Highland Coo... PPF

Hellooooo....

This week I tried drawing with charcoal, which is something that I haven't done since my school days. It was so much fun that I'll definitely have another play soon.

As my regular arty followers know... I'm always trying to loosen my work.

I like everything to be as is and strive for perfection... which can be limiting and always makes for an ultimate let down with finished work.

Sometimes, I'm so tight I'm near to snapping, but working with charcoal was like diving into a warm calm pool totally butt naked!

(cough) 

Sorry getting a little carried away there, but it really was a revelation. 

I kept laughing as I become increasingly blacker! 

Smudges appearing everywhere, but slowly his Highland Coo appeared.

He/She looks quite a character don't you think?

Do you think it's a He or a She.... and what about a name... any ideas?

Have fun everyone and I'll see you again soon

Thank you Eva and Kristin for continuing to host this great inspirational link.

Click here if you'd like join me over there

Love Nature...PPF

Well today I'm feeling a little spaced out, as I've been prescribed strong antibiotics.

I'm not sure, but I may have made a mistake by reading the extensive list of possible side effects.

I hardly slept at all last night and my stomach is definitely off today! 

Enough of that...but I'll certainly let you know if the hallucinations kick in!

Last week I shared a snippet of my drawing, so I'm happy to say that I actually finished it and have started another. 

I can't decide whether to paint it myself or use it for others to colour and share their interpretations. 

How cool would that be?

What's your view on the colouring craze for adults?

Do you think that the craze has ran it's course?

I'm not sure if people are still interested in this creative stress reliever or not?

(Love Nature A3 Black Micron Ink Pen)

Whilst drawing I plugged myself in to some brilliant music... (basically to drown out the football commentary... with the odd expletive from my hubby) and spent a wonderful evening drawing whilst looking out over the sunset lit fields. 

I'm going to use the English Premiership matches for my creative time, because it certainly made a perfect evening for everyone.

It's a win win situation. 

Everyone is happy!

I haven't shared any watercolour paintings with you lately, so here's a painting that I created as part of Tracey Fletcher King's Delicious Paint online class.

I had such a great time, plus learning brilliant tips along the way, that I've decided I'll revisit the course...it's available for life once you enrol. 

How brilliant is that!

Tracey is an exceptional teacher and so generous with her time and brilliant talent.

If you are interested in joining in too, then here's the details.

Classroom is now open and you can enrol here... Delicious Paint

Just in case you're wondering...I'm not being paid in any way for promoting this course...not even a gold star from the teacher!

But for now I think I'm in need of a long blink...zzZZZzzzZzzz

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

I'm always happy to see you and will hopefully pop in to your place soon.

Have a great time this weekend.

Happy Friday...PPF

I'm on day two of trying to talk to our internet service provider... so my nerves are a little raw at the moment. We are still at the preliminary stages on day two of negotiations and as yet have no solutions on the horizon.

Oh my...if only I could talk to a person to sort out the problem!

Anyway, this is the main reason why I haven't anything to post for the PPF link this week. 

I think I need to do some drawing at least, to keep my sanity so I've just started to draft a few cacti leaves from my previous post at the Botanical Gardens. 

(Press here if you'd like to see that particular post)

I've just have a funny thought.

It seems quite appropriate that I should draw something spiky and prickly today... as it's my current mood. (hehe)

The weather hasn't helped either over the last two days. 

We've had thunderstorms and hours and hours of rain with temperatures that are a stark reminder of November/February.

Apologies... I try to always be positive in my posts, but as many of you know...technology is brilliant when it's working...but oh my what a trial when it's not.

So let's lighten up and think nice thoughts.

Here's a summery oil pastel drawing that I did sometime ago, but it's full of colour and makes me feel a little better just looking at it. 

Apparently, butterflies as well as bee's need our help.
I'm planting as many flowers in my garden as I can...hopefully that will help.

I'm linking into the Paint Party Friday as usual.

Please pop along if you'd like to see lots more art from all over the globe.

