The best job in the world

 

How lucky am I ! Sunshine, fabulous surroundings, good company and lots and lots of paint !

Tomorrow is the last day of painting in the gardens for a little while and I have had a lovely time meeting so many visitors. People who collect my work, people who are new to my work and people who just share my love of colour and a good giggle. It was especially nice to see children who have watched me work in the past and who have made a special visit to come and say hello again.

I love to talk to children about my work they are so open, interested and honest. Part of a conversation with a little girl who told me she was 5.

'Do you sell your paintings in shops?'

'Yes and those picture shops are called galleries.'

'Aren't you sad when you sell your paintings?'

'Yes sometimes I am sad to see them go but when I know they have gone to a happy new home it makes me feel better'.

'I would be sad to sell my paintings if they were beautiful like yours'.

That is the nicest compliment I could ask for.

I gather we are in for more fine weather tomorrow so I should get this poppy piece finished in the morning.

 

 

My Merry Little Mugs

 

How are you today? Have you been having the terrible rain and thunder that we have had in Yorkshire. If you have or even if you haven't let me show you the latest exciting addition to my collection that blew my grey clouds away. If you were not able to see them at Sudeley, here they are! My fine bone china mugs.

 

There are 8 at the moment and we are busy working out how best to display them on my online shop, so it won't be long before you can order them. Each one comes in it's own posh little box and the image wraps right round with a detail down the handle and the title inside the rim. I am so thrilled as I have just been told that the National Trust love them so much they will be stocking them in their shops in the Autumn. When I heard I just had to turn the music up and dance like no one was watching then celebrate with lots of cake! - My one weakness. (My favourite line from Larkrise to Candleford)

 

Celebrating Sunshine

 

It is that time of year again - time to bring out the bunting ! Yippee!

We love to have something to celebrate and today it is the sunshine. I have had a great start to the day, up early, a couple of e mails to old friends and a couple to new ones too. I am so lucky to be able to open my inbox and find the gift of kind words from people who enjoy my work and just want to say hello. Thank you.

So I am going to spend half an hour with my sketch book this morning before I get out my lovely gloopy acrylics. S unshine is inspirational and lifts my spirits allowing happy ideas to skip and dance in my head. I just have to catch them and get them down on paper before they dance right over the garden fence and out of reach.

So here is where I play, come rain or shine and happily today it is the latter.

Have a lovely day!

 

 

                         

New Kids In The Flock

Yesterday we went on one of our favourite walks climbing up from Glasshouses Mill to walk the ridge high above Nidderdale with fantastic views across the dale to Brimham Rocks and on to Gouthwaite and Little Whernside beyond. As we climbed up the hill we were entertained by a gathering of 15 lambs all frolicking around. We leaned over the wall and watched for a good half an hour as they played a series of amusing games, chasing, leaping, bouncing, racing, climbing, rough and tumble whilst their patient mothers stood and raised their eye brows and tutted at their errant offspring's behaviour. Watching the lambs it was easy to see their individual characters in the roles that they played. The confidant, the brave , the clown, the bully, the easily lead and the shy and after their mad half hour they all returned to their mums to suckle and become once again the babies. So much fun and so much inspiration for more sheepy paintings.