Goodbye petite birdies!

When I say goodbye, I don't mean I'm leaving! It's just that one of my sweet love birds paintings sold recently in my etsy shop and I had to wrench it away and post it to it's new owner. "Coral love birds" was bought as a Valentine gift, so you can see it's been a while since I got around to posting this. Bye the way, I have just started my art face book page, so if you could possibly click the "like" button, that would be an improvement on only 2 likes so far, lol!! Many thanks, Sue x

Originals in etsy and folksy

I have noticed recently that buyers of art seem to want original work, rather than prints. Of course, prints are a great and inexpensive way to buy art, but they are nothing near as beautiful as the real painting. So, I have decided to start listing more originals in my etsy and folksy shops. These are 14" x 18" paintings on canvas board, for sale at around £80.00 or $128.00 plus shipping. Here are the three paintings in my etsy shop, but feel free to enquire about any of my original art. Thanks for reading ♥

Etsy time!!

At last I have had a couple of sales in my Etsy shop! I'm so pleased as I really want to keep this shop open, but wasn't feeling like listing new items, if they just weren't selling! Etsy can be a tough market to crack, but I'll have a big push, while I'm in the mood. I have listed a few new aceo's in there. These are little watercolours with some collage added. I like to use pressed seaweed, dried leaves and grasses for some of my collage work. These artworks are inspired by my love of Cornwall and also a visit to Pembrokeshire, where the coastal path is stunning. The painting with dried grasses sold as soon as I listed it in Etsy, so the one shown here links to my folksy shop. Many thanks for reading x

"Night flight"

Here is my latest aceo tiny fairy painting. She is called "Night flight", and is taking her first look around in an indigo night sky. If you click on her, she'll take you to the shop. Hmm that's a good name for a new painting..."Indigo night sky", will come up with something later!
Going back to my fairy, she is available in my folksy shop, until she sells, which probably won't take too long. I am really enjoying painting these tiny aceo's as you don't need much space, just a small corner in the kitchen! I will be trying to make a batch of aceo's as I've decided to list some in my etsy shop, having actually sold two paintings on canvas in there, at last! Many thanks for reading, catch you all later, Sue x

" First flight" sold

Here is my latest ACEO. She's an uncertain fairy embarking on her first ever flight. I have used acrylics on heavy watercolour card, with Oriental collage papers and tiny printers sequins. I am very pleased with how she has turned out. When the coats of protective varnish are dry, I will list her in my folksy shop, maybe tomorrow, many thanks, have a lovely new years eve! Sue x

ACEO addiction!

Well, I sold four out of six of the aceo's I listed the other day, but now can't stop creating them!
I'm on a Frida Kahlo run at the moment, so here's a few more. These are all in my folksy shop as I'm a bit worried about the slowness of sales in my etsy, so I'll have to see how things go in the new year, catch y'all later!! Sue x
http://www.mochalulu.folksy.com/

"SOLD", yay!!

I am so pleased to have at last sold a few of my original artworks. Prints are of course a great and affordable way to collect an Artists work, but they are no comparison to the real thing!

I am pleased to show you the three sweet canvases and a small painting on paper sold recently.
So it's farewell to...
"In the night sky"
"Dawn tree"
"Cherry tree cottage", and
"Yellow birdy".

Many thanks for viewing. Look out in around a week for my christmas card post ♥

" Sunflower dawn "

This is one of three small paintings created earlier in the year, on our June trip to Cornwall.
I've used acrylics on 140lb watercolour paper and added some collage. The mixed media painting has come out very vibrant and cheery. I have listed this in my folksy shop and will be sad to let go of it! Many thanks for viewing ♥

Angel Donkey

During our stay in North Devon, Mr. T and I visited Clovelly, a picturesque village tumbling down the hillside into the pretty harbour. In historical times, donkeys were used to carry provisions along the narrow steep streets. The donkeys are still there, but now they enjoy a more leisurely lifestyle, being looked after by their kind groom and having a gentle stroll in the upper part of the village. Here are a few of them in their stables courtyard. I was inspired to paint a mini canvas in homage to the hard working past of the the donkeys of Clovelly. It's available to buy in my Etsy shop. Many thanks for visiting my blog ♥

" The Paintings from Peppercombe"

Mr. Tony and I have just returned from a lovely two week holiday, split between Devon and Cornwall, my favorite places on earth to find creative inspiration! We drove down in the Mini cooper S, wheeee!!
Our first week was spent in the Peppercombe valley, north Devon. Bridge cottage is a tiny pink thatched cottage, beautifully kept by the Landmark trust, not forgetting their house keeper, Patricia! The pretty winding lane meanders through ancient woodland and finally down to pebbly Peppercombe beach. Our evenings were spent barbecuing supper in the sunny garden, then listening to the hooting of owls as darkness fell, truly enchanting. I've added these lovely photos of the cottage, lane and views from the nearby costal path.
I was inspired to paint a collection of tiny 4" x 4" canvases during our stay and came up with Angels, Hacienda churches and a sweet donkey. These will all be available in my Etsy shop over the next few days.

"In the night sky"

Here's another of my sweet 4" x 4" original mini canvases. This one is of course called, "In the night sky". I painted it last weekend and it's listed for sale in my folksy shop. I'm really enjoying making collages at the moment. I'm waiting for some crackle glaze to arrive in the post, so I can get on with my new projects. When I return from my Cornish holiday, I must make an effort to try and sell work via a gallery or maybe gift shops, otherwise I will have a house full of canvases!!

