Evening all! Well, the wind is blowing, the rain is falling, and I am glad to be indoors with my trusty netbook and my Friends box set. It's been a busy week planning my exhibition (did I mention I have an exhibition coming up? :)) and I'm enjoying putting my feet up for once. Today I pounded the streets of Clerkenwell distributing flyers for my exhibition and was overwhelmed by the number of businesses who were more than happy to advertise Out of Hours on their premises. You see, Londoners have a bad rep, but they aren't all meanies. In fact, one really surprised me the other day when, whilst stood at the traffic lights in the pouring rain, I suddenly found myself covered by a complete stranger's umbrella. I'll never forget my English teacher drumming it in to me that "nice" was an inadequate adjective and, I admit, it isn't one that is always flattering. But, you know what? I think that I'm going to reclaim it. Nice is good. Nice is what to aim for, because, you know what? Quite often in this world, nice is missing. But when it rears it's pretty head, it can make a grey, miserable day suddenly a little brighter, your mood a little lighter. Now, I don't know about you lot, but I'm off to pour myself a nice glass of wine before I settle down to a nice movie. Have a nice day!
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Afternoon all! Well I hope you are all having a lovely restful day. Those of you who dip into this blog on a regular basis will know that, this year, I have vowed to take it all a little bit easier. You will also be aware that, last week, I had an offer accepted on a flat. AND arranged to have a wee art exhibition in Farringdon. If you know me personally you will also know what I'm not so good at taking it nice and slow and, even with the best of intentions, my New Years Resolution was always going to be something I would struggle with. And events over the last 14 days have not made it any easier... It doesn't help that I can't say no to a little bit of fun too. This week I've started choir again, caught up with some art friends over mushroom and stilton pie and wine (as it LOTS of wine) and indulged in a bit of girly time oggling Jude Law in Henry V and dissecting his, er, "performance" over pizza and, yep, more wine. Which means that it is Sunday afternoon and, despite my best intentions, I'm starting to feel a bit antsy about all the stuff I should have done - and not quite managed. I think I need help. Anyway, on that note, I'm going to crack on with a bit of writing, research my trip to Bristol next weekend (I WILL have a mini-break, I WILL!) and do my knee strengthening exercises before making a veggie stew for my lunches next week and a spot of dinner. As Virginia Woolf said, "One cannot think well, love well, sleep well if one has not dined well..." Wish me luck. I think I'm going to need it... Happy Sunday! Okay, I know, the weather is lousy (a trip to the corner shop for coffee and milk has put to bed plans for a nice walk this afternoon) but January is nearly over which means that spring is one step closer - hurray! Okay, I admit, I have reasons for my new-found optimism. Firstly, an offer I put in on a lovely little one bed flat in Walthamstow was accepted on Friday, which means that I am about to spunk 90% of my life savings in one go and get myself into horrendous debt for the next 25 years - yippee! Seriously though, I'm well chuffed. Don't worry, I am well aware that it could all go belly up before completion but I'm one step closer to fulfilling one of my biggest life goals. And that's not all. The owner of the City Pride pub, Luigi, has agreed for me to hold a little exhibition in his function room - cool, eh? Again, I'm not getting too excited until it actually happens, but hopefully from 18th February for two weeks, Tuesday to Friday, you'll be able to pop along and have a gander at my stuff - oh, and Luigi is going to be offering a discount on his authentic Italian food for anyone visiting the show. I know I for one will be taking advantage of his hospitality... get the dates in your diary. But before I leave you all too it to go chase my mortgage broker and design my exhibition poster, I leave you with a final thought. Yesterday I finished Miranda Hart's book, Is It Just Me? Okay, I admit it Miranda, it took me a while to warm to your style, but it has been a while since reading about yoga and motherhood has made me laugh out loud on the tube. And, as for the last chapter on Dreams, the lady has it spot on. You see, Ms Hart always wanted to be a comedy actress, but it wasn't until her mid twenties that she even dared admit it to herself. And, love