Button Bouquet

I was asked by a special friend if I would create a button bouquet for her wedding in Jan..she wanted it to be very personal to her and wanted lots of specific items to be added to it..the base was to be a feather duster she had bought in Africa...

Photos, money and some other bits and pieces were sent in a bag...she didn't want them to be on view necessary, but just to know they were in there! So I had my work cut out to add some things like photos, this one ended up being wrapped around a note that I had made into a fan..

The bark came from a tree that belonged to a man whose funeral they had met at..so that was very special--I wrapped it in beautiful glittery beads, it really looked lovely..

there cant be many engagement rings like this one--the pink smiley face ring! I made it a necklace of pretty beads!

The sixpence has her birth year on it..and has another strong significance too...again I wired it with some pretty beads..there are champagne corks in there too..festival wristbands, all personal stuff.

I added some button flowers

the rose has another photo wrapped around the stem..

I added something blue, and another smiley face-a glittery one this time...some pretty brooches,

a few little special charms I had here,,

Its finished--not everyones taste but definatly the brides---her reaction today when she saw it almost had me in tears! She bloody loved it--

The handle has sari material around it and a beautiful silver bangle to finish it off..you couldnt get more personal if you tried --and nobody else will have one like it. After the wedding she can put in a vase and admire it forever!! I have enjoyed every minute of making this for her--her partner isnt going to see it until the day!

I made him a matching button hole...

Looks like I will have a few more to make to match too...she wants the witness's to have some like it too!

Furbies...........

As the house as slowly been taken over by paintings etc over the past few years I recently decided that it was time to get rid of some of the things that have been cluttering up the place and taking up precious room!       I collected the original 1998 Furbies for 4 or 5 years , and got up too around 140 of the little critters..I had just about every colour of them.       Baby ones and adults -they all had their own little personalities..     Me and Bill have had many a laugh at them talking to each other,   giggling at them having farting contests,feeding them and watching them make friends with each other! We have had loads of them with batteries in at a time some nights-and they all joined in singing songs etc. Anyway--time came to sell them on to new homes where they can be loved and played with some more..Above are some of the baby ones..

Above are some of the adults--

I couldn't be bothered to put them all on Ebay so decided to sell them on Facebook,,,I couldn't believe the response--within minutes people were asking for them...I'm charging just £15 each for them..and from those above there are only the ones left! .amazing results..I took the remaining ones to the market today and sold 10 to other stallholders

I'm sure their new owners will have lots of fun with them..

Never thought they would be so popular...but they are much more fun than the latest furbies to..I have kept my best ones,,the boxed ones that have never been out of the boxes, we have one who swears, a gay one and a depressed one too...I wont ever part with those..

Emerald Woods Workshop

Ollie age 11 came along with his Mum Chelley for the first time..they had seen some friends work who had been to my workshops before and fancied having a go! Right from the start Ollie developed his own unique style--and his painting quickly took shape..I loved his conifer trees-very bold- and the pink foxgloves are just beautiful--well done Oliver!

his mum Chelley wasn't quite as bold as Ollie, in fact she was reluctant to put any extra trees into her painting! We persuaded her to add a few more..

Trish had been to a workshop 3 years ago with daughter Hannah who was just 7 at the time..this time she bought along her friend Janet as a surprise  for her 50th birthday as well as Hannah. Janet came down from Stockport, Manchester the day before and had to leave for home right after the class..she left her painting with Trish but had lots of pictures on her phone to take home and show everyone..her hubby didn't believe she had done it when she showed him!

Janet knew nothing about it until they pulled up outside the room so she didn't really have time to feel nervous....she got stuck in to it and was surprised at how easy it was...

Hannah managed to create a double pond without trying--and boy it worked really well!  Like Ollie she soon had her own style of trees going very early on!

Its been lovely watching Jackie develop her own style in the workshops and outside of them too--we are friends on facebook and she has been painting some beautiful pictures at home--quite different to what we have done in class...she is coming on in leaps and bounds!

Anne is another student who has come on in leaps and bounds--it does seem to become addictive this painting lark!

all hard at it...

engrossed in what they are doing...

we had lots of photos being taken through the class--all lovely memories for everyone there!

all so very different--

can you believe they are first time artists? Well done Ollie and Chelley!

Janet added some foxgloves to her painting just to add a touch of colour to the otherwise monochrome painting.Hannah went for the mystical, magical feel with the blues and purples..Trish made a great job of her painting,lovely bold trees and a great shaped pond too--the pond can be a difficult thing to get right!

This shows the difference colour can make to a painting--Anne went for the autumn colours of yellow ochre and browns, and Jackie for the fantasy look-- love both of them--Jackie is going to add some silver dragonflies and fairies when its dry!

Medieval Fair

Well what a day we had on Sunday at the medieval fair...we were up at 5.30am which was a bit of a killer--I'm not a morning person at the best of times...but it was well worth it--we were down the market and set up by 9am,,The extra layers we had on were really needed as it was bloody freezing!

We had lots of paintings out on display and the miniatures just flew off the stall all day long-thank goodness my delivery of new blank ones came today--I will have to work hard to get some more done and dried for next weeks Sunday market..Back on the market tomorrow shame it wont be as busy as the weekend! .

Stormy Poppies Workshop

Apologies for being so late getting the blog done...its been hectic since the workshop and I have been poorly too..We had a new venue for Saturdays workshop--Clee Hill Village Hall--lovely location with good lighting.Above you can see Martin with his little helper Luke-Luke helped his Dad put in some poppies! It was Martins 3rd time with me..

Anne did a more subtle painting than hubby Martin.. this painting works really well--bold or subtle!

This was Chris's first time painting--she came along with her friend Katie who I knew as we went to Grammar School together many moons ago! Katie has been saying for over a year whenever Ive met her at the boot sales that she will come along sometime--and at last she made it! I had warned her that it could be addictive and sure enough she and Chris booked up for another workshop on the day! They really enjoyed it and created some great paintings

Katie putting the finishing touches to her masterpiece!

Dawn and Adrian came for the first time-they had requested that they do a diptych on the taller narrower canvas...they made a cracking job--everything was lined up -sky,sea and grasses--wonderful results from them!

Pauline and her hubby Malcolm have been once before and painted Mystical Moon which is a completely different sort of painting to this--they both seemed to find it quite easy and both made smashing jobs of their pictures..

Malcolm adding the finishing touches to his painting..

Veronica went for the subtle effect, love it! Lovely soft sky and water--she didn't want to add the poppies-which are an optional extra anyway...she really got  the hang of the liner brush and managed to do lovely fine grasses.

Helen's hubby booked her in as a surprise for her birthday..she loved it! She loved the tickling and bashing brushes and was amazed at how easy each stage was..

Dawn and Adrian's finished diptych..

Well done both !

four of the first timers!

wonderful results!

Brilliant results from everyone!

Medieval Fair Ludlow

Its nearly that time of year again---the Medieval Fair in town! We will be on the market on the Sunday in our usual place...

We have great fun-everyone gets dressed up in their finery..

Ive been busy getting lots of my mini canvas done ready-though sold lots of them today, so got to try and do some more before the weekend!

We will be making our stall into a walk-in one as usual--its very warm and cosy and nice for folk to come in and chat...I have some nice new work to hang on the sides of the stall too...really looking forward to it--the weather forecast is for dry and cold so should be a good day! If you are in the area call by and say hello!