Christmas Cards

I thought it would be a nice idea to put all of my Christmas Cards that are available in one handy spot so that people could look at them without having to search all through my page, so here they are!

First there are my little girl cards:



In Solemn Stillness Lay . . .



Sing Hey, Sing Hey for Christmas Day!


Fa La La La La


Wreathed in a Smile




The Simplest Pleasures



Snowmen Fall


The Spring of Genius




The Nativity




Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas



Home, home at last . . . 



Holy Remembrance



We Shall Find Peace



From Home to Home, and Heart to Heart



Believe . . . 



Happy Holy Days



Joy that comes back to you . . . 



Wise Men Still Seek Him

There are others, but I have to find them on my computer and then I will post later.

Enjoy!

WWOYWW . . . Matchbox Dolls

It's been over a month since I have been able to participate in Whats on Your Workdesk Wednesday.  It's been a wild month of renovations and lots of tumult.  I've hardly been able to create at all.  Work on the bath finally finished for good today and things can get back to normal . . . whatever that is!!

I was lucky enough to go to a Craft Crop on this Saturday past.  It was my first time ever at an event like that.  It was a lot of fun seeing what everyone else was getting up to.  I think these kinds of things are wonderful, and you can learn a lot.

I hadn't been sure of what to bring, but I had had an idea in mind for a time for these little matchbox dolls and so that's what I brought.  Papers, inks, glue, mod podge, miniature prints of my own artwork, etc.  And by the end of the afternoon I had  four sweet little girls done.  (Those ones up there at the top of this post.)

Since then I've done two more.  Here they are in a neat little video thingie.  Enjoy.



I really enjoyed making them.  There are all kinds of little additions as well . . . flower soft used as grass and flowers by their feet. Painted matchsticks for their legs and feet . . . tiny touches such as a black cat behind the little witch inside the window at the bottom, a hat and scarf behind the snowman girl, etc.  The autumn  leaves at the bottom of the witch are Martha Stewart foil glitter, leaf colours.



Completely decorated inside and out and all around.  I'm really pleased with how they turned out.  What have you been up to?  I am sure it's something beautifully creative too!
In the meantime why not pop on over to the Stamping Ground to check out all of the other wonderfully creative people and see what they have on their workdesks!

Thanks for looking!!

WOYWW, Let Us Love Winter . . . From Our Home to Yours

I am playing catch up here again today . . . the summer is just getting away with me and I've not had as much painting time as I would have liked. This is one of my latest Christmas Card creations . . . love the feel of it . . . and the colours . . .



And then I did this one . . . a birdhouse in the winter snow . . . you can see that I am very much in Christmas mode I think . . .



This one's not finished yet . . . I still have to decide what I'm going to put in the centre . . . a letter of some sort I am sure.



And then something a little different yet again . . . this one quite late summery! I had her at first on watercolour paper and had watercoloured in the background, but then . . . I wasn't happy with it, so I got out my trusty scissors and carefully cut her out and her butterfly kite as well . . . and then mounted her onto some scrapbook paper. I think I like it better.

Anyways, so that's what's been on my work top these past few weeks. What's on yours??? Hop on over to The Stamping Ground to see what's been on everyone elses!

Catching up on things created but not yet posted . . .

A string of Christmas balls for the Christmas Booklet



Gingerbread men, Apples and Cinnamon, again for the Christmas Booklet!



A group of snowmen for the Christmas Booklet.



Bowls and lights and balls for the Christmas Booklet!



Another pretty Christmas Card!
Loving the snowy day and the cat! (and the sentiment!)



Last but not least, a pretty thank you card!

I've been busy working on a Christmas in July Activity for my church ladies group this month, so haven't had a lot of true painting and creative time just lately, but hope to be back and plying my brushes and paints soon, Soon, SOON!

Thanks so much for looking!!

WOYWW, Berries and Cherries

With all of the beautiful British Berries in the shops at the moment, I have very much had strawberries on my mind! I found a photograph that I really liked of some strawberries and this is my attempt to paint them. It isn't a big picture, just post card sized. In fact it's been painted on one of the postcard water colour cards from a new booklet of them that I just bought a few weeks back. Kind of fun to do really!

Anyways, that's what's on my work top this week! What's on yours??

