mosaic monday

1. Painting Kokeshis, 2. "Gladiolus Rag" (Book 885), 3. wooden tattoo sailor poster detail, 4. chipmunk, 5. abracadabra, 6. birth marks, 7. red pompom, 8. starlings invading the tree outside my window, 9. raven, 10. something on the floor-, 11. Metro bag, 12. Emaki study 20101126, 13. shrubland, 14. circus tents and glitter trees and some experimenting with vignettes, 15. fashion girl, 16. house drawings(2007-

Created with fd's Flickr Toys

A very chilly Monday here, happy Monday to you....... frosty and bright, with snow possibly on its way later this week?? Many parts of the UK have already seen quite a bit of snow..... Many thanks to all the artists featured here for sharing their work via my flickr contacts.

This week, November hands over to December..... December 1st is my zine launch day. Novembermoon no.2 will be available in my shops from Wednesday - I will post some preview shots of the finished little book for my 'book Wednesday' post.....

Last few days of November - last few days of free postage if you purchase anything from my bigcartel shop. There are a few yesterdays dolls currently available.

I'll be adding a selection of new paintings and stitches to my etsy shop this week also.... please purchase early for the holidays.

Thanks for all your comments, always. Have a great week ahead, stay warm and bright....

sketchbook sunday

It is my boy's birthday today (another November birthday!).... so we have been up since early (which is quite usual actually) and have a busy day ahead..... this sketch of a girl in yellow paper crown reminds me a little of my niece.....

two black gouache sketches..... I am pretty sure if challenged to pare down my materials to absolutely the most basic of basic, as if stranded on a desert island, I would say: give me a tube of black gouache (if I could have two it would be jet black and lamp black - jet gives you that dense black and lamp has a sepia-black tone).... and paper. But ideally I would not be quite so restricted (I'd still like to work with stitches, perhaps if really limited I could ask for a needle and unravel my own clothes.....)

enjoy your Sunday

my mind dances freely

Working on new individual paintings (not sketchbook)..... this one is 'my mind dances freely'...

enjoy your weekend

book Wednesday - Aloise

One of my favourite art books is this - a reproduction of the sketchbook belonging to 'outsider' or Art Brut artist Aloise 1886-1964. The book is a large softback that opens wide to reveal a highly imaginative series of artworks: colourful, intense, private, dramatic, theatrical, tender and otherworldy.... Perhaps otherworldly is a word over-used, especially when talking of 'outsiders', but to me this book, Aloise's work, represents a vivid example of just how otherworldly may be.....

The book is published by Shiseido Company Ltd. 1993....I bought it quite a few years ago now, I think when it first came out via Raw Visions magazine. It is one I look at every so often, especially when I like to be reminded of the energy and intensity of.....

Aloise began life as an intelligent young girl who went on to become a teacher, but during her early adult years her personality and life changed and she was put into an asylum, apparently suffering with schizophrenia. It was writing and drawing that seemed to give her next phase of being a new purpose and she worked daily in her sketchbooks using coloured pencils and any other supplies she could find, including geranium petals and leaves, and toothpaste. As time progressed so she was given better supplies.

Through her drawings, you may see glimpses of an otherworldly realm, a theatrical and exquisite place of scenes and stances, populated by royalty, cherubs, horses, soldiers and voluptuous females, lovers....


A fascinating book. If you would like to know more about Aloise you might like to look here:
http://www.rawvision.com/abcd/aloise

mosaic monday

 

1. partindo___--------, 2. Untitled, 3. Rusty boat in textiles, 4. the white pompoms silhouette, 5. The Witch, 6. 11-21-10, 7. not an artist_1072, 8. the FIRST of more, 9. Playing the game, 10. shrine/alter, 11. waiting, 12. boy fox, 13. 2010.11.18 Moon keeper necklace, 14. fashion woman, 15. Untitled, 16. spacy meal, 17. New Ceramic, 18. Untitled, 19. Estudio Noviembre, 20. Unexpected.

Created with fd's Flickr Toys

 A fine and chilly Monday this morning..... I am noticing the birds in our 'front' tree, the tiny ones, the pretty long-tailed ones that I can't quite name (finches?), the wood pigeons that come and eat up all the seed...

Many thanks to the artists and photographers featured above for sharing their work, via my Flickr contacts - thank you! 

This week I am very busy with the production of Novembermoon zine no.2 (due out December 1st).... but I hope also to add a few new things to my Etsy shop....

