About Me

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Based in Northampton, UK, I live with my husband Adam, our Cocker Spaniel Bruno and Deeley the Bengal cat. I work full time as a Creative Artist / 3D Designer and part-time with my creative endeavours. I hope you'll enjoy reading about my work and other random ramblings, from the satisfying successes to the catastrophic failures! Still, it's all good fun, which is kind of the whole point really...

Wednesday 7 December 2011

Guest Artist Update

I am VERY pleased to be able to let you know that, following on from the lovely seal bay model Deb Brown painted as Guest Artist for the UK/European edition, US based artists Mindy Berg and Karen Zorn have kindly agreed be the Guest Artists for the US edition!

The Babysitter painted by UK artist Deb Brown

Mindy and Karen helped me out with the Very Little One models and painted the beautiful models pictured below (both of which remain in my collection).  I am beyond excited about this development and can't wait to see what these ladies make of The Babysitter.

Painted by US artist Mindy Berg who also created the beautiful OOAK base

Painted by US artist Karen Zorn who also expertly painted the base to tone with the model
Don't forget that Very Little One is only 1 inch in size!

Tuesday 6 December 2011

December Update

Well it's been over a month since my previous post (not all that long by my usual standards!), so I thought I should post.  Although I've been pretty busy lately there is still frustratingly little I am able to share:

The Babysitter - the prototype has now been posted out to Barry in the US for casting, it should be with him any day now and he will get cracking with making her mold and getting casting as soon as possible.  For those who have already ordered a copy from the US edition the wait shouldn't be much longer!

I've already set up one exciting Guest Artist for the new edition and await to hear back from another.  I hope to have a piece painted by a US artist in a few weeks but until then will use images of my own copy painted by UK artist Deb Brown.

Just as an aside, check out this copy, painted by UK artist Amanda Greaves, shown here taking care of her Very Little One, also by Amanda:


Very Little One - Considering I've failed to actually advertise this little model at all this year, sales have been consistent and the model is gently heading towards sell-out.  I'm not planning on advertising again for this model until the TB Broodmare is released, provided there are any left to offer by then of course!

TB Broodmare - Not started yet (sooooo far behind schedule but hey-ho, that's how I roll!), this little lady will make her debut in Spring now, I will be dismantling a Babysitter model and reassembling into a pre-or-post foaling broodmare.

Medallions - I am currently working on a cool new medallion for a Live Show in the US next year.  The model is themed and I am exploring new styles as I sculpt it.  Sadly I can't share photos or info on this just yet but I hope to as soon as I have the go-ahead from the person that commissioned it.  I have just today got the OK to produce two variations on it though, which I am pretty excited about!

Breyer Hullabaloo - I will be producing at least one model for this UK event, I am absolutely chuffed to bits to be involved in this from the start.

Jasper - no progress to report, but the medallion I am working on has helped me with a few issues I was having on him so though no physical progress has been made, he should be even more realistic when he does finally make production!

Other activities - I've not been too quiet in the studio, I've taken on a few projects with other artists this month.  One of which was for UK sculptor Sarah Hopper involving making a mold of a part-sculpted model to enable her to complete it from a resin model.  I've also found myself sharing a great deal of information regarding sculpting and casting - I don't consider myself an expert in sculpting at all, but I hope I've given some inspiration and guidance to those that are just starting out.  Of course trial and error play a large part in the learning process (now I AM an expert in trial and error!) and these budding sculptors will find their own paths, but building new bridges between the UK (and ex-pat) community is helping me to build up my own confidence and analyse my mistakes that much better - these guys think I'm helping from the goodness of my heart, well not entirely! ;)

Off topic - well I simply have to shout about this, meet Roland!

Ignore the piles of mess surrounding him, this photo was taken just after I got him.  Also I think I need a better stool (this one was borrowed from my studio and is a little too high!).  Here's the reason I'm so excited about it:
Growing up, my Grandparents had (and still have) an old, not-very-in-tune boudoir Grand Piano.  Once a pianola it provided great entertainment for me and my 4 siblings as we grew up.  Grandad plays and my (fostered) Uncle also played when young, but none of use really took it very seriously, mostly using it to make as much noice as possible, climb on/up/over/under or play with our toys on (Weebles were great fun to slide up the lid!). We were quite a rowdy bunch!

