Tuesday 4 December 2012

The Christmas treadmill.




Hello to you all. Well here I am again apologising for the neglect of my blog. I have had so many jobs in that Living, Loving and Doodling isn't leaving me much time for sharing these brief words with you all. So I have finally put a link to my Facebook page which you can see on the top righthand corner of this page. I drop by there quite regularly and it would be so lovely if you could join me. Please feel free to  leave me a message and a LIKE. Oh what fun we will have! You'll see x x 

  I  really can't believe that we are in December. On the 1st at around 12:30 as I drove home from my daughters dancing lesson on the radio was playing Wham's 'Last Christmas'. With that I turned a pale shade of grey and in my head a klaxon sounded and the Christmas treadmill quickened pace. Leaving me wondering whether there will be enough time to get everything that needs doing done before the big fella drops down that chimney.

My Christmas illustrations above have been inspired by the hypnotising candle pictures which I have been creating over the past few months. The one with the little girl looking in the tree is a self portrait. I remember lying underneath my tree looking up at the twinkling lights and baubles feeling so excited I was left dumbstruck. I caught my eldest daughter doing the same thing yesterday morning. I'm sure this is something we have all done which makes Christmas's best gift to us all, the lifetime of memories that can warm our hearts and souls whenever and wherever we are.

Finally my last illustration, is one that all working Mums can relate to. This piece was a commission for 'Baby Buzz Magazine' Nickie Evans the Editor asked me for an illustration of her busily working frantically. I feel just like her as I sit here tip tapping away. The kids and my much beloved are fast asleep and I'm burning the candle at both ends. So with that I am going to bid you all goodnight.

All my love to you all. Wrap up warm and enjoy the memory making x




Sunday 11 November 2012

Diwali 2012


Last night I was working in my studio on a commission and as I painted the sky around me was full of fireworks. I couldn't help but put down my pencil and and do this Diwali inspired illustration.

Happy Diwali to all my friends. All my love and bright hugs to you all  x x 

Saturday 10 November 2012

Illustration Friday-Tree
















A quick submission for this weeks IF. I love Autumn. This is a rough idea that I had for a piece of art. This was back in 2009. I've been meaning to work on it again in watercolours. I just haven't had the chance. 

The colours on the leaves are awe inspiring and it troubles me that busy people don't take a moment to stop and look at the beauty that surrounds us. A few weeks ago I picked up these leaves for my weekly art class. The children drew them in their sketch pads. Next week I will take photos of their work so you can see Autumn through the eyes of children.

All my love and have a cosy weekend. x x x x x




Sunday 4 November 2012

A busy time of year.



 Hi everyone, well here I am with a brief opportunity to update my blog. I'm starting with a picture which I drew in a sketch pad during festival season this summer. I thought she looked 'shy' enough to be my Illustration Friday submission.

It's all been so chaotic here this week. The children's 1/2 term break is coming to end so not only have I had to keep the girls occupied and happy, finish on going commissions, I've also had a flurry of enquiries for Christmas commissions. 
I've mentioned my family portraits to you all in the past and I am thrilled that what started off as just one offs for dear family and friends have now become a major part of Live, Love & Doodles income.





They are so much fun to work on and bring such happiness. It's a pleasure to share my splashes of love and colour to the world.

Finally my dear friends before I leave you all to get on with Sunday Lunch, these last two illustrations are what I quickly doodled yesterday. Last night me the girls and one of their school friends went to a firework display in order to celebrate bonfire night. I did the pencil sketch before we left the house on our return I couldn't resist but paint it. I feel my years in costume have influenced this illustration. It takes me back to the days of penny for the Guy and this 1940's boy enjoying the celebrations.




If you are celebrating Bonfire night tonight or tomorrow, wrap up warm and enjoy. 
Whilst you are looking up at the sky wowing at the beautiful fireworks don't forget to take a moment to look down at your kids and see the magic of Bonfire night in their eyes. 
Big warm hugs and kisses to you all x x x x 

Sunday 28 October 2012

Haunted



Well here we are. That time of year again. The beginning of the holiday season. The leaves are falling off the trees, the cold wind is blowing hard, the clocks have gone back and Halloween is here. Our pumpkin has been bought and is waiting to be carved, the spooky fairy lights have been taken out of their box along with the rest of the decorations and the kids have their costumes ready to go. 

