Forgive me Readers....

I've not been on here as much as usual, but life and my cartomancy studies have been keeping me busy.


I hate to say it but I haven't painted (until yesterday) - for four weeks.  But, yesterday I did  and after some major struggling with remembering how to blend - I got on with it and had a good time.  


I also had a trip round the garden (which makes our garden sound like it's 5 acres or so, which it's not!).. but Mr M was badgering me to see which flowers had come out... 

What a beauty - three new beautiful clematis flowers...

Guess who else was patrolling the garden.. under the pretence of looking for flowers but secretly hoping an intruder (like the wood pigeon that taunts him all day) would stray into his domain...

My painting has now turned a corner and I'm enjoying the blending of skin tones..

I hope you're all enjoying the sunshine this week.  

M

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The Crystal Ball

John William Waterhouse has been a favourite painter of mine since I do not know when... and this picture is one of my all time favourites.  I have it in my downstairs bathroom and I just. love. it.  LOVE IT.

'The Crystal Ball'

John William Waterhouse

So you can imagine my excitement when I found the very amazing Baba Studio recently and saw that they made these tarot bags....

 as well as other amazing bags, purses and of course, their tarot cards.  Click HERE to see more wonderful things...

If you love beautiful prints... and love to see them made as bags and purses and other wonderfulness... well.. you'll be in art & accessory heaven.  Enjoy :)

Mxxxxxxx

I have begun a new blog, Wren Tarot.  The blog has been set up to journal my Tarot work and how I learn to use the Mlle. Lenormand Fortune Telling Cards.  If you want to have a look... click HERE.


Hope your week is good.


Michelle
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At last!

I managed to finish Mr Aries last week... there were only a few tweaks needed.. a little bit of glazing... some final touches... and then, he was done.  He really has taken me forever, which has been incredibly frustrating.  But, he's done.  And I'm pleased as I can now begin another painting which will be the next in the series.

'Aries'

24" x 30"

Oil on Canvas

The painting is still drying.. so it's hard to get a good picture with the 'shine' that shows up from the wet oils.  But.. you get the feel of it I'm sure!


My middle daughter has posed for the next painting - I'll upload some WIP pictures soon.

Till then...I hope you're having a good week...

Michelle

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Catch up...

So much has gone on since I last wrote on here....

We celebrated ten years together this week.  Ten years from the day that we shared our first kiss.  We had been friends for months, sharing late night phone calls discussing Sex and The City amongst other things (yes.. he was as hooked on it as I was)... cooking evenings, going dancing... and we brought two families  together and made them one.  I'm eternally grateful I met him... and my children have him as their Dad.  This photo was taken at the recent wedding blessing of Pea and Kev.  It's one of my all time favourites.

I am nearly bursting with anticipation and have pre-ordered 

The Steampunk Tarot Deck and Book.

I just can't wait!

I am reading more and more good things about this deck from people who already have it and it sounds wonderful.  I haven't bought a new deck in absolutely ages.. and I think this one is justified!

I had an 'aura' photograph taken and was told it shows I'm very creative and artistic.  I'm glad about that!  Apparently I'm very 'red and orange' in my aura (weirdly, so is Mr M).  I haven't done anything creative or artistic for weeks now, but I'm very glad my aura (at least) is still showing me as artistic!

(Source Unknown)

Ostara came and went and I am glad beyond belief that Spring is now finally with us!!! Just seeing the lighter days, the daffodils bobbing about and the light creeping more into our evenings is great.

This week, I plan to finally get round to finishing my 'man'...

He's been sitting on my easel for weeks now and I NEED to finish this, before I start my next one.  

I hope you have a good week 

Enjoy this sunshine.

Michelle

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The Four Of Wands... A time to celebrate!

This morning, after a really busy weekend - I shuffled my tarot cards and selected one at random.  Out came the Four of Wands.

This card stands for celebration, happy times... freedom.... generally coming to a point where you can look around you and feel happy and good about things.  

So.. I reflected on this... and no sooner had I done so... I thought about the weekend just gone.

On Friday... we celebrated the Blessing of 25 Years of Marriage of our friends Pea and Kev.  I've mentioned these two on here before... this last year has been more than tough on these two and their family, as Kev has battled and continues to live with his cancer.  


But their love and sense of family has shown all of those around them what love can do when life comes along and knocks you sideways.  

What a couple these two were, 25 years ago... and now.....

Cutting a dash (and their Blessing Cake) in their beautiful Vivienne Westwood outfits on Friday at their Blessing Celebration Party.  What a fantastic day it was.  

'The Blessing' 

Mixed Media on Canvas

As a gift from us, we gave them this mixed media painting that I managed to do over a few weeks.  Blood, sweat and tears I tell you.... one day I set all of my paints up, sat down to paint but my joints were so bad that I stopped after 5 minutes.  The air was blue in the art room... and then I had a few tears and decided I should stop that day.  I got there in the end.  Embedded in this painting are photographs of them from when they first met... right up to one that was taken on Christmas Day.  

