As Summer begins to wane and I can smell Autumn in the air, I know the time is ripe to return to online living. Having taken a bit of a break this Summer to really relish being a bit unplugged, I am going to try and blend that sort of quiet Unplugged life of mine into more short videos.
(Me Living my Victorian Seaside Dreams.)
Today, with the cool air after a very heavy rain which was so needed, we took our usual trip to our beach. The wet sand and tall sea grass always beckons, but after a much needed rain, one can’t help to be out and about foraging and turning rocks and weeds to look for ‘treasures’
Mind you, though I sometimes find amazing things, often my treasures are simply shells, rocks and driftwood, which will decorate my window ledges , bookshelf edges, and rim the corners of my desks in the sitting room, studio , and craft room.
(Codium Fragile also referred to sea staghorn)
I always get inspired by my walks and finds and today I was determined that the first thing I picked up would be IN my sketch today. And my first find was this very common sea algae called Codium Fragile also referred to sea staghorn and one of my favourite names for it Dead Man’s Fingers As the tuberous tips of this sea algae have the look of the bloated fingers of the drowned; surely a bit macabre, but nonetheless amusing.
As my ‘inspiration’ really only played a tiny bit in my sketch, mainly serving as backdrop, I think once I add colour to this sketch it shall be rather inspiring me to make some other things. I’m thinking with the way I added the blue circle here
to make it appealing in my Youtube thumbnail, rather gives me inspiration for some repeat patterns of this for wallpaper, fabric and wrapping paper. Also I think it’d be an adorable sticker like this, don’t you?
I’ve also been gathering a few seed pods, as we begin to think of the end of Summer as a good time to prepare for next Spring’s planting. This lovely cluster of Echinacea I have here in one of my seaside beds, has been going to seed, so I’ve already popped some into a small pot to see if it is ‘viable’ The other heads, as they dry, I’ll pop in paper bags until the seeds fall out and of course some of them I’ll use in decoration this Autumn in floral arrangements or maybe on a wreath (that would be a fun video as well)
(My Echinacea by the sea)
I hope to continue to share my “back to online Life” not only in Youtube videos but also in posts such as this, so I hope you will enjoy them and want to come along for the ride.
Today’s sketch (possibly as a sketch) and when it is filled in with colour will become available as prints and on things such as housewares, clothes etc. I’m rather looking forward to getting back to work and getting one’s nose to the grindstone and all that, though the quiet Summer of art and fussing about at the cottage has been lovely, I’m looking forward to the routine of video/art/writing; I hope you come along and stay.
We never really got the Hurricane here on Cape Cod, but we had such lovely rain that left a wonderful grey leaden sky.
If you would like to watch me beach comb then make this sketch of the French bulldogs and seaweed, here you go :
I hope you enjoyed today's sketch and beachcomb and I'm looking forward to sharing my quiet life by the sea more often now with all of you; excited for the return to Online Living this Autumn and Winter.
Stay creative and Cheers!