Leave My Bank Account Alone!

Technically This Is Corfe, Close Enough

It's amazing what reading your bank statement can do for your health. I am not talking a positive effect here. There is nothing like having a big corporation milk your bank account for vast sums of money to get your heart beating and your palms sweating. Thanks for that BT. If I lived in America I am almost certain that I would have employed a legal eagle to sue them for cruel and unusual treatment. I have to say without a doubt that BT have caused the most upset to me both at home and at work over the past year. I have refrained from using all the far better acronyms that I have made BT stand for. Because I do not want to get in trouble for using bad language on my blog. I am going to sever my connection with them as soon as I possibly can as it is by far the most expensive contract out there at the moment.
Rant over.
I have had to prod artists into action as they have been promising me work for ages and it has been very slow in arriving at the gallery. To the point that I was worried that I wasn't going to have nearly enough to put on the next exhibition. What a disorganized bunch. Not all I hasten to add, some people were incredibly prompt and I am eternally grateful for their consistent reliability. Thank you.
So this show has entered its last day and I will be taking it all down tomorrow and I think that I may well get a free lunch out of it so that's all good.
A Taste of PAWF starts on Saturday and I have got all my mulled wine spices together so that I can serve up a tasty glass of this to all visitors. I've said it before and I'll say it again, Swanage is the place to be this weekend as there is so much going on and it is all free. It has the Christmassy vibe that all little towns get when the Christmas lights go up and there's Christmas trees in all the windows. I am going to put mine up on Thursday. I'm not sure where exactly but it'll be visible from the street.
I hope that whatever you are doing today you don't have to spend much time out in the gloom that is Tuesday in Swanage.
I am going to try and design a Christmas card this afternoon for the gallery. Wish me luck it will be my fifth attempt.

The Deadline Looms!

I am determined to get this written and posted on the same day! I have had an eventful morning there are so many fine tuning details that I need to do before each new exhibition. I would like to sit on my laurels and think that I have organized everything to the nth degree. The truth is that whilst I try to do this it quite difficult. The fact is that artists have a great knack of leaving everything to the absolute last minute. The hand in deadline for this show is 5pm today and there are still people who tell me they are coming but I am yet to see them.
I am just glad that I left myself plenty of time before the show has actually got to be up. I think that the selection process should be interesting.
I am currently working from three lists of things to do, that's how many pages it takes up any way. I am hoping to have whittled it down to one page by the end of today.
I have applied for the gallery to be on Trip Advisor as an attraction so as soon as I know whether or not it has been accepted then I will be asking all of you who regularly visit the gallery to write me a review please.
I am constantly looking for new places to promote the business so if you have any bright ideas feel free to share them with me.
So Tinted Grey finishes on Wednesday and the new show will be going up probably on Thursday or Friday. The girls are so happy about the great feedback that they have had from their first ever exhibition, they were buzzing when they left here on Saturday.
I will be working on my day off so that means that I might need to take some time to make sure that I have got everything in place for Saturdays Private View. Please do come if you can it should be good and don't forget there is plenty to do in the Purbecks next weekend so it will not be a wasted journey. From what I can gather if you fancy a free mince pie and a glass of mulled wine you are almost certainly going to find that on offer at approximately 4 different venues. Maybe you should get the bus. To quote a song 'I don't care how you get here, just get here if you can'.

I Am The Oracle

Infinite Possibilities Of Things To Do

Another Saturday and another Private View. There has been a steady trickle of people to this show all day which is really nice. The gallery is in competition with the newly opened Durlston Castle Gallery as the show I mentioned yesterday is open to the public today. It is definitely worth a visit as there is a good variety of work and there and it is a great space.
The Tinted Grey artists have had some great feedback from the visitors to their exhibition which making them feel very motivated to start thinking about their next show. I'm just hoping that they will consider showing with me again in the future.
I am starting to think about the last part of next year and getting the shows in for the last couple of months. I want to do something really exciting so I am approaching some big names with the hope of tempting them to show with me. I hope that I will have some more news on that front very soon.
I must get out of the habit of taking through my blog deadline. For the last few days I get the majority of my blog written and then there is a visitor to the gallery that means that I talk instead of post.
So now it is Sunday morning and I am going to post my blog come what may.
I just want to remind you that I have a new show starting on Saturday. It will be the Purbeck Art Weeks Christmas Show. The Private View will be next Saturday starting at 3.00 and ending at 6.00. There will be mulled wine and mince pies. There is also a Christmas Market in the town next Saturday and the turning on of the lights. I would say it will be one of the best days to visit Swanage in the run up to Christmas. Also the following weekend there will be the Bizarre Bazaar. If you ever needed a reason to visit I have just given you a few and the best thing about them all is that they are free and extremely family friendly.
I have to tell you that my blog has smashed through 30,000 and is only just short of 31,000. So thank you very much.
Happy Sunday everybody.

