Buxton Artist and Designer's Fair Today

We are exhibiting at the Artist and Designer's Fair in Buxton Pavilion Gardens. Nearly 50 top quality exhibitors, and it's a lovely warm, sunny day.

The show ends at 4.30pm today, Sunday 30th June, so still plenty of time to come and visit us. New Buxton photos on show too including the Opera House at night and Broad Walk from both ends. Also a new Bamburgh Castle image. Several new 1metre panorama's too.

Craft and Design Show Henley on Thames

It was the first day of the Craft and Design Show at Henley on Thames. Still 2 days to go if you are thinking about coming, our stand is B21. www.craftexperience.co.uk

I remembered to photograph the stand this morning on our little Panasonic Lumix camera.

Now we are in The Bear in Maidenhead, the other Wetherspoons pub in the town. Fish and chips tonight washed down with a pint of Meerkat Mild, so I will be comparing the Meerkat a bit later!

Craft and Design Show at Henley on Thames Friday to Sunday

Jan drove us down to set up our stand at the Craft and Design Show at the Henley Showground near Henley on Thames (just north of Henley on the road to Marlow). Our stand is B21. Jolly nice clear span marquees with no poles in the middle of the tent, they usually put a pole in the middle of your stand and you have to work around it! Solid floor and carpet too, luxury! About 200 exhibitors so lots to see apart from visiting us. The show is run by Craft in Focus, who always make sure the quality is kept high and the show will be really well organised.

I forgot to photograph the stand so will try and remember to do that tomorrow. I now have an SD card reader for my phone and tablet computer so can take pictures on our little Panasonic Linux camera for much better quality than my Samsung Galaxy S2, which has a rubbish camera.

We have dozens of new prints, including 10 prints at 100 x 50 cm, just right for a big space. There are also 8 posters, a good way to buy a big print for a low price. Special price for all books too.

In The Greyhound pub in Maidenhead now. Just round the corner from our Travelodge. It's a Wetherspoons pub so cheap food and beer. Curry night tonight, just waiting for my second pint. Oh, it's just arrived, must dash.

My June Newsletter is now available - events, courses and new images all covered

I just published my June e-newsletter with details of events for June and July, courses and new images. Click the link below to take you to the iContact web site to view it.

http://www.icontact-archive.com/jl0iCWueQ8pT8Wjjl2OqJBv9n816RA5y?w=3

Health and Photo Course

Thursday I had to visit the dentist in Knutsford to have a broken filling replaced. It needed a jab, so no pain at all. Called in at Booth's supermarket before coming home, they have an amazing selection of bottled beers and Jan thought they would help numb the pain. I didn't like to say there wasn't any! Stocked up with Dent T'Owd Tup, one of my favourites, and another 6 different beers.

Today I had acupuncture and massage on my bad back to keep me going for another few weeks. Walked up Eccles Pike this evening, fourth time this week, just 3 miles and 600 feet of ascent, so good exercise for the end of the day. I also walked 12 miles on Wednesday to Buxton and back, for a day in Gallery in the Gardens. 

Trying to build up the miles ready for finishing the Coast to Coast walk in August with good friend Al. Then in September walking the first part of the Alpine Pass Route, with Jan, Rob, Annie and Phil (we all did part 2 from Grindelwald to Montreux in 2006) from just south of Zurich to Grindelwald in Switzerland. 

Just booked a trip to Berlin for next month, lots to photograph there and 3 full days will give us a good chance of covering the most important views. The locations are spread out so I'm sure we'll do lots of walking there too. It will be our first overseas trip this year.

We have quite a few courses to run in the next few weeks as well as 3 shows, the first in Henley starting on Friday, and 2 in Buxton. This used to be a quieter time of year, not any more!

Heard at the start of the month that the Focus on Imaging show has been cancelled. This years was the last one. That's the end of an era. I guess it means we can go skiing later in the winter, rather than always going in January so that I have time to prepare darkroom prints for the stand display in February. We will miss not seeing everyone once a year too. We have made so many friends over the years at this show I think that's what I will miss the most.

