Two for January

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I’m just going to squeeze in another post for January……..  Even so, I can’t be accused of being a prolific blogger  🙂

I haven’t achieved much in the art room, but did settle for a bit to play with some inks, pens and a little stamp.  Clearly early morning walks by the ocean are having an effect

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these first two are blurry thanks to my inability to keep the phone still……

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It’s basically playing with colour and shapes and doodling.. Like everything I do these days I tend to make two or three at the same time and then turn them into cards.   So…

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And just to change it up a bit I did two of these, but one has gone away already

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I love the colours of them all – inks are so much fun – the watercolours and acrylics are still languishing…..

How has your January going, going, gone?  It’s either overly warm here or it’s – not.  It’s hard to make plans for a picnic that’s for sure.   Siddy and I continue to pursue our daily goal of leaving random people happier for having met us on our walks – he has such an assortment of fans it’s quite delightful.

This is him at the window, greeting his two favourite special people  –

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Thanks for coming by today, I’m so happy that you did.

92 thoughts on “Two for January”

  3. Now I see your gorgeous doodling. Brilliant how the ink takes on a flower or sea life with your pens in hand. I haven’t had my alcohol inks out for a while, but you’re work is so inspiring. I think I get a bit overwhelmed with the pen choices. There’s so many.
    So fun to find photo’s of Siddy here too! What a little love bug. The header photo, with Siddy giving the side eye made me chuckle and smile. Your heart must be so full to see him waiting at the window and waving with happiness that his mama is home. I know I would just melt. xK

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    • I hardly ever see that view of Siddy as I am mostly inside with him. Joanna took this when she arrived last December – there is also a little video clip she took at the same time, which is very cute and funny, but I can’t find that. He gets very over excited and almost panicky when anyone arrives, in case he might miss out on greeting them or something – he doesn’t know whether to stay at the window or go to the door and rushes backwards and forwards yipping the whole time. It’s the only time he barks. It’s crazy time. Two minutes of vociferous welcome and then he is quiet again. I generally melt with relief when he calms down 🙂

      I use black (waterproof ink) pens – just in case – and white gel pens or those white sharpies you gave me (which I love and use in almost everything I make) Sometimes I add in gold and/or silver gel pens and that’s it. Done! 🙂

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  4. Thanks for sharing your artworks, Pauline. As you say, the colours are delightful, though I must admit to liking the ocean ones best. I think the design would look amazing in a sarong and swimsuit, or even a long flowing gown. I think it would swing beautifully in silk. Dare I say, “I want one!” 🙂

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    • 🙂 Dear Norah it warms my heart to read your thoughts. Keep dreaming – I’ve learned to say never say never and even though I have no clue where or how to start translating a small art piece to fabric – you never know ………

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      • I can’t help you with the translation either, Pauline. But didn’t you have some artworks on canvas bags at one stage? 🙂 I think you should send an image of your design off to swimsuit designers and see if they’d like to purchase it. 🙂

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  5. I knew I saw your blog here but lost it in the crowd. I’m behind again. ;( I love the fun you are having with your cards. Hand made are the very best kind and the flavor of the beach is an added bonus. Nothing quite so sweet as puppy love though. Siddy just warms my heart looking out that window. Thanks for the smiles. Maybe tomorrow I’ll have mine ready to post. Sigh. Hugs to you.

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    • I am glad to hear from you Marlene, I was a little concerned when you didn’t come by. I hear it is so cold in your part of the world I imagine keeping warm takes all your energy. It seems one half of the globe is freezing and the other half is sizzling. Hopefully we will all become a little more temperate soon. Take care xoxo

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      • We have been mild all through until this week. We are now catching up with the rest of the country and getting winter all in one month. February will be housebound weather with mostly ice on the roads. Not a fan but nothing like other parts of the country. I have a strong suspicion we are going to blister this summer though. ;( But everyone is paying the price for ignorance at the top.

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        • Traditionally February is our hottest month, but also the month when the light noticeably fades at both ends of the day……. so it must be that it is your coldest month and yet the light will be returning……. Stay safe and warm xo

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          • Thanks Pauline. I won’t come visit in February. 😉 Yes, our days are starting to get longer and when I fully recover from this fiasco, I’ll get back to work. Not looking forward to the next 2 weeks weather. Hugs. Stay cool.

