Today's blog is so brief that it is more of a blogette!  Read on ,to find out why.

This time of year is as busy as pre-Christmas for me.  Unfortunately, it is not pre-Christmas for everyone else, so I think I am going mad all by myself.

We are off to Suffolk today, for a 30th birthday celebration.  And this week, with having been away last weekend too, I have only had 2 working days at home. Wednesday and today!

On Wednesday, amongst a myriad of other things, I painted some more of my 'Cinderella' picture.

Next time you read my blog, there should be another painting of her, with a more complete dress, an amazing shoe, and hopefully Angela the cat.

In order to set off for Suffolk as soon as possible today, I took Mr Cooper to work, and will be picking him up at the end of his working day, which is 2.10pm. (I hadn't realised he only worked mornings, being a teacher) This will take an hour and a half out of my productive time.

On the way in, Mr Cooper said, 'I have been thinking about something all week'. 'What's that,' I said, wondering if there was something exciting on the horizon.
'Whereabouts will it be best for you to park on the road, when you pick me up?'
Cor blimey, I thought. If that is your pressing problem for this week, perhaps you should take a glimpse of my list for the today, let alone the whole week!
We agreed that on the road near the school would be a good idea.

Anyway, after returning the The Gaybells, I baked the birthday cake and gathered all the decorations for it.  Another hedgehog cake is in it's infancy. I think this one will be called Daniel.  Look out for him in the next blog.  always fun to do, but today another hour out of my productive time.

Then off to the frame shop, to pick up my 'Jisgaw' picture.  Here it is.

Come and see it over the next 2 weekends, Venue 92 0n the Chichester Open Studios Art Trail.
http://www.chichesterarttrail.org/
Please tell me if you visit me because of the blog, it will be lovely to meet my readers!

Got to get ready now for my swimming practice (see bottom right of the jigsaw drawing)
Another hour out of my productive time, then it will be time to collect Mr Cooper, and set off for Suffolk.

And hopefully, when I return on Monday, I will have the design finalised for 'Ironing Away My Dreams'.  The frame is being made now, so there is a fairly good chance it will be ready for 'Open Studios'.  If it is, it might be the only thing that is ready!

Have a great weekend, I will be back next week.
 And then, mentally, I will be in the day before Christmas Eve.

This week has been a week of unexpected gifts, unwanted doubts and creative resolutions.

Let's have an image to set the scene, and to provide that sometimes tenuous link to that cookery book I am writing.  The link here is cakes, not nudity!

This drawing, 'Naked, And Surrounded By Cake', was created in 2013, and was a departure from how  I was working then.

In 2013, the yearly Stride Open Art competition changed its criteria, as they were 'raising the standards of the exhibition'.  From considering any medium, they then wanted only paintings and drawings, and banned printmaking and collage from being entered.

Hence my work.  Beautifully drawn, but incorporating my images that were not allowed to be entered, as they were prints and paintings with collage.

This return to drawing has stayed with me, and several significant works have been created since I drew 'Naked, And Surrounded By Cake'.  In fact, 3 weeks ago, 'Awakening Conscience', shown below, was exhibited in the 'Awakening' exhibition.

 You can imagine how excited I was when, at the Private View, I was told that somebody was seriously interested in it, and it was almost certainly sold!  Although I had quite wanted it to be part of my Art Trail exhibition, I was also relieved, as with my MOT due in May, money would have been most handy.  In fact I had a really pleasant time in my head, spending the money.

First gift of the week, if unexpected, I collected my unsold drawing at the end of the exhibition!

So, if you think 'Awakening Conscience' is the picture for you, come along to venue 92 during the Chichester Open Studios Art Trail, and it can be yours for less than it would have cost you from the Oxmarket.  http://www.chichesterarttrail.org/

Then comes 2 more unexpected but lovely gifts.  Having totally bypassed Mother's day, son John gave me an Easter gift.  A butter lamb from Poland.  And Sam, who had tried so hard to give me a lovely Mother's day present, but was let down twice by the couriers, gave me my long-awaited bottle of Chateau Musar.  A gift for both of us, as after 2 failed delivery attempts, Sam had been refunded. 

Here are my lovely, unexpected gifts.

The vase is containing wild garlic flowers, another gift  from this time of the year.  We are eating loads of wild garlic in risottos, and will be making lots of wild garlic pesto soon, to see us through the year.  Yum yum.  There are no vampires in Nutbourne!

Lots of gifts there, so where are all the doubts?  Well, with 2 weeks to go until the Art Trail, I got myself into a real state,  thinking about all I had to do before the opening.  The appearance of the front garden, the mess in the garage, the chaos in the back garden, plus all my incomplete work, not forgetting the fact that I am away for the next 2 weekends.  And with working away 2 days in the week, there was not enough time to put everything right.

