Inspired Naturally – Kate MacAndrew, artist and school workshop leader based in Derbyshire

Here’s what my pheasant painting is looking like now – there’s still lots and lots of feathers to put in … think I might be sick of them by the time I’m finished!

I have been so busy this week! I am also off to York tomorrow for a long weekend for my OH’s birthday but before I go I just wanted to say that the Hello Soul. Hello Business e-course by Kelly Rae and Beth is knocking my socks off – It is absolutely brilliant and it’s only just started. I can’t wait for the next 9 weeks and to see what it will bring to my business.

Have a lovely weekend and I’ll be back next week

I just thought I’d pop by again and leave you with this little clip from Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle …

 ….it always makes me smile

This year my goals look like this:

* Complete the Great North Run again and enjoy training for it

*Complete the London Moonwalk again

* Keep my new gym routine up, going 2 – 3 times a week

*Try to experiment with different types of food to make mealtimes more exciting

*Dedicate time to painting so I get the chance to complete more original pieces of artwork

* Continue experimenting with my sewing machine

* Have fun preparing for the BCTF in Harrogate

* Seek out new possibilities for all aspects of my business

 Sources:

1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8

Do you have a list of goals for 2012? 

I can’t believe it’s been 4 months since I posted an update on my newest painting. The fact that I’m still a long way off finishing goes to show how busy I have been with other things! I can’t wait to be able to sit down and crack on with it (similar to when I painted this last year)

I am both dreading and looking forward to tackling the tiny feathers on the back of the bird – I always like a good challenge

Here’s a final look back at 2011, month by month. It’s amazing how much you forget until you go back and remind yourself what you have done over the course of the year!

1. In January we brought our ‘girls’ home! Bunty, Mac, Ginger & Pickles all settled in nicely in January.

2. In February my work was made available in Created Gallery in Chesterfield.

3. My other half and I visited Paris in March and loved every second.

4. In April we got the chance to visit Yorkshire and go adder watching with wildlife artist Andrew Hutchinson.

5. In May I completed my second Moonwalk (this time the 13.1 mile distance) in London to raise money for a breast cancer charity.

6. William was adopted by us from the RSPCA in June and he has been a wonderful addition to our home ever since.

7. In July I was was able to devote more time to painting and made good progress with my eagle owl.

8. The very lovely Bonnie Forkner took part in my third Inspirational Blogger Interview in August

9. In September I posted the A – Z of me

10. In October I celebrated my 24th birthday and the lovely Suzie Banks wrote a fab guest post for me.

11. November was so busy and saw me move house AND take part in my most successful fair to date.

12. In December I enjoyed a quiet Christmas and also took part in a charity Santa 4 mile run to raise money for a children’s hospice.

Phew! I’ve done quite a bit really! How did the last 12 months look for  you?

Here’s to another busy but enjoyable 2012!

Spending Christmas at home with my family and friends was definitely what my body needed. After weeks of being constantly on the go I fell ill (which I mentioned in my last post) and it was eventually on Christmas Eve that I started to feel much better. I think relaxing and winding down was what was necessary for me!

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas, whatever you got up to. I am very much looing forward to seeing what 2012 brings but before I say goodbye to 2011 completely, I thought I’d share with you a few photos I have taken over the last week:

I was lucky to have two trees this year – I love decorating trees!

 I have also enjoyed decorating other parts of my house…

…and I was very lucky to receive lots of lovely presents which included some Belle and Boo items I love…

The ‘Found’ print to go beside my ‘Lost’ print by Mandy Sutcliffe

a wall decal/sticker to go up in my new office

and a beautiful Boo cushion which I have found a home for in my lounge.

I hope you all enjoy the rest of the holiday and I wish you a very Happy New Year!!

Santa's on The Run!

(The above photo was taken of my auntie and I at the ‘Santa’s on the Run’ event before we completed a 4 mile run to raise money for a local children’s hospice.)

It’s only 6 more sleeps until Santa and that means it’s been too long since my last post! After a whirlwind few weeks what with moving house, a Christmas Fair to prepare for, commissions to complete (not to mention Christmas shopping for friends and family) it has all finally caught up with me. Since last weekend I have been under the weather, suffering from extreme headaches I am due at the doctors later this morning for a second time to see if there’s anything else he can do for me.

That said, I wanted to pop by and wish you all a very merry Christmas and share with you some of the fun things I have been up to over the last few weeks:

I have enjoyed the frosty mornings and capturing these with my camera

I have enjoyed watching William settle into his new home

and enjoyed decorating my Christmas trees.

I have very nearly finished wrapping my presents and am looking forward to having a proper rest over the next couple of weeks. Whatever your plans are for Christmas and New Year have a lovely time!

Hello and happy December to you! I have just seen the brief intro to me I completed a while ago has now been put up on Hatch’d Magazine. Hatch’d Magazine is an online magazine promoting the creative arts and artists in Derbyshire. You can read more here

Phew! I have only just managed to draw breath after a manic couple of weeks and it’s already nearly December!

The last 2 weeks have seen me pack ready to move house, move, unpack everything AND take part in the biggest event for me of the year – the Fabulous Places Christmas Market. (all over the same weekend – madness!)

I have been in my new house for less than a week and the internet has been playing up so whilst it’s working and before I go out for another fair tonight, I thought I’d quickly drop by and show you a few images of my stand last weekend: (I apologise for the poor photo quality – the lighting wasn’t great when we set up the evening before!)

It was a great event and I had a very successful weekend. It was lovely to chat to both old and new customers – it has definitely put me in the festive spirit! It was also lovely to launch my new reversible bags, mugs and collage packs which I hope to put up for sale in my online shops soon, ready for Christmas.

I am planning to be back into full blogging mode next week when our internet should be working properly and everything has been sorted out in the new house.

Have a great weekend everybody!