This is Goodbye x

Sadly, from the end of this year (2012) Paint Pots and Petals will be no more. After almost 3 years, we have decided it is time to focus on family who have been taking rather a back seat of late.  It is a decision that has been building up for a while but up until now I haven’t been able to let go, now I feel the time is right, after discussing it with K she also felt that she wouldn’t like to carry on alone, so sadly the Petals are saying goodbye. 

In some ways I feel sad as we had just sorted our logo, and I do love our designs and the feeling when you handover an order and the customer adores it.  In other ways, however, I feel excited about the future and my time returning to me. 

So… I thought I would leave you with my  ‘top ten Petal times’. x

1.     Our first stall at Chorley market, we have come a long way since. Technically this pic is not our first stall but maybe our 3^rd or 4^th but this was one of the first pictures to be taken, too sick with nerves on the first stall.

2.     Being part of CCC – especially the dressing up.

3.       My best bunting which sold like wildfire.

4.     Being part of something bigger – Create http://www.createchorley.co.uk/

5.     Making lots of great crafty friends, a lot of which are in this pic, excluding Lindsay Hoyle – not that I have anything against him, he was a funny guy but not a ‘crafty friend’ (unless of course he knits in his spare time perhaps??!)

6.     Extreme knitting – fun day out, my tip for visiting craft shows, always have a glass or two of wine with your lunch. The blog all about this day out >> http://www.paintpotsandpetals.blogspot.co.uk/2011/05/extreme-knitting.html

7.     Another great day out – yes wine was involved again.

  

8.     The murals, such a relaxing time, I am still really proud of littlest petals room - that particular blog is here http://www.paintpotsandpetals.blogspot.co.uk/2012/01/afternoon-with-bradley-cooper.html and proud of our time painting with our schools 

 

9.     After lots and lots of painting, it felt great re-discovering paper, in the form of papercutting 

10. This blog – I have loved blogging, although my blogs have recently been sparse, but it is lovely to receive comments and be able to look back at older posts and be reminded of forgotten moments in time. http://www.paintpotsandpetals.blogspot.co.uk/2011/12/ufo-and-resolutions.html  Oops, I never finished this – loads to do and I gave myself to the end of this year – better get going again, perhaps I’ll give myself another year! 

Well there you have it, a snapshot of the last 3 years.  All that remains is for me to say……

Byezebye from Nik (and the Petals), hey that sounds like a retro band name, but nope I cannot sing. xx

How's it going?

Just a little update - Create is still going well, although I haven't done a shift in what feels like ages our mural was updated the other week and is now all wintery:



All the Xmas stock has gone in and the window display has been re-arranged with xmassy stuff - and I have to admit it does look rather lovely, all warm and welcoming

Petals have been very busy (mostly K) painting stockings and wish lists, there are a few left so if you'd like a unique, personalised gift / decoration check out our facebook page and leave a message or email us your requirements.

PICS

I have been doing some very non-christmassy things (as is my wont) and have 3 more papercuts ready to go up for sale in Create this saturday.

One butterfly Lollipop may stand half a chance of catching.

                                   



Phew, didnt realise how much detail was on this.

now finished and framed, although I did chop one of the curls off by accident!

phew all finished and framed!

Anyhoo that is all from me.  Chat soon. x N

Long time no see

Why hasn’t it been a long time!! We have been silly busy recently and blogging has had to take a back seat, as you may have seen from my last post, we have been involved in the opening of a beautiful craft emporium (in Astley Park, Chorley) its aim is to be a place where young and old can call in and create something unique, we are only around until the end of December but it has been a great experience so far... here is an inside view:

 

The petals have been busy dreaming up new additions to their collection:

 

Also our wall mural is settling in nicely – we left a bit to finish during the grand opening but have never gotten around to actually painting the last bit in. One day maybe.

 

If you are local please feel free to pop in and see us, we are only around until Christmas then we vanish back to the mystical world of online shopping......

XxNikxX

CREATE a new venture

Or possibly Create havoc - as is a Petal's wont.

Da da da daaaah......

 

OPENING this Thursday through 'til Christmas - an Arts and Craft Emporium in Astley Park Farmhouse. Open every week Thurs & Fri 10 - 3pm, Saturday & Sunday 10 - 4pm. There will be craft activities for all to try. Plus dedicated rooms for more structured workshops and lots of lots of handmade items ideal for gifts and your home.

The Petals enjoying their favourite employ. xx


If you are local we would love for you to visit. xxx

The Farmhouse (In Astley Park)
Hallgate
Astley Village
Chorley
PR7 1XA

Tower Trip

Honesty going well isn't it?   I can't do it, it just isn't me, I have tried to write a few deadly honest blogs but that is the trouble, they are deadly boring!  I am nobody without my artistic license. 

