Hub and I, Nerf Gun style
My hub, son and two daughters, with Craig the boyfriend
My girlies and I. They've both gone blonde for xmas, totally freaking me out because they just turned up like this with no warning :-)
Sunday 25 December 2011
Merry Christmas
Odd to write an update on the biggest holiday of the year, i know, but we've had a simply wonderful time and we're all chilling out now. The kids descdended upon us for prezzies, food and festivities, wallowing in some lovely time together for the first time in ages. What a splendid day!
Hub and I, Nerf Gun style
My hub, son and two daughters, with Craig the boyfriend
My girlies and I. They've both gone blonde for xmas, totally freaking me out because they just turned up like this with no warning :-)
Hub and I, Nerf Gun style
My hub, son and two daughters, with Craig the boyfriend
My girlies and I. They've both gone blonde for xmas, totally freaking me out because they just turned up like this with no warning :-)
Tuesday 20 December 2011
Here I Am Again
It's Tuesday again and I'm (joyously) at home. Similar to last week however, I have things I need to do. I'm stopping the devil making work for my idle hands just now by writing this as the floor is drying. Yes, I've been a hive of industry, which is necessary in order to get us ready for xmas. The house is ghastly, or rather it was until I set about it with a myriad of cleaning products today.
On a rather dour note, I have zero time off to spend with my lovely family. Just the 25th itself to be precise. I could whitter on about that ad infinitum but I shall refrain. One of the things I've been doing today is looking for a new job, and it's been fairly productive with several phonecalls received and one definite CV put forward by an agency to a local company. Cross your fingers, toes and moustaches for me please.
In my tidying frenzy I have come across several unfinished bits and pieces of paintings, some of which I will try to complete over the next few weeks, as they have a glimmer of hopefulness about them. I am also very excited with the knowledge that santa is bringing me a whole load of lino printing materials and tools, all ready for my next adventure in the new year.
Speaking of new year, I really must pat myself on the back. My intention last January was to get back into doing creative work, and looking back over the past year I can't help but be pleased with the huge progress I've made. I've got a whole portfolio full of paintings here that I'm really quite pleased with, not to mention the 50 plus pieces that have sold. I guess I can call myself a professional artist now, eh?
It was shaky at first, but it was going to be, wasn't it? With the support of other people in a similar position I have grown in confidence, producing (among other things) a few pieces that I don't think I'll ever be able to part with. I also got the courage together to promote myself, which was one of my biggest hurdles. Nowadays I'm quite blasé about showing my work off, having shed my shyness and worry that people will think it's rubbish. I imagine plenty of folks do think that, but it honestly doesn't bother me at all. I'm thoroughly enjoying doing what I do and it makes my life so much richer. All in all a wonderful place to be.
There's still stuff to be done around the place, namely my dreadfully messy bedroom, so I'm off to tackle that before my beloved returns home form the hill, so to speak. I hope to be back soon with new paintings and wonderful news of pastures anew. Come on santa, get your act together and bring me a lovely new job!
On a rather dour note, I have zero time off to spend with my lovely family. Just the 25th itself to be precise. I could whitter on about that ad infinitum but I shall refrain. One of the things I've been doing today is looking for a new job, and it's been fairly productive with several phonecalls received and one definite CV put forward by an agency to a local company. Cross your fingers, toes and moustaches for me please.
In my tidying frenzy I have come across several unfinished bits and pieces of paintings, some of which I will try to complete over the next few weeks, as they have a glimmer of hopefulness about them. I am also very excited with the knowledge that santa is bringing me a whole load of lino printing materials and tools, all ready for my next adventure in the new year.
Speaking of new year, I really must pat myself on the back. My intention last January was to get back into doing creative work, and looking back over the past year I can't help but be pleased with the huge progress I've made. I've got a whole portfolio full of paintings here that I'm really quite pleased with, not to mention the 50 plus pieces that have sold. I guess I can call myself a professional artist now, eh?
