Onslow Park Steam Rally

We are back from a brilliant weekend at Onslow Park Steam rally...we were able to park in our usual place behind the craft marquee  with Bunty and the caravan...

We soon got the stands set up and the pictures hung--I use plastic covered table cloths from the £1 to cover them---very handy they are!

Then back to the caravan to prepare our evening meal...am sticking to the eating plan although we are away from home,,,,,we are hooked on sweet potato chips--they are just to die for--a touch of fry-light to help the herbs and spices stick to them and in the oven until they are cooked... a couple of lovely thick sirloin steaks and a huge salad and we both stuffed !

certainly didn't want any pudding after that lot!

We went for a walk after dinner --the atmosphere is just amazing after dark--all the steamers are lit up and the steam fairground is amazing...

after an early night and on Saturday I got on and cooked a lovely full English breakfast on Sunday Morning to set us up for the day--all allowed on the plan..all dry fried and some crusty brown granary bread to soak up the tomato juices!

The little 'pocket money' paintings went down well as usual!

I had quite a crowd standing watching me demonstrate at times,,,

Amy loved having a go at the encaustic art....

Elisha created a lovely picture using the waxes..

Daisey used some lovely colours in her wax art..

wow--that's lovely!

Thomas  did really well--and spotted loads of mysterious things happening in his picture...

as we didn't have to drive anywhere on Sunday we fell off the plan for a while and enjoyed a few glasses of PImms late afternoon,,, only thing we forgot to take with us was the mint to put in it--but the cucumber and strawberries were very good!

some of the beautiful steamers..

a real old one here...

looks like a squirrel had been in the food cupboard when I woke up Monday morning... 5 empty cereal boxes on the table.....Then Bill said "I had a hypo at 1.30am" Poor Bill had woken up sweating and feeling odd..when he did his blood count it had dropped to just 2 ...which is very very bad...We had forgotten to pack the glucose tablets as well so the only sweet stuff around for him was the variety pack of cereals--so he those 5 and 4 weetabix as well!!  Since he has been on the Slimming World plan with me-he has been able to cut back on his insulin injections quite a lot--he was down from 68 to 44 and last night cut down to 40 after having the hypo.. So it looks like the plan is working well for him being able to cut back like that.He have to check his sugar levels more often and make sure its high enough before he goes to bed in future too..I hadn't heard a thing though--when I sleep I do go out for the count..and Ive made Bill promise to wake me up if it happens again, as when the blood sugar drops low like that people can get very confused and he may not get any food....anyway--we are back home now--got lots to do-we have the little grandchildren coming to stay until Saturday--they will keep us busy!

Onslow Park Steam Rally

We are busy getting ready for this weekends big show at Onslow Park Steam Rally,,I have got some new paintings done to take with us---the one above has been created using melted wax and looks like  squid...I had great fun creating it....and also the one below which also looks like a squid....

The latest Birches painting...using a new colour scheme....doesn't show up well in the photo but its a soft sage green and cream... just a few of the 40 odd paintings I will have on display at the show. We will be taking the caravan to the show and going on Saturday to set up ready for the show on Sunday and Monday. Jeannie is coming too house-sit and look after Paddy and the fish-inside and out.There will be lots going on there-am looking forward to Saturday night when they have bands in the beer marquee--great fun,,and also tractor pulling going on till all hours! We will be taking the Pimms with us as well as a bottle or 3 of lovely white wine to enjoy during our stay...and there are some sirloin steaks with all the trimmings to take along as well....I'm hoping not to do too much damage to my diet while I'm away,....but having lost 19lb altogether from my heaviest weight I'm not going to worry too much about stepping off the wagon for a couple of days! Back to it on Tuesday like a good girl!

Little Tommy--3 months

Me and my sister Sharon went babysitting for our little Tommy on Saturday night---he was as good as gold bless him..sat in his bouncy chair laughing away for ages! He is such a contented baby-always happy and smiling.

He is always ready for his bottle as well----here he is after finishing it off---he is full as a tick!   After having his bum changed he was off to bed upstairs by 9pm--and he slept through to 8.30am again...he has got into a great routine lately and is sleeping all night for his mummy and daddy--that's really good for 12 weeks!      He is growing up so quickly--he has noticed the TV now and will stretch his head round to see it!        He is also fascinated by their clock on the wall--he sits and laughs at it--if hes crying Becki just lifts him so he can see the clock and he stops instantly and starts laughing at it---I wonder what he thinks it is?

Summer Day Workshop Aug 18th

bashing away at the sky.....

looking good...

Barry contemplating what to do next..

nearly finished...

getting down to it...

on the final stretch here...we had a mix of first timers and people who had been before just once, though you would never know to see the finished results!

beautiful results!

well done...

great results---look forward to seeing you all again!

Progress.....

Well I lost another 2 1/2lb last week at Slimming World..making 9 1/2lb off in just 3 weeks...I was also Slimmer Of The Week again and came away with another big bag of fruit for that! I'm finding it very easy at the moment--I'm still having a glass of wine or 2 in the evening and eating huge meals 3 times a day!

We were on the market yesterday and one of my favourite meals we have when down there is a lovely jumbo prawn cocktail...I make it up fresh before we set off in the morning.

 

We followed it up with a huge bowl of this lifesaver---no sugar jelly mixed with low fat yogurt-and poured over fresh strawberries and grapes and allowed to set in the fridge..Its to die for..feels really naughty when you eat it,,,,top it with some fat free Total which is just like double/clotted cream and its even better!

Today Ive made some quiches--a corned beef one and a bacon one....couldnt wait for it to cool down,,,and it tatses lovely...will be having some more for dinner with salad and jacket spud!

Winter Wonderland

Cracking results from everyone today...10 year old Alice did sooo well...2 ponds in a painting has never been done in class before and it worked really well...and she worked out where to place her fence posts-well done Alice!

All very different to each other..as individual as they all are..Loved Mary's sky especially--it was so vibrant..

Beautiful results everyone--

Tenbury Show

Well the weather held the week before Tenbury Show--so it went ahead--YIPPEEEE after so many disappointments with 6 shows being cancelled due to the awful weather it felt a little strange to be actually setting up on Friday afternoon! We were given our usual space--in the corner where we can set up easily and display the pictures well.!  As you can see--we got a lot of paintings hung, lots of my small paintings and my new prints out on the tables.

We put a huge tarpaulin down on the ground before we start setting up and it stops any damp coming up from the ground..makes a huge difference to me--I find I  don't get stiffness in my body as much from the polymyalgia since we use that..and it keeps everything from getting muddy as well as we extend it out beyond the stall..The 2nd painting from the left of the photo  sold--Stormy Poppies--so will have to paint another one as its one we paint in the workshops and I like to have one as an example when I do the shows/markets.

Sales went well, with prints going and Stormy Poppies going as well..

Scott had a go at the encaustic art and managed to do a beautiful picture--lots going on in there-including the most perfect feather in the middle of it!...many thanks to Rose for organising such a good craft tent!