Tiddu

Nature and Art Blog

2012-02-07T10:18:00.000Z

I've got a new blog!!! It's called 'Nature Inspired Art by Adele Whittle'. The blog is about my nature inspired paintings including wildlife paintings, seascapes, trees etc. I write about new paintings and what inspires me to create them. I also blog about other artists who's creations I admire. I'll still be blogging here on my Tiddu blog, but this blog I'll be posting more about sea glass

Valentines Gifts from the Sea!!!

2012-02-05T09:47:00.001Z

This time last year the sea gave me a lovely sea glass heart! This year the sea must love me twice as much as it gave me two gorgeous sea glass hearts!!! Valentine's day is less than two weeks away! If you are looking for a unique gift for that special person in your life, why not take a look at my online jewellery shop: Tiddu Shop. There are some hand painted pendants as well as some sea glass

Gower Beaches and Cliffs

2012-01-24T21:29:00.001Z

It's only just occurred to me that I haven't yet written a blog post about the Gower beaches, where I collect my sea glass. I live within walking distance of the Gower, and I cycle there often too. The Gower has many stunning beaches, coves and clifftop paths. Some of the popular beaches are Langland, Caswell, Three Cliffs Bay, Tor Bay, Oxwich and LLangenith. There are lots of smaller or quieter

The Legless Seamaiden Finds her Sea Legs

2012-01-21T14:25:00.001Z

Topless bathing is quite popular on some beaches. But I have never heard of bottomless bathing before until I found this armless legless sea maiden on the beach. I decided to preserve her modesty and give her a coat (of paint). She seemed happy at this and now not only has she some colour it seems she might have found her sea legs! The sea in which she swims is made from air dry clay inside a

Banana Sea Glass

2012-01-16T19:23:00.000Z

I found this banana shaped sea glass on the beach the other day. It really is a perfect banana shape. The EU will be pleased! What else to do with it but paint it like a banana? I'll be keeping my eyes peeled for more treasures like this, but I've got a feeling that this is a real one of a kind piece. Having said that, I did once find a strawberry shaped red piece of sea glass. Just need to find

Sea Art Glass

2012-01-09T18:06:00.000Z

I found two stunning pieces of art glass on the beach. It looked like glass that had been blown as one of the pieces had a fold in it. They are a stunning deep green colour with little black flecks. I'm not sure how the glass ended up in the sea. It was certainly a nice surprise to find them both. I turned one into a pendant, but the other was a little too sharp. I'm sure I'll create something

Some More Miniature Paintings on Sea Slate

2011-12-12T19:55:00.002Z

Here are a few of my recent miniature paintings on sea slate. Not as tiny as the pendants that I blogged about last time, but still small enough to fit in the palm of a hand! These paintings can be hung on a small nail or hook, or a piece of ribbon/string can be thread through the drilled hole if preferred. These miniature paintings look great alone or as part of a collection. Each painting is

Hand Painted Pebble and Slate Pendants

2011-11-19T16:52:00.000Z

Summertime Waterfall Hand Painted Pebble Pendant Stream in Spring Hand Painted Pebble Pendant Reach for the Moon: Miniature Painting Sea Slate Pendant I love to paint on a variety of surfaces. I particularly love to paint on slate and pebbles. These are miniature paintings that you can wear! They measure only a couple of inches sometimes smaller! It is hard to appreciate their small size

Hand Painted Sea Shell Pendants

2011-11-08T22:15:00.001Z

Here are some hand painted shell pendants that I have recently created. Some of them are miniature paintings that you can wear... little works of art on sea shells! I am in the process of painting more too. They take several days to complete so I usually make a few at a time. First I comb the beaches looking for nicely shaped, strong shells. Then I soak them overnight in warm soapy water, to

Red Starflowers

2011-07-07T12:31:00.000+01:00

It has been quite a while since my last blog post. My computer has been so slow that I think it is rehearsing for being a three-toed sloth in its next life (quite possibly the slowest creature on the planet!). I found this gorgeous piece of red sea glass on the beach. It has the pattern of what looks like two starflowers. I am always delighted to find rare colours, but to find a rare colour

The Magic Market Place

2011-04-01T12:50:00.001+01:00

The Rise of the Silver Moon Just a short blog post this time, just to let you know about two events this weekend. There is the Magic Market Place tomorrow from 10am until 4pm and will be held at Revue Studios, (above Varsity), Castle Square, Swansea. Admission is free. There will be over 30 stalls selling some fabulous hand crafted items, art, gifts, cards, Pagan supplies, up-cycling, lots of

