Chasing Sunsets

I am always doing this-chasing sunsets that is. I think of 'The Road' when I see one, and feel lucky to be living in a time where they can still be seen. I don't take them for granted. So tonight, as I drove home, another spectacular sunset was happening-and distracting me from driving so I had to really stop myself and make myself concentrate. There were towers in the distance, in layers of hazy light, faint and lovely. When I got home I went for a very quick walk, and took some pictures on my phone. It was just the right light to make flowers glow. As well as glowing, these Hyacinths had a delicious scent.
Shapes and lines against the sky always catch my eye.

This last picture makes me laugh. Nothing to do with my walk but I thought I would share it anyway. This is Tiger, having just triumphed by walking around my book, in order to be able to sit on my chest, right in front of my face. This is what she likes to do nearly every night. She is very affronted by books or anything else taking my attention. She perseveres, and will only leave a short gap between repeated attempts to get what she wants. She does the slow walk to get this, and that makes me laugh so I can't say no! If you have a cat you will probably know about the slow walk. It is used to get away from confrontation-there may have been a bit of hissing or puffing of the tail, but a fight is not really wanted, so one cat will turn very slowly and walk very slowly away. Non-threatening I think. And I suppose Tiger is avoiding confrontation with me. But what it makes me think of is that she is trying to make herself invisible so I won't notice her sitting on me! She does not stay once the light is switched off, but goes into the sitting room. What this routine is all about I have no idea.

I will try to film her doing the slow walk one day.

She also does it to be able to sit right in front of the computer-usually on my arm.

Smile...

...it's the weekend. I will be crocheting string, making a big house for school demonstration purposes, and finishing a book-hopefully! Also making playdough scented with christmas spices and orange essence. Tiger is feeling under represented on here at the moment so here she is looking sweet last weekend.
I hope you have a good weekend, whatever you are up to.

I think this is the ash cloud-the very faint lines above the normal cloud.

I know this is Tiger.

The Birds

The expression on Tiger's face is so funny. She is wondering where the birds are. I was listening to a cd of birdsong-it was free with a newspaper ages ago and I was curious. It starts off quite raucously with geese and gulls, and moves on through 48 more birds. Quite a marathon of bird song which was quite disturbing for the cats I think so I won't listen to it often!

Pairings

Miffy and the Books

What started as just reorganising my brushes, pencils, pens and little pieces of equipment so they are kept together and easily reached, turned into an all day epic of sorting and tidying my book shelves. Now, as far as possible, my books are organised into types-such as interiors books, craft books, doll books etc. It looks good-for now! I can also now walk down my side of the bed again as the carpet is revealed from under its book layer. Miffy is on a copy of a reproduction children's book about Mittens the Kitten. This area of the shelf is devoted to old children's books, which have developed into a collection. (In addition to the collection of modern children's books!)

Tulips and Pastel

The sun came out today, so I went a bit mad photographing lots of things when I got in. (At lunchtime-afternoon PPA hurray!) When I looked at my photos, the colour of this pastel sheet and the tulips seemed to go so well. This is a page prepared to then do a transfer drawing as mentioned the other day.

The drawing on the other side of the sheet, paired with a white monoprint over iridescent watercolour paint on black paper. These paints are lovely. They were really cheap in one of those reduced price book shops-a bargain!

Andy's boots and Tiger in the sunshine

I love the way Tiger is looking up at me with such a sweet face, and I like the colour of these boots.

Brushes and Medieval Lady

The brushes all tidily sat together in their pretty jug. I have moved the printer onto the floor to make room for my tools and it is working so far! The pastel transfer drawing is of a medieval lady carrying bunches of leeks. It is from the book I am reading at the moment-each chapter is about a different medieval character-peasants, minstrels etc. Very interesting!

Shadow Shot Sunday

This is from a couple of weeks ago but I saved it for such a day as today when there was no sun. Cassie is sitting above Lily wondering whether to get her or not. On this occasion she didn't. It is so sad, she bullies Lily mercilessly at times, even though Lily was the one who kind of looked after her at first, defending her from the even bigger bully Tiger! Cassie's worst crime is to silently rear over and then jump on Lily and attack her when she is sleeping! She gets told off but it makes no difference. The only time Lily feels confident to get her back is when Cassie is inside a bag-a favourite pass time! Cassie loves to sit on top of a tall thin little book case my brother made me-it is at the front window in the bedroom. Recently Lily has decided that she wants to do this too-I do wonder if it is to annoy Cassie! I might be anthropomorphising (that made my brain ache spelling that-and it may not be right!) too much but I think not. To look at Cassie most of the time you would not think she was capable of such bad deeds!

For more shadow shots from around the world, visit HeyHarriet here!

Felty Tree

I have made a felt tree, using wire and the hebridean wool. The branches make me think of fingers-or spiders legs and I am not sure about it yet. (Especially after encountering spiders the size of mice this morning-well nearly!-and too strong for the spider hoover!)
I liked it better when some creatures and magical people moved in. They made it look more tree like.

