Thursday, December 22, 2011

Merry Christmas

I feel like beginning with an apology every time I write a blog.  If it wasn't for Martin reminding me every now and again that I haven't written one for ages they would never happen!

Well, a swift update.
My sessions at Alexandra House Residential Home have finished, ending up with a lovely session which involved making a Christmas table decoration, I have to admit not really my scene but thankfully there was a lot of help, thank you Amy and Kathryn and Bridget!  Anything to do with gardening has proved to be a great success, and bird boxes!  John built his bird box and proceeded to paint it throughout the course and finally it was put in the tree outside their lounge for all to see.

During the last session there was also an exhibition of the residents' and we had a few visitors which was lovely, thanks to Richard, Nick and Vix, Ros (from The Grove where we are going next) and Martin for coming and adding something special to the whole occasion.  Although there have been a number of highs and lows I am glad that we ended on such a positive note.  I cautiously gave carers a questionnaire to see if they had noticed any differences in residents as a result of doing activities . . . to my delight they were very encouraging and supportive.  Two wanted to be involved in our workshops - how wonderful!  While I was distributing the carers' questionnaires, Toni one of the residents wanted to make her comments known! so another form was created and returned for the residents.  Many thanks to carer Vicky R who volunteered to fill them in with each resident, twice, the first lot disappeared!

Ernst & Young art sale was not exactly a roaring success, initially a lot of networking went on - having recently attended a couple of business events I can just imagine! but the Friday event sold two pictures one of which was 'Boats lined up'.

The next event will be the StArt Exhibition at the RBSA, straight after Christmas, in which all the pictures are £200 or less.  And around about the same time I am going to have a picture on the window easel at the RBSA which will be there until early March.  I have to admit I have never noticed the easel in the window before, oh dear, doesn't sound good!

I think it is time to wish anyone who may read this in the next couple of days, a very Blessed and Happy Christmas and my best wishes for 2012.  

Jan x