Marvel at the Marvelous Moon

2011-03-19T09:37:00.001Z

It will be a full moon this evening, but also one to remember. The moon will be the largest for nearly two decades. To celebrate I have been painting a few moons this week. This painting of a blue moon with a lonesome tree on a cliff top is called 'Blue Moon, You Saw Me Standing Alone'. This painting is called 'The Moon and Stars'. I have used silver, gold, green and blue glitter for the

Jewel Trees

2011-03-17T19:30:00.002Z

The Raindrop Tree Here are the two paintings that I mentioned in my last blog post. The painting on the left is called 'The Raindrop Tree'. I have sewn highly reflective glass drops to the silver tree and these look like raindrops. They look different according to the angle from which the painting is viewed. The tree also looks different from varying angles because of the highly reflective

Impasto Paintings

2011-02-28T19:35:00.000Z

I've been busy creating lots of paintings recently, including these impasto paintings. Impasto is a term used to describe paintings that have a lot of texture. I use a knife to achieve many different textures such as in 'The Silver Seahorse' painting and 'The Silver Tree' (above) and also in 'A Candelabra of Flowers' (below). I used metallic silver paint for the paintings above

Mermaids on Mermaids' Tears

2011-01-31T17:51:00.001Z

Here are some miniature paintings on sea glass that you can wear! You may have seen some of my mermaid paintings on seashells, sea slate and driftwood... well here are some smaller versions - mermaids on mermaids tears! ("Mermaids' tears" is another name for sea glass). There is a wearable version of "Sleepy Mermaid at Sunrise" which I originally painted on sea slate, "Mermaid on a Rock" and "

Art Prints are now For Sale!

2011-01-07T21:12:00.004Z

There is a new look to my art site! I have changed the colour from blue (the same as this) to black. I think it makes the colours of the paintings stand out a bit more.Prints are also available to buy now on the site. Prices are from £5.95 plus postage and packaging. They are all signed and dated on the back. Giclee prints are also available and these are priced from £20. Please contact me if you

Feliz Ano Novo!

2010-12-29T14:41:00.009Z

Another year has gone by so quickly! It seems that each year goes by that little bit faster. 2010 has been a very busy year indeed! I've been making lots of jewellery and painting many paintings. Although I have been painting and making jewellery for a while, I only started selling this year. Establishing a new business as a sole trader can be very time consuming. As well as creating, there are

Miniature Sea Glass Snowmen

2010-12-21T09:59:00.013Z

We have had plenty of snow over the last few days! Normally it misses this corner of the world, or at most we get a little sprinkling. There was plenty of snow on the beach this time though!I have quite a collection of sea glass that is not jewellery quality, and I've been saving it to make something someday... well that day came sooner than expected and we made some miniature snowmen on the

Some More Hand Painted Sea Glass Pendants

2010-12-10T11:49:00.010Z

Here are some more hand painted sea glass pendants... miniature paintings that you can wear! Some of these pendants are in the Tiddu shop and I will be adding more soon.I will be having a stall at the Gower Heritage Centre, Parkmill on Sunday 11th December from 10am. There will be many other stalls there and entry is free.The map and directions can be found here. Hopefully see you there!

'Tis the Season to be Glittery, Tra La La La La La La La La!

2010-12-03T12:46:00.014Z

It's December already! Where has the year gone?! December is party season, so why not get all sparkly with these glittery hand painted sea glass pendants? Miniature paintings you can wear! These pendants really sparkle when they catch the light - difficult to pick up on camera so the photos don't really do the pendants justice! I have added some to the Tiddu shop but keep checking back as I will

Green Fayre 2010 and Swansea Art Society Winter Exhibition

2010-11-26T16:10:00.003Z

I will be having a stall with my sea glass and sea pottery jewellery and paintings on driftwood, sea slate and sea shells at the Green Fayre, Swansea this weekend and here's the ad for the event:Green Fayre 2010: Saturday 27th & Sunday 28th November 2010 (THIS WEEKEND!) 10am-4pm At the National Waterfront Museum, Maritime Quarter, Swansea, SA1 3RD

