a studio full of rooks

I got a studio full of rooks!

I started yet another one the past couple of days and this is the one I am going to go with, I think........

a painter friend of mine, Marco, who was the one to invite me into this show, came by and took a quick look and seemed to like what I was doing. So now I have a bit more confidence (woulda been nice if I could do that for myself, but there you go.....) have also had some very nice and encouraging words from Susanna, who is an amazing blogger/artist/photographer

(check out her blog!)

anywho......

have been working away - haha.......ok, have been finding all sorts of other things to do and then squeezing in rook-work - I even managed to start on another piece, just to keep away for a bit longer!

need to add more to this, just not sure what yet

yet another day of sunshine here in the southeast........what a British summer!

thanks for stopping by!!

__a

oh.......sigh

well, cannot say this has been a very good day - in so many ways.......

it started pretty well with my camera finally working (guess those 99p batteries from the flea market weren’t such a good idea) and it also is yet another sunny, hot day - which is always a surprise and a big plus

then.......am in the studio and it is really not going well

the show is still a week away so I still have time to figure this all out - but am not happy with anything I have done so far.......probably because I am actually trying for a change - maybe too hard

I usually do things more spontaneously.......or without much direction.......or I usually at least have a vague idea what I want it to look like, or the feeling - but this one is really........uh.........vague

anyway - am now second-guessing my rook idea......my backgrounds are not coming out quite right so I keep making more.......the background I like, the rook looked funny, etc

panic is seeping in

*yet more backgrounds*

*close up of a rook......on a crummy background.....and just made a hole in it!*

won’t even mention the part about how it looked in focus on my camera and then turns out like this......

*more fuzzy rook*

*ok, this fuzzy photo is just being artistic* ha

both of the offenders.......but on a good note; I got a little bag full of bits of lace and silk for £1 on the way to work yesterday......perfect dingy brownish oldy-worldy colours

bought samphire and sardine fillets from the fishmongers for tonight.......maybe that will cheer me up a bit

and tomorrow.......start again.......or start over...or continue on.........??

hope everyone else is having better creative times and a lovely weekend

it’s supposed to be really hot here!

in the beginning.......

ack!

I cannot figure out what is wrong with my camera- thought it was the batteries, but......it isn’t

it was the only one of my cameras that I can take close-ups with......as you’ll see from the photos below from another camera - completely blurry

I tried to take other photos of the postcard and goodies I received from Lorna - but they were so hideously blurry, I couldn’t put them in, so......will retake some photos as soon as I figure out what is going on

the below photos are my start for the new piece (is there another word I can use? am so tired of “piece”; plus, I always misspell it and have to go back and switch out the e and i........EVERY time!!)

uh.......where was I?

oh yes - so.......this is the start of my backgrounds - thought I’d try working on two at once and see what happens

I am also thinking of adding a rook, since this show is in aid of the “Rooks” team

not quite sure how......I have a very vague, fuzzy image somewhere up in the back of my head.....little bit to the left - but when I try to focus on it to see what I should do - it fades away

we’ll see how these take shape.......so far I have used some foreign language newspapers layered with maps, tissue and cigarette papers - I hope once it all dries I will be able to see through the layers enough - but not too much

thanks for stopping by.....

__a

short and .....sweet?

just a quick post today - mainly because I don’t have much to show you -

my camera needs new batteries and I haven’t taken the time to get to the shop (silly excuse, I know)

I finished my ATC swap which will be on its way to Lorna soon - so I cannot show you that as it will spoil the surprise!

one bit of very exciting news for me is that I have been asked to contribute some artwork for a local show with around 40 other artists! this is the first show I have been asked to join and will be great exposure for me!

I had to send them a jpeg of of something immediately, so had to go with an old piece - but will now have time to do something new too, which I am really looking forward to!

the show will be 8-11 July and will give more details when I have them - and photos of my planned piece

ugh.......am listening to US v Slovenia in the World Cup.........Slovenia just scored

come on, guys! gets some fire in your belly

after this - I then have to go watch England play Algeria with my husband - I like watching, but if we have lost, the smugness will be slightly unbearable!

have a nice weekend and come back next week where the visuals will be far more exciting!

ATC swap

what with all my travelling, etc - I haven’t been able to show you the results of my first ATC (artists trading card) swap! I did this swap through the Hand Embroidery Network (HEN) site I belong to

the one on the left is what I got sent to me from Lynn

the right one is what I did for her!

this was such a fun thing to and a good way to keep stitching as the size isn’t too big - and you get something back from another artist!

I also forgot to mention that while I was in Kansas City - I sold two of my pieces! I had made a cardinal picture for my mother and when she took it into a framers to have it framed.......the lady that owns the place really liked it and wanted to see more - after emailing back and forth, we decided to try a little collaboration; so I sent her two pieces I did (see photos below) and she will frame them and hang them in her shop/gallery for sale sometime in October. anyway, while I was in KC, I went to see her to see if she liked my work and she paid me on the spot for them!

felt good.......

this is just a quick post.......but plan on getting back to it a bit more - and start working on some new things!

thanks for stopping by........and have a good weekend

finally.......

I am finally........home

it has been quite a time away! I almost feel like a stranger in my own home.......and studio

slightly unbalancing

but am so glad to be back; sunny Spain was lovely........but glad to be back and ready to get back to my art!!

have quite a few plans and ideas and collaborations and, and, and..........so much!

won't even mention the cleaning, the clearing out and sorting that needs to be done.......sheesh

am happy to say the plants I planted at the studio before I left are thriving.......will be a wonderful thing greeting me each morning - not to mention the plants in my tiny garden at home - but that is not quite finished yet

I sat outside as long as possible last night in my garden surrounded by plants and flickering tealights.......so magical

am looking forward to more time there

(the sound of the new neighbour’s screaming toddler; not so magical)

am happy (tinged with waryness) to say my Dad is exceeding the doctor’s expectations with his treatments. he starts a new, more harsh regime next week, so positive thoughts for that......

the accumulation of poisons in his system have started to show (from radiation and chemo) - they were starting to be noticed at the end of my visit and have carried on; shaky steps when getting up, tiredness and hair loss; but he continues to walk as often as he can, which is amazing.....and just keeps going

I plan on going back for a few weeks in July

well, I think that is all from me right now - hope to bring you more exciting things in the near future; just as soon as I remember where I left everything!!

nice to see you - nice to be back

__a