watercolour – The Art of Cobwebs

#InkTober 4th 2017

Well I did say yesterday that I’d be hard pushed to not, at some point, break open a coloured ink during InkTober this year … and I didn’t last even a quarter of the month. How dreadful am I?

There are gazillions of the InkTober Artists around the globe all pushing their black ink pens loyally and here I am being the bad girl. Oooooohhh but it’s so delicious to be bad sometimes! 😉

And .. I’m not really bad. Not really … for I still used ink. I used Brown Ink instead of black, and I used it straight from the bottle. A proper glass bottle too!

Aw anyhoo, enough of my bad … let’s crack on and talk about todays inky offering…

This drawing (with some painting) was inspired by a handmade card which I made for Beverly of More Ink Please, – no the name of her blog isn’t made up for InkTober, that really is the name of her blog. Ha! I sent her the card just over a week ago, and she emailed me to tell me that it had arrived. YAY! I’ll blog the card probably tomorrow as I have to re-size the photo’s still, but for today I’m sharing my offering for the 4th day of InkTober2017, which was inspired, as I said, by the card I made for Beverly.

Autumn is a much-loved season by me, so it made sense that I would have to do some sort of nod to Autumn, and here is the inking I created…

I started with the acorns on branches, on the upper left corner, and pencilled in where I wanted them to be before using ink straight from the bottle and a fine paint brush to ink up both the branches and the cups and acorns themselves. The ink used is called Chronicle Acrylic Dip Pen Ink, in Sepia. (I’ve had this bottle of never ending ink for years, and I’m not even sure they still make it). I also used a Kuretake Zig Memory System Ink Pen in black, (size 005) to give some dark shadows to places where they would normally fall. Those two things were the only colours and items used to make the acorn branches.

The Autumn leaf wreath was first drawn out lightly in pencil, then lightly again using a Zig Memory System Pigment Ink Pen, in Chocolate. I then used Kuretake Gansai Watercolour Paints to add Autumnal colours to the leaves. I added the twisted vine to the ‘wreath’ using the same Chronicle Ink I’d used on the Acorn branches, and also added some twisted tumbling vines too.

Using the Zig Memory System Ink Pen in chocolate, I added the ‘Autumn’ word, and that’s all there was to it!

It was quite quick to make, the majority of the time seemed to be waiting for parts to dry before moving on.

I’ve told myself that I have to be a good girl for a few days now and not dip my brushes or pens into the blue ink. So … fingers crossed…. I might be able to do it without falling off the wagon. (to borrow a phrase from somewhere else. lol)

Autumn has really arrived to the South of England. It’s so heart stoppingly pretty here right now. Green is beautiful .. but ohhh.. the yellows, reds and oranges, those stunning sunburst shades that only nature can summon up from her paint-box … those colours just make me want to lie down in those leaves and do the snow angel thing. So yummy!

Hot meals have come back onto the menu, and my soft pashmina type scarves have come out and are enjoying the odd outing now and again.

Did you know …. that today, in 1883, it was the first run of the Orient Express.? Well, you do now! You can go and impress someone with your new-found knowledge and watch them as they try to work out why you’re so amazing!! You’re welcome. 😀

Have a wonderful rest of your day! And … when you get there … Sleep well, for tomorrow you will be gifted with another 24 hours (if you’re lucky enough) and you can join the rest of us as we do it all again … with some differences.

Sending squidges, from me in my corner to you in yours.

Flower Power in Faiyland ~ a hand painted Card . . .

Have you ever wondered where Fairies get their Fairy Dust from? Well wonder no more dear reader, for I think I’ve found out. But more about that in a moment . . .

I need to share with you something which I discovered last month in Aldi.

The photo above shows a large, A3 size, pad of 40 sheets of Watercolour Paper, of 100gsm, which I found in Aldi last month. (July 2017). When I spotted it and had a feel of the paper I have to admit that I wasn’t overly impressed in any great way. I’m too used to my usual thicker, water-colour paper. So I put the pad down and went to walk off. But … this sneaky little thought popped into my head: “hey, it’s just £2.49. Give it a try.” … So I bought it.

Because of a move around in my craft room (and the chaos which that sort of thing creates) I only got chance to have a play with it yesterday, and I’m rather glad I decided to buy it. It’s not the sort of watercolour paper which you can flood with water, as its a finer paper and the water will eventually be soaked up and will then wrinkle your page, but if you know where you’re going, have a plan and don’t soak it, then you can get some decent results. Added to that . . .if you’re putting the resulting painting onto a card, then it doesn’t add any great weight to the card, which is perfect.

