Goodbye.... for now..

To the sweetest friend and most loving companion.. you gave so much..yet asked for so little..

You can now run with Zulu again... dear Shaka....our tears fall like rain..

Sweet girl ...you touched our lives in so many ways..

Till we meet again...
beautiful girl.. we'll love you forever.. Helen, Eddie , Luke and Zackary..

Sparrow King Print

I really like this guy, he is just so down- to-earth..
You'd never know he was a blue- blood if it wasn't for his flippin' gorgeous headgear..



Aww... I just love a bird with a crown...

Yup.. been messing with my watercolors again!!







Sparrow King Limited edition print available at The Willows Nest Shoppe . with free shipping for USA and CA


Good lordy.. 2 posts in 2 days.. we might be making that new years reso' after all!

Hope you all get some good ol' Saturday night fun tonight!!!
H

New Artwork update

Ok, folks .. you may need smelling salts .. I am actually putting a new item in my etsy store!!

That's right , I have added a new print of the lovely Zinnia..

She's a pretty laid back kind of gal..


prints of the original watercolor are available online at
The Willows Nest store..

We are celebrating with Free shipping to America or Canada for this item..

Rhino's rock!!! haha.. have a lovely weekend!

Cheers , Helen

Illustration Friday..Adrift..

Ok I know Illustration Friday On a Wednesday...?
Well I am just glad I got to do it at all .. sick Toddler home with Scarlet Fever...

I thought that went out with the Plague!!!... maybe I need to hang a skull and Crossbones on the door?
Any way.. the theme this week was ...adrift.. here is my effort completed at midnight last night..

Adrift on a sea of tea...


Have a lovely Wednesday !
Cheers , H

Can I embed a link?

This is a test to see if I have learned a small step for mankind but a huge step for 'Helen'.. let's pop over and visit ...'the shop' haha!!!! yeeha it worked!!

I am so sorry you technical ones , I know you must think I have some quite serious 'brain problems'( which I probably do) .. but that is just something that I hadn;t figured out.. now I know that it is sooo.oooo easy .. um.. yes I do feel a bit silly.. IF there is ANYONE out there besides me who doesn't know how to do this I found out how to do it here..
Good lord .. I did it again!! I so rock!
ok .. all you 'fancy bloggers .. look out ..'The Willows Nest is coming into the '90's !!!! hehe

Life begins at 40!.

Oh the joys of turning 40!!!!
I am Lovin' it!
My big day started out with lots of fun things planned on my day... shopping ( kid free) at Anthropologie,, a little art workshop.. time browsing books for hours at Barnes and Nobles...yay!! Then home to find champagne, roses and choccie dipped strawberries ( which the kids dipped with daddy) ( I am so spoilt)!

the kiddles chose these gorgeous blooms for mummy..


lots of lovely cards and pressies..

even Shaka joined in on the fun ( albeit reluctantly)


Then a few days later I had a fabulous do at a jazz and wine bar with my amazing friends!! Just too much fun for one girl!
This pic is taken before we went out by my awesome friend Lainie who came down from Houston specially for me!!

In fact here is a pic of my gorgeous friend....



For my birthday present this year I wanted a fabulous experience ... not a 'thing' to gather dust.. So synchronicity at it's finest 'helped' me stumble across Patricia Baldwin-Seggebruch.
I purchased her book on Encaustic painting.. started playing around with the medium and having lots of fun. I then realised ( the synchronicity element) this awesome teacher from Seattle was going to be doing a 4 day workshop in San Antonio ( aha! I cried .. fabulous birthday experience present!) So I went , had a blast , met a bunch of brilliant artists, made new friends.. and learned tons , played tons and garnered inspiration aplenty!

Here is a shot of our deliciously messy , creative table..


I was quite delighted to meet an extremely fun and talented artist who lives 'up the road' in Austin ......... here she is with her creative mojo hard at work!


check out her cool art...www.Stephanie Rubiano.com hmm... Stephanie gives me a fun excuse to pop up and visit the grooviest Texan city again.


So lots of wild inspiration bubbling away in my studio.. The smell of hot wax pervading.. here is a sneak peek..



Excited to report that my new wide format Epson printer arrives any day now ( will be so cool to be able to create my own prints rather than sending everything away!)


Well.. Little 'Z' plaintively declared to me the other day..."'Mummy I lost the sea....
D' you know where tis?... "
After Mummy woefully admitted to missing the sea too ( after our amazing month by the ocean in New Zealand).. Zackary quickly clambered aboard his tricycle and headed toward the driveway hollering.. " Don't worry Mummy I go find it"!!

"ohhhhhhh.... break mummy's heart!!!

You will all be pleased to know we have a large gate so he can't get out on the said wee trike... and we have booked a holiday at the beach in April .. yay!!!

Here is a pic of Z enjoying his beloved ' recently discovered 'sea while in New Zealand in December.

Cheers . H xxxxx