Showing posts with label heart. Show all posts
Showing posts with label heart. Show all posts

Tuesday, 28 February 2017

February COM for Art Elements with Jenny Davies-Reazor

This month Component of the Month challenge was set by Jenny in the Art Elements team.  Jenny produced some beautiful polymer clay heart beads and cabochons.


Out of the cabochons above I choose one like the centre that lovely soft ivory/white with gold flecks.

My original idea was bridal, but 'love unrequited' kept sticking in my head and the image of a bridal piece of jewellery just wouldn't work for me. 

I have been experimenting with art journalling which I do find a challenge.  I have HUNDREDS of sketch books that I have scribbled and doodled in over the years, some have messages and diary style extracts next to them but the whole adding mixed media is completely new to me.  I came across a lovely quote 'when the world says give up, hope says try one more time' and it really hit a nerve with me.  My whole life has been a fight for survival on almost every level, whenever I feel like giving up something happens, a spark burns in me and anger gives me strength to not be beaten and try again.  

My heart had found its muse.


The Chinese coin is one that I had in a box at the back of the wardrobe, I have had it for years and it is supposed to bring luck, I can't even remember where I got it from.  The playing card is representative that life is a game of chance - a tarot card would have worked here too.... - the shells, beautiful shell creations in bronze clay and ceramic and made by Lesley the former and I think one of the other members possibly Cathy, I wish I would stop losing the cards to say who did what!  Shells remind me of living by the sea and as a child holding the shell to your ear to hear the wind and maybe your future dreams.  The skeleton leaves are signs of death in Autumn but also that when Spring comes they will live again.  

It is unfinished.  I wanted to do so much more but mixed media is a struggle for me I want it to be so full of ideas and drama and things to touch and read and colour.. but my control freak artist side wants to just use line and structure.  I do love the idea of this though and I love how the heart inspired it.  The quote inspired me to finally stop procrastinating and print my doodles as cards and prints you can find them on my FB group page which you will need to join and eventually in my Etsy shop - link on the side of the blog if you want to come and find me :)



A list below of all those that joined in the challenge so grab a cup of tea and join me in blog hopping to see what other creations these hearts have inspired.


Guests: 
Art Elements team: 

Sunday, 14 February 2016

Home is where the heart is........

A special blog for someone who will remain nameless, lets call her Betsy and anyone else who might just be wondering the same thing.

Where do I hang out when I am home?



 Above is one corner of my studio, the corner I sit at the torch.  My studio is in the garden under an enormous great tree that goes the most beautiful rustic reds in the Autumn.  I get lots of Jays, Sparrows, Magpies, Robins, Pigeons the odd duck and bird of prey in that tree too.

I took all these photos this morning, Sunday February 14th 2016, its not tidy in my kitchen, or anywhere in the house really I have been poorly for a few weeks and my husband has worked nights all week so cleaning has been a bit lapse.

When on my laptop writing, loitering on FB, wrapping beads for sending as well as eating, cooking - ok watching the husband cook - lighting fires  and a myriad of other tasks I am in the kitchen.  My kitchen is a big room, the dinning table at one end and the pantry at the other.  Three doors lead from the kitchen one to the utility room - no photos if the rest of the house is bad this room is strictly off limits! one to the pantry and the other by the fridge to the hall. The utility leads to a small shower room and a door takes you outside, this is the back door but is the front door as its most used and has the letter box.  Like my life the house is a bit back to front and upside down, perfect living really.


So, photo above facing the dining table, as you can see Iz and Defi have had breakfast and their raised bowl stand will be put away in a minute...  or two.  Can you see the prone shape on the fire hearth?  


The corner to the right of the dining table is where my book that I am currently writing is housed in a rather bespoke box that looks like an old encyclopedia, I love that box!


Facing the other end of the room, my rocking chair I stole from one brother who had stole it from our other brother.. they are twins and I am the eldest, I liked it, I pinched it, its been with me for about 20 years!  

The door on the left is the pantry the other door leads to the room of doom, otherwise known as the utility room...shudders at visions of mud splattered walls and dirty laundry....



The third door from the kitchen takes you into the hall and the monolith that is Gordy Towers is across the front door that we don't use.  A bookcase stands to the right and that is where the cats eat and the stairs take you to the bedrooms.  I like the glass doors, we have this one and the one from the hall into the living room which is on the left of Gordy Towers: the glass is always covered in nose prints and dribble and although they are smeared and in need of constant cleaning I can spy on Gordy when he is playing by himself in the hall, in turn he can sit and sulk at the door to come in when he is banished at cooking times!



My living room, bit of a mess!  this is the corner you could see from the door way and my 'end of the sofa'  I have drawing pads, pencils, crochet hooks, yarn and fish tanks.  I love my nursery fish tank on my old hexagonal table, one day I really will decorate this table in the style of the narrowboats.  I have said that for the 15 years I have had it!!


Close up of the 'stuff' on my table and its all mine.... 


Stuffed between the fish tank and the sofa, filling for crochet toys, my bag of hooks and my sewing box my son brought me for Christmas that has my fine threads in that I will probably hoard for a few years before using and my toys eyes.  NO ONE else in the house is allowed piles but I follow my own rules!


The fish tank and me still in my dressing gown and pj's!!

From the right of Gordy Towers in the hall, at the bottom of the stairs is a window that shows you the back of the garden.  The house sits not quite in the middle of the gardens so we don't have a front and back but this is to the back of the house, just a corner mind the garden is a lovely big size, surrounded by fields and country lane.  This is my studio shed under the big tree (right photo below) that is still quite bare.  My garden is not at its finest and this part faces North so it does get the wind and rain.


The left hand photo was taken from the window in the living room at the front and shows my very impressive bamboo and my sons van that is actually in pieces!!  Bloody kids!!  I can't show you the other end of the drive that wraps around the house and takes you back to the kitchen and utility because to be quite honest its a mess of mud, cars, wood for the fire...   Tucked in the bamboo is my bird table so I have some lovely movement and chirrping from this area.



Taken from the same window in the living room but pointing to the left of the garden, the sun was just rising this morning.  This is the gate that leads out onto the lane, that telephone line that stretches the length of the lane quite often has big rooks, ravens, crows, magpies, pigeons, owls, red kite and many other beautiful birds sitting on it annoying Defi and making him bark!


Remember the prone figure from above?  You guessed it just another morning protest at the lack of fire for his lordship!



...and on the table is the most recent copy of Gordy and Me in Cat World Magazine, I leave it there to remind the family what a fabulous writer I am and that I really need time to finish the book and do next months article.

How is that Betsy?  Now you know where I live and how, creativity chaotic!!


This blog post is part of the Creative Sunday Blog Hop hosted by Jill of Kiln Fired Art