I haven't been blogging recently because it has all been so chaotic. My husband's still been away on a film production and I continue to get commissions which I juggle tirelessly in between my duties as a mother of two very busy girls. But you know I wouldn't have it any other way. Even if on some mornings I look like a Zombie, exhausted with all the late nights working. They are all worth it. Especially when clients receive their pieces of art and they are so happy. I love sharing my splashes of colour with the world. 

I wish you all a wonderful safe Halloween if you are out and about trick or treating. Big spooky hugs to you all x x x x 

Friday 28 September 2012

Spare a thought for those doing it the old fashioned way x

The book of love doesn't warn you about this chapter!!!!!

Hello all x x x 
Well here I am again with another heart in action. Over the past few months families and life have been on my mind. We all run our households differently. It's all so complicated, very busy and mentally exhausting.
My husband inspired this illustration. He has been away on various productions for over six months. We have become passing ships at night. I'm so grateful for technology because thanks to facetime we have at least had the chance to have face to face conversations and been able to settle many of the girls disputes together as a couple. It's not perfect but we get to see our hero's tired face at night before he goes to bed in his lonely hotel room. 
 Now with a bit more time on my hands and my girls growing up I am finally able to  change career path. I hope that my illustration will be enough to help our hero on his quest to keep us happy, warm and fed. 
Hug a breadwinner and don't forget to say thank you. It's a tough job x x x x 

Tuesday 11 September 2012

Picking up the pieces x



Music's a major influence on my illustrations. One song that I've been playing over and over on the school run is James Walsh's 'Start Again'. It's a wonderful piece of music which no doubt will ring bells for couples all over the world. 
These are difficult times for everybody, especially for those with young families. The costs are mounting and the hurdles seem never ending. 
The message in my illustration is one of hope. Hope that when we fall out over life we can together pick up the pieces and put love back together again. 
Goodnight to all my wonderful friends. Live, Love & hold on to each other tight. Big kisses, Elena x x x

Friday 7 September 2012

It's that time of year again!


Hey folks!!!
 How are you all doing? Last week I was posting illustrations of a mother at the end of her tether and this week we have a scene of serenity as a happy lady takes her children on the school run.
With my girls back this week. I've been able to sit at my sketch pad and doodle lots of ideas for new illustrations, my imagination is running wild. I can't wait to see how much I grow artistically now that I have a few hours to myself. 

September has always been exciting and magical for me, and as the years pass by I am pleasantly surprised that these feelings aren't subsiding. I assume it's because on 30th I celebrate my Birthday. I know that deep down I should be denying that another year has flown by and with it a few more wrinkles and grey hairs have appeared!!!!!
 It's not all about my special day though. It's also the beginning of the best season in the year. I simply adore Autumn. I look forward to the evenings drawing in, the cosy clothes making their way out of the wardrobe and watching the trees turn golden brown making London look spectacular! 


Here's sending all lots of warm hugs. Until next time x x x x x x x

Saturday 1 September 2012

Hello September my breath of fresh air x


What can I say, of course it's been a joy to have the kids home. No 6:30 alarms going off,  no traffic jams, no after school clubs. Just long hot summer days. Bliss?   
 On Wednesday my girls will be all dressed up in their uniforms enjoying their first day back at school. And I will have my first chance of freedom after many weeks. So to celebrate I intend to pack my sketch pad and pencils and take a well earned trip into London, where I will sip coffee and draw the world going by. How will you be regaining your energy? 

Thank you August you've been wonderful. Hello September my breath of fresh air. x x  

Tuesday 14 August 2012

On your marks, get ready, Bake!


Tying in with this weeks IF - TEACHER. I am posting this illustration of a very happy me.

The Great British Bake Off returns with two of the country's best bakers at hand to judge and give advice to all it's anxious contestants. All the apprentices who are masters of their art at home find themselves thrown into the deep end with the hope of winning this exciting competition.

