Painting Happy! ( = Happy Me!!)

Yippeeee - Very Happy ME!!! I have been painting very, very happy indeed!

I feel so incredibly lucky to have taken a new online course by the wonderful Micki Wilde of The Secret Hermit.

I have long admired Micki's soft, inviting and uplifting style. But, I have also been lucky enough to call her my friend too. She has through many a chat; advised, guided and prompted me to grow as an artist and now she has created this self-paced online art course and is doing that for everyone who wants to join in the fun!

Micki, is not only asking us create meaningful and very personal artwork but to let go of the constraints of perfection that we (I know I am certainly guilty of this) sometimes place upon ourselves and try to have fun and 'play' whilst we paint. 

She shows how to create some fantastic, freeflowing backgrounds and introduces techniques that she uses to such amazing effect in her own artwork. I am having great fun trying out some of these and getting very messy in the process hehe! 

And, those gorgeous, faces ...! Wow! It was so interesting learning how many different ways she has of starting and creating those whimiscal lovelies! I will stop now because I don't want to spoil it if you have joined or are planning on joining in the fun soon. If you want to have a look at what is going on, here is promo vid for her course.

  I hope that you all have a wonderful week.

 Paint Happy!! xx

Living In The Moment

Hey lovlies! I can't believe it is so long since my last post! Where has this time gone?

Oh, My Word!!

Life is moving way too fast for me to keep up. My lovely daughter is about to leave school this week. I look at what a wonderful young lady she has become and think where is the curious little girlie that ran into nursery not a care in the world leaving me in floods of tears because she ran into school with not a care in the world hehe! Where has the time gone?

More and more, it is becoming apparent to me that I need to live more in the moment and take stock of the here and now. If you remember, my father in law passed away recently. Very suddenly and without warning. I think this was the start of me really noticing the time whizzing by and me not being able to keep up.

By striving to live more in the moment, I am hoping to be able to slow some things down and appreciate much more the wonderful things in my life (before they all up and leave without a care in the world!)

I have been doing a lot of sketching recently. I have loved the quiet, focused, time-slowing time and being able to play and create new girlies. Here are some of my favourites that I am intending on making into paintings over the next few weeks.

This little girlie has already become my latest painting. I think her eyes are probably the biggest and most hopeful I have drawn.

Owl Was Somewhat Concerned (but she knew everything would be okay).

I am going to love and leave you with a fabulous piccie sent to me be the equally fabulous Stacy. She recently gave one of my Googley Eyed Girls a new home. When I listed her 'sister' on Etsy, she took a picture of them both together. It really made me smile. Thanks lovely Stacy xx

Have a lovely week! xx

Whoa! Googley Eyed Girlies

Hello lovely friends!

Firstly, thank you all for your lovely and thoughtful messages of support and condolence regarding our loss of 'Big Ron'. They have really touched me and so I appreciate all of them.

Again, this week, I have thrown myself into making art and have been experimenting a little with colour. I wrote a while ago about me taking part in Life Book with Tamara Laporte and lots of other amazing artists. One of the reasons I was so excited about joining in with Life Book was the inclusion of Mindy Lacefield as one of the new teachers. I so love her style and particularly her use of colour and I was keenly awaiting her lesson. And, it didn't disappoint - she is such a wonderful and inspiring artist and teacher.

So, inspired by Mindy, I got some neon acrylic paints and incorporated them into some new paintings I have been working on.

Whoa! Look At Me!

Mila is a googley eyed girl that was inspired by my tricksy girl in my painting 'It Wasn't Me'. You may remember I wrote about sketching her out during a recent yucky spell I was having but the right idea for incorporating her into a painting hadn't come to me until recently. I am so pleased with how she turned out. She definitely makes me a happy bunny, hehe!

Googley Eyed Eva

Eva couldn't believe her eyes! What she saw made her eyes even more googley than usual! (I wonder what it is she has seen?? Hehe!!)

          Love 'n' hugs and hope you are all well and happy!

xXx

Love, Loss and Painting

Hello lovely Blogger friends!

Apologies, apologies for not being here for a while. Lots of things going on and I have sadly neglected so many things over the past few weeks.

We lost my father-in-law recently. To say it was a shock would be to understate how we all felt. It wasn't expected and it has hit us like a tonne weight. A hole has been left where this huge man with a big heart stood. You will be forever in our hearts, 'Big Ron'!!

