Happy Easter (again!)

I offered my 'Light of the World' painting as handpainted cards recently and I had a few custom orders for different colours. This purple to lilac is one of my favourites.

For more details on getting some for yourself please see here.

Treat your Hands

I made one of THE best purchases last week. I treated myself to some handmade soap from BanjoBaySoaps. I bought myself the Sweet Honey Oat Bar and oh my! my hands feel great. They're usualy quite dry from all the washing off of paint, but these sort that out in just one wash. It also smells divine. I used it all over in the shower the other morning and my skin looked great, glowing and my darling husband even commented on how nice I smelt. This one is definately a winner, even for my really sensitive skin.

I've been having some really late nights recently, burning the candle at both ends sorting out setting up my business, opening two shops and being swamped in Mother's Day orders so when I saw this in Emily's shop, I just had to have it. Tjis bar is called 'Synergy' and I'll tel you what, I was sceptical at first that this might help to energise  but this combined with copius amounts of caffeine is definately working. The smell, is indescribable, when you open the packet a fresh, zesty smell jumps out at you and really woke me up. I just can't stop smelling it - what's the protocol on putting these in your drawers to freshen your clothes?!

Are you an Alice in Wonderland Fan? there is a beautiful rangeof soaps here 

These really have been the best purchases I have made in a while and have already directed my husband to the shop to get one of each for my birthday!

If anyone in the UK is interested in buying from BanjoBaySoaps, i'm going to be placing another order soon so I can maybe set-up a little co-op to get cheaper shipping for you.

If you want to follow Emily on her blog, you can find it here

A Present for My Cousin

My cousin is getting married on Saturday and I cannit wait. It was planning the present for my cousin that led to me starting to sell my stuff and think that people my might want them - so a great big thank you to Fran!! As you can imagine it was quite a shock to me when I got a message through from Fran commissioning a piece of my work. The girl with a flower on the right is that commission. As a present I have done a matching boy with kite and also (when my supplier gets back to me) will be doing a couple on one canvas, I'm hoping this will be before Saturday but it may have to be a one week anniversary present.

I hope they like them as much as I do.

Find Me on Folksy

www.folksy.com/shops/simpleartbyally

For all my UK based fans, you can now buy from my British based shop.....and man it feels good to be seeing the good ol' pound sign again!!

Back to my Roots

As mentioned in previous posts I am influenced (like all artists) by the things around me and the things I am interested in. For just over two years of the previous five I have been pregnant and for four of them I have been breastfeeding.

This latest piece from the easel of Ally is my depiction of those fantastic nine months, not forgetting when baby is skinside.

The original sketch of this is in twelve parts, the nine months of pregnancy and then three slides showing breastfeeing a newborn, a toddler and a preschooler.

I have had some really postive responses to my colourful pieces so thought I'd brighten up these dull days, bring on the sunshine!

This is still on the easel and needs quite a bit more time put into it. I'll be working on it

over the next week and will hopefully have a finished piece to show you later on in the week.

I'd like to remind you all about the competition to win a custom canvas. You can find the competition here on the Natural Mamas forum

When this one ends at the end of the month, I will be running a monthly prize giveaway here on my blog.

A beautiful work of Art.

I received this from an excellent Etsy store a few weeks back and wanted to share it all with you. I look at it everyday n my front room and can't get over how beautiful it is. The work (wo)manship is just fantastic. I really speaks for itself.

I love it so much, that I am now planning a custom piece of my family. Just getting my ideas together. It is so unique and a real conversation starter.

This is proudly displayed in my home and if I had to sum myself up in a piece of Art this would totally be it. I hope you love it as much as I do.

You can find Woolicious here.

A great 2weeks

The shop has been open 2weeks, what a great (but tiring) time i'm having!

I just wanted to show you all this. It is a treasury on etsy where this get put together and are sometimes featured. This one is a special one, made up of UK Etsians, so click to help support our UK market.

p.s. you might see a familiar piece of art ;o)

Wow, a very busy night

Having completed my Mums Mother's day gift, I showed it to my Husband and a few friends and they thought it was a lovely idea, so wanted a few for their families. I then had the mad idea of posting it on the Natural Mamas forum, not thinking that anyone would take it up, being so close to mother's day. I kind of assumed everyone was alot more organised than me. It appears I was wrong. I crawled into my bed at 2am, having completed 11 paintings!

The picture above was my hardest to prepare, trying to work out the family tree was fun! I was concerned it would look overcrowded with 23, yes 23 members, but I actually think it looks really good.

Below are just a few others that I have done as gifts for Mother's day. It has been really fun and I feel like each of these families has its own personality, each family member has taken on a life of its own. I wonder how different they are in real life?!

For Mother's Day

It's Mother's day in the UK this Sunday (14th) and my mum requested something handmade. So, this is what I have come up with so far. As I have said previously I have been a closet artist for a long time and my parents and husband knew nothing about my hobby and so I'm celebrating my 'coming out' with this special piece. It is of my family - from left to right, Brother-in-law, Sister, Dad, Mum, Daughter, Me, Son one, Husband, son 2. I'm going to trawl round the shops tomorrow to try and right a nice frame and mount it properly.

