Taking a Break......

Today I have made the decision to take a break from blogging for a couple of weeks.

I can't explain why but it just came over me today.  I feel like I need to take some time out to do something different. Rest my thumb which is still giving me trouble, sort my work space out ,take in the changing seasons (I am looking forward to Autumn  now) and come back, hopefully, with a clearer head. Refreshed and raring to go again.

Before I go I want to share this charcoal sketch I did today intended for the 29 Faces Challenge Which starts today and runs through September. Maybe I will join in next time round.

Thanks to all my visitors and for your lovely comments. They really mean a lot and will continue to encourage me during my break.

Hope to see you back again soon, x

She's in Her Sunday Best.

Recently on a Sunday I have had this urge to sit and create something that I don't have to think much about. Just sit and doodle and see what comes out of it.

Coincidentally, I came across Sunday Sketches  hosted by Alexandra over on her blog Blue Chair Illustrations and I thought I would join in.

Sunday Best

Pencil Sketch on paper.

I used coloured pencils for this which I don't work in very often and I'm not sure whether I like using them or not. The jury is out on that one.

Thanks for visiting. x

Linking this post to Sunday Sketches.

Paint Party Friday

I have just completed a small card. I intended to send this to someone but I ended up using my oil pastels and as I do not have any fixative I think it will probably smudge in the post. I usually use hairspray on my charcoal pencil drawings but it doesn't work on the oil pastel.

 Her dress is a piece of citra solv paper. I used mostly oil pastel and a little watercolour pencil (without the water).

I am linking this post to Paint Party Friday. Why not click on the link and take a look at what other people are doing this Friday.

Thanks for visiting. x

WOYWW

Whats on my work desk?....... Well not a lot.

I have been doing some citra solv papers, which I posted about here, and what you can see here is an idea I was just playing around with.  Its a doodle on some scrap paper and a piece of citra solv paper. You can't even call it a WIP because it is just paper laid on top of a doodle face but I managed to get a picture of it which I quite like.

I think I will work on this idea and create something that is more presentable.

Here is a little doodle girl that I did in charcoal pencil.

This little doodle was inspired by a photo of a young cotton mill worker I saw in a documentary called 'The Real Mill' about Quarry Bank Mill in Cheshire England. Which is the mill featured in the wonderful television drama The Mill.
I think the use of the charcoal pencil really evokes the feeling of the industrial age in Victorian England. I have been looking at photos from that era and carrying on from an earlier post about my ancestors working in the tin mines in Cornwall  I feel drawn and inspired by them and hope to use their influence in some of my future artwork.

Thanks to all who have taken the time to leave comments here recently and thank you for visiting.x

Linking this post to WOYWW.

Mail Art and Crazy Papers.

This week I received a lovely piece of mail art through the post. Sent to me from the lovely Joanna over at Jogatheringwild.  It is so exciting to see other peoples artwork first hand. I am building up quite a little collection.

Pop over and take a look at her lovely artwork and while you are there follow the link and check out her shop where you can see her artwork on cushions, mugs and more......

This weekend I have been playing with my new bottle of citra solv. It is a natural cleaner and degreaser but when applied to the pages of  National Geographic magazines it dissolves the ink and produces some really original papers to use in your artwork.

Here are some of the results.

This page only partially dissolved which produced a very interesting page.

.......and this

Some pages are a piece of art in themselves but the idea is to incorporate them into my own artwork.

Thanks for visiting. x

It's Paint Party Friday

Today I have a new painting to share with you for this weeks Paint Party Friday.

The Little Visitor.

Mixed Media Painting on 5"x5"  mount board.

The Robin has a special significance for me and as such this little painting is going to take pride of place on my wall.

I want to take this opportunity to THANK everyone who visited last week for PPF and left such LOVELY comments. I really appreciate them. x

Linking this post to Paint Party Friday.

WOYWW and More..........

Hi everyone,

This is what is on my desk this week.

This is  mixed media paining of Frida Kahlo. Which is this months theme over at AJJ.

NOW!!!!!! A little while ago I posted about those little holiday souvenir concertina book brooches which I remember from my childhood.  Out of interest I checked out Ebay but only found one which was in the USA and that was sold. I would imagine that they are quite rare as they were so delicate 

This weekend I went to a Vintage Fair and what do you think I found ............

Not only that but it was of the Lake District where I often spent my childhood holidays and which I also happened to be visiting the next day for reasons which are very close to my heart. 

It goes without saying that it was a very precious find indeed. 

Thanks for visiting. x

p.s I was just double checking the spelling of Frida's surname on Google and did you know that you can get Frida Kahlo SOCK'S? Can you believe that? Lol. x

Linking this post to WOYWW and Art Journal Journey.