Beach walks #611

Daily painting #611 5"x7" oil on primed canvas panel

Anyone who has ever been to Durban (where I live on the East Coast of South Africa), will recognize the iconic Umhlanga Beach lighthouse. I have been trying to build up some strength in my ankle and loose the slight limp which is starting to play havoc on my hip and lower back. Yes I sound like I am way past retirement age rather than in my 40's but it is amazing how an injury can take so long to heal! I am frustrated to say the least! (I fell down a flight of stairs in April and broke my ankle) So I have been taking long walks along our beautiful Umhlanga Beach promenade to try build up a little strength and this week my daughter has been able to join me. She is already on school holiday and having time to walk along the beach, chatting, inhaling the warm sea breeze and the beautiful morning is a good dose of soul food!

I can't think of a better way to start the day.....

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Celebrations of life #610

Daily painting #610 5"x7" oil on primed canvas panel

Last week I celebrated my birthday and my home is still full of beautiful flowers given to me by family and friends in celebration of my birthday. This weekend I received an early morning call to tell me my Granny had passed away in the early hours of the morning. So this week we will be celebrating her life. Two lots of celebrations of life...one a birthday and one a death. That sounds quite morbid but it is not my intention to be so. Granny Coutts died at the age of 98, a wonderful age and a full life indeed! She was a feisty lady who took no trouble and had a wicked sense of humour. I probably owe much of my own strength of character to her and my Mum, although she was my paternal grandmother. So RIP Granny Coutts and I bet you are sorting everyone out and giving them a run for their money up in heaven....'till we meet again....with love your Poppet x

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A selection of little paintings for the post!

A selection of 6"x6" and 6"x8" little paintings

These 4 little paintings are packed and ready for their journey in the post to the UK. They are a selection of holiday memories and hopefully will be a beautiful reminder of special times!

I have had a lot of little commissioned paintings to complete....all destined for the post...and heading in different directions around the world! How exciting! I took a week or so off of daily painting to get them all completed and the trip to the post office is going to be a big one! I always feel like a mother hen sending her chicks off into the pasture when those little envelopes holding little paintings get handed over the post office counter. I always say a little silent prayer that they have safe journeys to their new homes! I once told my children this and they screamed with laughter. What am I going to be like when my own children really do leave home....a wreck I am sure!

So off to the post office on Monday morning with my little treasures destined for their journeys to far off places. Hopefully some happy people will be receiving their paintings in the post and hopefully now I can resume a little bit of daily painting! 

Watch this space....

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A little East Coast sunshine #609

Daily painting #609 4"x4" oil on primed canvas panel 

An early morning start this morning with this little 4"x4" record of a beautiful East Coast morning! Spring is in full swing and Summer is definitely on the way. It is getting light early and the mornings are golden and warm. What a soulful way to start a Monday! Have a good one .....

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Friday protea #608

Daily painting #608 6" x8" oil on primed canvas panel

For those of you who may be new to Paintings in the post and not necessarily from South Africa, I live  in a coastal city called Durban on the East Coast of South Africa. Durban has just been named as the host city for the Common Wealth games in 7 years time which is very exciting and this will hopefully bring many people to experience our beautiful city! The protea is our South African national flower and there are thousands of different varieties of this beautiful flower. I never tire of painting them.....as many of you already know!  

So a little protea for a rather unusually chilly, gloomy day here in Durban...hope you all have a fabulous weekend!

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Strawberries and cream #607

Daily painting #607 5"x7" oil on primed canvas panel 

On the weekend it was my Mum's birthday and I made a delicious strawberries and cream cake to celebrate. I used store bought strawberries to decorate the cake and came across this strawberry with an unusually long stem, not often found in a container of store bought fruit. I put it aside to paint...of course....as one would do! I had to rescue it a couple of times from the thieving fingers of children who believe strawberries are to eat rather than paint! As fast as the strawberries were going onto the cake, they were also disappearing into the mouths of my children (definitely not me) so thank goodness I bought way more than I thought I would need!

The cake was made with a simple Victoria sponge recipe from Mary Berry's 'Baking Bible'. I then layered it with fresh whipped cream and strawberries....yum! I placed a very thin layer of strawberry jam (preserve) to seal the cake so that the cream and strawberries did not make the cake soggy.

Victoria Sponge cake

• 225g softened butter
• 225g caster sugar
• 225g self-raising flour
• 4 large eggs
• 2 level tsp baking powder

Pre-heat oven to 180C/Fan 160C. Grease 2 sandwich tins and line base with baking parchment.

Place all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and beat until thoroughly blended. Divide equally between the 2 tins and level mixture out.

Bake for about 25 minutes then cool in the tins for a few minutes on a wire rack then turn out, remove baking parchment and cool completely before layering with strawberries and cream.

I use this simple sponge cake for a variety of different things so thought I would share it with you....and you can get creative! I would love to hear your ideas for glamming up the simple sponge cake!

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