Little elephants

I want to do some playing with elephant shapes for embroideries and so sat looking at a wonderful bag my sister gave me for my Birthday which ahd elephants on it, and then fiddled around with some more stylised shapes that might translate a bit more easily.
I quite like the one on the top at the right and think he might be easy to cut out as a shape and use.
I seem to have come to a bit of a stop at the moment, it has been pretty damp and windy and not exactly going out weather, although I did go to the market this morning and got wet, I have painted some more pages for my fabric book but they are not finished and are drying.
We were out for dinner last night and so perhaps I am more tired than I thought.
A lovely dinner, go see my moon photos here.

Bowl of Guelder roses

Not a terribly good little sketch, the scanner doesnt really like pale colours and I was trying to give the impression of the green young heads and the white older ones and it didnt quite work. I lalso had the euphorbia flowers in there which is the yellow at the top.
I was in Adelaide for most of the day yesterday, visiting my sister who gave me my birthday present, some beautiful 'hare's with amber eyes' netsuke, I am one lucky girl. She has a few health worries and is clearing things out, I think all will be well but another small worry.
I also had a lovely non alcoholic lunch with two others in a friends garden a lovely Adelaide day in Spring to sit outside and chat.
Of course driving up and back makes me tired so although a lot has been done I feel a little flat today.
Warmer than it has been for a few weeks and it is amazing how stuff in the garden suddenly wilts when it goes up a few degrees. Having a garden on deep sand doesnt help but it always takes time for it to get its act together when it has been cool and damp and then suddenly sunny and the sun has quite a bite to it. I did manage a bit of weeding and to get the petunias planted.
I feel terribly virtuous!!

Keeping my hand in

After a couple of busy boring days cleaning I had to sit and recover and these shells were what came to ming. Quick sketches. Visitors have just arrived so I am off to greet them.

Two minute sketch

A bit wobbly in parts and I dont know where that blue came from, on my scanner perhaps.
I had time for a 2 minute sketch of this elephant. I love elephants.
We have visitors coming for a night or so so the house is having a clean and tidy, I have done things I have been meaning to do for ages.
Our blower decided that its end had come so we have just raced in to buy a new one, the last one made about 5 or more years, this one its cheaper, who knows but at least it is lighter so wont be a hassle when the gutters on the roof get cleaned out.
I have made tomorrows lunch and am off to make some biscuits. Its amazing what one does when visitors are coming.

Jimmy and some clivia flowers from Melbourne

The Melbourne family have a pointer, deep mahogonay colour called Jimmy. I am not terribly good at sketching animals and he kept on moving but this does look a little like him, he is a lovely dog, loves balls and runs on the beach but not at all good in traffic. At night we would find him pointing at possums in the trees.
There was a lovely clivia in a pot which I did a rotten job of sketching, I started off with pitt pens and then went on to my watercolours and it didnt come out at all well on the scanner but I feel I need to let you know that I am still here and still trying my hand at things.
It has been quite wet since we got home and cold, rubber boots and parka weather again.
I am playing with some fabric to make a fabric and paper book, it is very slow but that doesnt really matter.
I am having fun.

Melbourne garden

I had a sunny few hours to sit out in the garden in Melbourne. Jimmy the dog plied me with balls while I sat and sketched and then painted the Pride of Madeira and clivia flowers.
Poor Jimmy I think I ended up with 6 balls, I did eventually throw them for him.
We had a lovely few days, enjoyed my birthday breakfast and was home for more champagne at night. I feel relaxed and ready to get on with a bit more of my life.
There is nothing like being in a new enviroment for a few days to enthuse one again.

Not really grafitti

I sat playing last night trying to see if I could actually do some grafitti, well my ideas and what happened didnt quite jell and I am begining to think that those who do really good grafitti are much cleverer and talented than I am.
Not that the top one is really grafitti and wasnt intended to be, but trying out words on the bottom one I think I failed miserably, and the bottom bit I did in lime green has not shown up at all..
I must go and find some good stuff and not just the tags that seem to proliferate during school holidays.
I always think travelling by train in Melbourne is a good place to look, here we have grafitti busters who go around and wash it off every day so you dont see much.
I hope to get a few photos next week when we are away.
I am trying out a few styles of getting stuff onto paper just to see what happens.