What Heart Are You? No. 1: Hermit Crab Heart - Competition

This is from my new series - What heart are you?

Each heart is based on an archetype and each is different.

For each heart I start off with a sketch of an anatomically correct (more or less) heart and then develop a 'personality' for it.

 

Are you hiding your true feelings behind a shell? 

Are you scared of being vulnerable? 

Then the hermit crab heart is the perfect heart for you.

 

Tip: Check out the waters now and again. You might find them warm and pleasant. 

How to Take Part in the Competition:

Download a copy of the heart sketch to create your very own heart and maybe win a prize.

Click on the image above and it will take you to a large version of the image. Right-click on it and on Save as. Print it and colour it in, decoupage it, digitally enhance it, just make it yours and send me a picture or a picture location on your blog/website of your own heart and make sure to leave a comment to be entered into the prize draw.

At the end of the year (31st of December 2009) I'll use a random number generator to select one winner who will  win a nice prize. :-) The winner will also be displayed here on the blog. If you have a blog/website I will link back to that.

For the hermit crab heart, the first in a series of twelve I've used serveral textures by Sirius-SDZ, my own fishie pattern and a photograph of some trees and reflections of same trees in the Cam at Granchester, Cambridgeshire, UK. Once all twelve hearts are finished they'll be compiled into a Redbubble calendar, however, each heart will be available as a greeting card, print, framed print and poster as and when it's published. So make sure you check my Redbubble account or use the link on the left to buy your heart. :-)

This post will stay at the top of the blog until 31st December. So please scroll down to see the rest of the posts.

Here's a list of the entrants (will be updated daily) for you to check out the competition:

Valzart
Earthmonster

It's the Season....

... to be busy.

Here are just some of the Christmas presents I made this year. I was so busy, I didn't manage to take pictures of all of them...

Emerald Green Butterfly Necklace:

Cobalt Blue Butterfly Necklace:

Feather Black and White Necklace:

Ivy Leather Cuff Bracelet:

Purple Leather Cuff Bracelet:

Safari Flower Brooch:

This, strictly speaking, wasn't a Christmas but a birthday present for a special friend. :-)

 

I also made three hats, a scarf, some arm warmers... and painted a sunflower on canvas for Steve. I'll be showing some pictures of that soon... once I catch a sunny day, rather than this dreary winter rain. Hopefully my second excursion into the world of painting on canvas will be done by then too, so I can show you both.

I hope you all had a lovely Christmas and got nice presents, I did. :-)

Witch's Christmas on a Roll...

My Witch's Christmas card is on a roll this week:

•  it won the Black Xmas competition in the Black Xmas group on Redbubble;

• which in turn got me a voucher and to be one of the first featured artists in selfsame group and it's the group's avatar for now;
  
• it was sold as a card yesterday,

• AND it made it onto the Redbubble homepage.
  

How is that for a day's work?

Renaissance - Final Painting in the L'Oiseau series

This definitely is the final in my L'Oiseau series. LOL I know I've said this before, but this definitely is it.

It refers to the following lines:

'Between the conception    
And the creation    
Between the emotion
And the response    
Falls the Shadow.'

of T.S. Eliot's poem 'The Hollow Men' and was inspired by it.

There are four more images in the series:

The first in the series is Panier-Avec-L'Oiseau

 

The second in the series is Tête-à-Tête

 

The third in the series is Métamorphose

The fourth in the series is Fin 

 

A brief explanation might be in order:

- the nest is inspired by an egret's nest.
- the flowers are brambles/blackberries,
- at the back you can faintly see a spiral and pearl pattern I created for my Goth Scrap(k)it.
- the sky/clouds is a photograph which I've used as a texture
- the leaves framing all the pictures are photographs that I've edited and arranged to frame the image.

The series is about recognising yourself for who you are and growing because of it, change and rebirth as the new person.

Exhibition - Carrie Ian

My friend Caroline has an exhibition this Saturday and Sunday. If you live in Cambridge and like art, make sure you drop by. Her art is absolutely wonderful and well worth looking at (and buying). There will be originals as well as limited edition prints (framed) and lots more.

Check out her art here: Website.

Jewellery Party - Final Post

The jewellery party went really well and lots of items went to new good homes....

...I've just finished the modifications for some of them and one commission.

Items no longer available are:

The wonderful Klimtesque necklace

I have just shortened it and added a different dangle so it will go with some other jewellery sold to the same lovely customer a while back:

And here's a detail of the intricate wire work:

 

The Constellation necklace is gone too....

and here are some matching Starlight earrings I just finished:

... here's a detail shot of the earrings - I've used a handmade soldered rose copper hammered ring and attached some teeny labradorite rondelle beads to it with antiqued copper wire. The earrings are really small and perfect for a little everyday glam with the gorgeous blue fire in the labradorite rondelles.

I've also modified my Willow Mk2 earrings to make them a teeny bit shorter:

I sold the lovely copper Leafy Blue bangle...

Both of the Dragon's Heart necklaces - the short one and the long one:

Crochet Wire Squares set:

I sold loads more, including the lovely red hat.

A big thank you to all my lovely customers and friends who came to the party and bought presents and treats for themselves and the biggest thank you to Caroline who helped me out with lighting and lots of support in every way.

There is still time to order your Christmas presents... or a treat for yourself if you've already done your Christmas shopping.

Jewellery Party - Teasers - Part 3

Here are a few of the delicious items that will be for sale at the party tomorrow. I hope it gives you a good idea of what kind of jewellery I make - everything from vintage to modern, wire art to traditional, fibre, leather, sterling silver, copper, brass and lots of glass and semi precious beads.

Earrings

Isabella Earrings

Emmeline Earrings

Shell Circle Earrings

Necklaces

Summer in Nice Necklace

Snow Queen Necklace

 Vintage Amber Dragonfly

 

Copper Spring Necklace

Dandelion Necklace

Bracelets

Twilight Fibre Bracelet

Rose Red and Snow White Bracelet

Black Pearl Cuff Bracelet

Fire Flower Bracelet - copper