HALLOWEEN AND AUTUMN CUPCAKES

I'm afraid I haven't taken part in Tag Tuesday for two or three weeks, as I have just been too busy with other things.  However, I needed some tags for Halloween night and this weeks theme for Tag Tuesday is Halloween so ..... here they are!

I used a selection of rubber stamps for the backgrounds and then added some wire, beads, feathers and bits and pieces from Michaels that I picked up when I was over in the US in August - I just LOVE their stuff!

I am busy preparing for Halloween night and have started decorating my dining room.  I probably wouldn't be so bothered about it if my two young half-American nephews weren't so into it big time!

The spiders web table cloth, feathered birds, black blossom branches and black leaf garlands are all from Michaels, once again!

I am linking this mosaic to Mosaic Monday.

October is a busy month for birthdays in our family and I made these Autumn cupcakes for my sister's birthday at the weekend (I just had to include something Autumny - I couldn't help myself!).

I made the decorations out of sugar paste and painted them with food colouring - I was quite pleased with the overall effect of them (from a distance!), but I think the painting could have been a lot better.  I was quite nervous of painting on sugar paste, but I should have been bolder and braver and put more paint on them!  I'll know better next time!  

STILL GOING ON ABOUT AUTUMN!

I thought I 'd post another photo mosaic of autumn changes - this week I've changed my bedroom round.  The cushion covers on the linen box have been changed to warm terracotta/brick red colours, the white painted wooden photo frames have been replaced with a large copper bowl with seed heads and pot pourri in it, and the bedding is one of my very favourite William Morris designs of acorns and oak leaves.   If only Autumn lasted all year!

Is there anything in the garden at the moment more beautiful than hydrangea heads?  I just love them - this one looked so striking with the sun shining through it.

 I bought this hydrangea head into the house and played about with Photoshop and Kim Klassen textures!

I am linking up to Colour Me Weekly and Mosaic Monday.

THE BROOKLYN SKETCHBOOK PROJECT

I took part in the Brooklyn Sketchbook Project 2012 and sent my finished sketchbook over to the Brooklyn Art Library where it will live indefinitely.  However, before it settles down to retirement it is on a world tour, with all the other sketchbooks of course, and this week it's traveled to London!  They are all at the Canada Water Library until the 19th October.

The theme I chose was 'I Remember You'.

I divided the book into four sections - the first 7 pages represent memories of my father who cared for me and supported me throughout my life.  18 years ago he passed away very suddenly and unexpectedly and we didn't get to say goodbye.

The second set of 7 pages represent memories of my dear, sweet mum who loved me unconditionally, and battled with Alzheimers in the latter years of her life.

The third set of pages represents my childhood memories and the people who helped to build my life with me.  Memories of my grandmother moving all her furniture around to make two 'houses' so we could play at being neighbours! Memories of playing 'Going for a Song' (the olden days version of Antiques Roadshow!) and valuing her special china and jewellery...  

And finally the last set of pages represent my ancestors - greats and great,greats - of whom I've been told so many stories that I feel I know them personally.  They made me who I am today!

Here's a link to my complete sketchbook at the Art House

My dear blog friend Lynn, over at One I Made Earlier Today, visited the exhibition and has done a couple of wonderful blog posts highlighting her own work and some of the other sketchbooks she viewed.  She very kindly gave my sketchbook an airing, and a mention on her blog, so I'm sending a very big thank you to Lynn!

AUTUMN MAD!

I have been busy getting the house ready for Autumn this week.  I love to change everything over in October to warm, autumny colours.  

In my living room the mantle piece is covered in berries, pumpkins and candles - the cushion covers are changed for orange leafy patterned ones, rustic bowls of cones and crab apples are put on the hearth and decorative acorns are hung from handles and book cases.

 The kitchen tea towels are swapped over for autumn coloured ones and my 'summer' salt and pepper pots are changed over for these lovely red and orange ones.  I've been making large batches of butternut squash and orange soup this week and will be serving it in my favourite pumpkin shaped soup tureen!

As you can see I tend to go 'autumn mad' but I love it, especially on these darker, colder nights - the colours make the house seem so warm and cosy!

Not everything has to be orange!  These wonderful yellows and golds are so rich -    I am now after a shrub for the garden with berries in that vivid yellow colour!

I am linking up with Color Me Weekly and Mosaic Monday.

A CELEBRATION OF AUTUMN

Everything is feeling so Autumny!  There is a wonderful array of coloured berries around and quite a few of the trees are beginning to change colour - I love it!

This handsome fellow in these lovely Autumn colours was strutting around a farm we visited recently - I fell in love with that gorgeous golden brown colouring with a dash of bright red!  I am linking up to Colour Me Weekly and Mosaic Monday.

Still on the Autumn theme, for Tag Tuesday last week I decided to make some tags using embossed velvet.  I know I've mentioned it in the past but I LOVE embossing velvet - it's the only time I enjoy using an iron! There is some info on it here. 

One of the velvet tags all ready to go - I was quite pleased with how well it matched the gift bag and wrapping paper.

THE FLOWER MILL AND FAIRY LIGHTS

  While out and about this week I came across a wonderful shop near Boarhunt, Hampshire, called the Flower Mill - it sells a fantastic array of silk flowers, glittery stuff, candles, vases, garlands, Christmas stuff, wedding stuff..... and much, much more - it's like an Aladdin's cave! 

I have been bringing out my Autumny stuff around the home this last week, and I love these colourful fairy lights - although not strictly Autumn colours they look beautiful lit up in my studio on these darker evenings.

I am linking up with Colour Me Weekly and Blue Monday.