postcard giveaway and mix it monthly!

landscape and thistles, collaged paper, fabric and machine embroidery

Thistles have been a bit of a recurring theme with me this summer and I have finished some large pieces on canvas incorporating them which I will post over the coming weeks. My sketch book is full of thistle pages and designs. I recently bought a new sewing machine ( My first digital one) and I am learning to love what it can do!!

The thistles carpet the ground throughout August with their bright tufty blooms.

I even brought some inside to paint

.

neocolor crayon and ink

 
For the mix it monthly challenge I decided to use the thistle theme along with an abstracted design using my favourite copper and silver locket. It has a little copper spiral in the centre of a silver plate.

Mix it monthly. Copper, silver and thistles

I did a few designs around the theme..

The design below is done on my new machine. Its a Janome which I have not owned before and I'm still getting used to it and having fun in the process.

I sprayed the finished piece in cosmic shimmer mist.

And finally my last thistle is a little postcard which I thought would make a nice giveaway! I have been making a few cards over the summer using the themes and colours I have been using

postcard giveaway

It has been just over a year since I began my blog so thought I would celebrate and over the next few weeks give away a few of my summer postcards to my readers. Just leave a comment  saying if you would like me to send you the postcard and I'll draw a name at random next week .

Raspberry jam

 The past week I have been down the rather overgrown raspberry patch picking raspberries to make jam. I love raspberries, they are my favourite fruit, and one which Scotland does surprisingly well!!
This year the berries are a little late, probably because of the harsh winter and awful spring, but they have finally arrived.

I also decided to do a little outdoor sketching as the weather was so good.
I don't often outdoor paint but I have found neocolor crayons ideal for doing quick outdoor painting.

Do a quick sketch...add a little water...

 Hey presto!! I just love neocolor, the colours are so intense.

After I have picked them I make jam the lazy way in my breadmaker. It has a programme for jam making and makes about 1 jars worth in an hour. Means I can set it going and go outside to pick some more raspberries and enjoy the sunshine.Got to be better than standing watching a boiling pot of jam and the result tastes just as good.

Linking to inspiration Avenue and its Harvest theme this week. click HERE to have a look at other harvest offerings!

Eagle of Storr

Eagle of Storr mixed media collage

I have been busy in the studio over the past couple of weeks so haven't had much space to blog, but back to normal now and I can post one of my newest large pieces.

My eagle is set in the beautiful landscape of north west Skye. Storr is a large mountain surrounded by large rock formations the largest being the rock pinnacle called 'the old man of Storr' It is a famous landmark of Skye and has been used in many movie scenes, you may recognise it!!
Eagles are said to nest in the rocky outcrops, I saw one a few years ago as I drove along the coast road . It flew over my car down the hills towards the sea, bigger than any bird I had ever seen, its wingspan was enormous!! The image has stayed in my head and I have always wanted to try and get it onto canvas.

Storr wikepedia commons

the wings are made from tiny scraps of paper, some found, others printed with my Gelli plate

I started by very loosely painting with a large brush the solid shapes I wanted to fill in with paper.

The Sky uses some paper I printed with my Gelli plate using Celtic stencils.

The bottom photo gives an idea of scale.

I am submitting the piece to the Skyeworks gallery for a forthcoming exhibition on Flora and fauna of the Island.

linking this week to Paint party friday

Skye bridge

I recently finished this piece as a birthday present for my daughter. She lives many miles away in England but loves to visit Skye whenever she can. The Skye bridge is a very familiar landmark and whenever I see it looming through the mist I know I am almost back on the Island!

The skye bridge opened in 1995. Before then the only way to the Island was by ferry. You may have heard the famous Skye boat song.

Speed bonnie boat like a bird on the wing
"Onward" the sailors cry
Carry the lad that's born to be king
Over the sea to Skye
  
 The bridge opening caused a huge amount of controversy as tolls charged to cross were the most expensive in Europe! A local protest group called Skat ( Skye and Lochalsh against tolls) fought tirelessly to have the tolls removed some even going to prison because of their refusal to pay the toll charges. the toll was abolished in 2004.

I think it is a very beautiful bridge. The old ferry was romantic but often frustrating with traffic queues and cancellations when the often stormy weather closed the crossing. So I thought I would do a small tribute to this very famous landmark.

 Collaged onto a piece of recycled floorboard.

If you look closely you can see I added fairy lights to the bridge. ( the bridge doesn't have fairy lights, I think it should though! )

I have also used lots of bright coloured papers.

Lots of gesso.

And had lots of fun :)

Linking to paint party friday