WOYWW - silver princess and it's not my hair

Referring to the  Eucalyptus caesia  commonly known as the "Silver Princess" rather than the state of my hair.  

 Signed up for quick online workshop with David Reynolds and was really pleased to learn his techniques for painting the chalky finish on the thin branches.

 

Still a work in progress but relatively happy with  the result so far.  Need to finish up on some details and then I'm calling it quits.

I won't be around WOYWW for several of weeks and will desks visit on weekends.  Starting another online workshop which runs on a Wednesday.  Hopefully will have some photos to post.  

Have a safe and creative week 

woyww - Coral and more paints

Finished a small coral painting to join the sea urchin from a couple of weeks ago. 

I plan to experiment different ways of framing watercolour paintings.  As you can imagine a considerable amount of time spent googling and you tubing for ideas.

Hopefully I will have something to show in the coming weeks.

Did manage to complete a small handmade watercolour set for a gift.

The painted lid gives you an idea of the colours in action.  

The top 3 colours are store bought pigments and the triad have a fine consistency.

The bottom 4 pigments are made up of:

 Vivianite (Australian Blue Ochre), 

Terracotta clay pipe 

Brown/Pink ochre found in Tumut (NSW)

Sea urchin quills 

 No matter how much I hand grind the stones/quills I can never seem to get a super fine consistency.  Now that is OK as it makes them handmade LOL.

Hope you are having a safe and creative week.

WOYWW - Blooms and a treasured gift

I am absolutely thrilled and honoured to have a beautiful collage work from Diana at Velvet Moth Studio.  The photo of course does not do justice to her art work.  Thank you Diana it now hangs on my studio wall and I can admire your work to my hearts content 

Our  camellia has bloomed and bloomed this winter and I had to share a photo of the lovely carpet of petals.  

The completed Acacia pycantha, most commonly known as the "golden wattle ".  From memory it may even be the official floral emblem of Australia.  

Hopefully the recipient will like it.  

Have a safe and creative WOYWW week.

woyww - blooms and bush

Participated in my first Zoom online workshop with Alina Koo and painted a pretty rose.  Trying to loosen up and let the watercolour flow.

Currently working on a commission and have been asked to paint a Golden Wattle.  

Taking my time and will post a photo once completed.

Last week had me wandering the countryside and social distancing was very easy.

Seriously thinking of signing up for a watercolour landscape workshop once the restrictions lift.

Another photo of the township of Bunyan, NSW, sadly they are still in drought.

Final photo

of the slipper orchid which blooms without fail and makes me smile every year.  

Have a creative WOYWW week.

woyww - nature battle

Participating in nature journaling week allowed me to document my battle with the cabbage moth/butterfly.  Keen gardeners would know that it happily lays eggs on the whole Brassica genus and then little caterpillars devour the lot.  Novice gardeners like me start out admiring the white butterfly in the garden to now staging a full on battle.  

In quieter moments I have been painting another sea urchin,

which is starting to look like a yummy donut from this perspective.

Finally, 

a sunset photo taken by my son while camping at Mungo Brush (North Coast, NSW)  over the weekend.

woyww - nature journaling and distractions

The intention was to join in on a week of nature journaling starting on the 1st of June.  

Completed a dandelion as I cannot get enough of these little fuzz balls and they are all over the garden.

Then I was distracted by making a small journal (or 2) for my w/c painting.  In the blink of an eye it's the 3rd of June and Wednesday's are for WOYWW and I completely forgot all

about nature journaling.

With restrictions easing daily I plan to venture out tomorrow and play catch up with 

the nature journaling.  

Have a safe and creative week.  

woyww - foraging along the coast line

A walk along the coastline after a storm can reveal some lovely remains from the sea.  Sea urchins can be a pest and quite nasty if you tread on them when they have quills. 

But, once they are washed up on the beach there is a bright side.  The quills can be crushed

 to produce a pink or purple pigment.

So I couldn't wait to crush the quills and mull the pigment  powder with binder.  

The result was a dusty pink. 

Then of course I had to paint a sea urchin.   I also added small amounts 

of a normal violet watercolour to give the image some depth.   

Quite pleased with how this little painting turned out.