Do hop on over to the Stamping Ground and check out everyone else's efforts. They are a real talented bunch of gals!

Thanks for stopping by!!

Paint Party Friday, Christmas Booklet

This is what I have been working on lately. As you can see I am very much in Christmas mode. I am preparing a special Christmas Book.  These are some of the water colour paintings I have done thus far.  This is a row of hanging Christmas Baubles.

And then there is this candle jar . . . I haven't done any of the finish lining . . . these are still pretty basic, but I love how they are shaping up!

I love this last one . . . I may even use this as a card.  I haven't made up my mind yet.  I want this special Christmas Cookbooklet to be a special one . . . larger than the others, filled with lovely illustrations, recipes, crafts, traditions, etc.

Anyhow, this is my entry for todays Paint Party Friday!  Do hop on over to the PPF Blog and check out all the other entries!

Thanks so much for popping in and having a look!!

WOYWW Greetings, Christmas and Picnics

I can't believe that I haven't posted any pictures of my work these past couple of weeks.  I've been so busy with life . . . it just got in the way, but as you can see I've been very busy!   This is the first piece that I did . . . a tender little pot of pansies . . . I used pencil crayons for this one, which I never normally do, but I do like the way it turned out!  As always, available as an art card.

then there was this experimental water colour, which turned out kind of sweet.  I was not sure if I really liked it that much, but Todd loves it and I sold one already so it must be ok!

I've started working on my Christmas Card line for this year as well.  This one is Bringing Home the Tree.  I love the ho ho on the liscence plate and the little flag!  And the flakes are beginning to fly!

And here is my second Christmas Card for the year as well.  That is an actual cottage from down in Norfolk.  They do get lots of snow there from time to time, so not so very far fetched!!

I've also gotten my newest cookbooklet done, The Great British Picnic!

With the warmer weather and the arrival shortly of "Summer" I have created a whole new Cookbooklet, entitled "The Great British Picnic." Filled with over 36 new recipes, including several types of flavoured mayonnaises, flavoured butters, beautiful sandwiches, delicious spreads and dips, a tasty assortment of salads, a variety of cool soups, refreshing beverages, picky bits, cakes and general scrumminess, all perfect for celebrating the summer season in a very British Picnic Way.  Also included are "Top Tips for Picnic Success" and "Chic Ideas" for creating a "Very Stylish Moveable Feast!" Interspersed between all this scrumminess, there are witty quotes and my own delightful water colour illustrations!

 The price is £5, payment via paypal, and will be sent to you as a downloadable PDF.
You can find the paypal button over on my Kitchen Blog, The English Kitchen.  For some reason I can't get it to post here!  It's in the top right hand column, plus there's a delicious cake recipe there for today as well!

 An Iced Coffee and Walnut Cake.  Soooooo scrummy!!

So that's what's been on my worktop this past week or so.  What's on yours???  If you would like to check what's been on everyone elses hop on over to the Stamping Ground and have a gander at all the talented people on there!  I am always truly amazed!

Thanks for looking!!

WWOYWW and Two more for the Picnic Cookbooklet.

 

This is the first one.  Keep Calm and Have a picnic!  Jumping on the Brit Keep Calm Bandwagon.  I kind of love it.  I used salt on the side reds to give it some texture.     It's kind of shabby chic, but is the writing dark enough . . . probably not.  Then my niece Lisa messaged me a url where I could purchase the proper font etc. for a right proper keep calm poster and so . . .

I did this with the proper lettering and crown.  I'm not sure which one I like best.  What do you think?  Which one appeals the most to you??  I really want to know!  I think this will be a printable for the last page.

 

Then I did this.  The writing says, "among the delights of summer were picnics to the woods."  Todd says this is his favourite.  I rather like it myself, actually.  It is a little red mini, with the British Flag waving and a picnic basket tied to the top of the car.  The family is going on a picnic!

These will be in my new cookbooklet of course, and I think I will also offer these two as greeting cards and prints. 

Adding this to the WWOYWW this week.  Hop on over to the Stamping Ground to see more entries!

Thank so much for stopping by to have a look.  I'm sure I'll be back soon with more.  It's like an addiction this painting of mine.  I just can't keep away from it!

Happy Day!