Using Kuretaki Gansai Tambi watercolours, and also their Starry watercolours, and with the help of a bit of acetate, I created the background you see above. Because I used the Starry watercolours – in 2 colours of Gold, it was a little difficult to capture all of the patches of gold using my camera. If it were a video, I could have moved it a teeny bit so that you’d have seen the light catch all the areas of the fabulous gold paints. (Anywhere which looks like wet paper, or like I’ve spilt tea on it is actually twinkling gold paint which the light didn’t catch)

After the background had dried (with the help of my dear friend – the trusty heat gun!), I went to work on the flower.

Most parts of the flower were hand stamped, but some parts were drawn because I didn’t have a stamp which was either the right size or shape, using my friend – Stamp Perfect – a stamp positioning tool. (A Christmas present last year, and I love it for moments like this) .

What you’re looking at in the photo above is my Stamp Perfect, with a stamp attached to it, ready to stamp on to the background. The top half of the Fairy Flower had already been stamped, and I was adding the curled back sepals. If you haven’t met a stamping positional tool before and want to know how it works I found a video on You Tube which will help way more than I can here, and be far more entertaining than me too:

The photograph above is the flower after I’d finished stamping, (and drawing parts of it) and after I’d watercolour painted it.

Finally … I embossed around the edge, using a little Tonic Embossing Powder, and then adhered the flower to a 6″x6″ white scored and folded card, added a ribbon and Voila! One hand painted Flower Power Fairyland Card.

And that’s all there was to it!

Apart from explaining the Fairy Dust ….

Do you see at the top of the flower as it’s opening … with what looks like wiggly lines and dots? Well . . . That’s the Fairy Dust, escaping from the Fairy Flower Power Pod. See? THAT’S where Fairy Dust comes from. I know this to be true because my Unicorn, which lives in my back garden, told me so. 🦄 🤣

Happy Wednesday!

Did you know . . . that according to research by a tanning company, women look oldest at 3.30pm on Wednesdays? Now I KNOW this to be an outrageous lie because I know that you girls and I look terrific at all times!

I will admit that when I stumble out of bed in the morning, my hair looks like five miniature kittens have been playing in it all night – but that’s easily calmed down with a comb. And … I do seem to have bought a couple of really spiteful mirrors which are obviously designed by cosmetic companies to try to trick us girls into thinking that we have a spot on our chin which is being kept company by a hair to the left of it. But .. I decided quite a long time ago that I would no longer look in those mirrors, and from that moment on I’ve looked practically perfect in every way! (so long as I don’t have my glasses on).

Oldest at 3.30pm on a Wednesday? Don’t make me laugh. I’m ONLY 27 years old – as we all know, for goodness sake!

Did you also know: that a recent(ish) survey in the US reported that bosses are most receptive to requests on a Wednesday? Now I can’t prove this, buy hey, what have you got to lose? Obviously asking the boss when he plans to leave as you want his/her job, might not go down terribly well, but I guess you could give it a go, so long as she/he has sense of humour!

[. . . thinks:- . . .] . . .

“I wonder if anyone is still reading?
Maybe I should buzz off and stop sitting here like a target.
Oooo, what are they talking about on the TV?
Do I need to turn those curtains up? Hmm, I don’t know… what if they shrink when they’re washed?
Aww, look at the dog, she’s so cute when she does that.
Uh Ooooo, here comes Alf Capone (used furniture dealer – but actually a cat), he looks bored, and that means he’s going to cause trouble by playing Cowboys and Indians throughout the house, and trying to get Maisie or Belly, or both, involved in the game.
Coffee…. do I want another coffee, I wonder?” eeek!

I have to agree with that last ‘Did you know?’ for I am, (easily distracted) and I do (talk to myself).

Aaanyhooo – that’s enough from me. All that’s left for me to say is: …. Have a wonderful Wednesday. Find the joy in each moment. 😀

A Peacock made from Stamp Soup!

I saw the technique for making this card demonstrated about 3 weeks ago and the whole thing fascinated me so much that I tried to remember every little thing about how the demonstrator made her creation. Now I know that I haven’t got it exactly the way she did it, but it’s close enough.

