Happy to be drawing again.

It feels so exciting to be drawing again.

The week after my eye surgery we walked along the beach. I knew it was impossible for me to draw then but I wandered along and collected shells and pebbles, seaweed and mermaids purses and hoped it would not be too long.

It is so true, you often only miss things when they are gone. I missed my drawing, the days were missing something. I felt like I should be doing something and I have filled my time with other creative projects, but it has always been such a big part of me and I needed to draw.
So I started very slow and feeling nervous knowing my vision was so different. I chose a box of crayons as I knew they were an easier option than using a paint brush. I could just sharpen the crayons and have instant colour, hold the pencil and have more control. My eye and hand coordination was something I knew I had to really work at and concentrate to regain my skill at drawing.

My new sketchbook was like a new beginning and I began with the objects from that day by the sea. The tide had left a wiggly line of sea treasures on the clean smooth sand. Slowly following that line of objects still wet and freshly delivered by the sea. I remember collecting the pretty shells and slipping them into my pocket, they made me smile and cheered me up. If I am honest I was feeling a bit sorry for myself. Then I saw a mermaids purse. I felt that surge of excitement, a big swollen beautiful mermaids purse in perfect condition. It was black and glossy and smooth and it was mine for the taking. I would keep it until my eyes were able to draw again.

Then I discovered others and ended up bringing a whole collection home. It could wait, it would have to wait and I knew I could as patience is definitely one of my better qualities. It was a moment of clarity, to understand, to know How much my drawing means to me.

Eventually, Little pockets of time, half an hour when I could, an hour if my eyes felt strong enough. I enjoyed using the crayons and it was a good choice for me. I then worked with a black ink pen for the mermaids purse and realised my limitations. It was really hard to try and focus on the details. It was completed over about a week, a little at a time with weak eyes and a shaky hand.

I was so excited to complete the page of my new sketchbook. I so wanted to try using my acrylic inks and last week I started the next page. I used the dip in pen and very slowly built up the shells and then a paintbrush for the seaweed. It hasn't been easy but I have just worked away slowly, as and when I felt I could.

I was so pleased to complete this today. Two mussel shells, a blue and white shell and the twisted piece of seaweeds. It feels like an enormous achievement and I am so grateful that I can draw again. My eyes have changed, confirmed by my eye test yesterday. Next week I will have my new glasses and It is to be full steam ahead, I am going to make up for lost time.

Here is the view of my open book, it measures 33 inches wide , A3 but in landscape format. I am thinking of all those lovely objects and treasures on the shore and at the beaches. I plan to fill my new book with my finds. Wait until you see what I have been waiting to draw, a starfish and colourful leg I think belonged to a lobster. I have never found a starfish before on our beaches so I am really excited to draw it. Now I need to tidy up the messy table and turn the page ready. Hope you enjoyed seeing my drawings.

Looking forward to more beautiful sunny days, loving hearing the birds singing and seeing all the spring blossom. I have walked into my garden most days and just taken the time to enjoy the colours of the flowers.
All photographs taken in my garden, by me with my iPad.

Hope you enjoyed seeing the flowers and spring has arrived where you are too.

We have had some beautiful weather and such lovely days. I will leave you with a sunset from this week, taken from my bedroom window. Thank you for your lovely comments, I am hoping to get back to regular blogging. So hope you will come and visit. Millyx

Plenty of inspiration

I have been sewing, making my little patchwork quilt. I cut out lots of squares and just kept going until my quilt was finished.

Arranging squares. And adding a hare or two.

Choosing a border.

Stitching the binding by hand.

Finished, jumping for joy.

I will have to call it my Easter quilt.

The garden has so many lovely spring flowers.

White violets that are scented.

Daffodils I planted last Autumn.

Hellebores.

And my Snakehead Fritillary.

Buds in the sunshine and some of the flowers in my garden.

I hope to draw some. Meanwhile I can enjoy them all. Each day there is something lovely to see. My eye is improving and I am seeing colours brighter. Thank you for your lovely comments. I have not been able to go on the computer for long, but I have started my first drawing with a box of crayons and a brand new sketchbook after a lovely walk at the beach. As the title says, plenty of inspiration everywhere I look.

I will leave you with a lovely sunset from this week. See you soon. Millyx

 

 

 

 

A New Bag

 

I have not been able to draw yet, but I still can sew. I watched sewing bee on iplayer last Saturday and I thought, make something. So off I went to the fabric stash and I decided to make a bag. So with an idea in my head and my sewing machine that can do all the work of my eyes, I was off again, being creative.

I had carved my little hare and made my own rubber stamp last Easter. I printed it onto linen when I made my pincushions. I tried it on this fabric, it made the hare look like it was really there, sitting amongst the undergrowth. So I chose to make my bag out of this fabric and use the printed piece for the front pocket. The other pretty fabric for the lining and trim.