Have you started on your holidays shopping yet?:) My son's tenth birthday is this weekend coming and after that I am going to really get on with organising myself for Christmas.... I have a Christmas card designed (not printed yet)....I am planning to take some time out over the holidays. My shops will be closed December 20th - January 5th. But I won't stop working, making, creating... there will be sketches and stitches, and posts here throughout...

But I am not wishing the last week and a bit of November away.... instead I'll try to make the most of my time and get on with it now - hope you have a good week x

sketchbook sunday

Three sketchbook pages.... three ongoing obsessions..... above is obsession one: expressive figure using line....

 

obsession two: painting faces

 

obsession three: creating a scene, a story to tell.....

I'm enjoying trees and painting trees for the love of trees..... wintry trees are my favourites....

enjoy your Sunday x

Jack & Jack

Jack & Jack, two small yesterday lads in their attractive natural dye colours. As you may know, I dye all the fabrics myself and am using here fabrics that I dyed this past summer ... They will be in my bigcartel shop later on today...

Thanks always for your comments this week, and always, much appreciated!

If you have a moment, you are welcome to take a look not only at my bigcartel shop but also etsy...

Looking forward to the weekend, take care and enjoy.

book Wednesday

 

Uncle Remus Stories retold by Jane Shaw, from the original of Joel Chandler Harris... illustrated by William Backhouse

As a young reader I loved Brer Rabbit and Fox stories... but I read the Enid Blyton versions and it was only later on that I realised and knew more about the stories and their origins.... these are wonderful American stories... Infact, I love many American authors. There is something about reading about American folk and culture that intrigues me and inspires....

This book is from the 1960's and sold for 15/- . It was published in the UK, as a UK version of the stories but they are far more 'in keeping' I feel than the Blyton reinventions... and beautifully illustrated!

**

I have a few new items in my Etsy shop today so if you have a moment take a look.....

mosaic monday

1. first frost of the year, 2. Painting 11-14-10 A, 3. Untitled, 4. new work space, 5. Untitled, 6. The Opera Singer, 7. The Underdog, 8. Untitled, 9. yellow brown gray canteen vases, 10. foots, 11. vivienne pin, 12. Untitled, 13. pile of postcards, 14. Untitled, 15. Big Clay Pot, 16. a lady & her mister, 17. experimenting again with asemblage, 18. tangled, 19. 148-149, 20. Untitled

Created with fd's Flickr Toys

Happy Monday.... a cold and slightly frosty start here... that mid-November chill and all the leaves have suddenly fallen from the little hawthorn tree in our front garden, with its sparse red fruit and spiny twigs.....  Many thanks to the artists featured in this mosaic, via my Flickr contacts....

And Many thanks too to everyone for leaving your 'tree' comments for my November giveaway.... There's only one winner.... so here goes, name from the hat of randomness is ...... projectforty..... please get in touch and let me know where to send your painted book.... thank you!

This week, I have packages to send out (many thanks) and will be adding a few new yesterdays dolls to my bigcartel shop later in the week..... I'll also be adding a few new items to my Etsy shop as the week goes by....

As I suggested yesterday, I am starting to get the pages together for my next novembermoon zine - due out Wednesday December 1st.... 

So I have plenty to be getting on with - and wish you a very good, creative week ahead x

sketchbook sunday

recent pages from my sketchbooks....

I am busy working on new sketches and am already deciding and selecting sketchbook artwork for my next zine - novembermoon zine no.2 ... I hope to have available Wednesday 1st December.... I know this issue will have some interesting fold-out pages and additions such as little extra cards....

Thanks again everyone who has signed up for my November giveaway.... there is still time, if you are reading this on Sunday.... you have until Monday morning UK time to sign up (see Wednesday's post) - love all the tree descriptions left in comments - this has got me thinking about some kind of collaborative writing project in the future....hmmm will let you know when I know more.....

Enjoy the rest of your weekend

friday's yesterdays....

a new small selection of yesterdays in my bigcartel shop today..... continuing a November of yesterdays.....


thanks to everyone who has left a comment on my giveaway post - I am really enjoying reading your tree notes and descriptions! Thank you. There is still time to put your name in the hat - open to everyone, anywhere. See Wednesday's post.

Have a very good weekend

book Wednesday - & giveaway

Perhaps the simplest yet most versatile book form - a page or sheet folded..... I have been creating new painted books featuring gouache paintings....

fold book of faces...... (will be in my etsy shop soon if not already)

 one of the four portraits featured

 this is a print version of a tree scene.... inkjet print on card (limited ed. print also to be in my etsy)... this could work as a greetings card, a display backdrop for tiny dolls etc....