Made on an 8″x8″ scored and folded card, using Polkadoodles Stamp Soup stamps, called Regal Peacock. But … that name really is just a suggestion, for you could make a million different creations with these stamps because the results will come from your imagination. You and I could begin with the same stamps and yet we’d make something way different from each other.

Here …. take a look at them:

. . . can you see the peacock stamp in there? . . . No? That’s probably because there isn’t one! I used 7 different stamps to make the peacock. You can pick them out … they’re the ones which are a little darker in colour. I used a black Stazon Ink Pad (solvent ink) so that I could then colour the images using watercolours.

You don’t have to be ‘neat and tidy’ when painting the Peacock feathers, just free-handed with the paint. Then once dry, all the feathers (which were stamped onto spare card, then painted) have to be cut out and then ‘feathered’ at the edges by cutting into the images with light, small cuts. Those peacock feathers are then adhered to the main peacock body which I’d previously stamped and coloured using the watercolour paints, directly onto the card.

Finally …. some parts of the peacock were embossed with gold and green embossing powders.

. . . and that’s all there was to it!

Although simple to make … I had to spread it over three days so it kind of felt a little time-consuming. All the waiting for paint to dry, and cutting out of all the feathers…. little things, but they all added up to time. But it was a totally, thoroughly enjoyable make, I have to admit. A lot of fun – and I can’t wait to make something else with those stamps now.

So anyway … how the divil are you? I feel as if we haven’t got together for a coffee and chat for weeks and weeks.

In my world … the chubby dog (aka the Belly on legs) had to go to the vet this week. I noticed that she had some tiny patches of hair loss on her back so off to the vets we went and after some examination and a bit of testing, we were told she’s got a Bacterial Skin Infection. (That’s the dog not the vet who has the skin infection). So we have a little bottle of stuff which we have to massage into her skin … wait 5 minutes, then thoroughly wash off. And we were given some tablets, which she has to have twice a day.

Now she really doesn’t mind the tablets. She’s called ‘My Little Fat Bitch‘ for a reason. She can eat as if it’s going out of fashion, and she thinks those tablets are treats, so woofs them down!

And . . . she really loves the massage bit of the stuff in the bottle … but … the bit she’s not at all happy with, is the ‘wash it all off’ bit. She HATES the shower. HATES it. Did I say that strongly enough? I’m not sure I did so let me repeat myself: SHE HATES THE SHOWER.

She’s told me time and time again; . . . “Belly is not designed for getting wet. Don’t let Belly get wet. That umbrella …. that’s for Belly. Hold it down here, over Belly – NOT over you! Don’t let Belly Get Wet!!“

She SO hates getting wet that she would rather plait her legs, (‘braids’ for folks in the USA), than go out into the garden to have a tiddle if it’s raining outside. This adorable, much loved pooch even squints in the rain. Yes, seriously. I kid ye not!

So the massage and shower isn’t the most enjoyable task … but then … I don’t have to do it. Mr. Cobs Senior takes on that job, (bless him) because I feel like Cruella de Vil if I try to do it.

When it’s all over and done with … you have to see that rotund little dog absolutely barrel out of that bathroom! She’s like a bullet out of a gun! It’s among the funniest things to watch … and boy can her little legs can move when she wants them to!

So anyhoo . . . what’s going on in your corner that you’d like to share with me while we drink the last few sips of coffee from our cups?

Won the Lottery? Got a new job? Sold your house? Adopted a new pet? Or … by any chance . . . Does your dog have a bacterial skin infection? Your cat? YOU? I can recommend a vet! 🙂

Wishing you a thoroughly enjoyable Thursday. May the hours go as fast, or as slow, as you would like them to. Just find the fun and enjoy it.

Be the reason someone smiles today. Heaps of squidges from me in my corner, to you in yours.

Meadow Flowers ~ ~ an ATC for World Watercolour Month

Where I live, I have a different routes to drive home if I’ve been out gallivanting. On one of the ways I can come home takes me past a big stretch of green grass in front of some houses. On this stretch of grass the council planted some seeds for meadow flowers to grow in order to encourage and help bees with their jobs.

They’ve actually done this all over the Dorset area in various places, which I’m so thrilled about – but this particular area, being probably the biggest ‘patch’, takes my breath away each time I see it and makes me slow my car down just so that I can drink in the wonderfulness of it and nature in general.

