Autumn Days

This is my favourite time of the year. Autumn days are just perfect for the walk through the nettles...

Amongst the wild mushrooms and hedgerows

Finding, foraging and collecting natures free gifts to us ,

I sometimes feel like a squirrel collecting and gathering during these warm and sunny autumn days.

Five minutes walk from our house, crossing the narrow wooden bridge

We are in such a tranquil and peaceful place, where you see lots of wild flowers, squirrels and hear the chirping birds.

Vintage lace are beautiful, but do stop and take a look at the beautiful natural lace by your feet when you walk through the woods on a autumn day.

This is the bench I often sit on to have a picnic during the summer days

But today was a different day, a perfect autumn day for foraging and sitting down with my little journal recording the beautiful nature.

Days like this is what I like to do. What about you? do you like walking, foraging like me or rather sit down with cup of tea and a nice book.

So this is what I recorded today my readers, while I was away for a walk on a autumn day.

Also, this is the time of the year when I pull out of my cupboard my yarns and knitting needles. I just casted a new jumper for me other day. Yes, you heard me right, its for me this one but do have plans to knit other members in the family something in future.

I feel alive when I am painting

"I found I could say things with colour and shapes that I couldn't say any other way... Things I had no words for" - Georgia O'Keeffe

Being busy with the things I like the most is such lovely feeling. I have been mostly in my studio lately every minute possibly I could. Its not long now before I have a group exhibition in the art barn in Warwickshire and the Melbourne Arts Festival in Derbyshire.

This year its going to be my 7th year that I have been participating the Melbourne Arts Festival and every year I am so excited and look forward to it. Love seeing lots of new faces every year and many familiar faces from past. It is so nice to get the feed back face to face.

About the group exhibition, now I exhibited at Art Barn in 2010 and this year I was invited back to exhibit with few other artists whose work is influenced by different cultures or countries. Sunday, I have to deliver my work.

Can you believe me. On top of these two exhibitions I took up the thirty paintings in 30 days challenge. Phew... Well, let me put it up like this. I feel alive when I am painting. The above little painting was done in one of my altered journals for this 30/30 challenge. I have done something almost everyday but haven't managed to upload everywhere in the social media. Now that's too much work and I love the creative part but when it comes to being active everywhere in social media, it gets bit too much for me. I don't know how some people manage it all. So I have been uploading in the Instagram everyday my 30/30 painting challenge and you can follow me with the account name sujata.aten.art. I must say Instagram is a lot quicker than blogging or anything else and I love it.

The last thing before I go back in my studio and do a little bit of more work, I am very happy that my calendars for 2016 (all my paintings are mostly sold) has arrived before the Melbourne festival. Every year people ask me for cards and calendars so I thought I must give it a go this year.

Celebrations

 

 

October was the month for celebrations in our house. Different types of fire was lit inside and outside both. Diwali (Indian festival) and little Emily's third birthday both was celebrated well. Time flies when you think about it. Motherhood is full of joy, laughter and stressful times. Its tough but nothing like it when you see a smile on your child's face and give you a hug. Visitors, celebrations and cold(unwanted guest) kept me busy. Also half term. Today girls went back to their school and playgroup so I hd bit of time in hand for threading my sewing machine and tried to make something for myself. I had no pattern for it. Used one of my old dress to cut around. Rest was trying it out a few times to fit me. I did waste bit of fabric but well! I am learning.  

Autumn's Last Picking

Celebrating this autumn season with just not the flowers from the Garden but also the foliage, candles and a nice brew in my new pottery mug. Knitting and sipping coffee in between rows. This was a very quick make for Olivia to keep her hands warm and cosy. Perfect for the last Autumn pickings from the garden. This year I got plenty from one small apple tree but the big apple tree was a bit disappointing. Still managed to make few jars of apple sauce (hubby's and Olivia's favourite ) and had some apple crumble and apple cake.

The cable wrist warmer was quite a straight forward knitting. Ever since I saw one on the Pinterest I wanted to knit one. I put one cable in the middle but wish did three in each. Would have looked much better. We learn from our mistakes. I don't know how to knit the thumb so kept it simple. You can pull it up more if fingers get bit cold. The edging is done by crochet. I think I need to make one for myself next, I like this so much. I love the rich autumnal hue on Olivia's delicate hands. Mine would be a different story of course. 

Autumn Colours

"I opened my eyes a moment ago into the maple leaves outside my window. Almost simultaneously with the act of identifying them as these particular leaves and thus placing myself, I saw them as painting, an arrangement of values." - Anne Truitt

Thank you every one for your  lovely comments on blog, Facebook and by emails on my previous post and my exhibition. They made me happy. There were some lovely emails regarding my exhibition which I did not expect.

Thank you all :)

Autumn colours are beautiful. I love this time of the year. Lots of leaves everywhere in the garden at the moment. Waiting for rain to stop. Will pick up my rake then. I have found a beautiful old wooden rake other day in the vintage shop at Matlock. I had a go at making something for the little Emily for the first time which is hanging on my vintage rake here for the display. My mother gave me lots of lovely fabrics. I was itching to make something out of them but was a bit nervous as I have never made any frock or skirt or anything like this before. I have always seen my mother stitching and knitting all sorts. Me and my sister always wore what my mother made. Then of course got caught by the high street fashion. Now suddenly I feel like stepping in my mothers shoes now that I have two girls. Just like my mum.

I hope tomorrow brings sunshine as my garlic bulbs are waiting to go in the soil. Still harvesting courgettes, tomatoes, celery and herbs from my little veggie patch in the back garden. Maybe I should bring the geraniums in now. Every year I buy new ones but would be nice to bring them in before the frost. The two chili plants in the green house gave enough chillies to make few jars of green chutney mixed with home grown mint and shop bought garlic and coriander. This is a very busy time of the year. Lots to do in the garden and house. Lots of cosy knits and my new found love for making clothes. Not to forget my paintings. Did I mention looking after hubby and kids. Oh well, they can look after themselves for little while.