I'm Back...

...from the Costa-Del-Skegness, and what a week we've had! Blazing hot weather is not exactly the norm for the UK, least of all on the east coast, but I can happily tell you that the the sun shone all week....well....except when it was overcast, but it was still very hot! Now some people would rather lose a limb than admit to holidaying in good old Skegg, but it was one of the best holidays we've had, and it really doesn't matter where you are if the sun is shining, does it? It may not be the poshest place on earth, or even in the UK for that matter, but it certainly ticks all the boxes if you like variety. I reckon the secret lies in it's location on the map which largely dictates where the most visitors come from, and that's from the north down to the midlands and everywhere in between.

Now I've had a bit of a rest I'm ready to pick up my paint brushes again, so I will be posting my latest one very soon! Watch this space...

Time Out...

Not been up to much lately. Life has kinda taken over. I went into my studio room today and realised I'd left my paint brushes in water, so now they will be useless! Life gets to you like that sometimes......you plod along nicely and then WHAM! Something jumps up and punches you full on the nose leaving you delicate and bruised. It's just life. No doubt we all feel the same sometimes. I think I just need to take a wee time out to charge my batteries and get those grey cells moving again!

An Old Favourite...

Gamble, is the sweetest looking Great Dane I've ever seen, and the lady that owns him kindly gave me permission to to use her photo as a reference for this drawing. Now I haven't done any graphite art since I had my wrist operated on, but looking at this picture always makes me want to dig out my trusty old pencils and give it another go. The problem is...I had Carpel Tunnel in my right hand and left it so long that it became a chronic condition. So even after having it operated on (while I was awake) the damage had been well and truly done, and now it's so flaming painful after clutching a pencil for more than a few minutes that I paint instead!

Tidy Up Time Again...

Yeppers, I've gone and done it again - created havoc in my studio room until I can't find anything I need. No wonder my BP's up. But help comes in the shape of a cube unit I just won on ebay, so now I can have everything on display which will save me hours of rummaging time (that's the theory anyway!) It's quite handy this unit, and bigger than I thought so I can pile stuff on it and still be able to find it, until of course I lose it, and then it's back to square one. So that's how I've spent my day today. In spite of all this glorious sunshine, I've been knee deep in old paints, papers and general unmentionables.

Yesterday however, we (my hubby and me) took our 3 year old grandson to his very first museum. He was a bit wary at first and had to be carried through 'Ancient Egypt' and wouldn't even entertain the grubby old dinosaur. But after 30 minutes he began to relax and join in with the kids games that the museum has kindly provided. After 1 1/2 hours he practically had to be dragged from the place, but we managed to bribe him with a second visit soon, oh...and a plastic dinosaur! His mum (our daughter) tells me he took it to bed with him last night and keeps jabbering about his trip, lol. Result...! I wouldn't have missed it for the world.

An Inspirational Artist....

I know we all have our favourites, and I have quite a few, but I just want to steer you very gently towards Lindy Longhurst and her Serpent Mandala blog that I love so much! She never fails to cheer me up with her vibrant, heart warming and very spiritual (at least for me) art, and I so look forward to her posts, of which she doesn't do often enough (hope your listening Lindy!) So if your in need of a colour fix, a much needed smile, or even a reason to get up in the morning, then just visit Lindy's blog and website and you'll be cured!

I'm A Lazy Bull....

I don't know why I painted this in this style, but I love the colours. And it's one of those colour combinations that are an absolute nightmare to photograph, because in real life the orange looks slightly flourescent, but the camera doesn't seem to have picked that detail up? Never mind, it will be going on ebay later today.

A Macro Moment...

Now I've had my camera for a few years now, but haven't really got a clue how to use it. It's a decent one for me if a bit bulky, and it does the job I need it to do, but I've recently discovered the joys of macro! Don't ask me what 'macro' means because I can't exactly tell you, except maybe to say you can take some stunning close-ups with it. My camera skills on a scale of 0-10 are probably about 2-3, but this macro 'thingy' makes me wish it was a lot higher. Here are a couple of snaps I took today of my beloved potted plants (I only have a tiny garden) but these are nothing to the full sized, detailed photo! I love Macro....

Evil Eyed Parrot!

Meet Homer, my sister's African grey parrot. He hates women, which makes me think he's probably a female parrot underneath all those feathers, because he absolutely adores men. My sis hasn't had him very long and yet he's made a big impact on everyone who's met him - especially the females - mainly because he terrorises us! For the men, he'll dance, whistle, talk...even let them handle him, but if a woman dares approach, he lets them get just close enough to hack a finger off or show off his body piercing skills. I wonder if there is such a thing as a Parrot Whisperer out there?

