Birds!

Some of my BBEST team members will probably know that I am very lucky to spend regular amounts of time at a place in Devon, UK, which I call my ‘bolt hole’. It is a wonderful spot where cabins nestle amongst trees along the water’s edge of an old lake that dates back to Henry VIII. Apparently at one time a convent was nearby from which the nuns used to stroll around the lake in meditation. Perhaps this is why I love the peaceful surroundings whilst sitting on the deck overlooking the water. All you can hear are the birds ranging from wrens to geese! I have a few feeders up nearby so that I can sit and observe our feather friends as they dart in and out grabbing little tidbits.

Each country has there own special birds so I won’t bore you with all that I see here. However, it does give me a wonderful opportunity to show off some of the amazing items created by the BBEST Team.

Baltimore Oriole by Sixsisters

Hummingbird on the Fly by Hemlock Hollow

Bird in the Tree Notebook by MisterPenQuin

Two Birds by VanFleetDesign

Little Birdie Fused Glass magnet by Chris1

At Rest Watercolour of a Chickadee by YankeeGirl

Owl Pendant by Chauncey

Bird Verdigris painting by JohnieBelinda

Bird in Nest by pfd Original Artworks

Birds are fascinating creatures as they fly and buzz around. Especially at this time of year when they pair up as Spring approaches and start to organise their nesting sites. Can’t wait to see the baby Moorhens following their mother down to the water and the ducklings all trying to keep up in crocodile lines. Whoever, said they were ugly???

Whilst not all of the above images depict birds from our shores they do show off the amazing talent of the BBEST Team. Thank you for allowing me to show off the creativity here.

The Feeling of Joy!

I guess there has to be a story, or rather, THE story that is foremost in peoples’ minds that gives the participants and onlookers the most amazing feeling of joy.  The story I am talking about is the successful rescue of 33 Chilean miners.  A truly remarkable feat.  The endurance of the miners having to survive below the surface for all that time as well as all the experts above ground who developed the means of rescuing the miners.  In addition the hardships encountered by the families who ‘camped’ out near the mine opening and can now pack up and go home in the wonderful warm feeling of joy that their loved ones are once again safe.

The feeling of joy can conjure up many visions; all very different depending on the circumstances of the people who are en’joy’ing!  Generally it is the feeling of real happiness about something unfolding.  The joy of watching as each miner was successfully brought to the surface; the joy of watching a newborn entering our wide world; the joy of a feeling or warmth; joy as a feeling of success surrounds us; just plain joy at experiencing some of the amazing adventures nature can throw at us.  The list simply goes on and is so diverse for each one of us.

Now…. I can feel immense joy and pride when I look through the items the BBEST team have produced.  This team doesn’t need to be told how talented they are, each and everyone of them!  Check out some of these diverse items which I hope will bring joy to the creator as well as the viewer.

 

Flight original watercolour goose by Yankeegirl

Sketchbook Journal by Paper Patches

Wild flowers by PFD Original Artworks

Handmade refillable notebook cover by Circle in the Sand

Yellow brown eyed Susan by Zudagay

Hibiscus by Sixsisters

Carnival tonight by Heron Kate

Black glass fused pendant by Chris1

Genuine pearl earrings by Bridal Jewelry

Flying Witch fused glass pendant by Chauncey

I do hope the selection I have included here will bring you joy!  What sort of things/items bring you joy?

Falling into Autumn – as Keat’s the poet wrote in ‘To Autumn’

‘Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness,

Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun;

Conspiring with him how to load and bless

With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eves run;

To bend with apples the moss’d cottage-trees,

And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core.’

Although sometimes a melancholy befalls some at this time of year when they see the passing of the summer season of brightness fade into the possibility of chill winds of winter looming on the horizon, for others they see this season as the most colourful, exciting, abundant and vivid time of the year!
Personally, I find this the most amazing time of year.  The colours take your breath away and the abundance of the harvest promises tasty dishes for the long winter months ahead.  Gone are the days when we wish it could be a little cooler.  Now is the time to go for all those long lingering walks to discover nature’s palette, pick fruit off the hedgerows and see how the colours change in the light which in itself changes by the season.
Autumn is the time of year when nature offers us all her fruitful gifts to which we give thanks.
Whilst I lived in the Middle and Far East this is what I missed so much.  The changing of the seasons, the renewed hope to look forward to the next adventure.
Talking of adventures and walks I decided to look for autumnal subjects/items for sale within the BBEST group.  The wealth of talent available along with the choices offered leaves me speechless!  Take a look at some of the examples I found:
Butterscotch Flower Earrings by ZudaGay