More Things To Do In Swanage This Weekend

The truth is that I wrote my blog and then promptly forgot to post it. So apologies about that. I have been busy with visitors to the gallery, no really I have. Some have been submitting their work for the Christmas Exhibition and others just popping in for a chat. It's always nice to see friends. Of course there have also been people coming in to see the work on show.
It would appear that people like it when I have a rant, it's been the most popular blog of recent weeks, I wonder if it is because you all know that I am a placid person so me getting riled is both novel and entertaining. I continue to quietly seethe but I am officially over the worst of it.
I had one of the most chilled out days off on Wednesday. I usually run around like a mad woman trying to cram in a ton of jobs in one day. Yesterday, I had lunch with the painter Jan Dagley and we plotted world domination. Just kidding we are teaming up to deliver master classes in Printmaking and Painting. I am very excited about this as this is exactly the kind of thing that I want to be involved with. I am in the process of researching various aspects and I know that Jan is too.
I'll give you all the details when I have them.
There's a show called 'Beginnings' starting at the new and improved Durlston Castle Gallery this weekend if you are in Swanage you should make sure that you take the nice walk (and it is a really nice walk) up there and go and have a look at the work on show and all the refurbishments. I'm going to pop along to the Private View this evening to support some friends of mine who are showing there.
What I would really love is if everyone who reads this blog could share it because I would really like to achieve 30,000 page views before the 1st Anniversary. I am only 400 off that amount. That figure astounds me, 30,000 that's crazy. But I am grateful for each and everyone even if it was generated by 'Sex, Sex and More Sex'.
I have to mention that there is second Private view for Tinted Grey tomorrow starting at 12.00 and ending at 4.00.
So please feel free to pop in.

Do NOT Get Me Started!

If you know me you will know that I am a mellow laid back person. I am passionate about many things but mostly I am easy to deal with and I hope that all my customers/clients will agree.
Today I have had my buttons pressed and I have had at least two full on rants. As I am a professional I am going to keep you in the dark about who, how and why. Suffice to say my cool was lost. I do not bear grudges but I do have an elephantine memory and I am running a business.

I am always waxing lyrical about my fondness for lists today I am going to give you a 'Things Not To Do as A Gallery Owner Or A Human Being' list.

1. Do not assume people that are smiling at you and agreeing with everything you say are actually being sincere.
2. Do not get overly confident when up a step ladder because you know people are watching you. This will inevitably lead to a heart attack inducing wobble.
3. Do not close the gallery for lunch just to get rid of people as they will notice you sneaking back within 10 minutes of you putting a sign up saying closed for an hour.
4. Do not be too encouraging to anybody professing to be an artists. Draw your own conclusions as to why not.
5. Do not give too much away for free as people will see it as the 'norm' and expect it every time.
6. Do not rely on people being on time if you have a job to do for them. Expect them earlier and that way you'll always be ready.
7. Do not give people false hope about their creative abilities. Remember the bad news, good news, bad news sandwich. There's a much coarser word for it, I'm being polite.
8. Do not dismiss an 'out there' idea. If you don't ask you don't get and what's the worse that can happen?
9. Do not admit to keeping dead things (not people) in the fridge. It freaks people out.
10. Do not become a work bore when you work in a team of one. It is way too tedious.

That's enough for now. I have had the pleasure of meeting a new artist today, her name is Clarissa Galliano and you will be able to access her website via my website a bit later on today. Her work is great, right up my alley and I hope that her work will be selected to be exhibited at the PAW Christmas Exhibition. 

