A Beautiful Staffie Pup

I do think I can go back to my arty world now that my blog candy is posted and my awards and tags are up to date. So now I have a few art and crafty things to share. The first is my latest artwork of a gorgeous pup. I was provided with a great reference photo that really did lend itself towards a facial portrait:

I enjoyed this one...
Well it looks like a big freeze is about to start, if it is going to snow, I hope it does it proper!

Tags & Awards

I do think I am a little late recognising some of my awards...but hey :) I get there in the end .
First of all I was awarded these from my pal over at Purples & Spurtles She has also nominated my for 6th photo ...but we will get there in a minute.





Crafty Mug very kindly gave me this award



I received this one from June who does the art on the dark side challenges but also the lovely Vintage Freebies




Gilly at Gillyflowers Expressions also tagged my to do the 6th photo tag:

The instructions are,
1. Navigate to where you keep your pictures, select the 6th folder, and the 6th picture in that folder.
2. Post the picture on your blog with an explanation about the picture.
3. Tag 6 others to do the same, and let them know they have been tagged!
Ok Gilly and Tina, this is my photo...


And yes there is a story, I have always collected Teddy Bears and this one came to me from a car boot sale back in the eighties. He was covered in make up at the time and I spend hours and hours with a toothbrush removing eye shadow and lipstick applied by enthusiastci youngsters.. I bought him for £1...He is very important to me and beyond £notes!

Ok, my favourite witchy (Tina) friend asked me to share 7 little known facts about me so here goes:

1. I have a motorcycle licence
2. I have a HNC in Business Information Technology
3. I have been to the V- Festival on several occasions
4. I love fairground rides
5. I confess in a very small voice that I am a civil servant
6. I did once see a ghost/fairy/person
7. I love music but am absolutely tuneless

Right now I am meant to tag/ nominate seven other people. But, I always break the rules and I see no reason to conform, so in the spirt of all of this I am going to list the names of seven people that in a year of blogging have touched me and become my "friends".

Tina at Purples & Spurtles
Robin at Naked in Eden
Jen at Fuzzy Dragons
Ingrid at Kaslkaos
Sammi at Sammi's Little bit of Blog Land
Terrie at Alien Adventures
Nessie at Nessie's Notes
Holly at Earth to Holly
Henry at Soulmerlins blogs
Nards at Nardeeisms

You are all free to take any blog award from the above...Oops, I think there are more than seven. Hey ho, thank you all...for reaching out and being my friend. You are all a breath of Spring...
This photo was taken last weekend and I think says things better than I can :-)


(there are some more people to mention also ...but that is for next time) ...<

Art on the Dark Side Challenge - Evil Eyes ATC

I just had to have a go at this challenge for this week. "Evil eyes" just lends itself to some of my art work, although I don't really think her eyes are evil as much as eerie. For those of you that were not around back then, my moon fairy was created way back last year, you can see the full sized version here

I used a part photograph with some once upon a time DCWV paper together with some other bits and bob to embellish and distress. Another one I have just managed by the skin of my teeth, next is to take care of some of the awards and tags :)
If you would like to take part Dark side challenges, they can be found here

A gypsy ATC

This is one of my creations today, a vintage image ATC, I do really love this photograph...somehow I look at it and really empathise with her.

Blog Candy - Spread a Smile

My blog anniversary was two weeks ago now. As a celebration I thought I would do some blog candy as I haven't done any for a little while, except I am a bit late at putting it up. Hey ho, it is a bout right for me, I am running behind with loads of things (we won't even begin to talk about blog awards)
Anyway, I decided that since this is both an art and crafty blog, I would do both art and crafty blog candy.

So this is the crafty candy (I have added to it since taking this photo)and for the art candy, I will include one of my art works of either a cat (domestic/big cat) or dog, the winner can choose.
This is open to all of my readers wherever they may be but if an overseas visitor wins the craft candy, I shall substitute the wooden stamps for some lighter ones to cut down on the postage costs.
Ok, what do you need to do? Well I would like you to post something on your blog specifically to make people smile. What you post, be it a poem, an image, a joke or whatever fits well on your blog, I will leave up to you.
Then just leave a message in this posting to say that you have joined in with the spread a smile and tell me which draw you want to take part in. The draw will take place on Friday 13th February, LOL, I couldn't resist it!

A Saturday at Sheriffhales FC

Today was probably one of the best days this year for RC flying...
Down at our local club the flightline was probably no busier than normal but it was good to see it in the sunshine and a few people chatting outside instead of eating chips in the hut!





Not that I did much flying, I spent all my time photographing, drawing and socialising..
The Focke-Wolf and Knife Edge Adrenaline were being flown by Stuey, the Wot 4 was being flown by Andy and the Corsair was flown by Martin.
It was good to see the sun and have a laugh:)

A Bird ATC - Crafty Individuals

Over at Crafty Individuals they are running an ATC competition. I noticed when I was sussing them out for some more paper pads, I do like their paper. So I have put an order in...oh and added a few things to it ;-)
Meantime, I had a go at an ATC and used some CI paper to create it. The little image of the blackbird is one of my photographs printed out in black and white and then sooted up a little:

Hopefully I will get the chance to actually send it in because the closing date is soon.
Meantime on the bird theme, I thought I would share a work in progress. Another first for me, this is the first time I have undertaken a feathered friend. I need to add some more contrast yet and finish the branch and his little legs.

I don't know about other people, but I am definately out of sorts this week...I need some sunshine!

