The Waterfall

Due to illness we were down to just 3 first time artists on Saturday...all were quite nervous and didn't think they would be able to create anything close to the examples shown..All were pleasantly surprised --and it was something of a record for me too--- we started painting at 10.30am and everyone was finished in time for lunch at 12pm..All three were using gift vouchers..

Sandra used some lovely bright colours, whole hubby Malcolm went for  slightly darker shades...both equally beautiful results though..

Malcolm adding the finishing touches to his masterpiece..

Well done everyone....

Tommy And Other Bits And Pieces!!!

After losing half of the house to storage over the past few years we decided it was time for another shed! So its been growing and getting done for a few days now.... will free up a lot of space when its finished which should be the weekend with luck...looks a long way off here lol..

Gan Gan Bill has had a little helper in the form of our Tommy...I'm sure he thinks the shed will be a new playhouse for him!

Think you need some boards here Gan Gan Bill..

Builders Yard!!!

Little Tommy is always smiling and laughing-- he is a ray of sunshine bless his little heart xx

He enjoyed his 3rd birthday--took him to the local play centre Monkey Mania-- and afterwards to The Squirrel for a meal...he was as good as gold all day!

Meet Jumble--my son Jim's new companion....he is a right Jumble--a rescue doggie who is a Basscollie Hound!! mum was a bassett and dad as a boarder collie! He is a little star--obviously been loved at some time as he is very obedient and loving..feels like he has been around forever..

Pictures of the shed to follow--has a roof,guttering  etc now...cant it to get everything in there and get the house straight!

Poppy

Caron had to leave a bit earlier--loved her shade of purples poppie!

The photos really don't do these beautiful paintings justice,,,,using acrylic and melted wax Dave,Janet,June and Irene--used  some wonderful colour combinations..to create some beautiful pictures--all very unique...

Reeds In The Breeze

Apologies in being so late getting the photos on here---have  problem with my computer--and am using Bills lappy--and its soooo different to mine its taking ages to do anything at all! Am trying to catch up with all the website stuff as well as getting paintings ready for the Art Trail in Ludlow.. Above are Robbi,Jackie and Linda--beautiful results from them all--Robbi chose not to add poppies to her painting,preferring just grasses.Every one in the workshop handled the knife really well to do the waves--and the bashing and tickling brushes proved to be real fun to create the skies..and what wonderful skies we had too...

Pat and Chris --lovely paintings!

First time for John and Roger  great paintings--even if I couldn't persuade Roger to dd a few more poppies!

Natalie and Marion--very first time for Marion...love the yellow ochre shades she used..

Another 2 first timers--Linda and Wyn..Linda has done a little watercolour previously but Wyn has never painted before--you would never know from the end results of all my first time students would you?

Lovely results from you all--well done and will look forward to seeing you all again

A Bit Sad...

Its a bit sad to see that another of my workshops subjects (above) is being pinched by an ex-student of mine as a subject for her classes. Its a very bad copy to be fair...and I would suggest to her that she tries to come up with some unique ideas of her own for her workshops..

Painswick Weekend

We have had a lovely weekend away for my Bill's 67th birthday in Painswick in the Cotswolds. We stayed at the Cardynham House in the centre of Painswick...beautiful  room, spotless clean and the food was to die for!

Lovely comfy 4 poster bed..

Loads of storage in the room..

A huge walk in wardrobe....

lovely shower room..

Lovely toiletries..

Loads of soft white towels..

The breakfast was to die for---

Just around the corner was the local church--the yes trees in the grounds were just stunning--every one trimmed up into beautiful shapes..

The front of the Cardynham House..

The door in and out is quite a bit shorter than my Bill--

Not the best of views maybe ..but hey who spends time looking out of the window? It was the quietest place we have ever stopped--no sound of traffic at all...

We ate at the pub next door --The Royal Oak--both nights...didn't want anything else to eat until evening after the huge breakfast!  First night we had beautiful gammon with eggs and fresh pineapple, and the next night a beautiful Sunday dinner..lovely thick gravy! Been back on the Slimming World plan since returning home--so the few LB's gained will be shifted asap..