The Spilling.......Is Very Affected!

Mmm Nice Jumper

You absolutely cannot type when you are watching something with subtitles. Fact!! I have a growing admiration for all the Swedish/Danish thrillers that are on the BBC 4. They are really good, if you can get over the dodgy jumpers and generally unattractive lead characters they're great. I'm used to being able to multi task but subtitles do hinder the process somewhat.
I have been working really hard to get all my admin done. I'm not sure if it's a reflection of my efficiency. There seems to be so much more to do now than there ever was. I keep thinking that the more I get done the sooner I will be able to get on do something else like my own work perhaps.
I'm really not complaining as a year on I am now dotting all the i's and crossing the t's that I had not even realised I hadn't one. That and acting on the ton of good advice given to me by some very knowledgable and well respected artists. It's nice to know that I've got some great people behind me.
I have to apologise for my spelling mistake in the flyer I posted on Saturday. It's got something to do with the fact that what I really need is a proof reader. (An irony that I have to share with you, I am re-reading my blog which believe it or not, I do, do. That sentence was so grammatically incorrect I had to laugh maybe I should have left it as it would have beautifully illustrated my point)
If you fancy a job where there's no wages, no incentives but a great boss please feel free to apply.
Been another fairly busy day at the gallery so I'm glad I'm open. I am in a minority though I've had a walk around town today and have seen that many businesses are in fact closed. Oh the deliberation of which day to close. I may just have to follow the trend of the other business owners. I'll let you know.

I've Got Designs On You!

There has been a dramatic improvement on attendance to the gallery today. I think the Tinted Grey girls will be pleased. I was hoping that the mild weather and sunshine might bring a few more people over the water and it would seem that I was right.
It is always a little difficult to gauge how attendance to shows might be but I am of the belief that if you offer people a good variety of things to look at you will be constantly growing your audience. I have spoken to you just once or twice about growing the business. It is my mission, I am just looking into getting the gallery into the 'Galleries' magazine. That costs mega bucks but I guess I have to speculate to  accumulate. I just wish I could speculate with someone else's bank balance. I would find that hugely beneficial to my speculatory (sic) skills.
I may well do the lottery tonight, you have to be in it to win it. Just before you think to yourself if I won the lottery would I still run the gallery? The answer is a resounding yes! I would invest in making it the most high spec exhibiting space in the South West and I'd buy next door which is currently empty. But I have to admit I would probably employ someone to run it at least part time for me.
Now I have got that complete flight of fantasy out of my system, let's get back to business. I have designed a flyer for the Bizarre Bazaar so here it is. I hope that you appreciate the humorous approach.

That's the first thing that I designed today, and I'm pretty pleased with it. I have also produced a poster for the anniversary exhibition. I have deliberately kept it simple and kind of like and eye chart. That's what I have been up to. I have also been buying some really cool stuff for my market stall. 

                                                

Swanage Is The Place To Be!

I spent the first part of the day up a step ladder trying to stop water dripping down to my elbows. Intrigued?The reality is I thought I'd try my hand at window cleaning. I have to say there is something rather therapeutic about it. I can't say that I'd like to do it for a living but it is very pleasing to do. No more Windowlene for me.
There's lots of things to remind you about because I have just been chatting to Dave about it all. So first things first there's the Bizarre Bazaar happening on Saturday 10th July starting at 10.00 and finishing at 4.00. There's going to be some great stalls definitely something for everybody. If you are a fan of Star Wars  or robots or geeky stuff in general I will have some great things for sale. So you should come and check it out.

The next thing that I want to let you know about is the Ho Ho Ho Comedy Night in Swanage. Follow the link for details and see if you're interested and if you are then tickets are going on sale any time now.

www.swanagecomedy.com

I am going to tell you the truth about how long this blog has taken me to write. I am now on hour two. I have had constant distractions. I will also readily admit most of them have been self imposed.

The gallery has been very quiet today I just hope that tomorrow will be busier. The weather looks promising so I hope that people make the journey to Swanage.

