Thank You Time for Successful Launch!

Congratulations to my wonderful fiance for the very successful launch of his new shop, 'Abode's Mortgage Centre' at 8 Church Street, Macclesfield.

The canapes from Livesey's Deli in Bollington

were just perfect. 

They looked beautiful and tasted even better!

Cherry Blossom Bakery, next door produced the very gorgeous cupcakes which looked fab - particularly with Mike's logo on the top. Well done girls!

Thank you to John Carney for taking the photographs - here's one your Dad took of you:

It was lovely to welcome friends and colleagues to share in our celebration.

Thank you so much to Art Graphics and Monkey Business for all their support in getting the shop ready.

Mike very kindly agreed to exhibit my mosaics in his shop.  It is usual for this to incur a commission fee on sales but Mike wouldn't DREAM of charging his fiancee a commission. Because of this, I can offer 25% of all artwork sales from The Mortgage Centre as a donation to the East Cheshire Hospice.  Originally it was going to be an opening offer but I would like to extend it as permanent one.

We were so happy to welcome new neighbours and to share a glass of Champagne.

Mike and members from the Macclesfield Chapter of BNI in celebration mode.

We were delighted that David Rutley MP agreed to officiate at the opening. He really helped make the morning a success. Thank you!

Just putting the last touches to the ceremonial ribbon. I did wonder if it was a little over the top but thought that some traditions were just too cliche to dismiss.

Ready for the camera...

...that's about the middle...

...smile for the camera....

Abode Mortgage Centre is now open for business!

Mike is happy to help you to identify the correct mortgage deal or insurance protection. He can also prepare your Will.

You can contact him at:

The Mortgage Centre

8 Church Street

Macclesfield

SK11 6LB

01625 617 411

The Poacher's Inn, Bollington - East Cheshire Mosaic Fun!

I think it is safe to say that everyone enjoyed their time on the mosaic. 

Thank you also to those who contributed financially!

Sarah and Maya working well on the mosaic...

Don't you think...

yes but where's that brandy?

hard at work - Ruth and Moira back for the third time - thank you so much for

all you have done on this mosaic!

Sarah, Maya, Ruth, Moira, Marion and Rosie...

Fun, fun, fun!

It was so nice for Suzanne from Cheshire Mum's Magazine to come in to help.

Aha - we do get men involved with our mosaics!

Thank you Rob!

oops...there we go, having fun again!

Rob and Helen - no rest for the wicked... mosaicing on their night off!

Such a good night was had by all.  

We did not manage to get pictures of the Savio House group but a great big thanks

goes out to them too!

The mosaic will be worked on at East Cheshire Hospice tomorrow and then next week by Pott Shrigley school.

Fun at The Poacher's Bollington

I have brilliant next door neighbours. They are so supportive and will do anything for you so as I have been offering mosaic workshops to everyone I suggested Helen and Rob from The Poacher's in Bollington, come to my studio to have a go.

But they are always SO bsuy!  "I'll bring the mosaic here, then!" I joked and then before I knew it, a couple of weeks later, I did.  

These are two images from my phone - the real photos are to follow!

I totally took over a corner of the Poacher's and was surprised at how busy the mosaic corner got! It just goes to show that a Creative Space can be made anywhere!

The mosaic is now about half way through and I will  be taking it to the East Cheshire Hospice on Friday to be finished in the day centre.

Thank you so much to Rob and Helen, Sarah (who is organising the writing competition for Barnaby!), Maya, Ruth, Moria, Suzanne of Cheshire Mum's Magazine, the guys from Savio House, Rosie and her mum - all who contributed to the mosaic last night amongst a mix of peaceful calm, gentle chatter  and raucous laughter!

Thank you also to my lovely Fiance, Mike who has taken the REAL photos...keep looking!

East Cheshire Hospice Mosaic in progress

What a fabulous day! Thank you so much to Linda, Sam, Heidi, Archie, Ava, Ruth, Moira, Lesley and Pat for your wonderful contribution to the East Cheshire Hospice Mosaic.

We had lots of laughs...

Lots of creative fun...

Lots of teamwork...

and lots and lots of smiles.

We still have a way to go so if you would like to be involved

please contact me, Debbie on 07774 920 292 to 

arrange a suitable time to put your mark on the

East Cheshire Hospice Mosaic.

Community Painting for The Bridgend Centre, finished!

Good Monday Afternoon, all!

It was going to be good Monday morning but the internet went down this morning. Never mind,
It's amazing what you can get done when you cannot look at your emails...

Well, I came in over the weekend to finish the canvas to be donated to The Bridgend Centre, Bollington.

I felt a simple image was the order of the day as I wanted to get participants who had never put brush to canvas before. As I can see White Nancy from the studio window, it would have been rude not to have painted her!

Thank you to Ruth, Maria, Charli, Scott, Graham, Kathryn, David and Sue for contributing to the painting. It was a pretty large canvas so it could not be completed on the day so I added some finishing touches and all in all I think they did a pretty good job!

I now have to complete the East Cheshire Hospice Mosaic but need some volunteers - who wants to come and help?

Tesserae

Some of the lovely green tesserae in use on the East Cheshire Hospice mosaic.

Just waiting to be used on the sky...

Pictures from the launch...

The entrance to the Mill, yesterday.

The third floor corridor - 

think the balloons may have given it away!

The children's activity area outside the studio. I felt that as there was so much going on inside the studio and it was a 'drop-in' style workshop, the Little Creatives and Young Creatives would have more room to create. It worked well!

One of our Little Creatives decorating his recycled jar 

for Earth Hour 2011

Ah - Ruth and Moira. They arrived at 11 and they were so good at the working on the East Cheshire Hospice mosaic that I chained them to the table and wouldn't let them leave until 4! Only joking - they didn't need chaining. They took to mosaic like ducks to water!

Hopefully they will come back and help work some more on the mosaic.

Dave, adding his contribution to the community painting for The Bridgend Centre.  Everyone who attended the launch were invited to paint on the canvas - including Charli and Scott from Silk FM.  The canvas now has all the underpainting completed and I am going to add some finishing touches before presenting it to the Bridgend Centre, Bollington.

the day before

The sun is streaming through the studio window, White Nancy is looking resplendent, draped in the rays and I'm sitting at my desk drinking the best cup of coffee I've had in a long time. And I made it myself!

I have so much to do for tomorrow, I'm a little concerned it's going to be finished! At least I have the design agreed for the East Cheshire Hospice mosaic and I know what I'm doing for the Bridgend Centre painting.

Going to get off and finish my brochure.

See you later!