Thursday Journal with Neet

 For the final week of a horrible year the words are 'Yoga class,  I thought you said pour a glass'                    Neet thought this would be a suitable one for the seeing in of the New Year. The background is a mop up page with some added into fill in the white bits. The figures are Dylusions and painted with my usual watercolour pens.    Sonia on the left is a fitness person and manages to contort her limbs into the yoga positions, while her friend Katy is more than happy to see the New Year in with a glass of wine or two. Not only that, but she is happy enough with her figure and yoga is not her thing.                                          I am entering this in Tracy's theme of 'The meaning of' on Art Journal Journey                                                                                                      

We have quite a bit of snow here so I am busy in my studio, watercolour painting and getting ahead of some of the challenges. 

Tag Tuesday - Numbers

 For the next fortnight Pinky has chosen Numbers as her theme on Tag Tuesday. It looks as if I went for a similar idea as Pinky with the numbers I have chosen.  I did a collage background and then used a variety of different numbers to place on top.

Paint Party Friday Week 43

This is a watercolour of Sand Bay in the Highlands of Scotland for this week on Paint Party Friday. It is on the West coast and a favourite place for my family. My grandchildren love this bay as there is a huge sand dune that they love to slide down.  It overlooks the island of Raasay.

Thursday Journal with Neet

As it's Christmas Eve today I have scheduled this post. The Christmas words this week are 'Xmas calories don't count'  Celia has put on a lovely calorie rich spread for her best friend Tara, and insists that as it's Christmas that the calories don't count. She might be able to fool some people, but Tara does not look convinced. She is now wondering how to get out of eating such a sugar loaded plateful, especially as she had a huge Christmas dinner only a few hours before. Honestly that is far too much for two of them, so she might try to persuade Celia to take the whole lot down to the local Care home where her Mum is. Hopefully the good turn might save her having to eat it.

I am also entering this on Art Journal Journey for Tracy's theme of 'The meaning of'

Tag Tuesday - Christmas 2

 Sand's theme on Tag Tuesday is Christmas The tree is made from plastic and decorated with stoping and stars. The pine at the bottom is from a decoration

Paint Party Friday Week 42

 For Paint Party Friday an other painting of Flowers, this time a moth orchid. I used to have a lot of these orchids, but they all had scale insect problems so they had to go. It seems impossible to get rid of the pests.

Thursday Journal with Neet.

 As we approach Christmas our next two quotes relate to that time of year.  This one is 'Dear Santa, is it too late to negotiate ?                                                                                                                                        I'm afraid Malcolm and his brother Henry have both been a bit naughty this year, and they haven't made any effort to improve as you can see by the scribbles all over the lounge wall. Their mum has told them that Santa will think twice about leaving them presents if things don't improve. They have decided to write Santa a letter and try a bit of smooth talking. I expect Santa will give in eventually, but they are going to have to clean that wall up first, along with some other little jobs their mum has lined up.

I am entering this in Art Journal Journey where Tracy's theme is 'The meaning of' this I think means that it is a lot better if you do the jobs you are supposed to do in a reasonable time and not put off the ones you really don't want to do.

Tag Tuesday - Christmas

 Christmas is the theme set by Sandie on Tag Tuesday.  I covered the tag with some gold shiny paper, cut out some pine trees and put some snow on them with puff paint.I added a deer and a die cut star.

I am a bit late as we have been trying to get my son back to Russia where he lives. What with lockdown and everything else it has been very time consuming. He is off to the Russian Embassy tomorrow to pick up his visa which has had to be reissued as the time had run out. His six weeks here has turned into four months. His two sisters came over today to say goodby and his niece and nephews come over on Tuesday after school to give him his Christmas presents. 

Paint Party Friday Week 41

 My entry for Paint Party Friday this week is a watercolour of a cyclamen.

Thursday Journal with Neet

 'Stable is a place where horses live' are the words for this week. All I could think of doing for this one's was to use Winston the dog. He has spent most of his life living in luxury in the house and now Celia his owner has built him a lovely kennel outside near the rest of the barns, comprising a large stable and his new home. Winston is not amused and you can see by his face that that was not on his wish list for Christmas. His answer to this is "A stable is where horses live" He is virtually human and he is finding this a very unsuitable move. I wonder who will win !

I am also entering this in Art Journal Journey where the theme is "The meaning of' set by Tracey. The meaning of this one one is ' It's hard to reverse your actions with someone you have spoilt'

Paint Party Friday - Week 40

 Flowers in a bottle for Paint Party Friday. I still have flowers out in my garden, the primroses are in full bloom, and the odd rose is still managing a burst or two. Our Winters are certainly getting wetter and I still have loads of things to plant.

