Work in progress - arty things

This week I'm working on Wedding invitations for one of my best friends. She loves all things kitch and retro so her cards are going to be bright and funky. I started on stage one this afternoon, the drawing/ outline.

She loves tattoos, and has about 6 I think. She designs them all herself because she loves the personal meaning of each one. One of my favorites is a floral design she has on her back. It is a compliation of flowery doodles, not just any doodles though! You know when your on the phone, chatting away and there is any type of paper and drawing instument around? What do you draw?

For me it is circles, and for my friend it is flowers! So she translated these into a beautiful design that she now has on her back. Now you can see where the theme for her wedding invites comes in... it had to be a tattoo theme. I'm going to embroider this design with her and her bo's names, photograph it and then use that as the design for the front of the cards!

The other day Mr LB came home with some more squares of plywood for me and I started working on a new pice for my living room wall. "Her head's in the clouds" is a drawing/ painting on cardboard and them placed on the wood. I added some little clouds from a thrifted book and some cute flowery paper as the grass. I love how the collage aspect of these kind of pices build a different dimention. I just need to add hands and some text then she'll be ready for the wall.

Do you think she should be carrying a basket of clouds?

I had some trouble at the beginning getting the shading around her eyes right and then I ran my paint brush across them and the ink was still wet! Although I had to start again in this first one she does have a kind of tear stained face, and looks sad. So it's not all for nothing.

What are you doing to wind down this week? Are you trying a new technique or style?

Share a little something

"Sail on the Clyde" by Emma S Davis

I found this image in a book I am reading at the moment and wanted to share it with you. The artist Emma S. Davis was born in Paisley (the town where I now live) and she went to Glasgow School of Art, (the same art school I went to, I started there the year Emma graduated!)

I think her work is beautiful, rich layers of texture and she captures landscapes that I am familiar with in such a colourful and positive way.

I couldn't find a website for Davis's work but here is a link to more of her work and other talented Scots!

I am still plodding away with the paper work and there are piles and piles of it to get through, but I am getting there. I am still keeping focused and sticking to my three things, well almost. I have started sneeking in a bit of sewing at bedtime, to shut my mind down and I'm having so much fun, photos are on the way I promise. Last night I started a new piece of cloth and I'm kind of doodling on cloth with thread if that makes any sense. A few months ago I started noting down proverbs and I'm going to incorporate them or use them as a base for some new work. So far my favourite is

"home is where the heart is"

what's your favourite proverb?

x

Two sides

I have just finished making up another wholesale order and took some time this weekend to do some more mixed media pieces. After waiting and really looking forward to it I was kind of stumped at first by what to do, then after all day Saturday doodling and layering papers I had a break through on Sunday. "Call me" I don't know where I'm going with these maybe more phones, old radios, clocks? But I'm having fun doing them anyway.

"Eilidh Rose Necklace"

Today I have been making up some new designs for the shop and loving using some of the new beads I got through the other day. My favourites at the moment are the tear drop Amazonite stones. I love the colour and who they shimmer.

I have a huge list this week of things to so that I can have a work free weekend. It is Pablo's birthday, our 2nd wedding anniversary and Valentines day all in one weekend. I got my bo this fantastic print from EyaWeissbein's etsy shop. It is called "House down the street".

What's on your list for this week?

Dream Time

I had a strange dream the other night where I was wandering around a forest full of flowers and jewels and was trying to find my way out. When darkness fell lots of faces came out through the trees surrounded by a soft light. When I awoke I felt that I had to capture some of the faces of the women I met in my dream. She looks scarey but she wasn't when I met her, see was more kind of devious, but my painting skills are not what they used to be!

I am still working away on my other projects during the day and sneeking in some play time at night, so I have some more little bits to show you all next week.