Art has really helped me and, that is actually not for the first time. I managed to take the opportunity for some time alone with my thoughts and I got the time to finish some paintings I had started some time ago. I am really pleased with how these little ladies turned out. Each one makes me smile and that makes me happy!

'Playing With Butterflies'

Chouko loved nothing more than playing with her friends the butterflies. She sometimes felt like she was going through her own metamorphosis and perhaps one day she would be beautiful too. Maybe one day she would have wings to fly.

'Lilia Smiled'

Lilia had been away from home for quite some time. She loved all the wonderful places she visited and the amazing people she met there. But, what she loved even more was coming home. When she saw the familiar things a smile came to her lips and the colour to her cheeks.

'Cara Loves ...'

Cara has such a beautiful soul. So full of life, love and giving. She wants to spread that to everyone she meets. She wants everyone to have a soul of life, love and giving.

All of these little girlies are in my Etsy Shop and have all kept me on the path I needed to follow during this difficult time.

I intend being back with you very soon. I posted some sketches in my previous blog and have also had some time to work on these too. I am really pleased with how they are coming along and will hopefully get to share them with you soon.

Take care everyone - love 'n' hugs xx

Busy, busy week!

This week has been all about painting, painting, painting! Except for a trip to the theatre last night to watch Priscilla Queen of the Desert staring Jason Donovan. You have no idea how much of a girlie crush I had on Mr D when I was younger hehe! Anyway, he didn't disappoint, he was fantastic and the show was amazing. My daughter, Mathilda, got to go on stage and dance with the cast and, as an aspiring actress, she was made up hehe! I must say that she looked mighty comfortable up there in front of all those people!! She has still not stopped talking about it to anyone who will listen - one happy girlie!

And, speaking of happy girls, look what the postman brought for me this week.

Sunny Goodies

How lucky am I?! This box of goodies was sent to me by the amazing Sunny Carvalho because she wanted to let me know she was thinking of me. She is such a wonderful friend and, as many of you know, a brilliant, brilliant artist too! I feel beyond blessed to have someone so fantastic who listens to my nonsense and just 'gets' it! Love you lady! xx

Anyway, I finished the commission paintings which I am really pleased with and managed to start some more girlie paintings for my Etsy shop.

A Beautiful Place To Be

The first is Rosie and she has found a beautiful place because she was having a very bad day, poor thing. She felt much better when she found this beautiful peaceful place in which to spend some time and relax. 

Nellie in a Mess

The second is my little Messie Nellie. I don't know quite why but this little girlie makes me smile. I think it might be that she seems to suggest she has been up to no good hehe! I think Nellie did not know which way to turn. She knew what she SHOULD do but that way seemed dull. She felt all hither and dither between right and mischief. Nellie needs to make a decision ... I wonder if she can?!

And, here is a sneaky peek into my current girlie in progress. She should be ready to show you in my next post. 

Thank you for all the lovely messages you have left for me - have a fabulous week! xx

Oh My Word ...!

Wow, wow, wow!

I have had quite an astonishing and overwhelming week.

Firstly, as I told you last week, I got the kick up the rear I needed to eventually take the plunge and set up an Etsy shop. That was an amazing event in itself really and I felt quite chuffed with 'little ol' me'. To see my work amongst so many wonderful pieces on Etsy (while daunting) also made me very proud. Yeh me!! Hehe!

Etsy Link

Secondly, as if the lovely comments I was getting on the shop weren't enough, I sold my first painting...

and then a second ...

and then a third ...

WOW!!!

In total I sold 7 paintings last week. I am still a little shocked! IN A GOOD WAY! How could it be any other way??!!

Thirdly, I got four commissions! One is already finished and with her new owner (thank you lovely Carolyn!) and the other three are works in progress (thanks so much, Di!) Hopefully I will be able to show you some more next week.

Thank you to everyone who has left lovely messages for me about the shop and my work. Thanks Stacy for explaining how to set tags (I know, I know... lol!!)

To everyone who has taken my little girlies to their hearts and now into their homes, I cannot thank you enough. My 'gob' is well and truly 'smacked' hehe! I am honestly completely blown-away - THANK YOU!! xxxx