My first single!

Forget Slade, Wizzard and Shakey - we have a new Christmas song to warm your cockles this winter.

Written by yours truly for my lovely customer - Rackspace, it is a cheesy little number designed to spread a little cheer. Will it be a bigger YouTube sensation than Gangnam Style? Probably not, but we can but hope!

Have a watch and let me know what you think - but remember - you have been given the cheese warning!

Christmas traditions

There are some Christmas traditions we could all do without... Like the best pantomime villain, I have had an evil cold waiting in the wings for a few days now. It was lurking there hoping to make an entrance stage left, but I positioned a chorus line of fruit and veg mixed in with a couple of early Knights to keep him at bay.

Regrettably though, the Knights let their attention wander (such dreamers!) and the villain sneaked up behind them - he would have his stage time. So he's here now... hanging about in my nasal passages causing discomfort in my sinuses... Oh yes he is...

I am hoping that I'll still be able to make the Christmas Ball. The Good Fairy Sudafed is helping, though she has been unable to tackle the build up of housework...

This is quite an insane post.... perhaps I'd best find another early Knight (a more reliable one this time...)

Emporium

We have a beautiful shop in the countryside near us. It is so fancy that it isn't actually called what it is - ie a Garden Centre. Road signs instead direct you to the 'Emporium'. Everything is tasteful (read expensive) and tasty (in the deli and restaurant). At this time of year they even have an ice rink!

Ice skating isn't like riding a bike. If you don't attempt it for 20 years then you do actually forget... Or, is the ice just much slippier? I stepped gracefully onto the rink ready to swish across in an elegant fashion... Then, I gripped the side barrier in fear. What was happening to my legs? They were running away from me in opposite directions.... A few turns around the ice later and I finally plucked up the courage to let go and eventually managed some semblance of 'skating' but it wasn't pretty... and it hurt. My muscles were so tense that every slide and slip sent screams of protest through my body.

Small boy got himself a blister and that was all the excuse I needed to get the implements of torture off my legs and sidle into the cafe for a restoring cuppa.

Maybe I shouldn't leave it so long next time!

The whole point of this post was to share this photograph of wooden snowflakes from the emporium's wares. I played with some textures from Kim Klassen and a few filters. Lovely Kim is giving away free textures in the run up to Christmas. I'm using 'more magic' for the words and 'ugg love' for the crackle.

Christmas lights

Christmas tree lights, Covent Garden

I always love a trip to London - the City, my former home, that helps to recharge my soul batteries. I soak up a spot of history, quench my inspirational thirst and revel in nostalgia for a well-spent youth. I always take away something special from a tramp of these streets, negotiating public transport and dodging tourists. I feel good.... grounded.... back on home turf.

London just oozes with history and creativity - with evidence on almost every corner. I could't help but smile with delight when I happened upon a blue plaque informing me that I was standing before the very place where Rosetti, Millais and Hunt formed the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, then later spotted this one of another of my heros. (I was also thrilled by finding this picture on the wiki page I linked to on blue plaques - serendipity indeed!). This was once my City too where magic happens and I feel forever a part of it.

I was in London for a party last night, but there was plenty of time for some shopping and exploration during daylight hours...

If you put the word 'Enchanted' in any exhibition title you're sure to grab my attention. Add 'Palace' and you're onto a sure-fire winner. What better way to pass an hour or so than wrapping oneself in the magic of Kensington Palace where fashion, performance and dreamlike installations told tales of Palace Princesses set against the backdrop of the gilded decor.

I learned that money and power most certainly doesn't buy happiness; but at least you get to indulge in your eccentricities.

Thank you to Amelia for her recommendation!

I returned home this morning with the music and spectacle of last night's party still powering through my senses (though fortunately, a sensible consumption of French fizz, did at least mean that any alcoholic hangover was gratefully not present!). As a special treat I even got to stay overnight, so I could fully immerse myself in the Cafe de Paris experience without worrying about catching trains. And, while I didn't exactly follow in Monique's* footsteps with regard to dancing barefoot through puddles and seducing handsome Frenchmen (it being much too cold for the former and I have no need for the latter), I did dance until the wee small hours!

(*See yesterday's post!)

Photos (other than the top one) taken at The Enchanted Palace Exhibition at Kensington Palace.

Sharing with Sweet Saturdays.

A sense of something...

I didn't know what to write about tonight - more especially, how do I illustrate with words this piercing picture I just knocked up for Sunday Sketches?

I figured maybe I'd just sling in a few totally random thoughts.

