High days and holidays

What a summer! So much sunshine and great trips out and away. I've survived the juggle of entertaining the children, decorating, doing the allotment and garden (I had to set to making jam as soon as we returned from holiday as the freezer had started to defrost and I couldn't bear to see all that good fruit go to waste). We had holidays in Yorkshire and Norfolk and soaked up sun, foraged for food (nettle bread on the campfire) and watched the stars (but missed the meteors). I fell in love with knitting and have clocked up a snood, some fingerless gloves and half a cardigan. I love that I can carry it with me and create something in the gaps between other activities. It is also like a walking meditation, creating something one stitch at a time. Dotted through the holidays were visits from friends and visits to friends and picnic after picnic.....

And now I am relishing the back-to-school routines; the new shoes and coats.....the peace and quiet and being back in the studio! But time is short and I have a busy autumn planned out that you can find out more about here.

The summer can't end though until the art festival season is over. This year I am exhibiting at the Melbourne Festival in Derbyshire which takes place this coming weekend (September 14th/15th). I love exhibiting there.  Having taken part in both the Wirksworth and Melbourne Festivals last year, this year I decided to treat myself to just visiting Wirksworth and enjoying the Art Trail. When you are exhibiting it is so hard to get out and enjoy the town; the music, art and street performance. My favourite exhibitors were Michael Cook and Split-Tin Guitars. Since I last had the chance to mooch around Wirksworth, lots of new shops have arrived and we visited 'The Northern Light Cinema' for the first time and can't wait to go back to see a film in this beautiful, trendy-retro cinema bar.

Northern Light Cinema

'Granny Smith' window

So after a relaxing Wirksworth experience I have a long to-do list to get done ahead of setting up for Melbourne Festival on Friday. I have work at the framers, I've collected my prints, including a couple of new ones. I have a head full of sun kissed landscapes waiting to come out and can't wait to splash some paint around!