Thursday Journal with Neet

 Cleaning, I just sweep the room with a glance are the words this week. Not sure where to start with this one, but thought her posture and face said it all. She had the floor painted black so you couldn't see the dirt, and even the cat is looking at it as if it's too dirty to walk on. I bet the top of those pictures has a layer of dust on them. Never leave till tomorrow what you can do today. I keep telling my husband that, but he suddenly goes deaf. If I don't keep up to that maxim, then it gets me down.                                                         I am also entering this in Art Journal Journey where Tracy's them is 'the meaning of'                                    I hope this qualifies.

Art Journal Journey _ The meaning of

 'The meaning of' is the new theme on Art Journal Journey this month hosted by Tracey' As she explained it's really anything goes.  I have a simple collaged page in my junk journal with a bird, nest and eggs plus a lovely little rhyme: The birds they sang at break of day  Start again I heard them say, Don'y dwell on what has passed away, Or what is yet to come.

Wise words I think after the nightmare of 2020.

                                                                                                                                 

Art Journal Journey

 Nearly at the end of the month for hosting Art Journal Journey, which I have enjoyed very much. This time my only tiny delve into digital. I have an old Serif design program which is loaded on an old laptop. I am so out of practice, and personally I would rather do things my own way.

Art Every Day - Day 30

 For my last painting on Art Every Day I have gone South to Devon, where I lived for thirteen years to work and be near my parents who were getting on in years. After I wrote that I realised I am t older than they were at that time, and I certainly don't need looking after.

I am rather sorry this challenge has come to an end, next year I must remember to join in from day. Thank you all for all your encouraging comments. I will try to keep up with your blogs.

Art Every Day - day 29

 A scene through a gateway in Tuscany for Day 29 on Art Every Day

Art Journal Journey - Birds

Nearly at the end of my hosting on Art Journal Journey.

Ravens and bats this time on a collaged background. Just off to make some sweet chilli sauce from the chillies in my greenhouse. Must remember to wear gloves to handle the chillies.

 

Art Every Day - day 28

 For Art Every Day I have a landscape from a photograph I took of the place my daughter Claire and I stayed in, in Tuscany. I drove down with a stop in Dijon France, and set off the next day to visit a friend of Claire's in Geneva for lunch. Off then through the Alps into Italy. It was then dark and approaching midnight and we had great difficulty finding the place. The guy looking after the place was not very pleased with our late arrival and was now able to get to bed. We had a fabulous holiday and Tuscany is wonderful.

Art Journal Journey - Birds

 Another page for my Art Journal Journey, theme of birds. A wintery scene with robins. 

Art Every Day - Day 27

Back to Scotland for Art Every day - Day 27 Once again I can't remember where this is, probably somewhere close to where we lived.

I am also entering this on Paint Party Friday

Art Every day - day 26

 Day 26 on Art Every day. A change from Scotland, this is one from the garden I house sat for three years. There was two cats and koi fish I had to cope with as well as the garden. I must have been mad.

Thursday Journal with Neet

Our last Thursday journal page to fit in with my theme on Art Journal Journey.                                              

The words "I'm working, Please kindly go away" Sophie is trying to write a crime novel and is being very distracted by the birds outside who are tapping on the window and singing loudly. It's actually complaining loudly in bird language. They are used to being fed in the morning and it gone midday. All the cat wants to do is go to sleep, and he too is fed up with the noise.

 

Art Journal Journey - Birds

 Another collaged background this time with garden birds for my theme on Art Journal Journey.                 A dictionary derivation of bird and a feather to finish it off. The bird on the paving is a brambling that visited us in Wales.

Art Every day - day 25

 Day 25 on Art Every day, the days just seem to fly by. Another landscape taken in Scotland.

http://creativeeveryday.com/creativeeveryday/2020/11/day-25-of-art-every-day-month-3.html

Art Journal Journey - Birds

 Another collaged background for my bird theme on Art Journal Journey I added the bird and the eggs to finish off. A very simple one this time.

Art Every Day - Day 24

For Art Every day Day 24.  This time, leaving Scotland for London. This was taken from a photograph of Canary Wharfe on the river Thames before it was developed. It looks very different now.

Tag Tuesday - Pets

 A photograph of two of my cats for my tag for Tag Tuesday where the theme is Pets, set by Valerie. They stay like this for a while but usually end up having a go at each other. They are brother and sister and were feral until they decided to move in. 

The background is a piece of paper from my stash and I have written out a poem about cats.

Art Journal Journey - Birds

For my bird theme on Art Journal Journey this time I have made a collaged background. I added a napkin with a lovely image of a bird and poppies and some small stamped squares.

Art Every Day - Day 23

Another one of Scotland for Art Every Day  I don't think I could climb that high up to take a photograph now. As I don't remember where it is, I am going to convince myself that there was road near by that I could see this scene from. Why don't I write on the back of photos so I will know where they are.                 I know, the same reason I don't label them on my computer either.

