The Dream - true story

October 13, 2007


Opening the door into the dark evening I saw an amiable, well mannered young man with a child and another person. They were looking for the hospital. I pointed in the general direction of distant lights some way ahead but not too far to walk. I happily told them there would be signposts once they got over there.


The evening was black but the woodland trees and shrubs, glossy with sticky rain were reflected in moonlight and a bubbling brook stumbled its way across my view.


Seconds after closing the door it threw open again and Mam almost fell inside. She was breathless as if in a hurry and the sticky rain had coated her hair. Much younger than when we last met, her hair now dark in little damp tendrils. She said “Sorry, I have missed two days but I’ve been depressed”. I told her I had been depressed too, at which our eyes met and I saw her questioning gaze. I sensed the quest for life in her, the yearning search for truth, the excitement and joy of living, the urgency to get things done. The momentary comma in our dialogue.


“I need a book from the library about 16th Century Church of England,” she gasped. It was a strange request and out of the blue but I didn’t dwell on it and instead, struggled to remember opening times at the library. I looked at my watch. It was 7.45pm and I looked out into the darkness again, at the distant lights where the library and hospital were. I looked more closely at the brook now and saw that it had swollen, growing wilder and louder with the sound of thrashing water. Moonlit-cast reflections danced in riotous play and I saw in silhouette, the rocky stepping-stones I needed to cross if I was to get to the library. Was it safe? I took in the nocturnal landscape, noting the culvert into which the rushing water vanished and then the phone rang.          


I woke up.


I’m so glad Mam came to visit, even if in my dreams… but I do wish the phone hadn’t rang… Love you Mam, always will and miss you.

Pressed leaves and pastel

I finally made the effort to get active in the colour enhancement class run by WWPFG. I chose some very uninteresting leaves that had turned a muddy brown and enhanced them with ground pastels, red, green and orange to give them a makeover. Grinding the pastels got me sooooo messy but it was fun!
I then decide to use them in a picture. I used mount board to colour on, using red and yellow pastels for the sun and orange and brown pastels to suggest landscape lines. I then glued my pressed leaves along the landscape line and an extra one off the beaten track.
A rummage through my stash of frames found just the right one for the picture and I'm thrilled to bits with the finished piece. My daughter came to visit, saw it and wanted it straight away! She even offered to buy it but she doesn't know yet, ahah, she will be getting it for her birthday next month.

I have also submitted my picture to PanPastel UK Challenge Blog. They have a lovely set of pan pastels for blog candy this challenge.

I'd love to hear what people think about it so if you could check a reaction or leave a comment I will be a happy bunny :) Thank you!

Oriental Meets Peeloffs

Its two weeks into January and I have finally got creative and made my first card for 2012. It seems to be the season for de-stashing so nearly everything I have used has been hiding in my craft stash for years.

It was fun to use my Crafters Companion Ultimate Pro for the first time and use it to score a gatefold card and cut background papers to fit. It is so simple having one tool to do it all...well nearly all, lol. The colours are not too clear on here but the base card is a sort of very pale pinky peach I've had for ages and the backing paper with tiny hearts is of a darker shade and is from Dovecrafts Princess Fairy Tale decoupage and paper pad.

The insert panel on each gate is a dusky brown card from my scrap box with gold peeloffs added. This peeloff is a Chrysanthemum and the one below is a Chinese or Japanese message (sorry don't know which) but I got them from Joanna Sheen, again, ages ago.

I decorated the inside with three panels of backing paper, which was a Dover sample in bygone days and added a Happy Birthday message to the centre panel using the same tiny heart backing paper as on the front gates. I used outline peeloffs around each panel and insert to make it all look more effective and finished it off with gold tassel handles on the gates.

Considering I'm not a fan of peeloffs or oriental themes, I think it came out quite well! I'm happy with it, says she smiling.

Thanks for looking. Comments are always welcome.

New Year 2012

Its the first day of 2012 and I want to wish all my family, friends and followers a very happy new year. 


Its a while since I posted but hopefully I will add to my blog more this year.


To begin with I have been blog hopping and deciding which challenges to follow. I hope to contribute to Bah Humbug, ABC Christmas Challenge and the Joanna Sheen Challenge Blog. That should keep me busy and as if thats not enough I have signed up for a class in pressed flower colour enhancement with the WWPFG. 


I have lots of 'vintage' pressed flowers and leaves that could do with a make over and the idea of adding colour to a 'vintage look' new collection of pressed flower pictures inspires me. I have used colour enhancement before but am keen to brush up on new techniques and ideas.


Later in the year I hope to add a page to this blog which will be a gallery of my pressed flower artwork with an opportunity to purchase on-line. I'm feeling very positive about 2012 and looking back on 2011 there was much to celebrate. Its far better to build on the positive than dwell on sadder moments, which beset us all occasionally.


My opening picture is one I did several years ago and is entitled Four Seasons Goddess. It is made up of pressed flowers and leaves depicting all the seasons and arranged around an iconic face that is my own artwork. I poured enormous therapeutic energy into creating this picture and I hope you agree that it evokes a lot of strength and energy.


Comments kindly welcomed as always.

Chasing Autumn

Chasing autumn through the streets 

And up the hills where horizons meet

Breezy falls of gold and red

Litter the sky and on pavement shed

Crunching motion rustling by 

Flights of colour under a sunset sky

Whirling and swirling in a fierce latin dance

Its like catching the wind - not a chance!

NB: From an original pressed leaf picture and digitised

One from my portfolio

 

One from my portfolio. I must get back to making artwork with pressed flowers. I don't know when that will be because my daughter is poorly and needs me right now. I hope she gets better soon.

Xmas Sentiments

Well this is a record for me! Those lovely people at Bah Humbug Hall set such a tantilising challenge I had to set to it straight away! Luckily I was at the 'Range' yesterday and bought some Christmas die cut sentiments by Anita. I chose one and teamed it up with black mirri card, a gorgeous silver/white glitter card and printed acetate by Kanban luxury reflections.  I've been hanging onto the printed acetate for something special and I guess this is it. I finished off with some crystal diamontes on the oval sentiment.
I took the photo at an angle to avoid reflection of the flash and in reality the card sparkles, even through the acetate so the photo doesn't really do it justice I don't think. I hope you like!

I love my visitors to comment so please do so if you can.