Now of course I am searching the internet to see if I can find different quills

 in the hope of adding purple to my handmade watercolour palette.

Hope your week has been safe, interesting and most of all creative.

woyww -7 UFO's sighted on the 20th 2020

Far too many UFO's sighted in this makers drawers, cupboards and seven made it to my desk.  In keeping with the woyww anniversary spirit I will walk you around the desk.  Top LH corner has the usual cup of tea and bottle of water next to the packet of Gum arabic.  It was a must have purchase and is still  unopened and unprocessed into a binder for mulling watercolours.  The little rocks are from rubble dumped on a pathway.  I think they may be crushed clay water pipes.  Hopefully I will get around to crushing them further to reveal a pale apricot ochre.

Then we have an Australian hand cream (original fig scent).  COVID 19 has taught me to support local producers that don't rely on international shipping.  Baby wipes have always been part of my desk arrangement and they are sitting on the repurposed w/c journal which is the second UFO.  The original mixed media journal was made in 2012 and I have spent years trying to make the pages fit my style.  Thanks to the nudge  from WOYWW I tore the pages out and made my own journal using quality w/c paper.  Third UFO is a pile of books I started reading and have stopped mid way. 4 hardcopies and about 4 on the kindle.

  Note to self - do not purchase further books until these are read LOL.

Moving to the bottom RH corner you will find a cross stitch started sometime in the 90's and possibly put on hold due to having children, working full time and a good dose of "couldn't be bothered".  But the anniversary has encouraged me to sort out the threads which is a start.    

No idea why the w/c swatches are sitting on the cross stitch..... I think they need a new home and so get dumped around the desk. Finally 2 LO's completed for the dear children's albums.  DD's graduation 3 years ago and DS first day at preschool approximately 22 years ago.  Now I would never of remembered that I still had to complete these pages if I was not rummaging around the cupboard.  Also sorted out years of photos and have a small pile somewhere on the desk to be scrapbooked.  

Finally,

I did also manage to paint a bunny for DD's friend due to have a baby shortly.  Ideas straight from pinterest/instagram etc. as I struggle to come up with anything original when it is needed in 48 hours.   I did freestyle the flowers so hopefully won't be sued.  

Last photo (I promise) of a lovely spider web catching the morning dew with our camellia bush in the background.  The spider has lived in this spot for years and when I last saw her I thought she had put on weight so we have a lot in common.

Happy anniversary to all the lovely woyww's who have participated in 11 years of internet chat.

  Thank you Julia for keeping us all

connected, inspired and encouraging UFO's to emerge during lockdown.

Keep safe everyone and happy 11th WOYWW.

woyww - leaves and a seed pod

A display of leaves, Banksia flower head and seed pod from my morning walk.

On the desk a photo of the completed eucalyptus leaves taken in the fading light.  

Final photo is an amazingly bright yellow fungi that has come up through the bark chips. It screams look but don't touch. 

Hope your Wednesday has been creative as we stay home and stay safe. 

woyww - painting again

Painting silver dollar eucalyptus leaves after a little break.  

Maybe it was the Covid-19 overload that led to a complete lack of motivation to embark on anything that required time or concentration?  

Making a few cards with 

little pressure seems to have pushed me on. 

Quick and easy in watercolour. 

A little bit of rain and cooler weather has brought out the 

fungi and mushrooms in the park.  

Kitty would not participate in any mockups this week as she was clocking up serious nap time.

But, it reminds me of a painting by William Gresham Collingwood, and I did take the photo 

from my study.

Wishing all of woyww a safe week full of craft and art.`

woyww - continuing with the gardening theme

The title says it all ... gardening from morning till lunch and then I sneak into my room 

and paint or craft. 

At the moment I can't contemplate painting something large and found simple instructions

on instagram @lichingheng for dandelions.  A simple and effective way to whip up a few cards.

For my amusement Kitty helped me recreate Michelangelo's "Creation of Adam".

  

Social distancing is a struggle when claws are involved.

Stay safe woyww's.  

woyww -Chromatopia

The week has been a mix of gardening, walking and enjoying the sunshine.

