Down & Dense

Down because developers are trying to build on Green belt land near where I live (the bloody $^*#####), and Im feeling dense because I cant get my head around this new fandangled Twitter mijiggy. Im all for advancement but sometimes I hanker just for the real and not the virtual. Thats why Im going to fight tooth and nail to preserve this historic and ancient green belt of ours. Its something you can still actually touch and smell .......

A Touch Of The Fae...........

I'm missing them. I havent had time to doodle much fantasy art and it's killing me. I am seriously going to have to manage my time better and more effectively. I need to be 'away with the fairies' (believe me its a good thing and quite theraputic). In fact, I need time for a lot of things. I miss spending more time with the kids, the dogs, my garden and allotment, reading, or even watching a decent film. Its pants huh? ........ Saying that, I did manage to watch 'Outlander' and 'The Watchmen' last night. Im mulling over them still.......

I cannot believe how time has flew by. It's nearly the start of the school year. My Grandson starts school for the first time this Sept. I feel (and according to the mirror) look ancient. Before we know it All Hallows Eve will be here and the nights will really start to draw in then, as well as there being a dramatic drop in the temperature. I think I must have blinked and missed the Summer. It was crappy wasn't it?

Oh by the way I got another Cockatiel. Not by choice, I was forced into it. I came home and it was there already settled in with Bella. It was courtesy of my son, who never asks my opinion first ......... Apparently, its from the same parents as Bella, so they are sisters. I couldn't think what to call her at first. Then after a couple of days they started argeying and bargeying over the territory. They have a love/hate reltationship. One minute they seem all cosey togeather and the next they bitch and hiss at each other over control of the swing.

Sometimes they can be quite spiteful and tug at each others spikey tuffs on top of their heads. One night they really hissed and screeched at each other and it dawned on me what to finally call the pair of harpies. Bella's sister is now called Donna. Belladonna...... geddit? The name seemed apt for the posionous gruesome twosome. No doubt they will settle down soon. I plan to add an additional swing anyway so hopefully that will shut the pair of swines up.

And finally........... heres a GET WELL SOON for my sis Carol. The poor bugger is off colour and suffering. xxxxxxxxxxxx

Oh yeah, I gave in and got a few fae on my stall........ I miss em

Roll up, roll up - gifts, scents, and a bit of glitz

And not a sci fi or horror object in view - shocker huh? ..... One or two fairies, but very limited. For those that know me you may be gob-smacked but I thought it made good business sense to target the older customer that seems to dominate our good market. There appeared to be a distinct lack of occasional giftware, so thats the road I took. These regulars I love em to bits, many a good chin wag have I had with the older customers. Ive' bowed to convention and also got in the scented drawer liners, fragrant sachets, and even ordered some anti moth stuff. It really is a case of 'granny knows best' :) Amazingly I have had some gifts brought off me recently that now reside in Australia, Worcester, Leicestershire and Ireland. Strangely it never even crossed my mind prior about the market, and the city itself, getting tourists and visitors. Funny that.

Witterings

It's been a while since I have updated but Ive' been extremely busy with my new market stall. It's been just over a month since I started my new business, and it looks promising, so I'm optimistic. I specialise in general gifts and special gifts for occasions, such as christenings, weddings etc...... Also I supply home fragrance ware such as scented candles, wax melts, pot pourii and room mist sprays.

I enjoy it, and it gives me a creative outlet in the buying and stall displaying process. Im forever scouring for new and unusual gifts to sell, and Im looking forward to creating a lovely xmas display towards the end of the year. But most of all I love chatting to customers, and its amazing the amount of interesting people I get to meet.

I havent had much time to personally create much, as my business is in its infancy, and it takes a lot of my time up. However, I have done a number of preliminary sketches, and hope to have something to put up on here and at my galleries at Elfwood and Epilogue soon.

I have plans to eventually have an online outlet for my other artistic pursuits, such as the sculptures, rustic art work and art dolls. And as always I am also always open to any commercial commisions for my digital fantasy and Sci-fi art.

Thats all for now folks - cheerio :O)

Mint, Mutts & Mad Heads

Jet is none to pleased. She was having a nice little nap with lion and ellie when I woke her up to take some daft photograph.

So I had a little wander in the garden with Titch to look at the mint and the ever amassing weeds.

As you can see the ivy is threatening to cover my back wall, and the rosemary bush further along looks like something out of the day of the triffids. I must get some weeding done sharpish. Iv'e been so busy with the allotment that the garden tended to be overlooked.

Here be my flower-pot man. Hubs and I sit on the garden seat and try and ping his terracotta pot hat with tiny pebbles. Hubs always wins, my aim is way off. You can't ever accuse us of not being sophisticated or acting our age eh?

