Coming soon to Etsy

First of all I do apologise for the look of my blog, blogger 'forced' me to update it and I really do not understand it at all, so its now an awful colour scheme till I can work out what to do with it, seriously thinking of just starting again elsewhere. I am also now finding it very difficult to follow other blogs, as my faithful list has disappeared and I have to go in search of others new posts, so again if I miss you I am so sorry, will try find some time to sort it all out soon, even if it does mean starting again and putting up a new link here. Hopefully somewhere on this post has appeared a preview of one of the cards I have been working on, I have just draft listing a few cards to add to my Etsy shop, my dreams of filling it with wondeful art works are taking a bit longer than I had hoped so had to think of something I could do to keep it going, and still give me enough free time to sketch and paint, with plenty of much needed practice, I will get there just taking a bit longer than I thought. Sales of bags are down everywhere, shows how things are going not enough spare cash for anyone for treats these days, so little point in getting the sewing machine out for more bags, I am still using it though to have fun with cards, I am working on some patchwork card designs, everyone buys cards... right? The cards drafted to go in the shop are a mixture of fabrics, stamps (my new love in life, I do love ink stamping, what fun!) and I have added a couple of sketches to see how they go, gulp... Hope everyone is ok out there, believe there are a few flood alerts around the UK, not too bad here, got a bit wet on the dog walk this morning but first time in longer than I can remember, so cant complain. OK, time to hit 'publish' and hope you can see the card. NB - SORRY, NO IDEA WERE THE IMAGE HAS GONE??? TIME FOR A NEW BLOG SOON I THINK:(

Dads Birthday

Whoops, been a bad blogger again - though I did have a spell of blog block. Here is the gift I made for my Dad for his birthday on the 4th April. The picture is of him and his mates whilst on National Service in Cyprus in the 50's. Dad is the shy one on the right! I mounted it on mdf, which was painted, collaged and varnished. Here he is on his birthday, he is normally dressed but had a nasty fall the day before so was unable to walk, so we normally go out for his Birthday this year we had to fetch it all to him.



I'm still busy drawing and painting every day, every evening is spent sketching - I 'think' I am starting to improve. Also spend far too much time on the book of days facebook page, and watching all the wonderful videos available to help me with my art, I even attended the 'live stream' at weekend, which was great fun. If you are interested in mixed media and/or Art Journal, do take a look here Book of Days best thing I did, has done wonders for my confidence in art and in other area's.

I do check in with blogger each day so always keeping an eye on everyone, I might not always comment (often I think I have only to find I didnt, sorry) but I do always read.

Thats all for now, back to the sketchbook.

Lynda x

New Art Journal

When the going gets tough... the tough make a new journal. Yesterday was a pretty awful day. Due to having to protect the identity of the person concerned I cannot go into detail, but sketching around the details it involved a family I know quite well, a young girl and an individual who is it seems on the sex offenders list. I only hope the young lady and her family can come to terms with this in time. I have said this before here, but I truly do not understand how some people can live with themselves.

Not my problem of course, but the only way to deal with the upset of the whole thing for me was some retail therapy, so off to the charity shop I went and came back with a few frames to paint and this...





which I then turned into this...



It started off as a bright cheery journal to take me away from the horrors of the world out there, but has now turned into a new journal of faces. Somewhere I can work on them each day. I took the picture before the journaling, as if it turns out anywhere near ok there is a specially brave young lady it is dedicated too and may receive it.




They should get better as I have been following a lot of tutorials on faces, some from Effy Wild and the Book of Days
and some on youtube by Jenniebellie, who is also a good teacher for the faces, art journalling and mixed media.

Well, paint should be dry now for Dads birthday pressie which I am also working on so back to it. Have a good weekend all. xx

On the drawing board

You may remember some time ago I tried 'Duncan the Donkey' not a huge success so gave up on him. Having sorted out some interesting quotes I wanted something to go with the idea of old age, my old people were not so good so I had a go at tortoise last night, the idea is there.... earlier today I painted them too.




Maybe a bit more work on character, but I think they are coming on ok - OH said they do actually look like tortoise so thats a start.