I hope that you have got some great things planned for this weekend.

Just The Highlights!

It's Cool Money Right?

I hate losing money. Admittedly it was only £20 but I hate losing money. Now I've got that out of my system. I can get on with the rest of my blog.
In this week of super efficiency I have gone out and bought a fat diary and have been busily playing with my highlighter pens. You know how I love it. I have filled in all my bookings, well nearly even I get slightly annoyed with my need for neatness and organisation.
I have spent the best part of the day doing it. So writing my blog is a little light relief.
I have been thinking about the name of my anniversary show and I think I'm going to call it the 3 Arts. The big anniversary party will be on the 28th and I hope it is going to be bigger and better than the opening party.
The work that will be exhibited will the same artists that were in the first show including myself and my friend the glass artist Lisa Bate who helped me with the very first donkey work. Painting the walls white, then white again, then white. I think that you get the picture.
It will all be their new work that has been produced in the last year. As I always invite you to everything thesis no different. The more the merrier.
I have got my first post teaching regular teaching job. Starts at the beginning of December I'll fill you in on how it goes later on. I love teaching so I cannot wait to get stuck in.
Entries are trickling in for the Christmas show even though I have sent several hundred emails to prompt everybody. I would like to bet money on the fact that there will be a last minute dash that will mean that I've got more work than I know what to do with.
I'm going to get back on with making my diary pretty as I am only up to February. Watch out highlighters here I come.

Embracing My I.B

And take a deep breath! It's been one of those days where my super efficient head has been well and truly screwed on. But that loosely translates as indulging my OCD tendencies in a variety of different ways. Here's a quick run down of what I have done.

• Completed my list of things to do it was HUGE
• Pimped my wall calendar by filling it in properly and using different coloured pens
• Went through all the folders on my desktop and made new folders for each exhibition and adverts etc
• Dusted and swept the floor
• Sent a ton of emails

Impressed much? You should be because I had achieved most of that before 2.00. Now I am going to rest on my laurels. Well, not really I am going to get started on designing some future posters. I am also going to get some invites printed properly for the Christmas Show.

Since I started writing this blog I have actually written a text, measured some paper and added new jobs to my things to do list.

I need to slow down or  I am in danger of doing all the necessary jobs in one day.

I confirmed the May booking with Sheila Girlings' secretary this morning. I was a bit nervous but that's because I still can't quite believe it. I cannot wait to see her work in the flesh.

So I don't have keep using the 'bitch' word I shall now refer to my I.B and I hope that you know what that means. I dragged her out from her hiding place today and used her when talking to a cold caller. I was emphatic but polite and said a big fat no! I did add 'thank you for calling' at the end to sweeten it up a bit. I just need to keep up the momentum of that. I could do with every cold caller calling me in the next couple of days to get it over and done with.

Anyway, I have kept you long enough. Day off tomorrow and I think I shall spend it cooking and cleaning. Lovely!

I Am Just A Girl Who Can't Say No!

It's official I have written 339 blogs to date. All I can say is wow! I cannot quite believe it. I wonder just how many words that actually is? Well I've got a few choice ones for you right now! Purbeck Arts Weeks Festival Christmas Show. I told you that they were choice didn't I. More like a bloomin' mouthful. It is what is going to be on show at the gallery over the Christmas period. It should be good a great variety of work featuring both art and crafts.

Here's the advert I have put in the local paper. I like it because it's a bit moody and quite different from all of my other ads.

I am phone dodging today as I am just a girl who can't say no. It's that time of year again where I am being plagued by people trying to sell me things that I don't want who won't take 'I'll think about it' as an answer. I have to reconnect with my inner bitch. She's lurking somewhere just beneath the surface but I only like to call on her in the most extreme situations. I feel that time is fast approaching. I want these people to meet their sales targets and get their hard earned commission but if the choice is them or me. I'm afraid it's me every time.

The Tinted Grey exhibition had a very positive opening day/night with some excellent feedback by all that managed to come. I am very proud of what they put together and it's a really interesting and thought provoking exhibition. If you would like an opportunity to have a glass of wine and meet the artists they will be here on Saturday 26th November from 12.00 - 4.00. Please do come along and support them I promise you it will not be a wasted journey.