her or hate her, you have to admit the girl's done good. And she never would have if she hadn't taken that deep breath and put herself out there. Which, come the 18th February, I shall be doing once more, this time with my art. Wish me luck. Oh, and if you come along and decide that you hate it, I won't be offended if you forget to tell me... Well, what a week. What with unofficial Christmas drinks with friends, mountains of cake and mince pies in the office and two food-laden parties, I'm already feeling as stuffed as a turkey! Hopefully there will be a bit of respite now until the big day, when I will be cooking roast pork for my ma and pa. Yes, my mother has given me free rein of the kitchen on Christmas Day. I just hope she's also stocked up on plenty of wine to help me along... Like most of you, today I shall be doing some last minute shopping before meeting some chums at the Serpentine Gallery. I'm in the process of convincing them to go to the Winter Wonderland after but this is proving more of a challenge. This weekend I shall also squeezing in a final run to keep the muffin top at bay and finishing off a couple of homemade Christmas presents which I started last night in front of Love Actually (Christmas movie number one - The Muppet Christmas Carol is scheduled for the epic parcel wrapping session tomorrow). Sadly I can't publish any photos of my handiwork yet or it would spoil the surprise... but I'm pleased with how they're turning out. Well, as we're all so busy, I shall say goodbye for now. Oh, and Merry Christmas one and all. I have a feeling it's going to be a good one... Evening all! Well I don’t know about you lot but, for a change, I’m pooped. This week, however, it is for a good reason. You see, I’ve just got back from a day at Twickenham watching the Barbarians play Fiji with my pa. It’s the first time I’ve been to a rugby match – and the first time I’ve managed to coerce by dad down to London on his own – and I thoroughly enjoyed it. And, by the end of the match, I felt qualified to shout at the referee as much as everyone else. I mean, another video referee? Come on, man! Since last week’s blog, things have been, as always, busy – but in a good way. As well as enjoying the delights of London, from a spa and afternoon tea at the Montcalm Hotel (who knew finger sandwiches could be so good!), checking out Artist’s Who... private view in Bermondsey (on until 3rd December – so hop to it!) and today’s addition to my list of pastimes, I’ve been sampling the delights of our second largest city, Birmingham. I popped up there last weekend to check out the Christmas market (very nice), enjoy a curry in the Balti Triangle (Al Faisal’s to be exact – NOM!) and dance the night away (two nights running – oops!) and had a great time. But, you know what? Sorry Brum, but you’ve got a long way to go before you come anywhere close to my lovely London. However if you decide to donate that DKNY handbag I saw in Selfridges to Shelly Berry Original, I may be persuaded otherwise... In other news, I’ve been painting again. In fact I’ve been painting the same painting again. I decided that my latest offering needed touching up a bit - according to some people it doesn’t look any different, but I’m happier with it. But my palette is still out, just in case I decide to play with it a bit more. Oh, and keep an eye on my Tweets this week too for some special offers at the Shelly Berry Original Etsy shop, especially if you’re struggling for ideas writing that Christmas shopping list. Right, time for some ukulele practice – yep, added that to the list of hobbies this month too. Laters! Evening all! Well, it’s Saturday night and I’m enjoying a beer whilst I listen to my The Commitments soundtrack (I saw the show last night and LOVED it – but not quite as much as the film) and getting ready for a big night... snuggling under my blanket with a hot chocolate. It would appear that the fun and frolics of my birthday weekend have caught up with me and, coupled with a few late nights this week too (guys, you know who you are!), I’m pretty pooped. However, that doesn’t mean that I’ve let things slide at Shelly Berry Original. Oh, no. Today, ladies and gentlemen, is the first day of CRAFTfest, a virtual Christmas market where I am selling some of my art and crafts. This means that I have not only had to get my stall together but have also been promoting my rather rotund behind off! Keep an eye on Twitter to learn more and to see my pick of my fellow crafter’s work – and come back here to check out my special CRAFTfest blog next Saturday, which the lovely guys at Creative Connections will be promoting. Hurrah!
