Calendars and the Coast

Last year, when I did Open Studios in September, followed by an ARTSTUFF stall in November, I sold out of all the calendars I had made, and I kept being asked ‘Haven’t you got any calendars this year?’ and I kept having to explain ‘Well, I did have calendars . . . ‘ and I made a note that this year I needed to make more calendars!

Up until now a friend has put the wire binding on for me, but in the interests of being more flexible, and being able to make more at short notice if I need to, I have invested in a brilliant ‘Calendar making Kit’ from Joyce & Co. Ltd, who have been ‘suppliers to the printing and finishing industry since 1834’! And I was very impressed with them. I ordered on Monday afternoon and it came on Tuesday morning. The ‘kit’ comprises a Socon Studio Wire Binding Machine, a Calendar Buddy thumbcut punch (which makes the little half moon hole at the top), 100 of the binding wires coated in white, and 100 ‘calendar hangers’ also white ( these are the little looped pieces of wire which thread into the binding so you can hang the calendar up – pretty obvious really!)

So – this year, as I’m doing two weekends of ‘Open Studios’ – (have I mentioned this before – I’m doing TWO WEEKENDS OF OPEN STUDIOS!) – I’m going to make twice as many calendars, to start with, but will have the capability to make some more as a rush job before I have my next ARTSTUFF stall, so no possibility of running out this year. I have planned a general one such as I usually do, with a mix of land and seascapes and dinghies, and second one which will be a ‘From my Garden’ calendar,  with the twelve little flower still life paintings which I did throughout last year. My Open Studio dates are 17/18th September and 24/25th September, open each day from 11.00am – 6.00pm – put the dates in your diary now! I’d be so pleased to see you if you are in the area.

It has been SO HOT here this week, that yesterday seemed a good day to go down to Walton to check how my Naze Tower exhibition is going. The answer was not very encouraging, but it was lovely on the beach, which made up for it.

I had a long paddle, and then a snack at the lovely new Essex Wildlife Trust centre, and then walked along the cliffs up the point where the sea wall curves round at Hamford Water and the Walton backwaters of ‘Secret Water’ fame. The sea and sky rarely achieves this degree of summer blue . . . . .

It is a little cooler here, today, with a breeze, so I have been finishing off a notarial Faculty for someone in Brisbane, and I’m hoping to finish off painting Essex Wood: July later, if it’s not too hot in the studio – so keep an eye out in the next day or two for it going up in the gallery.

Hope you’re managing to keep cool whatever you’re doing 🙂