The gloomth of the day has well and truly settled over Swanage I am not sure today actually achieved 'daylight'. Maybe tomorrow. 

When You're Hot You're Hot and When You're Not Etc!!

Sheila Girling

Firstly let me apologize for yesterdays lack of blog. But I started work at 10.00 and left at 6.00 and I had to go out and do some serious celebrating! Not because I had just finished hanging the show but because whilst I was in the midst of mayhem and chaos a couple came in and introduced themselves as Tony and Sheila I have to admit that it took a minute for the penny to drop. You are all probably scratching your heads and wondering where this is going. Some of you will already know as I have told anyone who stands still long enough to listen.
Tony is actually Sir Anthony Caro the world famous sculptor and his wife Sheila is Sheila Girling the world famous painter. It was a life affirming moment, these two art heavy weights were in my gallery. I have sat in lectures when I was at university and heard their work being discussed and they were stood in MY gallery. That was mind blowing in itself! Sheila had been approached about showing her work in my gallery and she came to check it out for herself. They were two very lovely down to earth people not at all pretentious and genuinely interested in what I was doing and the gallery. I was able to just about get over my start struckness (sic) to not be a stammering incoherent fool.
The fantastic news is that she has agreed and will be showing at the gallery in May as part of the Purbeck Arts Weeks Festival.
So if ever there was a time to put a date in your diary today is the day Saturday 26th May 2012.
That cannot be topped but something else good has happened today. Last week I made those two sales and I mentioned that one of the people involved is an artist (Vic Smith). He is a fantastic painter, great large scale nudes. He is going to have a joint exhibition with a 3D artist Brian Smithies. Don't worry I hadn't heard of either of them, but Vic had shown me his work and sent me a link for Brians. He's only worked on some of the biggest films of all time as a 3D character builder has been nominated for two BAFTAs. Harry Potter being the one we all know. So I hope that will be a good exhibition as well.

Making Your Mind Up!

Hey Good Looking!

The Law of Sod dictates that the minute that you take an exhibition down someone wants to be something that was in it. Fact! It has managed to happen twice this week. my last show as 'Colour' and as I told you I had some great work in that show. So a lady came in on Tuesday and asked to see one of the paintings that was in that show. She was really interested in it. Yep, you've guessed it, that painting was no longer at the gallery.
Today I had a phone call from a guy who wanted to buy Keith's penguin. That's not as surreal as it sounds. It was a ceramic Emperor Penguin and it was really handsome. There had been plenty of interest in it during the show but no one actually bought it. I have now got to arrange to get said penguin back to Swanage so that I can sell it to the customer who wants it.
I am going install a decision maker device on the door. Once you have passed through the door of the gallery your ability to make decisions will improve x100%. If only!
One show comes down and inevitably another one must go up. so today I have been doing all of the minor repairs that are necessary in between exhibitions. I don't feel like I need to tell you what that entails as you all know the drill.
I will have a busy day tomorrow, but for today I will just indulge my OCD and get the studio and office in a state that they are ready to receive visitors because at the moment clutter is the name of the game. I also have a floor to scrub.
I'm off to get my hands wet!

Tumbling Off The Caffeine Free Wagon!

I am having difficulty typing this as one hand is actually busy patting me on the back! I have just had a glass half full or half empty moment and I am going to share it with you as that is the point right?
Ok, I have been super busy this morning, designing posters and updating my website and my phone site. I really have got quite a lot achieved. Well done me! I look up at the clock and see that it's only 12.50, initially I think great I have got all that done in under two hours. Then I think it's ONLY 12.50 how slow is this day going???
Please witness the fruits of my labour. At this point I would like to thank my sister, she pointed me in the direction of powerpoint and I have not looked back. It is infinitely easier to design anything in it. Don't take my word for it, try it for yourself.

