Millionaire's Shortbread Illustration...PPF

Hello there... phewph it's been a busy day, but I'm super excited because I've actually managed to finish off my week 4 assignment for #risedesignandshine ahead of time! 

I know...I may have to go for a lie down now.

This weeks assignment was to illustrate a favourite recipe and I chose an old family favourite which is quite appropriate as I'm now residing in Bonnie Scotland.

It's shortbread (which is a huge favourite in Scotland) but not just ordinary shortbread...it's gorgeous Millionaire's Shortbread. 

Have you baked it before? 

It's incredibly easy and as it was featured on last weeks 'The Great British Bake Off' I thought it just had to be my choice for this assignment.

My hubby and son think I need to bake it following these instructions just to make sure I have it all illustrated correctly.

They're calling it research...I have another name for it!

If you'd like to see more... I posted a slightly different version of the recipe on my blog... way back in January 2012, when we lived in Melbourne. 

(Click here) 

Oh boy looking back at some of these old blog posts, I baked an awful lot back then.

So as usual I'm linking up with the Paint Party Friday gang.

Thanks Eva and Kristin for hosting once again.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone and thanks for your visit today.

It's always great to see you and I'd love to hear from you.

Summer Slips Away and Autumn Arrives

Summer has slipped quietly away and I for one will miss it, even though it wasn't a particularly good one for us up here in the North East of Scotland.

I'm hopeful that our Autumn will be spectacular... and so far it's not doing too badly. 

I thought I'd highlight just a snippet of what's happening around our place.

The fields of gold have been harvested with this beast!

It doesn't look particularly large on this photo but this was captured on my zoom lens... the machine is approx 250 metres away!

Trust me it's huge.

It must be a terrifying thing to see and hear if you're a little wee beast.

With all of the various changes with autumns arrival, our little elegant resident roe deer is in the process of changing his summer coat of reddish brown to grey.

I've done a little research and I believe he might be between two and three years old.

He appears regularly near our house and settles down to rest, which is a huge honour. 

He must feel safe.

I think it's pretty special having such a majestic neighbour.

 I'm not sure if I've mentioned in previous posts, but I've been trying to photograph one of the few wren's that frequent our garden. 

Yesterday I had a chance but oh my word he's a flighty little critter!

The photo below was taken from my kitchen window across to the decking steps... as you can see it was also raining, so not the best conditions for a photographic shoot.

But I'm happy that it's not just a blur.

The blackbirds are enjoying this time of year too with lots of goodies available.

This particular blackbird is enjoying the berry bonanza.

If I'm showing you some of our visitors, then how could I not include our new robin.

He's looking mighty handsome in his new red waistcoat and is still friendly.

Everyone knows I love to take photos of the busy bees and I'm including this one because who knows it might be the last visit of the year!

Oh how I'll miss them.

But there'll be lots of other wonderful sights to capture with the coming seasons.

I'll hopefully have my camera at the ready and be snapping away, so feel free to pop back anytime.

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

and Image-in-ing.blogspot.co.uk

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

Geometric Patterns and Shapes...PPF

Yay it's Friday!

Well it's been two weeks since I posted to the Paint Party Friday link, so here's a snippet of what I've been up to with my artwork.

Along with all of the other madness that's ongoing at the moment, I'm actually managing to keep up with the Rise Design and Shine art course.

It's been tough as I now realise that I'm not particularly good at being told what to do 

(art wise and otherwise) timescales, trends and specific briefs. 

(I've never liked the word 'briefs'...but for other reasons...and that's not changed in this course)

Just to clarify this particular kind of brief gives specific instructions to follow and has nothing to do with clothing attire or Bridget Jones!
There now that's cleared that up... let me show you what I've done so far for week 3.

Unfortunately, it's a WIP but I'll hopefully get it completed before Sunday evening.

Geometric Patterns...

I've found this assignment far more challenging than I thought...which surprisingly has been the case with each week so far. 

That's good I suppose...it's stretching me to think and work outside of my comfort zone.