I'm just so excited to have it back on our screens.  I have a smile from ear to ear. The big old gap that has been left since the end of the Olympics is about to be filled again. Britons  re-dress your bunting, wave your flags on your marks, Get ready, BAKE! x

Still on the theme of teachers I thought I would like to add the little farewell gifts that I painted for my daughters teachers at the end of this academic year.  They were thrilled to bits. The children will miss these three inspirational ladies. Diolch Mrs George, Miss FFion a Miss Evans X x






Big hugs to you all x x x 

Sunday 5 August 2012

There's a lot of Bounce in London this summer.

Rule Britannia


Well  here we are in the middle of a historical summer in London town. I am so proud of how the Olympics have been organised and awe inspired by all the athletes, winners and losers.
 I find it hard to believe that last year at this very moment Londoners hearts were breaking with shame and upset as the London riots unfolded and now we are basking in glory as we hold our heads up high knowing that the world is seeing us in our true old fashioned glory.

 At 3:00 this morning I was woken up with the above illustration in my mind. I had no choice but to pull myself away from my bed and doodle our Heptathlon Gold winning Jessica Ennis. As I type this Andy Murray our struggling tennis player has won Gold on the very spot he lost the Wimbledon Final 28 days ago.  Heavens I need sleep. What brain baby will I gestate as I sleep tonight.

Save the date
The London Welsh Centre 13/10/2012
Finally before I go this is the poster that I designed for The Welsh London Playgroups. They will be having a fun morning which will be held in The London Welsh Centre,  Grays Inn Rd, London. 13/10/2012 at 10:30- 12:30. All proceeds from the event will go to the NW and South London playgroups, who weekly offer art, crafts and music all through the medium of Welsh. They are a place where Mums can meet for a chat a cup of tea and a slice cake. Come along if you are in the area. Everybody welcome whether you speak Welsh or not.

With a full heart I wish you all lots of love   x x

Tuesday 31 July 2012

Lonely


It's a lonely journey but I'm slowly climbing up the mountain in order to claim the top of it in the name of Live, Love & Doodle.
I haven't been able to post much what with the craziness that is my life at the moment. The kids are home for the summer leaving me only evenings to get on with all the work that I have to do. 
The book cover is going well and all the private commissions for family portraits leave me feeling so satisfied. I'm so happy that my art is able to make people smile and I'm proud that I can spread some cheer during these dark economic times.


Along with all the commissions I'm also working hard on my black & white portfolio.
 Whilst on holiday in Llangrannog in Wales last week I worked on the above picture inspired by daughter who found a dead smelly crab. She was so excited but I found it heartbreaking so I just had to bring him back to life again.
I hope you all have a wonderful summer, keep safe wherever you may be holidaying.

Happy Doodling folks. I'll update again soon. x x x x 

Friday 15 June 2012

IF- Secret.

It's no secret. Parenthood is a white knuckle ride!

Dear visitors, Thanks for stopping by. How has your week been?
This week has me posting a picture that I created for my big brother and his wife who recently had to hold on tight as they looped the looped on parenthood the white knuckle ride. We go on to this ride without a safety belt but LOVE keeps us firmly in our seats.

I have had a busy creative week, two family portraits have been completed and plodding on with the book cover illustration. Unfortunately all work is top secret. I promise to post all these pieces when I am allowed to.

Love and Art to all

Elena x


Wednesday 6 June 2012

IF- Shiny! Like a star.



Dear Visitors, well I posted this in a hurry and am re-posting again for shiny!
Sorry to be boring but I did post this very late in the week last week so I will give my daughters 5 min piece of fame another week on IF.

We have just returned from The Urdd National Eistedfodd which is one of Europes's largest cultural youth festivals, it attracts thousands of competitors and visitors every year. This year I was very proud to be supporting my daughter and the other children from the Ysgol Gymraeg Llundain who competed in the various musical and recital competitions. It is a chance for all children to shine in the spotlight, whether they make it to stage or not.

Llongyfarchiadau to all the winners and to all the losers.