First up, something strange is happening with my sense of smell. Yesterday I caught a splash of Gardeners' World on TV (channel surfing... honest!). There was actually a quite fascinating feature on Christmas trees and the more I watched, the more I was convinced I could smell Christmas- you know that wonderful waft of pine that tickles your nostrils when you come downstairs to say hello to your indoor tree at this time of year...*

(Want to smell it too? Check this out - about 45 minutes in.)
Then today, the Hairy Bikers were cooking up the new 'traditional' British grub - Singapore noodles! I swear my nose was in the room with them. Sense of smell began conspiring with taste buds as ginger, garlic and spice pirouetted around my conscious.

(This one starts getting smelly at around 40 minutes.)

As much as I was enjoying smell-o-vision, I was beginning to become a little concerned. Would it be safe to watch a documentary on cattle farming? Right now I can smell mango. No, I'm not watching a tropical drama or even another cookery show - it's mango body lotion on me... I smell delicious!

So, we've discussed taste and smell. Sight is clearly represented by the sketch I did this evening (gesso over advertising material, topped with coloured pencil). I'm listening to Michael Buble croon softly in my ear and fingers feel the smooth keys as I type frantically away. Most of the letters on my keyboard have worn away. It's fine for a touch typist like myself, but drives the rest of the family mad when they try to use it. I won't bore you with listing what's left, but if my keyboard was scrabble tiles, there's only very high scoring letters left.

*Although I hate to ruin the story - ours is artificial! I'm going to buy some of Heston's pine-sugar-dusted mince pies when I can be bothered to trek across town to Waitrose.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

When I was a lass, my parents wouldn't let us put the Christmas tree up until at least two weeks before the big day. Now of course, I am mistress of my own domain, so it goes up when I say! I think that as long as it's December, then that's fine - don't you?

We have certain rituals with our decorating. Christmas music should be playing softly in the background - a bit of Bing always goes down well - and a glass of something warming (over ice...you know what I'm talking about... it's not hot chocolate!).

Once the scene is set, and the man of the house has been sent up the loft to retrieve the boxes, then it's time for the joyful recollection as we discover the forgotten treasures. Don't you just love those magical rediscoveries as you pull the angels and Santas from the tangled Christmas lights? (darn that Knot Fairy - she gets everywhere!)

Small boy and I get to decorate the tree, though he's not such a short legs as he was last year - this is also evident in his decoration skills. No longer does he insist on placing every item on one branch - there's still a little tidying up for Mum to do when he's not looking though! He's also still wee enough not to reach the top, so I get to place the little angel on her perch!

And now we're done. The moggies wander by for a look. They've grown out of attacking the tree; just like the little ones, they prefer the boxes - what is it with cats and cardboard?

This skinny-limbed Santa is a new purchase. He hangs from elastic and gets to bungee-jump from the top most branches. Maybe the Big Fella himself could try this - imagine the speed with which he'd be able to deliver those presents. Rudolf could keep the sleigh steady above the chimney, then down he'd go fully laden, only to pop up empty handed a few seconds later! There wouldn't even be time to get sooty whiskers! Mind you, he'd have to down those brandies pretty quickly...

Posting my Santa for Sunday Sketches and my joyful ramblings (have you guessed I'm excited) for Sunday Scribblings! You may also have spotted that the blog did not escape the seasonal glitz!

Tidings of Comfort and Joy

It's nearly Christmas friends and excitement in this house is reaching fever pitch. Tonight we had an exciting thought. As there is snow on the ground this year, will we be able to spot reindeer footprints on the lawn outside? Last year we found magic glitter left behind, but footprints would be an extra special treat. The snow doesn't look like melting just yet so we may well be in luck!

Tomorrow we'll be making up our gingerbread house. Both walls have already required repairing - must have been a dodgy batch of plaster. Small boy wants to go carol singing too, but I'm not sure the neighbours are quite ready for that sudden burst of talent on their doorsteps. I think we'll just wait for the Christingle service on Christmas Eve.

This little lady is already well into the second verse of God rest ye Merry Gentlemen. She's wrapped up warm and singing for three special ladies who reside in locations across the globe. The Three Muses have provided us with artistic challenges all year. Thank you my friends. This prompt 'Tidings of Comfort and Joy' drew this singer from my pencils just for you. Merry Christmas Ann, Bev and Marie.

And when Illustration Friday's prompt on Christmas Eve is Winter, well... let's face it... do I have time to do a fresh sketch?

Angel

How strange that this morning I am at a loss for words. I guess every so often we all need to just find some quiet time. Perhaps it was sketching this angel that soothed the chatter from me and encouraged a little peace.