The Proof is in the Marmalade Jar

2010-11-15T19:42:00.015Z

Paddington bear would be proud of these two lucky finds! They are pieces of an old marmalade jar. This find goes to show just how long some pieces of sea pottery have been in the sea. The date on this jar is 1862! Well the date shows how old the jar is, but it is likely that the jar was discarded around about the same era.I found the Marmalade part of the jar a few months ago. When I found the

Arts in the Arcade, Arts in the Barn

2010-11-08T11:17:00.010Z

I am pleased to announce that I now have a permanent place to display my art and jewellery. It is in a little arcade in the lovely town of Cowbridge. I have put a few paintings on driftwood, sea slate and canvas gorgeous as well as some sea glass jewellery. There is still some space so I will take some more paintings some time this week.Here is a photo of the display so far:The arcade leads to

Rare Sea Glass: An Old Black Heart and Turquoise Bubbles

2010-10-18T20:25:00.008+01:00

I was delighted to find this gorgeous piece of sea glass on the beach. Not only is it turquoise which is rare, but it also has glass bubbles making it extra rare! A lucky find!Below is another rare piece of sea glass... a black heart. Black is the oldest sea glass. Whilst it appears black, when held to the light it is dark amber or dark olive. This piece is dark olive. Black sea glass is

The Mermaid's Tears of Happiness

2010-10-10T09:28:00.014+01:00

This is a tear-shaped piece of brown sea glass that I have wrapped with a flower spiral design. Sea glass is also known as "mermaids' tears". I think the only tears this mermaid is shedding are tears of happiness... she was neglected for many years but now she has been restored to her former glory. This mermaid fountain is in the grounds of Swansea University.The carved rabbit on the right is

Pink Dolphins

2010-10-04T17:11:00.000+01:00

Pink elephants may not exist but pink dolphins do! Although, they are not quite this pink! I never knew pink dolphins existed until I saw some in a river in Bolivia. That is what inspired me to paint these two dolphins on driftwood. I have called it 'Delfines Rosados' which is Spanish for pink dolphins. If you would like to see a photo of a real pink dolphin there is one here. This week I have

The Driftwood Cog Ship that Caught the Sun

2010-09-29T18:39:00.015+01:00

I found a lovely piece of boat-shaped driftwood on the beach, so what better than to turn it into a driftwood ship! Who knows, maybe this piece was once part of a ship! This is a cog ship because it has one mast. I didn't know until recently that ships were called different names according to how many masts they have. I hope to find a ship-shaped piece of driftwood that

There's Something Fishy about these Sea Glass Pendants!

2010-09-22T18:18:00.000+01:00

I have decorated these three sea glass pendants with glass fish. The green pendant can be found with more of my sea glass pendants in the Ceri Richards Gallery, Swansea. There are also some of my paintings on seashells, driftwood and sea slate on display at this gallery. The other two pendants can be found in the Tiddu shop I have also updated my art site with some paintings on driftwood and

Some More Paintings on Driftwood, Sea Slate and Seashells

2010-09-14T17:03:00.001+01:00

Here are some more paintings on driftwood, sea slate and sea shells. This painting is called "Under the Sea". It includes a jellyfish, an octopus, a seahorse, some fish and some sea plants. Click on the picture if you would like to see this in more detail. This painting is called 'Sleepy Mermaid at Sunrise". It is painted on a triangular piece of sea slate that I found on a Gower beach. I used

Sea Glass or Cliff Glass?

2010-09-05T11:44:00.004+01:00

Well I am used to finding sea glass on the beach, but imagine my surprise when I found a perfect piece of sea glass on a cliff top! Well it would have taken a very large wave indeed for the sea to deliver this beauty to the cliff top... it would have had to have been a tsunami! But that definitely didn't happen! I doubt it was dropped by a sea glass-loving magpie either! So I can only

Hemp Creations

2010-08-20T18:45:00.000+01:00

Here are some hemp chokers that I have created lately. These are currently on display at The Shed Gallery in the Uplands, Swansea - I also have some pendants and earrings on display there too, so if you are in the area, why not pop in and have a look? Green Bead Hemp Choker with Glass Pendant Multicoloured Bead Hemp Choker Green and Brown Wood Bead Hemp Choker Blue Bead Hemp Choker

It's a Mystery - Paintings on Driftwood

2010-08-10T10:15:00.006+01:00

Paintings on driftwood are no ordinary paintings... they are paintings full of mystery! What type of tree did the piece of wood come from? Where did that tree grow? How old was the tree? What was the wood used for? Was it part of a boat? Was it part of a door or window? Was it part of a piece of furniture? Where was it used? For how long? Who used it? How did it break? How did it get into