 And the giveaway, my November birthday giveaway.... I am offering you the chance to receive this original painted book.... not a print but the one and only original..... gouache painting on watercolour paper and signed to you on the reverse side.....

To have the chance to win...... please leave a comment here saying hello and tell me please what kind of tree you can see from your window...... if you don't know the exact name (eg, Oak) then make up a name for your tree.... (eg. the golden one)...

You have until Monday morning UK time to leave a comment. Make sure I can contact you via your blog, flickr, or leave your email address. Many thanks! I will pick out a name from the hat of randomness and let you know the winner in my Mosaic Monday post....

mosaic monday

1. dragón, 2. Untitled, 3. Page from The Book of Broken Branches, 4. Geometric Top, 5. Dreamy Morning Fog, 6. Rockpool on Trebarwith Strand, 7. big_sky_wildflowers, 8. Miniature book (Simplified Codex), 9. Annie Hall, 10. cadiz2, 11. studio view 2010!, 12. Post bathing, 13. Depois de Ver Você, 14. More in the mirror, 15. Untitled, 16. wool

Created with fd's Flickr Toys

Hello, it seems November really has arrived with gales and rain here..... Many thanks to the artists featured above, sharing their work via my Flickr contacts. 

And a big thank you for all the kind birthday comments yesterday! thanks:) I had a nice day and got some lovely pressies including a few much-wanted books, a vintage brooch for my collection and some super-lovely grey fingerless gloves which I feel I want to wear all the time now...

This week - today I am going to add a few new yesterdays to my bigcartel shop. And a few more later in the week.

Also this week I am going to be offering a 'giveaway' - so check back about let's say Wednesday, when I will share details of how you can win.... something from me to you!

I'll also be listing new items in my etsy shop over this week - I am adding things regularly over there these days.

Have a very good, creative and happy week x

sketchbook sunday

various pages from my sketchbooks...... and today I am 41... so you get to see me and a glimpse of my son who is pretending to take a photograph of someone taking a photograph I think...... I have had a lovely, quiet weekend....

a slightly later than my birthday giveaway will be happening next week.....

enjoy the rest of your Sunday

book Wednesday - The Big Book of Needlecraft

This vintage book was given to me by a friend, who thought of me when she found it. It is lovely to flip through to see chapters such as 'children's millinery', 'Jacobean Embroidery', 'new collars for old dresses' and 'toys and mascots from oddments'. I can't find a date of publication, but I think this book is 1940's. It must have been a very practical manual for a homemaker who needed to make clothing and to extend its wear, decorate, and make gifts on a tight budget. Not much changes over time, really, does it.... now in 2010 we talk about 'upcycling' and recycling vintage fabrics, making handmade, but this is a long-long story that keeps evolving..... Perhaps we don't wear and make gloves in the same way as a 40's woman, but if I ever feel tempted to make a pair, I know I will refer to this book.

I use The Big Book of Needlecraft as a prop for photography and like its aged pages, but it rather worn and really needs handling with care. It is a lovely book that I will want to keep in my collection.

now and yesterdays...

 

yesterdays now available

also... I have just posted a new poem over at nevering

also a 'found' poem of mine is featured over at Patti's inspiring blog: missouri bend paper works

there are some very bright big autumn leaves outside here, a mild start to the month... enjoy your Tuesday

mosaic monday

1. jingle snail hitching a slow ride, 2. tree angel, 3. 冬, 4. Crochet, crochery & winter carrots, 5. sitting on a chair, 6. Critter, 7. Frida-naranja-1, 8. 1150 sherbrooke est, 9. WAWAYA ami #52, 10. dialogue, 11. Mohair and clay lil' outsiders!, 12. Alice, 13. madalena cupcakes lover!, 14. Rumo ao Porto, 15. Untitled

Created with fd's Flickr Toys

Good Monday to you and thanks to all the artists and photographers featured in this week's mosaic. It's rather dolly this week, and colourful.... for this first of November.

Today I am updating my bigcartel shop with a selection of new yesterdays dolls..... they will be available from later today and I hope to add further every so often throughout this month.... From the tiny to the not so tiny, each an individual. 

And as November is my birthday month I am offering free postage in my bigcartel shop for this month only.....

I'm pleased to say the sun is shining and it is a mild and gently sunny start to the week here.... the leaves are definitely turning, falling... there is a tree of bright rust just in view from my window and I am aware I have yet to stock up on bird food for the colder weeks ahead.... but for now I must get on with photos etc...

I wish you a happy start to November and more soon....