Oriental Dawn

Better late than never! All the students hard at work..Not the easiest of subjects to do but good results from everyone..

Well done everyone..

Dilwyn Show

Well its been a very busy time with one thing and another! Last time I tried to do my blog it played up and had not realised that it had not published--We had a lovely, very busy time at Dilywn show at the start of May-- a great space as always!

Lots of sales and looking forward to seeing some of the folk we met there in the future workshops..

Facing Up To Kidney Cancer

I had the pleasure of meeting a lovely lady last autumn, who got in touch about coming to some of my workshops..Sarah went on to explain that she may have to cancel some of the workshops because her husband Jon had been diagnosed with terminal kidney cancer and had to make visits to the hospital sometimes at short notice...

She has gone on to be a very good friend to me and we have had many long late night chats / emails together because as you probably  know my dear son is fighting Hodgkins Lymphona and Haemophagocytic Syndrome .

Sarah has a lot of knowledge about chemo,scans and lots of other things that means I don't have to bother my son or his specialist for answers.

Sarah and another dear friend Jan who also has much knowledge about cancer have been my rocks in the darkest hours I can tell you... I am forever grateful for that.

Now Sarah's hubby Jon  has decided that he wants to raise awareness and money for the James Whale Facing Up To Cancer charity--- it is one of the hardest cancers to diagnose and its often too late for the patient by the time it is--which is what sadly has happened to Jon..more people die of it than are killed on Britons roads every year.

Jon is planning a 5,000 mile trip around Britain for the cause on his motorbike...starting at Blackpool Tower in June -- if you can spare a little for the cause all the details are on the website  a link here with more info here http://www.gaj.org.uk/news/5000-mile-ride-raises-kidney-cancer-awareness --- also here is a link in which Jon explains more about it https://www.facebook.com/midlandstoday/videos/vb.21263239760/10153256906484761/?type=2&theater

I hope the trip goes according to plan --and the weather is kind to him!
 If you have a motorbike I'm sure Jon would like you to join him for some of the trip-- Sarah is also organising other fund raising events including a auction to raise money--I have donated an oil painting and there is also a beautiful hand crocheted blanket made by Sarah herself--its really stunning,,

We wish Jon and Sarah all the best for the trip-- its an amazing thing you are doing!

It has made me think about raising some money for the unit that is looking after my Jim..they really are wonderful   - Dr Nigel O'Connor is a very ,very special man along with all his hard working staff...watch this space--

Foxgloves And Dragonflies

It was lovely to see Pamela again...her second time with me--and no nerves this time! She was one of the most nervous students when she was given a gift voucher by her daughters! She came by the market to see me and was convinced she wouldn't be able to do it a all! She was happily proved very wrong!  She came along with her daughter Carolyn on Saturday, and both made lovely jobs of their paintings!

A happy Carolyn with her beautiful painting..Its an interesting painting to do--using acrylic and oils..Just black and white paint with a tiny bit of colour for the foxgloves and some shiny metallic green for the dragonflies.A couple of students added a touch of bluebells blue as well which looked lovely.

It was great to see Derek again-- he does so well in the workshops--he has Parkinson's and also had a stroke in Nov so he really is amazing ! He is booked in for another couple of workshops in the near future too..so will look forward to seeing him then.

Lilli came along for the first time with her mum...she created a lovely spooky enchanted woodland scene!

Derek with his finished painting.

It was lovely to see Joan and Claire again--both did very well--its a great picture to perfect your trees!

Andrea and Audrey made great jobs of their paintings-- 2nd time for Andrea and the first for Audrey-though you would never have know from the results!

Lisa and Lilli with their masterpieces..well done!

1st time for Judy who came along with son Nick and Jen who were painting for the second time with me..

Dot was another first timer with me although has used acrylics before--though not like she did in the workshop! Bob will be back this Saturday to paint Oriental Dawn with his daughter!

Pam and Carolyn with their beautiful paintings!

Amazing just how different the pictures were isn't it? This is one of my favourite subjects to teach and I will be setting another date for it in the autumn..keep watching the website for more dates..