A Little Break

 

My little family are planning a short break in the new year. How I would love a stay in a treehouse like these in Sweden.

Great views hey! Mind you, as a few people pointed out, wouldn't birds fly straight into these? Maybe this would be better

or this?

 

wow

maybe we'll just go camping in the forest...Happy Holidays all

Treasury

 

There is so much good stuff on Etsy. Here's my latest treasury

Smile

 

My friend buys the best presents ever! I couldn't catch my breath when I opened this lovely package!

It is from Pip Studio in Amsterdam. I'd never come across them before. They have a wonderful website.

Made my day anyway!

Magic

Love this

Cute Critters

This image has failed

No, but really, how cute is this? Take a look here. Thank you so much to Cutiepie Company  for including my Fennec foxes in this supersweet collection! It made me smile ))).

I came across this Sketchbooks in Schools fab website tonight whilst doing some schoolie research. A little bit about the site,

  "Sketchbooks in Schools aims to promote, inspire and enable the creative use of sketchbooks in primary schools. Sketchbooks can be a vital tool to encourage creative and critical thought and action across the whole school, and beyond the art curriculum.

There are lots of great sketchbook ideas and personal sketchbook pages from artists such as Naomi Cotrufo 

  Isabella Whitworth

Yumi Okuda

And plenty of great quotes from schoolchildren as to why they love using sketchbooks...“I like working in my sketchbook because I can learn and test out new skills as well as putting my own take on the world. I love doing my own work in my sketchbook and creating work that I can be proud of" Vanessa Hill

Great fun!

Little Houses

 

I love the aged look of the colourful houses perched on the hills here. I use crackling varnish to create a layered, worn appearance.

I put my work up on the wall a lot so I can check out the composition and colour balance from a distance.

 

I put some bronze highlights in to catch the light.

So Good to be painting again ! :)

Lush

All that walking in forests (and a school holiday!) inspired a painting. Now in the shop. 

Happy Hallowe'en!

Walking in Tenerife

 

My man and I have been trying to do something active on our day off together. For the last two weeks we have been out walking. The photo's above were taken on a walk from Arona to Ifonche

 

 Hardcore farming, NOT for the fainthearted. This was on the path in the Anaga mountains. Absolutely. Breathtaking.

There are many houses built into the mountainsides. Until the 1990's, they were without electricity.

Until next time!

Racing

'Racing' for Illustration Friday. This is a paper collage. I never had a go kart but I wished I did and don't you just love those old gumball machines?

On a different note, I'm an avid follower of the Smitten Kitchen blog and just had to try out this recipe for Cauliflower Cake. I admit it sounds a bit dodgy, cauliflower and cake don't go, right? Wrong. This was and still is (2 days later) delicious. It looks like a thick omelette at first but on day two the texture is decidedly cakey. Even my meat eating men raved over it. I didn't have the black sesame seeds but it worked well without.

 

And for dessert, I've been wanting to make some Millionaire's Shortbread for ages. This stuff is insanely sweet, I dare anyone to attempt to eat more than a tiny morsel.

Yum!

Collections

Beautiful succulents from Succulents Galore

My students are starting their first personal project in a couple of weeks under the heading 'Collections'. To inspire them I made a presentation of pictures I had gathered under the theme. I am feeling pretty inspired myself and think I may just tag along on this one!

 

Found over at the most wonderful All The Luck In The World blog

 Exquisite pencil sculptures by Dalton Getty, more this a way

 

Beachcombing Pretties over at Quercus Design 

Cakes don't come much prettier than at Lauderee

The, Oh So Talented Nathalie Lete!

Holly Farrell paints THE most charming still life pictures

Cool collection of pen nibs by Alice Gabb

 

And I could not forget the wonderful works of  Wayne Thiebaud

Decisions, decisions...

Jeremy just can't decide, flip flops or trainers, beach or run?
What would you do?

Just Pretty

I see these (can't remember what they are called!) on my morning walk. They're so calming blowing in the breeze.

I love the colours and shape of this edificio:))

 My friend's new addition to the family. Apparently he will grow as big as a pony!
 (He has the tiniest horns hiding in that fur.)

Just pretty things.

Acrobat

 

The theme for Illustration Friday this week is 'Acrobat'. So good to find the headspace to create again! I'm off to check out the other submissions....