Around the pond needs trimming down. My Aztec Pearl has become somewhat unruly. I love it in the early spring when it grows little pearl-like buds, and if your rub the leaves it smells of oranges. There are fish in there somewhere. 'Somewhere' being the operative word.

Now for the 'Mad Heads' part of my post. Here they are, my daughter and grandson.

Jesters, Chaos & Oddities

My work space

(laughs at the idea of calling this miniscule cubby hole "space")

Hubby has now relegated me to the porch area. He was kind enough to provide heating and lighting (snort) .......I refused to move my sewing machine from the living-room though! ...I dunno what his beef is, just because I have my stuff in the living room, the bedroom, the shed and now the garage he moans?

It looks like chaos in here. However, I can asssure you I know where everything is though (in a fashion). Meet my latest creation, Mr Jester. I'm going to attach some wire to the paintbrush he is holding and have him dangling from above. He's made of all cloth material, apart from the metal bells on his cap. Next to him is a gold angel peg doll, and up in the left corner are some gingham love birds.

A green/gold leaves man brooch Im working on

Polymer clay sculptures. Some daft cat, a pig fridge magnet and a gingerbread man.

A flower-pot baby. Sorry, but my photographing skills are virtually non-existant. It's a little fairy thing made out of clay, in a mini terracotta pot with some cloth petals attached to the head. The leaves around the top of the pot were made from clay too.

Teddy Bears Picnic

Just to the left of this photo theres a clay and wire rustic love bird thatI made out of poymer clay. I get bored quickly and have to have a number of things on the go at once. Also I haven't much paitence, and hate waiting for glue/paint/varnish to dry. Believe me, it's safer having some other projects to hand to keep me occupied. Im one of those people that put their fingers on still wet/tacky paint to see if it's dry! (duh)

Doing A Jig!

Yeesiree! I have just phoned up about my application for a lock up market stall and it looks like it has been approved. Im now going to stuff three lemon puff biscuits in my gob to celebrate, and muse over what to design for some signage.

This little chap has agreed to be my muse for the day. He reminds me of one of my brother-in-laws. It wasn't intentional, I promise :)

Symbolism of Bride/Brigit/Brigid

Hmmm I have been asked by a number of people what is the symbolism behind my pictures of the Goddess / Saint. The Goddess of the hearth, forge and fertility (childbirth), and a scholar and poet. She has been associated also with water and wells, water being a life source and having healing properites. She is also said to be the 'Fire' goddess, and a triple aspect Goddess in her forms as maiden, mother and crone. So much to cram in I wondered, how could I account for all those aspects? It was more simple than I first anticipated, thanks to three little insects. Well the Dragonflies are of the air and water.......Air as an element has long been associated with intellect so that linked nicely with her scholary and poetical attributes and they need clean water to breed in so that draws us to her association with water and healing. Dragonflies also undergo three stages of metamorphosis, I made comparisons with this and that of the three aspects of the Goddess as maiden, mother and crone. The butterflies are also symbolic of transformation and rebirth, both spiritually and physically. Some thought the butterfly and the transformations it went through were symbolic of the souls journey. The goddess has also said to have owned an orchard in the 'otherworld' and bees travelled there to collect magical nectar. Bees also are a sign of fertility and herald the coming spring and summer. The Goddesses festival day is Imbolc or Candlemas during Spring and is celebrated around 1st - 2nd Feb. Oh and I fogot, the colour theme, warm and sunny or the colour of fire, and the metal work on her brow and in the one picture (a torc) highlight her metalwork skills!

Little Red Riding Hood Legs It.............

A little cartoon sketch done digitally in Corel Painter, using my trusty Wacom tablet & Pen ......... The Post lady is late today. Keep your fingers crossed I hear news of that market stall today! Anyway, I'm off to make some more sculpters. I love Fimo Clay, it's fab! Im making a tiny green man face at the moment, but it's a fiddly little critter, with all the tiny leaves and such.

Twiddling Thumbs

I'm still waiting for news about a market stall. I have tons of stock waiting for sale, even have a few little sculptors of my own made for re-sale (and a few more in the offing), but still no news. Im sitting here like a demented moron watching out of the window, waiting for the post lady. How hard can it be to make a decision on renting a stall to someone or not? ........ To chill out I did some doodling. Fairys always make me feel lifted. Heres a little fae spirit, done in pastels and then scanned in and worked over some more digitally.

