Illustration Friday - Pattern

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This week's Illustration Friday theme is pattern. No time this week to create something new as my brother and wife are visiting, but I thought this watercolour painting I made some years ago of daffodils in a beautiful little patterned pot would fit the bill. I bought this piece of Kutahya pottery over 30 years ago and it remains one of my favourites - I love the colours and patterns.

Illustration Friday - Welcome

Greg Splodgeodopolis welcomes friends and colleagues to the private viewing of his latest works.

I'm late, I'm late ... tis Thursday pm here and I'm just scraping in with an offering for Illustration Friday! Just a line drawing this week, no time for colour - a flippant little doodle which you can click to enlarge if you wish!

Weekword - Begin

Laurie has chosen this week's word - begin.
I did begin another post for this word about the walk I do to begin my day, but changed my mind and decided instead upon this little cockerel just about to begin his early morning crowing.
When I begin a new painting I usually make quick colour studies on any old scrap piece of paper I have to hand!
Do visit Laurie's blog Indulge Your Shelf to view more Weekword entries.

Illustration Friday - Strong

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This week's Illustration Friday theme is STRONG. Marigold (Calendula) flowers have a strong colour and scent. I've used some real petals here on this collage of coloured pencil and ink drawings. If you enlarge the pic you can hopefully read that the flowers were being used for hair colourant in the16th century. I wondered if they were still used today so googled and discovered modern day recipes for natural hair colourants here ! Let me know if you try any of these!

Marigold flowers were also used to dye cloth and are still cultivated as an eco-friendly alternative to chemicals to dye textiles today. According to J Parkinson in 1629 they were good to be used in 'possets, broths and drinkes as a comforter of the heart and spririt'. This plant attracts hoverflies which eat aphids and is thererfore a good companion plant with tomatoes and cabbages. If you have skin problems calendula ointment should help - it was used to heal wounds in World War I. You can eat the orange or yellow petals sprinked on a salad or stick them on your illustrations, like me! And if that's not enough information you can find out more about this extremely versatile, natural medicine plant here

Giveaway winner announcement!

It's very exciting here in the garden today - we're eagerly awaiting the draw for the little print of Mum's watercolour Cherries that we're giving away to celebrate 1 year of blogging! The contestants' names have all been put into the pot, given a good shake and as the guest of honour I've agreed to take time out of my busy schedule to pick a winner. OK, just making sure that my paws are spotlessly clean so that I can





extract that winning name...which is...


.....SOULBRUSH!!!

Yeah!!

Congratulations Joss, your print will be on its way to you on Monday!
Thanks to all who took part in the Giveaway - we really appreciate your support!

Week word - Charm

This Weekword is 'charm', chosen by the charming Linda Sue . I'm showing a few charm bracelets that I made a while back. Charms are pendants or trinkets which may be just decorative but can also often signify important things in the wearer's life.

Strawberry Smoothie

Here's a girly creation for Valentine's Day - I combined pretty pink and strawberry coloured handmade lampwork (glass) with Swarovski crystals, silver beads and a Karen (Thai hill tribe) silver heart charm to make up this sweet bracelet.


Deep Ocean

The ocean is always a favourite theme. This bracelet has beautiful turquoise and cerulean blue lampwork beads with Bali silver, Swarovski crystal and Karen silver shells and starfish charms.

Dragonfly

I favour the colour green - I wear it a lot, use it in furnishings in my home and of course love my tropical green garden here in KL!

For this full, jangly bracelet I used various green and white pearls, lampwork with semi precious stones, crystal and silver. I added a Karen silver dragonfly and little bell charms.

I think dragonflies are charming creatures and love to feature them in my artwork. In many places in Europe folklore paints them as rather sinister creatures associated with evil and injury, but in East Asia they seem to have a far better reputation and are considered symbols of courage, strength and happiness. Well, wherever you hail from or whichever way you choose to think of them, dragonflies are undeniably beautiful.

To view more Weekword 'charms' please visit Linda Sue's delightful blog, All I Ever Wanted, where you'll find a full list of participants and discover who will be nominated to choose the next Weekword!