My Grandad.  Born 1921 and still going strong!

I had a few lessons in my teens but nothing came of that, until I was offered a piano by a friend who had a restoration company, they basically said it was beyond their help but I could have it if I would like to, so it was insalled in my parent's dining room where it lived for about a decade.
7 years ago, it became just too bulky for my parents to keep and as I'd moved a few years prior to that (I would play when I visited them on a Sunday morning while Dad cooked) I agreed that it really should go.
Since then I've been piano-less :o(  I grabbed every opportunity to play wherever I saw a piano, some live shows even found me disappeared to tickle the ivories after the clean-up was done.  Looking back it must have seemed pretty odd, but such is the need to release the musical energy and so inviting those pianos looked, I simply couldn't help myself!
So, with the arrival of my Roland F120 digital piano I am hoping to reawaken my musical abilities (which were never exactly great!) and this time do things a bit more properly.


Monday 24 October 2011

Utterly Horses Hullabaloo

You may or may not be aware of the Utterly Horses Hullabaloo, announced on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/notes/utterly-horses/utterly-horses-hullabaloo/10150362579534259

I’ve been chatting with Becky from Utterly Horses these last few months, I am sworn to secrecy on the project(s) we’ve been talking about, but I will be involved with this event in one way or another and am EXTREMELY excited about it!

I’m sorely behind with updating you via my blog, wedding plans have been rather taking over my life recently!  Here’s a quick low-down on where I’m at:

The Babysitter: This little Madam has been very well received in the UK and Europe, Horsing Around are casting like fury to keep up with the demand for her.  Thank you so much to everyone who has sent me lovely comments on her or placed an order.  You should see more painted copies popping up soon as those that have received their copies have the finishwork done on them.  If you’ve not met this filly/mare yet, here she is:

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Here’s a pic of her other side:

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And this pic, though blurry, shows her scale a little better:

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Full details can be found on my website here.

In other news, the British Model Equine Championship show, or BMECs, was held on 8th October.  I provided the medallic awards to compliment the glassware and rosette awards for the Top Ten winners in each section.  I’m pleased to report they went down very well and I feel that the wine-gum style of mini-award is here to stay, though I have a few cool new ideas for next year’s show already!

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For the larger medallion, I found the opportunity (via a couple of VERY late nights) to add some show-tack and a microscopic little rosette.  Unfortunately, as most of the work on these was done during the night I only have night-time photos, but if you click on this photo for a larger view you should be able to see the details:

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To be honest, I could write a whole post about these as I found some interesting quirks whilst making them.  Hopefully I’ll have a chance to share this with you soon.

I’ve actually enjoyed having a week or so away from sculpting or casting whilst I’ve been distracted with all-things-bridal, but tomorrow I’ll be receiving a new batch of Babysitter models to prepare and get sent out to their new homes and I am yet to prepare for the second mold-master for Horsing Around (each mold gives 25 casts or thereabouts, so you may see me call it a one-mold run, even though it is two as there are likely to be fewer copies from these two molds than from Barry’s single mold for the US and global edition).  Once that’s done I’ll be sorting the mold-master for Barry’s edition (each master is unlikely to survive the molding process sadly so a new one is required each time) and then I have a couple of commissions to work on which I am unable to share details of as yet, including a medallion for a rather high-profile show in the US which I’m really looking forward to as it features my favourite type of horse (I will be sculpting and mold-making, it will be cast in the US for the show), and also a MAJOR project - for the Utterly Horses Hullabaloo next August.  I WIAHS I could tell you more but at this time I just can’t.  I will likely be talking a great deal about this project in coming months, if I am allowed, of course!

Jasper is on hold during all these developments, however I have made it a bit of a pie-in-the-sky dream to have him finished before the wedding next May, however I don’t feel that is too likely given all these new projects.  I may push forward with Little Too, as that is a little closer to completion (and is Adam’s favourite) though so hopefully I will still have another model for you next year, including of course the Very Little Lady model (to be renamed probably), aka the broodmare version of The Babysitter.

I’m sorry I can’t share any more info this time, this is such an exciting time for me creatively and personally and I am really looking forward to the next 12 months and all the fabulous new projects that will be going on!

