Owls, a Fairy and a Pear

I have been deep in the forest this week painting owls for Art Journal Journey’s October theme.  These two are having a great old gossip about the naive little fairy that noisily woke them up from their slumber.  They were very indignant when she screamed out as a spider jumped on her wings.  What was she doing there anyway, they asked each other.

Well, Miranda was being brave, very brave in fact.  The big fairies told her that deep in the forest there was a wonderful treasure chest by the old oak tree.  In it there was a lot of special fairy dust.  Now this fairy dust was wonderful - beautiful iridescent blues and greens with gold and silver highlights.  Miranda thought that if she could get some and made a wish she would become beautiful and slender like the big fairies. 

The spider terrified Miranda and when the owls hooted with laughter, she decided that she didn't like the darkness of the forest and perhaps it would be better if she went home and ate the pear her Mum was painting for lunch.  Pears would make her skinny!!!!  Also her Mum’s kitchen was full of light and warmth and love. 

The owls were done in ink, pencil and watercolour.  Miranda was done in pencil, watercolour and gouache. 

The still life was done in acrylic, it is also being linked to Mix it Monthly hosted by Conny, where the theme in October is still life with the colours red, blue and yellow.

Have a wonderful creative week and thanks for visiting.

Linked to

Paint PartyFriday hosted by Eva and Kirstin

Art JournalJourney hosted by Susi

Mix ItMonthly hosted by Conny

This week......

Been busy as….. Painting a storm for 29 faces, AJJ – living beings and Mix it Monthly - trees!

Face 7

This is Sara; she is a beauty, loves to dress up, wears flowers and ribbons, and goes out on the town frequently.  However, despite being so-called ‘popular’ she is very lonely, if you look hard enough you can see into her soul through her eyes and see the sadness.  I think she has been hurt a lot.  I used gouache and acrylics; it took me all week to get her how I wanted.

Face 8

This is me a child!  I grew up on a dairy farm and after school had to go down to the milk shed to help with the milking.  To get there, I had to pass the hen run.  In the hen run was a bad tempered rooster, he used to sit up in the tree and fly over the fence making a racket and trying to peck us kids.  I was petrified of him!  I used to climb the fence and cross the paddock to the boundary and take a rather steep path to the shed.  To this day I am very nervous of birds, I desperately want to have hen for eggs but the thought of having to touch them sends shivers up my spine!!!  While I am at it, I will also admit that I was afraid of the cows too!  Perhaps next week I will do a picture telling a hilarious episode of me and a cow!  Shame on a good ole Taranaki farm gal! (Taranaki is the province where I grew up and is primarily a dairy farming area)

This picture I did for 29 Faces and AJJ – Living Beings.  If you want to see the faces I posted during the week go here.

Some more stuff for AJJ - Living Beings and Mix it Monthly - Trees

They are about my cat Bro.

This first one is his relationship with dogs.  He has a love hate relationship.  He keeps his distance as he has had one or two run in with them.  But I have caught him terrorizing or perhaps tantalizing the neighbour’s dog.  They have a one of those yappy terriers, and it is often in the front window when they go out.  Bro likes to sit in the middle of the lawn staring at it while it goes berserk, yapping jumping at the window.  I swear he is laughing!

Bro pretends to hate birds.  Proof of this was witnessed by the one legged blackbird that frequents my back garden looking for worms.  It disappeared for a while and I thought it hadn't survived the winter.  However looking out the window I saw the bird on the foot path to the washing line.  Around the corner came Bro.  He sat down as the bird continued to hop about.  They were only a foot apart!  He stayed there till it flew off.  He got a great big hug from me.

I used acrylics in both pictures.  For the trees they are wearing their spring outfits as it is spring here.  (It has arrived at long last!)  I haven't used the colour scheme provided by Connie but will for next Tree picture that I am working on.

Bro taking his early morning stroll in the garden!  Below Bro guarding the property on the carport roof!  Oops it needs painting!!!

Well if you got this far thanks for visiting and have a wonderful creative week.

Linking to

 Paint Party Friday hosted by Eva and Kirstin,

Art Journal Journey hosted by Valerie and Susi

and Mix it Monthly hosted by Connie.
also
Feline Cat Friday hosted by Kitty Par-tay

When I am an old woman I shall wear purple….

Wow posting two days in a row!  I was going to do just the Frida Kahlo post for PPF, as I didn't think I would be able to get any painting done today.  But as you see I did even if it is still wet!.  I really wanted to finish it as I think it would be great for Connie’s  Mix It Monthly which ends in a couple of days.

Last week while reading one of my favourite blogs that had a post on aging, one of the comments referred to this poem so I googled it.  It is a poem by Jenny Joseph from “Warning”. Written in 1961.  It really, really appeals to me.  However, I promise not to spit!

When I am an old woman I shall wear purple

With a red hat which doesn’t go, and doesn’t suit me.
And I shall spend my pension on brandy and summer gloves
And satin sandals, and say we’ve no money for butter.

I shall sit down on the pavement when I’m tired
And gobble up samples in shops and press alarm bells
And run my stick along the public railings
And make up for the sobriety of my youth.

I shall go out in my slippers in the rain
And pick flowers in other people’s gardens
And learn to spit.

You can wear terrible shirts and grow more fat
And eat three pounds of sausages at a go
Or only bread and pickle for a week
And hoard pens and pencils and beermats and things in boxes.

But now we must have clothes that keep us dry
And pay our rent and not swear in the street
And set a good example for the children.
We must have friends to dinner and read the papers.

But maybe I ought to practice a little now?
So people who know me are not too shocked and surprised
When suddenly I am old, and start to wear purple.

What will you do when you are old that you could start doing now?

I think I will wear orange and pink with stripes and dots, and fall asleep while boring people are talking!

Have a wonderful creative week and I hope to visit you all during the weekend.

Linking to Paint Party Friday

and

Mix it Monthly