Happy Birthday Nan

My it has been a long time since I posted anything...truth be told...it has been a little trying here in the mountains...long story...very boring so I'll leave it there!

I just wanted to wish my nan a happy birthday...for last week...see I even missed that!
My nan is no longer physically with us...but she still visits my thoughts...and was my first introduction to anything at all creative...she could make anything from very little...a true artist...

As I have previously written a post (on my other, older blogs) about her I will just add this direction for anyone wanting to pay my nan a little visit...it is a little self indulgent on my part so please forgive my ramblings...but you would be most welcome to pop in for a nice cup of tea...click here to visit

I'll post something new when the mess here is tidied up...promise...but for now...
Happy Birthday Nan!
She looks a little like "Alice" in the old photo...how times have changed...

Tis' the Season to be Spooky...fa la la la la la la la la...

Well it's that time of the year again...you know the one...the time when folks get excited by pumpkins and things that go bump in the night...

Of course...even in the miniature world folks like to get in on the act...and it seems that this version of the AIM magazine has done the "Spooky Ookey" world justice by hosting its own Halloween special...

Now you all know that I'm not one to toot their own horn (now you know that's true...don't you?)...but that bloke on the front looks a little familiar to me...can't think why...mmm...

So...if...like me...you enjoy free things...and who doesn't?

Pop over to the Aim mag and take a peek at some of the talent out there...toiling away over those rusty ol' cauldrons...year in...year out...just to brighten up your little witchy worlds...

You can also download the Aim magazine each month for free!...what more could you ask for...well me personally...I could ask for a lot more as I'm a rather greedy goblin...but that's another story...

And while I have your spooky attention...my fellow hags at EHAG are also doing their best to put their brand of "Let's be spooky all year round" fun on the map with their monthly Emporium...even if the purse strings are a little tight at this time of the year...we can all still be "Cats looking at a Queen"...and I love window shopping...although there aren't so many windows to browse this month...it's still fun to visit...

Now...I just wanted to say a personal thank you to a very lovely lady Julia...I have just visited her blog and seen what she has done with a little friend of mine...and I am just so thrilled that she has taken the time to show her appreciation in this way...as she has only just returned from hospital...so thank you Julia!

Well folks...I suppose that I should get on with some "Arty stuff" and switch off this blasted thing...they are useful but they don't half take up your time!

See you again soon my lovelies...

My Little Faery Friend Daisy...

Sometimes...from the peripheral vision...you get fleeting glimpses of movement...
Many folks pass this off as a trick of the eyes...
Some just think that the imagination is playing tricks on them...
Some just like to lay on the dewy grass and watch the world go by before their very eyes...

It is now officially Autumn...season of mists and mellow fruitfulness...
So why are my little Fae friends still playing in the grass with no vests to keep the chills out?
I have no answer to that one...
As you can see...some of my little ones still hold fast to the notion of freedom without inhibitions...I suppose if you are a Fae then you can get away with it...unlike us giant folks the human beans.

Let me introduce you to Daisy...a pretty little thing...not at all shy...having a morning stretch in the Autumn sunshine...I don't know how she managed to find daisies still in flower though...but let's just call it Artistic License...

She said it was okay to paint her but only from the back...
I'm happy to do that though...it saves having to edit over body parts to be able to post my pictures on here...some folks you see are a little worried about seeing naked things on blogs and I might get into trouble...(although that doesn't usually stop me he he )

Daisy as you may have noticed doesn't have wings...she can fly without them...so I suppose evolution had a hand in that somewhere...much like us.

Well...I just thought that Daisy and I should wish everyone a beautiful Autumnal Equinox...that wondrous time where the world is equal and night and day are even...
If, as you take a lovely Autumnal walk... kicking through the fallen leaves...you happen to see Daisy...introduce yourself to her...she's a real sweetie...she always smells of blossomy mist...and she would be so pleased to know that you caught a glimpse of her...out of your peripheral vision...

Astronomer's Table

What is it about the stars that makes us feel the need to understand them?
Why did those people (men mostly) many centuries ago want to learn about them and plot their positions on their charts?
Why do the planets fascinate us so much...as they travel along their path around the sun?

I have no real understanding of these things...
But they still fascinate me...

