Friday Picnic

Life has been pretty hectic for the past year for my Husband & I. We have been expanding our retail business (computer games/Warhammer figures) & it's taken a lot of time & energy. Recently I mentioned that one thing I really missed from the old days, was just taking a walk in Penrose Wood during the week.
We'd go & get some Cornish Pasties, a flask of tea, & walk through the wood to the coast. Where we'd just sit in total peace & quiet (with most other people being at work! ) & enjoy our picnic.
Well, Mark suprised me yesterday...he said he'd gotten one of our staff to cover for the afternoon & we were going for a walk...on a Friday! *lol*
It sounds kinda silly I know, but it was so lovely. So we spent this afternoon wandering in relative peace, through beautiful woodland, with the sun on our faces...to be rewarded with a picnic on the beach:)

We took a pigs ear for Nimh to eat so we could have our steak pasties in peace, but she wouldn't eat it on the sand...she just kept wandering about, shaking it (presumably to get the sand off...lol) & ended up crying while shaking it...ROFL She'd be pathetic as a wild animal.

So it was up to Mummy 'og to donate her coat for her to eat her ear on!! *rolls eyes*

It was lovely just lying in the sun & listening to the waves ...if a little chilly! LOL

Here be Dragons...

No...I'm not referring to the new Robin Hobb novel ('Dragon Keeper'...cover currently being illustrated by the very wonderful Jackie Morris btw *winks*). I am referring to this....

(Click pic to view larger)

We had just finished washing the dog when I glanced out the window & saw an amazing sight. A cloud sooooooooo big that it needed my 'panoramic' setting on the camera! My Totem animal/creature for 2009 is the Dragon. It seems they make themselves known in many beautiful & fantastic ways!

Then I was caught...snapping away hundreds of shots of the gorgeous sunset that quickly followed the Dragon sighting.... don't worry I chose only a couple to post here...lol

So...working my way backwards... this afternoon we went for a walk on the beach. I really needed to blow away a few cobwebs, & it was just beautiful down there. Even though it was cold & cloudy, it was just amazing. I felt so refreshed & invigorated. Must be all those negative ions :)
We had a little picnic & wandered about until it began to rain, then we slowly walked back up the beach to the car...I could have stayed through the rain to be honest. Sometimes you just need a bit of healing sea air.

Someone else really enjoyed a good run at the beach too....:)

Freyja

'Freya'
9x14"
Watercolour

"It's midnight in the far North.
The Falcon circles as Freyja, Mistress of magic, draws upon her power to shapeshift."

Generally known as a fertility goddess, or goddess of love.
Freyja also had links with the dead; half of the slain she shared with Odhinn, and each day decided who would enter her hall Sessrumnir, which lay in Folkvang, 'the Field of Folk.' Freyja also was mistress of magic. She owned a falcon-skin which she would don in order to travel to the underworld, bringing back prophecies and knowledge of destiny. In addition to shape-shifting, she also was the goddess of seidhr and could magically control fire. She drove a chariot pulled by cats, and her totemic animal was the sow.
*Bookmark design*

Freyja has been in the works for a while. There is so much information about her that it was hard to come up with just one 'design' for the painting. I just ended up sitting back & waiting for Freyja herself to guide me...this is what she helped me to create :)
I may yet paint her again...I've enjoyed this one as much as I did painting another Goddess who is special to me..White Tara.
Prints are available for £8.50 each (8"x11"open edition on Archival Matte paper), but I don't have them online currently so if you would like one, please ask!
I am hoping to get some Limited Edition prints done shortly on Bockingford Watercolour paper, as yet I haven't worked out the cost of these.
Bookmarks are £1.99 each.

And the winner is....

*Drum roll*
Silver moss Jewellery

Congratulations! A 'Dragonfly Dreams' bookmark & keyring will be on it's way to you shortly!

And thanks to everyone who participated, I really appreciate you taking the time reply.
Look out for future giveaways..this was fun :)

Saturday ramble

Can you tell I'm eager for spring this year? While doing our food shop last night I had the urge to browse magazines & found this one... 'Kitchen Garden' with 5 packets of seeds free!! Wooot!
I got Leeks, Tomatoes, Kale, Cabbage, & Spinach beet...all things I love to eat!:) I already have a packet of Basil which I cant wait to try out...Basil is my most favourite herb.
So I spent a very happy hour & a half lounging in a bubble bath reading my magazine last night...hehe

And just to keep you going...here is a teaser of the almost completed 'Freyja'....

Off now to play with my dog for a bit... she's sitting in my doorway with her ears stuck out in 'mischivious mood' & her stuffed 'piggy' by her feet! :) WOOF!

