Paint Party Friday... Elf

Hello everyone...here we are... Friday once again!

 With only a few weeks until the holidays begin, I thought I'd do a Christmassy sketch this week. 

Hopefully something to inspire me into all the preparations.

The only trouble is that this is kind of mixed up... a Santa look-a-like if you will. 

I did have an elf in mind but then Santa intruded.

 I wouldn't say that I'm a negative person, but as I come to write this post I begin to wonder?

I'm normally a half glass full kind of person, but yet again I'm posting something that I don't particularly like. I'm hoping that the Paint Party Friday gang will be able to help me. 

It seems the trouble is that I've lost my passion for painting. 

I think a lot of it is that I don't have a theme, or subject matter that I can progress with. 

My subjects just seem so random and individual. 

I think if I kept to a theme it might help.

I'm trying out new paints and with each painting I'm learning, but the end design isn't quite what I'd like. 

But it's a journey...right?

I'm going to be with family over the next week, so they'll be no time for painting.

But hopefully I'll find inspiration from somewhere.

I'm determined that in the New Year I'm going to devote more time and energy into my art.

(Where have I heard that before?)

I started sketching the design below a few months ago and I feel maybe it's time to revisit.

I apologise for the photographs.

Unfortunately it's difficult to get enough light at this time of year.

I hope you can see it.

Now don't laugh but we are making plans for the girls (hens/chooks) to stay in a 'Hen Hote'l whilst we are away. I know it sounds ridiculous and I would be laughing along with you... but I feel this is the best option.

It would be a lot to ask someone to come a few times a day to see to them and the Hotel sounds brilliant.
I'm hoping that I'll be able to do a blog post...if all goes well once I get back.

Yet again we've found a mass of feathers and a wiped clean breast bone on our garden this morning, so the fox has ventured here once again. 

Poor wood pigeon by the look of it!

The hotel option is far safer.

Thanks for visiting my place and if you'd like to see more artwork, then why not join in the party over at PPF by clicking HERE.

Have a great Friday everyone.

Enjoy

My Sunday Photo...Allium

I apologise if you've seen this photo before on my Instagram feed, but I think I may have forgotten to include it into My Sunday Photo posts.

I really like it so I thought I'd share it with you.

I'm linking up with My Sunday Photo over at Photalife.com

Please feel free to pop across to see lots more photographs by clicking here

Have a great weekend and thanks for popping over to my place.

Gerbera... PPF

Today has been quite a trying day when I think back. 

It all began at 5.45am when I was woken by a strange noise. 

No, it wasn't my hubby's snoring this time, but an insistent knocking accompanied by birds chattering. Obviously I had to get out of bed to investigate and I received a real surprise. 

The crows were back, tapping at their reflections in the window and chortling away. 

They weren't at the usual window or the mirror that we've placed back in the garden for just such an event. No, the two crows were perched on a small window-ledge of the family room. 

Which just so happens to be right under our bedroom window... which was open. 

This is the first time that they've come on to that particular window sill.

If they keep this up it could be early morning's for me from now on... heaven forbid they come on to our bedroom window!

Maybe I could use the extra time and get up and paint?

Talking of which, I actually got to play with my paints this week.

This is a Gerbera plant that I bought whilst out for Sunday lunch.

It's such a chirpy plant don't you think?

My own little ray of sunshine... which is just as well as the last few days have been really cold. 

The east of the country has been in stark contrast to the west. 

They've had fantastic weather and temperatures whilst we've had Baltic blasts. 

June... ha!!!

I decided when I started to paint this plant, that I'd use the under-painting technique that 

Tracey Fletcher King taught me whilst taking part in her Delicious Paint classes

At this stage severe doubt creeps in that you'll never manage to bring the painting to anything worth looking at... but you have to keep the faith and carry on. 

(Ha... that even sounds convincing to me)

I wasn't sure whether to use the white and black ink pens, but you know me I just couldn't resist. 

I just had to have a dabble.

I'm not sure it worked, but I had fun anyway.

The second trying part to my day, was finding my beautiful Jasmine plant that normally decorates around the front door of the house, lying bedraggled in the middle of the driveway.

Remember my hubby retired just over a week ago... well he decided that the jasmine was compromising the down spout and drain, so in his infinite wisdom decided to dig it out!

HE MURDERED IT!

I'm being very restrained here and not putting in all of the expletives that were used this afternoon. 

I'll just say my hubby isn't a gardener and hadn't thought to consult me before attacking and massacring the poor innocent plant. 

A plant that has lived on this house for far longer than him!

Moving on swiftly...

I've finally decided to call it a day because I've just used the hose to water a few pots and that's the hat-trick for today. The hose leapt out of my hand at full flow and danced around like a possessed snake with the snake charmer playing his favourite tune. 

Thus, I'm drenched through! 

Oh well... here endeth the day I think... I give in.

I hope your day proves to be better than mine.

Have fun and thanks for visiting my place.

I'm linking up with Eva and Kristin as usual over at PPF