So now I'm back, we visited Blackpool Tower and we had the best day we have ever had in our lives!!! Oh dear as I typed there was a flash of lightening and a big roll of thunder.  I do believe in God completely but am hoping the thunder is just a coincidence (maybe he is 'rolling' his eyes at me as I feel he often does).  Anyhoo all that being said if anyone is still with me I will attempt to walk the tightrope between interesting fact and outright fabrication. xxxx

So to the tower - I've lived relatively near Blackpool pretty much all of my life and have never been to the top of the Tower.  Since they put in the SkyWalk we've been saying we will go and then not doing.  Well no more I said, no more.  So off we went on Sunday in pouring rain, almost ready to turn back half way but just look:

Pretty Houses

We then headed down to this:

And took a few pics of silly quotes

This one made me laugh.

 

 

Here is the view from below

see the glass floor?

 

 The only negative comment I have is that it could do with a pollish, as it was a bit scuffed and scratched, I can see it being more of a leap of faith had it been properly transparent, clear as air.

XxNikxX

Honesty, Pink and Grey

PINK / GREY
I have changed the background colour of the blog as I love pink but it can irritate me after a while.  Thought I would change it to my other fave colour - turquiose - didn't work.  Therefore I have opted for a soft grey - this appears to be my fall back colour I own rather a lot of grey clothes and they suit me too, I feel pretty happy in grey  and you can throw on a bright scarf/beads/shoes and voila - chic but cheerful....in my humble opinion.  (NB. nothing to do with this 50 shades thing going on at the mo, as with music I am completely behind the times on this one).

HONESTY
I never keep up to date with blog reading and also dont see that I should.  I read blogs as and when the mood takes me.  I have a favourite blog and I clicked the link today to catch up, only to find that in April (I know, behind the times again - but it's ok, in the words of Cap'n Jack Sparrow 'I'm good wiv it') the lady who writes it got ill, shut up shop and moved, losing her BFF along the way.  It was a very honest post and though very sad, it felt refreshing to read such honesty - sorry to all my fellow bloggers and maybe you disagree but I find my blog - flowers things up, picks out the good bits and presents a lovely picture to the world (or the handful who read me), but that was the lovely thing about this lady's blog, she didnt flower it up, she was funny but honest I was obviously well jel of the gorgeous shop but she presented the reality not the fantasy, it was definitely the well earned product of lots of hard work!

So from this day forth I am going to attempt to be HONEST, tell how hard it is, say when I am uninspired, show the feelings of uncertainty and wibbles in confidence, when all I want to do is quit and go back to bed, I usually like my finished articles but someone else is always better, someone else is really living the dream, why is life always a trade off? why is there so little time? why do I always! smudge the ink? 'why oh why Mr Anderson?'  (Agent Smith - The Matrix) apologies I watch a lot of films - more escapism??!  Although I suppose Pirates of the Scabby Bean and The Matrix aren't exactly a flowery view of life.

Anyhoo it is the craft meet up next weekend, so catch me there.

Nik x

Teacher Time

I'm baaaaack!!

I have been on holiday, doing this....

and this......

and this :(

 

diagnosis? ... hypocondriac!

But now I am well and truly back, came home to a raft of orders and have been painting madly ever since, then I realised that I better look sharp as our tax form needs to be in by September and the books are still no more than scribbles (readable of course). 

I've also been helping school paint a mural on 3 big planters in the courtyard, more on that soon - when it's finished - but now as I have been spending so much time at school I am reminded that there are only a couple of weeks left to sort teacher pressies.  Of course I shall be painting door hangers from my two and will share these once term is out but I though I would share previous designs in case you fancied purchasing a unique gift this time.  These also look pretty special tied to a bottle of wine and are so personal (see bottom pic - this was for a wedding but you get the idea) and they wouldn't even need wrapping they are so cute.

If you would like to order contact us via facebook and we will get painting, dont forget to think about what wording you would like included, we can also put a little message from you on the back too.   All for a fabulous £4.50 (plus postage if you are far far away .... from Chorley, Lancashire).

Nik xx

Petal Pandemonium

I have so many unwritten blogs swirling around in my head, if I get one out perhaps I could find my keys!


It has been rather busy of late.  Last week we had two murals to paint, these are now done and the finished walls were splashed all over facebook.  Here are a few piccies for our other crafty friends:

The canvas was the inspiration, and elements such as the stripes on the car
and the stars are detailed within the finished wall. which in designer speak
'pulls the whole room together'.

I love this train, so much detail unfortunately our cameras have missed this

Next up the Fairy Castle (that bed on the right is actually bunk beds (just to give you an idea of the size)

a selection of fairies

rabbits were requested as their tails are so delish.

The girls whos' room it is have a toadstool house each.  I only added 'N'
to two of the fairies - they can decide for themselves which fairy they are.

Right now we have several buntings to finish also ordered last week, eek it is scarey to be popular, but at least it takes my mind away from my household appliance chaos - the ice in the sink from the over frosted fridge (which widdles on the floor when it's feeling frosty) and the washer which pops the electric for the house if we dare to use it, and don't even get me started on the Dyson!

PS the blog is also having a glitchy moment, so I'll say adieu.

xxNxx