Hope she likes it! Luckily I know she doesn't read my blog ;o)

Light of the World

Happy Easter everyone!

Ok so I'm a few weeks early, but I just love this time of year. Spring is in the air. Daffodil shoots are starting to sprout. The sun is shining a bit brighter. The days are getting longer. I'm thinking about my faith, what it means to me, how it impacts those around me. I spend my bedtime winddown time reading back through the Gospels,learning new things, remembering old.

I have drifted alot from my faith over the last few years and thanks to the fantastic people and community I have found at the Global Generation Church, I am slowly but surely getting back on track. This will be my first Easter period since rejoining the path and this piece reflects how much I'm thinking about it.

I hope you like it and it helps you think about the real reason for Easter.

Finally done

I would like to unveil the finished 'Alice' inspired piece.
It doesn't have a name yet, all ideas welcome. I think it speaks for itself so will leave this post here.

Updates as promised

As promised, here is the next phase of this 'Alice in Wonderland' inspired piece. Not sure if I like it. Not happy with certain bits of it, ut that's always the way, that's why these things take so darn long to get from head to finished piece.

All feedback welcome on it, what do you like? what would change? what would you do next?

Alice In Wonderland

This piece has been inspired by Alice in Wonderland. I have been heavily influenced by all the media attention of the new Tim Burton film. It has taken quite a bit of planning, and as you can see is still nowhere near finished. I will take new shots when it is complete and it will be for sale in my Etsy shop.It is acrylic on a canvas panel.

It is a smaller, concise version of a new set I have been working on. You can see 'Alice' pictured below. All the characters are available individually.

I have now been open for 9days. I have had a fab week, with so many positive comments and great feedback. Thank you so much xx

A work in progress

So, i thought i'd keep you up to date with my current project. This has been in my head for years, in the sketch book for months, on paper for weeks and now on canvas for 24hours. This picture doesn't do it justice and it is in no way finished. I think it's really pretty to look at and have really enjoyed blending colours. From these last 2posts you can see just how much i've enjoyed it.

Like all my work it is of course inspired by the womanly form, this is the mammories(again) although I really like that is not overly obvious. I like that is represents so many different sizes, but they are still the same. I hate that so many people are hung up on the size shape and orientation of their breasts. I, for one am going to be thankful for what I have been blessed with, but still daydream about the reduction!!

A Rainbow to Brighten the Day

We finally had some sunshine this week and so I was inspired to get the bright paints out and do something to cheer me up on those long, horrible dark days. It was just aswell i did this when it was sunny, because now it is back to being miserable. It was nice to see it waiting for me this morning on the easel and has definately brightened my day.

I'm not sure whether to sell or keep this piece, although i'm sure my husband wont appreciate MORE of my artwork in our home. He likes minimalist walls, so i'm just not sure what the fate of this piece this is right now. Maybe i'll let the customers decide!!

HeatherMaizy you Rock

 I would like to share this photograph of my beautiful daughter, sporting a new accessory from a fabulous Etsy Seller, Heathermaizy. The work(wo)manship is second to none, the shipping was super quick and the communication as been fabulous. I will be heading right back to the shop as soon as DD's birthday is a bit nearer.

Please help support Etsy sellers, if you can't cart, heart.

thanks again Heather xxxx

A big Thank You

I have just completed this drawing for my first ever buyer on Etsy (thank you Spunkytea). I've been officially open since Monday and have been blessed with lots of convo's regarding custom items, I would just like to say Thank You to all for supporting me and remind you all that you can win your own custom canvas at Natural Mamas, competition open for the whole of March

Check these cuties out!

I am really happy to introduce a new product to my shop - mini notecards. I have had a few requests for these and have spent most of this afternoon working on sizes. The designs are exactly the same as those avilable in the shop. I will also be listing some new designs later this week.



I have had a fantastic start to the week. with 5custom orders and 2 other sales. Thank you so much everyone for your support xxx

It's Competition Time

As previously mentioned I am a member of a natural pareting forum....Natural Mamas and for the month of March, Simple Art by Ally has the competition spot. To be in with a chance of winning a custom canvas worth 50pounds, you just have to register on the site and answer the questions. Good Luck and hope to see you all on the boards!

My First Custom Order and some!

The shop officially opened yesterday and it all went really well. Thank you to those that posted Simple Art by Ally on their facebook and twitter pages.

I signed on to the computer early afternoon and had a new message for a custom canvas, I then proceeded to receive 4more custom orders thorughout the course of the day. I am so happy. I can't believe people acually want to buy my stuff.

This is a draft for a custom canvas for a friend of mine.

It is a really nice feeling knowing that people like my stuff and want to hang it in their homes. One very special request was from my cousin. She's getting married in a few weeks and wanted a canvas for her new house. This is great, but has also put a real spanner in the works as she was getting one anyway as a wedding present, at least I know she'll like it!!