New Toy!!!

There is a new toy in My Creative Space today. I can’t use it just yet, I need to do some rummaging at the op shop and order some special materials from the art supply shop, but I am so excited about the plans I have for this little beauty……

Avery

Kylie Marie Stevens

watercolour, pastel and ink on watercolour paper

148 x 210mm

2010

I have been on a roll with my little watercolours this week, Emerson sold almost as soon as he was posted and Avery and Bernard have had a lot of positive feedback. I even listed them in my neglected little Etsy shop, hopefully they find new homes soon.

Bernard

Kylie Marie Stevens

watercolour, pastel and ink on watercolour paper

148 x 210mm

2010

See you all at Kirsty’s!

Happy Days…

So many lovely opportunities are coming my way lately… Just yesterday I received a letter asking me to submit work for a group exhibition and I was also asked to consider teaching a children’s art class in the new year. Fabulous stepping stones on the path to my dreams coming true!

And just because I don’t like to leave you without a picture…. Meet Emerson, he received his finishing touches late last night and he is now ready for his debut.

Emerson

Kylie Marie Stevens

Watercolour and ink on watercolour paper

148 x 210mm

2010

$25
Edited to add SOLD!! Within minutes of his debut, how exciting!

Still waiting on my exciting news…..My fingers are a little cramped from being crossed so long!

Stuck for words today…

So here’s a picture! A little mixed media, completed this morning.

Untitled (for now…)

Kylie Marie Stevens

Watercolour, pencil, pen & ink on watercolour paper

148 x 210 mm

2010

$25

Love Thy Flower

I’m back in the groove with my little watercolours. I don’t know for sure why I stopped doing them. Perhaps it was because I put a bit too much pressure on myself to try to come up with a consistent look for them. I think for now I am just going to go with the flow and work on whatever captures my imagination!

"Love Thy Flower"

Kylie Marie Stevens

15 x 21 cm

Watercolour and pencil on watercolour paper

$20

Like this quirky little thing… It gained its title over on my facebook fan page. Thanks Renee! It’s so nice to have other people help me come up with titles some times; it’s not my strong point!!

Perfect timing….

 The postman delivered a perfectly timed, swap bundle of joy yesterday. I was in the midst of feeling sorry for myself, as I was wasting a painting day lying around nursing a bad back, when Anne’s parcel arrived.

It was full to the brim with goodies, not only the two cushion covers we had agreed to swap, for some little watercolours, but also….

A stunning brooch – purple of course!

An adorable little fabric box, oh how I love little boxes for stashing treasures in… again in purple!

And a scarf for Little Guy…he loves it!

Look at the delicate hand stitching in the cushions and did you notice the purple in the first photos?

I didn’t specify purple when we discussed how much I loved this design of cushion cover. But something (I don’t know what gave it away!) told Anne that purple would be a good choice…. Did you see how perfectly they match my patchwork quilt? It’s like she popped over from the UK to match it up!

Thankyou so much Anne for agreeing to this wonderful swap, it was such a delight to receive and I will treasure these gifts from across the globe.

Help! I need your opinion….

Pen outlines or pencil?

"Rosehips"

watercolour, pen and pencil on watercolour paper

A5

2010

$30

Obviously I will finish "Rosehips" off in pen.

 

"Perched"

watercolour and pen on watercolour paper

A5

2010

$30

   

But in the future, for my new Etsy range, do you think I should stick to one or the other or offer both styles?

 

"Languid"

watercolour and pencil on watercolour paper

A5

2010

$30

I am hoping to present a “unified” or “brandable” style for an Etsy experiment.

My creative space is full of excitement again!

I love this new painting; it’s a friend for “Adrift”. As yet it is untitled, so if you have any ideas, please let me know. I am looking for something that works well with “Adrift” as they are part of the same series. I have another little sketch ready for my next painting day; I can’t wait to bring it to life.

I have also been working on some new little water colours, they are super cute. I plan a series in this look too. It seems after 15 years of painting, I may just be settling into a style (or two!), for now at least.

I’m off to check out the proliferation of creativity that gathers at Kirsty’s on Thursdays…

Whimsical watercolour birdies….

Check out these little cuties…

Love Birds

Great Expectations

I’m contemplating a series…And having them printed… Not just birds, but all this style...Do you think there is a place for them on Etsy?

Isn’t it funny…

How your state of mind can really affect what you see when you look at something?

I painted this little pair of watercolours a few weeks back with Anne from Frayed at the Edge in mind. She had liked Pink and Pretty I & II, but couldn’t make them hers as they were a commission.
I wanted to see if I could paint something in the same range for her, that she would like.  I was excited about the design, but when I finished them I really didn’t like them at all, so I scanned them, but never sent a copy to Anne.

This week I sat down and painted this little pair and I was really happy with them. When I scanned them I came across the first pair and now with fresh eyes I really liked them too! I emailed images of both pairs to Anne and she likes both and can’t decide which she likes best!

Can you help us choose which pair should make there way half way across the globe to the UK to make their home in Anne’s studio?

