Purrr

Twin Peaks series. #2: Audrey

This little lady was really awkward...unsurprisingly, seeing as this scene is from the beginning of series 1, when she was extra, extra naughty!!

 
"Audrey" acrylic on canvas (9" x 7" or 23cm x 18cm)

 It's strange how the ease of the painting is seeming to reflect their personalities so far... Laura was very, very good - she behaved perfectly, but it took a long time to get the shading right - one side just kept on getting darker and darker and darker...

I was originally planning on only doing up to five of these, but the muse is giving me too many ideas and I'm finding it too exciting!

I only have one canvas left in this size! Will have to restock over the weekend ;)

Til next time

xxx

Edwina, Laura and Millicent

They're finished - three new London ladies, framed and ready to hang. Hope you like!

 
"London, 1953 - Edwina Giggles..." Original ACEO painting on vintage book page, in hand-painted frame.

 

"London, 1953 -  Laura Dons Her Favourite Evening dress"

 

 
"London, 1953 - Millicent Does A Little Jive"

 

They will be in the shop update tomorrow!

Thanks so much for peeking!

Dinner time!

xxx

Three Misses

AH I've been meaning to blog for a few days, but things have got on top of be a bit recently! I finshed three moreLondon socialite ladies last Friday morning!

 
"London, 1934 - Miss Fortescuse Looks Forward To The Show - Apollo Victoria Theatre" Original ACEO painting on vintage Agatha Christie book page.

 
I love her hair!

 
"London, 1942 - Miss Epsom-Green Simply Loves These Soirees!" Original ACEO painting on vintage Agatha Christie book page.

 

 
"London, 1929 - Miss Dove Loves The Jazz; Hates The Politics" Original ACEO painting on vintage Agatha Christie book page.

Prints of these will be in the shop in a couple of days!

xxx

Who won???

Oooh you sent in so many amazing entries and I have been introduced to some fantastic new music - thank you!

You know what? I realised I didn not have a suitable hat out of which to pick the winners. What a heathen! So...I used this lovely bag instead:

 
...in they go..

 
...shake it all about...

 
...and runner ups are:

 Len - Metallica Metallica (that one had to go in the top ten - I have many teenage memories of moshing to "Enter Sandman" and then harmonising to "Nothing Else Matters" - or trying to...)

and

Rebecca - Brassed Off OST by the Grimethorpe Colliery Band. I have a bit of a soft spot for this, too, as my grandad was in Mirfield Baptist Band (although he was a Catholic - shhhh!)

and...the winner is....ta daaaa...

 
The lovely GEMMA!

How could I not have listened properly to this album before?

If you haven't listened to it, do! It's

Fyfe Dangerfield's "Fly Yellow Moon"

 

Thank you everyone so much for joining in and introducing me to some wonderous sounds. I'm planning another giveaway in another four to six weeks or so - maybe for Easter?

 I'm now going to attempt to pop a video here for your Friday-audio-delectation ;)

 

I had better make us some din dins, then at 9pm (GMT) I'll be listing the newbies in the shop!

Have a lovely Friday eve, whatever you may be doing!

xxx

Femme Fatale Competition Time!

Finally, here it is! The first ever Purrr competition!

The winner will recieve a set of all nine Femme Fatale prints, PLUS a 5" x 7" print of whatever Purrr image you like!

 
 
 

Two runners up will recieve two Femme Fatale ACEO prints of their choice :)

I've been a bit low on musical inspiration recently, so...

All you have to do is tell me what your favourite album to listen to during the wee hours of the night! What sounds do you like while you while away the darkness? Warm and comforting? Dark and deadly? Sweet and melodic? Toe-tapping fun? Soft and haunting?

I will have a listen and choose my favourite ten, then draw the top three answers out of a hat. Does that sound fair?

To enter, you can either send a message right here,

or Tweet me

or convo me at my Etsy shop

Competition ends midnight GMT on Thursday 17th March 2011. You have two weeks!

Looking forward to hearing from you! Good luck!

Oh and don't forget to pop back later when I'll be listing three new springtime ACEO originals!

xxx

Ah Beirut...and home...

 I must give tribute to one of my favourite bands of all time!

