Poppies Workshop

Today's class subject "Poppies" gives a lot of scope to be very individual..painted using oils on a black canvas--you can be as bold or as subtle as you like! There is no right or wrong with it..Jill was painting with me for the 2nd time,I love her beautiful bold poppies! Today's students really did come from far and wide miles and miles were travelled to come and paint with..Jill was one of the most local ones along with Sandra!

Adrienne was painting with me for the first time--the poppies are coming along nicely here! Quite local--Kidderminster!

Ann has a 2 hour journey from Bristol to paint with me--love how she had the poppies disappearing into the distance-first time on a black canvas for her!

Sandra is another local lady--first time painting since school--she made a cracking job of her painting! Looking forward to seeing here again in class..

It was lovely to see Irene again after a break--she has been busy with work--but emailed to say she had to have another  ''painting fix'' as it had been too long! She has quite a journey from Newcastle Under Lyme so travels down the night before and stays at the local Travel lodge.

I managed to catch the camera shy Karen-who came down from Mansfield again--this time she bought along Rosie for the first time....looks like the daisies are going in here..

Rosie's first time painting--and she really enjoyed it-and what a great job she made of it too...

I should have got some close up photos at the end--but the time just went somehow--we had some wonderful extras added to all the paintings-as well as the poppies we had daisies and cornflowers as well as bees,dragonflies,butterflies-even a snail or two.. I think the highlight of the day was my Bill taking a call from someone called ''John'' who claimed to be from Microsoft and who said I had something wrong with my computer--it was quite funny because during lunch we had been laughing about taking calls from scammers-and some of the things we did when they rang--anyway Bill had him going for what seemed an age--we were all creased with laughter as Bill shook the swear box on the table and told 'John ' that the computer was now making a funny noise--then the screen went blank--funny enough 'John ' hung up the phone--maybe it was the sound of 8 ladies sniggering in the background that did it!

Gemma's 30th Birthday Painting Party

What fun we had at Clee Hill Village Hall on Tuesday! Gemma's mum and aunt had been to some of my workshops a while ago--and she wanted to do a painting party to celebrate her 30th birthday. It was decided that they would do Summer Day but wanted some daisies in there as well as some poppies....

Little one year old Ollie came along with his mummy--he was pretty good bless him--played with his toys and crawled around in and out of the tables quite happily! Below are all the paintings created during the workshop--hard to believe that some of these paintings have been done by people who have never had a brush in their hand before! The time just flew by--and it was amazing as usual to see just how different the paintings all turned out from each others. All as individuall as the students are-right from the word go--it was great fun,lots of laughs during the day---and some lovely food put on by Gemma and co!  If you would like a painting party of your own please contact me...Its great fun and wonderful results every time!

Sammy chose to do 2 paintings at the same time as she wanted one for her friends birthday--she did really well to get both done!

Sally has been to 7 workshops previous--though not for a few years--she has now booked up for 2 more after getting the 'bug' again....looking forward to it Sal xx

Festival At The Edge

We are back and unpacked from the wonderful Festival At The Edge at Much Wenlock..a lively, fun filled, boozy 3 day festival with some old friends and some lovely new friends we met there..

We arrived on Friday morning,and got the caravan,awning and gazebo set up eventually! It was a lovely hot day so we had taken along plenty of Pimms, lemonade, fruit, ice and mint to enjoy ..it did slow up the process of getting everything set up mind! But its a very chilled out festival and it didn't seem to matter as long as we got there eventually! There was loads going on the whole time we were there-storytelling, bands, food and drink.. a beautiful atmosphere!

The huge sail over the hard standing (The Village Green) had a hard time Friday night in the huge storm we had--and it collapsed--we did hear rumours that it was struck by lightening but am not sure if that's true or not to be honest--the storm was right above us-thunder and lightening at the same time,but wouldn't like to say if it was struck or not--or if it was just the weight of the rain that did it--such a shame though as we watched  them putting it up in all the heat.

u

We had the caravan awning and the gazebo set up to display my paintings--Bill rigged up a 'gutter' between the two using plastic tablecloths--and it worked a treat..nothing got wet at all despite the awful weather during Friday night!

We had a great display on..although I say it myself-paintings and button bouquets!

Bill taking a well earned rest on Friday evening..he did work hard bless him!

this was the view when we got up on Saturday..rain ,rain and more rain...