On a nicer note, here's my aged bullie girl taking forty winks in her favourite camping chair. She's a real sun goddess, but we have to keep her in the shade because of a past issue of skin cancer on her ear. It was all completely removed and left only a tiny dent in her ear, but we are very wary about allowing her to lay in the sun now.

Black & White Print Giveaway...

If you like and admire B&W photography as much as I do, then pop over to Highton-Ridley's blog for a chance to win one of his gorgeous prints! Now I'm very partial to graphite art so his photo's have even more of an attraction for me as they are an absolute dream for any artist who likes to use graphite as their medium of choice. I wonder if I could persuade him to let me use one of his photo's....hmmmm? Lol....

Gail x

Vania's Art Giveaway...!

I've decided to list some of the great giveaways that I'm finding lately, and this is the first! Val, of 'Vania's Art' is a very talented lady and she's giving away a lovely, mixed media painting, so pop on over to her blog now for a chance to win!

Thank you Val...!

What a nice surprise I had this morning to find I've been given another award by the lovely Val, of Vania's Art Thank you Val! If you haven't yet visited her blog then you should, because you definitely won't be disappointed.

Well not much has happened in the art department today, except I've started a sketch on a small canvas. I'm wanting to spread my wings a bit (you see - wings again!) lately and try painting other species, but it just doesn't seem to be happening. For one reason or another I'm drawn right back to the bullie pics? Not that I mind at all, but it would be nice to try my hand at feathers or tusks, or even hooves of some sort? Perhaps I'll manage it soon.......watch this space!

New Wings....

I don't know what it is but I have a fixation for wings at the moment? There seems to be a lot of angel art around, so maybe it's all having an influence on the way I'm painting without me actually thinking about it? I don't mind. In fact I'm glad because everyone else seems to like it too, and that can't be bad! Anyhow, this one is called 'New Wings' and I shall be listing it one ebay tonight if you want to take a peek.

Finished...

Never thought it would happen but I've finally finished this one, though I'm not really sure what to think of it? Basically, I like it but feel it could be a lot better. I think there should be much more depth in the sky - it's too flat, but I'd already painted the angel before I realised. Oh well....some you win....blah blah! I have another two ready but the photo's have turned out funny so will have to redo them tomorrow.

Strolling Along....

A couple of weeks ago we took Sugar, our bullie girl, to Bradgate Park. It's a huge place full of roaming deer, and in the late summer great carpets of bracken cover the grounds. The Park also includes the ruins of Bradgate House, the birthplace and early home of Lady Jane Grey 1537 - 1554 (Nine Days Queen of England.) It's a beautiful park that we visit often - Sugar loves it there! I must admit we get some strange looks when she's in her stroller, but this is the UK, and people over here can be quite stuffy sometimes. I dare say that in the USA nobody would bat an eyelash at us!

A Touch Of Fantasy...

I'm a typical 'glass half full' type of girl, an eternal optimist you might say. I love blue skies and fluffy white clouds, fresh cut grass and wild flowers in wide open spaces, so this picture is a little part of that vision that's always there, tucked safely away in my mind for easy access. My imagination is my haven you see. A world where nobody can reach me. Only my pictures can give you a glimpse into the place where I dwell....dream on.

Out Of Ideas...

It's not often this happens, but I'm stumped on this one? I think it might be because I did it all wrong first time round, or it could be that I'm having a bad weekend, but whatever it is I'm stuck with how to finish this painting? The sea effect is heavily textured and almost impossible to paint on, so if anyone has any ideas please let me know!

It's certainly been a challenging weekend. I managed to ruin 3 canvas's with paint and stabbed a hole in a 3rd one - that one will have to be binned but the other 2 can be salvaged, thank goodness. But on a nicer note, I've nearly got two more paintings ready for ebay, YIPPEEEE!!

Commissions....

This is a touchy subject with me at the moment. As anyone who follows my work will know, I list my stuff on ebay and 'hope' that it will fetch a reasonable return for my efforts, and usually it does, but lately I've had quite a few people who have bid but not won, and then contacted me to ask how much I would charge them for a commissioned work. That's fine, I don't mind that, even though I don't usually undertake commissions anymore. But I think I've finally sussed out the real reason behind this influx of requests - they actually think they are going to get it cheaper...HA! Can you believe that? Now I'm not going to go into the boring details, but I can tell you there have been one or two of these requests recently that have definitely ruffled my artistic feathers enough to say, I am no longer taking on commissions, at least for the forseeable future! There, my little rant is over....time to move on.

