October news

I've just finished this commission, a painting for my sister, that can be a sign for a studio and a stand alone painting. I had so much fun doing this one -I've been composing a post in my head about it all week, about the importance of roots, and the land, but suddenly it is Saturday morning of half term, and we go away in half an hour, and the clever prose has completely gone from my head, pushed aside by lists of warm underwear and wondering wether everyone has a pair of wellies that are watertight. Suffice it to say that this is a painting that is just as personal to me as it is to her :)

At Proper Job we have been busy sorting out blankets for the cold weather. So many lovely treasures this week! A pair of Welsh blankets - one vintage and one of more recent manufacture, but both lovely pieces.

Piles and piles of old woollen blankets that have been sitting in the top of the round house for a while. These are a fascinating piece of history. While unfolding them and checking for marks and moth holes, we saw that many were embroidered with the name DREWE in red wool.

And then in the corners, each had little stitched labels, indicating where they were from. This one says 'housemaid', others all had different members of the household named. Where are they from? I don't know for certain, but I imagine they are most likely to have originally been from Castle Drogo, sitting atop the Teign Gorge and looking down over the village, home of the Drewe family. A little piece of history :)

And here is a lovely hand embellished blanket, a bit holey in places, but a real vintage treasure.

And a sneak peak at our newest arrival - although I am often being asked to take horses and ponies I usually turn them down, as I am stretched to the limit, but this boy I couldn't refuse!