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go get in my pyjamas and replenish my Kettle Chips bowl. It’s gonna be a long night - and week... Good morning everyone! Well I hope you all survived the storm. I admit I was feeling very nervous about it last Sunday when setting up my stall at Merton Abbey Mills Craft Market with my esteemed fellow arty type Laura (click here to check out her stuff!). Luckily, we both survived with nothing more serious than a bit of windburn - and despite the of a giggle and enjoyed some live music, I for one don't have the time - or the thermals - to become a seasoned stall holder. So I have decided to sign up to CRAFTfest - the virtual craft extravaganza created by Creative Connections. My page is now online here so come and take a look. Craftfest goes live on 16th November so hopefully I'll see a bit more traffic to my Etsy Store - woo hoo! In the meantime I have been catching up with my chums at Artists Who - and been inspired by their work and their passion for the creative life. I shall be going along to their private view on November 29th to check out their exhibition - and to give myself a kick up the bottom too! If you fancy seeing what they are up to, check them out here - or head over to the Vibe Gallery and Bar, 100 Clements Road SE16 between 28th November - 3rd November. Have good week folks! Hello my lovelies. Again I have been more than a little slack when it has come to updating my wee blog. I know it’s a poor excuse, but life has been a bit hectic – the day job has been getting in the way (BOO!), flat hunting has been getting me all a bit stressed out (ARRRGH!) and people have been, well, getting on my nerves (GRRR!). Yes, my friends, it is time for a rant. The day job has been, to say the least, trying of late. Okay, so I’ve only been back for one week after a fortnight break, but it took me about half of my holiday to repair the damage that such a draining situation has caused. This is especially annoying as, not only have I been feeling completely wiped out after a day in the office, I have been left with no energy to do the things that I want to do – namely, the things that I write about in this blog. As for the flat hunting... well, at first it was kind of exciting finally looking to buy my own place. But several viewing no-shows and a general lacklustre service from practically every estate agent I have approach has left me feeling more than a little disheartened. But I shall stop there – planning a blog on the subject for AngloInfo later this month – watch this space! Then, along with the pressures that my employers and customers put on me and the trials of tribulations of trying to get estate agents to HELP YOU when your budget doesn’t allow for the kind of commission that gets them all excited, I’ve recently come across quite a few people who are, quite honestly, not very nice. Yes, there are the perpetrators who cause my customers such grief, but there are also people who have unbalanced the status quo in my private life – and the lives of those I love. The people who think that it is absolutely fine to cheat on their partners, lie to get a someone into bed and to sleep with their long term friends – only to dump their friendship when a new girl/boyfriend comes along who disapproves of their new squeeze having mates of the opposite sex. Even worse, there are then the people who seem to think it is absolutely fine to abuse their partners – physically, mentally, and/or emotionally. People like this make me ANGRY. But, folks, before you reach for the vodka – THERE IS HOPE! You see, whilst I have been observing from afar – and occasionally a bit closer – such disagreeable behaviour, I have also met some really inspiring people. People who, despite being abused, bereaved and sometimes emotionally damaged by the kind of people I have written about above, have stayed strong. In fact, they have not only stayed strong and laid to rest their demons, they’ve also reached out to help other people who are in more pain and have less confidence to let go move on with their lives. People who are truly inspiring and keep me going when things are looking more than a little bit grim. You know who you are ladies. Thank you for saving my sanity. So, there you have it. My blog for this week/fortnight/month, depending on how the next few weeks go. But, just to prove that I am still writing and painting – albeit not as much as I would like - here is the link to my London Staycation blog on the aforementioned AngloInfo website and a snap of my latest artwork in progress. Hopefully to follow soon will be a couple of guest blogs – and maybe the above pic in its completed glory. Keep smiling! Happy Friday one and all! I don’t want to know how long it is since I last blogged here but I know it’s been a