A Mustang Moment

The guys down at the RC flying field often follow my art and check out what I am up to.
They keep telling me, I should draw a plane. So I got my favourite photograph of a Mustang that Andy took at Duxford...and came up with this:

I did find it a little difficult, it is such a breakaway from what I normally do and metal is new technique. I cannot see me become a aviation artist but hey, it was different.
I hope you are all enjoying your weekend.

A Little Kitty Art

Lo everyone, I am sure you have all missed me ;-). I have been away for most of this week on a course down in Salisbury. I confess I found it very intensive and hard work. The number of hours combined with having to pay a lot of attention took it's toll so am recovering gently now.
I have some catching up to do, checking out what you have all been up to and am looking forward to having a good read over the weekend.
Meantime from me, in amongst the homework, I did manage a small kitty in prismas.

I am now going to chill with a glass of cool white wine, Happy Friday everyone.

Happy Birthday to my Blog Today

I thought that I should upload somthing today as it is a year today since I started blogging. I also took a trip down memory lane and had a look back over last January's postings. It seems like a lot has happened since then.
So for this evening, I though I should share a few cards as it was the card making that led me to creating my blog. Besides, I haven't uploaded any for ages.

This is one of my favourite Penny black stamps and I am pretty certain that it was probably one of the first "new" (as it not second hand of the bay)stamps that I bought. This is using Crafty Individuals paper and the nestabilities that I treated myself to over Christmas.


I also bought myself a lovely stamp, purely because I love it. Normally I try to buy things that I will get lots of use from but in this case I was just being extravagent, I really mustn't make a habit of it. However, the stamp is Misty Garden by Hero Arts.


I also pulled out some papers from last year and made this card with Mother's Day paper. The stamp was stamped with Tim Holtz aged wood.
I did promise some blog candy but I need to raid the QVC store for this and it was unusually limited last week...so I will wait till they have some new stock. It will make the offering more interesting. Meantime next doors cat came in the other night and decided I had done way too much blogging and surfing!



:)

Fridays Fable - A Woodland Fable

Edward Atkinson Hornel - Music of the Woods
I couldn't resist this one for my Fridays Fable, I do hope you like it. Edward Atkinson Hornel was a scottish artist, if you check our some of his work, it is beautiful.

I thought this poem is very fitting..
Woods in Winter by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
When winter winds are piercing chill,
And through the hawthorn blows the gale,
With solemn feet I tread the hill,
That overbrows the lonely vale.

O'er the bare upland, and away
Through the long reach of desert woods,
The embracing sunbeams chastely play,
And gladden these deep solitudes.

Where, twisted round the barren oak,
The summer vine in beauty clung,
And summer winds the stillness broke,
The crystal icicle is hung.

Where, from their frozen urns, mute springs
Pour out the river's gradual tide,
Shrilly the skater's iron rings,
And voices fill the woodland side.

Alas! how changed from the fair scene,
When birds sang out their mellow lay,
And winds were soft, and woods were green,
And the song ceased not with the day!

But still wild music is abroad,
Pale, desert woods! within your crowd;
And gathering winds, in hoarse accord,
Amid the vocal reeds pipe loud.

Chill airs and wintry winds! my ear
Has grown familiar with your song;
I hear it in the opening year,
I listen, and it cheers me long.

I loved the last lines and include one of my own winter photographs. I have seen this scene so many times over the last couple of weeks. It lifts me up and I hope it does you too :)

Have a great weekend everybody :)

Skywatch Friday - Colourful Skies

Well after spending so many hours snapping photographs over the Christmas period, I am not short of a few sky shots! It looks quite warm but in fact we have had a very cold spell. This has made for some very strange lighting, this one almost hurts your eyes, I think. Happy Skywatch :)
If you want to take part in Skywatch or just view lots of other Skywatch images from around the world, click here.

My little friend

I did say that I would upload some more of my favourite photographs of the holiday period and this is one of my favourites. This little one just entertained me... :) if you click in, you view him closer, I just love his fluffy feathers, he wasn't too shy!

An Ode to WMMFC

I used to be part of WMMFC
The members were almost a family
Each Saturday we took out our planes and flew
On the whole, we were a happy crew
Each week we cooked up a big curry pot,
With ingredients galore, the chillies were hot
Sloping we went, though you had to watch out
Crazy they were, some nutters about!
Sadly a member that I cannot name
Took over the club, which is such a shame
A big model man who wears weird camo shorts
Began to take over and call all of the shots
He recruited another with arrogant views
And the club had become yesterdays news.
Now the website is gone
Another is there
But, it isn't the same, there is nothing to share
It has all turned to dust, with sadness and lies
And I want to know, who ate all the pies?

Verse 2 Courtesy of Nige

The pie eater in question! What was it's name ?
Was it a sir ? or was it a dame ?
Big camo shorts I seem to remember
Was it a visitor ? or was it a member ?








By the way, I didn't know that if you googled WMMFC you got "Wide Mouth Mason Fan Club (WMMFC), ..." Hmmm
Incidentally, I promise not to take up poetry as my day job ;)

A Photographic Roundup

As you know, I have been taking a few photographs over the holidays.
Here is a roundup of a few of my favourites.





I like these all for different reasons so these are a diverse selection. The hare is probably the poorest in terms of quality but it does capture the moment, as I was standing by myself in a frosty field, he just came running past me but stopped to observe me too which was quite amusing. I'll sort out some more an come up with part two in a few of days. Have a great Sunday, I think I am developing something very unhealthy. Purchases of boxes of tissues and lemsips are required!