GAZE

I'm tickled pink my drawing She Said Goodbye to the Circus will be shown as part of the GAZE International LGBT Film Festival in The Front Lounge Bar, in Dublin.
It's a real honor to be part of it and I can't wait to see where she goes up and what pieces will be around her. 
!

Things to do

The Oxford English Dictionary defines a hobby as: 

An activity done regularly in one’s leisure time for pleasure.

Recently, I realized that I don't actually have any hobbies. Everything that I do has a purpose. I know that reading is probably one thing, but it is rarely done in a relaxed manner...usually I eat up a chapter of something or other when I'm having a tea break, or over breakfast. I wouldn't call gardening a hobby because I see it more of a necessity in my life. I think it's an important element to my lifestyle...not really something I don for the fun of it (although I do enjoy it immensely).

So yesterday I surprised myself by doing something purely for the fun of it. I have a large collection of internet tutorials and inspirational images gathered over the years. I always mean to sit down and do one of them. So yesterday I actually did... mostly because I was up at the crack of dawn and had done literally everything else I could think of. 

Vases are a thing I don't have a heap of, and pots for that matter, but that's for another day! I do however have a handful of old glass bottles and jars, dug up over the last few years from our veg patch...they didn't really recycle 70 years ago. So, with tutorial firmly planted in my head, I set myself up outside and began wrapping...!

All you need is PVA and some wool or thread or string (or tissue paper etc). It's so easy and methodical, I could have sat doing it all day. The electric green one is a stringy wool made of lime green and a grey/purple which looks bizarre, but very cool (I think). The large bottle is a wool that is dyed like that, with all the colours changing. It's really nice to crochet with too. 

I know, they are a bit made, but I really REALLY enjoyed making them and can see the potential in them as well. 

Also, my hydrangea is beginning to bloom for the first time in...4 years (?) Check that blue out. I can hardly wait for the globes of prussian blue to appear! They will be here and in the house and in my hair and in my car...JOY

Happiness is...

The sunlight being so strong it can pass through the tiny gaps in my sun hat, creating this amazing pattern

 Being so warm outside, my indoor plants can come out for awhile...

This face, being in my face...

 Electric orange and sky blue...

Inside, outside, inside...

Going to Achill, dressed up to the 9's...

A mountain inside a cloud...

The sun still setting at 11:20

And now, after several amazing days of sun and heat, the rain has come. I don't know if you know, but the smell of rain after a dry spell like that is called Petrichor...it is such an indescribable smell, but so delicate and beautiful. 

It's so important to make the most of all things, the sun, the warmth, the rain. It is all so needed and wonderful. Now the plants are getting a drink. It's magic really.

It's time to make...

Elderflower Cordial!

The most lovely thing to do this time of year, is to capture that magic sun and bottle it. Stored correctly, you can drink up the sunshine throughout winter. With Midsummer fast approaching, make the most of the long days and short nights. Go on, get out there and forage!

Ever wanted to make your own? There's still time and it couldn't be easier:

20 bunches of flowers
2.5 pints of boiling water
3.5 lbs sugar
2tsp citric acid (you can get this in the chemist)

Put everything into a large bowl or saucepan (something you won't miss for a few days) and pour over the water. Stir and cover, leave this for five days somewhere it won't be disturbed. Strain into sterilized, sealable bottles, or make into ice cubes to store in the freezer.
Mix with sparkling water for Champagne!


Elderflower, or Boo trees, are literally everywhere. They can be found along hedgerows, growing next to old ruins of buildings, and in most rural fields. Be sure you know what your looking for before you go out. And if you've left it too long and are picking Elderberries instead, make sure to cook them before you eat them or a nasty case of food poisoning awaits you...trust me, I know.


Enjoy!

