Girl With A Drill

Big excitement yesterday when my friend John arrived out for a visit and gave me an old drill he no longer wanted. I have been having to rely on the kindness of friends to drill stones for my hand painted pendants over the past couple of years and had decided that I must save up for a drill so I could do the job myself. Now I only have to buy a vice to hold them and I'm in business.

I have only twelve drilled stones left since I completed a few commissions for people over the winter (mainly rabbit portraits and one horse!). My latest order came from the US and was for a blonde pomeranian dog. Eventually it will end up in Hawaii as it is intended as a christmas gift. Some of my prevous pendants can be seen at Passion For Paint

Today I have to finish off a commission for an Elvis stone again destined for the US plus a Christmas card as part of an exchange programme I'm involved in with other artists so there is some pressure on. Fortunately with daylight saving here in New Zealand I can finish up some work in the evening after I've finished my farm chores.

Good Intentions

With so many other artists and writers creating blogs I have decided to join the herd. I fight to find time to complete my artwork and to keep up to date with my writing. Being bought up in a home where you didn't do anything you enjoyed till you have finished your housework I find some days a struggle to get to my painting table. Hopefully completing this blog on a frequent basis will give me the impetus I need to put creating first.

Lately I have discovered ACEOS or ATCs. Loving to paint small as I do they are easy to work on although being the detail freak that I am I still manage to spend too long on them. I have sold two on Ebay so far but with life becoming so busy I don't forsee being able to get back to them till early next year.

At the moment I am completing work for the Creative Hastings Gallery Christmas Sale held from the end of November to Christmas Eve each year. Despite all my good intentions of starting work in June I only began in October. I am trying to get at least three hours of painting done per day but will still feel as if I haven't done enough when I take my work down to the gallery in two weeks. Over 100 Hawkes Bay artists and craftspeople take part in this event and I must compliment the staff at Creative Hastings who really work hard selling our work. So many galleries are renown for being snobbish and elitist so it's nice to find one which is inclusive and friendly.