Thursday 29 September 2011

New Resin! The Babysitter

Well I have SOOOOO much to tell you about, I’ve been quite busy over the last few months with several projects and here is one of them.  Meet The Babysitter, a mini scale* race fit Thoroughbred mare or filly.

*mini scale – The Babysitter is much larger than a Mini Nahar, but slightly smaller in scale to Dinky Duke, she is on a par with many of Donna Chaney’s “mini” scale models, so I am classing her as a mini.

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Final Prep, Finishwork and photos by Deb Brown

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Seal Bay colour expertly recommended by my Facebook Friends

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I put together a little movie of her too, I’m not sure how this will display on the emails or the blog, but it is hosted on YouTube (user name 3DSavage) if it doesn’t show here.

Photos show prototype model prior to casting, and painted copy of the model, cast by Horsing Around and finished by Deb Brown. Photo of finished model courtesy of Deb Brown.

The Babysitter actually started out as a broodmare – I wanted to make a “Mom” for all the Very Little One models I’ve cast so set to work on a thoroughbred broodmare (VLO was quite generic but is often shown as a thoroughbred or sport type).  After starting, I thought it would be good to actually sculpt a race-fit thoroughbred, as I noticed a distinct lack of this breed in the smaller scales at the Live Shows I attended.  So with this, The Babysitter was born.  The broodmare version will follow on in a few months’ time – it will not be simply a fatter version, I will rework it and reposition the head, neck, possible a leg or two, change the mane and tail, face details and of course, add the bits necessary for taking care of a foal!  I’m quite excited about this model, it’s one of those that I know is there just waiting to be created.

The Babysitter (named as she is “acting Mom” to all the VLO models, until the Broodmare comes along) is modelled on a young Thoroughbred or Thoroughbred cross, she could pass as a filly or a mare.  I tried very hard to make her solid, after witnessing some awful sights whilst researching the breed I made sure that this filly is race-ready but proportioned correctly and built solidly enough that, should she be a real horse, she would stand the tests that the racetrack throws at young horses and thrive in her role.  This build also makes her a good prospect as a steeplechaser or hunter and I would love to see a scene with her tacked up in English finery and surrounded by hounds (mental note to self – might do that!).

Details on The Babysitter can be found on her page on my website here: The Babysitter Web Page

Sales information can be found here: Purchasing Information

I hope you like my first venture into “legs and all” resins, I can’t wait to see the finished copies popping up – don’t forget to send my photos if you paint yours, they’ll be added to the galleries on my website!

Monday 19 September 2011

The final BOYCC blog

I'm a little sad that I have to close this multi-part, mahooosive report on the amazing and awesome BOYCC 2011 Live Show, Convention and Bonanza. I hope you have enjoyed reading about the wonderful times I shared with my international friends, but I have SO much to tell you about from the months since then, so I will wrap up the series with a post about my adventures with Joanie and pals before my (eventful!) flight home.

With BOYCC finished and most people off home to recover and reflect on the Convention, I stayed a few extra days with Joanie.  The day following BOYCC, I accompanied Craig and Donna on their trip to LAX airport for Donna to fly home.  My motives were not purely sociable, as they had planned to stop off at a pottery store on the way to the airport and with the promise of discovering new tools and gadgets, I was keen to tag along to see if I could add to my own collection of tools.

The only way I can describe how I felt when we entered the shop was “like a kid in a sweetshop”!  It was heaven – I found new, unusual and some downright puzzling tools and gizmos and educated myself on the ceramics side of things by checking out kilns, accessories, glazes, books and a myriad of new ideas.  With the internet at hand I have a good knowledge of the tools available to sculptors, but I’ve never delved in to what pottery can offer an oil clay sculptor.  Here is the answer:

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Click the pic for a larger view, but this is what I found in the shop that I felt could transfer to my own creative pursuits:

