Happy Sunday everyone! I hope you are all having a lovely weekend. I've been trying to recuperate after a rather busy week. Out of Hours opened on Tuesday with a little private view for some of my chums. Much wine and pizza was consumed and I sold two pieces! WOO HOO! Now I just have to do it all over again this week, but perhaps with a little less of the vino... So apart from cleaning my flat and a spot of DIY (very proud of myself for unblocking my sink all on my own - knitting needles really do have multiple uses) today I'm going to read through novel numero uno again in the first time in, well, about 18 months. I'm investigating getting it professionally edited and published as an ebook, but want to go through it again myself first to check I'm still happy to put it out there... So that's pretty much me. It's been a whirlwind of a week, and work and the flat buying saga haven't exactly been letting up whilst I've been muddling on with my creative pursuits. Someone tweeted me the other day when I said I'd just paid a solicitor several hundred pounds to do things I didn't really understand, advising me that it was essentially to do not a lot as slowly as possible. Simon, you have a point... I'm just happy to say that it's the vendor's solicitor who is causing the delay, not mine. Unfortunately this means there isn't much I can do about it... Laters!
0 Comments
Greetings! Well, it's Sunday, which means two things. One, you should all be looking forward to sitting down to a lovely roast dinner and two... THERE'S ONLY THREE DAYS LEFT UNTIL MY EXHIBITION!!! Well, it's been a manic few weeks, but I think I'm getting there. The invites have been sent, the listings have been created and the tweets have been, erm, tweeted. In fact, all I need to do now is print out some blurbs and labels, finalise my food and wine order for the private view (want to come? Then contact me!) and sort out my play list. Oh, and get all my work down to Clerkenwell on Monday night. Ah... So, I admit, life at Shelly Berry Towers (a.k.a. my little flat) has been a little bit blinkered to the up and coming Out of Hours of late - but I have been keeping up with the writing, honest! Novel number two is nearing its final 20,000 words, and I've been celebrating being single in the city at Anglo Info - in fact, I've come to the conclusion that Valentines Day is much better when enjoyed on your own. Not convinced? Well read my latest Underground Overground blog and let me persuade you... Anyway, I better get off and organised so I can enjoy a bit of sunshine and a nice bit of Sunday dinner before the weekend comes to a close. See you all at the City Pride for my show soon... 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... 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... Well, it’s certainly been a while since I blogged here hasn’t it? I hope you all caught my latest contribution to Anglo info, but it you didn’t click here to read my thoughts on buying in London. Yes, you read that correctly – buying. It is possible, I promise. If you’re willing to compromise... So, what have I been up to since I last shared my news here? Well last month I went to a Hen Do up in Sheffield which, including cocktails and karaoke, was a traditional affair with a bit of crafting thrown in for good measure. The day started with pot and glass painting and fascinator making which was right up my street. I was quite chuffed with my creations but sadly won’t get my champagne flute until the Big Day in July – but was reunited with a mixing bowl I painted up there last summer when visiting another friend.
think Real Ales, live music and a plethora of stalls selling food – and crafts. I succumbed to a traditional narrow boat lantern, painted in primary colours that now proudly sits in my little terrace – and bought one for a friend too. There were plenty of other examples of English craft and culture on show, from the cringe worthy (Morris Dancers), the tasty (fudge – mmm!), the alcoholic (a wee dram anyone?) to a surprisingly good One Man Band and puppeteer – who could not only sing but got my toes tapping too! As you can probably tell, I proper enjoyed myself – and intend to go the Angel event in September too for a free canoe lesson and more pot painting.
The rest of the Bank Holiday was filled with other traditional activities (read barbequing and drinking) and by the end of it I was pretty knackered. But, a week on, I can’t wait for the next one. Which I will be in Peru for. Doubt that one will be particularly relaxing either... You know what? I feel a bit sorry for my man. Not only has he been stuck with me for longer than I care to admit, but, when he stayed with me down here in London last week, it appeared that the gods were against us. On Monday we hit Soho to check out Time Out’s vintage shopping trail followed with a goldfish bowl of gin at Star in the Sky – only to discover on our arrival that it was closed. On Saturday we headed to the Natural History Museum to see the Wildlife Photography Award – but tickets had sold out. The following day brunch was scuppered by some black pudding that had decided to grow a slimy grey coating whilst still within the use-by date and our Sunday matinee was cut short when my DVD player decided to have a hissy-fit halfway through Three Lions.