She is another of my Christmas ornaments. This is the not-quite-finished version, for the glimmering shimmering holy shine that finishes her off may well take a few hours to dry. Will you come back later and see her sparkle?

In the meantime, pop along to Blue Chair Diary and see what the other Sunday Sketchers are up to...

I now present the finished version. The scan made my sparkles a bit pink - they are more muted in real life. Added a Kim Klassen texture for the final touch (appropriately, Silent Night).

Peace on earth

I was saving this for nearer the Big Day but since I set the challenge at Inspiration Avenue this week as Peace - and haven't had a moment to myself to create an entry since - I thought I would share with you now.

The ornament I drew this from is sitting pride of place on my mantlepiece. A recent purchase, but I think it will become a firm family favourite - a bit like a cushion which my son pulled out of the decorations box last weekend announcing with delight "It wouldn't be Christmas without the Christmas pillow!" So cute!

Every year I delight in pulling old and forgotten friends from the box of sparkly bits and treasures. I usually find cards I bought in the sales last year - after I've just forked out for a new batch - and there's always a crumpled cracker or two that look like they've been sat on by Santa. This year's best find was the beautiful angel I bought last winter. She's next on the list to draw!

Coloured pencil sketch with the background added in Photoshop.

Peace and Goodwill wishes to you all this season my friends.

Lazy days...

I'm having a lazy day. My son is with his Dad. I stayed in bed for 12 hours last night and slept for around 10. Later I'm hitting the movies with my boyfriend to watch what looks like the wildest Sherlock Holmes adventure, a long way removed from the smooth unruffled detective we are normally given. Rupert Everett's opium-addled portrayal will take some beating though - have a quick look. (Warning: this clip shows Holmes injecting himself with heroin, don't watch if you don't like).

For something a little more light-hearted though you can't beat a bit of Ant & Dec with their old mate Robbie.

This is a very indulgent posting - I'm letting the talents of others do all the work. Where is my creative spark? I think it may be clogged in an over-loaded digestive system competing for attention among all the chocolate, cakes and other naughties. I can't seem to move. I'm beset by a fug of laziness. Or maybe I just need a rest?

Dear Father Christmas

Jamie Ridler invites us to share our holiday wishes for Wishcasting Wednesday and this got me thinking... You see it's been a while since I wrote to you Father Christmas. I guess I expect you to be a mind reader which is really rather foolish. I mean you are immortal and all that and can fly through the sky on a sleigh drawn by reindeer as well as climb down chimneys without getting all sooty; but how can you know what I really, really want for Christmas without me telling you?

So, here we go...

1. I wish for some more freelance work please. At the moment I haven't got enough to live on so a few more clients and some regular income would be lovely. I will help you out here by networking and marketing furiously so I am sure between the two of us we can make this wish come true.

2. I would really like some Jimmy Choo shoes. I don't know why. Perhaps it is just a girl thing but I think a pair of shoes I can't really walk in but look fantastic should be a staple item in every girl's wardrobe.

3. I'd love some more art supplies. I'm getting a bit low on canvas and can never have too much ephemera. While we're on the subject, can I ask for some more customers at my Etsy shop?

4. Well, I don't want that much for myself, so this list should just about cover it. Naturally we all want world peace and personal health and happiness. I guess even you can't manage that one though. It's something we need to find for ourselves so please give us the means to try and do just that and especially to appreciate all the magic and meaning of this Christmas and not just the gifts under the tree.

Thanks a lot Father Christmas. I'll be leaving a mince pie, glass of Baileys (there's ice cubes in the freezer if you want them) and a few carrots for the reindeer out as usual tomorrow night. Hope you have a good journey and make sure you wrap up warm - there's quite a bit of snow here.

I've been a good girl and will try to keep up the good work next year.

Lisa

x

PS: If anyone fancies a fun art challenge, please see my previous post.

The office Christmas party...

It was wild... I've only just woken up and it appears to be getting dark again already. There's nothing like the office party to get you in the mood for Christmas. It's that time of the year when inhibitions are loossened by cheap wine, crisps are trod in the carpet leaving a faint aroma of cheese & onion throughout January and naughty bottoms are photocopied.

Fancy dress is usually the order of the day for me. Past festivities have seen me disguised as Dolly Parton, a lush has-been actress (personally I think my performance here was Oscar-worthy!), a hairy pirate and even Darth Vader. After it took me a week to wash off the 'eye-liner pirate leg hair' I decided enough was enough. This year was all about the glamour. After all, when you are the Company Director you have to set some standards.