Having said that...I do hope that one week hits the spot and I can get somewhere far from being the dunce of the class.

I'm linking up with the Paint Party Friday gang.

Thanks Eva and Kristin for hosting once again.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone and thanks for your visit today.

It's always great to see you.

Harvest Time On Our Plot

Hello everyone...welcome to a new week.

I'd thought I'd share our harvest from yesterday. 

If you are a follower then you'll know we only started the veggie plot back in early February, so we're thrilled with the outcome so far.

Here's a quick recap for anyone who may have missed the birth of the plot.

(click Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3)

In case you can't make out what's in the white bowl... it's blackberries.

I'm linking up with Image-in-ing.blogspot.co.uk 
 Seasons
and Good Random Fun.blogspot.co.uk

Have a great week everyone...have fun and keep smiling!

My Sunday Photo...Mushrooms

My Sunday Photo really sums up our current weather.

Wet and soggy, but at times warm(ish)

In fact, perfect conditions for growing mushrooms.

I can't take any credit for growing these beauties shown below because they have just appeared at the base of a tree in my garden. 

I have no idea if they are edible or not? 

I know next to nothing about fungi, so if anyone knows what this one is called and if it's poisonous I'd be really interested to hear.

I thought I'd include another photo today to show you that we are all prepared for the autumn nights...when you need a little extra warmth. 

Especially when you hear that F word for the first time...FROST!

Yep the weather forecaster said that there's a chance we might have Jack Frost come to visit us overnight... and so it starts!

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.

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.

Autumnal Folio Focus...PPF

I don't think I've ever been so late in entering the PPF party, but I've been in the classroom all day.

Well not exactly in a real classroom, but painting at my kitchen table.

I enrolled into an online class called #FolioFocus and it's week one.

Has anyone enrolled or heard of it before?

I'd love to hear if you have.

The lessons are to help build a stronger portfolio and this week was all about botanicals.

How could I refuse with it being botanical or fall behind on the first week. 

So using my new paints I jumped right in.

To say I've learnt so much today that my head hurts is an understatement.

I decided to embrace autumn as it's arrived. 

I wanted to hang on to summer, but alas I failed. 

I hope you like this and I'm actually quite pleased...which is incredible not only that I've managed to actually share a finished piece of work this week, but also that I like it!  

I'm linking up with the Paint Party Friday gang.

Thanks Eva and Kristin for hosting once again.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone and thanks for your visit today.

It's always great to see you.

My Sunday Photo...Hot Tub

Well there's not a lot I can say about My Sunday Photo except that I can thoroughly recommend a Hikki Hot Tub! 

After a busy day what could be better than to lounge in a hot tub under the stars...oh yes and a moon shining to help with the candle light! 

The cap was only to save the extreme steam from sending my hair into a modern day Pollyanna!

It may not be the best photo technically, but it was taken more for a moody atmospheric shot.

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.

Now where's my glass of vino... Cheers!

Love Nature Gouache Painting...PPF

Well here we are on the first day of Autumn and it's a beautiful warm sunny day.

Blue skies above with fluffy white clouds to complete the picture.

If this is how autumn is to carry on...I'm all in favour.

Goodbye Summer... sadly you were a huge disappointment. 

If you had an end of term report it would probably read..."Must do better"

Remarkably this week I actually managed to have a play with my new Turner gouache paints.

I certainly learnt quite a lot using them. 

For instance, when I use watercolour paints I seem to use them as gouache paint, but when I'm using gouache paint I use them as I would watercolours.

Does that make sense or is it gobbledeegook!

Basically, I don't think I use either particularly well.

I much prefer drawing in ink!

I'm completely aware that I seem to be neglecting my blog in favour of the quick and easy Instagram. Here's a photo I posted earlier this week.
I just loved his fluffy butt!

But hopefully life will settle down soon and I'll be able to spend more time visiting and writing posts.

I'm linking up with the Paint Party Friday gang.

Thanks Eva and Kristin for hosting once again.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone and thanks for your visit today.

It's always great to see you.