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A digital painting from a photograph by the friend who made the cupcake ... Thank You Michelle! It looked too delicious to resist, and as I couldn't pop one into my mouth as I wished, I drew it instead.

Felt like playing with Corel Painter 12, so I used the oil paint brush and picked the colours from the actual photograph to do this piece. I'm wondering though if perhaps the icing could with a bit of extra whitening, what do you think?

I love anything with sugar icing, doesn't it look just too delicious? I've been promised some cupcakes when she visits this summer and can't wait. Perhaps I'll do more cupcake drawings then, in a variety of mediums. From photographs. Once I've gobbled them down. Cheers!

The Red Owl is in fact my Blue Owl from last year, transformed into a vibrant creature dressed in reds ... though still retaining that slightly bored, slightly grumpy expression I've become quite fond of.

I'd originally planned on just adjusting hues and saturations in Photoshop and leaving it at that, but of course I wasn't quite satisfied with the result, so I ended up dragging it into Corel Painter 12 and doing a huge repainting job with their oil brushes. Glad I did, as I quite like the end result. Took it back into photoshop to fiddle a bit more and add the drop shadow, and here you have it.

I then drew and added the graduation cap, as it just seemed right. The final result is a bright creature, extremely intellectual (as owls are), and slightly cynical (with dollops of humour). But happy. Honest.

If you'd like to peek at the original Blue Owl, it's over at: http://www.floatinglemons.com/2011/02/blue-owl-bee-happy-daisies.html. Cheers!

RED OWL cards and matching gifts are over at:

Red Owl at FLoating Lemons Illustration @ Zazzle, and

RED OWL GRAD graduation cards, invitations and matching goodies is up at:  

Red Owl Grad at Floating Lemons Events @ Zazzle

The weather has turned from unusual freeze to spring-like sun and warmth here in Provence. So out I marched to inspect my post-frost garden and do some much needed clearing up.

Once I'd done with pruning away frozen bits, weeding (they seem to have survived exceptionally well, of course), generally cleaning up and watering, I went back in to flip through garden magazines and was inspired enough to do a quick coloured pencil sketch of what I can only call either deep yellow or pale orange daisies ... well, flowers of a sort.

Enjoyed myself thoroughly though. Time to start planning the garden for spring and summer I think. Cheers!

It's been gorgeous spring weather the last few days, perfect for drawing luscious strawberries while the sun streams in through the windows. Work has been slow .. I keep taking time off to wander around in the garden, pottering about with plants, or just taking pleasure in being outdoors.

I don't normally post photos here, but thought I'd show off a couple of my front garden for a change:

If anyone has any idea of what the tree full of pink blossoms is please let me know ...

On a final happy note, I received a Today's Best Award for the following letterhead from zazzle! Cheers :)

Strawberries Falling cards & gifts at Floating Lemons at Zazzle