Not On Market...

I will not be on the market tomorrow--my sciatica is playing up again and the cold weather does not help it at all!
I have got to go and see a chiropractor sooner rather than later.....
The weather is bad here as well-bad snow and ice so don't suppose there will be many folk about up there anyway.
I'm hoping to be there again on the Wed 8th, Sun 12th, Wed 15th and Wed 22nd December.
Then I'm having a break from the market until end of March /beginning of April-all depending on the weather!
I have 2 full classes-Summer Day and Stormy Skies already next year and bookings in all the other classes as well.
Lots of gift vouchers have been bought for Christmas pressies as well so I think the classes will be be booking up even quicker after Christmas!

Ludlow Medieval Fayre-what a day-part 2

Angus always makes us laugh on a Wednesday and sings "My Diane" when we pull up in the van-----and today was no exception-but his missus knows him well--she said she would make sure he had showered--when he said he was looking forward to next Wednesdays market...........

Ludlow Medieval Fayre-what a day

Bill and Adrian looked the part--we had set up early and got our electric heater  running in our stall--there is now way we could have managed without it,

I had leggings, tracksuit bottoms and tights under my dress--then I had a wool shawl and a thick velvet coat on top-but had taken it off for the photos

Wilma made my coat for me out of some velvet cutains-she made lots of the medieval costumes worn on the market today!

Jean and Paula are regulars on the Wednesday market and we always have a good laugh with them-

Mark has the cheese stall on the market--Wilma made his outfit too--

Edmound makes the most wonderful things out of willow--we have got a couple of dragonflies he has made in our garden--his hands were as warm as toast all day--nothing to do with the fact he was weaving he said--"come up any time and I will warm you up "he said..... what an offer!

Bob the Baker had to be the bravest or daftest man on the market today--he assured us he was Au Naturale under his kilt--I have to confess--I didnt check if he was telling the truth---the funniest thing is Bob is Irish!

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Debbie and Fleur---a pair of great mates--we always have such a great laugh with them--Debbie comes with Mick on a motorbike-and they were bloody freezing when they arrived  this morning--Fleur and her chap had to leave their van loaded up miles away from their home in order to be able to  come today---Im thinking I wouldnt of bothered if it were me!

Ludlow Medieval Fayre

We are on Ludlow Medieval Fayre tomorrow--dressed in all our medieval finery! We have to be up before 6am to get ready to go--the weather is supposed to be bitter cold-so we have lots of layers to wear and we will have our fan heater with us so we will be snug and warm in our stall.I don't think I will be painting much while there as it will be far too cold and I wont be able to hold the brushes!
I love the atmosphere there-and we had a busy day last year,,,so fingers crossed the cold weather doesn't stop folk from coming to the fayre!We are sure to have a laugh with the other stall holders--cant wait to see them in their medieval costumes---there has been a run on sales of leggings apparently--the men are going to get the mick took out of them something cruel--though Bill says he is wearing his under his jeans!
I'm wearing mine under my long dress-and have had a coat made that is authentic to the era for artists-made out of a pair of thick velvet curtains so I should be warm enough!
Well Im off to bed now--will post pictures tomorrow of the fayre!

Serenity workshop Nov 27th

 Today's group all knew each other as Sarah who had a private family class a short while ago at her home had organised it! It was a mixture of her family and friends !
All ages from Hannah who is 7 years old.......the results right from the word go were great--some lovely skies were created in a short time.Trish mentioned when she came in  that her art teacher at school had told her she was useless at art--and was pretty convinced that she couldn't paint-- Id love that 'art teacher' to see just what Trish achieved in just 4 hours today-and so would Trish!
The painting took shape very quickly -and we managed to finish on time-everyone was amazed at the results--some bold some more delicate but all very good-we had lots of laughs-especially at the amount of paint that some students managed to get on themselves-mentioning no names( Donna!) Amber and Carris were not far behind you!

Lots Of Birds!

Its a complete mad house here at the moment--we have my daughters African grey parrot here while she is on holiday--PIP is 33 years old and came from the same forum that we had our Jake off--she is such a little star bless her.
When we were on the market on Wednesday she must have been teaching our Jake some new stuff-he has been calling Wayne and whistling her tunes!
When Bill came in the front room with some toast she shouted "gis some" and wont shut up til she has some of what ever he is eating!
She has a habit of chewing up her newspaper that lines the bottom of her cage--it looks like a little mouse has been in there---it looks like my boys have been copying that as well--both of them have been carrying paper to the top of the cage to rip up!
She loves you to sing or whistle "half a pound of tuppenny rice" to her when it gets to "Pop " goes the weasel she goes "POP" so me and Bill are sat here on the sofa singing and whistling to her--laughing our heads off!

Ive been able to get some more good snaps of the birds visiting our garden as well--the woodpecker has been a recent visitor lately-and we now have up to 11 or 12 goldfinches here everyday eating the nigger  seed that we put out ,there is so much to watch and listen to with the wildlife out here!

Lovely Time at Button Oak Art Club

We had a lovely time at Button Oak art club today--not the biggest we have ever been to but certainly one of the keenest!

They had some problems with the boiler after we arrived but to be honest it didn't effect me-as I was busy painting the 2 pictures!
 Lots of questions throughout the demo and most of the club want me to return and do a workshop at their village hall where we were today.
 So I have to have a look at my diary and see when we can come to an arrangement-am really looking forward to going back and meeting everyone again--Janice and Catherine won the paintings-- everyone seemed to be amazed at the Winter Wonderland one and how it came about using transparent paint on the black background!

Button Oak Art Club

Im off to do a demo tomorrow for Button Oak art club--Im really looking forward to it--I will paint 2 paintings while there as usual-- and explain why Im doing what--
I think I will paint a Winter Wonderland insead of the waterfall one tomorrow for a change!
On the way home we will call and collect PIP my daughters african grey parrot--we are looking after here while she is on holiday--her pet/house sitter isnt used to parrots so is going to look after the cat and house and leave Pip to us! Looking forward to it--though the house is going to feel very small with 3 huge cages in our front room!

Mellow Moods Workshop Nov 20th

It was lovely to see Lyn, Richard and their children Zac aged 9 and Alice age 12

Karen and Gill have been several times before-but Gillian on the right was here for the first time!

Zac got on well with his acrylic under painting...very mystical

Gillian was very nervous as she had never painted before--but she had beautiful  results

didn't have Natalie with me today to wash brushes-she has a sprained ankle -hope she feels better soon

we had to use the hairdryers to make sure the acrylic was dry before we coated the canvas with linseed oil

Bob used the autumn colours-the red colour added a warmth to the finished painting

Kath was with me for the third time--and bought along her friend Ruth -

Peter joined us for the first time today--we had met him at Tenbury show

We met Robbie at Burwarton show -he loved it and made a cracking job of his painting..

Kath is adding the colour here--lovely and vibrant--and a  definite spring time feel to it.

Maureen was painting for the  4th time today-her confidence has grown and grown-

Ruth was convinced that she wouldn't be able to do a good painting--when we got to the end she told me she was very impressed with her painting

Lyn , Zac,Alice and Richard with their masterpieces--all very different-but all good!

Peter,Maureen,Bob and Gillian with thier lovely paintings

Gill, Karen,Robbie, Kath and Ruth -what lovely atmospheric paintings!

All of them together with their paintings-great results and looking forward to seeing all of them again!