Bits and Pieces....

I have had to cancel a few workshops of late because of my Polymyalgia having a major flare up...its very upsetting for me to have to do that , but I have no option when I can't lift my arms to paint!

It has been coming and going for a while now but each flare up seems to get worse and there are only so many painkillers I can have,,, it gets better when I rest-but of course it isn't that easy sometimes.
Between that and the discs in my neck degenerating and causing pins and needles in my arms and legs I have been in quite a state at times!

So a big thank you to everyone for being so understanding and moving to other dates..

I have now been put on a very high dose of steroids again, so the pain and stiffness should be gone again very quickly,,

We will be at the Festival At The Edge in Much Wenlock  this Fri,Sat and Sunday.. we will take the caravan, so I will be able to relax and chill if need be... Its a lovely event and the weather forcast looks like its going to be good...so it will do us both good..
I will have a huge display of paintings up--with the awning and the new Gala tent in use.. and lots of my ''Funny Quote'' shabby -chic slates..

We meet up with old friends we only see there, so looking forward to that very much.. some wine will be packed, and maybe some Pimms too...we just need the sun to shine and the pain to stay away and it will the perfect weekend!

Christmas 2013

Jake opening his pressie off Santa,,,

This little man made our Christmas...he is such a happy little fella...

Always smiling!

and still glued to the TV...

having cuddles with his Daddy

the turkey was delicious! We were all well and truly stuffed after it all!

Charity Donations

I donate a lot of paintings over the course of a year to charities, and I was asked this week if I had anything to donate to a fantastic charity www.acorns.org.uk by one of my students whose sister has organised The 'Ghoul's Ball' will take place in Leintwardine on Saturday 27th October.She has managed to get a brilliant load of lots for the auction that is being held at it..local firm Mc Cartneys are going to do the auction so it will be very professionally done.I have donated this painting and also a gift voucher for one of my workshops so hope they fetch a lot of money for the charity.If you want more details please get in touch with me and I will pass on Karins number.

Bluebell Woods Workshop

It was lovely to see Brenda again,,, she is growing in confidence each time she comes..

Maureen is quite an old hand at this  now and its lovely to watch her doing 'her own thing' as regards composition...she soon had a  lovely forest of trees going on...

Karen was painting with me for the first time--she loved the way the oils moved around on the canvas....

Joanne was also a first timer--though you would never know it from watching her! No nerves showed at all and she soon got on and created a lovely background ready for the addition of the bluebells!

We got off to a very late start due to 3 students being late--I was quite worried as I hadn't heard from them,,, and it was nearly 10.45am when they arrived--by then I had imagined all sorts of things gone wrong- and made a quick phone call to Derby where they were coming from, they had left to come to the class so knew they would be here soon, so was just about to start without them when they turned up...a couple of the students had to be away on time so it did put a bit of pressure on me to get finished on time..above you can see Jo getting stuck into the background...

Isabel was with me for the third time...

Joy showed her last painting to all her friends and they didn't believe she had painted it..she found this one a bit harder to do---but so did everyone I think--its quite hard to get the bluebells in the right places....

Vikki came along with her Mum Virginia (who received her artist brooch for attending 6 workshops) Vikki has a lovely soft style to her paintings--they are always calm and gentle....and she also adds a tiny bit of glitter to them at home--she  sounds like me-used to be a magpie in a previous life and is attracted to glittery things!

Virginia also painted very softly today too...

the girls really had a feast for their lunch..they bought with them all the stuff for a ham salad, and for pud there was fresh strawberries, cream and meringues...they made a fine Eton Mess with it!

Virginia and Vikki had to leave on time as there was a craft fair to go to and set up...so they are not on the main photo...

well done girls...beautiful results...