Cariad mawr Iawn, Elena x

Sunday 27 May 2012

IF- Faded

HRM knows how not to fade. 
Dear Visitors, welcome once again.
 The bunting is going up all around the country and we are getting ready for a right royal knees up. 
So with Her Majesty in mind I did a little illustration of her relaxing in bath, she toasts to herself and shows us how a multi tasking Grandmother stops herself from fading.

Congratulations Ma'am, Happy Diamond Jubilee x 

Friday 18 May 2012

IF- Sight


Lewis had the pterodactyl in sight.

Another Friday and don't you just love it when you have the perfect illustration that you can post.

I created this painting for my friends son Lewis. He loves dinosaurs so I thought as a gift for his first communion I would do this illustration for him. I hope he likes it as much as I do.

Thanks for stopping by, Love and art to you all. x x x x

Wednesday 9 May 2012

IF- Hitch

The mother and daughter birthday shopping trip went without a hitch.






As I've gone about my doodling I'm thrilled by all the people who have been asking me for family portraits. So this is how it goes, you send me your pictures and I will turn you into a costume or Children's book Illustration.

It's been so lovely to go back to my art college roots.  I'm desperate to get up into the loft to find my costume degree portfolio!!!!!

Toodle Doodle for now x x x

Monday 30 April 2012

A glimmer of light


With the very sad loss of my Grandfather yesterday, I spent the day today with very mixed emotions. I sat in front of the candle that I lit on Friday night to help me ease the pain and as I looked at it I realised that I was feeling like a helpless 8 year old again. With it this illustration came to my mind. 
To all my family and to everyone who knew the very dapper, cheeky Wallace D'Cruze I wish you all strength and hope that with time the pain of our loss will subside and memories of this remarkable character will warm our hearts.

Saturday 28 April 2012

Illustration Friday- Jump


Dear all;

Well here I am again after an emotional roller coaster of a week and relieved that Illustration Fridays topic for the week tie in with an illustration that I recently completed for a teaching course.
With my official return to work after Maternity leave this week I have typically had to deal with my daughter being sick in the middle of the night on Tuesday and my Granddad in hospital who is slowly leaving us to be back in the arms with my nanny the love of his life. I am going to miss him so much but I know that where he is going he will find eternal happiness and most of all no physical pain.

My relief is that as my own boss I haven't had to call into the office on my first week back and ask for time off!!!!! *puts thumb on nose, wiggles fingers and sticks out tongue* at bad luck.

Thank you for stopping by.

Love & Art to you all x x x x

Saturday 14 April 2012

Illustration Friday- Puzzled

Mimi was puzzled why her friends didn't like school as much as she did?

Dear all, well here I am with very,very exciting news. Live,Love and Doodle is starting to get commissions. The amazing power of the internet. It is such an amazing feeling to share your art and to enjoy your job. I get a bigger thrill from sitting at my easel producing these doodles than I thought possible. In the past I have had the opportunity to work on incredible movies and dress actors who are the glitterati but now that I am being contacted to produce art I  feel that I have finally arrived.
So last night with the cogs turning I took myself to bed to consult my pillow on the projects that lay ahead of me when all of a sudden I shiver at the thought of my daughter in bed without her favourite toy. I got up instantly and went to her room and there in her arms was her pink rabbit Mimi. Again I return to my bed and start to fall asleep when out of nowhere the image of this picture comes into my mind. Mimi my 3rd daughter. What would she be like if she was real?
It was one of those moments, I turned the light on grabbed my sketch pad from under my bed and doodled.

I hope you are all well. Thanks for stopping by.

Love to you all x x x

Thursday 5 April 2012

Illustration Friday- Return


It is the return of Easter and to mark this I have doodled a picture of my gorgeous nephew Leo.

I'm working hard to develop my style and I must admit I am not 100% happy with this piece but I am being kind to myself and laboured to finished the watercolour instead of abandoning it in the old Elena way. A momentous achievement for me.

I hope you all have a wonderful holiday. Enjoy your families and most of all eat chocolate. Lots of it.