And there could not be one amongst us who has not gazed out at the Bat black night sky and wondered...
Some of the things we see up there...may have expired long ago...gone out in a glorious blaze of glory...which may never have been witnessed by a human being...
Some stars...by the time we see them twinkling...are already long gone...

It makes the things down here on this small blue planet of ours seem very insignificant...
That a star so bright could be gone without being wished upon...

So...for those of you with a little magick in your souls...
If you get the chance... step out into the beautiful darkness and look upon the vastness of the night sky...
Hold up your heads and stretch out your arms as wide as you can...and wish upon the first star that you see...
And remember...it came a long way to see you...

Litha...or...Waiting for the day to begin...

Hello there my pretties!
Are you all enjoying the Summer?
Seems like I haven't been around here for a very long time...
Life's like that sometimes...if you don't hold tightly to time...it has this way of escaping your grip.

Of course I haven't been totally idle (no eye rolling you lot!)...I have been doing some arty things...although these days...I just seem to let it lead...with me following behind trying to catch up with it...

I posted the origins of this painting on the PAN blog here
She is obviously the bottom sketch...and I knew that she was in just the right pose for a laid back faery...so...gave her a couple of toadstools and here she is...finished...I think...

In the beginning...I thought that she was waiting for something...but couldn't make my mind up what or who...she seems to be looking across into the distance...and of course...there is the answer...she is waiting for the sun...

She is a Fae of the Midsummer...a Solstice Fae...and she is watching the sun rise on this special long day...presumably she is resting...before the faery revelries begin...

It is long known that these little beings can really party...
Maybe...one day...they will let me join in with them again...I'm not too fussy about the size of the cakes...and I don't drink the hard stuff...so I wouldn't tread on any of them by mistake...
If I cross my fingers...maybe this year...

I have a dear friend called Linda...who each year celebrates the coming of the Fae...she lives with her Grandchildren in New Mexico...where the faeries sure know how to party...and everyone gets to see them...if you would like to join in...here's how you get there click

If I don't see you again for a while...
You know where I'll be...
Happy Midsummer Solstice my faery friends...
Hold on tightly to time...and sprinkle faery dust in your wake...

Please Help The Whales!

Care 2 are spreading the word about the sneaky way that certain countries are trying to bring back whaling...
I've copied the page for you to read...
If any of you would care to help these beautiful creatures of the deep...
PLEASE sign the petition on the care2 site...it doesn't cost a penny...
So do please take a look...
Here's what they say...

Stop the Sell Out, Save the Whales!

Target: Madam Minister Ilse Aigner of Germany
Sponsored by: International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW)

A massive new threat against whales has recently surfaced that would wipe out the international ban on commercial whaling.

A 'behind closed doors' proposal between Japan, Germany, the United States and other governments would legitimize the cruel commercial slaughter of our ocean's great whales for the first time since 1986 -- undermining decades of hard-won protections for whales.

Please sign the letter to German Federal Ministry for Agriculture, Madam Minister Ilse Aigner, to stop this sell-out of the whales. We must act quickly!

Dear Madam Minister,

Disturbing reports indicate that you may be supporting an international agreement permitting Japan and others to resume commercial whaling.

We respectfully urge you to prevent the sell-out of the whales as outlined in the "Compromise paper" of the IWC Chairman which is currently supported by the German government.

In addition I want to ask you to do everything in your power to uphold an effective moratorium and finally end commercial whaling in the 21st Century.


Thanks everyone...on behalf of the whales...
Here's the link to the petition site http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/175446210?z00m=19842944

Skyclad...Work in Progress

Well now...I have only just realised that...although I have put this "Work in Progress" up on my other blogs...
I completely forgot to put her on my actual Art Blog!
Shame on me...
After you take the trouble to visit me here in Oberon's Wood...and how do I thank you?
By not showing what I'm actually doing...naughty...very naughty...

So...(as I've said on my other blogs)...this is the painting on my easel at the moment...
She needs a lot more done to her I know...
But I thought you might like to see the process...
That's if you've forgiven me for not showing you first!

She's quite a nymph...but that's what you'd expect in a Faery Wood I suppose...

Sorry about the appalling photo...I was in a rush...as usual...and didn't do all of tech stuff properly...but as she isn't finished anyway I hope you don't mind all of the wavy lines...

