Finding some Peace

Sometimes life is thrown into chaos and there is nothing you can do about it.

But there is something I can do (sometimes) to find peace.

Today was one such day.

The sun shone - but it was really windy

so I found sanctuary in my garden studio.

Click to enlarge!

 Using (bought) tulips and clematis - and bamboo from the garden

 I got absolutely lost for an hour or so!

The arrangement has the black twigs I used in my last arrangement

and I cut some Rosemary twigs from the garden too.

 It looks so much better in the garden in the sunshine

 But it smells wonderful in out little lounge.

There is something calming and peaceful about the aroma of Rosemary.

And for tea I baked a great honey, and walnut and chocolate loaf cake.  As soon as it cools I'll be having some - yummy  yummy

Edited - today Friday

I just couldn't resist adding these photos today

The tulips have opened up and look like gorgeous yellow roses

And the perfume from the rosemary is filling the whole room!

Hot and Happy

I spent a wonderful couple of hours in a little village hall yesterday afternoon

(Click to enlarge photos)

 Enjoying one of my favourite pastimes

 Arranging flowers, sticks and foliage

 The challenge was to use a square container (mine was a plastic mushroom one)

And the design had to look good all the sides and the corners - not as easy as it sounds!

 It is meant to be displayed on a tall pedestal to get the full effect, but my bungalow is too tiny, so I put the container in a square Oasis dish.

It really brightens up the lounge and I am very happy with the finished design.
Hot colours  -  Happy Lady

And the cost?

£3 for the roses

£3 for the Gerbera - from a supermarket

£1.50 for the painted twigs (from the tutor)

60p for a block of Oasis

£5 towards the hire of the hall.

The arrangement is just under a metre talll

and today the roses are opened and are lovely big blooms

What a bargain!

I used to go each month, but haven't been able to go since Autumn last year and have really missed it.

So it was great to catch up with everyone's news, and enjoy such wonderful company

April's post card swap

Well over on UK Stampers Forum we are having another post card swap and this month the theme is Yellow and Circles.

 

Well the song by Donovan popped into my head and I just had to get it out.....

(They call me) Mellow Yellow

So after a week of having that ringing in my head, today I decided to something about it...

And painted The Beatles 1966 hit

We all live in a yellow submarine!

Now how am I going to get that song out of my head huh?

Off to read a scary book!

My last 'exercise' for now.

This is my last - for now - in my series of exercises.

 She is my 'alter ego'

(If only)

Flash, brash, confident, cool, calculating even?

So not me!

Another softer 'face' exercise

Deep in thought.

 Are those sad soulful eyes?

Is that a mean look to her lips?

Or just a wry expression - accepting the inevitable.

One more face tomorrow

Finishing on a fun note!

Ginger Lady

Another play.

She's been photographed on the hough - sorry for that.

She is square in real life - I think I'll put her in a frame as I quite like her

I just want to make clear that these are monochrome excises from a collage book - which you are encouraged to copy and colour and 'tweak'.

So I traced them and added circles and swirls and bits etc here and there to the little pictures which are smaller than these photos, and coloured them.

So I can't take any credit for the 'one eye' ideas or the basic styles. 

More experimental faces exercises

I am really out of my 'comfort' zone with these exercise faces.

Glitter, bright colours et al!

But I have to admit that they are a lot of fun!