Dress therefore by Dior, diamonds naturally Tiffany's, make up Bobbi Brown (in person), escort... (well, that would be telling!).
OK you got me. The more observant among you may recall I work for myself. The company consists of me, a desk a computer and a printer. I've discovered that furniture and electronics make poor party companions. Mix that with the fact I can't hold my drink any more, am not particularly fond of cheese and onion crisps and we have a rather dull cocktail dear readers - more of a Canvey Island Iced Tea than the Big Apple version.

So, no wild office party this year. Bottoms were held securely in undies and pain killers not required.

Oh well.... this time next year....

PS - Yes, I am silly enough to have specially mocked up that photo up top just for this post!

Little donkey

There's not much cuter a sight than a children's nativity play. Well, actually there is... It's one with your child in! I was such a proud Mumma yesterday watching my boy in his little donkey costume and hearing him and his friends singing those songs we've been rehearsing for weeks. He might not have been Joseph, the Innkeeper or a talking Shepherd but he was my boy on the stage. As the cast marched in through the audience around 60 pairs of eyes scanned the crowd for the ones they most wanted to see. I helped my boy out by yelling his name so he could spot me easily (well, it was dark!). They are still at that age where it is entirely acceptable to wave to family from the stage in the middle of the production and fiddling constantly with your donkey or sheep ears is, frankly, mandatory!

I have to say I was really impressed by the whole performance. They sang, they recited, they played instruments, including the steel drums (why didn't they have steel drums at my school?)If they were handing out gongs I'm sure my boy could have carried off best supporting actor in a donkey role.

I wonder if there's much money in writing scripts for school plays. It wasn't exactly Shakespeare... Hmm food for thought...

I think we might have to go and see this film together next week on school hols...

How to shop with a man at Christmas

Personally, I prefer to leave my man at home when I shop. He can be a proper nuisance, dragging me into electronics shops for repetitive browsing and then giving me less than 30 seconds to look at important things like shoes and handbags. However, sometimes it's necessary to have them tag along - notably when they need to pay for things. There's also the added bonus of hand holding and general pleasure at being in their company (but don't tell him I said that).

What many women fail to do though is to fully understand what to do with a man in a shopping environment. They just don't recognise their limits. Take today for example. I had some serious mooching to do in Marks & Spencer and this particular store had three floors to mooch upon (what more could a girl ask for?). I could sense the agitation pulsing through his veins (another advantage of holding hands) and so before any form of stress overload could occur I securely deposited him at the boyfriend/husband creche aka the Cafe. There, installed with coffee and tabloid he was happy to sit quietly while I raced up and down the escalators clutching stocking fillers and trying my best to avoid the ladies' clothing department.

Other women should heed my advice. That way I would not have found my journey around the store constantly hampered by men trying to 'keep out of the way' and succeeding instead at being everywhere they shouldn't. Like a herd of lost sheep they wander slowly down the aisles weighed down by swinging carrier bags with sharp protuberances. Annoyed wives wave 'jumpers for Mother' at them expecting some sort of response. Come on, you've been married 25 years, surely you've realised by now he has no sense of fashion and is colour blind?

This post is therefore a heartfelt plea. Unless absolutely necessary, please leave your man at home where he is most comfortable - on the sofa with remote in close proximity. Failing that, just keep him out of my way! Remember, credit cards with pin numbers were invented (by a woman) for a reason.

Happy Shopping!

Deck the halls

Once I moved out of the parental establishment and got a place of my own something very important happened in my social calendar. I got to choose when the decorations went up! Oh yes, no more waiting until "a bit nearer Christmas" before the boxes of magic were brought down from the attic; as far as I'm concerned the first week in December is perfect timing. Now I have a small boy to share in my fever pitch of excitement and I pretend that we put them up "for him", but we all know better don't we?

Rather like an early Christmas Day, there's always wonderful surprises waiting to be unwrapped in the decorations box - those little treasures we forget about from year to year delight us over and over. Even the cats like to get in on the action, sniffing and pawing with excitement as they remember how much fun it is to bash balls on Christmas trees.

We pulled out tinsel and baubles, we plumped up the tree, I did the high branches, he did the low. It was dark so we decorated by the lights from the tree (which was actually a little tricky to see what you were doing, but small boy insisted). Some of the decorations aren't quite 'crisp and even', but I don't have the heart to rearrange his careful positioning!

Festive songs provided our soundtrack - a little bit of Cliff, Shakey, Slade bringing back the memories. Then, as Roy Wood sang his heart out and swang his beard around, a little voice piped up "I wish it could be Christmas every day too..."

Perfect!