etsy shop banner

I spent ages on this, trying to merge a few photos together with some text....
I'm pretty pleased, as it's my first attempt!
It's bright and eye catching....don't you think?

Next thing to do is sort some of my dark and blurry photos, take more photos and add more items....
I have so much stuff that 'needs' to go.....hopefully I'll sell them in my shop for xmas!?

cold and dull

I was going to take loads of photos today and list things in my etsy shop...and on ebay, but because it was so dull, windy and cold , there was just no light to take good photos!
It just meant that I spent a bit too much time in front of my computer instead!
I tell myself that it's restful......and I've been told to take it easy and rest.......
although I do know that computers can drain your energy!!!
Oh well~~~~

here's a photo of something I'm working on at the moment......

♥

changes

Luka Skracic

With Winter approaching, and a change in the air, I've been doing a lot of shifting inside and out!
I've been de-cluttering for a while now, but a lot of it has been at a slow pace, up until the past week or two!
Situations, and problems have all come to the surface, and each day comes a new breath of air, a fresh breeze to carry away some more heavy loads!
My work space is being cleared out, making room for me to focus on what's important.
My life has taken a turn around a corner and a light has been switched on.
Lessons are being learned and eyes are opening wider than before.
Time is precious, and what lies deep within me is coming out....reaching, stretching .

♥

Time out

Everyone needs time to think and look beyond...
I need to do lots of thinking.
I've not gone away.....
I'll be back soon~
xxxxxxx

paint and leaves

The other day I got out my paints again....and did a few quick paintings...
they are small, simple abstracts.

I'm trying to get back to being more minimal with my work.
At times I find I can put too much into one thing, overloading a canvas or adding too much detail to a skirt, etc.
We were out walking the other day, and we collected pine needles, conkers and leaves.
I love the colours at this time of year, the leaves are slowly turning orange.
Years ago when I had more time on my hands and when I was a wondering art student I used to go for long walks to find fallen plant and tree seed pods, leaves and twigs.
I used them in my work and I made some bracelets.





They're not very wearable, but I love the simplicity of them.
I've been thinking of somehow re-creating them with clay or fabrics, or making larger scale sculptural pieces with the same feel as the woven, stitched leaves.

fabric and mind destash

After being at a stand still for about a week, and looking at what I have around me...regarding materials and supplies, I've begun a clear out of fabric.
Some of it I'm giving to the recycling bin, the rest I'm making scarves!
It's just been sitting for too long, and even though I've always had the intention to use it one day, I've realized that I can't hold onto it ALL!
I love patchwork, and with added details like embroidery, buttons, shells, beads and sequins I've been having fun making some long scarves.




I've also cleared out a load of beads and bits I don't want (going on ebay or etsy sometime soon).
It's true that clearing clutter clears your head too.

At times I'd love to get rid of everything and live in a tipi.
We do have one, that we bought a few yrs ago have but never put it up!
Maybe it's time to...something tells me!

I recently found a beautiful place in Wales that does a four day retreat for women, to heal and recharge energy..
'Barefoot healing Tipi retreat with Corinna Michelle'.
With all the demands of work, motherhood, and generally keeping things together puts burden on our energies!
Sometimes we have to find the time to be in tune with our own selves.
Check out this website if you're interested in reiki,rituals, retreats and gatherings
Earthchild

I'd love to go!

I've often thought about doing a Reiki course, mostly to use for myself, family and friends....
and having a clear mind has made it stronger in me, and that I have to follow my heart..♥

brooches

Even though I've been in an unmotivated wandering mood recently I've managed to make some small pieces, fun things that I felt needed to get out into the world.
I've sold a few of them already (all to the same person) and as they were just a kind of experiment (like a lot of my work) I was surprised that they went so quick!
They are quite large for brooches...I'd call them corsages maybe..
and I used these lovely fabric moon and sun faces I bought .
I've hunted around for more, but can't seem to find any fabric the same!
I'll perhaps paint some myself.
I've had an idea for a while to make clay faces for bags, brooches, etc, so I'll get around to doing that soon too.

they actually relate to some of my paintings too, and I'm starting to realize that most of my work does link together.
I was talking to a friend the other day about how we see our own work and how others might perceive it completely differently, maybe in a way we don't see ourselves.
I know I feel unfocused and lacking in direction at times, but other people tell me they see the opposite!
Is it the perfectionist in me?
I do like to be 80-100% positive and confident in what I produce, and if there's any doubt in my mind, I'll think it's rubbish!
I would LOVE to be able to focus on one thing, whether it be clay or fabric constructions and develop from there, but my mind is constantly churning out these ideas and so I hop from one thing to another, maybe only making one or two of something and then moving onto the next creation!
But one thing I know is that I LOVE faces!
♥

Sometimes

Sometimes
I just want a cloud to pass
and lift me up
and carry me away to another place.
Somewhere
where the silence lives
where thoughts are kept
and hidden.
Where no-one else
can touch your skin
or jump into your head,
where birds sleep,
where the wind is still.

