Cider, Sunshine, and a Smile

Today has made this week seem very busy and big.


I finally caved and re-arranged our bedroom to make studio? space this week. I had resisted to avoid having any kind of work sensation in the bedroom.
Historically I'm quite happy with art stuff in there, I meditate in there and pen to paper has always been part of that for me. But relaxation, self expression and hopefully creating some sort of living are different.


It has worked quite well though, our room is big enough to have my row of shelving, books, desks, computer, scanner etc down the wall which is to the left of the door, leaving the bedroom as the main space to the right. Psychologically they still seem separate to me.

Today I've been working in there on our very slow lap-top...slow but working so that feels good.


I had a pint of cider, in a friends garden, in the sunshine today. Sunshine, friends and ice cold sparkly cider...can't even remember when I last did that.
It meant I actually felt too relaxed and happy to be bothered to do anything much, which was just what I needed. I'm surprisingly driven for someone who doesn't actually go anywhere much.


And Tomorrow! Tomorrow I'm being taken out for the day to London...definitely can't remember when I last did That!

I used to go a lot in my late teens, to Covent Garden and Camden Market...very rarely since I got married, other than to pass through on my way to Paris a couple of times.Actually I remember taking our eldest to the Science museum once, and going with the gorgeous goddess Lisa once...


Perhaps tomorrow will encourage me to go more often...we'll see.


And I have mostly finished the picture I was working on (oh and started another at art class on Wednesday) The one of the beach has taught me not to trust my instincts when I think 'That'll work amazingly on black paper'((!!!)) no, no, no it won't Julia, never listen to yourself again when you say such daft things, it'll make it really hard work to produce something at least a little grey!

It has become an intriguing piece worked with irridescent oil pastel as well as pencil.
Mark really likes it.

Personally I quite like the perfect bum I started on Wednesday...even if it is a little too small and model like to usually be clelebrated by me. I think the final pic will be striking. (at least I hope.)

Big kisses

Today is gorgeous

It's warm and sunny and a lovely bank holiday...sitting here is wonderful and relaxing, even with both the kids about...it's rare for everything to come together in quite such a picture perfect Sunday way.


I give it five minutes max.


The rest of the day will be as lovely too, just not so peaceful, or with me at the keyboard.


I've popped in to show the latest picture I'm working on (permission recieved, Thank you) and to say that I haven't worked on it for a couple of days because it's scaring me as much as the last two. I've really no idea how to do the wet sand etc...but I love the original picture so much I want to try.


So far today I've doodled and written...that'll no doubt appear here in the next day or so


Ok the arguing has begun, sounds of tension squeaking from the other room, so that's it for now.


Big kisses.

Challenges

Mud, mud, glorious mud!

Ok, I'm day eight of ten days raw...and doing well.

There was the Barbeque, Mark's roasties and Thursday was mother and baby group at my house (chocolate cake AND carrot cake)...and to top that list a big bag of chocolate came into the house last night. :) I'm still eating raw.


The real challenge has been more costly. In one week I've notched up (at least) £140 worth of mistakes financially.

This feels all about being centred. I find that having a baby is quite de-centering because baby is wonderfully and totally centre, So since the beginning of this year there has been a gradual pull in me to bring things back to where the centre is for me. Creativily, financially, homewise, health wise.


I was struggling with getting health prioritised though...I don't smoke anymore which is positive, but have been eating all sorts of junk with no real appetite for anything at all...hence the clear my palate and plate raw ten days...I love eating raw once I get started and I've definitely found my appetite again!

Yet it's like trying to close the lid on a too full suitcase...my finances have exploded out the other side.

I feel like giving up.

Hmmm.

Giving up is an important stage for me...that's a signal to 'give it UP' literally...to give it to Spirit, to surrender my methods and throw my hearts deepest wishes out into the wonderful and just keep going where I long to be.

I long to be balanced. I long to be healthy and clean and energetic. I long to finish paying off the money I lent my previous self. I long to have a consistently relaxed happy household for my children to grow up in, full of love, AND I long to get better and better at my drawing. I want it to have it's place.


Ok, so I feel better. All we need is the energy to carry on.

I want to show you what I'm working on, but I have to ask someone's permission.

Big kisses.

Little French one

Art class today, this is a section of me learning that it's very difficult to do skin tones on black paper!

Monday!

It's monday, gorgeously sunny and the two babes I have with me today are currently sleeping.


Ahhh peace at last.


I still need to draw Stevie baby's teeth but have to wait for another pic for that.


Ok trying the keyboard on my lap! brilliant so now I have my feet up as well...what more could i WANT?


Oops.


Today is day three of a ten day raw food break,mostly just to see how I actually feel and what I'd really like to eat after a break from all the cakes/sugar/biscuits/junk I've been eating since...at least Christmas.


I feel so much better already, more relaxed and definitely simplified. It's easier to listen to my body as well...though not so easy to go to my sister's first barbecue on Saturday, or even have best friends round for one of Marks gorgeous roastie meals yesterday! It smelt lovely.


Bumped into the lady that runs the drop-in art class today, so I think my next adventure is figure work.


Big kisses

Spirit and Me

I love to commune with spirit/God/All that is through people. Nature/anything/ everything too...but Love seeing it through people...

I've been missing something recently...missing remebering (I always type that wrong and then change it, today I'm leaving it) Re Me bering?

God! how often have I heard that! It's always Me Me Me with you!

Good. It's what I know best...and I guess that's the constant ingredient for communing with Spirit. Me with people, Me with nature, Me with anything and everything.

I guess that's what I needed to remember

Big Love.

Slightly detached

Ok Stevie Baby's piccie is done, save deciding whether to give him all his teeth or not. It is the most conservative looking picture I think I have ever done in my life, which has made it a little awkward to like...even if he's kind of cute. Maybe it just reminds me of school too much!


Time seems very strange to me at the moment. Every day is busy, and passing....noisy and messy and running around after house and children. Seeing the sunshine. All very slightly detached though and timeless. Maybe I'm tired.

Getting a little more time on the internet now, have had to bring back a link list (on the blogspot blog).The tag roll from del.icio.us is pretty but not very practical for everyday access.

There is so much to see out there, beautiful art and people...there is so much colour and movement in this world. It is truly beautiful. Terrible, and wonderful and beautiful.

Ok off to enjoy all that in a slightly detached timeless way. Big kisses to you. Yes you.

XX

One of my mum's pic's.

See, told you it was beautiful!

Taken over

Our lives have been somewhat hi-jacked by portrait drawing...I'm missing spending time browsing blogs! And writing in my own!


I also use the computer a fair bit during the portrait process, scanning the work in to compare side by side with the original, and even though this time I have an actual photo to work from, I still find that very helpful...Unfortunately the rest of the family are barely getting a computer look-in.


Above is an A4 section of Stevie baby's old school picture portrait...still a way to go, but hopefully not too much longer, it must be around eight hours work so far...if I plan to continue I hope to get a bit quicker!...or a lot better. This is the first time I've had a go with blending with rolled up paper (can't remember what that's called!) and it definitely helps stop younger skin looking full of wrinkly pencil lines.

This blog is looking a bit portrait-tastic though...I promise you and myself to get some alternate life back!

Big kisses