So, when I sat down in my craftroom on Friday afternoon for a bit of watercolour painting on an ATC, I wondered if I could capture the mass of colours and beauty as they swayed in the breeze, of all the meadow flowers which always took my breath away. And this is what I managed to bring about via a few paint brushes and some colours.

Meadow Flowers 4 — Meadow Flowers with a white mount ~ An ATC made for #WorldWatercolorMonth

I began by first working on the background which I desperately wanted to fill with the glory of the almost mental array of incredible colour which my eyes and heart registered as I came upon the flowers. It was difficult to pick out particular flowers as it was all such a wonderful sight.

Meadow Flowers 2 — Meadow Flowers with the green mount ~ An ATC made for #WorldWatercolorMonth

Once the background colour was done (and I’d waited for it to dry …. helped after fifteen minutes of waiting – which is the limit of my excitability, patience wise) I then was able to pick out some of the colours and turn them into flowers.

Meadow Flowers 3 — Meadow Flowers with a blue mount ~ An ATC made for #WorldWatercolorMonth

I began with the blues and turned them into cornflowers. Followed by the red poppies, and lastly the tiny buttercups appeared low down. After this I just added some colour – mostly a watery green, to add to the depth and try to give that feeling of what it looked like as I slowly drove past this wonderful display and gift from nature. It truthfully takes my breath away each time I see it, as if I was seeing it for the first time. Just incredible.

Meadow Flowers 1 — Meadow Flowers, painted using Kuretake Gansai Tambi Watercolours. ~ An ATC made for #WorldWatercolorMonth

All of the flowers were painted using the box of paints you see in the photo above (yes, that’s my desk…. and my mess). This was taken just after I’d finished painting the ATC and before I’d cleaned up my three water containers. One a large pot thing which has a brush scrubber at the bottom, a second pot which is what I rinse my brushes off in, and a third pot for cleaner water which I can dip my brush in if I require just a little more ‘wet’ to my paint(s) if the colour is drying out.

Meadow Flowers 5 — An ATC made for #WorldWatercolorMonth

And that’s all there was to it! 🙂

Well now …. time for some coffee chat …. Happy Saturday! It’s so lovely to meet up with you for a coffee today. I have some biscuits (‘cookies’ for our USA folks) in the cupboard … shall I get them out for you?, or perhaps you might like some buttered toast? We can all eat, enjoy and chat around the table together.

Thank you so much for coming for a visit. It’s a total delight to see you here and I’m so glad that you dropped in and shared a coffee with me. I hope you have a truly lovely day, and that when bedtime comes, you feel that today was a great day to be alive.

Sending squidges to you in your corner, from me in mine ~

Happy UnBirthday Balloons ~ an ATC for World Watercolour Month

Who said you could only have a balloon on your Birthday? Actually .. why have balloons become a special occasion item at all? When I go back to my childhood (not too great a stretch of my imagination, admittedly) I can remember the joy of being given a balloon!

I’d actually seen an image very like this painted onto a birthday cake for a little girls birthday. It had obviously lodged itself in my brain, and because I’d been thinking about birthdays (my own only being a few days away. not hinting or anything), and who can have a birthday without cake? (NOW I’m hinting. Cobs Snr. take note: CAKE – if I can’t have *this one*, then I’d be very happy with *this one* … or even *this one*)

Back to the ATC Cobs! …. … … … with the white mount:

Happy UnBirthday 2 — Happy UnBirthday! An ATC made for #WorldWatercolorMonth

This little ATC took me a bit longer as I’d over wet the watercolour paper before I began so once I’d sploshed some colour on for the background, I had to wait a while for that to dry. Patience not being one of my strongest points (I try. I really do try) … I eventually plugged my heat gun in and ‘helped’ it to dry. (read: forced the little bu&ger to do as it was told).

Happy UnBirthday 3 — Happy UnBirthday! An ATC made for #WorldWatercolorMonth

Once it was finally finished I rather liked it. It had a gentleness, which I loved, and innocence – which made me think of me. (yeah, I’m laughing at that one).

After trying the mounts …. I think I actually like it naked.

Happy UnBirthday 1 — Happy UnBirthday! An ATC made for #WorldWatercolorMonth

I think I’ll cut off the border (which I leave on so that I can handle the ATC while I’m painting it), and I might even mount this one onto a card. Perhaps a Birthday Card or a ‘hello I was thinking of you‘ card. That sort of thing.

