Author: artbychristinemallabandbrown

I'm an artist based at the Spode factory site in Stoke on Trent. I paint, draw and create digital art. Contact me at mallabandbrown@aol.com

Waxing moon through firework smoke

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The moon is three quarters full and was setting behind a tree as midnight struck to end 2022. I tried to take a few photos but my automatic filter makes the moon too bright and is very overexposed. You cannot see its shape. So I tried using manual settings, with that I could get a little bit more definition, but it’s far too grainy. However you can see its not full. There was a mist or firework smoke drifting across the sky. More fireworks had gone off in a few minutes than we saw over the whole of November 5th. The cats were very scared. But it’s calmed down now.

Happy New year to you all.

Happy New Year!

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Because the world is a globe some people on the international date line will have celebrated New Years day about ten hours ago. It also makes sense that the world is round because it gives Santa twenty four hours of night to get round the world instead of twelve if the Earth was flat (think about it!)….

I want to wish you all a Very Happy New Year. May 2023 be better for you, better for your family and friends and better for the planet too. X

Stay safe and well. X

Cat on the bed

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Nice to go upstairs and find a cat snuggled on the bed. It was different with one of our old cats though. She would crawl under the covers so you didn’t know she was there until she nipped your toe or ankle! This one sometimes gets under the sheets for a few minutes when I’m already in bed, a quick few purrs then I think she gets too hot and goes off into her hidey hole in the wardrobe where I have an old crocheted blanket. I’m glad we have cats.

Happy New Year in Greek

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ευτυχισμένο το νέο έτος
eftychisméno to néo étos

A relative recently went to live in Greece. Its not something I would ever consider because I’m never going to get on a plane (phobia of flying) and I’ll never drive there. But that doesn’t stop me from be interested in the language. I’m not going to start learning it, but it is fun to know a few phrases and as there are Greek people in the area I thought it would be polite to learn this. It is also useful to be a singer in a choir that learns music and also languages by repetition. I’m amazed at how many words I know by heart just from singing them. Greek pronunciation is interesting but by reading the translated script and listening to a verbal translation I think I got it. Anyway my relative has now been sent my best wishes for 2023, hopefully in Greek and not Gibberish X

Too much stuff

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I have too much stuff (plants, ornaments, paintings, clothes), but I remember how I got every bit of clutter and just find it very hard to let go of them. I have moved things around and chucked some stuff out. But the majority of it remains. I would like to tidy up the place and would start by with living room. That would be my plan if I had to chose a new years resolution, but I can’t suss out how to get rid of more things!

Mince pie and tea

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How kind! Hubby just brought me a cup of tea and a mince pie. I’m upstairs keeping warm because this bug has still got me. I need to get up and go and do some shopping, but I was just reading the end of a book and then suddenly there’s a plate with a pie and a brew of tea on it appearing through the door!

Anyway, I’d better drink the tea before it goes cold. Then get my act together. The shops might be closing early today. If I feel a bit better we might celebrate the new year tonight, I just hope there aren’t lots of fireworks!

Keeping warm

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Oil heaters to help keep warm

Supply some heat through the storm

With a heating radiator seized

These give off heat and I’m pleased

To keep comfy, snug and warm

They really work like a charm

But how I wish we didn’t have

A draughty house like a cave

That doesn’t really rhyme, I know

But poems about heating are low

On my list of things to write

Especially when the bill gives a fright!

A choice of light and heating?

Or having food for eating!

Clunky thumb?

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Over the last few days I have been annoyed by my right thumb! It is clunking or clicking when I bend it, it gets to a certain position and then I can feel the moddle joint space click as it goes past a point as it bends inwards. I’m trying to keep it mobile. But is it because I type with my thumb on my phone, or could it be to do with the bug I’ve had? I have had post viral arthropathy (a swelling of the joints) a few years ago after a virus and I wonder if it’s that. I just hope it settles down and doesn’t affect my painting.

Eye doodles

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For as long as I can remember I have drawn eyes. Sometimes I’ve even just painted them. I have always drawn faces, my Mom would ask why I drew nostrils when I was about nine or ten, and I said it was because people had them! I’ve never stopped drawing eyes, but I have a definite way I learnt when I was a child and its hard to get out of the habit, they just don’t look realistic. It’s something to do with the shading of the eyeballs, and the eyelids and flesh around them. Hence doodling to play with my technique and used photodirector to change the texture on the drawings.