Keeping Faith, Flatulence and Runaway Spiders

Yesterday Hubby, myself and our wee grandson, had a bout of weeding down our allotment. Whilst inspecting the radishes I heard hysterical giggles coming from behind me. I turned around and asked the little man what he was laughing at. He said, " Im laughing at this spider running away Nanny!" Smiling, I said to him it would't hurt him, and to be gentle with it. He said of course he wouldnt hurt it, he said he thought it was, "bootiful". At times that child perks me up no end, he's a diamond. Mind you, I wasn't so chuffed later on when he called me thunder pants. Not quite sure what he meant, or where he learnt that from. Maybe its a new kids cartoon? Or heaven forbid maybe he thinks I wear big granny bloomers? Anyway, I plucked up the courage to ask him what it meant, and apparently he's been called it himself. I stupidily asked him why was that, and he replied because of his pumping of course. No decorum whatsoever that child.

Goddess Bride

The Celtic Goddess Bride (Brigid). Medium: Digital. Completed Imbolc 2009. Copyright Maggie V. Jones

Two versions of this, and I personally prefer the latter. Others may beg to differ.

Women Who Inspire

Helen Forrester

'Twopence to Cross the Mersey',' Liverpool Miss' and 'By the Waters of Liverpool'.

My sisters and I grew up on these books. As an eleven year old they were the first womens interest literature and autobiographical work I had ever read. They (the books) made us cringe in mortification, and cry for the life that this woman edured as a young girl. Her life made us feel humble, but more importantly she inspired.

http://www.bookarmy.com/Authors/Helen_Forrester_1919_Writer.aspx

Hopes n Dreams

Ive' been twiddling my thumbs for days, and bobbing up and down like a demented yo-yo. Im waiting for news, some important and hopefully positive news. Ive been planning and plotting a new business venture for yonks. Dont laugh, but Ive hankered for a long while to be a market trader and an opportunity for a three day permanent pitch has arisen. I set the ball in motion and now am waiting to see if I will get my pitch.

What she gonna sell you may ask? Weeeelll it's fancy giftware. My God I love gift shops, but its a passion of mine that drives my hubby loopy. He hates them with a vengence and tries all the tricks in the book to steer me away from them when we are out shopping. I don't necessarily have to buy anything, I could just spend hours in them ooohhing and ahhhing over trinkets and baubles. Holidays are the worst time for him, as seaside gift shops draw me in like a moth to the flame. What better thing then but for me to be a proprietor of giftware, it just makes sense does it not? This way I get to indulge in as much ooohing and ahhhhing as I want as I source out wonderful nicknacks and the like.

Im keeping my fingers crossed and praying to the powers that be that I get that permanent pitch. If I get it it may also provide me with an opportunity to sell on my own artwork, maybe hand painted or drawn cards, and I even thought about trying my hand at polymer clay, or salt dough sculpting. Please, Please, Purrrleaase let it be mine!!! If I get it I promise to cut down on my intake of dodgy tv soaps, to put more money in charity boxes, and stop secretly reading mushy Mills & Boon books. I will even stop eating lemon-puff biscuits if thats what it takes!

The Smell Of Earth & The Sun On My Face

Yes, its planting time again down on our allotment. I love the smell of the earth, and the promise of warmer days to come, as the tentative sun is now starting to peep through the clouds. Despite my sore back, mud grimed hands and sweating brow, I felt empowered and satisfied by a few good days digging, weeding and sowing. I love our allotment, its something hubby and I do togeather, it's ''our special thing'. ' This year apart from the usual crops we thought we would go for something different and so also prepared some ground for growing sweetcorn. Ive also decided to grow rhubarb, you just can't beat rhubarb crumble and custard!

We also spruced up our garden at home, and replanted tubs, baskets and troughs. The fish in the pond are becoming more active and eating for England, and the local bird life is going into full twittering mode. I also spied a rabbit prancing around in the field behind us, and two pheasants were squalling out there as well earlier in the day. The other night I heard the foxes coughing barks out back as well (It's so difficult to describe the sound they make), and I wondered if they have cubs? Though I have caught sight of the adult foxes many times, especially at twilight when I have thrown the carcass remains of a roast over for them, Ive never seen evidence of any cubs, not for the last couple of years. I'm ever hopeful. Don't you just love Spring and the advent of early Summer?

I was lucky enough to have been given a gift of 'The Druid Craft Tarot', with it's beautiful artwork on the cards, and so have been spending some time' studying it. Ive' also been reading various interesting literature on the theory of a possible connection between quantum physics and psychic phenomena and clairvoyancy. It's intriguing stuff, and thought provoking. I haven't been drawing much at all over the winter, but rather doing a lot of reading and listening to music. I can feel the inspiration bubbling and brewing just below the surface though. Life, and the stirrings of nature after the long winter sleep, does that to you.