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.

HYACINTHS IN THREE MEDIA

My lovely neighbours brought me in a basket of six hyacinth bulbs for my birthday and now a week later they have grown into the most beautiful looking and smelling blooms. So on Thursday I painted them in watercolour when my ladies came round for an afternoon session of painting together.

Here is the watercolour afternoon effort:


Inspired by Penny creating a lovely work in pastel pencils, I created a study in watercolour pencils in my garden flower sketchbook when they left. Then this evening I decided to spend time doing another study in Inktense pencils to see how different they would turn out.

Here is the double spread: (which can be enlarged sepately)

ACEO ART CAMPAIGN FOR HAITI

Via one of my favourite blogs (http://waterblossoms.blogspot.com/) I was told by Margaret that a campaign to help raise funds for the Haiti cause was being organised by Laure Ferlita. Please go to her special blog address at http://paintedthoughtsblog.blogspot.com/ OR click on ART HEARTS FOR HAITI badge on my sidebar to get full details of this plan to get together as many ACEO 3.5" x 2.5" cards created by blogging artists.

I sent off my effort created with Inktense Pencils on watercolour paper which I have not posted here, but thought you'd like to see another design I put together in my zentangle sketchpad to help advertise this campaign in my blog.

Here are a couple of close ups of the bells proclaiming heart felt thoughts from England, the text of which was used on both pieces and describe the two designs of hearts and tears and in this one a basket at the bottom to capture them all -

' our tears are shed for your children and our hearts bleed for your loss' .

Maybe it will inspire you to have a go at creating a small card.

PS - DONT' TELL ME - I have made a colossal error by spelling Haiti back to front and its in both pieces of artwork. Oh! dear - but maybe it will make my card I sent so unique it will sell for more!!!!