After a short, hysterical outburst, I got up very early to complete the last two parts of my 'Jigsaw' drawing.  Many thanks to Radio 4 extra, it's really great to be able to listen to comedy at 8am.

Here is the last but one piece that I drew for it.
You should be able to see the completed picture next week.

Another resolution came about.  Last week was full of so many problematical things, which included some things we are not able to resolve at all, that it made my garden concerns become insignificant.

  So, I will complete my art work,  but be prepared to admire a more natural garden when you visit me. A wilderness, or just a great habitat for wildlife.

Another resolution, or perhaps a problem.  after getting so stressed with all I have to do, I have decided to do a sister picture for 'Awakening Conscience'.  At least that will take my thoughts away from attempting to garden.

Lots of writing, so time for a picture.  Son John has bought a sewing machine, and has created so much in a week.  From bags to patchwork quilts.  On one bag he appliqued a picture of his rabbit, Hybernia, and his parents think it is wonderful.

Here it is.

John's brother does not share our view, but I think, as far as art appreciation goes, he still has a little way to travel!

Here are my last 2 resolutions from this week; fruit-filled pastry boats, ready to be collaged onto my 'Toadstool Cake' painting.  Look out for the completed version later this week.

Apricots,

Blackcurrants.

So, gifts, doubts and resolutions.

It would be good if this week is full of hard work and satisfactory outcomes. 

 We shall have to see.

An enjoyable Easter has gone, leaving me able to focus on returning to art work, whilst eating chocolate and thinking of love.

I made a chocolate creation for us all at Easter, meet Darren the rabbit ( or was it Hera?)

Next time, I must make the fondant ears in advance, so they can harden slightly, and be at a jaunty angle.  Sam tasted Darren on my return, and said the concept was good, but the cake was too dry.  When he looked at my slightly hurt expression, he quite rightly said that those were the things I needed to hear, in order to strive for the best, and especially if compiling a cookery book.
 Empty praise really does cause more problems for us creative types.  Must track down the Bero 'rubbed-in' chocolate cake, now that really is a winner.

The first achievement since Easter. My painting 'Cakes for Tea' is now ready to be exhibited next week, in the Preview Exhibition for the Chichester Art Trail, at the Oxmarket gallery in Chichester. http://oxmarket.com/chichester-open-studios-art-trail
Do visit if possible, it starts next Tuesday.

This painting was inspired by my own wedding cakes, and next month we will be celebrating our 5th wedding anniversary.  We have decided to celebrate it together this year.

  Last year on our anniversary, Mr Cooper went on a short walking holiday with his good friend Kevin, and I had a short crying holiday at home, before spending another day at the steamy sinks.

I hasten to add that it was our decision to spend the time apart as that was the only slot for Mr Cooper and Kevin to meet and walk the Pilgrim's Way, but in hindsight not our best decision.

On a much more cheerful and loving note, here are some of the cakes that were such a lovely part of our wonderful and colourful celebrations, and the starting point for my painting.

Other people have been thinking about love too….

Mr Cooper has now returned from his skiing experience, to marvel at the clean house. 

 Personally, I think he could have marvelled a little more, as it is such a rare occurrence!

Whilst he was away in Austria, he got a text from his very excited daughter Sarah, to say she had become engaged to her boyfriend, Ali Bonner.

 Then their extremely clever cat told everyone else about it on Facebook! 

As Sarah lives in the Falkland Islands, we have not met Ali yet, but we are both really looking forward to meeting him next summer when they come over to visit. Then we will be with them in The Falklands, when they get married there  the following January.  What could be more exciting than that!

Here are Sarah and Ali.

And lots of you who are reading this will also be meeting him, when we have a pre-wedding party in the garden.  Must start buying the champagne ready, but hiding it somewhere.  Perhaps in the studio?

Although it has been lovely having an Easter break, it is now time to get back into that studio, as the May deadlines approach.  I need to complete 3 more detailed drawings for my jigsaw picture,  'Cinderella' would look a lot better if she was given a face as well as a shoes, and sailing pastry cakes have to be added to my toadstool cake painting.

But the image to leave you with this week, is our other wedding cake.  As well as my sparkly, beautiful and romantic fairytale cakes, we also had a substantial, unusual but down-to-earth cake, to bring real sustenance and also a touch of humour to our union.

A bit like marriage, really.

Some people would not be able to remember what we wore, but everyone remembers the 

3-tiered pork pie cake!

With Mr Cooper away skiing this week, I have been engaged in varied tasks around the home, from dawn to dusk.  It is truly amazing how much you can achieve, if you start work at 7am.
 It is also truly amazing if you find you have to get up at 6am, when you find out that Mr Cooper's temporary toilet repair has failed dramatically. There is a limit to what a rawl plug is able to fix!