Toodle Doodles x x

Thursday 29 March 2012

Illustration Friday- Swamped

Dear Visitors, Thanks for dropping by x 

It's birthday season and with it I am swamped with ideas for special cards. Here are two examples. The first is one of my best friends Marcelle, I couldn't resist turning her into a fashion illustration. She loves to shop and I can assure you all that she is always the most glamorous on the school run. The second is my dear friend Elissa. She is very special to me, she is a wonderful person who is an extremely talented artist. In May she will give both to her first child so I wanted to show her relaxing with a cup of tea and her cat Gary.
I love doing these pieces of art. They come from my heart with all my love. x




Sunday 18 March 2012

Illustration Friday- Shades


Hello Surfers;

I'm tying this weeks IF with Mother's Day which we celebrated this Sunday here in the UK.
I have had the most wonderful weekend with my family. I've been curled up watching cartoons with my girls whilst happily doodling this picture of a very colourful Mum, enjoying a few minutes peace in her reading corner.  The more "Shades" of colour that I can put into my pictures the happier I am.

All my love and art to all you hard working Mums x x




Saturday 10 March 2012

Illustration Friday- Yield


The Easter egg hunt was on. How Many eggs could the children yield?

Love & Art all

Elena x x x

Friday 9 March 2012

Work in progress- 'Electric Dreams'





Hello surfers;

It's been a tough week finding time to do any art. But I've managed to find a few spare moments.

Inspired in the car one morning whilst on the hectic school run the radio played the song "Electric Dreams".  It got me thinking about all my family members who are no longer with us and I came up with this graphite sketch. In it are my Grandparents, Great Uncle, my magical Auntie Flora and my adorable Mother-in-law. 

I haven't gone out of my way to make them resemblance perfect but I have added the details that I will always remember them clearly for. The way my Spanish Abuela Chiquitina would elegantly smoke a cigarette, my Abuelo Chiquitin holding the newspaper kite that he made us. My Nanna who always had the most welcoming smile and her handbag close by, Auntie Flora our neighbour who taught me that you don't have to share the same name, genes or blood to be able to love somebody unconditionally. She was the last of the few remaining flappers she adored a party and everybody loved her including our cat Jerry who she has on her lap. Sitting next to Florie is the best Mother-in-law a girl could have asked for. Elisabeth Reynolds loved a cup of tea a slice of cake and finally my Great Uncle a.k.a Abuelo Grande. As a kid I will always remember him living here in Britain, with a wireless in hand he would carefully tune it trying to pick up Spanish Radio and the football results.

The next step is to transfer the rough on to decent water-colour paper and then add all the bright patterns and colours that I love so much.   

Love & Art to you all

Elena x

Saturday 3 March 2012

Illustration Friday- Intention


It is my "intention" to draw as much as I can every week. Typically- as all creative mothers will agree it is vital that all responsibilities are out of the way before you can think of doing any doodling.
When all my chores are finally done, I sit down and put pen to paper and within seconds my girls curl up next to me and watch awe-inspired as I create a little bit of magic.

I hope you like this self portrait, it is a piece of art that has come from my heart.

Until next week.

LOVE & ART to you all x x x

Wednesday 29 February 2012

Gwyl Dewi Sant 2012- St David's Day 2012


Dear all, Thanks for stopping by.

It is the 1st of March which is a special day for the Welsh- It is St David's Day.
For us living in London it is marked in a spectacular way, with our daughter and her school singing in a St David's Day service in the Houses of Parliament. Bright and early the girls cheer up the drones of commuters on a grey morning as they step on to the busy tube in full traditional Welsh Costume. It is a sight to behold even the grumpiest of passengers muster a smile.
On arrival they hand a bouquet of Daffodils to the speaker of the house and then they go on to sing their little hearts out, making all their Mams and Dads very proud.
After the exciting events of the morning we all head home for some tea which always consists of yummy cakes. Nobody does tea like the Welsh!!!!

I hope you like my latest doodle. I couldn't resist and had to give St David an nice cup of tea and a Welsh cake x

Toodle Doodle for now x x