Thank you so much for coming and for sharing a few minutes with me. I so appreciate your company.

I’d just like to say a warm welcome to some new followers which have joined our happy team here in the last few weeks. I won’t mention you by name, but you know who you are. It’s lovely to have you here. Don’t be afraid to comment and let yourself be known. I’ve found that I’ve SO enjoyed some comments on other people’s blogs that I’ve clicked to see what that person is ‘about’, and ended up following them. So please do make yourself known. Who knows … you may end up with a few new followers!

Well … it’s Thursday already. Someone has stolen two days out of my week this week. Tuesday and Wednesday have gone missing altogether. If I catch that little rascal who’s snaffling days out of my weeks I’ll grab him by the collar and shake the little divil until all the days fall out of his hiding places! pffft.

Have a wonderful day. Remember … do it to them before they do it to you … be nice to people that is. Smile at them. PLEASE!!! This sort of thing WILL make the world a better place. C’mon! Let’s heal the world… it has to begin before we can win. Let it begin with us!

Sending great big Thursday Squidges ~

I Grew a Flower Baby in a Pot! ~ an ATC painted for World Watercolour Month

When it said on the packet: “Baby Seeds” – I thought it was referring to the size of the flowers which would grow. I didn’t think I was supposed to take it literally!

Ah I’m joshing with you really. I didn’t really grow a Baby in a Flower Pot! I painted a baby growing in a flower-pot … in ATC size, especially for World Watercolour Month.

Flower Pot Baby 2 — an ATC sized painting for ~ #WorldWatercolorMonth

I got about half way through this and wasn’t entirely sure that it was coming out as well as I wanted it to. I nearly gave up and started again. Not sure what pushed me on, but I’m so glad that I did because I fell in love with this little scrap by the time I’d finished.

If you look carefully at the photo above, you can just see the pencil marking of the actual size for an ATC/ACEO ~ and that size is: 2.5″x 3.5″. I tend to cut a piece of watercolour paper just a little bigger than that size so that I can hold onto the card and move it around, as I’m painting ~ without spoiling the painted image with a finger or thumb marks.

Flower Pot Baby 3 — an Artists Trading Card sized watercolour painting, painted for #WorldWatercolorMonth

I tried three different mounts on this little hand painted card and all three seemed to bring out different aspects of the card . . .

Flower Pot Baby 1 — A Flower Baby Growing in a Pot ~ an ATC/ACEO painted in watercolours, especially for #WorldWatercolorMonth

The green mount seems to pick out the two little green leaves growing from each side of the Baby. Is she/he perhaps …. a Fairy or Angel Baby? Are the leaves in fact …. wings?

But … I think my favourite mount colour, for me, has to be the creamy white mount:

Flower Pot Baby 4 — A Flower Baby growing in a Flower Pot! And ATC/ACEO hand painted especially for #WorldWatercolorMonth

So … which mount do you prefer? Blue? Green? White? Or perhaps you prefer no mount at all.

Anyhoo …. HAPPY SATURDAY!

I hope your day is sweet from morning till night, and that the Bluebird of Happiness flies over your house and leaves a little magic happy dust, sprinkled from its wings, over your home.

Whatever you’re doing today, do it with all of your heart, for that’s where your happiness lives.

Have a truly blessed Saturday my friends.

In Fairy Land ~ an ATC painted for World Watercolour Month

Once upon a Time, there was a Princess Fairy who lived in a tall tower in Fairy Land. From the window she would wave her magic wand over all the people of the Land which would sprinkle them with magical wishes.

Aaaand … back here in the real world….

Maaaaany years ago – at least 10 but probably around 15 to be honest, Daughter No.2 bought me a Birthday card which was just a total delight to me. It was like all of a sudden my daughter ‘got’ me. She saw a card so perfect for my birthday that going against everything that I’ve always taught my girls (buying cards is just such an expense – yes you have to purchase one, but don’t spend half a weeks wages on one!), she spent a little fortune on.

Now, I keep greetings cards. All types. For Birthdays or just for ‘Hello I thought of you and am sending you this‘ types of card. I’m very much into the whole physical memories of something, and will keep cards and little mementoes for ever! I have a drawer in my craft room where I’ve kept cards from years gone by and every now and then I get them out just to make me feel wonderful. Each one holds a special memory, and a ‘trick’ to get that memory from the back of my mind so that I can enjoy the moment all over again. And there, in that drawer is a humongous card – very very tall but not very wide, – which I have cherished from the moment Daughter No.2 gave it to me. Here it is . . .

