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Tuesday 4 October 2011

I Had a Birthday

I turned a further forty-something last week. Try as I might, they wouldn't let me have the day off work, so I took cakes in and was determined to enjoy my day anyway. The office had other ideas however, and I had one of my worst every days so far in there. The job is still hanging in the balance in as much as I'm not sure I'll be staying. I've been there for over two months now, working from 8am and am yet to have a lunch break, a thank you for staying late every night or any acknowledgement of anything I've done. Anyway, enough of that.

I went for a meal with my beloved and two of the girls from work on my birthday night. We had a really lovely time, which set me up for the next morning (a Saturday) and my special day out with treats. First was the pumpkin farm, where there have been a lot of changes since last year. There's now a café and shop, so we breakfasted there. The owner has asked me to go along on Halloween weekend to carve pumpkins and show some of my own off. That will be splendid.

Next we went off to Liverpool and did a bit of shopping, The King's Regiment marched through the main road while we were there, band playing and everything. There was lots going on all day with music and street performers. We went to the Blue Coat Gallery for a mooch and happened upon a jewellery shop where Jay got me a heart necklace. I bought him a pen from another shop and we got chatting to the owner, who has asked me to email him to discuss stocking my paintings. That's a stroke of good fortune! I need to get down to some more painting soon really. I've had so many other committments recently for other people that my own work has taken a back seat. I'm not complaining of course - I'm still being creative and that's what makes me tick.

I've been working for weeks on my latest project and this evening sees it completed. Here are my two demon masks to be used in a series of performances next week.


I've worked really hard on these and spent every spare minute doing them so I could meet the deadline. I've done it by the skin of my teeth! I've also got a lovely new camera and this is my first time using it to photograph my work. I'm ever so pleased with it. One good thing about having a job again is that I can get the occasional thing like this. I've been wanting a decent camera for years, so this is especially awesome.

Another birthday prezzie was a mount cutter. A weird one in the grand scheme of things, but it means I can now paint in any format I like and create a mount that will fit a standard frame. This is loads of scope and very exciting. I do love unusual formats, so I'll be experimenting with it a lot. I'll also be able to make little mounts for my ACEOs, which may be useful when selling them. Then there's the fact that mount board comes in a gazillion different colours. What joy!

I've made a meal this evening for the first time in months. Jay has been on cooking duty for ages, so I did a nice chilli. After that we set to and had loud music while we cleaned up the most dreadful mess I've made round here. The dining table is now free of gloop and my desk here has a few more square inches of space for moving about on. It feels quite luxurious. I'm more than ready for bed now, so I'll quit my whittering and be off for a well earned sleep. I hope to be back soon with lots more lovely new stuff.