Meet me at the water's edge...

This canvas was done around the same time as 'hear the ocean' I've just been looking through my list of posts to edit and realised I never finished off writing about this canvas!

Meet me at the water's edge

and dance to an ancient rhythm

feel the beat of forgotten song

re-discover what time has hidden

ocean dancing, ocean dreaming

with the gentle tidal rhythm

feel the healing waters flow

a soothing song to help us grow

call on water's energy

the power to nourish, nurture & heal

endless potency

ride the tides of ancient truths

meet me at the water's edge

ocean dances, ocean dreams

meet me at the waters edge

and dance to an ancient song

heed the urge to come ocean dancing

will you be carried on an ocean dream

wherever it may lead?

The 'ocean' background came first... then words at the top. I started the central spiral with the words 'ocean dancing, ocean dreaming', then just let it unfold... making up the words & the layout as I went along. The blue is FW acrylic ink, with white acrylic paint for the base coat & lettering.

It was written after reading of a call to bloggers to 'meet at the waters edge' at New Moon, and offer healing to the waters of the world after the earthquake in Japan... however, as I wrote it became a message to re-connect, our-selves, to the energies of water.


I started this one below at the same time... but it resisted my efforts to write on it! The first time I made mistakes in the lettering, then on the next attempt 'threw' the bottle of ink all over myself... and the carpet... so i abandoned the quotes i was using & started again with my own words!

ocean dancing

ocean dreaming

she holds me in her arms

and rocks me

in her surging tidal rhythm

ocean dancing

ocean dreaming

A Christmas Love Story...

Years ago a young man asked me to make a concertina card for his love at christmas... red & black & gold, with a mediaeval feel....

...he returned the following year, and the year after and the one after that.... this was when I had a shop, selling my own work & that of others....

... each year he writes his own words, telling of the love story between him & his lady.... expressing his feelings in such romantic terms....

...my shop went six years ago, but every year I still get a text or email with the next instalment for me to inscribe in an accordion book for Christmas ...

... the Proposal... the Boxing Day wedding... the anniversaries... yes Christmas time is a very special time for this Knight & his Lady...

... and I think I would be as disappointed as she, if he didn't get in touch & share a glimpse of their Christmas love story.

I "Need".....

... Derwent Inktense blocks!! I've coveted the pencils for a long time but not managed it... and bugger, now there's something else possibly more important... read about them HERE or watch the vid...

...of course i need the large set, or possibly 2... because the nice lady in the video says she has 2... one to keep dry & clean & one to use wet & get smudged.... sounds fair don't ya think?

Live, Love, Laugh, & doing it to death!

A request... those hearts you do.... maybe long & narrow-ish.... to go above the bed... whatever you think...

Any words on?.... no...umm, maybe.... if you like... you choose... 


So I asked for the paint used on the walls & decided a 120cm x 40cm canvas... and of course, I couldn't resist adding a few words, so suggested these... turned out quite well don't you think?!

And then, later, checking through photographs, thought I'd try a few prints....

 ... on A4 canvas, both with the "love" and without...

...and then removing colour... I LOVE the charcoal grey... 

... and then wondered what canvas for inkjet would be like to write on...

it works a treat! 

What a convenient way for folk to have personalised calligraphy 

for weddings, engagements or anniversaries!

Various combinations of print size and colour options have found their way to my shop suziscribbles on etsy. I've done some 'live, love, laugh' fridge magnets which are still to list & am thinking about cards... only thinking at the moment tho, lol! 

Talk about "having an idea & doing it to death"!! Sometimes it's quite fun just working through all the possibilities for one thing, rather than trying to conjure up 'new' ideas all the time... mind you i don't really have problems with new ideas, it's finishing off (or even starting) the ones i already have that needs some working on!  

Just Playin'....

My stash of arty 'stuff' has been pared to a minimum for a long time now.... caravan life means limited storage & being aware of the weight we carry. This way of life certainly teaches the lesson of non-attachment to material things. But jewel like colours caught my eye & I just 'had to have' a pack of fine liner pens that jumped off the shelf into my hand.... and then i just 'had' to test them before i put the rest of my shopping away, well, i did stick the milk in the fridge but that was about all :-)

And so this playful alphabet emerged... it's not a style of my invention, but the variations are endless. There's no right or wrong with these, but some of my letters do look better than others... as i doodled an  idea to use them started to grow, so a little refinement is needed if i carry it out. Not so much that they appear over worked, but straight away i could see lines that don't quite work for me and others that i love.

So... new pens, a morning scribbling and ideas a-forming....suzi's happy!!

OOps... a winner at last!

Errr... i know i said i'd do a draw in a couple of weeks but somehow time has rolled on and i'm not sure how it got to be this long! So sorry for the delay.... i've written names on paper & scrunched them up, given them a good shake around and picked.... Barry... so congratulations to you B, and thank you to the loyal crew that took part!

Some Sunday Sweetness...

... a handful of creative sweet treats i have found on my wanders

Just wanted to share...

Art du Jour

Ravenwood Forest

Healing Through Multiple Sclerosis

Gina Lee Kim

Lone Crow Photo.... & a Give-aways!

Well, I've continued to procrastinate on the calligraphy front... but I have been working on an etsy shop revolving around my photography... Lone Crow Photo.

The Lone Crow name has been kicking around in my head for ages but I'm beginning to think it wasn't the wisest choice... I already have various blogs on different themes and throwing another name into the mix doesn't exactly help people identify with me does it? Ah well...

The first few pictures I put up were of the moon, and they got such a good reaction being included in several treasuries that other 'etsians' put together, that I kept going along the moon theme. I already write my lunar musings at moondreamin'... I suppose that would have been a good shop name to keeep things tied together, but somehow it feels too personal over there, not commercial at all... besides, eventually there will be more than just moon stuff in there, at least that's the plan!