It’s about (guessing here) 18″ – 22″ tall. (I should have measured it and I didn’t think. I’m not tip toeing over to the craft room now because it’s belting down with rain outside!). You can now see why I’m showing you this card. It has a picture of Fairy Land on the front and I just loved it from the moment I opened the envelope. When I saw it in the drawer I instantly thought I’d have a go at turning it into a tiny ATC of 2.5inches wide by 3.5 inches tall.

(yes, that photo was taken in my craft room)

Some of you might remember me telling you that I taught my little girls, when they were knee-high to an ant, that if anyone should ask them how old their mommy was, they were to say …. “My Mommy is ONLY 27″ … and I have remained 27 since I was 27. Each year Daughter No.2 remembers this and sends me a birthday celebrating my 27th Birthday. Have a look inside this card .. . . .

… ah… you’ll need that blown up a little to read it …..

Her name has been removed (to protect the innocent) …. she writes: “To Mom, have a great (27th) Birthday! Have fun, love and snuggles ______ x“. I thought that since I was using the picture on the card as my inspiration for a little watercolour for World Watercolour Month, I might as well share the inside of the card so that you can see that I trained my girls sooooooo well! LOL

Anyhoo … back to this little watercolour. This one was a real struggle. It’s difficult to go into detail when you’re reducing something to a ridiculous size like this, so I had a real problem with the Princess Fairy. I perhaps, in hindsight, should have left her out – as I did the shutters on the windows (not enough room to keep them in).

I couldn’t make my mind up on the mount … green or blue? You choose and tell me what you think …

… Green? … OR ….

… Blue? Each one brings out something different. The Blue one brings out the shooting star and seems to make the colours just a little more vivid. Where-as the Green mount makes it look more subtle and … ‘fairyfied’. OOoo… choices, choices!

And that’s all there was to it!

We have an almighty storm going on here as I type. The thunder is so loud that it’s making the dog bark and me jump. It’s pelting down with rain and I’m thinking that all my flowers are going to get a right old bashing!

I’m not entirely surprised that the weather has changed like this. It’s been far too hot for it to continue without some sort of storm cooling things down. (although I don’t feel any cooling down happening at the moment. I’m still boiling hot!) I feel dreadfully sorry for the county next but one to where I live … Cornwall. They’ve had some awful flash floods there today (Tuesday) and they’ve had to go out in helicopters and rescue folks who have been trapped in their houses by rising waters. I watched it on the TV news at 6pm and it looked awful!

Well… that’s me done and dusted. I’m now going to schedule this post to happen in the early hours of (UK time) the morning, and I’m then taking myself to bed and taking the wee ~~little~~ chubby doggy with me.

Whatever you’re doing today do it with a smile on your face and hope in your heart. To prove to yourself exactly how blessed you are, imagine that you woke up this morning only with the things that you gave thanks for yesterday. Puts things into order does that little thought.

Sending you love, and a bucket of squidges which should last you all day long …

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Lunar C ~ an ATC/ACEO – painted for World Watercolour Month

Can you hear dogs howling? Are there rappings at your window? Do you see strange shapes, female like, travelling past the moon with only a broom as transport? Do you have bats in your belfry?

Throughout history, the occurrence of the full moon has been linked to all sorts of strange behaviors. It’s said that some police officers believe that a full moon leads to more crimes being committed.

Me personally? I think it’s all rubbish. The only thing that happens during a full moon is that I can see better in the dark, and I don’t reckon that’s because I ate all my carrots either!

Lunar C. … an ATC for #WorldWatercolorMonth – lit with the dullest of table lamps – so that it lights the photograph but doesn’t over light it. It leaves it a little dark and moody.

I was sort of vacant of thought, gazing at the moon through the window and this gave me an idea to paint a [bit of fun] night sky with silhouettes on the ground in ATC size. So I did.

However not only did I use regular water colours, I also used a tiny bit of a different type of water-colours, called Gansai Tambi Starry water-colour – in White Gold. I used this for the moon and a little on some of the stars, as I wanted the moon to GLOW.

Lunar C. … an ATC for #WorldWatercolorMonth – This photograph is taken with a bright desk lamp – so it shows the moon being a little brighter than the last photo.

