It's a Fox

Sitting in the kitchen enjoying a coffee this morning, I saw something move in the garden. I thought it was a cat but when it jumped onto the wall, I could see it clearly - a beautiful fox with a gorgeous tail. It's amazing that foxes are around here because, although there are green spaces close by, I live only 10 minutes from the city centre.

Ages ago I knew foxes were crossing the garden because they used to leave me their calling card on the lawn! It happened a lot and someone told me to scatter ground pepper on the grass - it worked a treat!!

New Painting of Amaryllis

This canvas was one that I wasn't happy with and has been lying abandoned on a shelf. But I was in an experimental mood today and whilst dabbling with other paintings, I decided to revamp this one. And now I like it - hope you do too sweet readers! You can find it in my Bread and Circuses shop.

Printing on Fabrics

If you're interested in being able to print on fabrics such as lace, hessian, cheesecloth etc. then see this marvellous tutorial by

Linda Matthews

she's a wizard!!

Working with Silk Tops

Quite by chance I came across this video on working with silk tops (which I have but never used) by a talented Scottish artist - Maggie Ayres. She seems to have a natural talent and there are other videos by her on youtube which are wonderfully inspiring.

Maggie Ayres

Vintage Finds

 I found some lovely vintage pieces at a market on Sunday -

 a glass paperweight with an old creased photo in it.

 tiny crystal perfume bottle with a tarnished silver top.

 small aothecary bottle - got seven of these

 tooth-ache balsam from a long gone dispensing chemist in Edinburgh

 this belt fastener is really beautiful - would make a lovely necklace

the brooch in the middle is silver

 beautiful amethyst and marcasite brooch - I'll wear this!

 these picture frames are brass and probably repro, but I liked them

this one has no back but I think it'd make a nice frame for a textile piece

Hearts for Valentines

You know the feeling when your brain goes over and over the same thoughts - well that happened to me and it was about Valentine's hearts.

So I made a template from card and found some cream linen and cut them out. Printed some lovely images onto cotton and my favourite basket of lace pieces came out of hiding - and that's the best part - choosing bits of trim!

So here are the first two that I've finished:

A Heart for You

Here's a little Valentine's ODDO - sweet tea-dyed muslin ODDO holding a heart!

Shabby Chic Shreds

how's about a bit of grunge?

I must admit to liking a rather messy approach to art, and this piece was great fun to make - sploshing paint and ink around! And I love how serious the little girl is. The bone piece at the top was salvaged from a broken bracelet!

It's now on Wee Art Things

She Sells Sea Shells

I've finished another ODDO in pastel colours of peach and duck-egg blue - really sweet!

Shabby Chic Shreds

Quilted Work in Progress

I've taken a photo of my quilted pieces for Art Quilting Studio - tried not to give the game away so covered them up with the painted blue piece at the bottom.!

Quilting Art Studio

I received an email from Stampington's editor to let me know that Quilting Art Studio is beng revived with the next edition in June. I was very disappointed when it was shelved, so this was exciting news.

And better still, an invitation to submit something - my goodness! sight unseen!! The deadline is the end of this month so I have had to get my skates on. It's nearly finished and will be ready for mailing on Monday.

I saw a good idea on some other blog, to show snippets of work in progress when something is being made for publication - so I thought I'd do that too, but it'll have to be tomorrow when we're supposed to get some sunshine!!

A Hint of Summer to Come - BEACH HUTS

I really treated myself to a new camera which also makes movies. Oh what bliss - at the touch of a button I'm a movie-maker! But the best thing about it is that it takes very good photos and I hope that it'll show when I update my online pictures.

This is a mixed media painting with a bit of 2D (I've not done that before). I painted it a while ago but came across it whilst looking for other completed paintings to photograph.

So it's on Bread and Circuses and here it is:

Felix the ODDO

I've finished another of these delightful ODDOs - this one is Felix, don't know if he's a cat but he could be - in fact, he could be anything you want him to be!

Shabby Chic Shreds

Flavours of the Month

January by Sudi Pigott

Look out for purple fleshed winter cabbages with sweet nutty flavour, delicious steamed and gently sauteed with garlic and juniper. Seville oranges are not only for making marmalade, but great in dressings to complement zingy peppery leaves such as rocket, spinach and watercress or marinade pheasant breasts with Seville orange, soy, honey, fresh ginger and thyme to roast.

Try too newly in season forced rhubarb slow baked for 45 minutes with Seville orange juice, honey and raisins, scatter with pistachio nuts to serve.

Do you know what an ODDO is? Look here!

I regret to say I haven't started painting yet, but I have been sewing to get over the guilt!

My ODDOs are soft art dolls - this new one is a 'Forever Friends' edition. I love making these and the best part is when I do the faces - they start to take on personalities as soon as I sew on the eyes and particularly when I add the mouth, You'll see what I mean...

New Art on Etsy

I have finaly got round to listing these wooden collages with a couple more to come. Some of these were published by Stampington in the February/March 2010 edition of 'Stampers' Sampler' - and thanks to Sue for drawing my attention to it!!

They're here if you'd like more information: Wee Art Things

Who's a Control Freak?

I was making 'polpette' (meat balls) with DD1 and she told me that mine were too small and not round enough! I was tempted to get the tape measure out LOL. I had to re-do mine - ha!! I didn't realize that she's become a control freak whilst my back was turned.

We had very delicious Apple Martinis for Hogmanay - and very potent. There were a few of us (not me thank goodness) with considerable hangovers on New Year's Day, it was just as well we had cooked the day before. Enjoyed the party and the fireworks at the castle which we could see from the balcony.

OK, now I'm home and ready to get back to normal - I haven't done any painting for over 2 months - and if I'm honest, a little scared of starting again in case I've lost the plot, hmmm...........

OK again - off to make a coffee and then to START!!

P.S. I made a resolution to start doing some serious marketing - just half an hour a day - hope I can manage that.