Busy, busy, busy !

As usual things have been busy here :-)  

On top of working I've been away quite a bit in my campervan. We often don't get much of a summer over here so I have to take advantage when I can :-)

This is such a beautiful country and I can drive an hour away and be a forest, or up a mountain, or by the side of a lake. And it costs me little more then staying at home all weekend...so off I go :-)

I've been to quite a few really amazing weekend art / music festivals and I also went to Glastonbury again this year. Couldn't get a campervan spot this year so had to camp in a small tent..... it rained most off the time so I spent most of  it very wet but it was well worth it :-) Glastonbury still has a very hippy / arty vibe...I wish they'd show that on the TV rather than just the main stages. I could spend a week there and never see a big name band and still be happy. There are so many opportunities to learn a new art.

In between I've managed to keep up with my commissions so I'll leave you with some photos of a few plants I've made recently.

May ? Already ?

I cannot believe how quickly this year is going. How is it May already.

Maybe it is just cause I am getting older but time is really moving too fast for my liking.

Maybe it is just cause I've been busy. Whatever it is it needs to slow down :-)

I am also now on Pinterest....yeah months behind everyone else as usual. 

 Great place if you have an hour or six to look at everything you could ever imagine. 

Come over and follow me if you are on there.

Anyhooo, here are a few commissions I've been working on recently

Miniatura

It's Spring Miniatura time !

Luckily for me it is held in my home town Birmingham. I've moved to the neighbouring county now but it is still only a short train ride for me.

I've only ever been once and I am guessing it was in the 80's. Although I wasn't making back then I still had an interest in minis :-) Back then it was a very small affair in a room at a local hotel so this huge event at the NEC will be very different.

I am super excited to go...not because of anything I might buy, in fact I have no plans to buy much really but....I can't wait to meet many of my mini friends. Some of whom I've known for many, many years.

After years of chatting online we finally get to meet ....wooo !

I am still being kept busy with custom orders but every now and then I get a gap which gives me the chance to make something from my own imagination....and here is the latest....Bonita.

I have been terribly lax at keeping this blog up to date....one of those things I keep meaning to do but never got round to.

My time has been spent mainly mini making and I've had a number of commission in half scale which has been challenging but fun.

 

Here is a selection some of the custom orders I've made so far this year :-)

Click on the photos for a more detailed view.

Half Scale Dandelions

My interpretation of the Fanged Geranium from Harry Potter

My interpretation of the Flitterbloom from Harry Potter

Half Scale

 

Half Scale herb and dried flower bunches

 

Back soon with more new creations :-) In the meantime I am on facebook quite a bit so you can always see what I am up to there.

Tallulah Belle facebook

Happy New Year....very belated !

So much for my plans of being back working on the 7th January ! The best laid plans and all that.

I spent New Year camping in a very wet Bedgellert, Wales. Barely stopped raining the entire time but it wasn't at all cold so didn't stop me enjoying being out in the fresh air. I love being outside and try to remember that there is no such thing as bad weather, just inappropriate clothing !

 

Ive been so delayed due to having to do self employed taxes for the first time in the UK. I used to whizz though my USA ones so assumed it would be the same....hmmmm no. Once I got used to all the different terminology it was easy but I had to spend a load of time reading before I got there. Next year should be a doddle :-)

One good thing came out of it though, I learned a load about my spending habits. Actually that wasn't such a good thing !

I have spent soooo much money on 'supplies'   I had to leave the majority of  the bits and pieces I'd collected over the years in America so was literally starting from scratch again. The cost soon mounts up when you have nothing. All my old stuff didn't go to waste though, my neighbors young daughter was a budding artist and I gave her everything. She still sends me photos of the art she is creating.

So.....my goal for this year is to not buy anything new. I will carry on making but only using supplies I already have.

I am definitely looking forward to the challenge of looking at my 'stuff' with different eyes and it might make for some interesting miniatures.