The highs and the lows of efficiency.
It is unbelievably dull today and the amount of visitors to the gallery totally reflect that. It is a shame as this show finishes today. It has been a good little show and if you missed it....shame on you. You missed a great opportunity to earn yourself some Brownie points by purchasing a unique Christmas present.
The next exhibition is a true art exhibition, what I mean by that it is much more intellectually challenging and has a bit more depth. You'll get what I mean if you come and see it which I strongly urge you to.
I am enjoying drinking gallons of unsweetened green tea. I fell off my caffeine free wagon a couple of weeks ago. I hit the floor hard but the smell of coffee filled my nostrils so I didn't really care. But I am now practicing restraint and have a midday cut off point and then it's green tea all the way. Apparently it can make you look younger if you drink enough of it. I hope that this is true. I may well be the first grey haired teenager in about two weeks time.
Best get back to it.

Sold Not 1 But 2!

Until They Want You Mind Theirs!

Well 'Hello Monday'! Nice to be back at work! One of those statements is not in fact true? Guess which one.

At the eleventh hour on Saturday a couple came in and I said hello, they said 'We are just looking' which is gallery speak for 'Leave us the Hell alone as we just want to appreciate the work on the walls etc without necessarily buying anything so back off'. Message received and understood. I carried on doing whatever choredom that I had been involved with up to that point. A few minutes later I noticed that they had picked up a price list. I still didn't move, I had been told. Then she says I'd like this one please. I am out of my chair like a rocket had gone off under my backside. Now you want to talk, and we did and they were lovely. I had fully intended to close early as I had stuff to do and they would probably be the last people through the door. No they weren't, she sees her brother across the road and says come and look at this gallery he walks in and about five minutes later he bought something too. Now that's what I call a great end to the day. It does however get better. The guy whose wife bought a piece is an artist and he would be interested in hiring the gallery to show his work. He showed me some pictures of his work and it is great so that could be something to look forward to in the future. He then mentioned his son is a designer and the gallery would be a great space for him to show his work. How exciting!

All of the above is way more exciting than my day has been today. I have spent it trying to design a poster for my Christmas Show. It is tedious as I can't include any pictures as the work won't be selected for ages yet.

I have designed two so far I'm hoping third time lucky. I like them both but I do not love them. But the good news is that I have mastered the whole sizing thing which has been beating me for months.

I'm off to do something less taxing!

Jump In My Jaguar!

My Aspirational Car.......Not

The good news is that the Jaguar car group think I'm doing okay at the gallery. Why do I think this? Because I received a letter from them today asking me if I am interested in 'hassle - free' business motoring. It would only cost me £369 a month. You've got to laugh, well I did. I can't imagine spending that much money a month on a car. If I did I would have to hold all future exhibitions in it as I could no longer afford to keep the gallery on. Style over substance, I think not.
Well I had the pleasure of visiting the Bournemouth Art Club Exhibition at the Peacock Gallery at Upton Country Park. There was some really great work there. It was well worth the drive and the morning off from the gallery. I strongly recommend you visit. It's free and there's really something for everyone at the show.
I am playing catch up today as I have not been at the gallery. Just when I was starting to get worried about the fact that there were not enough people entering the Christmas Exhibition I have been inundated with entries.
It's going to be good, so if you have been reading the blog and thinking that you might like to get involved I am very nearly over subscribed get an application in quick. Just to help you out here's a link to the website to make it really easy.

www.lartishegallery.com

I'm racking my brains to think about other gallery news and I think the truth is there really isn't any. So I'll just wish you a very happy Bonfire Night. Stay safe and enjoy any fireworks that you are lucky enough to see.

Just Call Me 'Super Sharon' or 'Not So Super Sharon' You Choose!

