There have been lots of moments when I had an idea to do something.
I was staying in Wales with my friend and as we walked in her field I discovered all the beautiful Elderberry trees growing in the hedgerow. They were laden with branches of ripe elderberries. This was one of those moments.
My friend knows me and she understands me. So two huge bags of berries later and armed with her biggest pan my idea is well and truly in motion. I am making some ink. They were the best berries I had ever seen and hours later I had made my ink. Some Stained fingers and a lot of mess but I had a huge jar of this richly coloured liquid. I made a little colour chart of the ink when I returned home and tried it for the first time.
I used the ink and a dip in pen to draw an oak leaf. The ink worked so well.
I recorded it all in my sketch book. The lovely poppy seed head I collected from my garden was a perfect subject for my new ink as I experimented using it to both draw and write with.
I am enjoying watching my three hyacinths grow in the bulb jars. Watching each day the moments they put down their roots into the water. After a few weeks I will see the buds form, then eventually the scented flowers of this much loved spring flower.
They remind me of a day wandering along an empty shore. It was a foggy day and I stumbled across a huge jelly fish. I examined this strange creature with long jelly like legs, now abandoned by the sea and what a strange curious creature it is.
It was such a silent place, surrounded by the sea fog on this empty beach. I collected shells, feathers and pieces of pottery, anything that caught my eye.
Treasures that all came home with me. They haven't made it into a drawing yet but they remind me of the day. Listening to the soft wavy line of the water as it crept onto the sand out of the fog.
I loved this leaf stuck in the sand, the shape and colours. A moment of beauty, perfect in my eyes.
I have closed my book documenting the time line of the Lords and Ladies plant. Maybe I will add more next year. I so enjoyed doing this little project and I learnt so much collecting my samples and recording them in all their details.
I am working on a little arrangement of my tiger moth and some other objects I have collected. I never get fed up with oak leaves. I have brought some home this afternoon I found on my walk.
Just the finishing touches and it will be complete. It feels like me, gathering beautiful natural objects together and arranging them and then challenging myself to capture them.
So it is time to leave you with a couple of moments I photographed. A grey watery world as the full moon brings in a huge tide which covers the shore.
Then, the colourful sunset when clouds turn pink.
And I have to mention all the rain water we have witnessed over the last few days which has caused the terrible flooding in my county of Cumbria. My thoughts go out to all the people who are suffering at this time.
This view from my home changes each and every day. I see something like this and I am just stunned by the beauty and so inspired. And I want to share it with you.
Hope you are all warm and cosy, happy and creative. Hope you too have some wonderful moments in your day....... Millyx