Wickerwork bird feeder

Sometimes it's good just to get the fingers working...I went to a workshop to learn how to make a bird feeder using traditional basketmaking techniques.And here's the result:

We started with 7 thick hazel twigs to make the structure of the base, weaving lengths of willow through them to create a circular platform, then adding and bending up finer hazel twigs for the sides, tied at the top, and with a central ring of woven willow to keep the shape of the 'cage'. I'm not sure how much the bird's appreciate the design; they're more interested in the fat ball hanging inside.

Out of practice

It's been months since I took a brush in my hands, but a new year, and new intentions, plus the enthusiastic encouragement of Maureen, and here's my first very quick attempt to get paint on canvas...

I'd been struck by the small bright red roses still blooming in Maureen's garden, against the greens of the hedge and the otherwise wintry feel of the weather. With little more than an hour's worth of time, in bad light, with no preparation, the result is an overly complicated composition, lack of tonal range, and any number of other issues. And I didn't even get to the red roses!

There's not much to be proud of here, but I stick it up to make me work on improving it, so that there'll be a 'before' and 'after', and hopefully the latter will be more interesting than the former...