Tag: Life

Garden Centre

Posted on Posted in UncategorizedTagged , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Lunchtime and I actually went out for it! We went to a local garden centre and sat by artificial plants while eating cheese and bacon oatcakes (a local delicacy). It good to be getting out and about again although I am feeling it now.

We bought a climbing rose to incorporate into the hedge. It was damaged by a water leak that basically flooded the roots for months. We didn’t realise what was happening till it was too late so now? We are adding various other plants and bushes to make it more random and wild.

Donkey in hot chocolate

Posted on Posted in Sketching, UncategorizedTagged , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

I’ll doodle and sketch on anything. This was a cup where I drew a donkey into the froth on the inside of my hot chocolate mug. I have drawn with sticks on beaches, creating mermaids and seahorses, into the gravy on my plate when we have been out to lunch, and when I was a child I used a sweeping brush to draw swirls in the dust on our garden path. That reminds me of videos of people painting Chinese characters with ink using a mop. I guess if you love mark making, it’s not easy to stop!

Orme Art at the New Vic theatre

Posted on Posted in Fine Art, UncategorizedTagged , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

The one of art groups I am in, Orme art group, is having an exhibition on the theme of ‘Perspectives’. The show is at the New Victoria Theatre in Newcastle under Lyme, Staffordshire. The exhibition starts on Monday 30th January 2023, and is on till the 25th of February. As the poster says, we are a diverse group, so it will be interesting to see what other people in the group are putting on display. After over a month of illness I’m really pleased to be involved with this. I’m looking forward to seeing it when it’s up. One of the group members is a volunteer at the theatre and its great to be able to show our work to a wider audience there.

Spode reflected view

Posted on Posted in Fine Art, UncategorizedTagged , , , , , , , , 2 Comments

Also on the easle today, my Spode reflected painting. I was at the Orme Art Group earlier and I took the painting with me to tidy up for an exhibition at the New Victoria theatre in Newcastle under Lyme, Staffordshire. It is due to be hung on Monday. The painting is from 2019 and had been knocked on the corners so I got my black paint out and covered over the white patches where paint had flaked off. I would like to have the picture framed but as it’s about 2 1/2ft by 3ft I can’t really afford it. It will be for sale at the exhibition.

Car is home!

Posted on Posted in UncategorizedTagged , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

I have got my car back! Finally after a week of waiting for it I can breathe a sigh of relief. But among all of the hassle I realise how anti public transport I am. I think it’s because I’ve used buses and taxis in the past, and I don’t know the routes or timings for the buses, and often when I’ve ordered a taxi it hasn’t turned up. One time I had to walk home from hospital because there were non available. Also since the pandemic I try to avoid groups of people, so buses worry me.

Having a car is a freedom and a curse. I walk less and don’t cycle anymore because I have one. I don’t know what to do if we have to get rid of it. The car is very old and it’s like an old pair of shoes, if it needs repairing I have to pay out because I can’t afford to replace it with another (second hand) one. But at least by keeping it we are not wasting new resources.

Too much typing

Posted on Posted in UncategorizedTagged , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

The last few days have been painful. My shaking arm is aching a lot more. I think it’s because it’s very tense, but also I’ve been feeling ill so I’ve been using my phone to look at various websites and watching my phone screen to look at videos a lot more. Why doesn’t your brain correlate things? The pain is worse when I hold or support my phone. Perhaps I should put the darned thing down a bit more often. It distracts me from being bored, but I it’s about time I started getting out and about more. Walking or reading books seem the best options.

Car saga.. Again

Posted on Posted in UncategorizedTagged , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Plans, don’t make them! The mechanic was ill yesterday. He’s a lovely chap, and really helpful. But he can’t help being under the weather. So yesterday he said ring today and the car should be done. Unfortunately it isn’t. He fixed the problem with the earthing of the starter motor but today when he tried running it, it was very feeble. It’s worn out basically. So now he’s ordered another one for Friday but he can’t say when it will arrive. I explained ideally I need to go somewhere tomorrow, but as he said he has no control over the deliveries. I have to accept this (the world does not revolve around me). I’m just thankful it’s getting done.

Mike the snail

Posted on Posted in Sketching, UncategorizedTagged , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Today’s #bandofsketchers prompt was snail. I remember Brian the snail from the Magic Roundabout children’s TV programme, which I watched in the 1970’s. But this is Mike the snail. I decided to write a limerick for him.
“There was a snail called Mike,
Who decided to go for a hike!
He slid cross the table
To see his friend Mable
I saw him and shouted out YIKES!

Cat, a digital sketch

Posted on Posted in Cat, Sketching, UncategorizedTagged , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

A digital drawing of a black and white cat, then which I then digitally manipulated to add textures and tilt the image. I used artrage oils free for the original drawing using a stylus on my phone screen, then photodirector to add texture and finally the editing tools including a sharpness option and tilting option on my Instagram account. I have also duplicated this image as four seperated cats, but that was done after I did this.