FRIEND'S BOUQUET

Everyone brought something different to paint on Thursday, so I resorted to an arrangement of dried seedheads and two silk peonies, choosing some at random to make my own composition. They all came from friends and so make a lovely arrangement in my sunroom. They include love in the mist from Anita's garden, wheat stalks from the edge of a nearby field, artichokes from Brian's allotment, teasel and hogweed from Helen and the two silk flowers bought for me by my sister in law whilst out shopping together during a visit to my brother's family. We had a discussion as to what the three rounded pompom seed heads were from - but came to no conclusion, They had little four sided star shapes clustered together - which unfortunately I lost when adding the water to the inktense marks.

I think the soft result proves Inktense pencils don't have to be harsh colours. I did intend to keep some areas dried marks, but got carried away whilst we all nattered the afternoon away with tea and cake.

THREE BUTTERFLIES in WATERCOLOUR

I am due to become a great grandmother this week!

So with the approval of my lovely grand daughter, chose some of the butterfly motifs from her lovely cot quilt and bedding to create this trio of watercolours for her room.

Believe it or not, the frame and specially cut mount used to hold the trio I did of Gemima puddleduck, the frog on a lilypad and mice in a blue shoe, which I did for Channais twenty years ago when she was born!! I put two coast of acrylic white onto the dusky pink mount, as it clashed with the pinks of baby's bedding colours.

Trusting all goes well.

SUNFLOWER FIELDS FOR EVER

Some years ago used to spend summer holidays in SW France and painted a field of sunflowers with the mist rolling in on an early morning. Don't know if I ever posted the original piece.... but

Decided to use the idea for a new brighter acrylic painting full of light and colour on 16" square canvas. So had fun finishing my new version today in my warm little study watching the sky turn orange and apricot as the sun went down over the trees so early this time of the year.

LITTLE CYCLAMEN FROM FRONT GARDEN

Thursday Ladies Art group restarted today after the Christmas break. I got out my garden sketch book and sketched a double spread of some little cyclamen by bringing in the hanging basket from the front garden.

Here is the double spread in my sketchbook. Problem since I purchased my EPSON printer is that the scanner screen is not as wide as my previous HP to take both pages in full, but it gives you an idea of how it looks. Made a mistake in putting a shadow below the pot, as it was supposed to be a hanging basket although it stood on the table for the afternoon.

Good to be back to sketching and painting after what seems a long break.