Bring the warmth of this colour to match your autumn wardrobe.
Autumn Leaf Original Photograph by BethPeardonProds

‘This leaf looked lonely but also reminded me that fall is here'.’
Caramel Apple Candle by Aromafields

Apples are always associated with this time of year and these would be scrumptious, if they were to be eaten!
Maple Leaf Magnet by Chris1

A pretty reminder of autumn to have on your fridge to keep those important notes handy!
Autumn Leaves Mandala – window cling sun catcher by ClingingImages

Typical colours to glow in the sunlight and spread the warmth of autumn.
Pumpkin Patch Original by Pfd Original Artworks

What a wonderful example of the abundance of the autumn harvest!
Indian Corn Matchbook Notepads by Circle in the Sand

Such a handy item to remind us of harvests.
Bunches of Sunshine by Yankee Girl

Some of my favourite flowers that follow the sun as it moves through the day.
Jumbo Perle Medium with fall colours by Sassalynne

A true reflection of the variety of warm autumnal colours.
After the Harvest by HeronKate

There is nothing quite like a freshly harvested field with the promise of an abundance of crops to take us through the next season.
Autumn Rose felted coasters by J N Originals

Autumn being a wonderful time for long walks, the temperature cools down once the sun hides behind the watery clouds and it is time to settle down indoors with a welcome warm drink.  These coasters make it all seem so much more cosy, don’t they?
Well, my BBESTer friends, what do you think?  Above is a selection of inspired items in the autumn/fall theme.  All catching the warmth of the glow of the diminishing sunshine but still giving us a wonderful sense of wonder at how clever nature really is!

The Art of Retiring!

With my tongue in my cheek I thought of our illustrious leader, Nonnie who is due to retire in the next couple of weeks.  This is always a huge, sometimes scary, decision to take.  It is always something in the distant future and then! Here it is!  Many of us in the BBEST team have reached, or are reaching, retirement age.  Or rather, the next stage in our lives – sounds better!  Gone are the days when the slippers came out, you sat down and that was that.

I once read these words and they rang so true.

“Some of us need a challenge, something to keep us excited about life. Too many still need money. Many need both.

Well, it turns out that we never retire for good... not until we expire for good!"

Those words could be used to describe so many of us, including myself!  Although I have ‘retired’ from a life when I used to get up and go to the office with all the stress that could be thrown at me, I do find myself busier than ever!  Not one to sit still, I recently started a very (thankfully!) successful business venture with my daughter.  My husband is running his own show in the line of business that he is in.  In between, I try to create wax paintings when I can.  Both of us can’t see ourselves ever retiring.  I guess the joy of being able to do, afford to do something that is dear to our hearts, keeps us motivated and just plain gives us the incentive to get up to another glorious day. To me, that is what it is all about.

So, I would like to dedicate this post to Nonnie.  Nonnie, I am sure you will love your ‘retirement’ and become so busy doing all the things YOU want to do that you will wonder how on earth you had the time to go to work!

We in the BBEST team are such a talented crowd not only creating the most amazing artifacts whilst still working but also when we have retired from busy walks of life.

Here are a few examples showing the diversity of this team I feel so honoured to count amongst my friends.

You might be retired but that all important tool called a laptop is still needing our attention!  What a pretty cover this makes.

Laptop sleeve by  Stitches by Julie

Now you don’t have to get up so early you might be able to enjoy sights like this one.

Moonlight at the Beach by HeronKate

Or find the time to spend more on your garden or attending to your flower displays?

All the Flowers in a Row by  Yankee Girl

Going out and need that extra splash to go with your outfit?

Opal and Solid Gold Wire Pendant by  Anna’s Jewelry

Even at this stage there could be times when you can’t see the wood for the trees (is that right?).

Forest through the Trees by Mystic Silks

Imagine what you could do with these threads!  Let the imagination flow.

Pearl  fine yarn by Sassa Lynne

Last, but by no means least, I have to include this amazingly beautiful stained glass panel by Nonnie.  If this is what retirement might mean, go for it and all our BBEST wishes!

Stained Glass Panel by  Stained Glass by Nonnie

You’re late, you’re late!

Have you ever been so busy or wrapped up in what you are doing only to discover that something you were supposed to do….. got forgotten about until it was too late?  These days I always feel as if I am like the white rabbit in Alice in Wonderland’s tale, ‘you’re late, you’re late!’

I have no excuse other than it has been pretty hectic in our household lately.

So, I have to choose a theme to make amends!

How about………..

I know!  I shall choose items which are in my favourite colour!

