Saturday, 4th January 2025 - Oracle Roses

Tim and I worked into the garden clearing up our fallen trees before the snow was due. We chopped, dragged, and barrowed until we had reinstated clear pathways through the garden. My muscles in every part of my body happily ache. We didn't get any snow. We got rain.

I feel bereft. I have finished watching The Resident. 

Day 4 #stadaeasel

I have had fun playing with time-lapse videos of my painting. I have done one of the painting below. If you would like to see it have a look at my Instagram page katerundellartist. 

Oracle Roses

Watercolour

Friday, 3rd January 2025 - John's Grapes

The Prana practice I am following with Adriene is surprisingly difficult. Today was less than 20 minutes and involved a lot of breath work but my keeping myself correctly seated takes a lot of concentration. I feel a little sore around my shoulders.

The Evans and Poppy came for homemade pizzas. The breadmaker is excellent for making dough for a lazy cook like me. The grandchildren added their own toppings. I like to see what they choose. Hetty's was very symmetrical. Raffy had one central olive. Herbie's was salami heavy. We played Connect 4. It belonged to my mother-in-law. I am so pleased I kept it. The brave ones took the dogs for a very cold and frosty walk. I have missed their company and felt much better after their visit.

Day 3 #stradaeasel

We bought some grapes for a friend who is hospital. He requested grapes. We didn't get to visit him today. We have some tasty grapes to eat.

John's Grapes
Indian Ink and Watercolour
24 x 17cm

Thursday, 2nd January 2025 - Onion in Onion Ink

After a session with Adriene that left me checking my posture throughout the day, I headed into the garden to clear our fallen tree. It is looking better but we have another couple of days of tidying and chain sawing. The logs will be ready in 2027 after a couple of years of drying and seasoning. 

I had a lovely mug of tea with Lindsey. And then I had another. It was lovely warming my muscles in front of her woodburner. I took her a bunch of daffodils for being wonderful.

I came home to find dinner had been prepared. Thank you Tom for the bargain salmon. Thank you Tim for the cooking. I was very hungry after my day of logging.

Day 2 #stradaeasel

Today's painting is painting with ink I made from onion skins, a touch of avocado stone ink and some white ink made from aluminium that has been steeping on the window sill for over a year. Great fun.

Onion in Onion Ink
Homemade inks
20 x 22cm

Wednesday, 1st January 2025 - Tom's Apple in Oils

Happy 2025 to you all. Any resolutions? Mine are the usual, eat less, drink less, exercise more. They will be broken within a few weeks but my intentions are good.

We were surprised that we still had power this morning after a very wet and windy night. Unfortunately an ailing tree had succumbed to the wind and lost a couple of rather large limbs. From the house it didn't look too bad but after donning our wellies and raincoats on closer inspection it had clipped the edge of the greenhouse taking out a couple of panes of glass and squishing a water butt. The spindlberry was in the line of fire and now horizontal. We have a lot of clearing up to do. The nasty bit is the glass from the greenhouse which we cleared most of today.

Day1 #stradaeasel

I have finished my postcard project. For January 2025 I am doing The Strada Easel Challenge. I am taking part so I can win an easel!!! No harm in being positive. Every day - oh yes, you paint/draw/create a work of art only from life. I thought I would start simple. One apple in oil. Blimey! I am glad you didn't hear the expletives emanating from my studio. Felt fantastic to be painting something bigger than a postcard.

Tom's Apple in Oils
Oil on board
20 x 20cm