I wish
just for a moment
I could sit inside a tree
and listen to it's heart beat,
it's roots entwining
around me
and holding me tight,
making me forget.
Forget the noise,
forget the thoughts,
forget the world.
Quietly alone.

cuffs

I've been making some fabric cuffs (from reclaimed,recycled material) the past week and as usual I seem to have a short spurt of enthusiasm to make a certain thing, then in a couple of weeks or sometimes sooner I move onto something else....
I've always been like this, one day I love clay ...the next I'm fed up of it....then I'm sewing a skirt...then threading up a necklace!
I'm so scatty and unfocused at times!
But I've come to realize that this is how I work, and I'm letting my intuition lead me!
If I feel comfortable making something I'm happy, but if I feel uninspired or there's no heart going into my creation I'll stop and leave it be.
Sometimes I just need to get things out of my system...like an idea that's been jumping around in my head for days begging to get out.....
once it's been realized.. I'm at peace!
or my brain is at least!!!
~~~~


There are more photos in my Flickr
and soon to be in my Etsy shop.

new necklaces

I've finally finished some of my clay bird necklaces, and my new butterflies, flowers and feathery ear-rings...
I'm going to send most of them away to my local outlets,and maybe find some new places to put them.
Some I've put in my Etsy shop.

colours are more natural this time, instead of the brighter greens and blues, pinks, etc....
They seem to have a softness to them too.

faces

I've always had a fascination for faces and how each one is so different.
I am drawn to people's eyes and mouths...
Drawing them, whether from life or from my imagination makes me realize how wonderful us humans are!
I love the shadows, the lines and the shapes in faces, and expressions...
how our faces change in every moment.

I also love hats, although I don't wear many myself...
I've made a few in my time, but recently I had an idea of making some similar to my gourd pots, very natural and earthy looking, with lots of texture!
I found a girl on Flickr called tiny toadstool who makes amazing little berets...and I was very inspired by their organic shapes and quirkiness.
I'm not quite sure how to start with them, but I'm positive I'll have fun experimenting!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I had some lovely news yesterday, as my friend and neighbour bought one of my clay birds from Browns gallery, where I have an exhibition.
I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw it, sitting proudly on her window sill!

drawing

I've been doing more drawings, just coz I feel like it....
It's nice to be able to sit and draw what ever comes ...
without really thinking too much about it...
usually when the kids are sleeping and it's quiet.
tell me what you think about them....

tribe

my tribe have been driving me batty today...I thought I'd take them into town to do a bit of shopping...went in on the bus... as us commoners do.....and went round most of the charity shops (which I have to go into.. even though my eldest, who is almost 10 moans at me and tells me 'these shops are for old people!!...and I do try and educate her that these shops are better than the BIG shops, full of mass produced rubbish that little children sit for hours and days making for pennies!).....although sometimes, but rarely do I buy 'new' clothes from places like Primark and TKMaxx.!!
naughty me!
I have always told myself that I should buy second hand clothes, fair trade clothes, and handmade clothes....and I strongly believe in recycling as much as possible!
I love to make clothes and bags out of old clothes and jeans....it's such a great feeling knowing that I've made something new out of something old....and I just wish people would stop throwing clothes away just because they've gone out of fashion....it just potty!!!!
Be individual....not a fashion victim.....make your own clothes....customize your old ones....it makes sense...doesn't it?

Anyway~~~ to get back to my tribe...I lost one today,(he's only 4..my little dragon!) but I knew that I'd find him....somewhere. I didn't panic...it's strange but I was so much calmer than I thought I'd be, we found him playing with some lego in the toy shop. He'd managed to find his way there by himself and was quite oblivious to the worry he had caused ....
I'm quite positive that I had someone guiding me to where he was, because he could have been anywhere!



I've been doing a few sketches in my very small book....
in the hope of developing them into collage paintings.
They have a slight tribal feel to them....which I like...
although they might seem a bit odd to some!

UGH

for some unknown reason my post got removed....so I'm going to just add photos and not put in links, as I think this may have been my problem!?
Anyway~
some photos of my ceramics!~

hello

I'm going to give this blogging another go.....
as I feel a bit left out ...seeing lots of my friends doing it.
I'm not going to put loads of personal stuff in here, or try and add loads of photos, as I want my blog to be clutter free and simple....like my garden I want it to be easy to look after and not need much work done to it.....(a bit wild and overgrown then!)
hmmmm.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I have been very busy making clay birdies for a craft fair I'm doing in August, and more to put in my Etsy shop and a few local shops here.
I'm making some butterflies, flowers and long fish shapes.
It's all very exciting....

I'm making around 100!!!
It's not mass production..honest!
They're all hand cut, stamped, smoothed and fired, then all individually painted....
♥