Paint Party Friday and the Great British Picnic

I began work on a new project this week.  Another cookbooklet.  This time it is on picnics.  Who doesn't love a picnic and picnic season is just about upon us!

With the beautiful gorgeous weather we have been having here in the UK just lately, my mind has gone to thinking about picnics and drawing picnic thingies. And cooking picnic thingies. 

I love it when my art and my love of food and cookery mesh together.  I am not just painting little girls and inspirational thoughts.  Inspiration can come from many avenues, don't you think???

At any rate that is where my inspiration has been coming from this week.  Sunny skies, warm temps and fabulous picnic dreams!

Submitted for this week's paint party Friday.  Do hop on over to Paint Party Friday and check out all the other talent on offer this week.  Prepare to be amazed.  I always am.

Thanks for looking!  Call in again anytime, you never know what I'll be up to next!

WOYWW . . . A Million Little Things

I was walking around a garden centre a few weeks back and I spied these words on a garden plaque.  They resonated in my soul and so I scribbled them down onto a piece of paper that I found in my purse.  I need to remind myself to carry a notebook with me.  I can't tell you the number of times I have ideas and then lose them because I quite simply forgot to write them down, or didn't have anything to write them down on or with.

Yesterday when I went up into my craft room to paint, I spied the scrap of paper sitting on my desk top and so I sat down and this is what came out from the anals of my mind through the tips of my fingers.  Anyhoo . . . that's what's on my work desk this Wednesday morning.

Do hop on over to Blue Chair Diaries to see what's happening on other work desks around the world this week!  You shall be utterly amazed!

Thanks for looking!

Sunday Sketches . . . Wither Thou Goest

I think that Ruth 1:16 has to be one of my favourite scriptures.  It speaks to the heart in me and I was feeling very inspired when I did this little painting the other day.  I have a real heart also too for the Amish and their simple ways.  I have always admired them their simplistic and honest view of life.  It is my dream to one day visit "Amish country" . . . who knows if that dream will ever come true, but for now I visit with them in my heart.

In any case this is my entry for this week's Sunday Sketches.  Do hop on over to the Blue Chair Diaries to see some more.  There are really some incredibly talented people out there.  There truly are.

Thanks for looking!

Paint Party Friday . . . Whatever Thy Hand . . .

I've always held a particular fondness for the Amish in my heart.  My favourite paintings of all time are the ones of the Amish children done by Nancy Noel.  I know this one I have done here today comes nowhere near what she has done, but I still get a very tender feeling about it when I look at it.  I think I may do some more Amish ones.  I kind of like the way it turned out, especially when paired with the scriptures.  What do you think??  Any constructive criticism is much appreciated!

This is my week's entry into Paint Party Friday.  Why not hop on over to the Paint Party blog and check out all the other lovely entries.  They are a very talented bunch of gals!

Thanks for looking!

WWOYWW and a Very Royal Tea Party

 

I haven't posted a lot of artwork on here over the past week, mostly because I have been working on a special project and I am happy to say that it's finished.  This is the front cover of it, which I photographed as that was the only way I could get it on here.  Not a great photo, but you get the picture I am sure.

It's a Cookbooklet!  Yes, in honor of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee year I have created a little Cookbooklet entitled "A Very Royal Tea Party!"  It's 23 pages containing over 20 recipes,  including  recipes for everything from delicious savoury offerings, to delectable puds and delights. 

Also included are my own delightful water colour illustrations (Rule Britannia!), Teatime prose and folklore, Hints and Tips to make your tea party the very best that it can be, 

Teatime etiquitte, several crafts to help make your day special and unique, and your very own Tea Party Invitations that you can print and send out to your friends.

It's available as a download for a limited time, so that people can have their very own copy.  I put ever such a lot of work into it and I have had some very good feedback from it thus far, which is always appreciated!

If you are interested in purchasing, it is available at a cost of £5 and will be sent directly to your e-mail withing 12 hours, allowing for time differences, and in most cases almost immediately.  You can find a button on  my food blog, The English Kitchen, if you are interested in this limited offer!

Anyways, that's what's been on my work top this week.  What's been on yours???

Hop on over to The Stamping Ground so see what everyone else has been up to!

Thanks for stopping by!!