I did manage to put my very first ACEO in my Etsy shop and even sold it on the same day, so have added a few more and when I get around to the photo's might even add some Altered Art ones for something different.
Yesterday I visited the charity shop and came out armed with frames and art blocks, have done some priming of them, but got a bit impatient with one of the frames so now sporting a rather large couple of plasters on my cut to bits thumb when I broke the glass on one, not helpful for sketching and painting.. not that I have had a lot of time today with OH at home under my feet.

So many idea's floating around my head and not enough hours in the day.

Happy Mothers Day

Firstly, happy Mothers day to my Mum - who does read this on occasion when she remembers LOL. This was her gift for today, luckily she does like handmade gifts.

I would also like to spare a thought for the many today is not such a happy day as they no longer have their Mums with them. It is my own belief that they will never leave us and always be in our hearts and by our sides, but of course not the same as being able to physically see and chat too.

In brief, I am as usual surrounded by paint and other media - today I have taken the plunge and started to photograph some atc/aceo's with a view to putting them up for sale in my Etsy shop. About time I did something really, been doing this for 6 months now, lets see how long I have my draft listings sat there for (next job) before I actually get brave enough to do this....

Hope everyone is having a good weekend, the weather is being very kind to us here long may it continue.

Special Anniversary

At weekend the family celebrated a very special anniversary, Mum and Dads 50th!! Here they are on their special day all those years ago.
Their main present from me I forgot to photograph, but it was a design with their names and date with all the events from March 10th over the years, in a large frame and mounted in cream and gold. (purchased the print from Etsy)

As I now have a stack of wood to paint on I started my very first plaque for them too, sorry about the poor photo.



..and a fun one I made for me.



Thats as far as I got as have now run out of ideas, apart from a larger plaque I am making for my Dad's friend in the USA for Easter.

Today I have spent sketching faces, they are improving s l o w l y .... though after about six hours of it my eyes are starting to strain a bit now. I had a go at colouring one which again went very badly, but just realised coloured pencil on waterproof paper (with tooth) was probably not the best of ideas, so going to try plain sketch paper later on, also waiting for some new portrait pencils from derwent which are the coloursoft ones, I have the full set on my wish list that I have dropped VERY large hints to anyone who will listen for my birthday next month. I seem to have far more success with pencils than most mediums, though I am still practicing with the oils - Zoe was quite right though, need much more patience than I have for that, by the time I have waited for them to dry I have lost interest.


Must say I HUGE thank you to Janice from Wellydog, my gorgeous painting arrived on Saturday I am now saving up for another visit to the framers. Also thank you to Dawn from 'Audreys Cat' as I have today won her blog giveaway and have a gorgeous retro mouse on his way to me.

... and this was meant to be a short blog!

What am I doing?

This is today's question. Think I might turn it into tomorrows Book of Days quote too... I have no idea.
Earlier in the week I was feeling super confident about art, now I seem to be somewhat floundering. I had a go with oil pastels which I really enjoyed so decided it was time to have a go with oil paints, this is not going so well. My friend has told me to stop trying to create a subject and learn the paints, so I have gone back to doing that now.
Last week I visited the charity shop and purchased a stack of canvas's to paint over, I have two now gesso on, some background on them - but not sure about what to do next? Here is the first one, it started life as a brown stitched design, I have added inktense pencil.



Here is the second one, gesso, paints and inks.



Then today I drew this, with the intention of smartening him up and perhaps making the blue one into a mixed media canvas.. since photographing I have added some collage to the canvas and done some painting on my picture.



I also have a stack of mdf boards, I have made 2 little plaques, one a bit of fun for me and one for Mum and Dads anniversary, will show those soon.

My face drawings are going very badly, and the painting of them even worse - one of the artists in 'book of days' has suggested I leave them for a while, maybe I am just not meant to do them, even though I would really like too - or perhaps just trying to hard again? anyway, having a break from Rocky Horror show faces for now.

Before I stop waffling, I must thank the lovely Janice at WELLYDOG I have been lucky enough to win her blog giveaway and will soon be the VERY proud owner of a piece of fantastic art from her, will show that off when it arrives too, I am just sooooooo excited about that, Thank you Janice.