One step forward (two steps back)

Exactly a week ago today I was sitting in front of my PC with a growing sense of doom as the anti-virus software was telling me that file after file on my computer was corrupt and being removed to quarantine.  After an eight and a half hour scan (!!!!) the whole thing ground to a halt when the anti-virus software finally 'stopped responding'.  You can use your imagination as to the language used by my good self to describe both machine and software at that stage.  A week later - PC returned to 'factory new' conditions; iTunes library lost; all my internet favourites vanished into the ether, though luckily (amazingly) all my documents and picture files were ok and saved by the nice man at the PC shop - I'm back.  The reason for the problem?  Bullguard anti-virus software company released an update by mistake which basically told the system that all my program files etc were corrupt, though they weren't, and so the computer (for want of a more technical way of putting it) ate itself up from the inside out!!!  Aaargh!!!!  So now, my little plans of beginning to sell my artwork online have been setback by a good few days.  I'd hoped to launch everything this weekend, I shall work my little socks off to get things started next weekend now.

There, rant over!  I do hope that none of you lovely people who stop by here have been troubled with the same problem. If you have, and you haven't been to the Bullguard site yet since - they are saying on their forum that you can ask for a subscription refund, you need to e-mail their payments dept.  Good luck!

Just to brighten this post up - here are some quick design sketches I have been working on this week for my Wild Things jewellery....

Watch this space next week as I am going to run a little giveaway of one of my necklaces, to say a big thank you to everyone who has offered me words of encouragement on my art since I started this blog!  You'll need to get your name down to be in with a chance of getting the goods! 

Oh, and I promise, no more venting of spleen! xx

It's all gone Pete Tong...

...which means it's all gone very wrong here in the UK (rhyming slang).  On Saturday my shiny 8 month old PC died because of a mistake my antivirus software company made.... basically they have trashed PCs around the world!  It's a long and very boring story but if you use Bullguard security software you'll probably know what I mean.

I collect my hard drive today, reset to factory settings  :-(   so hopefully, will be up and running again by the end of Thursday.

Basically, all I want to say is - 'I'll be back'. xx

If you go down to the woods today.....

I have to share this link with everyone as this website has been captivating me for weeks now.  It is a WildEarth TV channel - a webcam that is set up in the den of a hibernating black bear called Lily and her little (extremely demanding) baby Hope.  They live in a place called Ely in Northeastern Minnesota, USA.   This link comes with a warning however - if you look you WILL be hooked, and if your'e hooked, you'll get nothing else done!!!!

This is Lily - photograph taken from the Wild Earth website.

http://www.wildearth.tv/static/wildearth/channels/we_bear_den.html

This kind of website is what makes the internet a wonderful thing, how fantastic is it that I can sit here in my little Yorkshire house in the north of England watching a black bear and her cub live in the wild on a different continent?!!  Enjoy!!

Oh and I'll be back very soon with some new artwork, L xx

Gearing up

As you can see I have changed the title of my blog...  I was never very happy with 'Making Marks' I just felt I had to think of something suitable and at the time that was all I could think of.  I am about to start selling some of my hand made work and will be doing so under the name 'Wild Things' (the tag line being - 'hand made things with wild things on') and so it seems a sensible idea to tie this blog in with my little business venture. 

The picture at the top illustrates the state of my little buisiness venture as it stands today though - I don't even think I could call it organised chaos could I?!!!  Guess what I'll be doing this weekend...

Just to add something a bit more creative to this post I thought I'd put up a  non-Wild Things pic that I keep working on - a watercolour of Lindisfarne in Northumberland, a place I have visited many times since I was a child.  This is a painting I keep coming back to.  It's taken from some patched together photographs of the castle and harbour, I am trying to work much more freely with the paint.  I have already made a mess of the sky and will try to rectify it at some point but its all being done on practice paper, just for fun really so I am enjoying the process:

Right I off to try to create some order out of chaos!  Chores today, creative fun tomorrow.  Have a good weekend guys! x

Rock chicks

While I am here, I just wanted to share this.  Now, generally I don't like to think of birds in cages, but it has to be said that these little finches do seem happy and well cared for.  This is an art installation at the Barbican in London by the artist Celeste Boursier-Mougenot.  The little chap with the twig could give Jimmy Page and his violin bow a run for his money.

All in a days work

I have managed to finish a couple of others since producing these, hopefully, within the next two to three weeks I will be able to try my hand at selling some through online outlets.  I just have final details to sort out but I will let you know when I am up and running. 

I have treated myself to a book to try to help my thought processes regarding getting on and making some money from my art.  I've had time for a quick flick through and it actually looks pretty good, so when I have finished here I shall make myself a warm drink and snuggle down in bed for a read.  The book is 'The Creative Enterprise' by Lisa Sonora Beam (available on Amazon):

I'd be interested to know if anyone else has read this book - or perhaps if anyone could recommend anything else, or a website perhaps? 

I have my usual day off tomorrow, which I usually try to enjoy by getting as much out of the day as I can - artwise. I have an appointment at the dentist in the morning though, and will be seriously numbed-up and feeling sorry for myself by the time I get home. I shall spend some time this evening preparing some good things to entice me to 'crack-on' when I get back and not wallow in self-pity!!!