I apologise if I haven't visited you yet, but I will try to during the next week.

Happy Friday Everyone 

😊

The Eye of the Tiger...PPF

There hasn't been much time or motivation to return to my art over the last few weeks, but yesterday I decided that I have been missing it and that I should get back to it. 

My house guests have left and everything is reasonably tidy, plus the weather has been horrendous this week, so there's no way I want to spend any time outside.

In other words it's perfect for zoning out with my art supplies.

My screensaver type art...the artwork that I never think to seriously about is drawing with ink.

I'm still playing with the tiger drawing that I started weeks ago.

I'm in no hurry to finish it as it's my therapy.

He looks a little fierce for my liking, but that's sometimes the fun side of art...a creation evolves into it's own personality.

It could be the gold highlights that I added to his eyes that gives him that scary stare.

Maybe I'm a little angry and that's what's coming out through my artwork.

Who knows?

I have a commission on the back burner, but thought I'd try out a few designs to try and get my act together. This leaf was one of the trials and now I realise that I'm just not firing on all cylinders yet.

This is a long way from where I want or need to be.

Once again because the gold ink pen was to hand, I couldn't resist adding little touches, but I think they are hard to see on this photo.

I have to admit I have no idea why it's come out like an autumn leaf, as we're supposed to be in the middle of our summer now. Maybe it's due to the terrible weather we've experienced this past week.

Our Tardis (the plastic greenhouse) took off and was heading to Kansas (Oh Toto) 

It lifted and threw all of the plants enclosed within.

Tomatoes went toppling, lettuce were launched, avocado ascended, fuchsia's flew...in fact I don't think anything remained intact.

I was awake for most of the night, listening to the wind howling around the house with such force...it was a little scary. I was imaging the whole of the veg plot devastated...all that hard work gone in one night. The storm was far worse than we experienced during winter.

I also wondered quite how the baby birds and fledgling managed.

Here's a photo that I took this morning of Mummy Blue-tit getting some well needed sustenance for her babies in our kitchen window feeder.

Her babies are in a nest box in that large tree on our driveway to the left of this photo, so she doesn't have far to go.

By the sound coming from the nest box...there's quite a few squished up inside there. 

They sound nearly ready to fledge and hopefully we might actually witness it.

Our very own Springwatch!

Thanks for visiting my place...I hope to have time over the weekend to create a few of the things that are cramming my creative brain at the moment.

It's a good sign...now I just have to execute them.

Have a great weekend and thanks Paint Party Friday link for continuing to inspire.

Ink Artwork...PPF

Hello everyone, 

I'm struggling with the lost of my best furry friend Muffy at the moment and I'm not sure when I will be ready to blog again (if ever) but I thought I needed to come over to thank everyone for their beautiful words, kind comments, and loving messages...plus cards and flowers. 

They have helped enormously...so thank you.

This ink drawing was created on the day of Muffy's operation.
I couldn't settle to do much, but to take up the ink pen seem the best option.

With these ink drawings my mind wanders away somewhere...I'm not sure where, which on that particular day was just what I needed.

(It's a grey day here today...which doesn't help with photographing)

Yesterday, I had an hour free and thought I'd revisit my tiger ink drawing that I started a while back. There's still quite a long way to go with this, but it's prefect to just nip in and out of when I feel I need to create some artwork.

(wip)

I'm linking into the Paint Party Friday link.

Thank you friends for being there.

Sunday Sketches... Brown Bear

I had another play today and decided that I'd do a little more drawing. 

Due to the cold weather my son suggested that I should draw a polar bear. 

Now I know it's gone chilly, but it's really not that chilly... yet!

I thought that a polar bear would make me feel even colder, so I decided to draw a brown bear instead... using the watercolour pencils once again.

I started with under painting, so that I could add multi-layers of colour for his fur. 

This particular journal isn't the best, but it's handy for playing.

I can try different things without becoming too precious about wasting good quality paper.