Two Miniatures...

Here are a couple of tiny ones for you, both 3"x 4" box canvas. I used some collage on the dark background by printing out an old ledger and then staining it. The other....well....lets just say I was playing around, lol. Actually, I've done a lot of paintings and drawing in this style, even aceo's were given this treatment and yet they sold very well. Maybe I should do more?

I'm also working on a painting that will hopefully be sold for BTR (Bull Terrier Rescue) and I've managed to cock it up more than once! I promise I'll post the results if it manages to survive the dustbin!

Thank you Myrarte...!

What a nice thing to wake up to this morning, another award, my second one! I'm over the moon that 'Myrarte' thinks my blog is nice enough to deserve one and I thank her from the bottom of my heart. Incidentally, if you haven't yet visited Myrart's blog then you should, because she's a wonderfully talented artist who deserves to be seen and amired.

Now I have to choose 8 more people who's blogs I deem worthy of this beautiful award (actually, I could choose 108 quite easily, but that's not in the rules) and then they can pass it on to another eight...at least that's how I think it's done...? Please let me know if I'm wrong! Here is my list of bloggers who I give this award to:

Jan's Cards, Crafts and Musings
Audrey Eclectic
Mishaps In The Making
Serpent Mandalas
My Pink Turtle
Muranosilver
Lucykatecrafts
Craftystorage

PHEW! That was hard, but each one of these blogs is very different from the other and give me hours of browsing pleasure between them.

Bank Holiday Blues...

I hate bank holidays. I watched all the caravans pulling away on Friday evening, loaded up to the skylights with happy, holiday faces, and I couldn't help but be envious. Oh...don't get me wrong, I wouldn't want to have to go through all that caravan malarky again, but I'd love to be going on holiday - even in the rain! It seems like a lifetime ago that we were licking our ice-cream cornets on Weymouth harbour and savouring cream scones with strawberry jam....sigh.

Oh well, at least I've managed to get some painting done this weekened, so here's one of my newest ones that will be listed later this evening on ebay. I have to say that this photo is rubbish to the original - I really should get my act together sometime soon!

Look What I Won...!

I had such a wonderful surprise yesterday when I discovered I'd won this beautiful little mermaid painting by Julie-Anne of Heavenleigh Art . I was so excited when the post came today and nearly cut my finger off trying to open the parcel, lol. I have to say that the photo's both Julie-Anne and myself have on our blogs do not do this little work of art any justice, because it is absolutely beautiful in real life, and that's the truth! I've hung it (for now) in my hallway, so that everyone coming through the door will see it, but I think it's far too pretty to stay there and will move it eventually to somewhere I can look at it more often. Thank you so much Julie-Anne, for such a generous and beautiful give-away!

Very Sad....

Unfortunately, this is not a nice post. I hesitated as to whether I ought to post it at all because most people would rather believe things like this don't go on. Well they do, and sadly it's an all too common occurance and the people who have to pick up the pieces need every bit of funding they can get to help them with vets bills etc.

This is what has been written on the Bull Terrier Rescue forum:

We got a call last week from a vet nurse friend of ours to see if we could help a poor dog who had been taken in by a group of lads who had 'found' him tied up in a garden.

Nothing but skin and bone, not only was he was covered in hock and elbow sores but he had on a small choke chain that was so tight it had become embedded in his neck - not surprisingly his neck was weeping blood and pus.

Despite the vet's fury, the good old RSPCA weren't interested in helping and, after having the collar removed (without anaestetic), he was removed to bradford's dog 'pound' with a few antibiotics to take his chances.

Two days later - after numerouse exhanges of phone calls and emails between me, my friend Abby, the vet, the dog warden and BTC welfare, I got the all clear and went to fetch him home - I will attach some pics of the poor lad and can guarantee you will be horrified. He has since had another visit to the vet and - this time under anaesthetic - had the wound opened and fully cleaned and stitched back up.

The saddest thing about all this tho is that 'Barney' as we have named him has SUCH a great disposition - Cheerful and Friendly and so so so Optimistic and Grateful that it breaks my heart just to see him.

God willing he will make a full recovery - he is very happy at ours at the moment on 3 layers of vet bed (+ a heat lamp today cos its cold up here) and regular meals - ideally tho he would be much better off in a home gettiing some one to one TLC - even if it were only a foster home for a few weeks

I will post a few pics of poor Barney - We've no idea where he's come from but can i suggest you keep these images in mind next time you are thinking of having a litter and hope to god this never happens to one of yours ......

