Goodbye Winter Blues...

Last weekend I treated myself to a blissful morning workshop at The Steel Rooms in Brigg.

'Beat the Winter Blues' was a herbal medicine workshop by Ali English and wafts of delicious scents greeted us as we entered the room.

Ali has such an impressive depth of knowledge of herbalism and is so generous with her wisdom and ingredients.

It was really exciting chopping, pounding, slicing and stirring our potions!

We began by making a rosemary, spice and ginseng 'cheer up' syrup.

It was so delicious that we scraped out the pan afterwards!

We then made a rosemary and calendula 'smile balm' which smelled absolutely gorgeous.

After we finished I felt as though I was floating out of the workshop and I was very happy with my potions!

To finish off the perfect morning, my hubby took me to Shipley's Curiositeas for a real treat.

Just look at that spread!

I felt utterly spoiled.

Winter blues, what winter blues?!?

Posted with Blogsy

In My Studio...

This morning I had a little tidy up, so before it gets trashed again I thought I'd record this moment for posterity!

Fancy a little tour?

My studio is teeny tiny, so it won't take long and I've put kettle on!

It's amazing how many nooks and crannies a lass can fit in one room!

My paints have to stay organised at all times though.

Otherwise, if I'm in the 'flow' and I can't grab the colour I want straight away I get really mardy!

The studio parrot, he only needs the occasional dust, very low maintenance!

Handy dolls' house scrips and scraps storage unit!

Oo I can hear the kettle whistling....custard cream or bourbon?

X

Posted with Blogsy

Lady-In-Waiting....

Even though she was a lady-in-waiting,

She did not know what she was waiting for...

Posted with Blogsy

Stitching And Dolly...

I love making things out of scraps of nothingness.

There is a huge sense of happiness when a finished item emerges from my box of tut.

This needle case was made from a fragment of beautifully soft vintage quilt from Hope and Elvis and tiny pieces of fabric.

Whenever I'm making something like this, Dolly's 'Coat Of Many Colours' always plays in my head.

I ruddy love that song, makes me cry every time!

Happy weekend wishes y'all!

X

Posted with Blogsy

Life Drawing...and Musings...

This week my first year students had their very first life drawing lesson.

It's a rites of passage in a student's art education, and I can still remember my first lesson as though it was yesterday (even though it was over twenty-five years ago!)

As I was flicking through my sketchbooks, preparing the lesson, I realised how much I've missed my lessons, it's been a while.

I think everyone who draws or paints needs to 'top up' their skills every now and then, (well, I do!)

And life drawing is the most rigorous and demanding type of drawing there is.

When I introduce life drawing to students I do feel as though it's my responsibility to remind them what a privilege it is to study the human form.

This applies especially to female students.

I still find it unbelievable that the Royal Academy only allowed women artists to study the partially draped nude in 1898, after years of petitioning!

My students did so well and I was so proud of them, they even clapped our lovely life model at the end of the lesson!

Posted with Blogsy

I Love Leigh-On-Sea!

It was the perfect day for a walk during that lovely lull, 

the betwixt and between time of Christmas and New Year.

There was a lovely low light.

 A lot of the houses were decorated beautifully.

Even the post boxes had been yarn bombed!

Leigh-On-Sea has a quirky, arty atmosphere, full of charity shops, independent boutiques and bustling cafes.

 Mini Goth and I took our new boots for an outing!

And...

I even found another giant plastic ice cream for the collection!