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  6. Oh, beautiful work, Pauline! I see the ocean and that’s a treat as we battle the ‘Polar Vortex” of extreme cold here in New Jersey, USA.

    My daughter was just talking about this dog (and walker) she sees most days and how it just makes her day to be able to love a dog for a few moments even though she’s away from home and her own pup. So, I know that you and Siddy are out there truly spreading love and happiness. And spreading it online, as well. ❤

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    • Your weather sounds absolutely awful Jodie – unbelievably cold….. It can well imagine everything has come to a complete standstill and help must be needed in many quarters. I hope you and your family stay warm and safe.

      We meet many people like your daughter – it is such a pleasure to see the looks on peoples faces as they realise this pup (and his person) are happy to stop and share a few moments with them. I hear so many stories of loss and separation – people pour their hearts out in just a few minutes – and I know my wee fellow has helped lighten their moods, lifted their burdens and maybe even given them a new direction. Dogs have an amazing way of demolishing boundaries between people.

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  8. Oh my, Pauline. Those cards are astonishingly beautiful, and you seem so lackadaisical about them, as if you just whipped them off between cups of coffee. You’re amazing. And I love your shared goal with Siddy – “leaving random people happier for having met us on our walks.” What a gift you two are. You made me happy just reading this post. 🙂

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  10. Pauline, as usual your cards are so beautiful. The recipients must be amazed. For me, January was school holidays and I made the most of the time – reading, writing, crocheting. And we went on a cruise. It was so much fun.

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  12. Your work is always uplifting, Pauline. You’ve played around with my favorite colors, too, of green, blue and purple. How lovely to live so close to the ocean, especially in your clean, clear, beautiful part of the world. I’ve always known of New Zealand’s beauty, but having now experienced it first hand through your wonderful guidance and generosity, I love it all the more. I’m glad you’re creating, walking and putting smiles on faces daily. I hope your weather will eventually normalize enough to make plans. xo

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    • It’s so nice to have you popping by again Bekki 🙂 Now and again he meets a scowler he can’t turn – it makes me feel very sad for them, they are such a sad person. And then again he has times when he just keeps at them til he breaks through to finally get a smile and then a greeting…….. Those are great walks 🙂

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  15. The cards are beautiful. I love the colors and all the under sea creatures. They are very soothing and yet energetic at the same time. Siddy is the best. His personality comes right through the camera. Even just a picture of him can brighten a day.

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  16. I think Siddy just became my new favourite bloggy doggy. He is simply perfect, what a pal.
    I adore the sea inspired cards, they are lovely. I like the other two as well, did you emboss them, or is the effect paint?

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    • See, another Siddy fan 🙂 He’s as cute as all get out isn’t he Cathy 🙂 #soproud 🙂 There’s no embossing on those paintings. Or paint either for that matter – they are all inks of varying types. From alcohol, to Distress (water based ink) and the stuff that comes out of various black and white pens. I make a layer using some medium or other, dry it and then add another layer of something else. It’s all pretty random and I just follow my feeling of what is required next until I think it’s either finished or I’m just fed up with it 🙂

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  17. I’ve not played with my inks for ages. Once it’s warmer I’ll be back in the limey having a bash at making some cards again – somehow I never got going properly with my soils and mini-beasts series after my initial attempts.
    Here I’m doing lots of crochet and making bags. And Daisy has been unwell – possibly a case of lungworm – but she seems to be a bit better now (spaniel snot is not much fun for anyone concerned).

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    • Hello Jan! I’m sorry to hear poor Daisy has been unwell. Hopefully she will be on the mend and snotless very soon!! I hope you find time to play about with your inks soon – you have to experiment quite a bit to find out how they work together. Each colour can react differently with another colour – it’s fascinating. You never have a lot of control over what appears which can be a challenge or very freeing depending on what you want to do with them. I’ve been inspired to do some sewing/stitching with some of mine.

