Burning the Candle at both ends.

I'm usually really good at setting myself limits for working in the eveing, but the last few nights have seen my creative juices flow and I have only been getting a few hours sleep each night. I'm loving my work, but hating being tired. I still have hundreds of ideas going round in my head and am making the most of this as I know how easy it is to fall into a rut.

I have now listed two canvas pieces in my Etsy shop and aim to put a new piece on each day.

I am just trying to find where the children have hidden my camera and will take picture of the latest work in progress.

So here it is. 'The Breast' I really enjoyed this piece, it's kinda a self portrait, well based on my own mammories anyway. It's part of 2 sets, one in true pop art style, 4 canvasses of the same picture but different, bold colours and the other is a set of three, with 2 smaller ones at the top for the breasts and one wider one underneath which is a pregnant, both stunning and truly beautiful to look at. Want art that people will be talking about for a long time to come?? come to my shop!!
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A day to remember.

Being a mum of three small children I usually have lots of days to forget. Not today. I've taken the plunge and actually listed some bits on my etsy store. Granted they're not very big pieces, but it's a huge step for me in realising that I might have a talent worth showcasing however big or small.

This is one of my favourite pieces and has been given to friends over the last few years who have had babies. They seem to be gratefully received so I guess it's not too bad. Sometimes I think that it's just me who thinks they're good, that's the self-conscious part of me I guess

This is one of my most recent loves - I have been working on it on and off for the last few weeks. It is not totally finished yet so don't want to reveal it all just yet. I would like to thank Family Tree Glass for some of the inspiration for it.

Getting back into blogging after a few months off has been really therapeutic and it's been great finding new blogs to read and enjoying the old ones again too.

Here are three of my favourites

Lullabies and Lunacy

Lazy Seamstress

and a fab one I found yesterday - Scoutie Girl

A Blank Canvas

I decided to take a break from doing stuff for the shop last night and thought i'd get a canvas and the acrylics out. This is by no means finished, there's a lot more still to do to it, but this is the basis of one of my favourite canvasses. I have my original of this on the wall in the front room and love looking at it.

The pregnant form, is one of my most loved shapes, it's just so curvy, so beautiful, so well....womanly. My original inspiration for this, came from a photograph that my husband took of me whilst pregnant with my second son. The lighting was compeltely rubbish on the photo and you could only just make out the shape. It was slightly different to this in that my leg raised, but it was inspiration and i'm sure I have the picture on the computer somewhere!!

Like I said this one isn't finished, but I already have the next one planned out. I've done it on watercolour, but am not that happy with it, so i will transferring it onto canvas over the next few days - really hoping the children sleep this afternoon so I can crack on with shop stuff, it's not long till it opens now.......

For 2 very special people

I am a member of a very very busy natural parenting forum called Natural Mamas. It has been a fantastic tool for me to explore and develop my parenting skills with other like-minded people. I have made some fabulous friends, some I have met in real life and some I hope to. One of these women has been a great source of advice me in all manner of areas and to say thank you, she'll be getting a little something in the post soon. (she doesn't know it's coming so I can't show the whole thing as it might give it away, hence no pics of this one)

 

The picture above is another bad crop of a piece very close to my heart. I have been developing this piece for well over a year now and it is so adaptable to many different situations, occasions, families, events that I put all my effort into maing it perfect. This is once again, for a very special mama, who helps me more than she knows.

Trying really hard not to give too much away!

This week is becoming really busy, I have the aforementioned special event to plan for on Thursday and I am busy slaving away at the easel for Monday's grand opening. I'm starting to really doubt myself at the moment. Need to pull myself out of it and crack on.

So, you want a quick peak?

Technically speaking you have all already had a sneak peak at some of my work. It's in my banner and my avi. It is one of my all time favourite pieces that needs to be transferred onto canvas before I launch it to the world. For those that know me well, it totally sums up Ally, for those that don't, well it adds insight into who I am.>

So, moving on to the image. It is a very badly cropped photograph of one of my paintings. These images will be handpainted (by me) on to cards, which can be framed at a later date or sold already mounted and framed.

The inspiration for this piece was taken from a very special occasion, occurring this Thursday coming (25th). Only then will I reveal the whole picture as I don't want to ruin the surprise for the giftee.

A Quick Welcome

Hi, and thanks for looking at the Simple Art By Ally blog. I hope to make this a fun space for showcasing by designs, showing how and where I work, the disasters I have created - as everyone makes mistakes and just generally ranting at you!

So, where do I start? Simple Art By Ally was conceived many moons ago as a dream of young girl wanting to have her artwork in other people's homes. I've been a secret artist for the last 8years - noone has ever seen my sketchbooks, my husband and parents never even knew they existed until recently. The subject of my work has changed dramatically over the last few years - like all artists I am influenced by things in my life and the last 5years have seen a huge change in my life, from becoming a teenage mother, adjusting to being a mother of 2, a wife, a mother of three and lastly a puppy owner. All of this has meant that my drawings are based around family, however I still do still life and landscapes if I get the time.

It is really great to be doing something I enjoy so much out in the open now. I am able to dedicate more time and passion to it. I love having something other than T.V. to look forward to in the evenings.

My Etsy shop (http://www.simpleartbyally.etsy.com/) will be officially opening on 1st March 9a.m. and I may even give you some sneaky peeks into what's to come throughout this week!!