Have a great weekend!

Superior Scribbler

Thank you so much, Roberta for giving me this super award!! I'm really delighted! Have you visited the talented Roberta of A Mouse in the House before? Well, if not you're in for a treat as Roberta creates THE most superb illustrations. You'll love her great sense of humour which always shines through her colourful, fun work!

So, now it is my pleasure to pass on the award to both new and old blog friends whose scribbling talents are outstanding and so inspirational.

Ces - Ces and her Dishes
kj - Options Associates
Lala -My Castle in Spain
Nicky - Nicky Linzey
Tessa - An Aerial Armadillo


You'll really enjoy visiting these blogs - so much fun!

Here are the rules for this award

1. Each Superior Scribbler must, in turn, pass the Award on to 5 most-deserving Bloggy buds.
2. Each Superior Scribbler must link to the author & the name of the blog from whom he/she has received The Award.
3. Each Superior Scribbler must display The Award on his/her blog, and link to this post, which explains The Award.
4. Each Blogger who wins The Superior Scribbler Award must visit this post and add his/her name to the Mr. Linky List (!?) at the Scholastic-Scribe’s blog. That way, we’ll be able to keep up-to-date on everyone who receives this prestigious honor!
5. Each Superior Scribbler must post these rules on his/her blog.

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It is done!

Illustration Friday - Magnify

Click to enlarge

I think you may need to magnify this to see the three little snails crawling here. This is a very small watercolour - the image was painted ATC size 2 .5 " x 3.5" and then I added the title and border digitally. When I work on such a small scale I often need to use a magnifying glass to paint the really minute details!

P.S. There's still time to enter my giveaway! See here for details.

Yoon See 'n me @ KLCC

It's not often you get to put a face or even a voice to a name in the blogging world! And it's even rarer to get to meet with a fellow blogger - but I did last week - I met up with Yoon See! We enjoyed coffee and a chat at Suria KLCC, right there by the Petronas Twin Towers. Yoon See is delightful; full of chat and fun!



She took time out of her busy teaching schedule to meet up with me and came bearing gifts too - delightful little prints of her art and this really cute, celadon green(one of my favourite colours) elephant, made by her own fair hand. 'GreenEli' is now holding bits and pieces on my desk in my workroom! Thank you so much Yoon See, you are so generous - I hope to see you again!

Many of you will already know sweet Yoon Seen, but if you are not yet familiar with her blog, be sure to pop in to Greener Pastures, home of her delightful photography and art and craft!

Trinkets from Oman - part III

Here's the last installment in my little series about Omani silver jewellery.

If you like your jewellery BIG, then you'll love this kirsh kitab (coin or disc with writing). To give you and idea of the size, the disc measures about 7 cms in diameter and the bar across the top is 10 cms in length! I drew this piece for the Illustration Friday prompt of 'Talisman' which you can find here. It would have been worn by women throughout Northern Oman not only for protection, but also to bring gladness and cheerfulness to life.

A close-up of the inscription

This is a Hirz , or amulet box and chain which was worn by women of Northern Oman. To protect the wearer, a piece paper with writing from the Koran would have been inserted into the box.

This is a brooch called Shoka which means thorn. It was worn either to fasten the head cloth or the top of the dress and like many decorative pieces it also has tinkling bells attached.

A Marie Theresa Thaler (or dollar) pendant. Several of these often made up large, very heavy necklaces interspersed with other silver and/or coral beads.

This is a new necklace made of old beads and a silver hair ornament (several of these would have been attached to the end of an Omani girl's long plait, the little bells jingling as she walked). Here they have been combined with hematite to fashion a long necklace that I wear a lot!

A big handful of old silver beads and pieces from an incomplete head band. One day I'll get around to giving them a new lease of life!

To finish off, this is a pen and ink picture of Fanja, an Omani town, by Peter J Ochs. Though not the best quality photo as I've taken it through the glass, if you click for a closer look you may just see that it has been painstakingly stippled with millions of tiny dots!

I've discovered that the artist has also written this guide to Oman which would certainly come in useful if you're ever fortunate enough to travel to this wonderful country.