Girl with a patchwork dress

I don't have a name for this girl yet, but the painting is called "Patchwork dress".
She's one of my series of small collage canvases 6" x 8" which all have a black painted boarder and look great alone or grouped together.

Her sweet dress is made up from oriental collage papers. I added a hair flower and a sweet baby button to her pocket. The painting is for sale in my folksy shop.
I will be adding some new work to both my shops today. Thanks for looking ♥

"Rowan" girl with antlers.

This is "Rowan". My new painting of a girl with antlers.
I think she has turned out very pretty and is my celebration of Autumn.
Yes we are on the edge of the British summer when the wind picks up and the leaves slowly begin to fall.

I have wanted to paint a girl with antlers for quite a while and am very satisfied to have fulfilled my aim.

The original is a mixed media painting in acrylics on canvas board, with gold spray paint, collage papers and printers sequins. I still have most of my original paintings as I am yet to attempt to try to sell them!

Rowan is for sale as an 8" x 10" print and shortly to be listed in my etsy and folksy shops.
Many thanks for reading ♥

Fairy magic

Many many years ago I painted these sweet fairies. One is called "Foxglove fairy" and the other, "Dragonfly fairy". I used to display them in my living room. One day a friend was studying the paintings and pointed out that the foxglove fairy was bending low, with low held arms, as I was heavily pregnant with my daughter when I created the painting. The dragonfly fairy has an open outstretched lightness about her, indicating that my daughter was now born and all heaviness had been lifted.
It's an interesting concept! I still own the slightly grubby paintings, but sadly have not been able to put prints up for sale, as the definition will not photograph well. I'll have another try at some point! Many thanks for viewing ♥

"Shady Hazy Meadow"

When I painted "Hazy Meadow" a few months ago, I personally thought it was one of my weaker artworks. It seemed a bit too simple, with its dandelion clocks billowing in the breeze. I was proved wrong though, as it is looking to be my best selling 8"x10" Matt print.
I thought it would be good to see what the work looked like in other shades, to go with different room decors. So here it is in Scarlet and lilac. I'm giving it a try in my shops. The original yellow tones print is still there in my etsy and folksy shops.

"Kitchen garden" mini prints

These are my lovely new mini prints. I'm really pleased with the way they've turned out.
I painted the originals several years ago, when my style was slightly different, although you can see my love of colours! The original paintings are acrylic on canvas and I sold four of them straight away to a local gallery. The gala apples painting was made a while later and I just keep it in my kitchen for now.
My inspiration came from the work of the late William Scott, who's still life paintings I admire. They look like a scene in a Provencal farmhouse. Foolishly I only ordered one set, so have listed them in my folksy shop. However, they will soon be coming to my etsy shop too. I think they would cheer up any breakfast room or kitchen. Thanks for reading my ramblings ♥

mini moo card magic!

I have been so busy lately with my shops that I have decided not to promote as much.
My blog is my favorite place to share my art and thoughts, so I'll be sticking with this, rather than tweeting and hanging out on facebook. I was so pleased to see two more sales in my new etsy shop today. I do hope it takes off as well as the folksy shop. My art studio, (dining table!) has been set up and ready for new paintings for a week now, but no work has been started!!
I have been working on reviving some older paintings, ready to show them for sale as prints, which I'm really looking forward to sharing with you soon. For now though, I have to show off these beautiful mini cards by moo, which I can hardly bear to part with!

Painting tutorial

Artists all have their own way of planning their painting, to get a pleasing result and I'm no exception. I have developed my own formula which I find works for me.
First, I do a few rough sketches of my idea. Then I meticulously plan the main characters and get the sizing correct. This is especially important for me as most of my work is illustrative and figurative. So I plan the main characters facial features and draw them up on tracing paper, until I'm happy. In this case, I'm showing my wisteria tree. The first bit of actual painting is of the background, which I layer up using acrylic paint, then build up with home made stamps, such as bubble wrap and raised wallpaper. I usually end with spraying paint through lace. I then use carbon paper to transfer my main figures onto the background. These are always very basic, as the complex details will then be painted in. If I'm using collage papers, I add them as I go along where I feel it's appropriate. If I'm selling the art as prints, which I always do, I then photograph it and store the images in the computer. Et voila!!!

Spanish eyes

I just wanted to show the last of my small paintings, completed on our trip to Cornwall in June.
I can only make very small artwork on these trips, as our Mini Cooper S has a tiny boot!!
This pretty lady looks rather Latin, with her brown eyes and so I am calling the painting, "Spanish eyes". She will be available as a mini 4 x6 print and a mini wood art block, when I get around to making them!!

" Sunny Sunflowers"

Rain rain rain!! We've had plenty in the UK this week! Well they do say " The great British summer, blink and you'll miss it!". Never mind, hopefully the weather will calm down and give us a few more halcyon days. To cheer us all up, I will show you a couple of sunny sun flower collage pictures, I painted on my recent trip to Cornwall. As the paintings are small, they are available as "mini prints", you can find them in my etsy and folksy shops as part of my mini print sets. More arty products will be coming soon!
Many thanks for looking ♥