Raining Again

As I look out of the windows it's no great surprise to see that it's raining again. As if having to wear socks again wasn't enough!! I was late getting to bed again as I decided to plough through another pile of paperwork. Thank goodness it was bin day today, as I had filled 4 bags with various superfluous rubbish. Woke up feeling less than wonderful, and think I will have to resort to taking a migraine tablet. I'm trying to save them a bit for when we go on holiday.

A set of Rock-a-Blocks arrived today as part of a free gift for subscribing to Craft Stamper Magazine. I tried them out whilst staying with Sue, I wanted to hate them, but had to admit they worked rather well. Also included was a set of Boy stamps with a cute dog, car, a spaceman , rocket & alien. Hopefully someone will find them useful for a son's or husbands card.

The stamp on the front of Octobers issue is a flower and since they have relaunched the magazine the stamps are of a much better design standard.
Many hours later I am feeling better after taking my tablets, I've read, had a nap, talked to my sister and continued to attack the paper mountain.
I dearly wish that by the end of tomorrow I will be able to get down to some work and make something other than a mess.

Resurrection

I've spent the last few weeks tidying up my studio, paperwork, storage areas etc, and this evening decided to resurrect my blog. It's been a long time since I last posted, and I decided that I would revamp and renew the title/background/format to make a completely new start.
I've been in limbo for the last 13 months. We have lived in this house for 20 years and in August 2007 had the house decorated inside and out and put it up for sale. Unfortunately the housing market took that opportunity to take a nose dive!!!!!
We are still sitting here waiting for the right person/persons to materialise....
Meanwhile I have been treading water. I've had a creative block for months and am doing my very best to dig myself out of the doldrums.
I've become a demonstrator for Fiskars, and this month am representing them at GLEE the gardening trade show at the NEC. If that goes well I may have the opportunity to do Hampton Court and Chelsea which would be great. One of my reasons for moving is a lack of garden, I feel trapped indoors. All my art work seems to revolve around flowers and natural images.
I've also become involved with G18, and am about to embark as a demonstrator for their new venture Duo Twists.
My teaching has increased and I now have 5 lovely ladies who come to classes regularly.
In a few weeks Gordon and I are off to Orlando for a fortnight, I'm so looking forward to some sunshine. It's been so cold last night and today. I had to resort to putting a pair of socks on, heaven forbid.
Hopefully it will not be so long until my next post, but I'm not making any promises!!

New Year, New Intentions

Well, I'm back.
I didn't realise that I hadn't blogged since October. Life just got away from me I'm afraid.
We have all survived the Christmas season, and I can't wait to take down the decorations and start tidying up in a big way. I'm not saying a skip is required ...... yet, but I foresee lots of full bin bags and trips to the local dump !!!!
I haven't been very creative lately. However I did create 5 more rubber stamp designs just before Christmas. I now have a calendar to produce and send out to family and friends before we are too far into January.
I have a lovely new Cricut machine, and I can't wait to start cutting out some letters and shapes. I think it will be a boon for small and large letters alike as you can cut out the shadow as well as the letter.
Perhaps I can use the cricut to do the calendar ?????
I'm really excited about the coming year, lots of new experiences and new friends to look forward to.
Happy New Year and may it be a brilliant one.

Ward's Show

In the middle of Ward's Show at Dunston. Am exhausted tonight as woke up really early and couldn't get back to sleep. Have spent a great day meeting old and new friends demonstrating for Pebeo www.pebeo.com We have great deals on acrylic paint, I seem to be wearing most of it !!!! Have had a quick soak in the bath to get my finger nails clean. I must admit I really love painting with my fingers, and the feel of the paint. I also love using gold leaf and Empire Gold gilding wax in the Gedeo range to enhance our textured mediums.
I walked around all day with my hair up and paintbrushes in my hair. Got a few silly comments from the male contingent, but most people loved the look. Being just under 5'2" I need all the height I can get.......
Have two more days to go and am thoroughly enjoying myself. Working with Ashley is great, he appears with cups of tea just when you need them !!!!!