Smiling despite the rain..it was nice to catch up on some reading--

Maybe because I could smell these cooking! Slimming World sausage from local butchers--as the fridge didn't work again Bill had to cook them all--so we had some with tomatoes for breakfast and some for lunch--and lovely they were too! Thanks to Debbie and Mick for the loan of the frying pan--it was the only thing we forgot to take with us!

The rain did stop eventually on Saturday--and I asked my friend Deb from the stall next door if she wanted to do a painting--- we had both been having a drink since quite early on--though Deb had a bit of a head start on us lol..

We had quite a crowd around us at times--all laughing at at us laughing..

We managed not to dip the brushes in the drinks...

and ended up with some lovely Summer Day paintings--much to Debs surprise.She has never painted before--and the painting was bought out quite a few times for her to show everyone what she did! Quite an artistic pose Deb!

Enjoying the sunshine...and a voddi and tonic!!

Debs lovely hubby Mick on the left and my lovely friend Fleur on the right--

Mick just had to try the light up bunny ears off Fleur's stall...

Of course there was Morris dancers--and one of them came chatting after--I knew his voice--but just couldn't recognise him--until after he had left...then it came to me! He had been on a stall opposite us on the market for a while--but just didn't recognise him with a black face!

Fleur decided that the button buttonholes would look great on a hat as well as buttonholes---and she was right--

Bill modelling the hat!

Deb, Mick and Fleur---speak no evil,see no evil hear no evil LOL!  Looking forward to seeing Deb again on Wednesdays market--and Fleur soon...Loved every minute of the festival-and will be there again next year-- it did us both the world of good--no Telly at all, and no internet or phone to speak of while we were away..came back relaxed and chilled and ready to go again--a busy busy time ahead...tomorrow we are doing a 30th birthday party for Gemma at Clee Hill village hall..

Segway....

We had an eventful couple of days away this week--I bought Bill a Segway experience  for his birthday, as it was for 2 people I decided to join him on the day....We stayed at a lovely hotel overnight -The Wychwood-set in a beautiful setting overlooking a golf course.. couldn't fault the room or the food..

We set off for the course after a huge breakfast --its held in woodland,, we all had to get the protective gear on--armoured jacked and knee/shin pads...

Bill getting ready...

The segways are the most weird things to go on---takes a while to get used to it..but after a while it feels quite natural...

we had a training session before we started--and then off into the woods we went...and that's where it went wrong lol--I manage to hit a root/stump and went arse over head and landed in a heap..it completely winded me-so much that I didn't even swear when I landed on my back..I did get back up and back onto the segway and completed the course..but boy I'm suffering today.. I'm aching in places I didn't know I have..my knee is pretty bad and my chest and ribs are sore--but I have to say I really did enjoy the day--and would recommend it to anyone.. Bill stayed upright and also really enjoyed his day,,,will be doing something a little more sedate for the next pressie though!

Abby's Hen Party

We went over to Stourbridge on Saturday to do Abby's painting hen party--she didn't have a clue what was going to happen and the girls had been pulling her leg for ages and winding her up--telling her she had to do a sky dive among other things--it must have been a relief to find it was a painting workshop! She was blindfolded and lead into the room....

Jaye had organised the party and chose the subject-and as Abby loves bunnies we added some to the finished painting...

Everyone was a bit sceptical as to whether they could paint a picture...but as you can see from the finished results everyone did really well...

Lop eared  rabbits!

We used some pretty metallic paints to add detail at the end--it does not show up well in the photos but in 'real' life looked stunning!

the fact that the grasses turned into big beautiful flowers in the end didn't matter one bit!

Abby's Nan did this lovely one---bright and bold!

Amazing how different they all turned out--we had loads of laughs all day long!

We used twinkly glitter paint to add stars at the end--and left the girls with some varnish so they can give all the pictures a coat to bring out the colours and protect the paintings...

the metallic red paint looked stunning on this one...

love the grasses this one..

metallic purple for these grasses looked great too,

beautiful dramatic sky...

nearing the end now...

what a great spread of food the girls put on.....

love the willy shaped dishes..

Abby's mum, about to do the bunnies..

The happy artists,,all enjoyed their day-some beautiful results from them all--hope they didn't have very sore heads the next day--they were all going out for a drink after the workshop!