The finished bag. I am very pleased with it.

A lovely green mother of pearl button which I bought a few years ago whilst on holiday at Madeira. I bought brown, blue, green, and shimmering grey ones. I love haberdashery stores and as lots of people sew in Madeira they seem to have lots. At Funchal, they have some beautiful old fashioned shops selling everything for someone like me to feast my eyes on. I could not resist the buttons.

I had a little walk one day in the sunshine and saw that the primroses are growing in the hedgerows, they evoke so many memories. I saw a ladybird, a bit fat bumble bee and then a yellow butterfly. It was a great tonic for me to take a walk as I have not being feeling too well, suffering with dizziness and my balance. I picked the primroses from my own garden. My snakehead fritillaries are really growing, the first ones are in flower and I have lots of bright cheerful daffodils out at the bottom of my garden. The birds are singing as I write this. Seems Spring is here early.

It looks like I may have started a little patchwork. I cannot bear to throw even the tiniest piece of fabric away. I was supposed to be tidying the mess i had made after the bag! Then I was thinking maybe I could use it for a patchwork and before I knew it I was cutting out the two and a half inch squares from the bag scraps, then finding left over bits from other projects. One thing just leads to another.

I will finish here as I cannot use the computer for long. Thank you for the kind messages. Hopefully back to drawing soon. Hope you enjoyed seeing my bag and maybe even a little patchwork to show you next time. Millyx

 

 

 

St. David's Day..1st March

Today was such a beautiful day. The first day of a new month. So we went for a lovely walk around the village. First we stopped to look through the Church gates. It took my breath away, the beautiful purple carpet of crocus, snowdrops and the first daffodils. Of course we had to then wander through the churchyard and take it all in, take the opportunity to see it with the sun shining, on this St. David's Day.

We carried on wandering through the lanes heading up towards the moor you can see in the background. Past the old mill we decided to look at the beck, see how much water was running down and a chance to find some pottery. There was a huge bank of leaves and bits all washed to the side by the fast flowing water after all the rain we have had. I found an oak gall and then I needed to chose an oak leaf from all the hundreds on the ground. Meanwhile, someone risked wet feet as he balanced on wobbly stones to fish out little pieces of blue and white china for me.

We wandered on through the lanes and I noticed the first bright glossy yellow celandines. They were always the first wild flowers, my sister and I used to start our collection as we pressed flowers and made our own nature book throughout the year. I saw all the new fresh green leaves of the Lords and Ladies, at the same place I collected the berries last year for my zig zag book I was working on. I will make some sketches and try and record it at this stage to add to my book.

We listened to the birds singing, this little robin sang out in the tree as I collected lots of the skeleton sycamore seeds. He was there so long the photographer managed to capture this gorgeous picture, he is actually singing.

Sycamore seeds scattered everywhere, so delicate, like little pieces of lace.

I also collected some lovely pale empty snail shells. We saw a nest from last year, revealed as the hedgerows have been trimmed neat by the farmers ready for this new year. The birds will collecting and building new nests very soon. Although it is still early, there is lots of new growth along the hedgerows, as we have so far escaped any snow or severe cold weather. When we arrived home it was so nice I spent some time in the garden. It was amazing how much everything has grown with a few days of warm sunshine. Daffodils for St. David's Day.

At the bottom of my garden so many bulbs in flower. I love planting them.

Daffodils, crocus and snowdrops by my garden gate. I love seeing them, the pleasure of all this from planting the little bulbs in Autumn.

I was really thrilled to see my Snakehead fritillary plants, complete with buds. This plant always grows first as it is more sheltered and this is the first place I ever planted the bulbs, many years ago now. It always grows the tallest and the strongest. I so look forward to seeing them each year. Today I planted some new cowslips amongst my other plants in this my little wild woodland garden.

The birds were singing and a robin hopping around as I did a little tidying up of broken branches from the ash tree. The birds love the ash tree, and we love watching them fly in and out of it. I couldn't resist taking the view from here, looking from my garden to the shore, soon the buds will be bursting and it will be covered in leaves.

I have not been able to do much drawing as I have been having problems with my eyes. I have still being collecting both objects and ideas for future work. Next week I am having my first surgery for my cataracts. I have always been grateful that I have had the gift of such wonderful eyesight and have been able to draw in such detail. I am so aware how precious my eyes are and how much I value my sight, hopefully I will be able to return to my drawings soon. Meanwhile I am so lucky to live here, enjoy each day surrounded by all this natural beauty and be able to see this view everyday.

Like this view yesterday.

And then the colours of the sunset.

Hope you are all having a wonderful weekend. Thank you for the lovely comments. See you soon. Millyx