The bird never stops talking, and sometimes, this annoys the tiger.

So far it has not had a disastrous result.

The fairy feller's friend has found a circus horse-from India she thinks.

The tiger is her pet, so this is not as brave as it seems.

Monday

Cassie loves the fire. Now she realises not to climb in it but is fascinated with watching the flames go up.

Cassie loves Tiger and wants her to love her back. She is trying to get back in with her just after making her jump by pouncing on her.

Togetherness looking out the front window.

The tiny paint splatter on my desk that my bird is based on. (the chicken the other day was not made by me-I was referring to this bird! Not quite as lovely but it is at an early stage!)

I have used plaster bandage around the head and neck. It is lying next to a page from today. I haven't been doing much in my journal recently apart from making little lists of things to do, or that I have done or seen. I cut out a lot of pictures and interesting articles yesterday from a pile of Sunday magazines. The picture on the left is one of them-I love the green and the cosy look of this room. The green on the window picture opposite is very similar. The starbucks logo is from my lovely chai tea latte yesterday. Lots of Starbucks here.

Violas, a hellebore and antirrhinums-snapdragons. I planted these today-the violas for some colour now, to add to the daffodils and the emerging tulips. It was really cold when I was gardening.

Birds seen in (or over) the garden over the last week or so-woodpecker, wood pigeon, seagull, blackbird, robin, blue tit, starling. The blackbirds and the robin seem to be nesting. It worries me, as they nest quite low down in the ivy, at the back of the garden, and Lily is constantly on the prowl at the moment. Watch out little birdies.

Tiger in the snow

Little Tiger came with me into the snowy garden last night. We could hear the sound of children and a reckless Dad sledging down the road-we live on a hill. There were not many cars really. What really made me laugh was how Tiger would shake her back, and sometimes front paws really fast as she lifted them from the snow. You can kind of see it in the film. So cute!

Through this lovely blog I found this one. A group of people, the same faces popping up often, cows, horses, some beautiful dogs, the sea, the hills, meadows. I looked at lots of them, going back and back. It is strange to glimpse into someone's world and know nothing about them apart from the story the pictures tell. I really like it.

Pinch Punch...

...First day of the month. These lines always come into my head on the first day of every month. I think someone I was at school with used to follow this with her friends-not friendly at all I know. The sunflowers are beautifully dying. They can stay up as long as they will last and then drop their seeds for next year's crop.

Humpty Dumpty wishes you a happy Fall! As you can see by his face. I like the rhyme of Humpty Dumpty and looked it up on Wikipedia to see where it came from. One of the meanings is short clumsy person. It is not stated that the character is an egg, but it is thought that the rhyme was a riddle and you had to guess that he was an egg. He also could have been Richard the Third the 'hunchbacked egg' (from Shakespeare) Have you heard this version?

Humpty Dumpty sat on the wall,

Eating green bananas.

Where do you think he put the skins?

Down the King's pajama's

I have lit the fire for the first time this autumn. I did it for Tiger really-she loves the fire! Our old cat Boris used to lie in front of the old gas fire in the flat we lived in, and give it the look of love. The only other thing (person) that got the look of love was my Mum, who I think used to really spoil her when she went to stay!

It is only gas but it looks so real! It is one of the things that made us buy this flat.

When I started my little photo shoot tonight, Humpty was intact, apart from the already broken arm he had. This is what happened:-

Humpty Dumpty sat on the step,

To have his photo taken.

The step got moved and he fell off.

Now he is all broken.

By me-a tall clumsy person! Poor Humpty, I will have to get the superglue out later!

More Bits and Pieces

My little fat computer friend! There is nothing Tiger likes better, than to cosy up next to whichever one of us is on the computer. I tell her to get down but does she listen? Tonight she stayed there the whole time. She knocked my blogger's elbow cushion on the floor so I had to use her! I have started using the journals I made and it is quite fun. I decorated the cover.

I have done a few little drawings and doodles and trying out lettering-see the calligraphy book? I like trying to do this but need practice!

Drawing number one and its subject. This A is my latest charity shop purchase and I just couldn't resist it. It is a really heavy enammelled metal and is about 12 inches tall. Lying in front is the circus girl-the glue for her hair is drying and then I will do her 'do' tomorrow!
A tiny alphabet-using a very thin new drawing pen. The paper in the book is very delicate so requires a delicate touch. So different to my last book!

Tiger in repose and after food. Two of her favourite states! She often chooses to sleep on the very corner of the rug, tucking all of her legs in so she looks a bit like a furry slug.

Close up of the circus lady. She has very muscular shoulders from all that trapezing.

Latest Forest School update. On Friday we had some office workers come in and do a day's hard labour(with me I might add!) to further improve the site. This was arranged through a community charity. This photo is of the horrible prickly bush being removed. When this was finished the lovely den like area below was revealed!
They also created these steps on another steep part of the site.
This is them! They were really great-hard working and friendly. It was an exhausting but fun day!