Flowers for Gwyn

We adopted you from the MSPCA when I was in my Junior Cert year. You had been wandering around the foot of Croagh Patrick for a little while, pulling on the heartstrings of tourists and people living in the area for meals. A Black Fairy Dog. No one knew where you had come from...did your original owner die and not provide for you...what was your original name? We don't know, but you were a bit of a mystery. A quiet, polite Labrador, even at dinner time. You spent the first few days as sentinel, lying at the front door, or the side door, taking it all in and standing guard. You and Reilly instantly got on. In fact, you were perfect from the very first day, no adopted doggie teething problems. And Eoghain named you Gwyn. 

Of course, being a lovely Lab, you were drawn to water like a dog shaped magnet. No matter how invisible it was, you would find in. In every shape and form. Daily dips in the river - rain, hail, snow or blow, but especially in the summer to cool off. Dew drops where an accessory you wore with pride, and I will miss kissing them off your snout. Black as night, you were truly radiant in snow. And it was always adorable see you snuffling for something buried underneath.

You could disappear within the landscape, which is why I really think you were actually a fairy dog, and reappear somewhere I didn't expect. You were solid, and grounded and steady. Which in turn grounded us around you. And placid. So gentle. So easy going. 

Yin and Yang, you and Reilly. No two dogs could be more opposite in energy and looks, but having said that, you complemented each other so well, and spent so much time together just hanging out. And when the cats came, you welcomed them like a mother bear. Providing a nook for them to sleep in and a friendly face. You were an amazing watch dog, first to sound the alarm, and only ever for good reason. You were very discerning that way. And other ways too...like picking only the ripe blackberries off the briars to eat.

Reilly misses you desperately.

Gwyn-dy, you loved belly rubs, and I'm pretty sure if you could have them 24/7, that still wouldn't satisfy. You also did funny doggie yoga, like this hip opening pose, and could stay like this for up to 3mins...I timed you. Upside down vampire doggie smile also made me crack up. You were incredibly funny in your own quiet way...like how you would steal spuds as we would dig them, and then pretend that you hadn't just been caught red handed. You also did this clever thing of distracting Reilly during dinner by sounding the 'fake' alarm, so you could rob his food - very sneaky but so clever we couldn't be cross with you.

Gwyn, you were always first to announce our arrival, and always there to greet us with a smile when we got home. You loved everyone unconditionally (which must be written into the Labrador code of ethics somewhere) even people afraid of dogs loved you. Walks with you were ambling and steady, taking in every little detail, appreciating life in all its forms. You seemed to get younger as you got older (a lessen to us all) and stayed a true lady till the bitter end.

Gwyn, my heart, our hearts are broken. You have been such a huge part of our lives, such an inspiration, a care giver, friend, companion, protector, beautiful soul and gentle loving creature. We will always love you and wish you blessings on your way.

Thank you for coming into our lives, lovely girl xxx

Flowers for Gwyn

What was I thinking?

Hi.

Possibly I'm regressing. Or maybe I'm making up for never getting the whole 'doll thing' when it was age appropriate. Or maybe I just shouldn't be allowed out of the house with money burning a hole in my pocket...but this is what I picked up yesterday, for no other reason then I had to have her.

Meet Catrine DeMew, a Monster High doll. She's the daughter of a Werecat and appears to like drawing, a lot and as far as I can gather she's a vegetarian. She is all jointed and even her tail moves. There were loads of different ones, and doubles and triples of almost all of them except her. And while I was getting a kick out of all of them, and thought they were pretty cool, when I excavated Her box out from behind all the rest I nearly squealed (or maybe I actually did) with delight.
A freaking cat girl doll. I mean...could I really resist?
I could. But I would have been sad. And that's all I'm going to say to justify it. I would have regretted not getting her, so I did. And she's awesome.
She comes with a stand, a little coffin with her art supplies and she's pretty easy to pose. If nothing else, she's a little mascot for me on my desk.

Work in Progress

On your Mat, Balancing Act  and Portal

I've been working on these the last three weeks or so in isolation of each other. So I was pleased this morning when I discovered that they actually balance each other out, as I hope to show them as a set when they are finished.

I am still working out what it is that I am working out...if that makes sense. Which I think most artists spend their lives doing. Over and over again.