Uldale and Christmas Trees!

A fun afternoon playing around with my new Dremel - here's the prototype Christmas tree - I just need to figure out the base. So, if as is forecast, it's likely to be pouring it down tomorrow, it could be a trip to the beach to collect driftwood. Thank goodness for the bottom oven of the Aga for drying out.

Uldale 16" x 12" oil - when framed £60

Mini oils

With the sudden realisation that oils take a while to dry and that the Greenhill craft fare isn't really that far off - November 10th I got down to producing the little pics below.

Pics are 7cm x  7cm and come on a little wooden easel £6

Each pic is 7"x 5" - in a wooden frame £15

Natterjack toads

A lovely fresh walk with dramatic skies on the beach. Tom's happy as he found two new fish boxes to add to his 'collection' (don't ask!) and Rocky too.

Natterjacks

The light was splendid - this really should generate a painting....oh for more time! 

New fish boxes and Rocky.

Sofatara near Namaskard, Iceland

I've been asked to do a painting that captures the feeling of the Sofatara - not easy when it's steaming hot water, mud and a sulphurous stench. But here's the first attempt! Having been there makes it easier and it was fun looking back over the old photos. It's not of an actual view more a compilation. Meanwhile, back to the elephant cards - I'm also working (in my head) on the idea of a pebble themed small quilt - either to hang
or as a cushion.

Oil 8" x 20"

Hesket New Market Show

Another classic show and reasonable weather. Three firsts, a second and six thirds for us as a family and a grand day out with friends. Pam's plate of home grown soft fruits (first) was particularly impressive! 

Rocky failed to make the first cut in the pet dogs - top left ; Rocky's sister - top right.

Jura Maerl

Still sorting things out after the holiday and thought I ought to include a photo of the maerl and cowries we collected. I must include them in a felt at some stage similar to the one I did previously.

Maerl is the name given to several species of slow growing red seaweed
that have a hard chalky skeleton.
They grow as unattached nodules on the seabed. 

Felt incorporating maerl and cowries. 

Honeycomb reef off Mawbray

Low tides provided the opportunity, last Saturday morning, to get out to the sabellaria (honeycomb worm) reef off Mawbray - an internationally important habitat.

Seaweed covered spider crab; sponge; prawn; edible crab; sea scorpion; dahlia anemone.