Plus, some time at my desk painting simple cards using my watercolours and

reading up on how colours have been made throughout history.

Hope your week in isolation has been peaceful.

woyww - from desk to garden

Lockdown has certainly inspired me to get into the garden and tidy up.  

Happy to see the Solanato tomatoes and chillies coming along nicely and inspired me to plant lettuce, radish and rocket.  

Time will tell if it was all for naught.

Hubby now interested in growing mushrooms, which led to a dark corner section

 of the garden being weeded and prepared for the mushroom spores.  

Little action on my desk this week as gardening has taken up all my time. Feel like I have run a marathon and completed a pilates class in one setting.  Can barely lift a paint brush.

Have a good week.  

woyww - To mask or not to mask

Needless to say I never got around to making a face mask.  

Even before I had made any move to rummage around the sewing drawer quite a lot of controversy arose on the web about whether you can use HEPA vacuum bags safely. 

It all became too hard and too confusing.  

Instead I bought a lapel pin

and a second one to warn off family members 

who keep interrupting me while crafting.

Finally to all the WOYWW's  a painting I did many years ago.   

Wishing you all Happy Easter in the year we won't forget in a hurry.

woyww - doodles and the steps to making handmade watercolours.

Todays desk includes a bit of doodling I started while trying a few of the handmade watercolours.  Top right corner is the new palette which contains all the colours made so far.  The lovely palette of gold and silver watercolours are called "Pearl Colors" made by Coliro.  Lots of different brands for sale but these were a good price in Australia.  

To the left of my desk you will find a mask and a vacuum bag.  Whenever I crush/grind rocks suitable for mulling into watercolour I always wear a mask to ensure I am not inhaling rock dust.  Masks have to be the N95 filtration grade just like the ones recommended for COVID 19.  I had planned to make my own and searched where I could find the filtration fabric.  Guess what it was in the storeroom.  The vacuum cleaner bags are guaranteed to filter out 99.5% of airborne particles.  Look for the term HEAP on the bag or box to see if they are suitable.  

May try to make my own mask as youTube offers a squillion different ways.  

But, then again I could get distracted and do something else like "stay home".

A few too many photos showing steps to making watercolour from rocks. Stop now if it's not your thing. But, a few WOYWW did show some interest!

1. Find ochre rocks.

2. Smash them with a hammer while wearing appropriate face mask.

3. Grind small pebbles in a mortar and pestle to a fine consistency.

4. Mix ground rock powder with water and stir.

5. Filter the water mix through coffee filters. 

6. Let sediment on the coffee filter dry.

7.  Grind sediment and mix in water and filter again (x3 then I got bored).

8. When you have an extra fine pigment powder it is ready to mull. Or you could buy pigment powder from a manufacturer and start here!

9. Mull pigment powder with a binder. I use gum arabic, honey, glycerin, oil of clove and distilled water.

Apologies for the long post but if anyone shows some interest I can't help sharing the love.

Stay safe and keep crafting.

woyww - a bit of this and that

My obsession with making my own w/c paints continues.  There is something quite soothing as you move the glass muller over the pigment and binder in a continuous motion.  This is a mix of a grey rock I had pulverised and some cerulean blue pigment.

Second colour is a pulverised rock picked up by a friend in Tumut, NSW.  Yes, I have friends and family now looking around and picking up interesting rocks. 

A chart I made with the home made w/c and the original rocks.  

Hopefully, this gives an indication of the colours when painted.

Photo of our Star Gem Magnolia with a bonus bee.  I should get around to painting this in the next few weeks.  

No beach photo today as our beaches are officially closed.  You may have seen photos of the hordes descending on our popular beaches over a sunny few days.  Words fail me.

Makes me happy to be an introvert who seeks out quieter places.

Stay safe and stay home crafting dear woyww.

woyww - let go of plans

Last weeks plan came to nothing as the exhibition is cancelled until further notice.  

Not a problem, all I did was rummage through old paintings and started to add touch ups.  

So today you have a photo of my desk.  The painting is somewhere between "should I keep working?" or "should of stopped 2 hours ago."

So I went for a walk ......... a good choice hardly anyone else around.  

Stay safe dear woyww's and let's give thanks for health workers.