It was so nice to have a break from it all in half term last week, shame about the weather but at least I had a chance to lie-in and spend some time with the boys and friends.
The only thing I had to do was draw this picture of our local scout hut as a present to Akela from some cubs (do they still say dib dib dib?!)
Back to lampshades this week though, not a bad thing at all…
I love weddings but I find wedding presents really difficult to choose. Buying something from a wedding list at a department store can seem way too impersonal but then again buying something not on the list could be disastrous.
This portrait of Notley Abbey near Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire, with a mosaic paper sky is my latest gilhoolie wedding venue commission. It’s handmade, unique, original and (will be) personalised with a message to the bride and groom. You can order them from my Etsy shop or get in touch with me for details…
Notley Abbey, by the way, was purchased by Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh in 1945 and then restored and decorated with the help of decorators Sybil Colfax and John Fowler. I for one would love to go back to that era and see this amazing building and grounds, it looks so romantic…
I’m not a natural runner, but I used to run every week, without fail, round the streets where I live. And I have to say I didn’t enjoy it much. The only things that kept me going were 1. knowing I would feel good about it afterwards and 2. Looking at all the houses as I ran past (I’d always make sure my route was down the streets with the nice houses!) Well, now I’ve given up running, (I decided life’s too short to do something you don’t enjoy and I get to walk to and from school twice a day now). But I still get to look at lovely houses, and in even more detail as I draw personalised house pictures for people. Not only that, I love doing it, I really do.
Here are some of my latest ones. Firstly, a gorgeous house with lots of windows, with my embroidered sky (including a pretty pink butterfly), in a white frame. This was for a lady who wanted to give it to a friend as a thank you gift.
And secondly, another of my favourites, a Victorian semi for a friend who lives down our old road, with my original blue collage sky, in a white frame. I’ve got some ideas for developing these more in the New Year, but first I have beanbags to make. At least my orders for Christmas are nearly done now and I can relax a bit, but I’ll miss looking at houses for a couple of weeks… Maybe I should go back to running? Or maybe not!…
This is just something I did the other day to fill some time in between appointments. I’ve always loved our house and I can remember really clearly the first time I saw it two years ago. I thought it would be good to do a simple drawing to put on the wall as a keepsake. I hope you can see the resemblance (and for those who have never seen our house, now you can!)
