From the heart…

I photographed this hydrangea at my dear friend Nena’s home last summer.  It really was heart shaped (only a little bit of photo editing was used) and I knew there would be a time for me to use it.  So this is for all of you wonderful blog buddies out there, who leave such heartfelt comments and brighten my day – everyday!

May you all have a wonderful Valentines Day, filled with love and laughter and of course …. chocolate!

And remember – if you can’t be with the one you love -  love the one your with!

 

HAPPY VALENTINES!

The first of 2011!

Well Christmas came and went, as did the new year, without one single post from me – sorry!  So to all – a very belated happy new year and may you fulfill all your dreams and ambitions in 2011!

 

The Boy With The Broken Halo

My first piece of digital artwork for the new year.  It does have personal meaning to me but, as with all my artwork, I like to think that my images evoke something meaningful and special for whoever views them.  If you are interested in purchasing any of my pieces please just drop me an e-mail or you can view all my artwork for sale on  Red Bubble.

Wishing you all a wonderful week!

Art for Art sake

This is the first piece of digital art I have made in over six months!  I'd forgotten how much I love to do this.  I don't really know where the inspiration came from for this one but I think it came out just fine.  My son came up with the title "CRANIUM' - d'ya get it?!

 

Hope your week is going well.  I still have jet lag (or that's my excuse for getting up late!) and can't seem to get back into the work groove, but oh well - it is nearly Christmas after all!

I’m Back…!

…from my trip home to Peacehaven in east Sussex, England.  And peaceful haven it was not!  The weather was unbelievable: snow, bone chilling winds and a high of 30 degrees every day.  At least I was on the south coast which made for a much warmer climate than the rest of the U.K.   Those poor folks up in Scotland are housebound and oh how I remember that feeling of cabin fever from the snow storm we had here in Virginia last January.

All in all though, I had a wonderful time with my mum.  She is getting on in years now, 81 to be precise, and I worry about her so much.  Her health hasn’t been great of late and with the loss of my sister and nephew this time last year, things are taking a toll on her.  I just want to wrap her up in a big cozy blanket and make sure she is safe and taken care of.  I wish she lived closer so I could spend more time with her but as lifestyles are so different now from the ‘good ol’ days’ that probably will never happen.  I will just have to make more time in the coming year to visit as often as possible, finances permitting.

So it’s back to reality now.  Work for me starts again tomorrow and Christmas is quickly approaching.  I haven’t even thought about Christmas here yet as I had an overload of it in England!  Every high street was decked out in lights and garland and all the sales were in full swing.  I even put up the Christmas tree at my mum’s house a week ago!

Below are some pics I wanted to share with you all.  I am so lucky to have homes in such beautifully scenic locations even though they are so different from each other.  I never take that for granted.

 

The view at the end of the road from my mum’s house

The English channel

Below is a view of the walk you can take from Newhaven (the cliffs in the background) all the way to Hove (about 20 miles) along the coast.  Very exhilarating!

Brighton Pier just before sunset

…and Brighton Pier at sunset

And of course Brighton wouldn’t be Brighton without seagulls!

Brighton Pavilion

And the sky as I left on Tuesday morning…

I will catch up on everyone’s blogs tonight.  I have been computer-less for over two weeks which was quite freeing I must say, but I did miss my nightly read!

Have a great week!

   xx Anji xx

A bit of a break

One last post before I go on my merry way to visit my lovely mum in the U.K.  A much overdue visit I must admit but at least I will make it home before the year is out and before Christmas.  Naturally, I have nothing ready!  No packing even thought about let alone started, still need to get some gifts, do my laundry, feed the cat, milk the goats (oh, I don’t have any!), and all in the next 24 hours!  A challenge, I know, but it will all get done.

I have been so fortunate in the last month or so to have worked with some wonderful new clients.  They have all been so welcoming and generous – it makes such a difference to my job.  I have frescoed a two story home for Karen and Alex (let me tell ya, that 28 foot ladder was rather daunting!), faux marbled a kitchen for Gordon and Ann, faux plastered a powder room for Michelle and faux gold leafed a hallway for Gloria.  A lot of strenuous work for these ol’ bones but so worthwhile.  I love leaving a clients house with a smile on my face knowing that they loved what I did.  It’s amazing what a bit of paint can do!  Below are a few pics of the finishes but as usual the quality is pretty bad.  If anyone has tips of how to take a good photo of a paint finish – please let me know!

 

        

I will be away for two very short weeks (which is definitely not long enough) and will not be able to comment on any of your blogs but will catch up on all the happenings on my return in December.  Wishing you all a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday, stay safe and keep warm!

For You

Peaking

Just a quick post for today.  I just wanted to share some of my photos of the fall foliage here in northern Virginia.  I took these a week or so ago just as the colors had reached their peak – breathtaking.  Alas, most of the leaves have blown away now and many of the trees are bare but what a feast for the eyes while it lasted.

 

The sunsets this time of year simply take my breathe away.

I just love taking pictures at the ‘golden hour’.  Everything glows – even these  horses!

Does anyone know what species of bird this is?  I’m thinking it is a kestrel but I really have no idea I’m just happy that I was able to get a photo of it.

   

Wishing you all a wonderful week ahead!

XXXX   Anji   XXXX

Rejuvenated!

Don’t you just love it when you find a bargain?!  I managed to get my hands on this lovely buffet/sideboard thingy in Salvation Army on 25% off day.  It is solid wood which is unusual to find nowadays and even though it was in need of a bit of cosmetic surgery it was in good shape.  Not one to be deterred by that lovely thick, molasses type varnish, I took it home, sanded, primed, sanded, filled, sanded, painted and distressed it – and all in one day!  It now sits proudly in my work/family/basement room crammed full of my ‘stuff’.  I love my stuff!  My only problem now is that it is in the room where I attempted to lay laminate floor (with my impatient husband) which never really got finished!  And…now I don’t like the color I painted the room so I might have to change that.  Oh the perils of working in Benjamin Moore where you are constantly surrounded by hues of blue and grey and robins egg!  Giving color advise to others is easy but choosing for yourself, well, you know how that goes.

Before

After

 

I have also been doing my usual workaholic routine and have had no time for anything arty.  But I did take some time off this weekend to enjoy having my son home from college for a few days.  It’s never long enough though but what’s a mum to do.

Below are some pictures of a platinum distressed ceiling I did last week and a silver/gold antiqued glazed chair.  I am pretty chuffed with the results.  The pictures don’t really do them justice but I think you get the idea.

Well that’s enough of tooting my own horn – just wanted to share.  I have been really bad at not leaving comments on my fave blogs and I apologize.  Time constraints and all that.  I will make up for it soon though, promise!

I hope you had a wonderful last few weeks?  The weather here in Virginia this weekend was un-be-liev-able!  Perfect temps, sun, and that wonderful autumnal feel in the air.  The leaves are finally changing to those beautiful hues of reds and gold's and I can’t wait to get out and take some pictures before it’s too late!  Of course I will be posting them as soon as I do.

Have a wonderful peaceful week ahead – XxX Anji