What I thought would be really great to do this morning would be to drive around town at least five times. No, really I did. Okay, so I might be lying. I don't know if there is something happening in Swanage that I do not know about but town was crazy hectic this morning. I was trying to park my car and at one point  I even contemplated driving it home and walking to work. It's not that far but it was raining. There were no spaces to be had anywhere. I found one eventually but was late for work.
I have got a couple of super powers that I would like to share with you all. In fact I have more than two, but I'm only sharing two with you today. The first one is my unbelievable ability to misread the dates on a calendar. Really, I have got this down to a fine art. If you get anything with a date on coming from me I strongly urge you to double check it against a calendar. If it's correct I'm obviously having a good day.
(Having just read what I've written I wonder if I might be being too hard on myself? I will readily confess to anyone who will listen that numbers are not my friends could this just be an extension of this?)
My second super power is even better. I can incorrectly label documents without even thinking about it and then attach them multiple times and send them to the wrong people.
I know you are sat there being envious of my talents. Don't be. I am such a perfectionist that these errors cause me actual physical pain. That might be down to me banging my head against the wall repeatedly when I realise that I have inadvertently used my super powers. I know I have mentioned my other super powers before but it would appear that with every year they are almost developing lives of their own.
Feel free to share your special powers with me. If you're sat there thinking that you don't have any I DO NOT believe you.
So the working title for the market on Saturday 10th December is 'Eclectic Market' as that is exactly what it is going to be. Tables are only £5 so if you are hoarding a stash of saleable goodies then now might the time to get them sold and make some much needed cash for Christmas.
I hope that you have made lots of fun plans for this weekend. I know I haven't as fully intend just to stay in and be really boring. My bank manager doesn't think I'm boring and that's all that matters.
Have a great one!

For Whom The Bell Tolls!

Look Pretty But Do They Work? In A Word...NO!

Oh the stress! I have had one of those days today. Jam packed with things sent to try you. I firstly received an invoice for twice of what I thought I owed and then my printer went into some never before seen meltdown which resulted in nearly two hours of fiddling and turning on and and back off again. I think the actual problem is my internet connection but I really do not think that today is the day to talk to Terry from Mumbai, as friendly and helpful as he may well turn out to be. I am far too tired to be bothered.
After a midnight bird rescue that didn't end too well for the bird my nights sleep was plagued by surreal dreams of the bird coming back to life. It didn't. I have to say I am a feline lover, but their predatory nature does upset me. If my cats had any more bells on they would be able to audition for 'Britain's Got Talent' as one cat bands. But still they keep catching the birds even though they are kept fed up to the whiskers they cannot resist the challenge of live prey. They all have E.L.S.S* which is unfortunate.
Gallery news, there are a few more bookings on the horizon that I am excited about that. Next year is looking quite promising already.
I have had my first enquiry in response to my new advert which is good.
If you are someone who watches 'Kirstys Handmade Britain' with relish and make your own arts and crafts items/objects, I need you!!!! Not just art and crafts vintage clothes, records anything you would hope to find at a good market. Food too if that's your thing.
I am hoping to help organize and indoor market before Christmas. If that's something you'd be interested in doing then you know what to do. Contact me at the gallery on 01929 425050.
It will only go ahead if we get enough takers so let me know.
I have to confess that I have now written as much as I think I can actually write without droning on. So I'll do us all a favour and stop right here!




*Evil Little S**t Syndrome.

Hallowho?

How About This For A Pumpkin Carving?

Hallowhat? I am not sure it was meant to happen but it did! I donned my face paint and went to a really good Halloween party on Saturday night. Multiple face wipes later, face paint is soooo difficult to shift, I figured that was Halloween done and dusted for another year. What I failed to realize was that it was in fact yesterday. I did not buy any tooth rotting sweets for the Trick or Treaters I was lucky not to get my car egged. Apparently having totally forgotten is not a valid excuse for not having sweets. I offered courgettes but they were politely declined. I hope that you all fared better than I did.
Today is a day for ultimatums, put your money where your mouth is scenarios. I have fired off emails and I am checking my mailbox every five minutes for responses. I am being proactive.
I'll let you all know how that works out for me.
I have just had to write another missive about the gallery, I will be really glad when I can pay someone to do this for me. It is just line after line of uber positivity and how incredibly great the gallery is. I am not denying that it is great because of course it is. It's about trying to word each one differently to make sure that I do not sound too repetitive.
Is anyone else struggling with the whole clock thing? I have a question. If you are supposed to eat before 7pm how does your body know the clocks have changed? I only ask this as I sat down to dinner yesterday in a room where I had forgotten to change the clock. Can you see where I'm coming from? Maybe it is just me but I really don't think so.
I am hoping to spend the afternoon drawing as I have been very swiftly working my way through my list of things to do.
What are you up to? Obviously reading this right now but what else?