The Gansai Tambi Pearl and Starry colours have mica mixed in with the water colours and can give you a truly lovely glow to parts of your paintings which you want to draw attention to.

Lunar C. … an ATC for #WorldWatercolorMonth. This photo taken with the same brighter lamp – but I’ve put a mount around the ATC to frame it better.

I’ve been using these types of ‘twinkly’ water colours for a while now…. I found my very first set years and years ago, packaged up as ‘children’s paints’ and I bought them for just £1.49 from a shop here in the UK, called The Works. You can see a little ATC here (click and the link will open up in a new tab) on which I first used those mica paints to paint with.

But the paints I used for brightening the moon in this painting was part of a boxed set of 6, made by Kuretake.

I LOVE Kuretake products. The company was sited not too far from where I used to live, and every year they would have a monster sale and invite crafters to come and buy. I must have kept that company going for years! I spent so much money with them, and learnt so many amazing techniques from their fabulous staff, to do with paints and pens. They are very much a company who I highly recommend. BUT … although I know you can buy from that well-known TV Craft Channel (Create and Craft), I urge you to shop around before investing your money there, as I’ve bought some Kuretake products for half the price that they’re selling them on C&C, AND – I’ve got FREE postage on top too! So do please shop around if you decide to buy any of the Kuretake items. The company itself is truly brilliant. Their customer service and the products are perfection. —> Link to Kuretake website HERE.<— (You can buy direct from them on that website too – check-out the sales items!)

This last photo was taken with the flash on as it’s the brightest light I had on a dark evening a couple of nights ago. I so wanted to show you how the light plays with the Gansai Tambi Starry water-colours and makes something so simple become something quite stunning….

Lunar C. … an ATC for #WorldWatercolorMonth.

… and … what you see in the photograph isn’t the true story. That moon looks like MAGIC! So magical that it makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck!

The only thing I would change about this tiny ATC (2.5″x3.5″) is … that I wish I’d have gently dotted stars into the scene, instead of dragging my fingernail over the bristles of the damp brush to get the ‘splots’. I totally forgot that I was working small-sized and because of that I should have dotted the stars in individually using a tiny brush or dotter. tsk tsk. By the time I’d got to that part, I couldn’t change the dots as it would have spoilt the sky … so I left it as is. But to be honest .. in real life, the dots aren’t as ‘in your face’ as they appear on the photo’s. It’s my own fault for being away with the fairies as I was painting. lol

The next full moon, here in the UK, isn’t until the 7th August 2017 – so make a note and … don’t forget to howl at the moon! (Google will be your friend if you want to know when the next full moon is where you live).

Thank you SO much for coming and sharing a coffee with me. It’s so fabulous to spend time with you. If you fancy a wee chat, then please leave a comment in the comments box below and I promise I’ll reply the very next visit I make to the blog here. (and I come here regularly – so you won’t have to wait long! 😉 )

Before we part … I need you to know that I receive no incentive, payment or encouragement from Kuretake, or any other company, when I recommend products to you. I speak to you as a fellow crafter, with many years experience. I research and buy all my own supplies – and if money would allow I’d buy even more supplies just so that I could share them with you and share the results I get from using them.

Of course, if Kuretake, or any other craft product company, happen to be reading my blog and would like to share some of their products with me so that I can share [honestly] the results I get from using them, with you – then I’d be more than happy to do that. (but the chances are very slim that any craft company will be reading my blog so I won’t hold my breath!) 🙂

Have a truly brilliant Saturday. I hope the weather is just right for you – not too warm that you’re uncomfortable, and not too cold so that you require a hot water bottle for your feet! May your day end with you looking back over the hours, and smiling a satisfied, contented smile.

Be kind to yourself, . . . and each other.

Much love ~

Snail Mail ~ an ATC/ACEO – painted for World Watercolour Month

Happy Tuesday! As you can see I’m attempting to continue with the World Watercolour Month Challenge, and todays offering is done with a big nod to the fun aspect of doing this challenge.

Can you work out why I’ve titled this little, two and a half inches by three and a half inches, ATC/ACEO ‘Snail Mail‘?

Here … take another look…

Snail Mail 3 — ‘Snail Mail’. An ATC / ACEO Painted for #WorldWatercolorMonth

… worked it out yet? I’m sure you have but just in case there’s someone who’s still half asleep and not got their brain up and running yet … That thing on the side of the snail … is a Postage Stamp. It’s even got a teeny tiny painting of the Queens head on it, and she’s wearing a crown!

