We're all a bit twisted to some extent....

.... or at least we can be if we have the balloons to do it!!

Is balloon twisting art?  It must be!  Surely creating something decorative out of something

else is undeniably artistic!

So here are a couple of simple balloon creations.

 Ideal for this time of the year.... a basket of daffodils!

... and a party favourite!  Fairy wands!

I plan to work on my balloon twisting more this year because

whilst I can twist the basics, I would love to be able to create more intricate

one-off models too!

Tropical Sailing

I had intended to add something special to this picture, but when it got to this stage

I decided it was finished.  Adding anything else would have (in my opinion) pushed it over

the edge and made it just too busy.  Tropical islands are by nature quite calm and quiet, so

leaving this as is fitted with the theme much better!!  But rest assured that I will still paint the 

'something special'..... another day!!

Rose Cottage

OK, so it's not a cottage!  But it IS the gate to the garden at Rose Cottage!

Do you know why I called it Rose Cottage?

Here's a clue!

Because the gate is under a rose arch of course!!

Mini Acrylics for Mother's Day

I bought some cute little canvas and easel sets and this is what I did with them.

I was mainly playing with painting tiny one-stroke roses because acrylics are so

much more difficult to use than body paint, not only because the texture of the canvas is

unlike flesh, but also because the paint needs to be mixed onto the brush as you go along

because otherwise it dries too quickly.  Body paint can be prepared into split cakes and

used over and over by just activating it with a wet brush.  It also creates much bigger roses

rather than tiny ones like these!

Late for Valentines Day!

This was just a quick doodle for valentines day,

but I thought it would be a nice introduction into

my body art!

The picture hasn't captured the glitter very well....

.... a task for the photography lesson list!!

Wildlife Wednesday: Swan Lake

This week 'Wildlife Wednesday' features pictures taken outside.  No kitchen window snapping here!!

This first shot is one that, as an amateur, I was quite pleased with.  The ripples on the water and soft fluffy texture of the swan's neck are well detailed, though I am not sure that the lighting is quite right.

This second shot is one that I love, if only it was just of a single swan!  I'm loving my new camera!!

I know this post is titled 'Swan Lake', but I would also like to share some geese and a duck....

..... but it's ok because they are on the same lake!

Wildlife Wednesday: Take Two

I am not entirely certain what these birds are, but an extensive search of the internet leads us to believe that they may be redwing.  They are known to flock into gardens in cold weather, especially when snow has fallen.  This is certainly a more successful 'Wildlife Wednesday' than my last attempt!

I actually took the picture from the kitchen window because I suspect that if I had tried to go into the garden, they would have flown off!  I promise to brave the weather and suffer like a true photographer next time!!

Winter Weekend Wildlife

I would love to know what birds (and other wild animals) actually think about the cold, especially when their habitat is changed considerably like these birds on their partly frozen lake.

When we go home into our nice warm houses, it is easy to forget those who live outside.  How would we feel if we had no control and our homes simply turned to ice without any warning?

Maybe the answer is to raise a leg, rest our heads and sleep until the ice melts to make way for spring!!  It is coming soon isn't it?!

Snow and Ice: So Beautiful, Yet So Unwelcome!

I, for one, dread the sight of snowflakes on the weather forecast.  When snow does fall, it can look so delicate and beautiful, but it's not really that great for getting on with normal everyday life!  I have tried to capture some of the forgotten beauty in a single footprint in freshly fallen snow.

This picture was taken on Friday morning, and yet now, less than 36 hours later, the place where this footprint was photographed is now slick, sheer ice, a lethal death-trap on the driveway at the side of my house.

The beauty doesn't always end so quickly, landscapes can continue to look amazing for the duration of a cold snap.  Hills and lakes, lawns and trees, all retain some awesome beauty when viewed from a distance.  I will finish with a lake view and will return with some winter wildlife next time :-)

Wildlife Wednesday

I decided that on such a cold and icy morning as today, I should try to photograph some birds in the garden.  When I made this decision, there were a fair few hopping around on the frozen mud patch that is usually the lawn (thank you chickens!).

It is amazing how once I arrived in the garden with the camera and tripod, there were no birds to be seen, except of course those of the slightly larger variety who live there!  This is Daisy, all fluffed up to keep warm.  However, although completely free range, I don't think our feathered pets quite qualify as 'wildlife' despite being a little wild when it comes to feeding time, so I waited..... and waited.... and waited, and 20 minutes later, when my fingers were almost lumps of ice welded to the tripod, I snapped a couple of terrible pictures of shy sparrows in the bushes and returned to the warmth of the house.  Once inside, remarkably, the garden filled up with sparrows and blue tits.... how does that happen?!

Shy Sparrow - Must Try Better Next Time!!