At least I was able to let my rabbits out extra early that day, to nibble dandelions in the morning sunshine……

I was asked the other night if I collected anything and my first response was 'not really'.  But upon further thought I am continually, if slowly, adding to my collections of rabbit moulds, egg cups, bad taste snow globes, little wooden houses that tell you the weather, dolls' house food, old kitchen paraphernalia, blackbird pie funnels and bad taste shell and seagull art.
So, if you have any rabbit moulds that are loved no longer, they are very welcome to join my herd of rabbits.

Continuing with a rabbit theme; last week I left with mention of rabbits, as I am making a chocolate  rabbit cake for the family gathering at Easter.  This is for all the children (age range, 6-26).  The cookery book, which like my collections, progresses slowly but continually, is very much based on my Granny Beba's collection of cake and pudding recipes.
 When we were all gathering together, with all the aunties and uncles and cousins, she often made a chocolate blancmange rabbit, nestling on chopped green jelly grass, for us grandchildren.
We had this treat for years, even when the older grandchildren were probably leaving to go to university, which used to make us smile.  And now here I am, looking forward to making fondant ears, paws and a fluffy tail for my rabbit, for children who are at all at work or university, apart from 2!

I have created a lino-print of the blancmange rabbit, as a potential illustration for my book, and inspired by all the many chocolate rabbits I have enjoyed over the years.

 This is one of a series of lino-prints I have made which also incorporate the illustrations from cookery books of the 1960s.  If you look at the background to this one, it features a jam tart with charming pastry decorations.  Very much a feature of a 1960s tea table.

When I was chatting to my fellow 'Young At Heart' group members ( to be found working away at the Greyhound on the Test, Stockbridge ) we started to reminisce about jam tarts and lemon curd tarts, and how good it tastes when the lemon curd becomes a little burnt round the edges.
 I have promised to make a large lemon curd tart for us all, after Easter.

This brought back memories of how Granny Beba always used to decorate the edges of  her plate tarts, with lemon curd tarts having their own sun rays around them.
This became the inspiration for another lino print, featuring a large jam tart, treacle tart and the luscious lemon curd tart.  Another potential book illustration. (So things are progressing, really.)

After Easter I will get started by making the lemon curd.  To me, there is absolutely no comparison between homemade and shop-bought lemon curd.  I would rather not make the tarts if I couldn't make the lemon curd myself. 

If you are getting really excited looking at these very attractive and yet reasonably reasonably priced unique lino prints, come and visit me and buy one.  Lots will be exhibited in my garden studio during the first 2 weekends in May, as I am part of the Chichester Open Studios Art Trail. http://www.chichesterarttrail.org/

The Art Trail is always a really fun and informative event, featuring an amazing range of artists and their work, and I always make cakes and tarts for my lovely visitors. Sometimes there is a theme to their production, one year it was cakes shaped like breasts, which enjoyed a good reception.  

 Look out for me at venue 92.

This week, as I said, I have been very busy.  Usually when Mr Cooper is away, I undertake one large project.  In the past these have been decorating the hall and stairway, totally transforming our bedroom, including sanding and varnishing floor, etc.

This week, it is more about completing several smaller tasks, such a suddenly learning how to replace the broken bits in a cistern, to stop the waterfall effect. (It is jolly handy to be able to turn off the water quickly to stop the flooding, but a little bit limiting if it is kept off to avoid the same.)  Thank you Mr Lemon, for telling me about ScrewFix, they are great; as well as open on Sundays and nearby!  And thank you George, for helping me over the phone, when I got a bit confused with my 'righty tighties' and 'lefty loosies'.  Even though I think I heard you say 'give me strength'!

So Mr Cooper will return to see a vegetable garden that has dug over; and planted with new potatoes.
Our bedroom is sparkly sparkly clean, and I have now used the steam floor cleaner we have had for quite a while! For those of you who know me well, you will know that I am actually good at cleaning, but only tend to do it for other people, and when paid.
There isn't the time to create art and clean, although I do manage to cook, which comes under the 'creative' heading.
2 paintings and drawings are nearing completion, and I am baking cakes from Granny Beba's recipe book, for when I am with Mum and my brother's families at Easter. 

 Yesterday it was Chinese chews I was making, and today I will bake yum-yums ( and very yummy they are too)  The chocolate coated orange drizzle cake is already in it's cake tin, ready to go.

Another idea I had for creating the illustrations for the book was to also use materials and processes that were around in the 60s, in most households. I have experimented with using knitting as part of an illustration, and the picture below contains knitted and collaged Chinese chews as well as an assortment of coconut cones

My niece Olivia is very fond of Chinese chews. Yes Olivia that was on Master Chef!  My son John is looking forward to Owl Eye Biscuits, but that is a story for another time. 

In the meantime, wishing you all a very happy Easter, whatever you are doing.