Gonzo appears courtesy of my son...who thinks my paintings could do with a bit more life...
I actually think he suits the style though...;0)

See you all soon in the wood...watch out for the fae ones...

Old Jack...The Caretaker

Well my pretties...are you all enjoying the lovely Spring weather...yes?
Well why on earth are you sitting in front of your 'puters...reading this rubbish?
Go on...go outside and breathe in the lovely fresh air...instead of this stale stuff hanging around your rooms in which you keep these beasts that sap our lives...;o)

Before you do though...as I haven't been blogging for a while...I thought I'd show you Old Jack...he's not my usual scale but he was fun to do.

I've been painting loads too...when I photo them...I promise to show you...as you actually take the trouble to come and read this...(when you should be outside getting some fresh air!)...I must remember to put something pretty up for you when you visit...a bit like putting a doily out on your cake plate I know...but hey...call me old fashioned!
(I don't really use doilies...cake doesn't last that long around here!)

Well then my lovelies...time to venture outside...into the light...and leave this gloomy...sap-sucking machine...have a lovely day...

Well...go on...off you go...see you when it starts raining...again!

Happy Halloween!

Are You Ready For Halloween?

Well now my lovely lads and lasses...don't you remember me saying that I can never make works of art within the correct season?
Well you see...I'm not the only one...the wonderfully talented artists of EHAG celebrate Halloween all year round...
Which makes all of us "Witch Lovers" very happy indeed...
So if you're all sick of fluffy bunnies and eggs and fancy getting your teeth into some Autumnal fare...go take a look at the sneak peek for this month...you can't see all of their goodies until the 31st though...just a teeny peek...so remember to visit on the night...and don't forget your brooms!
See you there...
Just click on the link shown on the right to fly there...
Happy Halloween to you all!

Tread Softly...

Sometimes...when we wander through life on our journey of discovery...
We forget the simple things...
Like sticking out your tongue to catch a snowflake...
Or holding out your hand to catch a raindrop...
The pleasure of feeling the sun on our faces...as we close our eyes and turn our face to the bright heat.

We seem to wander around searching...trying to find answers to things that, sometimes, there is no answer for.

I was going to post about the journey into faeryland...that glimpse through the veil that some of us are lucky enough to find.

I wanted to take you with me, down this secret path into their home...

But I can't...

For anyone feeling low or upset at the moment...please take my gift from the Fae and read no further...this is not such a happy post...
For anyone else who becomes deeply saddened by death then please don't read on...it is not my intent to upset you.

But this needs to be said.

A while ago I wrote a post about "The Not So Merry Widow"...in it I spoke of a cousin of ours who became mentally ill because of the abuse from his Grandfather.

Whilst I was painting this picture, I found out that this poor man has hung himself.
And that his younger brother has attempted suicide three times.

I have no proof that any of this is due to the way these men were treated as young boys...but I know in my heart that it must have played a part.
If this Grandparent treated me in such a way, in just the brief visits to his house...then what must he have done to two young boys who were left in his care all day while the parents worked?
I know that he would follow them to the outside toilet...every time...I know that the eldest boy was deeply troubled...I know that his Grandfather abused him.
I also know that this Grandfather was never brought to account for his actions.

So instead of my faery painting being a beautiful visit to the Fae...it became a sad look back for me...
I am sad for what has happened and I am angry for the wrongs that were never punished.
I am sad that...even now...this Grandfather haunts my life.
I am sad that I have brought him into your lives...you do not deserve that.
But most of all I am sad for these poor young men who had no one to turn to.

My mother's brother died of cancer some years ago...he had three children...his eldest daughter who adored him with the most outstanding love, had a break down...she has not yet recovered.
His only son was so grief stricken, that one fine day...he lay down on a railway track and was decapitated.
He was just eighteen years old.
He also felt he had no one to turn to...just before he killed himself he said that, " he wanted to be rocked in his father's arms once more"...
I hope that he is...

So...for these poor young men...
I dedicate my Faery...
I began her as a gentle reminder to always look down into the grass...
To keep an eye out for the small things beneath our feet...
To tread softly...

Now...she is guiding the forgotten children to a better place...
To the warmth of the sun...and a gentle people...
To a place of dreams...and not nightmares...

Where all children are safe...