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

" 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

New purple mini prints!

It's been hard to find the time lately to start new paintings, life has taken me over for a while. I should get back on track over the Christmas holidays though and get on with new work.
Luckily I can enjoy the fun of mixing and blending the works I have already created, in photoshop, to make new works in a digital format. Purple is a very popular colour, so I decided to create these mini prints and call them "Purple night sky".
These are for sale in my folksy and etsy shops. Thanks for looking, Oh, I will also be creating new art jewellery in the new year, can't wait, happy Christmas to you all ♥

Christmas card designs

Months ago I knew I should be getting my shop ready for Christmas, but for some reason, this year has flown past and so much is happening in my life at the moment, it's hard to keep up! More about all that later!

Now that my photoshop skills are stronger than ever, I spent a Sunday morning a couple of weeks ago, using Art I already have to make some pretty festive cards. Snow flakes and some Christmassy wording was added for the right effect.

I had the finished works printed at Moo and I'm really happy with the results.
I think they look fab and I've sold one pack in my Folksy shop already, yay!

The cards are lovely quality and come with a plain white envelope and individual cello sleeves. Then I tie a loose ribbon around the pack. These are in my Etsy and Folksy shops now. Many thanks for viewing, Sue x

"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!!

"Cherry tree cottage"

I think I painted this sweet picture because I secretly want to live there!! I definitely want to live in a cottage in Cornwall anyway!! Luckily I have a great secret place to stay and I'm off in a couple of weeks. Will show you some picturesque photos when I return.
So, I managed to finish this tiny 4" x 4" collage and list it in my etsy shop. I'm not sure how my small originals will go, but they are so much more beautiful than a print, even though the prints are lovely in their own right.

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 ♥

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!!!

"Tiny worlds"

When I decided to start making ART jewellery, everything was so overwhelming and I ended up buying far too many pendant bases, chains and other bits and pieces.
Now after much research, I am in love with these vintage style brass lockets.
I have placed a teeny glossy photo of my painting behind the magnifying glass cabochon. The results are stunning!! My images shine out from their "tiny world" giving a very intimate feel to the artworks. I love them and have already started giving them as gifts to friends.
The lockets are all available in my folksy and etsy art shops, with new designs coming up soon. Many thanks for viewing ♥