Lately

My little strawberry bush is going better than ever.


Beautiful billy balls, an extra birthday present from my wonderful boss.


Mum is framing photos. I love having old photographs around, and have always loved to sit down and pore over the boxes of photos handed down to Mum from her grandmother.


Pears from my favourite produce store. I'm not sure what it is, but there is something wonderful about buying fruit in brown paper bags. That might seem strange but this is coming from a paper fanatic.


My nephew loves to take photos. He had pink hair on this day for a fundraising day at school.


A fragrant bouquet of herbs


Mums collection of broken china and ceramics. Many of these shards have been found when digging in the garden of both the houses I grew up in.

Have a great weekend!

A new watercolour painting // Magpie

Magpie. Watercolour and gouache on paper

I've been working on a new painting of a magpie. I used to dislike magpies (possibly as a result of being swooped by several of them walking home from school) but now I think they are one of my favourites. You see at least one on every residential block around here, usually strolling on the nature strip.

While I was researching them, I found out that they are very intelligent and playful birds. My sister has a family of magpies that live in her backyard, and she would often see the baby rolling around in the fallen leaves. I guessed it could be a sign of submission but she said it seemed to do it for fun. Apparently adult magpies will play with the juveniles, chasing them and play fighting.

I spent all weekend painting, and I moved my things upstairs to be near Harley while he worked at his desk. I had the desk by the window and it was drizzling outside, and it was so lovely to just sit there and work together in silence on our separate projects. I have so many projects on at the moment, but my favourite is a big water colour painting I am doing for a lovely lady in a nearby town. I am used to doing small works, but I am getting there. It's good to be so busy!

Very Rustic Flower Arranging

When out on a drive recently we decided to stop the car and pick some foliage from the side of the road next to Harley's parents house. I needed some different leaves to use as a reference for some new paintings. I'm not sure what those little yellow flowers are, most likely a weed but they are pretty!

Painting

I spent this afternoon looking for inspiration for some new paintings. I still can't seem to move away from painting plants though. My studio is in chaos, and I'm working on a big painting that won't fit on my desk so I've moved out onto the dining room table. I'm looking forward to spending the rest of the weekend painting while listening to back to back episodes of 30 rock. Have a lovely weekend!

Lately

Some beautiful flowers from some lovely friends.


Making the most of the basil now before it is killed by the frosts.


Beauty in the garden.

Summer's End

Around the Studio

As I've been spending every spare moment burrowed away in my studio, I thought I would take a few photos of around the place.


A few of the hundred or so glass bottles I bought at an auction last month. I paid way too much for these but they make me really happy and I'm justifying the expense with the fact that I'm going to be using them in my wedding. The little plate in the background was a gift from mum.


A beautiful horse named Licorice constructed entirely by hand by Emma Kidd of BenConservato. His wings are the loveliest shade of gold.


Note the hand drawn plate of my parents and I that I did in pre-school. That guy on the right with the blue hair looks exactly like my dad, the likeness is uncanny.


Packaging supplies. I love the look of gold and kraft paper and twine together.

The Garden in the Rain

Today we finally had some rain, the garden turned vivid shades of green after being thirsty for so long.

I have been so busy with art commissions and graphic design work that I have been neglecting all other areas of my life, like eating proper meals and basic housework (I folded SIX baskets of washing last night, we had been living with the baskets stacked precariously for weeks). Today I stepped out of the studio and picked up the camera and it was really nice.


Some tiny little toadstools found growing with the fuschia cuttings, not even as tall as my fingernail.

Our boxer Madge, who didn't seem to enjoy the rain.

And some beautifully bold variegated cumquat leaves. A gift from a very thoughtful person who understands me so well. Have a great weekend! x