The Mystery of my Missing Mojo...

Sometimes it's easier for me to draw how I'm feeling...

...than it is for me to explain it in words.

Yes my friends, I have lost my Mojo and it is nowhere to be found. 
I think that maybe January stole it!

And it seems that along with my Mojo, my ability to paint has gone with it. This is a problem, because painting is usually the very thing that makes me feel better when I'm feeling less than my usual self.


Anyway -  on a positive note, before my Mojo went missing, I was chuffed to have been featured on two Artists sites just recently :0)

The first is the lovely watercolour Artist, Heather Torres.
Heather, like me, is a working Mother who squeezes as much painting time in to her busy life as she possibly can. 
Unlike me, she comes from sunny Florida - which seems a very long way from where I am sitting, in the cold, wet UK!

Heathers questions were fun to answer and if you'd like to read it, or visit her blog, just click here :0)

The second fellow Artist who also featured me on his site as part of his 'Artist Showcase' section, is John W Johnston...

John - a fellow Brit - began following me since almost the beginning and likewise I have also thoroughly enjoyed following his own blog.
He also has a website which is entirely separate from his blog and it's aimed at encouraging beginners to paint and draw. It's a wonderful site and definitely worth a visit :0)

If you'd like to see this feature, just click here or on the image above.

I hope you enjoyed them!

Until then, if anyone finds my Mojo, please let me know.
I'm entirely lost without it!

;0)

'Thread Bear'

"I am but 100 years old", said one bear to the other.

"Really? My word!" replied other bear to one. "Hold still bear... we really must measure ones body in that hole".

'Thread Bear' "20 x 24" Oil on Canvas Board

 ...The thing about being a bear - is that no matter how old one gets, one simply becomes even more marvellous!

And now I am seeking out some new treasures for bear number 7!

And while we're on the subject of bears, the new owners of 'Sherlock' kindly sent me this photograph.
Here he is, framed and hanging on their wall.

I was so thrilled to receive it! I think he looks just gorgeous :0)

So, what's on your easel right now?

Sketching with Watercolour...

Don't worry - this is not the latest bear painting I've been promising you!

A few weeks ago, my upside-down Australian friend, Sheila Tracey Fletcher-King, was kind enough to send me some paper to try, after I asked her what her secret is for creating such gorgeous paintings.

Anyway, I finally got around to trying it out a couple of days ago and painted this little ten minute  watercolour sketch...

I just love the freedom of sketching - and quite frankly, I thought you might all quite like a break from glasses and oils!

The paper is called 'Draw and Wash' and it is perfect! It's completely smooth and yet doesn't buckle at all when wet.

And I had forgotten how much fun watercolours can be - so I've no doubt that there will be more to come over the next few months :0)

I hope you enjoyed something a little different today! :0)

'Hot Voddy'

It's that time of year when SO many people are coughing and sneezing all over the place.
Everything from the Common Cold, to Man Flu and now an outbreak of the Norovirus!

So far, we have managed to escape this soup of winter germs - Oo-er, I hope I haven't jinxed it!

Anyway, one remedy for cold and flu symptoms is of course the 'Hot Toddy' - a mixture of Whisky, honey and lemon. 
I'm not a Whisky drinker, but I have had a Hot Toddy a few times before when I've had a cold and it definitely helps!

Okay, so this painting is clearly not a Hot Toddy, but it is a Vodka cocktail with a chilli garnish. So what better name for it than a 'Hot Voddy'? as cleverly thought up by moi ;0)

So, would I drink it? ...Um, no!!  

Well, would you??

Ready to hang at the local pub

I've got another plain glass painting coming up, but then I'm intending to do some more like this, with some colourful garnishes.
Oh yes - and of course the new bear is ready to post as soon as I have a good photo - so watch this space! :0)

Anyway, enough about me - how about you? What are you painting right now?

Hendrick's Gin, with a splash of paint...

Yoo-hoo, I'm ba-aack! :0)

My break from the computer went on for slightly longer than I'd planned, but I am SO happy to be back in the land of Blog!

I'm kicking off 2013 with my Hendricks Gin painting, which I did at the start of the holidays...

© Sandra Busby

10" x 12" Acrylic on Canvas

 Detail

I also took the latest bear off the back burner and began working on it again :0)

It's never a good idea for me to leave a painting for too long, because I begin to lose the 'feel' of it -
so I picked it up again before that happened and now it's finally complete! Yay!

Now I am pondering on ideas for bear number seven in the series. Hmmm....?

Anyway, after enjoying the two week break from work over Christmas, it's time to finally come down to earth. Back to work for me - humph! 

I am really going to miss the extra time I was able to spend on my art whilst I didn't have to work and do the school run. I'm actually heart-broken it's over!
So, aside from setting myself some goals for this year, I am also going to write myself a time management schedule to make sure I can successfully juggle working, cleaning, laundry, shopping, cooking and time with the family, but still find the time I need to work on my art. 

Hmm.. This isn't going to be easy...
...But I WILL do it :0) 

If anyone has any tips on time management, I'd love to hear them :0)

So, happy New-Year everyone! Let's hope it is a successful and creative one for all  :0)