BEIRUT!  >>>PEEK AT THEIR WONDERFUL WEBSITE HERE<<<

I'm listening to The Gulag Orchestra as we speak (type-read, whatever you happen to be enjoying...). I imagine carnivals through late eighteenth century European city streets, marching knees, big drums, harlequins, dancing tight-rope walking ladies, black umbrellas..something dark and hidden, an atmosphere of something slightly overripe and grotesque, but utterly beautiful in its own way. Ahh. I LOVE them!

This is what I've been doing today:

 
She is a tiny likeness of a lady. She won't be for sale in the shop, as she is a comission, but fret not - I have a few more originals on the way and oh so glamorous they are, too! I can't wait to finish them and show you! Oh my neck! SO here I am, taking a break to write to you.

Half an hour before school pick-up!

Here's my little sleepy beepy:

 
Oh that photo makes me sleepy!

xxx

 

Jeanie, Vivienne and Marcella

I have a thing at the moment about dancing in the Jardins du Luxembourg in a big ball gown. Hence these ladies:

"Paris 1955 - Jeanie Catches A Scent Of Jasmine On The Breeze - Jardin du Luxembourg, St Germain" (ACEO - 2.5" x 3.5") Painting on vintage book page.

"Paris 1956 -Vivienne Pauses To Enjoy The Breeze in the Jardin du Luxembourg, St Germain"  (ACEO 2.5" x 3.5") Painting on vintage book page.

...the thought of which reminds me of the time I first heard this song, surprisingly from Backbeat (although when you see the movie and hear the tune in context, it makes perfect sense). Anyway, for the moment, forget the Backbeat connection.

Instead,  close your eyes and imagine being in the grounds of a huge Estate. You are alone. It's a warm, balmy summer night, way after midnight and you are wearing a huge, white crinoline dress. No shoes. The grass is lush and cool under your feet, between your toes. You are on the edge of  a small woodland. This music floats towards you from the great stone house, as if travelling on the light streaming from the party inside. Glasses clink. You close your eyes and dance.

Ah the dreaming. That one has stuck with me for a long time...can it be 15 years? I like the idea that Jeanie and Vivienne might be in the same gardens at the same time, experiencing the same breeze, yet can't see and don't know of one-anothers' existence.

I mustn't forget a rather more business-like lady. Meet Marcella:

 
" Paris, 1957 - Marcella Feels Anonymous In The City, Rue de Rennes, Saint Germaine" (ACEO 2.5" x 3.5")  Painting on vintage book page.

Is it good to be anonymous, or not...?

xxx

Newbies and prints (finally)!!!

This girlie came to me when I misherd some song lyrics - always a good way of coming up with new image ideas. I should probably partially block my ears up to get more inspiration...

"The Ribbon Thief" acrylic on canvas (4" x 4" x 0.75")

She's in the shop!  Already sold, but there's a gorgeous print up there now, too!

Also, this little girl in her little home. Inspiration - National Geographic Magazine, June 2010 on Greenland.

"The Cabin" acrylics on canvas (10" x 8")

In one of my proposed worlds, I would dearly love to be able to wander outside and feed my geese.

Also, a few new prints abound:

"Daphne"

 "Frog Prince"

And an ACEO print:

"Pixie Hollow"

Thanks for looking. Pop by anytime to see what new pretties we have in store :)

xxx

Maria, reworked, and an evening of magic

Remember Maria? Well, she's had a bit of work done, too. I've been working really hard on honing my technique and I'm thinking it may finally be paying off. Here she is:

Maria (acrylic on canvas) 7" x 9.5" x 0.75"

 

She be here.

 

We had a blast of a Saturday night out at the Rivoli Ballroom! 

The girls, havin a proper boogie!

Simply divine...

WANT. THAT. CHANDELIER.

 

Of course, I completely neglected to take photos of myself. Silly silly silly! Oh well, we'll have to do it next time instead!

 

Hope your weekend treated you well

xxx
 
 
 

The Folks Who Live On The Hill

It's one of those songs which I have known all my life, mainly from listening to BBC Radio 2 with my mummy. Of course, Peggy Lee's  is the only REAL version in my opinion. However, having just said that, I am getting pangs of guilt about not mentioning the Bing Crosby one...

"The Folks Who Live On The Hill" - acrylic on canvas (6" x 8")

 

Find your lovely new home in the shop!

 

It's snowing like crazy here and has been all day. I expect thats why I haven't put the heating on all day - because we're so well insulated by the 6" layer over us...or maybe it's my thermal vest, two jumpers, tights, leggings and long skirt...

 

 

Happy Wednesday 6th to you

xxx