I've started adding some photographs with quotations & some of my own words. Eventually, I may try adding calligraphy, but its taken me long enough to work out how to add type!

She smiles... and I feel her light fill my soul

Would anyone like a copy of this print? Let's have a give-away to celebrate my shop opening!  You can have this, or choose another photo from my shop.... Just leave a comment & I'll do a draw in a couple of weeks.

I've also been putting together some images together on digital collage sheets, for people to print out for themselves & use in their crafting. I got my first sale with one of these & I'm hoping they will be popular once my shop gets known in the crafty community... fingers crossed (& toes & everything else!) Soon on the list is to do some with calligraphy, now that I'm getting the hang of how to do the editing... it's a steep learning curve, I tell ya!!

digital collage sheet - 2 x 2 inch squares - moon behind trees

Who would like one of these? Again... just leave a comment to be entered in the draw. I'll send a few out by email... all you have to do is print them & create something wonderful!! 

And I'd love a picture of what you make to post on here, or a link to your blog if you post pictures... but of course that's not obligatory!

'Til the end of March I'm offering anyone who passes this way, a 50% discount off anything purchased from Lone Crow Photo. All you have to do is enter the coupon code SCRIBBLES1 when you make a purchase... hopefully I can tempt you!!

A Blanket of Comfort for Japan

May we join together in our thoughts... sending healing, love & calm across the ethers...

May those threads of energy twist together, forming ever stronger strands... weaving together with the thoughts of others across the world and beyond...

forming a healing blanket... infused with love & calm & hope...

Let us spread that blanket over japan & the ocean where the effects of the earthquake are felt....

A blanket of comfort & calm... gently soothing the Earth... absorbing the anguish & pain... gently transmuting them into loving, peaceful energy... a blanket of calm gently soothing & settling the tremors... feel the earth's heart beating steadily once more... calmed by the blanket of love...

A blanket of comfort & calm... gently settling the ocean... absorbing the anger & fear... transmuting them into loving peaceful energy... quelling the tidal reactions.... feel the ocean breathing easy once more, soothed by the blanket of love...

A blanket of comfort & calm.... settling over the nuclear reactors.... gathering in the radiation... absorbing it into the strands.... gently soothing & transmuting.... settling unstable energy... converting it to loving, positive energy.... feel that power reigning in... calmed under a blanket of love...

A blanket of comfort & calm... surrounding the people... absorbing their shock & grief, their fears & uncertainties.... comforting & healing... scattered emotions & physical pain... all being absorbed... and transmuted through the strands of our blanket... into loving positive energy... see them renewed with love & hope & strength... comforted under a blanket of love...

See the blanket growing.... boosted by every thought... every energy transference... see it extending out around the world... tucking it in around everyone affected... around creatures of land & sea & air... a blanket that never wears thin... a blanket that renews & heals & grows...

settling itself over the world.... calming & loving... comforting & healing... people in every walk of life... gently reassuring & encouraging... helping more & more people to breathe easy & feel their connection....

...& feel free to share this...

Pencil Warm-up

I have work to be done. Lettering for a couple of people & projects for myself... stuff to list on etsy (i've a stash of handmade paper cut, packed & photographed ready to go)... but i keep putting it off. Adamant that 'today was the day' (that was on tuesday) I dug out my calligraphy gear & set things up. But... no black gouache, which meant another root around. So, with the excuse that I needed to warm-up (after all i've done no real lettering for a few months... doesn't normally bother me, but...) I rummaged through my pencils...

I just picked one up & started to write the first thing that came to mind... i'd just posted about 'grey days' at spirit whispers, and the silhouettes of branches reminded me of pencil lettering. So I just continued the theme... picking up one pencil or the other with varying hardness... 2B, charcoal, 6B, 2H etc... more an exercise in procrastination to get my hand in than anything else...

I soon realised that my application of pressure was a bit haphazard and really could have done with my glasses on and the pencils really, really needed sharpening.... but i was enjoying the movement of pencil over paper, the forming of words, the build up of texture... just 'doing'.

Hmmm... what did I say to my students when i was teaching? "Always warm up, even if only for a few minutes, before you start writing". And so I did... next!

The idea of the "pressure & release" technique is to apply more pressure to the ends of straight strokes & the sides of curves. That's the simple explanation 'cos there are exceptions & variations etc etc. And it's supposed to be a gradual transition between hard & light pressure. It really does add another dimension to lettering.

One of the best ways to practice is to begin with lines(no pressure to get the right letterforms to begin with).... vertical... horizontal... diagonal... then curves... then move on to words when you're relaxed and more consistent. Also, a tip is to gradually increase the length of lines or size of letters.... going back to 'normal' size then seems much easier! (the last couple of words shown were a couple of inches or so).

So.... now, in theory at least, I am ready to get started.... just gotta go & find that box with my paint in!

Crafty Individuals Blog

Yaaay... Jean at Crafty Individuals has started a blog

http://craftyindividualsblog.blogspot.com/

I'm long overdue to get some more calligraphy to her for rubber stamp designs, but it has been on my mind to get started. We've moved with work several times since autumn & I just haven't done any calligraphy or arty stuff at all. I always tend to work best when I have something on the go rather than starting from scratch and my gear was packed away for moving.... and stayed there. Honestly, it doesn't take long to unpack, but it's been a case of out of sight out of mind. Tut-tut suz.

She's not the only one a-waiting either... i started preparing calligraphy reversed ready to use for transfer techniques, and was really enthused til we started moving about... think the time has come to get re-motivated. I know once I start I won't want to stop.... mmmm, the time has come to stop thinking & start doing!