while. Sorry about that, but, well, I’ve been really rather busy, mainly putting my body through hell whilst having a bloody good time. Those of you who read my Overground Underground blog (http://blogs.angloinfo.com/underground-overground/2013/06/05/mountains-and-molehills/) will know I’ve just been to Peru – and have since fallen in love with it – and anyone who follows me on Twitter (https://twitter.com/lovehatelondon) will also know that this week has been dedicated to recovering from a really rather wonderful weekend at the Isle of Wight Festival. It would appear that standing in a field bopping to a plethora of bands for four days starts to hurt in your thirties... So, needless to say, my creative endeavours have taken a back seat over the last month or so – but not completely. Following two rejections from literary agents (FOOLS!) I have written to two more, and managed to squeeze in a writing session between my jolly jaunts too. Other than that, I admit I’ve not done a lot – but I’ve had a break and am rearing to go. Of course, going to far flung places and being able to take a step back from the day to day grind has given me space to reflect, gain perspective – and be inspired. The stresses of work aren’t getting to me anywhere near as much as they did pre-Peru, and I thank the country for reminding me what is important in life – and not to sweat the small stuff. And, as corny as it sounds, it brought me back to earth – as in it reminded me how beautiful the world can be, even when it pushes you to your limits. So, on the way home I made this little sketch – and intend to turn it into a painting some time soon. Another great thing about travelling (and the silver lining of long haul flights with dreary stop-overs in dull airports) is that you get time to read – and devour a book in 24 hours. I practically inhaled Margaret Atwood’s The Year of the Flood and found myself nodding away to Caitlin Moran’s How to be a Woman – and have been inspired to get the paints out to celebrate womanhood too. No doubt I shall produce a collage or two to record my time in Cuzco, the Sacred Valley and those amazing mountains whilst I am at it.
Watch this space.... It’s funny old world, isn’t it? This time last week, I was knackered. I’d been out four nights in a row with only Monday night off to recover after a week of hedonism with my mate Lisa (There’s a rumour going around that we’re not good for each other. Can’t think why.) and, after a gruelling week at work, I was more than ready for a weekend hibernating in my flat – and very nearly cancelled my catch up with fellow arty-type and good friend Laura. Laura was pretty knackered too, but like the troopers we are, we hauled our arses out of our pits and met for an exchange of collages (I’d left a couple of creations at Laura’s last time we met), a mooch around the South London Gallery, tea, cake, and a bit of mutual mentoring. You see, Laura and I have “buddied up” and meet once a month to talk about how we have been getting on with our respective projects – and offer moral support when things haven’t quite gone according to plan. We both work full time, have busy social and home lives and often find focusing on our creative pursuits more than a little challenging. Laura admitted that she had not done as much of her “to do” list as she had hoped – but had the excuse of a new voluntary job, manic work schedule and an addiction to Coursera – a directory of free online courses on anything from philosophy, social networking and mathematics. Take a look at your peril – Laura is currently signed up to about half a dozen courses... So, last week was busy. This week, however... has been pretty dead. Other than a rather dull evening meeting I’ve been in every night – which, whilst relaxing, does lead to a bit of cabin fever, along with an over-indulgence of jaffa cakes. Having said that, it has been a rather productive week. I’ve caught up with my writing (novel number two is at about 12,000 words and counting) and have been getting on with a bit of crafting. Not only have I made my mum a snood (modelled by Dog below) and a rosette-style brooch to accompany her ticket to see Carmen for her Birth/Mother’s Day treat, I’ve made Breezy, a metre-long beast of a draught excluder commissioned by a chum who has unusually wide doors. And tonight I’ve titivated my collage “Fist” yet again... keep an eye on the “Art” section of this website for its unveiling once I decide it’s finished.
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THE JUICEHere you will find my latest news, including what I have been up to and what I have been writing (and making). Hopefully you'll like what I have to say - and perhaps I will motivate you to get creative too... Archives
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