Life rushes by

Term finally ended with Pirate day for the younger ones. Our two pirates look more like pickpockets from Fagin's gang . The treasure they are searching for is red-tailed bumble bees. My son, like most small boys, is fascinated by small winged or creeping things. ( He is also mighty proud of his sister's boots, which he has borrowed - he is convinced they make him look as cool as Johnny Depp)

And a birthday for my eldest daughter, who said goodbye to her primary school, and prepares to take the next step onwards in life. Granny baked her a beautiful cake, with crystallised Pinks on it, as requested. It feels like such a momentous step forwards, and part of me mourns the loss of childhood - she is growing up into this beautiful young woman before my very eyes, and so fast.

And I have to show you the fruits of Steve's hard work. We have a deal in our house. Steve works the allotment (but I have start the seedlings in the greenhouse, and do all the pricking out and potting on ) and I am supposed to be responsible for the back garden. Well, the allotment is looking stunning - finally coming into it's own after 3 years of reclaiming it from the wilderness. It is organic, but Steve is a traditionalist. He double digs, and follows his rotation plan, and I occasionally sneak extra catch crops in little gaps. At last, we are eating almost entirely from here. I am SO proud of him. He works extremely long hours at work, six days a week, then arrives home, picks up his tools and at least one of the children, and does another couple of hours working on the allotment.

I, on the other hand, am ashamed to admit that I have let the back garden turn into a jungle. I feel like I have been run off my feet, just trying to juggle work, childrens taxi services, cooking, (cleaning has completely gone out of the window) dragging water to 6 horses, and trying to keep the kids ponies vaguely fit, and two dogs who haven't had the sort of walk they would like ( a decent 3 or 4 miles) for at least a month. My temporary job finishes on Monday, thank goodness, though the money from it is also much needed, as it will pay for my winter hay delivery.

I haven't even got round to staking the tomato plants in the greenhouse, or tying up my sweet peas, which are sprawling across the flower beds. My grape vine is threatening to swamp the apple tree, and the runner beans fell over and I didn't get around to picking them up. The grass is knee high, and the bindweed and ground elder is creeping back. So, I am in disgrace, and need to devote some time to sorting the mess out. I am hoping I can persuade some small hands to help me.
I will keep you posted!

Sky Pirates!

Ok, here it is, as promised! All finished.
Now I am racing away with the second one, which has the underwashes in place already. Like an idiot, I didn't note down the colours used to make the sky in the first one, as I was certain I would remember. So, for the second painting I dived right in with my gamboge, naples yellow, and crimson alizarin. Now that it has dried, and I can compare the two, I think I must have added one of the cadmiums to the first one. The second one has slightly softer colouring. I'll have to add some in the next wash. Still, skies change from one minute to the next, so I don't think they have to be absolutely identical.

I have a really bold and scary plan for a textile / fibre art illustration to follow this one. It's been a long while since I did one of those, but I have an image forming in my head, and I am really excited at the thought of trying it. Hmmm, may have to wait a few weeks though, as I have an exhibition starting the first of March, for which I need to do some new, large, work for. In September last year, I thought I had masses of time to do it, and now I find it is only 6 weeks away, and I haven't got any closer to putting those ideas on paper. So if I disappear for a while, that is what I am working on!

Pirate Update

Here is an update on the Sky Pirate illustration (originally begun for IF 'Balloon'). It is slow progress - I don't get enough time, but I'm reasonably pleased by the way it is going. All the tonal values are set down now, although there is still a long way to go. The fiery orange is not a colour I usually use, and it feels very intense. I think it needs to be, and this is certainly what I intended, but nevertheless, it takes some getting used to! next, I am going to commit the cardinal sin of working back into the painting with coloured pencils, but I just love the way this gives the black crow feathers a rich iridescence.

When I looked out this morning, the sky was an appropriately fiery pink and orange. My pictures don't do it justice, but it was gorgeous against the soft frost!

And, another warm sky, in this raven treasury by Jen (Gypsy Mare Studios). Mine is the pink sunset in the top right corner, and if you click the link there are some beautiful works collected together. I especially covet an original pyrography painting from ,The Haunted Hollow Tree! It's been on my wish list for as long as I can remember!

Illustration Friday - Balloon

Eeek! It's Thursday evening, and I can see I've no chance of finishing this illustration in time! I knew it was a bit ambitious when I began - rain, mud, and the sudden advance of Christmas have just completely finished me this week. So I thought I had better post it as it is.