Todays Medieval Fair

We were up at what seemed the crack of dawn this morning in order to go down to the medieval fair and get set up.
We had a laugh last night getting Bills outfit done for today!
I had a bought blue throw from a charity shop which I cut up and shaped into a cape, a hood and some gaiters in around 15 mins-some elastic criss -crossed around Bills legs and one of my antique copper artist palette clasp at the front of the cape/hood and he really looked the part!
The weather was much better than forecast-the rain didn't come until we were packing up at 4.30pm
We had a cracking day-the town was heaving with people all day, I didn't get chance to check out who else was on the market other than our near neighbours.
We are back on the market on Wednesday -weather permitting, and then we are doing the market until the week before Christmas and we are then having a break until the end of March-beginning of April-depending on the weather, I will post the dates on the website when I know when we are starting.

Medieval Fair In Ludlow

We are on the Famous Medieval Fair market tomorrow-I'm busy getting my outfit turned up ready!
Ive been loaned a peasant outfit from someone who does renactments-its just a foot too long for me!
It is very warm though so even if the forecast is right and its wet and windy I should be OK!
When we set the stall up we are completely enclosed and its quite snug in there.
Ive just finished making 30 bookmarks as Id sold out over the past few weeks-they make great stocking fillers.
Ive just got a few new price tickets to print out and I'm finished.
I'm quite looking forward to it to be honest. The town was heaving with people today-and there were loads of idiots parked where they shouldn't be making it difficult for everyone else.
There was no excuse for it--there is a free park and ride service--
There were quite a few tickets on the cars when we returned from town-and they only have themselves to blame.

Latest Commission

Well Ive really got on well with the latest encaustic wax commission.
Smantha has recieved her Birch Tree commission last week , so I was able to make a start on her new one.
Its the biggest encaustic one Ive tackled so far-measures 105 cm x 70 cm. It will be much bigger after its been framed by my friend Steve who runs his framing business Framing Mad.Its having a large double frame in black and white and in the mock ups that Steve has sent to both Samantha and myself it looks stunning!
Ive recycled some card that was destined for cigarrette packets as I couldnt find any suitable card anywhere to do this on.
Ive painted over the red print with white acrylic paint so it dosent show through the transparent coloured wax.Im pleased with how its turning out-- Ive got a lot more to do yet, Samantha wants the red centre to be highly textured so that its touchy feely, so Ive got a lot of building up to do yet.
there are lots of faces and animals showing up in the wax already-the painting will keep them all amused spotting the various things.

Ive a few more days work yet , Im waiting to hear off Samantha about what Ive done so far.
As always with any commission I send photos of each stage so the commissioner can see what Ive done so far-I also print them off and send them with the painting so they have a record of just how it was created.

Stormy Skies

Places are going fast for the first class of the new year "Stormy Skies" which is on Jan 16th--there are now just 4 places left in it.
If you would like to join this class please get in touch via the website
www.paintingmyway.co.uk

Todays Class--Topical Sunset

Well I had 2 last minute cancellations-one from poor Rhada who has had a really bad migraine since last night and one from a new student Val who had problems with a relative who was ill.
However the four students who did attend the Tropical Sunset class all achieved great results.
Lin was convinced she wouldn't be able to take anything any good home-when she finished her painting she announced that she would be hanging her painting in pride of place in her front room-she has visitors coming for lunch tomorrow!
Lin has also booked in for the Stormy Skies and Grasses painting classes next year.
Bev is coming for a one to one to paint a large brown birch trees on 1st Dec and also the Mystical Moon on Dec 5th.Ive nearly completed the commision of Thailand for her,just got a few bits to add when the paintings dry.

Emerald Woods

Ive just taken another booking for the Emerald Woods painting making 5 in total now.
We are doing this one on Jan 23rd 2010.
Its a lovely painting to do-we use acrylic and oil to create it and its suitable for all students from first timers upwards.
If you want to join this class please get in touch via the website
www.paintingmyway.co.uk

No Market!

My knee has been playing up again this week so I was unable to go to the market today, I couldnt get up or down the stairs-so wouldnt even attempt to get in the car to go and do the stall in the cold.
After all the tablets today its feeling a lot better now-hopefully it will be ok for this Sundays market.

