Day 31! And I admit defeat.....

Hi All,

Well here we are, I made it! 31 days of continuous blogging. It isn't

easy!

I have admitted defeat with this painting...it's not right. Many a slip

between mind and paintbrush. But I'm sure even the Great Masters had their

off days.

I quite like the top part, but the bottom is overworked. How do you know when to

stop? Never mind, its all good practise, but I think I might get my cutting dies out

tomorrow for a bit of a change.

Keep checking back here.....maybe not every day!

Back soon, P.

Sort of Getting There.....

.......wherever "there" is.......

Hello Again,

It finally dried, after sitting on the radiator for 24 hours, and I have been

able to add colour, or rather several colours.

It's definitely not there yet, but I think I need to put it on one side for a day or

so, and look at it again with a fresh eye.

Not sure about the positioning of the focal point, may have to trim or something.

And the decoration at the base is too prominent and distracting. It really helps

actually to see it as a photograph instead of being close up.

Anyway, best to sleep on it.... well not literally!

Tomorrow is officially the last day of my blogging marathon, being the end of January

but I hope to keep up with regular visits here.....it has kind of become a habit.

Until tomorrow then, P.

Watching Paint Dry!

Good Evening,

I seem to have spent much of today watching paint dry. I am really too

impatient, but I am realising the necessity of letting the layers fully dry

before adding more acrylic of whatever kind.

It's a soggy cardboard situation.

So last nights work in progress really hasn't made very much....progress that is.

A bit of random doodling was necessary to pass the time

It is very frustrating. It may take a day or two for the sogginess to resolve.

And a bit more doodling perhaps.

Chill, P.

Work in Progress.....

Hello All,

Not everything can be done in a day. I have been making small projects

recently: it has given me a chance to try all sorts of things, but I am

particularly pleased that I have started painting again.

or am I? What a mess! But if I spend time mid project clearing up, I lose time

actually doing something so......leave it until the end. :)

Anyway, all I can show tonight is work in progress. This is all base work,

making texture and planning. No colour yet, the papers are just for texture.

And it needs to dry before I can add more.

Then I can unify the whole thing with paint and texture medium layers.

Don't know how it will turn out but......we will see.

Back tomorrow for a progress report, P.

A Sort of Tea Caddy......

Good Evening,

A bit of a break from the paint today, other jobs to do, but I can't miss my daily

creating. Paper is always close at hand and requires little preparation and only

the Hoover to clean up!

I like to mix and match in my projects. The base box is one of Pootles, and the

die cuts and papers are from Stampin Up. Put together they make a super "tea caddy".

I don't leave any surface undecorated, even the back of things, (actually....the bottom

is plain) so it can be viewed from any angle (except upside down).

And even a bit of sparkle :)

Speak again tomorrow, P.

A Still Li....(small still life!)

Hello All,

I am still trying to learn to drive a paint brush. I suspect it will take quite

some time.

However, I managed to paint this

Its actually a bit more colourful than this in real life but I lost track of time and

it is later than I thought, so had to photograph in artificial light.

It is only 8" x 8" ,  so it probably does not qualify as a whole still life!

And I know it is supposed to be fruit etc, but I am on a chocolate biscuit diet

at the moment :)

Bye for now, P.

After Picasso....

Hello Again,

Today I painted a wobbly blue lady, after Picasso.

I am following a blog class with Carla Sonheim, a very inspirational lady, who is

lovely to watch and VERY encouraging. There is some brilliant work appearing

from the other students.....levels of talent which I can only aspire to!

I certainly would recommend that you take a look at her work.

Meanwhile I will keep practising.......

Bye for now, P.

Rock Collages.....

Hello All,

On this island we are certainly not short of rocks.

In previous blogs, I have shown a few examples of my "rock art" where this

abundant supply comes in useful as a substrate to work on.

Today I have a more traditional use as inspiration for collage.

A bit of an exercise using different kinds of textured paper and fabric, and plenty of glue.

You can easily adapt this idea in fabric and stitch, with a few beads here and there.

If you look really closely at the detail in nature, it becomes beautiful abstract. Can

anyone else see a rock monster looking skywards?

The photograph was taken on a warmer and sunnier day, but I am always snapping

inspirational pics these days when out for walkies!

Thanks for looking, P.

A Trio of Textures....

Good Evening,

It's been all gesso and paint today. Managed to remember to put an apron

on about halfway through the proceedings, so am now picking the white

smudges off my jumper while watching Midsomer Murders.

Playing with texture effects again, trying to be landscapey, but not representative.

A bit of collage, some texture gel and acrylic paint.

It's really good, acrylic paint, because when you get it wrong (and I did!), you

can paint over it all with more gesso and try again :)

This one is supposed to be sky.

I think I am getting a bit nearer.

Will try again tomorrow. P.

Gentle Friday Crafting...

Hello All,

Do you ever get that Friday feeling?  It's the end of the week, energy

levels are a bit low, and a cheerful, gentle project is what you need.

A bit of paper crafting fits the bill.  I love this new pyramid box die :) and just

wanted to try it out. Sometimes you have to get the feel of something before

going on to more complicated creations. (All Stampin Up goodies for this)

Probably back to the paint tomorrow....

