About that bunny #682

Daily painting #682 8"x8" ink and acrylic on primed panel 

A happy (belated) Easter to you and your family! 

We have had a wonderful weekend of family, delicious food and time to reflect and relax. I hope you haven't indulged in too many of those chocolate bunnies? We have been sugar free since October last year (yip no sugar whatsoever consumed in our house) but the guilty Mom got the better of me this weekend and I gave in to the rows of shiny, indulgent Easter treats (such commercial brain washing) that line every corner of our supermarkets at this time of year! What is Easter without Easter eggs right? I have a number of delicious recipes for yummy sugar-free Easter treats, but hadn't got around to making them so I bought an Easter egg for everyone in the family. My husband usually eats the children's chocolates which results in tears and so he has always received his own stash of the sugary sweet stuff at Easter to a avoid family wars! They were delighted to find that the Easter bunny hadn't avoided this sugar-free household after all, however a few bites into the soft, light brown, sickly sweet chocolates (we occasionally eat 85%/90% dark chocolate which tastes sweet because our taste buds have adjusted), I noticed the delight start to slip away with each slowing mouthful....

Hah!! Who would have thought? They actually started to feel sick from the sweetness and the one little Easter egg they were given was abandoned half eaten or offered to me in an attempt to get rid of it! Yes! My family have really adjusted their taste buds and I thought when we first started this sugar free journey that much of what I read about sugar addiction couldn't possibly be true. I never thought I would see the day anyone in my family felt sick after 2/3 bites of chocolate! 

Well don't feel sorry for us...we enjoyed a weekend of delicious treats and I felt motivated to not only continue on our sugar free journey but to also ensure we had delicious Easter treats that were good for us too! Below is a picture I took of our Easter Sunday lunch dessert (before it was finished) ...doesn't it look delicious ? Eating sugar free doesn't have to be boring and if you are thinking of changing your lifestyle ....do it today...you won't regret the effort it takes! And come next Easter you will save a whole lot of money on not buying those chocolate bunnies!

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Red bud #681

Daily painting #681 6"x6" ink and acrylic on primed panel 

We have been away camping in the Drakensberg mountains. We took no electronics with us other than a phone in case of emergency and so it was a fabulous time to unplug, disconnect and recharge. Being in the mountains has a way of helping you do that...fresh air, beautiful scenery, birds, trees, camp fires, family time.....aaaahhhh....I could go back today! But I was equally delighted to arrive home to my chaotic, messy happy place...my studio. I had left a little red rose bud in a small vase on my desk. To my delight it had started to dry out retaining the beautiful little bud shape and it had kept the rich deep crimson red tones. I have shared an image of the progress of the little painting....

It's fabulous to be on holiday but equally delightful to be back!

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After the storm #680

Daily painting #680 5"x7" oil on primed canvas 

Last night we experienced the mother of all storms!!! This morning we are waking to the news of flooded homes and swimming pools, collapsed walls, trees down and a friend's house (she lives more north) was struck by lightening! Thank goodness our home is fine and we experienced no water damage but all this in the midst of one of the most severe draughts we have had in ages. It literally never rains but pours! It is beautiful however to wake up to the smell of wet grass and the sight of rain clouds still hovering above and while I hope we have not seen the last of the rain, I am having a giggle. The Shedlocks are going camping...that must be why we are having rain! While I grew up camping and love it, it is not my husband's favourite way to holiday but I am dragging them off to the beautiful Drakensberg mountains camping, regardless. Can you imagine if we have rain for days? While it will be wonderful for our draught stricken province, my husband on the other hand will not be a happy camper!

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Roses for Easter #679

Daily painting #679 8"x8" oil on primed canvas panel

This is my last week of painting classes before the Easter break. One of my students (yes it's Kate if you read my last rose post)  gave me these two beautiful roses for me to enjoy over the Easter break! I wish I could share with you the beautiful scent in my studio! The perfume is gorgeous, if only I could bottle it up! We have given up sugar in this house (all forms of sugar) so being gifted heady scented roses for Easter as opposed to chocolate bunnies and eggs does it for me...and they are  definitely around for longer than those bunnies and eggs would have lasted in this house in the past!

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Opening tulip #678

Daily painting #678 8"x8" oil on primed canvas panel

I don't often buy tulips although I do love them (not many flowers I don't love). I definitely don't normally paint them either as I find the closed shapes quite boring to paint so I have been waiting patiently for these tulips to open up so that the form of the folding, shapely petals is more interesting.  Clearly I am not a very patient girl! I couldn't resist painting the way the light was catching this one this morning in my dark gloomy studio. 

Only one more week of school and painting classes and then it's Easter break. We are heading off camping in the Drakensberg mountains and I can't wait! 

Have a good week...

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Kate's rose #677

Daily painting #677 5"x5" oil on primed canvas panel

I have known Kate for a long time. Our children were at Pre-primary school together. At the start of the year, Kate joined one of my painting classes. She has recently planted a rose garden at home and every week when she comes to class she brings me another beautiful rose from her garden. I love roses cut from a garden, they are always more beautiful than store bought roses in both their shape and perfume. So receiving a different beautiful perfumed rose each week to put in my studio to photograph and draw/paint from has been such a treat. Kate I am so very grateful for your kindness...thank you for sharing your roses! 

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Birthday candles #676

Daily painting #676 5"x5" oil on primed canvas panel

Sorry I haven't been around much lately but I am working on a really exciting project which I hope to share with you soon! My time in my studio has been spent doing a lot of research and working in sketchbooks and at my computer. It's been a nice change of pace although I have had the occasional day when my paint and brushes seem to be tormenting me from the corner of my studio...willing me to walk away from the computer and just paint. As an artist one must spend time marketing ones work and researching new ideas. I call this time away from my easel...'a refueling the tank' phase and it's been good for me....

But today I couldn't not start my day in the studio without marking this special day! I have many friends, a sister in law and a husband who all celebrate their birthdays today! My little daily paintings become records of my daily journey and so today I paint candles....in honour of all the special people who I want to sing "Happy birthday" to! You can be thankful I painted and didn't actually sing...

So happy birthday....especially to my darling husband! Andrew you are the rock that anchors and the glue that holds together our little family. We love you more than words can describe and are so very blessed to be able to call you husband and Dad! 

Tons of birthday love and wishes special friends and family....

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