Sterling Wire Wrap by  Kittyd

Cottage Lilacs by Yankee Girl

Multicolour Silk Scarf by AltheaP

  Tomorrow is Promised to No One by Heronkate

Little Girl’s Purple Flower Hat by Stitches by Julie

Crochet Scarflette and Hat by JNOriginals

Polymer Clay Flower by  Clay Center

Vintage Grandma’s Garden Trivet by Attack of the Vintage

Wild Flowers by PDF Original Artworks

Purple Imagination by Onawhimsey

Well, what about those items which all have the common theme of purple?  Yes, I know, I have been even more cheeky than normal by including one of On a Whimsey’s paintings but… it is purple, isn’t it?

If these items are not enough ‘purple’ for you, or too much ‘purple’ why not take a minute to browse through the BBEST Team’s amazing pool of talent?  Last time I looked there were over 5,000 items!!!!

Thanks for looking and I promise to do better next time!

Teaching what you know

  If you be a lover of instruction, you will be well instructed.
       —Isocrates+

When I insisted on attending art school instead of a traditional university, my mother balked.  She kept insisting that I at least study teaching art, so I’d have something to “fall back on.”  However well intentioned and practical her advice was, I determined never to be a teacher.  So — how odd to find myself teaching now that I’m in my 50s and have much less patience than when I was younger.  I tend to be less than organized, to be polite about it, and often can’t see the forest for the trees, but I’m learning.  It never dawned on me that a grown person wouldn’t know you had to rinse your brush periodically, until a student asked me why her entire painting was brown. 

Instruction does not prevent waste of time or mistakes; and mistakes themselves are often the best teachers of all.
         — James Anthony Froude

I thought it was lip service when I heard teachers say they learned as much from their students as the students learned from them.  It’s true!  Preparing lessons forces one to really think through their process, and watching others come up with solutions for their ideas can lead you in all kinds of new directions.  Creating ways to teach what you do in a limited time frame is also a great exercise. I’ve been silk painting for over 20 years and was stumped when Jerry’s Artarama asked me to teach a two-hour class.  After wandering around the store with my hands in my pockets for a while, I came up with a short project idea that would whet students’ appetites.  It came off quite well and each student’s project was completely different from mine or anyone else’s. 

Sharing knowledge does not diminish one’s talent.
— Me

Which leads me to a point often brought up by artists and crafters:  why teach someone else to do the thing you’re trying to make your living at?  Aren’t they just out to steal your ideas?  Am I shooting myself in the foot by sharing my ideas?  No, no and no!  Teaching a person to read doesn’t mean they can write your story, does it?  Teaching someone a skill can often make them appreciate more fully what goes into the making of your art.  Altruism pays!          

+Isocrates the orator, not Socrates the philosopher, in case you were worried about that.

Instead of rain, think Sunshine!

I believe we have all endured a long, cold winter this season. The tail end seems to be very wet in many areas with above average rainfall. So, I decided to try and look on the bright side (please excuse the pun!) and think ‘Sunshine’. Yes, I have glimpsed the odd ray of sunshine drifting down and what a difference it makes to the world! Not only does the world look good but it puts a smile on peoples faces and just puts a more positive emphasis on our day to day lives.

So, with that in mind… think positive, think sunshine!

You are my sunshine by Attack of the Vintage

The perfect little gift for the one you love!

Sunshine and Shadows by Big Island Rose Designs

The subject was shadow but Rose couldn't do just shadow so along came the sun and there you have it - Sunshine and Shadows!

Yellow Sunshine Yarn by Sassa LynneRain

This collection is Yellow! Beautiful Sunshine, Butter, Daffodil - just Yellow, with the faintest hint of the odd spot of Cream.

Rainbows and Sunshine by Bags and More by Pam

This sunshine and rainbows inspired sweater will be adorable on your small four-footed friend!

A Little Bit of Sunshine by Yankeegirl

An original watercolor painting of a single sunflower.

Sunset by Colours and Textures

This is an original watercolour of a sunset and was inspired by visits to the English coast particularly Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly

Dragon Folding Sun Hat by AltheaP

This is such a great idea! Comfortable woven cotton sunhat folds into its own zippered pouch, tucks into a pocket, purse, or backpack. Keep one in the car and you'll always be ready!

Sunbird by Sixsisters

This was so much fun to do! Joan drew and hand cut the bird. Then the flower after which some thread was added to the flower.

Sun on the River by Heron Kate

Original painting on gallery wrapped canvas, 12 x 12 inches square.

Don’t just sit there! Go on! Check out more exciting items from such a talented group of people who make up the BBEST TEAM!