I'm using the kitchen table... as I'm still embracing the 'hygge' way of life. 

(If you'd like to know more about hygge then click here to see my previous post)

I'm sitting between the wood burner and the Aga.

I'm like a cat and always seek out the warmest place in the house on days like these.

We are coming to the end of Sunday Sketches from England, so please nip across and visit Alexandra's blog. 

There's always lots to see.

If you click on my design below it will automatically transport you over to her place... but before you do that... don't forget to let me know that you've been here by leaving me a quick comment.

Oh yes and one more thing... don't forget that the Not On The High Street TV advertisement that will feature my daughter's grumpy owl Christmas cards airs tonight, here in the UK. 

It will appear during the Tutankhamen programme, but keep your eyes peeled as they say, because you'll have to be quick to spot him!

Have fun and enjoy your Sunday everyone and I wish you a wonderful week ahead.

Thanks for stopping by and I'll look forward to seeing you again soon.

Tutankhamun.

Tutankhamun.

Paint Party Friday

I can't believe that it's a whole week since I mentioned the floods here in Aberdeenshire and believe it or not, last night was the worst night of flooding since the rain started over a week ago.

The National Media have now suddenly become aware of the severity of the flooding and thanks to the fantastic voluntary Fubar News team on Facebook, who are providing the masses of video footage for them, everyone now has become aware of what people are dealing with here.

It's wonderful to see and hear about the local community pulling together (other than a few morons that have taken the opportunistic view that an unattended, flooded house is far game for looting) along with the amazing emergency services, local businesses and volunteers that are all doing incredible work to try to minimize what is an horrific situation for so many. 

These floods are the worst on record... EVER!

We are counting our blessings here in this house for sitting high on a hill.

I'm feel slightly frivolous linking up with my little piece of artwork today, when so much is happening but it is Friday and I haven't posted all week... so here it is...

my latest drawing.

Can you tell what it is...?

I decided that after drawing the wolf (click here if you'd like to see him) 

(Wow... I've just seen that I drew him way back in November)
Oh my, how time flies when you're enjoying yourself.

There's lots I would change on this drawing, but I thought I'd show you because I think it's important to show when things go well and when they don't. 

Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't.

After all it's the journey when creating art isn't it?

That's one of the fascinating things about creating art... you just never know!

I read that there are as few as 3,200 tigers left in the wild.
It's unthinkable that we might lose these magnificent animals in my lifetime!
That would be so tragic.

Unfortunately, the photographs were taken on different days and as you can see there hasn't been a great deal of light. 

But I can assure you the final drawing is on white paper! 

I forgot to mention that we had snow last night and now it's turned to ice.

Just another spanner in the works... It just keeps giving!

So when Mufftypup finally went out for her walk after days of being house-bound due to the wind and rain she wore her  'Adidog' coat (as in Adidas with a difference).

She was very cozy and she was really up for a good workout.

She decided she wanted to head into the woods for lots of mooching and adventures. 

Here's the before photo... 

And here's the after shot...

She's showing her sad face because she knows she's heading into a bath!

But after she had a good warm sitting on the Aga, then the hairdryer and finally into her bed by the wood burner for her afternoon snoozelet.

Is it any wonder I don't get enough hours in my day?

I'm off to check out all the artist linking up to Eva and Kristin's Paint Party Friday

Have a great Friday and I hope you have a wonderful enjoyable weekend!

Thanks for stopping by my place and I hope you'll come back again soon

xoxo

The wolf is still at the door...(PPF Week 36)

Hello everyone... 

I'm happy to report we survived Abigail.

(the storm which was supposed to visit us yesterday... she actually stood us up in the end). 

She never arrived.

If she did visit you then I hope you are okay and have no storm damage. 

Well it's Friday and so let's kick off the weekend with a party... Paint Party Friday

Here's what I'm taking to the party.

My wolf ink drawing.

It's going to take quite some time to finish him, but it's all about the journey... right?

I'm contemplating giving him blue eyes... what do you think?

