Easter in Cumbria

We spent Easter in the Lake District of England, a wonderful place full of cold pure streams, ancient stone circles, high valleys and peaks.  We had spring lamb, farm eggs, local honey.  We made bread with our sourdough (brought from London, like a pet - it needs to be fed!) and the local water-milled stoneground biodynamic flour.  The lovely mill is next to Long Meg stone circle and includes a café with chicken running free outside and the view onto the stream.  The region clearly has a love of huge earthy crumbly fruit scones.

At the Keswick market, we got some Benzoin and lemon-scented gardener's hand cream made by a local women under the name of  "Essential Spirit". 

The market lady sent us to Calbeck, a stunning village full of energy and streams, with a church named after the local Celtic saint St Kentigern ! Lots of amazing mystical stories attached to this saint, hard to imagine it is an official Catholic saint!  He is featured on the Glasgow coat of arms, with the main features of his legend:
Here is the bird that never flew
Here is the tree that never grew
Here is the bell that never rang
Here is the fish that never swam

 

 

 

Happy Easter-Pigging out

We have 2 days of bank holidays here in the UK, so time to relax (albeit in the snow...) and "pig out" on the piles of chocolate that will no doubt materialize!  I hope to get my pencils out a bit during these 4 days and bring back sketches of the rural parts of the Lake District!  In the meantime HAPPY EASTER!

 

Martini Olives

I read somewhere that Martinis are for alcoholics.... probably true.  But the olives are always such a cool thing to watch in that recognizable-shaped glass!

Mangelwurzel or mangold wurzel

I learned a new little mangled word when showing one of my watercolours: "Mangelwurzel" !

Sounding very medieval or saxon and referring to this:

(FOR SALE at Achilleas on Mill Lane (London NW6) or contact us here)

or quite possibly this:

Wikipedia tells us that Mangelwurzel or mangold wurzel (from German Mangel/Mangold, "chard", and Wurzel, "root"), also called mangold,^[1] mangel beet,^[1] field beet^[2] and fodder beet, is a cultivated root vegetable derived from Beta vulgaris. Its large white, yellow or orange-yellow swollen roots were developed in the 18th century as a fodder crop for feeding livestock

Apparently Brits used to eat "Mangowuzels" during the war and that left an upalatable dislike for this root vegetable! Not having experience that, I personally love root vegs, and they still looks good enough to paint.

Cheveux Poivre et Sel - Salt and Pepper Hair

We now have the pleasure to illustrate the French Edible idioms on a regular basis over at the lovely Chocolate and Zucchini site.  Here is the latest:  "Cheveux Poivre et Sel" or "Pepper and Salt Hair" explained skillfully by Clotilde!  The comments are also so fun and Thank You Sylvie for the compliment!

The entire edible idioms series can be found here.

Achillea Flowers

We met Clare, of Achillea Flowers on Mill Lane at the West Hampstead Christmas Market.  The mom and daughter shop is bursting with beautiful flowers that are not your typical Florist offerings.  Bursting with what I can only describe as vintage chic with a pinch of countryside natural organic beauty, the shop is located slightly outside reality.  You step in and surrounding the masses of perfumed flowers, there are little antiques, vases, teapots and various knick knacks collected over the years.

It reminds me very much of the movie Practical Magic, where the witchy sisters had the most insanely beautiful decorated house complete with a green house for their potion plants.

Long story short, you can pick up a Melinart watercolour there now with your trendy bouquet if you are local to West Hampstead!!  We even offer the possibility to order custom paintings of whatever antiques are in the shop!

I made these little business signs to put under the first watercolours to be presented there.  Hope Achillea's clients will like the paintings!

Custom Business signs or Family Logos

Handmade sign from Melinart! These were on display at our Christmas market stand.  They announced the sale of MelinArt watercolors and the Mister's wonderful French wine uphostered boxes. Handmade sign for MAN-made boxes!

If you would like your own original handmade sign for your business or a family logo contact us here!

 

Your own business sign inwatercolour or pen and ink that can be ordered from here or here

 

 

 

And the MelinArt sign!