So … it’s a snail, which looks like it’s going to be posted somewhere because of the postage stamp … so it’s +Snail + Mail = Snail Mail! 😀

You’ll never guess what I did though. Do you remember that I painted a Rooster (Rodney) a few days ago … but painted him just a little too big for the mounts I like to use around ATC’s/ACEO’s? Well … I did it again … take a look…

See … didn’t I tell you I’d do it again! I’ve cut his BTM off! How on earth is he going to leave that magical fairy trail behind him now?! Did you know that a snail leaves that Shimmering Fairy Trail so that he can find his way home again? It’s his personal SatNav. Snails had SatNavs loooong before they were thought of for us!

Nooooo don’t be so gullible …. that’s a pile of pooh. I made that up so don’t go round repeating that as a ‘fact’ – because the whole world will believe it! (Actually … that could be really funny. The whole world believing that a snail has its own SatNav! LOL The more I think about that the funnier it gets! LOL … I’m actually sat here typing this and giggling my head off! Ahhh I do love funny!).

I get so ‘into’ what I’m doing when I’m painting, – especially so when I’ve only got a little bit of time to do something in, – and all the plans and pencil guidelines all disappear into thin air and I go crazy with the paint! tsk tsk. Maybe it’s the paint fumes? Those watercolours …. they must give off paint fumes. That’s what it is. It’s not me being a dope. I’m obviously high on watercolour paint fumes!

(and if you believe that, you’ll believe that I can knit jelly! – ‘Jello’ for our USA friends).

Anyhoo… I painted a snail. Watercolour paper + paint + brushes + water! And that, as they say, is all there was to it!

Wishing you a Tip Top Tuesday! May you have a truly happy day, and may you share your smile with others. How about paying someone a compliment today? It can be a ‘You always look so great!’. Or … ‘Your hair looks lovely.’ Or … ‘I really like your car. It suits you. Great choice!’ Or … anything. Like someone’s shoes. Tell someone how much you admire their dedication. Tell someone they look brilliant in *that* colour! Like someones perfume.

Anything … You know what you feel comfortable with. If you just aren’t into giving compliments, then make someone a surprise cup of coffee or tea. Or buy the section you work on at work a pack of biscuits for afternoon tea. Just make someone smile!

From me …. to you … I think you’re amazing. You come and visit me nearly every time I post something and I adore seeing you. So from me, to you, a BIG…

… THANK YOU!

I really appreciate you coming and relish having you as a blogging friend. Sending much love and squidges, from me in my corner, to you in yours. Have a truly blessed day.

Three Little Fishies ~ an ATC/ACEO – painted for World Watercolour Month

Down in the meadow in a
little bitty pool
Swam three little fishies
And a mama fishie too
“Swim,” said the mama fishie,
“Swim if you can.”
And they swam and they swam all
over the dam
.
Boop boop diten datem whatem choo
Boop boop diten datem whatem choo
Boop boop diten datem whatem choo
And they swam and they swam
right over the dam

Three Little Fishies 1 — #WorldWatercolorMonth

The idea of painting Koi Carp popped into my mind and so I went with it. Never painted fish before so this was a surprise choice for me!

Painted in ATC/ACEO size – 2.5″x 3.5″

The poem is one I remember singing with my girls when they were little, and I remember singing it with my mum when I was a little girl (back before dirt was invented – at least it feels like that some days).

.Anyhoo …

HAPPY MONDAY! Yes, I know that you perhaps might not feel overly happy that it’s Monday … but hey … you have two choices: You can either feel miserable all day and totally miss out on any smiles which could come your way. OR … you can choose to feel happy that although it’s Monday, You’re Alive! Now that surely has got to be an improvement on the alternative. So choose happy!

But … you don’t have to. However, remember that which ever you choose, happy or miserable, it was YOUR choice to feel that way. So you can’t complain that life has given you a rubbish day, because you chose ‘miserable’.

(This is why I always choose ‘happy’. It always ends up being the best choice I’ve found).

But … which ever you choose, may your day be peaceful and may you feel like you’ve made a positive difference in someway to someone else. Be the smile that someone else needs. Just do it.

Be nice to yourself … and each other. It helps the world to go around in a much better way.

Sending love ~