It's Grand to Have Square Feet

2010-08-05T18:14:00.000+01:00

A short post this time just to let you know that today is the last day of the 100sqft exhibition in which I have a painting. 100sqft is an exhibition of 100 pieces of art measuring 1 square foot each, making 100 square foot. If you live in London, and you want to see it, today is your last chance. It is open until 10pm tonight and is at Cholmeley Boys Club, Dalston. If you can't make it to the

The Sun, The Moon, The Owl, The Pussy Cat and the Unintended Footprint

2010-07-26T21:15:00.000+01:00

Here is the finished sun and crescent moon silver and copper pendant that I made on the silversmithing course. I also made this silver ring with blue opal and turquoise (two of my favourite stones). This ring can be worn either way up.I think that one way up the ring looks like a footprint (a rather colourful footprint!) and the other way up it resembles the shape of an owl or a cat. That

The Origin of the Heart

2010-07-15T22:08:00.001+01:00

The inspiration for this painting came from a memory that is 10 years old. I was sitting by the river in Worcester when two swans came over to me. They stopped when they were right in front of me and started dancing. It was as though they had put on a show especially for me, because they came from the opposite side of the river. It was an incredible thing to watch. At one point their bodies and

Paintings on Driftwood and Slate

2010-07-01T18:05:00.003+01:00

Here is a seascape that I painted on driftwood recently...a very beautiful piece of driftwood too. Here are the before and after pictures: Many people associate stormy seas with stormy skies. More often than not, when the storm has subsided, the sea will remain choppy for quite some time. I love to see a stormy sea with a blue sky. I have painted many seascapes and I will be painting many more

An Antique from the Sea

2010-06-15T16:43:00.006+01:00

I had a lucky find when I was beachcombing for sea glass the other day. I found a piece of black sea glass, which is very old. Not only is this piece of glass an antique, but it is an antique from the sea - how special! It's amazing to think that this piece of glass has probably been in the sea for more than a hundred years! Production of black glass ceased in the late 1800's. Black sea

It's the Season of the Beach!

2010-05-31T14:40:00.004+01:00

The sun is shining and summer is here! To celebrate I have updated the Tiddu shop with some sea glass pendants. There are some rare colours now available to buy, including this amber sea gem with a pattern of a flower, and the blue sea gem with two half triangles. These are perfect for showing off on the beach. They look great when the sun shines on them. These colours are rare, and patterned

She Sells Seascapes and Sea Scenes on Sea Shells from the Sea Shore!!!

2010-05-21T14:11:00.001+01:00

Well, that's a bit of a tongue twister! Here are some photos of some paintings on seashells that I have recently created: Mermaid on a Rock: The mermaid's tail is painted with metallic paint to reflect the light. Jumping Dolphins Purple Starfish Cherry Moon Rising: I have seen many cherry moons whilst wild camping. A few times I have seen a cherry moon rising from the sea. Unfortunately

Two Worlds, One Planet

2010-05-11T17:30:00.001+01:00

This painting is called 'Two Worlds, One Planet'. This painting was inspired by my love of the sea. I often wonder about the sea life that exists underneath the water. Amazing to think that two thirds of this planet is ocean. The variety of sea life amazes me - both plants and sea creatures. The variety of colours also amazes me. For this reason I will be doing more under water scenes in the

Stocking the Shop

2010-04-30T14:10:00.001+01:00

I have just updated the Tiddu shop. There are some small original acrylic paintings now available to buy. In the next week or two I am hoping to make some prints available of some larger paintings that I am currently working on, so watch this space. This Blue Lace Agate pendant with Aqua Terra Jasper is now available to buy in the Tiddu shop. This pendant has a flower design. Why not see what

The Wonders of Copper

2010-04-21T10:09:00.029+01:00

Copper is a wonderful metal that has many uses. Its use has been dated back to the Ancient Sumerians who used it to make jewellery as well as to make items such as tools and weapons. The Ancient Egyptians also used copper to make jewellery and tools. The Mayans were another ancient civilisation to use copper to make jewellery. Copper is a beautiful metal that has an unusual reddish/orange colour.

