Escape Into a Secret Garden...

Hello there

This week's post is an invitation, to step into the imaginary world of a whimsical secret garden, full of cascading lavender,

"Lavender Cascade" by Clare Walker

quirky plant holders,

"Wellies and Flowers," by Clare Walker

and flower-filled planters...

"Purple Floral Planter," by Clare Walker

In part, this images were a lovely way to escape from the really-very-cold-for-the-time-of-year weather here. And on a practical level, yes, they are likely to make an appearance in some downloadable craft sheets soon.

But they were also fun, relaxing, a homage to lovely parks and gardens everywhere...and something am feeling I might like to draw more often. Escaping to an imaginary secret garden, it turns out, isn't only for children...

For now though, hope you've enjoyed this, and that you have a great weekend.

More soon.

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In the Lavender Garden...

Hello there

Hope you've had a lovely week, and are coping with the heat/cold/other weather oddity (delete as applicable) in your particular part of the world. Here in London, it's seriously warm. So, where better to take you, than a lavender garden?

Click or tap here to see the full version of this design

This is a digital watercolour of mine in Krita, and it's based upon a trip we took to see the Fawcett Garden in Vauxhall.

As you can see from these photos, the garden is smaller than the mythical place in my imagination :-) (isn't that always the way?). But it is beautiful, and we got there at just the right time to see and smell, the lavender. (As ever, the Computer Man and I went together. Most of the photos are his, as he's much niftier with a camera than me).

Happy bees abounded...

And there were roses, too...

Photo by JimFernbank

As well as a general feeling of "Cottage Garden-ness"...

Photo by JimFernbank

Which is all the more amazing, when you consider that Vauxhall Park is just a stone's throw from the MI6 building in central London. 

The thing I loved best though, is that the park's lavender (which also featured in rows like these)...

Photo by JimFernbank

is harvested every year, by volunteers, with proceeds from the resulting oil being used to fund the ongoing upkeep of the lavender garden.

You can't beat a situation so full of win-win aspects for everyone, can you?

And on that note, I'll just wish you a happy weekend (or week, depending upon when you're reading this).

And thank you for reading down this far into a long post :-).

More soon.

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A Floral Art Card For Mother's Day and Beyond...

Hello there

Hope all is well with you, and that you're able to enjoy the spring/autumn/other season wherever you are in the world as you read this.

Watering Can With Purple Flowers, by Clare Walker,
Click here to buy as a downloadable card sheet.

This week's art features a piece of summer that will resonate with flower-loving gardeners everywhere, and I'm hoping that, in its various forms, it'll be useful to you whether you're celebrating Mother's Day, a birthday, or any other happy occasion you think this card would suit.

I need to shoutout to people in the USA and Australia (and maybe other countries?)  here. Am ashamed to say this is the first year that I've remembered that Mother's Day is on a different day for you than the UK (ie this coming Sunday), but I promise it won't be the last.

If you are one of those celebrating this weekend, or need a lovely birthday card quickly, there's still time to make a great card from the printable sheet here (pop the designs on some cardstock or thick paper and you'll have your card).

Or if you're looking to brighten someone's day with an ecard, you're welcome to download and share the smaller,  optimised-and-ecard version of the card below.

Tap, right-click or click to download

Either way, enjoy these flowers, and your weekend or week (depending on when you're reading this).

PS. Update on May 10th: This design is now also available as a shaped card to print out and make. Many thanks to Marion Kimberley-Scott for allowing me to use her photograph of the design when made up, and for her skills in the making of it:

Photo and make by Marion-Kimberberley Scott, from a
design sheet by Clare Walker.

More soon.

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New Digital Painting: Summer Garden With Cat

Take a few moments just to set aside the stresses of the day, and simply lose yourself in a beautiful summer garden, complete with sleepy tabby cat.

This peaceful scene just popped into my head (starting with the boots, actually). And it wouldn't leave until it got painted out in full. (This is a digital watercolour in Krita-all 23 layers of it :-).

Feeling happier is the main thing here...

But of course, as ever, if you'd like to keep a more physical slice of the happy vibe, it will still be here.

As you might expect, this particular design shines as an art print...

Buy "Summer Garden With Cat" as an art print

But you might also love it on a tote bag, clock  or on other beautiful products and prints, here.

 

In the meantime, am wishing you all the peace and joy of a warm afternoon among the flowers.

More soon.