Art Journal Journey - Birds

  Some owls this time for my theme on Art Journal Journey. Collage of papers and some stampings of owls, plus an owl feather.

Art Every Day - Day 22

 Another landscape for Art Every Day

This one is of Eilean Donan castle that was just down the road from where we lived. It is a very popular castle for tourists and it is still lived in. It is on a sea loch.

Art Journal Journey - Birds

 Another p[age for my theme on Art Journal Journey. A Distress oxide background and some ink through a leaf stencil. I drew a branch for the birds to perch on. 

I had a load of coloured Dylusion birds ready for my theme, randomly fetched three out of the bag at once, and they landed like this. I immediately know what to write for a comment. Talk about serendipity. I just loved the way the little one was looking at the green boots.

Art Every Day - day 21

This is a landscape piece today for Art Every Day taken from a photograph. Somewhere in Scotland.

Art Journal Journey - Birds

A collage this time for my theme on Art Journal Journey, with just a burst of colour with the little bird in the square. 

 Rain stopped us gardening today and I am gradually catching up with some work in my sketchbooks. 

I still have about 200 bulbs to plant and if this weather keeps up some of them will have to go in pots. They never seem to do very well in pots even though other people seem to manage OK.

Art Every day - Day 20

 It's day 20 on Art Every Day and i am starting a series of landscapes, most of them from photographs from my time in the Highlands of Scotland.

Thursday Journal with Neet

 She sees in black and white. Thinks in grey. And loves in colour. Not an easy set of words to illustrate this week. I started off with putting some new soft waxy crayons through a stencil, big mistake. They smudged like mad but not nicely, so I just went for it and smudged them with some kitchen roll. So there is some black and white and the smudged bits made grey. Theresa loves her pets and she sees them in colour. Thank goodness she doesn't have a cat or that bird would not be there. Sorry that's the best I can do this time.

I am also entering this in Art Journal Journey where my theme is birds. 

Art Every day - Day 19

For Day 19 on Art Every Day I have left the trees behind for a while. 

I have spent ages going through some old photographs and after this one I am going to do a series of landscapes. I really enjoy landscapes, especially in watercolour. This one is an old fencepost that has lichen on it, it was in our garden when I lived in the Highlands of Scotland ( In my previous life)

Art Every Day - Daay 18

 Day 18 of Art Every Day. The last of my tree paintings. This tree has very little growth left, just a few twigs growing from the old stump.

Art Every Day - Day17

 Gosh these days are coming in fast and furious and I am going to have to find some stuff to draw in the garden, so it will be out with the camera today. It's day 17 on Art Every Day and this is the third one of four trees that I have drawn from photos of my late brother. I think this tree was past it's best.

Art Journal Journey - Birds

 Another page foe my bird theme on Art Journal Journey. A collage of ripped papers with three mother and chick images using Tim Holtz stamps.

Art Every day - day 16

 Another tree from my brothers photographs for Art Every Day I think they are chestnut trees.

Art Every day - Day 15

 Art Every day - Day 15 . I found some lovely tree photographs of my late brothers and have started to draw and watercolour them, here is the first.

Art Every Day - Day 14

 A sketch today for Art Every day of a wall in Tuscany taken from a photograph I took many years ago.

Tag Tuesday - Texture

 Another tag for my theme on Tag Tuesday. This time I used crinkled up tissue on the background and sprayed it with a turquoise and bronze sprays. I added a wooden tree and some wooden birds. there is some brown tissue paper at the bottom to represent leaves.

Art Journal Journey - Birds

Another page for my theme of birds on Art Journal Journey. This time a collage with stamped images of birds added.  

 

Art Journal Journey - Birds

I couldn't do a bird page for my theme on Art Journal Journey with a beach and seagull one.. Distress inks, and texture paste for the sea foam.

I am also entering this in Art Every Day

 

Art Every Day Day 12

 A mountain scene in watercolour for Day 12 on Art Every Day.

Thursday Journal with Neet

 "You can't skip and be unhappy at the same time" are the words for this week. My background is Distress inks and a Dylusion stencil of flowers. The figures are also Dylusions, using different heads, bodies and legs. I used crochet for the skipping ropes.

Sophie and her friend Grace are very happy skipping outside, and then Ursula a neighbour comes along and finds it all very childish and said she would rather watch the birds than be seen skipping. With those shoes on she would probably end up in a heap on the floor, loose her dignity and dirty her new dress. The girls carry on skipping, ignoring Ursula and hoping she will go away.

I am entering this Art Journal Journey where my theme is Birds.

Some more pictures taken around the garden after a heavy mist.

Decay setting in on the Chinese lantern.

An intrepid wood lice

Some fossils in one of our paving slabs