Serenity -Class of Nov 14th

Well I had my biggest class ever yesterday-12 students--some new -some old.
I gave the students a choice of colours for the painting--dusky lilac, grey,blue or green-its amazing to see how different they turn out with the different colours!
It was lovely to see 3 of the girls who we had met earlier in the summer at the Cottage Of Content meet where the Boob-tiful painting as created and the girls Rennie,Jan and Jacqui had all contributed to it!
John and Sybil we met earlier in the year at the Leominster Vintage club, and again at Tenbury show-they were convinced they would never be able to make anything of it but were very pleasantly surprised with their results! Nettie and her granddaughter Leanne bought along Anne- Leannes mum for the first time.Gerry was with us for the third time as was Liz.
Bill was supposed to have had his artists brooch from me for attending 6 classes-but I realised when I got home I had forgotton to give it to him so will be posting that off. Bev came for the irst time last week and booked for the Serenity class-then I had a call from her in the week to book some more classes next year , along with her friend.
Bev has commissioned a painting for her hubbys Christmas present-she bought along some photos of their favorite place--Thailand-so I will be working on that in between the other two Im doing!
Everyone wants to come and do some more classes--Gerry has also booked up for 2 more.
I must get the place numbers updated on my website today!
Ive got 6 in for next weeks Tropical Sunset class-funny -- a few months ago -6 would have been a full class--now it will seem like a small one after the big classes Ive had lately!

Serenity!

Well I have 12 students coming tomorrow who are travelling from far and wide.
The weather is blowing a gale-pouring with rain so fingers crossed all 12 students make it to Ludlow!
We are painting the Serenity painting which has a wide choice of colours-from lilac, grey,green,brown,blue and a lovely soft rose colour.
The results are always great with this painting-we will use a variety of brushes and a silicon wiping out tool which is great fun to use--will hopefully post the pictures on here tomorrow after class-though by the time Ive cleaned all the brushes afterwards and got ready to meet our friends Karen and Steve at the Squirrel for a meal it could be Sunday bfore they are updated!

Lin and Daves Commission

I'm working on a lovely new commission for Dave and Lin.
Its quite a large canvas that is going to be the focal point in the room above the mantelpiece.They both loved my Poppy paintings with the textured melted wax centres, but felt the bright red wouldn't fit in so opted for the more muted softer shades of beige,cream, chocolate brown and a warm chestnut brown.
The painting will consist of many,many layers of paint-each one slightly thinner than the previous ones so the colour underneath will show through.It will change in appearance many times before it is finally finished.
I will finish it off with melted wax in browns and golds.
Lin has seen the painting so far s Ive emailed the photos to her and she loves it--poor Dave is still in hospital after his major op and fingers crossed- still doing well--I can imagine him playing the nurses up bless him!
Will be in touch with Lin after Ive finished doing this.
Ive added some special paste to add texture to the painting which will be painted over-this gives the illusion of the texture of the poppy's petals.
Ive not had chance to do any more to it since Tuesday-but will be catching up on Sunday.
We were on the market on Wednesday-new stalls leave a lot to be desired--we had to leave early as we had another function to attend in the evening in Stourbridge-it went well but we didn't get home until 11.30pm !So it was a long long day!
I was completely knackered on Thursday and have suffered with a stiff neck and shoulder since--its feeling better now thanks to some strong painkillers. .

Busy Times

Ive been busy getting a new commission done for Samantha who wanted a Version of a Squirrels Eye View.
I'm nearly finished working on it now, just a few more layers of trees to go in and then it can be varnished.

Then I have another commission to do for Samantha which will prove more of a challenge as its to be a copy of ''Fantasia'' an encaustic painting that has already been sold.
The new one will also be much larger and rectangle in size. It has proved hard to get the necessary backing surface to work on in the size required--but Freecycle came up trumps for me with a lovely chap having something suitable and just the job!
I had been hoping to start Lins commission last weekend but when I opened the new canvas that had been delivered I found it had a big tear right through it so had to wait until today for the new one to arrive.
Im hoping to crack on with that later today as well.

