.  
The type that glitters as you walk past.

Has meant lots of layering up, gloves and huggingly by the heaters in the studio.

Sunlight through our beech trees.

Frozen hips of Rosa Rugosa.

Frozen candelabra in the border.

Has also resulted in a much needed tidy up.
When I got too cold I put loud 80’s anthems on and danced around.

After the storm

All the leaves have gone from the trees now.    

Autumn is glorious in Northumberland, only lasts for a few weeks and then a good gust of wind sends all the leaves tumbling down in one night.

Leaves floating in a puddle in a waterlogged field.

Colours

Make my heart sing

After the frost...

Came the rain

Thats not a river, thats a field on the left.
In theory anyway. 

Intuitive Painting

Years ago I took an online course by Flora Bowley.  I love her style of painting but haven’t indulged for a while.
I should really, I have several half painted canvases.  

It’s still very difficult to get motivated to do anything much and I know other people should not affect your life and motivation, unfortunately with me they do.  But anyway….

 These are in my kitchen, two tables and a loo seat.  
I hadn’t planned for them to be so brightly coloured, but against the mainly white walls they look wonderful.  
The one dark blue wall sets off the long table perfectly, though this won’t be it’s final resting place. 
Still lots of restructuring to do moving sinks etc. 

 

Hares and Swallows with Cherry Blossom and a Lotus.

 

#NaSkeFiMo

 

National Sketchbook Filling Month is progressing well, though next year I’ll use a thinner book! (and one with paper that isn’t cream - discovered I like white, and isn’t so “slippery”).  All a learning curve

 

Beauty in Brrr......

Has been very cold here and that means the garden has been looking beautiful.

Love that low winter sun through those trees.

November challenges

 

Do you feel a little like hibernating?

I do.  It’s a challenge just getting up and getting on with anything.

 Only with coffee, not tea.

 

I’m eating far too much chocolate, drinking too much coffee and reading far too much.
Is that all possible?   Can you do too much of those?
 

And did you know its….

The international aim is to write 50,000 words in a month.
I’ve set myself a goal of 25,000 as I discovered it late and didn’t get prep time in October.
I’m also enjoying.
 

Why not join us on Facebook?

 

 

 

#inktober /6

#inktober / 5

#inktober /4

#inktober / 3

#NaSkeFiMo Day 3

National Sketchbook Filling Month!

There’s a great group on Facebook.  Why not join?  Anything goes, just fill a sketchbook - drawing, painting, collage...

All the sketching work will translate to textiles, I promise 

#inktober /2

#inktober

#inktober….. an idea that's apparently been running for a few years but i only found it recently.  
The idea is to do something in ink, one a day for the whole month of October.

I DID IT!!!!

Over the next few days I'll post them up here, if you follow me on Instagram or Facebook you’ll have seen these already.  

I started colouring them in

Or giving a wash of watercolour, but I was only using a sketchbook so I stopped after the second day.