I found these words on the Internet and loved them..

It felt right to have them revealed at the bottom of the dress... 

I also embedded a poem on there..

I Carry Your Heart

I carry your heart with me (I carry it in

my heart) I am never without it (anywhere

I go you go, my dear; and whatever is done

         by only me is your doing, my darling)                                                                                                 

I fear no fate (for you are my fate, my sweet) I want

no world (for beautiful you are my world, my true)

and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant

and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows

(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud

and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows

higher than the soul can hope or mind can hide)

and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

I carry your heart (I carry it in my heart)

E.E. Cummings

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So... the Four of Wands definitely showed we had a great celebration on Friday.. but it didn't end there.

On Saturday night, there were grand celebrations as my Great Aunt Lou was 90 years old.  Bless her, she had a chest infection and only just had the energy to get to her surprise birthday party.. but.. she loved it and we loved watching her celebrate.

On Sunday of course, it was Mother's Day here in the UK.  

I was spoilt with many chocolates from Hotel Chocolat and some rather gorgeous bracelets which are twinkly and make the magpie in my heart really happy... 
For lunch, we went to visit my Mum and were joined by my sister and her family.

Here is Mr M (right) and my sister's lovely hubby Mr B, enjoying one of their 'moments'.  These two are fondly known at the Buffet Brothers... they can work their way through a party table in NO time!

Here is Mr M, 'pretending' that the card he is giving my mum is weighed down with money...

Note to self "If he ever gets tired of his day job... he will make a fab mime artist"....

And here is my mum.. with a bird house we bought her that I decorated to personalise it.  She got lots of gifts that day.. but still maintains that it's having us all around her that is the best thing... (even if there was a lot of washing up and mess by the time we left)!

So.. all in all.. it was DEFINITELY a Four of Wands weekend.

A last word on that.... 

I celebrated inside slightly, on Saturday afternoon, as I watched my art room being used what it was meant for...

Daughter #1 and Daughter #3 busy painting and creating..
plus Toby and his wagging tail!

So...Long live Art... and Creativity...

which like the Four of Wands can help you celebrate, feel free(er) and happy.

And that, in my book.. is no bad thing.

Hope you are all have a good week.

Michelle

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Positives...

Sometimes I get a bit paranoid about my blog.  Like if I have nothing exciting to say, I should just not say anything at all.  But, if I leave my blog and allow it to gather dust, I worry that you will all think I've upped sticks and stopped bothering.  And THAT couldn't be further from the truth.

Of late, I am looking for some positivity.  I am full of pain these days (weeks, months) and have now finished all the counselling, physiotherapy and acupuncture that I was offered, when I finally got diagnosed with Fibromyalgia Syndrome. 

Unfortunately, none of it did very much good for me (although chatting to the counsellor was good and did put some things into perspective).  In an attempt to 'manage' my own illness rather than be 'managed'.. I took myself to my first ever Tai Chi session on Monday.  It was lovely, relaxing and felt good to be 'doing something proactive' with other people.  Yet all the way through it, the pain kept crunching on at my muscles and joints and afterwards when I got home, there was no time to stop so there was no rest for me until 7pm that night.

The next day, I got up.. washed my hair and then stayed in bed till 3pm.  Woo hooo.... go me! (sad face).
I am getting used to (but not wanting to get used to) this life now, of balance, doing what my body wants and giving in sometimes, in case I do actually fall down.  It sucks.  Last night, I managed to sketch for 15 minutes.. then the ever present gnarling wrist pains started their work and my neck gave up the ghost.  I went to bed, looking like a bear that was chewing a wasp.  Not pretty.

Enough of that.  I shall go back to Tai Chi next week and if I end up in bed all day on Tuesday, well.. I shall just look on the positive side and be thankful that I have a bed to lie on and am not out at work and falling asleep in a cupboard somewhere out of sight!

Positives this week:

Lying in my bed gave me time to remember to nourish my hands.  Rose hand cream is GOOD!!!!!

I know my wrists and neck gave up the ghost 15 minutes into this sketch.. but I did some drawing.. which I want to try to do regularly..

I bought a Dali style clock for my little studio space.  I love it.. and wonder how that shelf felt fully dressed, before said clocks' appearance???

I also discovered this amazing artist..

A Clamour of Rooks

By Jeremy Hush

His website is HERE

AMAZINGNESS!!!!

and last but not least.. I got the chance to watch this via a friend on Facebook.

It's a 30 minute film.  Watch it then share it.

You won't be sorry <3

Kony 2012

Let's make him famous.. stop this suffering and help heal these children.

Have a great week everyone 

Michelle

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