I’ve just not known what to write about this past year, everything seems to have been ‘up in the air’ – now that we are following the map out of lockdown, some normality is on the horizon, things look really promising don’t they? Let’s see what happens after this coming Monday 17th of May, we both had part one of the vaccine towards the end of March; and I applaud the speed of which this vaccination programme has been rolled out!
It’s been a long year in one way however, looking back – it’s flown by when I think about it. I have been able to take time out and experiment with different mediums and clays to my hearts content, although one of the clays I tried – ‘Grace Clay’ dried so fast I found it almost impossible to work with, the shrinkage was quite a surprise too, I don’t think I’ll be using that one so much, she says with a big eye roll, I have to say that polymer clay is still my favourite, maybe because of my years of experience using it; and, being used to its workability and properties.
Going back to selling online because of the restrictions regarding live shows, meant I needed to buy new studio lamps for photographing the miniatures, my old ones had gone kaput – things are so different since I last looked at these things, I didn’t know where to start! That’s all back in place now and it means I still have a handful of miniatures in my Etsy store and I’ll be topping it up over the next couple of weeks in line with the Kensington onlne Showcase, there’s an online store ‘plugin’ available with this new website; and I suppose I should learn how to install and use it some time soon. Thank you to everyone who has bought from me this past year by the way, I truly appreciate it given the lack of live shows.
Our rehomed doggie has been with us since mid August and you’d think he’d lived here since a pup, he’s so settled and content! He was 16 months old when we brought him home, a few challenges over these past months as he’d had very little training, the worst being he pulled like a train… all this social distancing and the lockdowns have meant any training class was never going to happen, so we’ve been training him ourselves, still a way to go with him though! He loves to play with other dogs, so recall can be a bit hit and miss, as he has such a good time when playing with furry friends, he forgets you’re there! He’s a dream indoors, apart from a very loud bark for his size – which is lab size. Mum a Weimaraner and Dad chocolate Lab. He’s been a wonderful companion for me, as it meant I could go walking alone in the fields etc., rather than just around the streets. It’s been so restrictive hasn’t it? Odd feeling sometimes.
Six weeks left to an online course I chose to do in order to reboot my creativity. I think it might be all that has gone on this past year that had caused a creative block, most of us miniaturists are used to being at home and working alone each day, being at home is normal for us, I do think it’s all that was going on around that ‘blocked’ me personally. We’re all different; I’ve enjoyed the course a lot; so hopefully my creativity will be raring to go when I’ve completed it haha.
We had snow in April?! and I find it hard to believe we had a mini heatwave in March with rising temperatures of the low 20’s! I had my workroom doors open and it was 26C in there! It’s much much cooler for May too. Crazy weather. I’ve never seen as much blossom in the garden either; and we’ve been here almost 30 years. The plum and pear blossom was wonderful, their leaves are now open, still enjoying my Camellia which seems to be never-ending this year, I love it when gardens wake up, Spring is a joy and hints that summer is on its way, I think we’ll all be on a summer cloud nine given the promised freedom.
Stay well everyone, we’re nearly there!
