Gillian Lee Smith: A new week, A new Banner, A new shop?

A new week begins! But it is Tuesday! It feels very odd but rather nice too.

How was your easter/holiday weekend? I have to say we had a lovely time. Mark was off work, the weather was just beautiful and we just relaxed, went out for short walks, chatted, I crocheted as if my life depended on it and we ate chocolate - not too much - just enough that it was good and not enough to make us ill. We bought a rather large chocolate egg to share - Green and Blacks of course!! If you don't have green and blacks chocolate wherever you are then you are missing out!! It is organic and comes in gorgeous flavours such as bars with whole cherries or almonds.

Actually if you are next ordering from my shop just put G & B's in the note to seller and I shall include a mini bar of this chocolate just because I want you to experience it too!

Gosh I have so much to write about today so I had better get on with it!!

First off I was tagged by Jenn what seems like an age ago and I was to write 10 things (unknown and hopefully revealing in a not over the top way!) about myself. Well as you may know I only made it to #5 last week so I still have 5 to go. So here goes!

5. I went to dance classes as a youngster - a kind of hybrid between ballet and modern and the photograph here is of the wonderful lady who began these classes which ran in England and France. I was not taught myself by this beautiful lady but this photo was taken in Paris at a huge concert which was the 25th anniversary of her teaching career and various dance classes travelled over and performed infront of a good few thousand on stage. I think I was only about 8 or 9 at the time so I barely remember a thing about it. Only that we danced to the music of the Edvard Greig 'In the Hall of the Mountain King'.

6. Apart from cake, my absolute favourite foods are broccoli, cucumber and peas. So why am I not half the size I am....well because of the cake I guess.

7. As a child one of my worst fears was not making it to the bottom of the stairs before the toilet stopped flushing.....which is of course when the toilet monster would rise up, crawl out of the bowl......and eat me.

8. In my fitter days and before my back probs, I used to love hillwalking. The highlands of Scotland are my absolute favourite place I have ever been in the worls and this photo is from a long climb/walk/scramble near Glencoe. The photo was taken from about a third of the way up and about a third of the way down the photo you can see 2 tiny white specks which are about where the road is where we walked from. At the top of this climb is a place called 'the hidden valley' which is where the Macdonalds hid their cattle during some famous (although my knowledge of it is abysmal) clan battle and slaughter centuries ago.

9. Although I trained in costume design, I absolutely 'hate' dressing up!! After 2 equally traumatic occassions of 'fancy dress' when I was a child and a teenager (which are bringing me out in hives at the sheer embarassement of thinking about them now) I just cannot bear it. I can't even include photographs here as I just think I would die of shame. Which did not always go down well amongst my uni friends who got dressed up at every opportunity. Kate I apologise now for my lack of enthusiasm regarding getting dressed up and looking and feeling like a complete idiot.

10. Mark and I met on the internet. I was absolutely convinced I was going to remain a spinster for the rest of my life and was actually quite ok with this fact. I began chatting online as a distraction from the long hours at uni in my final year. But as soon as I spoke to him on the phone and way before I met him in real life, I pretty much knew we were going to end up together. And we have now been a couple for almost 2 and a half years!

So there we have it!! Okay now for the tagging! I do apologise if you have been tagged already and please don't feel like you have to if you don't want to! I also am not sure if I can think of 10 folk - so here goes..... Ulla, Sakura, Craftymoose, Vanessa, Gypsy purple, Izabella, Aimee, Jungle Dream Pagoda, Milla, Kerry!! (and apologies if I have put your shop/blog name rather than your 'real' name!)

Okay so that is done.....

Now I have to show off my beautiful new banner for my etsy shop! (You can click to enlarge it). I have been having an identity crisis over my shop look for a wee while and Jenn so kindly offered to make one for me (I am really not computer savvy as can be told by the length of time it takes to write my blog) and I cannot believe what a beautiful job she has done!! It is taken from my Vivid Dreams piece (one of my favourite I have ever done) and I feel at last that I now have the look to my shop that has previously been outwith my grasp. The banner is the perfect representation of my work and myself and I just adore it.

I 'think' Jenn is going to be selling banners in her stilettoheights store. Gosh she is multi-talented and I am over the moon with it and also the avatar she did for me too.

I actually have some more shop stuff I want to write about but I think I shall leave that for another day otherwise this will become yet another epic post!!

I have opened another shop on the brand new website Mintd. This shop is simply called Gillian Lee Smith and only has one item in it at the moment (soon to be more) but I am interested to see how it goes. I really want to focus more on my artwork and accessories as I really feel that this is the way things are going for me so to have another venue to sell from is great.

So my next post I have some etsy shop stuff to ponder on - and I would love your thoughts and comments. So within the next blog post here there will be a draw and give-away with all comments going into a 'hat' and the winner receiving some goodies!! So tune in next time.....

Meanwhile have a wonderful day whatever you are doing!

xxx

Comments

Gillian, your new banner is lovely! Jenn did a great job showing off your beautiful artwork!

Congrats and much luck on your new mintd store!

Our Easter was lovely and peaceful. Our daughter adores dark chocolate (she's 14)so that's what her basket was filled with. I love it, too! There is one kind with nuts & blueberries-yum. Hope she opens that package, soon!

I've been tagged! Well, I will do my best. Not sure I know 10 more to tag!

Posted by: Craftymoose | 10 April 2007 at 04:39 PM

Glad you had a wonderful easter! We did too... Can't wait to see what new and wonderfully tempting art you will have in your 'shop' soon! Hugs to you!

Posted by: Ulla | 10 April 2007 at 04:48 PM

Oh Gillian,
You are so wonderful and real and heartwarming!

I am so glad I am not alone in the humiliation outfit world. The things my mother would make me wear. Oh my... I sometimes think back and want to die all over again....I am totally thrilled that I am not alone! And, maybe, more people feel like that than admit it?

I must answer my tag! I forgot! Oh no!!!

Love my visits to you....Just love, xxo,Vanessa

Posted by: Vanessa | 10 April 2007 at 04:49 PM

I love reading your facts about you, seriously busted out laughing when I got to the part about the cake.

we are sisters in our love of sweets.

thanks for the banner mention too, I am so glad you like it, I was nervous.

xoxoxo

Posted by: stilettoheights | 10 April 2007 at 05:02 PM

oh my! how shocked I am to see my name, tagging me :) how fun...I will work on it this week~

enjoyed reading yours!!

xo ~Bella

Posted by: Izabella | 10 April 2007 at 05:34 PM

Oh my word....what are you doing to me....have done this one before, but sure I can sqeeze out a few more
My easter was lovely thanks...just relaxing with family and WAY to much chocolate!!!!!

Posted by: Gypsy Purple-Chamara | 10 April 2007 at 05:36 PM

Love your blog Gilfling......ooooh I have to think about 10 things I can reveal to the world now that you have tagged me!!

Posted by: sakurafubukidesigns | 10 April 2007 at 06:06 PM

Good ol' Edvard Greig! I sang one of his songs for contest one year and did quite well! I think the name was My Johann. I need to get on my 10 things ,perhaps I'll break it up like you!

Posted by: jungle dream pagoda | 10 April 2007 at 06:50 PM