Working on a Commission

Couple of weeks ago I had a phone call from a nice gentleman, who opened with "Don't hang up I'm not a weird sales call" He had got my number from the Community Book Shop in Chelmsford. I had just put some new work in there, that little shop is such a dream for me their customers seem to like my work.

Here's a hint of what I am working on for him, wife's birthday present. He sent me a list of her likes and it was quite a challenge to get reference to them all. I got in William Morris, London, beach hut, her shop name, children, Christian verse, Garden and love. He likes it so yippee I can go ahead and frame it.

Any one recognize the children?

It's been a grotty week health wise so getting my first commission right first time has cheered me up. And I've got a new follower, welcome Sarah. Have a look at her Blog, she's a great mixed media artist.

Garden Images and Coming Soon on Ebay

This Jackmani type clematis has grown over the wrong side of the fence! It covers an area 10 x 6 foot and is one plant.

 Home grown and self seeded Hollyhocks, taller than the 6ft green house.

Crocosmia Lucifer

 Allium of some sort

 Close up of the Hollyhocks.

 Bees are drunk on the pollen and nectar.

Lots of interesting items for Ebay. They will be available after the Olympics.

85 and counting

I'm working on a project for Cherry!!!

These two are rejects so kindly posed for the camera.

How many will I do???

Chelmsford Pop Up Shop - Open Again!!!

Come on down to Chelmsford - High Chelmer Shopping Centre - the Pop Up Art Shop is open again.

Its packed with a wonderful selection of local artists work at affordable prices.

Thank you to the lovely Evelyn and all the volunteers who are working in the shop.

Slack Space Colchester Leading a Group

Last Thursday was my first time leading a group of artists at Slack Space.  Suffered dreadfully from nerves most of the day, but as soon as we started in the evening I was fairly OK. Its been a long time since I did anything like this.

Pam's' design with some of Julies lovely paste paper.

We were concentrating on stitching on paper, but used fabric too. I took lots of my stash of paper, vintage magazines and books. Slack Space provided fabric, trimmings and Paula brought her machine. My machine had decided to have an off day, I've now found it was a loose wire in the plug - thankfully I managed to mend it myself. Franklins also lent us two Juki machines - the top of that range - so even more nerves as I had only had one 1/2 hour lesson, two months ago.

Linda and Cherry programming a Juki machine.

Two ladies brought their own machines, thank goodness, as we had 15 ladies turn up, Paula tells me this is a record number!!

At first it was pretty quiet as everyone was sorting through the mass of materials, then one machine started and they were off on a creative journey. Queues gathered at the Juki machines, lots of new stitches and quite easy to use, once we got the bobbins to wind with some help from Pam. Once people had started to use these Juki machines it was pretty hard to get them off the machines!!!

I was knocked out that so many of my friends had turned up, my neighbour Pam and Julia from the Baptist Church in Bures, my arty friends from the Wednesday group, Julie, Linda and Cherry, thank you I really appreciated your support.

Miss Molly came along as well and went round greeting every one, she even managed to sneak a sit on a lap or two. We had tea or coffee at the end of the evening and I had taken a pack of digestives along. These were packed carefully at the end of the evening and loaded into the car. Molly was loaded too and sat quietly, whilst I chatted to my friends, eating as many of the biscuits as she could. I only realized next day when I unpacked and found the top biscuit was very soggy, she had been licking that  one as she was unable to get it out of the pack :-)

It was amazing to see how many different designs every one made. I do hope we can have a monthly get together at Slack Space starting in September. I will have to see if I can persuade Frankilins to loan or hire me the machines on a regular basis :-)

Musical Interludes and an Emergency

Lots of sheet music and song books for sale this week on Ebay

Beginning of the week I have had a stomach flu bug and was still feeling pretty rotten on Saturday. But the phone rang, it was my friend Jennifer "Help I've fallen off my horse".  Off I go into the car to find her in the middle of a field about a mile away from my house. I parked the car across the bridle path to keep her 17.2 hands Danish Warmblood in the field, he's called Monty and he's a bit of a spooky boy. Had to leave him loose as he would not lead past a scary object in the hedge. 

Found Jennifer and after a bit of argy bargy, then I got bossy as she obviously had concussion I wrestled the mobile from her pocket to call 999. It was a real job to direct the emergency services, as middle of a field, does not have a post code :-)

I then had to walk back up the lane to get the paramedic (1/2 mile) then walk back carrying some of his equipment another 1/2 mile. Then it took him 30 minutes to assess Jennifer and decide we needed an ambulance. Then had to hang round waiting for them to arrive. Then they decide they can not get Jennifer up the muddy track, so have to call the Air Ambulance out. At this point I had to move the horse, even in the middle of a field a crowd had gathered. My neighbours, Pam & Barry took Molly and my car home for me, thank you to them. I then walked Monty home, another mile.

Poor Peter Jennifers Husband had then seen the Air Ambulance go over, he did not even know she had gone riding. So by the time I got to him with a riderless horse,  he was in a bit of a state. 

He went off to see her go off in the ambulance. They just hopped her over a few hedges in the Air Ambulance. Apparently it was a muddy field and all the emergency people and their vehicles got plastered in mud from the helicopter down draft. I missed that bit.

Today she is much better, still concussed, and got whiplash and a sore bum. Today Peter has cooked me a big roast beef dinner, with apple pie for afters as a thank you.

Good job I was unwell and had not gone out to my usual auction!

Mount Bures Flower Show & Fete

This is held in the next village, so I try to have a stall to sell my art, this year I included my vintage things as well. The church is decorated with beautiful flowers and all the money raised goes to keeping a very tiny church open.

Mostly people come to see the art in the main barn. Each year the standard gets better. One local Lorna Maxwell has written and illustrated an excellent childrens book here is a link to her site Lorna Maxwell

Art sales were good with over £2,000 worth of pictures being sold. Attendance was down as Sunday was very wet. Hope to see some of you there next year.