A small gift for a special Friend

Each Christmastime I receive one or two christmas cards that really inspire me, and I now have quite a collection.  This particular little fabric and stitched quilt was inspired by such  a card I received several years ago, and reminds me somewhat of Zentangles.  The design appears to be hand drawn, and filled in with amazing detail, down to drawn lace and small embroidery lazy daisy stitches.  Anyway, my friend Alis was delighted with her little gift, and I would like to share the quilt wth all my blogging friends, to bring you all

Christmas Tidings. 

Here is the inspiration.  Unfortunately I do not know the artist, to be able to give credit where it is due.  I do hope you all have a lovely Christmas, and a very happy, healthy and creative New Year.

Fairy is finished .....

Following on from my last post, this is a scan of the painting actually, so it is a little larger than shown here - there is quite a few more leaves on the bottom and it is a bit wider. It is all water colour, except for the green background, which is layered acrylics.

This is also a scan of the finished Angel I posted some time back - now has a dark background, again using acrylics.
Bye for now ......

Getting there - slow but sure

Further to my last post, I've been working on this drawing I did, using a photograph of some toadstools I took for the background.  First of all I used a sepia pen to go over the drawing lines, then rubbed them out (very gently!)

I then added colours to various parts, using water soluble wax crayons mostly, then started to put the details in, plus some shadows.  The fairy is only very lightly coloured (nowhere near finished).  I am concentrating on the leaves mostly at the moment, and haven't quite decided about the background at the top.  Lots to do still, but I think it's coming on.
It's great for me to compare the pictures of the process, if only I could remember to do more scans as I went along!
Bye for now .....

Foraging for Fungus ......

Actually, to be honest, I was foraging for Fairies ........

but looking at the texture on these Honey Fungus (which is what I think it is) no wonder there were no fairies around.  It looks so spikey and rough, but really amazing.  The patterns are truly so inspiring!

Further along the lane I found these - much smoother, but still no sign of any fairy .....

wonderful Autumn colours though.  Even these round smooth ones were fairyless!

 I reckon they must have heard me approaching .......

and just took off.  I felt quite bereft, so decided I draw one .......

There you go - I just knew they were there really.  I'm off to add some paint.
Till next time ......

Another Fairy ......

 A new experience for me - I'm using A3 watercolour paper!  My Sketchbook is only A5, and smooth paper.  What a difference textured paper makes, as well as paper four times the size ........  Anyway, herewith my sketch.  Thought I'd give her feathered wings this time.

Add some flesh coloured pencils and paint, some water soluble crayons (her skirt) and some colour to her wings - plus a whole lot more graphite! 

She now has blonde hair as you can see, and I stippled the background with blue red and black acrylic paint and added some gouache white paint.  I did a lot of fiddling with her wings too.  I have to revisit all the flesh parts (lots of fiddling to do there!) and work on her skirt, and generally put a lot more detail in.  Still, she is getting there, slow but sure.
Bye for now .......

Bunbury Challenge completed

Here is my piece for the Bunbury Patchwork & Quilting Group in Australia.  The colours are a bit brigher than the picture shows, especially the edge of the leaves!

To recap, this is the challenge fabric - 11" square - 80% of which has to be used in the design somewhere.  The theme is Wonderland, and the quilts are for their Exhibition in 2012 - so I am in plenty of time!!
I'm still considering whether to add a couple of small 'pieces of leaves' at the bottom - or leave well enough alone.  What do you think? (OMGoodness - I've just noticed the pun!)   I've decided to call it Autumn Wonderland.
Till next time .......

More Sketchbook stuff ...

A sketchy beginning ..........

Added background using water soluble wax crayons and salt ....

Popped into the garden to find some leaves - for colour and shape ....

Added a bit more colour ....

Ta Daa!  I reckon she is done.  By the way, my sketchbook is A5 size.
Till next time ....