My cosy winter work-space

This is where I will be hibernating for the winter ..........

Goodbye to my old studio

A long time since I posted, but.... I have been working very hard changing studios.

I have been in my last one for ten years, seven of them sharing it with the youngsters in my then art group, so it holds many memories. But it was time to move on, or sideways in my case.

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It was strange seeing it empty.

Photos of the Autumn Art Market - Paintworks in Bristol

At the crack of dawn, it was up and off to an early start on the drive to Bristol, pitches allocated on a first-come-first- served basis, and then the rush to get set up in time for visitors.
The Paintworks is an interesting venture, a work in progress:

 http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=150238438331672&ref=tswww.paintworksevents.co.uk

 A side shot of my stall...........

The gentleman is looking closely at one of these..........

.............a sand strawberry! A very old idea -  many of us may remember our grandmothers having one in their sewing basket, and using it to keep needles sharp. I make them by the dozen!


And finally, dear Diana, on duty and sporting one of my bags.

Month of contrasts

I've been re-potting some of my plants and bringing them indoors, as there was a frost two mornings ago. Brilliant sunshine all day, frost at night.

In the space of an hour, I picked a geranium cutting with new buds on a stem.........

then found this leaf up the road which has changed to the most beautiful colours........

Looking for a castle

On arriving back from the Art Market last weekend, all of my stock and display items were stacked in my living room from the van. The next morning, exhausted, I surveyed the mountain of shelving, boxes and packages, and thought "I need a castle to live in", meaning a metaphorical one for more space.
During the day the thought developed into a real castle, so I asked a good friend if she knew of any going cheap - very cheap. "No", she said, " and if I did I'd have moved in myself!"  Ah, right.

I think I am going to write to Her Majesty and ask her if she fancies taking in a lodger - quite like the idea of living in THE Palace. It'll help with her heating bills, and to boot, she just might get her chandeliers dusted for free.

And here it is........

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1314446/The-Queen-pleads-poverty-help-Buckingham-Palace-heating-bill.html

Quite a lot of spare rooms there I would imagine ..........

Autumn Art Fair at Paintworks, Bristol

I have spent what time I can this summer making new stock.

Now, a new venture for me, as I have never been to a fair in Bristol before. If anyone can make it , the more the merrier! Look forward to seeing you there!

Sunday 19th September, 10.30 a.m - 4.30 p.m, at the Paintworks in Bristol

Here is a link to the page on Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=150238438331672&ref=ts

Can't believe it's over a month....!

How time flies!
Only just over a month ago, I had spent nearly seven months "glued" to my office chair and computer, working many hours a day (and night) sorting photos of stock - umpteen variations of sizes and type, exhausting Photoshop - listing, setting up my first online shops. It was a very frustrating yet enlightening process, which sent me on a steep learning curve. I still have a very long way to go, and lots of marketing to do, but I decided it was time I came out of my self-inflicted Hermit existence to get back to my studio, before my joints set.
Having been "on the road" a lot going to Craft Fairs for about fifteen months, and a new roof on the studio with all the attendant mess, it has been looking rather neglected. So I am in the process of a massive Spring-clean and re-arrangement of the space. Hopefully, if I don't collapse with exhaustion, I can then get down to some serious work for the summer. I'll have to take some "before and after" pictures, although at the moment it looks worse than the "before".....

P.s - there's a picture of the outside of my studio up above on one of the pages....