Craft and Design Experience, Henley on Thames - Advanced Tickets

We are exhibiting at the Craft and Design Experience near Henley on Thames from 21st to 23rd June, 10am to 5pm each day, stand B21. Both Jan and I will be there, unlike Wisley and Crowthorne later in the year when Jan will be there on her own to save my bad back.

We will have lots of photographs and all 4 of my books at reduced prices.

Click the link below to buy advanced tickets at less than you will pay on the day. There will be around 200 exhibitors, so lots to see, all high quality as the show is organised by Craft in Focus who are pretty strict on who can exhibit with them. Come and say hello if you come along.

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/The-Craft---Design-Experience---Book-Tickets-Now-.html?soid=1107521351179&aid=CWyi7g-APlU

Power Cut in Tunstead Milton and Impromptu Walk to Shepherds Arms

We had a 9 hour power cut today. The local electricity company had some planned maintenance to do in the area.

After 3 hours of doing odd jobs and having no power for computers or enlargers I decided to go for a walk over the hills. As I left the rain stopped, always a good sign.

It brightened up and turned into a pretty good day to be out on the hills. 10 miles later I found myself at one of my 2 favourite pubs, the Shepherd's Arms in Whaley Bridge. What are the odds of that happening? After a 10 mile impromptu walk ending within 2 miles of home at the Shepherd's!

May is Mild Month so I had a couple of pints of Jennings Mild and jolly nice it was too. Then it was home via the cricket ground and, yes, the power was back on!

Ideal Home Show Scotland Day 3

Much busier day today at the Ideal Home Show Scotland at the Glasgow SECC. Sold lots of photos, Glasgow, Edinburgh and New York as the best sellers, and a few books.

Last day tomorrow. Visit us on stand S230, between 10am and 6pm.

http://www.idealhomeshowscotland.co.uk

Tonight we're in the Counting House Wetherspoons in Glasgows George Square. Started with Wildcat and now moved on to Mayhem Mild. Both in good form.

Jan just asked me if blog stands for beer log. Quite apt!

Ideal Home Show Scotland Day 1

Interesting day at Ideal Home Show Scotland at the Glasgow SECC.
My new Glasgow and Edinburgh photographs sold well. The best seller for the day was taken in a blizzard at night in March in Edinburgh! It shows the view from Victoria Terrace, near Edinburgh Castle, over snowy rooftops and was taken under a pub umbrella to keep the snow off the lens for the 20 second exposure.

Expecting a busy next 3 days over the bank holiday.

Walked around the corner from our Premier Inn for dinner, at Hengler's Circus Wetherspoons on Sauchiehall Street. Dark Munro and Wildcat with fish and chips, well it is Friday.

The photos I forgot to take yesterday are attached, all taken on a Panasonic Lumix compact before the show opened today.

The show is open through until Monday night, 10am to 6pm each day, £15 entry, we are stand S230.

Ideal Home Show Scotland - All Set Up!

Jan drove us up to Glasgow today to setup for the Ideal Home Show at the SECC. It's our first time at this show but it's much easier than at the NEC where they give you just an hour to unload, unpack and remove packaging back to car and return to the payment station on the furthest boundary of the NEC site or you forfeit a £50 deposit that you have to pay in advance (you may have gathered that I hate the NEC). It's also within walking distance of our hotel and the city centre. This is our 3rd show at the SECC in 18 months and we like coming here, so far!

I forgot to take a photo of the stand today so I will do that tomorrow. We found space on the walls for 20 framed photos and have another 300 or more in various browsers and spinners. I worked hard to do new stuff for this show, lots of Scottish shots of both landscapes and cities. Some large new photographs of Glasgow and Edinburgh too.  Newcastle, Durham and Northumberland castles also feature in the new prints. Fingers crossed that visitors to the show like them! For example, quite a lot of the photographs are in sizes and formats not available through the website such as lots of square pictures for square frames. Now there's a novelty!

We also have some posters and lots of copies of my 4 books. Good special show prices on lots of the items too.

Our stand is S230 near the lecture areas in the shopping area. Try and come along before we sell out (I dream of doing this one day!).