Simply the Best!

My other half agreed to be a guinea pig today - I was testing my teaching skills on him!
He hated art at school because he couldn't draw and in those days you didn't make it to the painting stage if you hadn't drawn it first!
We started off with a charcoal drawing - the subject being a single apple. I had to keep reminding him to look at the subject, but I feel he did really well. B kept smudging the drawing with his knuckles and was getting a bit frustrated so I decided to get onto the painting part!! I mixed a few colours on the palette for him. After that he drew his apple, placing it off centre, with a watery mix, on his small board. He was so good at laying the paint on with the brush. He just got on with it and seemed to be enjoying himself ( he would never admit it, just humouring me, he would say). 

In no time at all, he was done. I asked if he'd like to sign it - to which he replied "I'm not quite finished" - so funny!

Well done, my dear - you're a star!!

Bluesy Thursday!

What a day I have had! Initially I could hardly drag myself out of bed but once I'd showered, I was fine. Today was to be a whole painting day but I still had some boxes of stuff to put back into the studio after the art trail. I took down a plastic box full of spotlamps, forgot my keys, back up to the house for the keys! I got started and so did the rain - completely chucking it down! Twenty minutes later I realised that I'd left the box of lights out in the rain! They are ruined!

At 10am I came up to the house for a coffee, opened the mail and found some "******" had spent over £200 on my credit card! I felt like I'd been slapped! What a horrible feeling! I will be so scared to buy online now! I was a bit unsettled after that, really. B came home for lunch and I burnt the scrambled eggs!
I am desperately trying to get a load of paintings done for my two upcoming exhibitions and did manage to get some work done today. I have one almost done and another half way through.
Hopefully tomorrow will be sunnier all round.............

Beginners' Drawing and Painting Classes

Always wanted to learn how to paint or draw? Live in the Dumfries and Galloway area? My classes start on Friday Sep 20th  - a 10 week block at the cost of £100. Each class lasts 3 hours. You work at your own pace, there is no pressure, only pleasure! Contact me for more details, my email is msm.art@btinternet.com

Day 4 Art and Craft Trail

What a weekend - we have had a busy day today and now feeling so so tired!

Apologies to any kiddies who didn't get their photos taken! It was an interesting day, lots of new faces but also people returning to buy after visiting earlier in the weekend. 
My foot was very painful all day but I felt more relaxed than I've felt all weekend. We even managed to down cream teas this morning in one sitting! Lesley made broccili and stilton soup for lunch - yummy! We ate in relays so there was always someone on duty to tend to our trailers.
Baby Oliver was a wee gem - we had no helpers today but we coped! 
The girls sold loads of items and got an few orders. I sold 3 more paintings which is just fantastic! I have a commissions to paint a visitor's  car. Glad I put up a couple of car paintings in the studio.
Thank you Lesley, Becky and Sadie for making this such a successful trail! See you next year!!!

Left to right, Sadie, Margaret, Becky, Lesley - Exhibitors of Venue 69

Day 3 Art and Craft Trail

I had a lie in this morning, till 7am and must say, I felt refreshed! I baked my scones after breakfast. We tidied up and headed to our monthly carboot sale for half an hour before we opened for the Trail.

My grandson, Oliver got a new sunhat - cute or what? Sadie had opened up the studio by the time we got home - she brought lunch for us all too - yummy! It was a really sociable day for me, sitting talking to friends and strangers alike who came along to see our work. The weather was glorious. B was in charge of the baby in the morning with my son and daughter in law coming along to take charge after lunch. Father in law came along for his cream tea - quite a family gathering!

I bought a special right angled ruler at the carboot plus an enameled coffee pot for my still lifes. It's hard to look at stuff (other people's rubbish) whilst in charge of a baby buggy!

Apologies to the kiddies we didn't take photos of today!

Day 2 - Art and Craft Trail

Too tired to cook last night, we got a takeaway - bad move! I spent half the night suffering from heartburn! Consequently, I woke up tired and grumpy! The sun was shining - lovely to see, but the wind was so strong that our "collage" gazebo lifted completely over the table etc inside and was heading for next door when B saw it from the kitchen window! We now have it tied down in all directions and pray it will last till Monday is over! This didn't help my mood unfortunately and on top of everything else, I am ashamed to say, I went into meltdown!

Sadie took me down to sit in the sun, outside the studio and relax, showing me how to make patchwork triangles! We have had another lovely day, I sold another painting and the girls did really well too!
I love seeing the kids' collages, they are all so different. It was lovely to see young Fraser here again - he is a very talented wee boy - he has become a violinist in the last year, a prizewinning one too! One young lady plans to run her own magazine when she grows up and going by her collage design, she might just do it!

Day 1 - Art and Craft Trail 2013

I set my alarm for 5am - I like peace and quiet in the morning and with scones to make and my hair to blow dry (love the result but hate the time it takes), I dragged myself out of bed!
The rain was lashing against the windows, the bunting over the front gates was being thrashed by the strong winds - that's it, I thought, the day is going to be a blooming disaster - let's just cancel the whole thing! I was going to ring Irene, my dear friend who was coming over from Lockerbie to help, and just tell her to stay at home and put her feet up!

Just look at my ladies having their cream teas just after 11am, basking in sunshine!!! Who would have believed the day would change? I had my first sale about the same time too!

Unfortunately, we didn't photograph all the kids and their collages but here are the ones we did get! What a marvelous bunch creative children!

All set for first day of Kirkcudbright Arts and Craft Trail tomorrow Aug 2nd - come visit us at Venue 69

At long last the studio is all ready for the Trail! It has seemed much harder this year - having had a sore foot for nearly 3 weeks hasn't helped! Pain drains you of your energy supply!

The only person who hasn't got all her jobs done is me! I still have pricing to do and lots of little jobs so will get up early. We are happy with how everything looks, just hope the weather isn't too bad so the kids can make their collages and everyone can enjoy a cream tea and of course, have lots of visitors!! 
A happy and successful 10th Kirkcudbright Arts and Craft Trail to everyone taking part and everyone visiting!!!! Use the FREE bus to get to all the outlying venues, including ours NUMBER 69!!!!!!