I find drawing these ink designs very relaxing.

It's easy to just nip in for a few minutes here and there (unless I can squeeze an hour or so) and leaving everything out on the table in between sessions is an added bonus.

It is only one ink pen and paper after all!

Click on the icon below if you'd like to join the party.

I'm also joining Alexandra over at Sunday Sketches.

 

I know my previous title from Wednesday's blog post caused quite a stir... thinking that a wolf might have been a threat to McMuffy. I'm happy to report she's fine and we don't actually have real wolves here in Aberdeenshire... well none that I know of.

Talking of Muffy... she's at the vets this morning having her teeth cleaned. 

I'm a little nervous it has to be said and I can't wait to go to collect her.

Here's a photo I took of her this morning.

It was the moment that she realised she wasn't going to the park... but to the vet's instead (again!)

She's fighting fit and got a clean bill of health earlier in the week, but she needs her teeth cleaned.

Not bad for an auld girl eh?

Have a wonderful weekend everyone

I hope if you have surprises... then they are all good ones.

As always I'd like to thank you for visiting my place.

xoxo

Inktober Challenge and Party Time (PPF) and Sunday Sketches

A few people have asked would I post what I'm drawing for the Inktober Challenge here on my blog... (they don't have an Instagram account or use Facebook) so as I aim to please my readers (hehe) here's the next phase of the challenge.

I'm still three drawings behind schedule, but I truly plan to catch up before the end of the month.

Honest!

This Autumn Leaf is the most popular so far...

But the Halloween Pumpkins are a hit too.

One of my favourite birds since returning to the UK is the Pheasant. 

We are constantly hearing them if not actually seeing them just now.

And then there just had to be a drawing of my true lifelong loves.

Books and reading...

With suffering experiencing extremely cold mornings over the last week... 

I'm having to play cinders once again. 

Lighting the wood burner is one of my first chores of the day.

I'm also hunting my winter woolies, thermals and fleeces out. 

But it's confusing because as the morning progresses the sun is shining making up for such a wet grey summer.

So obviously on a chilly morning Grumpy Owl appeared. 

I'm not sure why, but I can safely say he looks like he doesn't like the cold either.  

Are you craving a little colour now? 

I know I am... here's a photo of one of my garden flower beds. 

I can't believe just how colourful it is right now, especially in the low sunlight of early morning.

Some flowers are only just blooming... they must be so confused.

As are the birds no doubt!

So that's it for today... I'll perhaps show you a little more of the garden and what's happening in another post, but in the meantime why don't you pop across using the link below to enjoy some more incredible art over at PPF. 

I know they'll be explosions of colour and amazing talent there.

Thanks Eva and Kristin for hosting once again.
I'm also linking up with Sunday Sketches

I know I've been neglecting you lately, but I hope to get back to some normality soon... 

whatever that is! 

I appreciate your visit  and love it when you leave a comment.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone and happy painting everyone.

xoxo

My week on a page #1 (WOYWW 322)

Hello...

Just a quickie this morning, which will please Julia over at the What's On Your Work Desk Wednesday party, as she likes us to be brief when we open our doors to show what's happening in our creative world. It's understandable because there are so many desks to visit, so it works well if the text is brief... (so maybe I'll manage not to natter too much this week?)

(Click here if you'd like to see more work desks from around the globe)

After taking part in Tracey Fletcher King's art classes over the summer, I'm now playing at loosening up in my drawing. I think it's beginning to work because I did these paintings really quickly for me and I actually had fun!

It's difficult sometimes to find subjects that I would like to paint, so to have every day objects for my projects is a perfect way and now I have no excuses.

Tracey has recently started to draw her week on one page and I love it. So I asked would she mind if I tried and she said nae probs no problem in her gorgeous Aussie accent.

So here's some of mine...

No desk view sorry, but a work in progress... I'd rather not let you know entirely what I get up to... so I'm chief editor and executive decision maker!

Oh don't you just love power?

