playschool at home

I love days like today, gray, the smell of rain on its way and warm enough to do some gardening outside and a lot of play time inside!
I've been looking forward to spending time in the garden, it's been rather neglected although still productive. So today was the day of weeding,pulling out old plants, sowing punnets of lettuce and kale, tidying up of compost heaps, laying down straw, preparing beds for garlic, snow peas and spinach. All this done before lunch!
So as a reward I went to play in the studio, I've had some ideas for new paintings plus Suzi Blu sent us a little present in our mail...a little template for us to play with over Easter...and I have a few paintings on the go that I need to work on. Here is just a little peek at Little Black Crow's adventures in play land!

Playing with my pencils, memories of colouring my golden books!

She looks a little sad, because she lost her way in the woods. The little animals are helping her to find her way back home...if only she would listen!

A close up of little bunny girl

detail of the bottom of the painting, can you hear those birds chirping?

Oh! What will I find inside when I pull this ribbon?

TDA!! This is the most awesome pencil roll in the world! Made by my friend Marita from Loopy Designs. She uses the best fabrics and has a terrific sense of colour and pattern combination's. I'm going to have to get myself another one or commission her to make me a really long one! this is going to be great for my travels in a few weeks time, (more about that later).

And here is a big peek at my wip for a painting of Helen Bonham Carter as the Queen of hearts in Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland. I saw the movie last week, what it lacked in story line it certainly made up for it visually.