Colour matching is a skill that develops over time with practice, so be patient with yourself. There are countless colours and brands available, which can feel overwhelming at first.

Not only did the patchwork of colour harness my interest but I loved the lone larch tree slightly to the right, centre of the image and the break in the terrain under the tree. With my canvas preped with liquin gesso, several times I was excited to get going.

There are many oil painting mediums on the market, which can feel overwhelming. To keep things simple, here are two I found especially useful early on—both readily available from Winsor & Newton:

• Liquin Light Gel – Speeds up drying time and makes working with multiple layers easier.

• Linseed Oil – Available as cold-pressed or refined. Cold-pressed linseed oil makes paint “fatter” and dries slightly faster. Both improve paint flow and transparency.

Making my own moisturizer is something I will continue to do. Controlling the ingredients I want to use on my skin is satisfying, cost effective, free of artificial fragrances and keeps my skin moisturized all day.

Creating Yule Logs for Christmas!

It all begins with an idea.

It all begins with an idea.