This is it, the week of my big walk! I am nervous, excited and nervous again. I also have one a week on Thursday too, which will be a little more tricky as it is just me and one other leading, but I think this route is much more straight forward and there will be only one big hill to contend. It is strange the mixed feelings I have about it, I really hope it goes OK as I want to do go a good job for Liz and the nordic walking crew who have welcomed me so completely and genuinely into their lovely group. I really can’t say how much of a lovely group of people they are, and I hope the business continues to grow and expand for Liz. She has developed such a lovely nordic walking group. I shall be sure to update how it went.

Coming up this week pet portrait wise, we have a gorgeous Jack Russell called Taffy, this will be a pastel pet portrait and…….Remi, Remi will be in a medium that I don’t use very often and I love. Graphite. There are some fantastic graphite artists out there, I would love to be as good as them one day, but I just don’t get the time to practice other mediums that often. I really want to try this idea in acrylics I believe I hinted at in another blog post. As soon as I feel like I might get a chance life crops up! Such as my daughter breaking her arm! However I plan to give myself a month off to play with ideas soon. Probably early to middle of next year! Maybe sooner. I need to make sure I can pay myself when I take that time off!

It’s been a horrible and sticky day today hasn’t it. I have struggled to work in it as it has been so humid. I have framed my latest Jolly Splashes pet portraits, Pepper and Tilly. They will be off to their new homes this week to go next to their fur sister Bella. I kept the colours similar to Bella so they look good hanging (hopefully) on the wall together. I hope my client will send me an image to show me when they are hung, so I can share with you too! We shall see. I will ask.

I have started Taffy’s portrait. A Jack Russell terrier with gorgeous sticky up ears. I shall write a little blog on her soon. And I am also starting Remi’s portrait tomorrow, so lots to be writing about. For now I am downing tools and getting ready to head off to my evening walk. Hopefully I won’t melt in this ridiculous humidity! Back tomorrow!

Buzzing or what! Hahaha. I did it, I lead my first nordic walk. I feel so lucky I have such a fabulous group of friends who came to support me on my first walk. No expectations just a laugh. I am so pleased I have finally done it. I never would have believed i would have had the confidence to do this a year ago. OK I am not going to lie, I am still nervous about the one I have next week and I am sure I will continue to be as I want to get things right for the walkers and Liz. But for now I am just delighted I had the courage to do this!

I think lack of sleep has really taken its toll on me. I have had a good day, a productive day, or so I thought, until I realised I painted from the wrong reference image for Taffy’s pet portrait. I don’t often do things like this, and it is more of an inconvenience than a major issue, just more late nights fixing the problem! I will though, I actually prefer the portrait this way and I have sent it to my clients to see what they think, but of course I will repaint it if they want. My clients satisfaction is the most important thing as always!

I thought I should show you Pepper and Tilly’s watercolour portraits, I am not going to dedicate a blog to them, time is not on my side. But they deserve to be shown as I am rather proud of them!

I keep saying it enough, but I will get back to proper blogging very, very soon! Please bear with me, sometimes life just gets in the way!

Today I was still shattered, I think I might be fighting a low lying virus or something. I hope to feel a lot better soon. I spend a good portion of the day having my hair done. I always get frustrated when I feel the need to be working but I can’t. However my hair needed doing and there is nothing wrong with a bit of me time is there hahaha! I spent the rest of the day revisiting Taff’s portrait and hope to have that finished tomorrow. Tilly and Pepper’s portraits were also posted out. You can’t say I don’t cram a lot into my day! As then I went on a long dog/nordic walk round Chevening making sure the route is OK for the walk I am leading next week! Then back to work more on Taffy!