The poor lamb. But, you know what? These unfortunate incidents turned out to be less disastrous than I thought. In fact, you could almost call them happy accidents. Rather than admitting defeat, we swapped gin in Soho for beer in Finsbury Park, and Soho Joe’s for Papagones, who make up for any shortfalls in the pizza department with chocolate and hazelnut ice cream to DIE for. Photography was replaced with a rather successful shopping trip (especially as HMV had started to accept gift vouchers again), black pudding with the much healthier option of grilled tomatoes (which incidentally go very well with a bit of pepper sauce) and the movie with a games of cards – made all the better by my inevitable victory (ha!). So, my point? Well, just because things don’t always turn out the way you hoped doesn’t mean that other good stuff won’t happen. Last Friday I had a horrendous interview for a job I really wanted. Needless to say my impersonation of a rabbit caught in headlights did not impress the interview panel and I was not successful. I admit I was gutted – and telling my workmates was excruciating, especially as everyone expected me to do well. But, you know what? Maybe it wasn’t meant to be. Just like it wasn’t meant to be for me to find a publisher last year, or for me to be discovered by a best-selling glossy, Charles Saatchi or a hip and happening craft shop in Shoreditch. But that’s okay. Because something much better is just around the corner. And I fully intend to have a bit of fun whilst I find it. My festive flat! Here I am again, sat on a cramped train on my way back to London after a weekend ooop north. I guess I should consider it training as, in pretty much exactly a week’s time, I shall be starting my annual epic Christmas journey to festivities in Nottinghamshire, Yorkshire and Durham – with a hell of a lot more baggage. Yes, the Christmas crush has started – and although it has been more than a little manic, I think I am winning. Apart from a bit of something from Fortnum and Mason for my beau (bet that has got him thinking, he he) and a mad rush back to House of Fraser after some rather disappointing customer service from Yodel (summary: parcel left with neighbour who denied all knowledge of it, no customer service phone or email, and, to round off the saga, when I finally retrieved the package it was damaged and the mother in law’s gift smashed) I have my shopping under control and a week to get it all wrapped up in front of my festive fairy lights and lots of crappy Christmas telly - I’ve already watched my faves Love Actually and a Muppet Christmas Carol! All my Christmas cards are written and posted to the correct addresses, and I managed to avoid a major faux pas by double checking the name of an old mate’s fella – and not addressing it to her horrible ex instead – eek! I’ve also managed to survive my work do with minimal damage, impressing my manager with my figs wrapped in Parma ham and winning the hearts of my colleagues with homemade Christmas Bakewell tart. The less about the following shots of tequila and karaoke the better... Even if hangovers and indigestion hit, I’ve had my highlights done and getting my barnet restyled on Friday too. Teamed with my new sparkly top and deluxe reindeer antlers, there will be no stopping me when the celebrations start in earnest when I finish work on Thursday. And, as if the Christmas countdown hasn’t been keeping me on my toes enough, I’ve been busy elsewhere too! For starters... I’VE OPENED MY ETSY SHOP! Hurrah! Check me out at www.etsy.com/ship/ShellyBerryOriginal - and please tell me what you think. I’ve already been told that I should be concentrating on my paintings and piccies rather than my crafts but would love to hear other opinions too.
for telling me about them! Unfortunately I have to admit I have been procrastinating a wee bit about another task on my to do list, and that is to start novel number two – DAN DAN DAAAA! Actually, I did start writing it a long time ago but got distracted by what soon became novel number one, and I fully intended to be picking it up where I left it on this very train journey – but appear to not have it saved onto my trusty netbook but have tucked away on my external hard drive back at home. I just need to dig it out, dust it off and get typing... before 2013 rolls in at least :)
Well, that’s all for now folks... I guess it just leaves me to say MERRY CHRISTMAS! |
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
August 2015
Categories
All
|