Melanie’s March Monthly News

Welcome to Melanie’s March monthly news. Well all I can say is that this months news is nothing like any other month I have blogged about! What unprecedented times we are living in.

To be truthful, our every day lives haven’t changed much at all. We are very lucky in that we still have plenty of work. We are still creating portraits and still able to send them all around the world.

Nicholas and I live fairly rural on a quiet lane. As many of our readers know, we work from our little art studio at the bottom of our woodland garden. Idyllic yes. It’s only when we turn on the news, realise that you cant just pop to the shops or take a day out that things have changed

Thankfully I can still go running from my home and have achieved my Couch to 5k big run today. I have been training with a local running club since January and every Monday evening – in the dark! We would meet at our local school in the floodlights and practice our runs. We have been building up week by week however for the last few weeks have been going it alone with the help of Strava running app. This helps keep us all connected and motivated. I have added a photo of my run and the view below. I chose a route from home and double backed on myself so that I wasn’t too far from home. Lucily, I didn’t see anyone or any cars so all was well. So now I will move onto the next running group for a bigger challenge! 10k next perhaps!

Melanie's March Monthly News
The Big 5k – Couch to 5k

Lily on lockdown..!

Lily has been very happy to stay home, she isn’t really one for lots of walks. She loves it when we go, however is quite happy to play in the garden, especially when we are working in the garden. Then chickens keep her occupied, she likes to follow them around and watch them to see what they are doing. If she is lucky she gets to sniff a bottom or two along the way! Here she is below looking out of the studio window when she heard a noise outside. Which is constant throughout the day. Being a Tibetan terrier, she is a true alarm dog.

Lily in lockdown!
Lily in lockdown!

I has been really lovely to be able to get out and about in the last few weeks when the weather has been good. We have had some very cold sunny days, but a few that were nice enough to lunch in the garden. I have been trying to get the garden in order, Im not quite there yet, but here are a couple of photos of how it’s coming along. I will have many more next month!

The better weather is arriving
The better weather is arriving
Gardening has started
Gardening has started

Melanie’s March Monthly News Artwork

Nicholas and myself have create quite a few portraits this month. Here is just one of the portraits Nicholas painted of a cat called Bailey. Our clients had intended to personally collect their portrait as they did last time, however all of our client visitations have been cancelled. So we packed and sent it to them instead. The portrait is an 18 x 14 inches oil painting on canvas, framed with our Traditional Flat frame. We hope you like it!

Cat Portraits in Oils
Cat Portraits in Oils
Cat Portrait Framed
Cat Portrait Framed

Here is a photo of a tired Lily being made to pose next to a hamper from a client which was very well received!! Thank you!!

Hamper time!
Hamper time!

And finally…although I have been really busy with work and the garden, I did get some time to make these cheese scones. They rose very well and tasted delicious. Thank you to Mary Berry for the recipe!

Cherry cheesy scones

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5 thoughts on “Melanie’s March Monthly News

  1. Hi Melanie
    Great newsletter enjoy getting to know you and Nicolas and of course Lily and chickens the chickens reminds me of my days on our family farm.
    Thank you so much, best wishes

    1. Hi Bob,
      Im so pleased that you have been enjoying the blog and reading all of our news, thats wonderful! Chickens are the best aren’t they!
      Sending best wishes to you from the UK!
      Melanie x

      1. Hi Melanie
        I meant to also tell you that the work you and Nicholas have done to develop the awesome garden is astounding I’m anxious to see in future newsletters how it’s coming along. Hope this finds you folks safe and in good health
        Best wishes
        Bob

        1. Hi Bob,

          Thank you so much! In fact we have spent the last three days out there working away and I will definitely have lots of photos for you to see on our next newsletter.

          I must also start posting to our instagram and facebook account soon too so if you are on either of those, you are more than welcome to follow us to see photos of around here as well as paintings and drawings.
          keep safe!

          Melanie x

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