I'm happy to say that Barney, is now safe and is being fostered until he has made a full recovery and can be placed in a loving, caring forver home.

Bargains....

I got a great bargain this weekend, two wooden, reclining patio chairs complete with cushions, and all for just £40.00....wow! Who said ebay is rubbish? Well actually, I did...but I did have my reasons and I've forgiven them now. Talking of ebay, here's my newest painting on canvas called, Angel Face #2. I do so many angel bullies that it's difficult to give them all a different title, so I thought I'd number this one instead. Isn't she cute? She's destined for ebay Monday evening if you want to place a bid.

A Fairy Fix...

Every now and then I have to have my fix of fairy dust, and this time I came up with this little painting which I've called 'Enchanted'. I decided to give it a plain-ish background because I wanted their little wings to stand out, so I just painted a few bubbles and nothing else. I like to think each bubble contains a fairy wish....is carried on the wind....and lands wherever the wish is needed the most. Well I can dream, can't I...? It's on ebay from tonight, 6-45 pm BST

Colour Crazy...!

I'm not a fan of 'PopArt' but I think I'm going ever so slightly mad this week? Barking, would be a better description if this is anything to go by, but at least I enjoyed making it! I think it speaks for itself really...don't you?

Three Tiny Paintings...

A while ago, I bought twenty 3"x 4" block canvas's on a whim, and just because I thought they were the cutest things, and ever since then I've been trying to think of ways to fill them. You'd think it would be easy to fill such a small space wouldn't you, but it isn't. Fun, yes...easy...never! Here are three of them together and another bullie one that's been...ummmm....embellished? I really enjoyed doing these even though they were fiddly and took ages. I only have about eight of these left to do (thank goodness) and then I think I'll stick to a slightly larger size in future! These will be going on ebay shortly.

Sirens - An Ongoing Project...

This one's been up in the air for so long now that I'm not sure where I'm going with it anymore? This is about 50/50 collage and paint and represents the darker side of the mermaid myth - if indeed, it is a myth? It's quite large too at 20"x 24" so it's taking even longer to complete than I hoped it would! The jellyfish is my favourite bit because I actually created some of the tendrels out of silk cottons, that in real life look quite effective!

This Is Brilliant...!

...And it works too! What is it....well....it's called a Deodorant Stone and I bought it here from a lovely lady called Jane. It's made from natural minerals and actually combats bacteria rather than disguises it, and believe me IT WORKS!


When I first saw it I was intrigued and a little (OK then, a lot) skeptical as to whether it worked or not. I bought the smallest size to be on the safe side and being a bit of a skinflint, followed the intructions and waited for someone to ask about my personal hygiene - but nothing happened - I was pong free all day! A week later and I have every confidence in recommending this brilliant product, which by the way, lasts for 6 months or even 12 months if you buy the larger one. Go on....treat yourself!

Old Rooster...

I've been Blog Hopping! That means, I've found some brilliant bloggers & artists by means of following links on other blogs...if you see what I mean? It's a great way of collecting links that really interest and/or inspire me in some way, and I'm really pleased to have found them. If you are on my blog list you can be sure I'm a big fan of your work!

Also, I've been looking back at some of my older stuff today (mainly because I'm too tired to do anything else) and found a few pictures that I quite liked. Maybe I'll post a few for you to look at, but for now here's just one of them. He's just called 'Rooster' and I sold him on ebay ages ago. You can pretty much see he was made with mixed media and aged to give him that 'worn' look!

Where's My Egg...?

Well, it looks like the Easter bunny's forgotten about me this year, because I'm eggless, not even a Cadbury's cream egg to slobber over! I know I said I didn't want one, but they (my family) didn't have to take it literally, did they? It's a good job I've got my painting to keep me occupied or I'd chew my fingers down to the knuckle....which brings me to my next painting - Bullie Lovers, a little 6"x 8" canvas done in acrylics. I was awake half the night knowing I'd got to change the layout today because I didn't like how it was. This will be going on ebay with my other stuff later.

Easter Blessings...

My latest painting was inspired by a request from a lady who lost her bull terrier almost a year ago. She told me she missed the cuddles and physical closeness of her best friend, even though she knows she hasn't really 'left' her at all. I hope this little painting brings her some degree of comfort, knowing that her gorgeous girl is but just a breath away....