Don't. Stop. Me. Nowwwwww.

Sorry, Children in Need (omg by the way - Eastenders and the newsreaders were too cool) is taking over in this house. I'm starting to think it ought to be on every day, as it has been instrumental in producing painting number two.
PS. Thank you to Sorcha for breaking the Barrier of 69!

Good grief

Well this must be a first. I got very frustrated this evening, because I can't get a rhythm going with the painting (although I suppose I could be kind to myself and say I have been very busy with fairs in the last week), so this evening I made myself sit down and JUST DO IT.
And it was very nice actually; I had the Children in Need at the Albert Hall programme on (big shows like that always make me very weepy and wish I could sing and be famous, but only for a few seconds) and I just played with the gel medium and the papers and the paints and the glazing liquid, and before I knew it I'd finished. I never finish! So I'm feeling a bit 'ta da!', and now I'm exhausted with all this weeping and painting so I'm off to bed.

PS. I scanned it in and this looks better:PPS. I can't get to 70 followers! Every time I'm almost there, someone unfollows me - this has been going on for months! If you're lurking about please feel free to follow me and break the barrier of 69! :)

Mise, this one's for you! :) (Warning: there may be some mild gloating....)

Ooh I've won a mini painting by Cathy Cullis! And even better, it will be unique in all the world and just for me, using a very clever idea from Cathy. This is what she said:

I am offering you a custom painting. I'll paint you a smaller work, following your guidelines. Choose one from each list.

feather face pattern
red blue sepia black
poem memory song

eg: feather red song and I'll paint something with these in mind.... I may add a little collage or stitch detail, possibly....

I chose feather, blue, memory....

And here's what Cathy came up with!Isn't it lovely? Just really simple and I love the fabrics she's used. Here's an example of some of her other work, shown on the little card she included:

Profit? Pah, who needs it! (Not me apparently.)

So here I am on Friday night after two hours (that's right, it took two hours to produce this 'masterpiece' of display) setting up for the weekend-long fair at Michelham Priory. My hair is greasy, my make up has removed itself, and I'm more than ready for a cup of tea and a massive piece of cake. Oh, except I can't because in my wisdom I've decided to have a sugar free week.
Here's my little stall in context; next to me is Christina who makes the most beautiful delicate silver jewellery from real leaves;...and next to her is Joanna who sells clothes. Opposite me were the Lifeboat peeps, next to them a sweetie stall (aaaah!) and on my other side a lady selling her own paintings. It was quite a mish mash of things!
Sales wise, this one was a shocker. I didn't even cover the cost of the table. On the other hand, I made new friends and contacts and had a good laugh. I MAY get to learn silver smithing. I felt I even took steps in personal growth. You don't expect all that from a Christmas Gift Fair!

PS. Forgot that I treated myself to this little beauty. Sterling silver and turquoise, which has come out darker than reality because I haven't mastered evening photography.

The Copper Swallow

I ordered some stationery from Serena at The Copper Swallow the other day, and then almost instantaneously it arrived through my letterbox, all beautifully wrapped. (In my haste to unwrap it I forgot to photograph it first but basically that string was tied up in a neat bow so it was just like getting a lovely present.)
I ordered a Thank You card, a little duckling card and some gift tags.
All nicely packaged in glassine envelopes which protect the photos. And lovely stampage on the back of each card!
Serena has combined recycled and recyclable elements with her considerable skill as a photographer and her love of vintage postage stamps to produce these beautiful but simple cards and tags. In the words of Serena herself; "I would describe my pictures as warm, colourful and sort of geeky... I particularly like taking pictures of things - often very small things - that usually get overlooked."Have a little peek at her newly opened shop - lots of lovely paper goods to drool over! There's a fab offer on cards too.

Slow progress and sticky chicken

I've wandered out of the zone, AGAIN, and spent more time than it shows today working on the girl I started the other night. This is where we're at so far. Pretty much nowhere to be exact. Although we're definitely veering towards a gold leaf halo. Angels take up a lot of my thinking time these days. I've read a great many books about them, spent a day doing a course on them, and I have angel cards which prove extraordinarily apt whenever I use them. I even met a girl who could see them and said mine at that time was a little girl. She also saw my wings, a comment which made me feel inexplicably emotional.

I digress.

On the upside, I have a dog who looks like this:And the girl will come together when she's ready so I'm not too worried. I've just signed up to an online portrait class with Pam Carriker (I did a Visual Journalism class with her previously). Pam'll help me sort it all out.

Right, I'm off to make Sticky Chicken for supper.

~SOME TIME LATER......~
Progress!

Back in the game

FINALLY picked up my paintbrush again last night, and have started a 3D mixed media piece of which this is just one part. It's evolving with no planning whatsoever, I was just gasping to make something, anything, and see it come to life under my hands. The best bit is I'm really feeling now that my own style is emerging. This girl feels like the beginning of something that's going to develop into something else. It's too early in the morning to be more articulate than that. :)