Lindisfarne

 Lindisfarne - always beautiful, whatever time of the year you visit.
Even on a dull day in March.

An iconic view of the castle, with a handy boat placed perfectly for the shot.

Looking across to Bamburgh Castle and waving to mum.
Sad times. 

 

 

First Gardening update of 2015

First gardening update of the year can be found here.

You can see and read about 2014 on my gardening website  here.

 

The Gilded Page

More fun with the 48 Weeks course by Donna Downey.
This is week 45 and as usual I put my own spin on things.

Can’t beleive I have almost finished, but also have given up trying to keep to a decline - ha,ha, got to laugh at the spellchecker on a Mac - I meant deadline, but decline is fitting too!

With all the family upheavals I feel as if I am walking through treacle just now.
Its hard to get anything started, never mind finished.
Time is evaporating and everything seems to be taking much longer than usual to achieve.

This is one of my favourite sketchbook spreads.
Enjoy! 

 

Shift & Kirtle

Could be the name of a pub don’t you think?
“The Shift & Kirtle"

This is first view of some new work and not a corset in sight.
We’re rocking fifteenth century peasant fashion, not Downton Abbey this time.

Have made a mock up using an old duvet cover…. then did a little cutting and pinning to get the shape I wanted.

Firstly on the front…... 

 

 

Then on the back...

Figures

Have found myself getting into drawing and painting figures….. 

Not something that ever appealed before, but suddenly it is.
Abstract of course.
 

Strange how that happens sometimes. 
Like a switch in your brain just flicks….. 

Walking time

Went for a walk with DH around Alnwick castle.  Literally AROUND the castle.  
Fans of Blackadder will recognise the shot….

For once my legs didn’t cramp up too much, they are really impeding my walk capabilities.
The calcium supplements are doing some good, but its not the whole story and I know there’s something else out of balance…. but then we knew that years ago, cortisol is screwed, HRT is necessary…. thyroid spluttering but not enough for the NHS to treat….

Talking of treat (ing), we headed to Nood Food for lunch - very different and lovely.  
Especially at the end of a good walk. 

More Doodling

Taken from a class on the Life Book 2015 course.

Leaves always end up as Paisleys…...

 

Go where your dreams take you....

Playing with layers, colours, doodling, drawing hares (again).

The Eclipse

Was a good day for seeing the eclipse through the camera… just cloudy enough to knock back some of the light.

I love that point when the birds stop singing.

From the middle to the end….

Scattering the ashes

During half term we took mums ashes and scattered them on the beach at Bamburgh as she had requested.

It was always her favourite place to go and walk and paddle (whatever the weather).
Fond memories of paddling in the depths of winter wrapped in so many layers we couldn’t bend down.

I shall go along every now and them to say hello and have a chat.

She now has an eternal view of the castle and the Farne Islands. 

Namaste

Namaste

Greetings from me to you.

I shall try to be here on a regular basis from now on. 
Its been too long a break again, too much going on with family and I’ve lost the plot with “me”.
Aiming to be back on track as soon as I can. 

Sunset

 

Harthope Valley, just up and over a hill from home….. heather burning, smoke and a bit of tweaking to give a lovely photo.

 

It made it into the paper, I set myself a challenge, see how many I get get in throughout the year.

Unfortunately the print quality is pretty dreadful. 

Snowdrop Time

Snow drops are looking gorgeous in the garden.
We have a really good show this year.

The Daffodils are just coming through too.
Spring must be on its way. 

Time to order from the Sarah Raven catalogue :)

The Feather

The Magical Feather

Sketchbook Work - What Lies below?

 "What lies below" was the prompt from the Documented Life Project 2015.

I immediately thought of Hares - though I realise they don’t actually live in burrows (artistic license!) and I thought of the Cup & Ring marked rocks we find in Northumberland.
So many of which must still be UNDER the ground.

 So here is the spread, I cut through to a second painted page - its not as delicate as I would have liked, but then that’s the point of trying out new ideas, its an experiment, it doesn’t always have to work.  

But it’s a great starting point for refinement and further study.

What I did love was my sleeping hare….. I think you’ll be seeing him again.
Am having a hare thing at the mo…..

Sketchbook Work - The Labrynth

The Beginning and the End.

 Labrynth: An intricate combination of paths or passages in which it is difficult to find ones way or reach an exit.  
Any confusingly intricate state of things or events.

 

 

Sketchbook Work - Dream

Sketchbook Work - Dream

We should all Dream.
I think it’s important for the artistic soul.

 

Sketchbook Work - An artist is....

An Artist is an Explorer…..

(Or as I said when I posted this on Facebook - An artist is... underpaid, undervalued and fed up! - but I was having a bad day!!)

Don’t forget you can find me on Facebook  here.
Would love to see you there.