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  18. Your “playing” turns out so beautifully! Could you use the same techniques on fabric? I’m just thinking what pretty throw pillows that technique would make. We have no plans for picnics here any time soon–it’s beastly cold and snowy. My cats tell me they want to go outside but are back in within minutes. But I do notice the days are getting longer . . .

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    • Kerry you say the nicest things! If I had fabric paints I’m sure I could make some lovely fabrics – but that’s a whole other hobby 🙂 There was that brief foray into having my work digitally reproduced on fabric that made a lot of money for (name forgotten) that kind of turned me off the idea too. But never say never 🙂 I’m hearing it’s pretty cold up your way at the moment, keep warm, stay safe xo

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  21. Hello. I love the new cards. The sea inspired theme is great. Those colours are so calming.
    Indeed, January is running to an end, already. Where is this year going. I have finished one or two bits from last year, and now work is slowing things down. 🙂 But Miekie and I are still going.
    Weather is pretty much the same here. Hot to very hot. And anywhere between sunny and rainy, all in one day. We do appreciate the rain though, so we just go with the flow, 😉
    Enjoy the rest of the week and enjoy your walks. Hugs to you both. xx

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    • Oh yes, it’s good that you get rain – we can do without it for a bit though – except it is nice to cool things down a tad on some days. We get a cold wind of the Antarctic sometimes which is really unusual for this time of the year. There have been a couple of mornings when all the gear has had to be donned to go on the walk. Sorry to hear you are back at work and it’s slowing down the crafting 🙂 Hugs and pats xo

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  22. Beautiful ‘under the sea’ cards.
    A dog that makes people feel special is a very special dog himself. What an exceĺlent therapy dog he would make – visiting hospitals, care homes and such to bring joy to the very old or sick.
    It snowed in the night so woke up to a white world this morning. I won’t drive in the snow – unless I really have to – so a day in my workroom calls, must go and put the heater on in there.

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    • Hi Lynne – glad to hear you like the undersea colours 🙂 Siddy does visit an old folks home and he also randomly greets people who seem in need of a friendly greeting when we are out walking – I’m fascinated by it. When my friends were all staying here last year it was noted that he greeted each person equally joyfully as they made their first appearance of the day. He knew when someone had gone out and when they came back they got greeted again. He’s a companion dog and he takes his job quite seriously 🙂

      Snowing! Isn’t it great! Just the best time for hunkering down and being creative. I hope you have a successful time in your work room, there’s a coat to be finished 🙂

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  23. I can see the influence of the ocean in those beautiful, cooling blues, and the shapes. January has sort of trickled away for me….hot days and the tennis have forced me to sit on the couch! Now it’s still hot, but I am more enthused to get on with things.

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    • Hello Anne – it’s even hotter in your part of the world isn’t it – sitting on the couch watching tennis (or in my case cricket) sounds just the right amount of activity to me – but the dog does like his two walks every day…… January swooshed past didn’t it – let’s hope February slows down a bit. Thanks for coming by, it’s lovely to see you here.

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      • It’s cooler today, and we had a good downfall of rain. Unfortunately there are those that need it more than Melbourne does. Dogs are wonderful in many ways, but getting one off the couch must be high on the list of things to love!

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  28. Love the colours in your cards and the white dots look like the cards are lit up with fairy lights.
    January has felt a little disjointed and strange – lots of family which is lovely, but now I need some quiet me-time for balance.

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  29. Siddy is just so cute!!! I really like those blue colors and the sea shapes. You are creating, even if on simmer rather than full boil. It’s snowing here, prefatory to a polar vortex. So I’ll be bundled tomorrow! I’ve been hearing about quite high temps, but in Australia, not NZ. Sounds like you’re having unstable weather! So glad you posted again. We need your blues and greens.

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    • Yes, it’s definitely a long, slow simmer, on more than one front 🙂 We have the high temps too, but also the instability – coping with changes of anything from 10C – 15C in a matter of hours. The highest highs are ferocious for much of the country, but luckily as I’m so close to the ocean we tend to bottom out in the mid 20’s. Today is blue skies and 25C and will possibly rain this evening……. I’m happiest around 20 and am a bit over the big wet – a blast of polar vortex sounds alarming. The weather is a fascinating subject these days isn’t it 🙂

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