99....GIVEAWAY TIME!

That’s right folk’s 99 posts here at Chasing Purple Dreams and as 9 is my number I have chosen to celebrate now rather than at the traditional 100 post mark.

I want to celebrate the joy that you have brought into my life by visiting this little blog. Some of you have read all 99 posts – thankyou and well done! Some of you may be popping in for the very first time – welcome, I hope you decide to stick around. All of you make my heart sing when you leave me a comment or drop by.

When I started this bogging adventure I could never have guessed how much I would enjoy it or get out of it. I have made friendships that I value so much and learnt things I never imagined. It really is quite a bizarre concept that strangers from all around the globe would gather here to create a community and support little old me, thankyou, thankyou, thankyou.

I wish I could give each of you a present for putting up with my awkward writing and saying sweet things about my paintings (even the not so crash hot ones!). But for now I am just going to spoil one of you, with a range of things that have been part of the Chasing Purple Dreams history. So some lucky dream chaser will receive a package from me that will include…….

A pair of water colours…

A “Two Hearts” pendant…

A crochet dish cloth (not this one I have already used it, I shall make one just for you!)…

And some other random goodies that take my fancy…

I don’t want to make you jump through hoops for this one, so just leave me a comment and your name is in the draw.
If however you are feeling really keen to win you can click the “like” button over at facebook and join the dream chasers here by clicking the follow button and I shall give you another couple of chances!!

For those of you who already do follow along, thankyou, you already have a couple of extra entries with your names on them!

I wonder if this will prompt a few lurkers out of the background, you know who you are….. now is the time to make your voice heard!

Celestial Spheres

I think I have been putting a bit of pressure on my painting lately and nothing has been turning out quite right. So I sat down with a plan to play with no expectations. This is the result, “a strange little painting” as I described it to Curly Guy!
It was partly inspired by a design on a tissue box (of all the crazy places to get inspiration from!) and now that it is completed I can also see a bit of influence may have subconsciously come from the “Voyage to the Planets” documentaries we have been watching.

Celestial Spheres

Watercolour on paper

21 x 21cm

2010

$30

I’ve been changing things around here at Chasing Purple Dreams (did you notice the pages tabs at the top and the cleaner side bar??). While I was poking around I noticed this post will be number 98, so I am fast approaching the 100 post mark, traditionally an event celebrated in blog land with a give away. But my favourite number is 9 and I am particularly  partial to 99 so perhaps the celebration will start sooner than you think………..Stay tuned

I’m blossoming….

Into me, a more authentic me than I have been for a while and I’m loving it. I feel like this simple little water colour symbolises the ways I feel I am blossoming.  I little bit funky, a little bit quirky, standing out from the pack – but not way off the scale! Maybe one day I will be completely out there, but for now, just a little left of centre is where I feel at home.

"I'm Blossoming"

water colour and pitt pen on coffee stained paper

A4

2010

$30
SOLD

Yesterday I felt like a real artist again….

I was paid for the sale of “Namaste”, posted “Peacock Pod” off to its new home and delivered "Pink & Pretty I & II" the commissioned pair below. Oh if only every second day was like this and the alternate days were spent immersed in creating!

Pink and Pretty I & II

These were commissioned for two beautiful little girls rooms, but it seems Mum may now be keeping them in the sewing room as they compliment the stained glass in there!

Make a Wish...

“Make a Wish”

Watercolour and pen on watercolour paper

21 x 29.7 cm

2010

$30

This is my favourite water colour and pen piece so far. I am wondering if I should look into having it made into a print.

I made a wish on it as it was completed. My wish was to get to continue to keep creating beautiful things that bring joy to people’s lives AND to sell enough artwork this month to cover the cost of an e-course I would like to participate in next month. Keep your fingers crossed for me……

What do you wish for?

Peacock Pod

Yesterday was my day to paint, but I wasn’t feeling the greatest so I just pottered around stretching canvases and editing photos. I fell into bed exhausted and disappointed, feeling I had wasted my only day to paint this week. I slept restlessly for a while and then woke with an idea, I contemplated staying in my nice warm bed, but the feeling was too strong, so I relented and wandered into the studio.

Peacock Pod

Watercolour and pen on paper

254 mm x 178 mm

2010

$30
SOLD

I knew so many details about this piece before I even set foot in the studio. I knew it had to be completed in watercolour and a particular brown brush pen. I knew the colours and the layout. It’s so surprising to me that it had to be watercolour, I rarely use them, I have never been confident with watercolour. I had to scramble around to find the pen I had in mind and hunt out the watercolour paper. I sat and practiced the colouring and lightly sketched out the design. I hardly faltered, just moving from one step to the next. Towards the end I decided to add the extra brown dots, I didn’t angst over the decision I just did it.

This is such a departure form my regular style, which is a funny sentiment to me as my “style” is so varied and unsettled anyway, but this piece is way out there for me! I’m pleased to say it has had some positive feedback on my facebook fan page already. I gave them a sneak peek this morning, if you want to get the first look at things and a bit more behind the scenes action you are very welcome to come and join me over there too.