Above are a pair of my gardening gloves... I have about three pairs currently and these are the newest. I just brought them in from the garden and put them on the studio desk... I started drawing straight away... hence the mud and damp patches. Yep, I'm still battling in the garden whenever the weather is kind... which isn't as often as I'd like it. 

Next, because we have actually had the odd day with sunshine, I've put my cozy Ugg slippers away and found my summer slippers hidden in the back of my wardrobe.

Then here's my best gardening implement. 

I've no idea what it's called but it's such a little Trojan and makes weeding as easy as it possibly can be.

The pea's are what I've managed to grow without a greenhouse or a veggie plot.

I'm so pleased with them and myself... (she says puffing up with pride) and I have to tell you they are delicious. 

There are other things on the page, but they need to be finished off before I show you the whole page. 

Besides it's only Wednesday, so there's a few days to go before my week is up. 

What a tease eh?

I told you I like power! 

So that's it for now peeps.

Have a great creative week and I'll hopefully see you soon.

Empty Bird Feeder? (Paint Party Friday)

Well that was quite a night last night due to the incredibly strong winds that blew through this way. 

So much so that we could virtually feel the house shake. 

I was constantly woken up by the intruder light going off and on due to all the movement of trees, bushes and who knows what else. 

It gave me a tiny snippet of what it might be like to experience a tornado. Rather frightening.

Thankfully, there wasn't too much damage and debris when I checked around the garden this morning. 

The bird table (placed on the floor so that it didn't fall and break thankfully is still intact) but empty! 

And some of the feeders were no where to be found!

I feed the bird visitors in my garden every morning and I became aware of masses of eyes, tweets, and twitterbations going on as I wandered around the garden.

Where was breakfast???? 

This gave me a fun idea for a sketch...

I certainly had fun with this one... so decided that I'd carry on and add colour

I started off in my normal precise way but then reminded myself that I want to try to be a little more loose with my work... so took a deep breath and dived right in! 

I was thinking I should get out my bird books in order to get the correct plummage and colours but then that would be defeating the object and didn't seem fitting for this Friday fun sketch... so I ignored my urge. 

I even look at the wood work and nearly come out in a rash at how random the lines are. 

I'm pleased I've kept it so loose but I'm not promising that I might head back at some stage and tweak or maybe even take this theme and redo it. 

I'm linking up with Eva and Kristin's Paint Party Friday 

Why not make a cuppa and nip over to see lots of amazing artwork.

That's me done for today... 

It's Friday night so let the weekend commence.

Have fun everyone!

WOYWW #278 ... Pomegranates

I know that we'll all be saying the same thing this morning... 

"Where on earth did September go"?

I don't even know where July and August went never mind September! 

Anyway, here we are... it's Autumn and it's Wednesday, so it's time to share what we have on our desk (or kitchen table in my case). 

Keeping it brief as is the wish of our leader and linky host Julia over at Stamping Ground

Here's my desk...

I've went to my art group yesterday and entered new territory. 

It was certainly scary stuff because I used oil pastels for the first time.

In keeping with the autumn theme we drew pomegranates. 

Little Ruby Jewels

This was my practice piece in my sketch book.

It gave me the opportunity to get to know the pastels and how they worked.

I can't really make up my mind if I liked the pastels or not. 

I suppose it's early days yet.

I think I'm going to have to play a little more to come to a definite decision. 

I liked the way layers can be built up but became frustrated that I couldn't be more precise and how messy I (and my pad) became when using them. 

(Note to self... never wear white jeans again when I use oil pastels)

One more thing before I start desk hopping... I must tell you about yesterday.

My daughter joined an art class but didn't even have to leave the house. 

Whilst sitting comfy on the sofa, she linked into a live stream via our TV (hooked up to the internet), to a class being filmed in San Francisco! 

How cool is that!!!! 

It blew me away!

So that's it for this WOYWW entry... 

Have fun desk hopping and I'll just get ready to hopefully see you soon.