It was shaky at first, but it was going to be, wasn't it? With the support of other people in a similar position I have grown in confidence, producing (among other things) a few pieces that I don't think I'll ever be able to part with. I also got the courage together to promote myself, which was one of my biggest hurdles. Nowadays I'm quite blasé about showing my work off, having shed my shyness and worry that people will think it's rubbish. I imagine plenty of folks do think that, but it honestly doesn't bother me at all. I'm thoroughly enjoying doing what I do and it makes my life so much richer. All in all a wonderful place to be.
There's still stuff to be done around the place, namely my dreadfully messy bedroom, so I'm off to tackle that before my beloved returns home form the hill, so to speak. I hope to be back soon with new paintings and wonderful news of pastures anew. Come on santa, get your act together and bring me a lovely new job!
Tuesday 6 December 2011
Latest Work
Have I really not spoken to the world since my birthday blog? Good gracious. I stand ashamed with head hanging, or at least metaphorically, since I can't type like that. Sheesh!
Tine for a brief update then. I'd stay longer and kick back with you guys, but dinner's in the oven and my poor husband who's lived on cupboard surprise for weeks deserves a nice meal for once.
Work has been diabolical, which is the main reason for my absence. I shan't be a bore and give the numbing details, suffice to say I've been something on the far side of busy and stressed for ages.
On my days off I've been concentrating on doing as much painting and whatnot as possible. I stand by my opinion that this is what keeps me relatively sane. Oh and hub's great support of course, which cannot go unmentioned.
Things I have produced are
Yes, I've ventured back into the ACEO world, which I must say has been very useful in arranging my thoughts and getting ideas down on paper. A few have even sold, though online sales have been very poor. On the other hand, I've had a fair bit of success selling in the real world with a steady trickle of commissions coming in this past month.
We had a little trip to Scotland a week or so ago, which rejuvenated me. It was my first time off since July and a well earned couple of days, despite being called into work on the third day of my hols to cover for people who hadn't turned in. I ogled the landscape all the way, loving the trees and dramatic skies through the Lake District and beyond. My work is firmly entrenched in the natural world just now, so it was like a huge research field trip.
Finally, I've been attacking the photos of the lilies from summer. I knew it was worthwhile hanging onto those, and I'm using them as a basis for my current project. Last week I painted a single bloom and today I've done a group of three, although I can't photograph it now because there's zero daylight to help me. I have a new camera too, joy of joys. I heart it very much.
Here's the lily, along with a few others. The Japanese blossom ones have proven very popular, four of them have sold this past week, two of which I got a crazy amount of money for. I feel all proper artist-like now.
Tine for a brief update then. I'd stay longer and kick back with you guys, but dinner's in the oven and my poor husband who's lived on cupboard surprise for weeks deserves a nice meal for once.
Work has been diabolical, which is the main reason for my absence. I shan't be a bore and give the numbing details, suffice to say I've been something on the far side of busy and stressed for ages.
On my days off I've been concentrating on doing as much painting and whatnot as possible. I stand by my opinion that this is what keeps me relatively sane. Oh and hub's great support of course, which cannot go unmentioned.
Things I have produced are
Yes, I've ventured back into the ACEO world, which I must say has been very useful in arranging my thoughts and getting ideas down on paper. A few have even sold, though online sales have been very poor. On the other hand, I've had a fair bit of success selling in the real world with a steady trickle of commissions coming in this past month.
We had a little trip to Scotland a week or so ago, which rejuvenated me. It was my first time off since July and a well earned couple of days, despite being called into work on the third day of my hols to cover for people who hadn't turned in. I ogled the landscape all the way, loving the trees and dramatic skies through the Lake District and beyond. My work is firmly entrenched in the natural world just now, so it was like a huge research field trip.
Finally, I've been attacking the photos of the lilies from summer. I knew it was worthwhile hanging onto those, and I'm using them as a basis for my current project. Last week I painted a single bloom and today I've done a group of three, although I can't photograph it now because there's zero daylight to help me. I have a new camera too, joy of joys. I heart it very much.
Here's the lily, along with a few others. The Japanese blossom ones have proven very popular, four of them have sold this past week, two of which I got a crazy amount of money for. I feel all proper artist-like now.
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