Tomorrow we will be down on the market trying out the new stalls-we will hav to get finished early though because we are doing show at Stourbridge tomorrow evening!
We will be pretty knackered on Thursday I would think!

Pip The Parrot

Well Pip has settled into her new home beautifully.She has been chatting away all evening , and calling the cat! When she hears the song'' pop goes the weasel'' she says Pop at the right time!

We have taken them some of the food that we have our two on, so they can introduce it into her diet gradually.

Ours have a mixture of complete granule's which is basically a pelleted complete food, like you get for dogs and cats-and to stop them getting bored with that, they have Tidy Mix which is a human quality mixed diet of fruit ,nuts and seed-excluding the usual sunflower seeds that is found in many parrot foods
Sunflower seeds are said to have little nutritional value and are supposed to be not very good for parrots-though as Pip as reached the age of 30 and looks as fit as a flea it makes you wonder!

I'm sure she has had loads of fresh fruit and veg which would have made up for it anyway!

We also have sprouting seeds,pulses that are soaked in water for them until they start to grow-they love picking the green bits off them-so we have sent some of those round as well.

Also included in the bits and pieces we sent round are some calcium drops to help keep her bones nice and strong and some hard strawberry treats especially made for parrots! Ours don't care for them so maybe Pip will enjoy them!
For a treat ours love a quarter piece of toast with either marmite or lemon curd on it--and if they hear the one cupboard open where the crisps are kept they go mad until they have one.Its quite funny to see how they both savour each tiny bit of it and don't drop a crumb!
The birds live better than we do!

Bills going to cut a piece of our curly hazel bush to take round and put in her cage-ours love to pick the bark of it, keeps them occupied for ages.
I know Pip is already love to bits by them and us-she is a little darling!

Christmas Cake

The house is filled with the most delicious smells at the moment! Bills Caribbean Christmas cake is almost finished cooking-just got to wait till 11pm and fetch it out of oven where its been for 4 hours. Then it has to cool for 30 mins before turning out of the tin!
So we wont be having an early night thats for sure.

Big Huggles For Dave and Lin x

One of dear friends Dave is off to hospital tomorrow for a big operation--we will be thinking of both him and Lin-- and sending lots of positive thoughts and huggles to them both.
Looking forward to that meal at the pub you told us about in a few weeks time both !!

xxx

Pip The Parrot

We collected Pip today and she is safely home with her new owners -my daughter Becky and her partner.
She is just adorable-she has settled down quickly , let us all stroke her and has tucked into some apple and a grape!
She has been blowing kisses and talking bless her.
We know how hard it must have been to make the decision to rehome her--I know how I would feel if we ever had to do it with our two birds.
She has been loved to bits all her life --that is quite apparent and that will continue--she is 30 years old so just aproaching middle age- so she still has many years in front of her- we will of course keep her original family updated with her progress as she settles down.
many thanks to Julieanne and her family xx

Summer Day Class

I had my biggest class to date yesterday--11 in for the Summer Day class!.
We had a mixture of newbies and first timers.
They travelled from far and wide to join us--Birmingham, Cheltenham,Rugeley,Walsall, Clun and Leominster!
Rose Hilda and Tara had been before and arrived in time to put the kettle on-they were joined by Hilda's sister Fran who had been very impressed by Hilda's previous paintings!
Beverly and her partner Duncan had a long journey to be with us-neither had tryed painting before---they took photos of every stage they did and have used their paintings as their Facebook profiles-they have made friends with me and tagged their pics on my Facebook!
Sounds like all their friends are very impressed and they even had a commission for one as a Christmas pressie!
Bill fetched Rhada and Gayatri from the station while I gave the canvas a coat of the special medium we use.
Jan who came over from Leominster, and has been to a few classes now(must take her artist brooch for her next time) informed me that she knew my mum well, after someone told her who she was! Its a small world!
Heather didnt have to far to come from Clun-she was very impressed with it all and we will see her again next week!
Sue came from Leominster and said she will be back with her son at some point!

Everyone was amazed to see how different the paintings were right from the start of the class-its lovely to watch how everyone tackles it differently yet the same as I have shown them! Results as always are very good-and eeryone went away happy bunnys!
Got an even bigger class next week- 13 of them for Serenity!