More Treasure Found on the Beach

2010-04-11T12:28:00.002+01:00

I found this wonderful rock on the beach the other day. It is an ore of some kind, but I'm not sure which kind! The sun was shining on it when I found it, exposing many crystals and flecks of shiny metal. The metal is a silver colour. I think it's too shiny and bright to be lead and I don't think it is silver either. I've compared it to many pictures of ores on the internet, but I have not found

Treasure Chest Found Washed Ashore on Gower Beach...

2010-04-01T17:51:00.000+01:00

...OK, so it wasn't a real treasure chest, but I bet the headline caught your attention! I found a toy coin with a picture of a treasure chest on one side and a skull and cross-bone on the other. Quite an unusual find. It looks like it has been in the sea for quite some time. Another intriguing mystery. Well, I might not have found a real treasure chest, but I certainly found some treasures on

Paintings

2010-03-21T15:37:00.000Z

I did my first painting in 2005 on 'Hurricane Hill' in Caserbermeja, Spain. I painted the sun setting behind the mountains. To add texture to the mountains I mixed sand into the paint. I have been fascinated with texture ever since. There are so many different ways of achieving different textures. In these two paintings I have used a knife to achieve a 3D tree effect. I also used a knife

The Sea is Full of Mystery

2010-03-13T13:19:00.001Z

I found this mysterious little toy on the beach a few years ago. It has been on my bookshelf ever since. I was fascinated by this toy (and still am!). It looks like it is from the 1960's or maybe even older. It may not even be from this country. It looks like the sort of toy you would find in a cereal packet. I wonder how old it really is. I wonder who it belonged to, where it came from and how

The Natural Living Show

2010-03-02T19:26:00.000Z

It's The Natural Living Show this Saturday and Sunday (6th and 7th March, 10am to 5pm) at Swansea LC2, Oystermouth Road, Swansea. I will be having a stall there with healing crystal pendants, sea gem pendants, talismans and hemp jewellery. There will be many stalls there including crystals, books and gifts. There will also be many holistic therapies such as massage, aromatherapy, Reiki, hot stone

Tiddu Shop is now Open!

2010-02-24T19:25:00.000Z

The new Tiddu Shop is now open...hooray!!! I have only added a few items so far, but I will be updating the shop regularly. If you see anything on Flickr, Facebook or MySpace that you would like to buy but is not in the shop, please email me and if I still have it I can make it available for you. If you have any problems with ordering, with the website/shop or if you have any queries please

Strawberry Delight

2010-02-13T15:08:00.004Z

Here is the red sea gem that I blogged about last week. What a rare find! I was so pleased to find this piece. Not only is it red, but it is strawberry shaped! It even has little dots, which look like strawberry seeds. A very rare find indeed! And beautiful too. Another strawberry delight is this Strawberry Quartz. Again, it is strawberry shaped and

A Green Message from the Sea

2010-02-01T14:37:00.013Z

There was snow on the beach on Saturday. Luckily it only covered part of the beach, so I was still able to go beach-combing for sea glass. I found a few nice pieces including a sea marble. This piece of green sea glass found on the beach has the word "e-use" written on it! It must have said re-use once upon a time. An appropriate green message from the sea! Well I certainly took the advice and I

Inspiration

2010-01-24T20:35:00.003Z

I find inspiration from many sources, but I have to say that the main source is by far nature. Particularly the beach. I love living by the sea as it enriches my life so much. A long walk beside the shore is enough to blow all cobwebs away. It refreshes the mind and soothes the soul. I find that I am able to think more clearly and I am more open to ideas, which are often influenced by my

Other Crafts

2010-01-07T21:51:00.000Z

Although I am very occupied with making jewellery at the moment, I wanted to mention other crafts that I do or have done. Five years ago I was living in Spain with Gemma and Mike. I was helping to plant trees and grow vegetables in exchange for food and accommodation. It was a great exchange as I learnt a lot about gardening and I also had a lot of free time. This was a great time for me to get

New Year, New Beginnings

2009-12-31T11:39:00.010Z

Happy New Year everybody! May I also say Happy New Decade. From midnight tonight we will no longer be in the noughties! I should also say Happy Blue Moon! A blue moon is a second full moon in a month. They are rare - hence the saying 'once in a blue moon'. What luck that the blue moon should fall on New Year's Eve. It won't actually be blue though (shame) - it's just called a blue moon. Today the

Happy Solstice, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

2009-12-21T11:54:00.003Z

I would just like to wish everyone a Happy Solstice, a Merry Christmas and Best Wishes for 2010. Enjoy the festive season!

Hemp and Macramé

2009-12-18T14:29:00.010Z