Oh my...another award!

Big thank you to the wonderful Sarah at 'Cottage garden studio' for this Lemonade Award for "Positive Attitude Blogs".

I gotta say, I will be passing this award straight on to Kat of 'Life, earth, sky' because she definately fits the bill! :) And funnily enough, after she gave me the previous award I said I would return the favour next time round...I just didn't expect it to be so quick! Haha...now there's some speedy manifesting for ya Kat *winks*

Giveaway & WIP update

A huge huge thank you to all you lovely people that have taken the time to enter my bookmark giveaway (see post here.. http://eastofthesunart.blogspot.com/2009/01/bookmarks-giveaway.html)
The information I have gleaned from this is really helpful, & I think I shall be doing more giveaways in future too :)

Stay tuned for the winner as I shall be doing the prize draw on Sunday & announcing it asap. :)

Well, Freyja is on the home stretch... I hope to be showing you a finished piece very shortly. If I do say so myself, this is turning into one of my absolute favourite artworks!!
It's very 'storybook-ish' according to my Husband...which I am very happy about! lol

Aww I got an award!

Thanks sooo much to the lovely Kathleen Coy of 'Life Earth Sky' for my blog award :) You made my day!

Now I guess I have to list 7 things I love as part of this award ceremony (hehe) then pass it on :)

So...without further ado....

1. The sea... I love to be able to look out over a vast expanse of blue. Its my dream to live where I have a beautiful sea view...I have lived in houses with sea views since being in Cornwall, but I want MY home...where I can put down roots, to have beautiful sea views :) It makes me feel peaceful & free to know there is nothing between me & the next bit of land off in the far distance.

2. My Husband. We have been together for about 13 years & got married 2 years ago. We have grown together & learnt from eachother, & he is my best friend.

3. My crazy furry kid...Nimh. Called Nimh after one of my favourite childhood stories 'The secret of Nimh' (she was going to be called Nimue as we were going through a 'Merlin/King Arthur' phase...hehe). She's got bags of personality & it's like living with a real Human being sometimes...

4. Jasmin green tea... I gave up traditional black tea & milk years ago & could never imagine going back to it! yuck! (Aside from Chai tea..that's black, but it's so nice :))Jasmin tea is the most refreshing, but I love a vast range of teas these days...& I'm a bit of a tea addict if the truth be told! LOL

5. Painting while listening to audio books, or DVD's. I can shut myself away in my studio with a pot of ginger tea & something to listen to, & just stay there for hours :)

6. Books... I did that book meme a little while back so won't bore you with tales of my book habits...hehe... but I have always loved reading. Getting so caught up in a story, that when you finish reading you feel sort of like coming back down to earth with a bump! :)

7. The metaphysical world! I love to learn, read, listen... I love to explore new ideas of how life & the universe works...I love to hold an open mind & try new ideas. I love to combine all aspects of spirituality & create a life full of magic, inspiration & wonder.
I'm eternally grateful to Gill Edwards for writing 'Living Magically'. It was the first metaphysical book I ever bought, & one that changed my life!

So...that's done & I now wish to present this award to....

A lady who first inspired me to set up this blog. I loved how her posts were so beautiful & inspirational, & such a joy to read. Not to mention the beautiful artwork & amazingly acurate tarot readings of course!! The Gaian Tarot Artist's Journal.. Joanna Powell Colbert

Karen Davis at 'Moonlight & Hares'. A recent 'blog pimp' of course so scroll back down to see that :)

Michele's 'Moxylyn' blog... A really enjoyable blog & some amazing handmade journals (given my fetish for books & journals this shouldn't be a huge suprise! hehehe)

Starlight Starbright by Jackie Morris. The creation of a beautiful childrens book... beautiful illustrations, & even though the book has recently been completed I still think she deserves an award for all the effort! :)

'The Crow Hill Almanac' Life on Crow Hill, in the beautiful State of Colarado. Kristina has been a great friend over the years & she is one of my all time favourite artists!:) (Scroll back in my blog for photos of the portrait she did me of Nimh!)

Next is Nao's beautiful, spiritual & thought provoking (in a nice way) blog 'The Teatime Traveller'. A real treasure!:)

Of course I would give an award to Kathleen, but I guess it wouldn't be right to send her one straight back...hehe...I'll have to grab another one for another day *grins*
So last but not least...
'Jessie Lilac'... a blog full of fun & colour & artwork & all good things!

Gosh I could go on & on... I love everyones blog, so don't feel left out! :)
xxx