Sunday Already

I can't believe it's Sunday already. Where has the week gone? It has been one of those weeks where nothing has gone right. The phones started to play up on Tuesday and I finally got BT to come and look at the outside wall fixings on Saturday. We even went out and bought £100 worth of new phones even though our existing ones were perfectly OK. Kristy has the new ones now as couldn't work out how to transfer internal calls without a PHD......
On Friday I went to Gosforth Park, Crafts for Christmas Show to help out Sue And Harvey. We sold out of the Snow on Snow stamp !!!! That really feels good. I demoed a little bit, shopped a bit and got them their lunch and drinks. The weather was absolutely terrible, torrential rain. I've just read Chriss's blog and she had the same thought, I need an Ark.
It was Jade's 17th birthday yesterday and as my trip to Hull was postponed until December we went out for a drink and something to eat in the afternoon.
Am having a lazy day today in preparation for the rest of the week. This week I am demonstrating at the Wards Show at the Federation Brewery at Dunston on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
We ( Ashley and I) are playing with canvas and acrylic paints of all descriptions and will be inviting the public to have a go. I'm looking forward to it.
Have created a bit of a mess in the studio over the past couple of days so must spend a few minutes tidying it up, so things don't get out of hand. I must say that I've really enjoyed spending time in here this week, and everyone loves the changes I've made.

Glass Painting

Still no sign of our missing cat. Kristy and Mark have brought Archie round to see us, he's really grown a lot since last time we saw him. Daisy isn't too sure about the intrusion though.
Taught Catherine this morning, we played with the new Zyron shape cutter. It's OK, but you are limited to a 4"x4" square. She loved the new set up in the studio,and agrees it feels much nicer in here.
The telephones have been playing silly so-and-so's and we have had to divert all calls to my mobile.
Went on a trip to the pound shop today in search of glass to paint for Sunday's demo in Hull.
Two boxes of canvases and paints arrived yesterday from Pebeo. One box is so big we have to walk around it in the downstairs hallway.
Will have to get cracking tomorrow with Vitrail samples, it's a solvent based glass paint from Pebeo www.pebeo.com . I have several demonstrations booked in the coming weeks for this product. It is purely decorative, and it is possible to paint thinly in order to build up the layers to intensify the colours. Pebeo have recently introduced new colours as well as a lovely gold and a glitter medium. As with all the paints it is best to stir them with a coffee stirrer/lolly stick as they are so pigment rich it sinks to the bottom.
I am looking forward to using them and producing some lovely effects.

Changing Rooms

It's Tuesday lunch time and am feeling a little under the weather. Both Kristy and Mark have had a nasty cold recently and it feels as if I may be the next recipient! Gordon is teaching today, and Jade is at college so have the house to myself for once. I have been back to sleep in a lovely quiet house ..... bliss! Have had a dratted migraine hovering for the last three days which seems to have gone now, but am rather croaky. What a whinger I am, feel better for sharing though.
I've had a few tears about our missing cat Kafka. Gordon says I must get used to the idea that he's gone for good, but I still have a little bit of hope left. Our other cat Daisy is being very chatty and follows me about everywhere, it's as if she knows how upset I am and keeps coming to see if I'm all right.
Yesterday's workshop went really well. My new ladies Sandra and Lisa walked into my studio and said "I'm in Heaven", not the first people to say that either.
Jade is rather taken with the new web cam and spent a chunk of her evening talking to her friends on line. The room has a wonderful new dynamic, and feels totally different, hopefully the creative energies are good too, which judging by the ATC holders the ladies made yesterday evening should be fantastic!!!!!! I'm really looking forward to Denise and Catherine's reaction to the change around when they come tomorrow.
I've still got to clear away the supplies we used last night, but it shouldn't take too long. Have also got to put away some of the stamps I've been using lately, I emptied a couple of drawers last week when I re-arranged the ink pads so that should help.
I can see me spending even more time in my studio than before, all I need is a kettle and a toaster and I'd never have to leave ...........