Bye for now, P.

Another "Attempt" at Journaling.

Good evening,

I am determined to beat this! If nothing else it is practise at handling

paint, experimenting with colour and dabbling with other mediums.

On a really wet and cold day, I wanted a bit of warmth.

There are bits of it I like......but generally another candidate for the chopping

scissors........

But at least, by choosing a small sized journal to work in, I don't feel like I

have wasted too much time over it.

Roll on the better weather!

Until tomorrow, P.

I Do Like To Make a Card.

Hello All,

I used to think that making cards was something people did to sell

at craft fairs or to supply to shops, and I didn't do it because I am not

good at sticking to one thing.

But I have recently discovered, as part of my doing things "just because" resolution,

that I really enjoy creating small works of "art". It is really relaxing, not to be faced

with a major project.

I have just received a few new Stampin Up products including this beautiful

rose die. SO pretty. Happy afternoons card making.......

Bye for now, P.

Second Painting.....As Promised.

Hello Again!

Well by some miracle I have managed to find my way back here.......

Down or up or whatever loaded Google Chrome as a browser..whatever that is

and can now blog (hopefully).

So here, as promised, is the second of my painting attempts. A bit more of an

imaginary landscape this time.

With Mr Cormorant sitting on a rock........did anyone else grow up with Noggin the

Nog and Graculus? It takes me right back...and back...and back!

Thank you for being patient during my technical difficulties ( I am really non the wiser)

Until tomorrow, P.

Oh Dear....

Hi All,

I have been trying all evening to post the next paintings here as promised, but

I cannot get past "loading" on my PC!

Have no idea what has happened, I am writing this on my I-pad. Computers are great,

but when they go wrong.....aaaaarrrrrgggghhh!

And I was doing so well.....

I hope I can find a solution for tomorrow, please call back later.

Thank you, P.

A Bit of Manx Landscape...

Hi All,

Had quite a productive day today....for a change! With some acceptable

results.

This is my interpretation of the view which until recently (someone has built a house

in the way :(   ) I could see from my window. I can still see it if I go out and walk

round the corner. The tower, or folly, known as Milner Tower, stands on Bradda

Head, and the traditional Manx boat is known, apparently, as a "Manx Nobby".

In the summer, we do get some spectacular sunsets, so it wasn't too difficult

to imagine this.

There is a second painting......later......

Bye for now, P.

Mini Bunny....in a Box.

Good Evening,

I just love small.

When making something like this, it actually takes just as much time as it would

to make a larger version. Everything is scaled down including the stitch size!

I have to say that I often struggle these days, my eyesight is not what it was :(

I have 4 pairs of glasses: distance, close up reading, close up sewing, and a pair

with bifocal lenses so I can sew and watch the television at the same time (or see

what I'm eating and who is sitting at the other side of the table......or I leave

the glasses off depending on who that is!).

At least the days will be getting lighter.

Thank you for looking....P.

My Golden Girl....in Collage.

Good evening, welcome to Day 15......and still going!

This is today"s creation, and for a change, I am really pleased with it.

It could be because of the subject of course, my beautiful daughter (one of them).

How can you go wrong! And I love collage. This is my version of this week's

lesson with Wanderlust 2016. I seem to work best with the more precise and controlled

techniques, less messy :) but I am determined to get to grips with "loose"!

I must say this course was a really good choice.

I will definitely be doing more of this during next week.

By for now, P.

Maybe I Could Recycle the Better Bits......

Hello All,

How come some people are able to do this random mark making journaling

thing so easily (apparently) but I just don't seem to get it?

I have problems with colour to start with: too many? not enough? wrong choice?

I know there are rules.....colour wheels and relationships....but I still find it a

struggle.

Perhaps if I put it away for a few days and look with a fresh eye, I might see how

to bring this together. Or maybe I could do some colour scheme studies....

What appears to be random, is not.

Might have another go tomorrow.

Until then, P.

Just a Card Today but.......

Hello!

Just had time to make a card today, but it gave me a chance to play with dies again.

Pretty makes me happy :)

Have a good evening, P.

Making a Paint Chart....

Hello again,

I don't know why I didn't think of it before. I have a basket full of tubes of

acrylic paint, and I really had no idea what most of the colours are really

like....... all jumbled up, and the colours on the labels are not true representations.

So this afternoon I made a colour chart, just splotches on a strip of watercolour

paper, with the names next to them.

And it's SO useful, as I found out when I made two more textured backgrounds.

You can even visualise how the colours will go together and react in a colour

scheme. I will get so much use out of this.

I am really pleased with these :)  Now I have to work out where to go from here.

Bye for now, P.

Boxes for Fun...

Hi there All,

Just a brief post tonight as it is quite late!

I had to put away the paints for today as I was altering curtains... 3 pairs :/

During my lunch break, I tuned in to a video blog post by Sam Donald, a

Stampin Up demonstrator who goes by the blog name of Pootles.

These are my two interpretations of two of Sam's folded paper boxes - she has

expertly designed and demonstrated many different ones - and I love watching,

then making them myself. It is so therapeutic!

It is really good to take even the smallest amount of time in a busy day to make

something lovely.

Rest time now, P.