  • Sanding foam pads – simple little things that I’ve not seen over here, I’m told they are easily available in the US so I may be adding them to my “things I will trade for” list.
  • Giant Tweezers – ok, so I don’t have a specific use for these, but AREN’T THEY COOL!?!!
  • Palm sized plane (no idea of the correct name for it) – I felt this would be good for shaping large areas on models I’ve already cast in resin, for instance Jasper’s barrel.
  • Flexible Scrapers – in three different grades, there was another very hard grade that I left behind due to the costs but the colour coding on these is handy!
  • Mini Ribbon Sculpting Set – Made by Kemper, these have already justified their purchase, they are miniature version of the more common ribbon tools found online.
  • Wire Tools x2 – I bought a few Kemper tools, now I’ve found their website too I think I may frequent them a little more, the quality of the tools is lovely, I may do a couple of blog posts just about these.
  • Reverse Ribbon Tool – a simple ribbon tool that is large and sturdy, great for scraping slivers from a block of hard Chavant!
  • Duck Ribbon tool – probably not the technical name, but this took is a ribbon in the shape of a duck’s head, or sideways teardrop shape.  This shape means there are a host of different radii on one tool, I’ve already used this a little but I think it will be mostly used on future, larger models.
  • Large Triangular scraper tool – again, great for scraping slivers of clay from those hard Chavant blocks but also good for getting larger areas smooth
  • Pick (in the clear tube) – a very sharp little tool, with an angled head with two sharp edges.
  • Scraper/brushes – we used these during BOYCC when Addi was showing us how to clean greenware.  I found them so handy that I took a photo during the workshop so I’d remember, and then when I saw these at the pottery shop I thought I’d buy a couple to used when cleaning the occasional resin, or for future use should I ever create ceramic models, as I wasn’t sure I’d find them later.
  • Palette Knife – always handy, if only to clean clay and resin from surfaces!
  • Magnets – super strong magnets that I might use to convert Medallions into fridge magnets
  • Small wire tool – this is a handy tool as it can get into small places but it’s rounded edges don’t catch or stab.
  • Double Stylus – I’ve found this tool useful for making the initial indents into a model where the muscles lie, also used on nostrils, ears and anywhere that needs small, controlled indentation or hollowing out.

Not a bad haul from just one shop!  We then dropped off Donna at LAX, which has some great buildings:

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Just as we were driving off after dropping Donna off, I saw this sign, I only just got a photo of it but thought it a shame Donna hadn’t seen it.

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We also got to see the Goodyear Airship too, which was a treat!

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We got home to meet up with the other stragglers from the show, Kim Bjorgo and Melly Gaulding and we headed out to take the ranted chair back and check out a humungous antique store where we saw these (I’m sure any HR collectors would like to see this):

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and this awesome Post Office counter, had I not been on the wrong continent I would have been wanting that for my house, isn’t is lovely!

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Then we stopped at a local pet shop that had some very exotic birds…

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…and then went to meet Addi and her friend for lunch at a Thai restaurant called the King & I.  We enjoyed some lovely food, including sticky mango rice (divine!!) and a soup served in an awesome candle burner;

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Drinks, including Thai Iced Tea, which tasted a bit like a tea milkshake and was very yummy;

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…and the very cool decor!

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After eating we headed back to Joanie’s to take the fluffy white trio known as Casper, Yasha and Bear out for a nice walk along the coast and to enjoy the fabulous sunset:

 

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I really love this photo, shows those Eskies doing what they do best; pulllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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We waved goodbye to Melly and Kim, then it was my penultimate night. Here’s a random photo for Beccy ;o)

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On my final day with Joanie and Craig, Joanie decided to leave the studio and house full of shipping boxes behind and take me for a trip out into the desert.  I’ve never been to a desert (we don’t get many in England to be honest!) and Joanie and Craig live surprisingly near to one.  It is amazing how just going over the top of the mountains the landscape changes so dramatically!

We stopped for breakfast at Potato Shack where I enjoyed the largest pancake I’ve seen in my life (called a manhole sized pancake, and they aren’t kidding!!)…

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…then we drove out into the desert.  We went up, and up, and up….

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Over the top…

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On then THIS HAPPENED:DSC05071

The photographs just do not do it justice, this was VAST!!

Joanie had brought me to the Anza Borrego State Park and it was just breathtaking – look it up on Google Earth or maps if you can, it is mind-boggling big, hot and frightening to think that, should Joanie have chosen to leave me out there I wouldn’t have lasted a couple of hours!

We stopped at the visitor centre and took advantage of their handy guides to the mountains…

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…and plants

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Then we carried on driving, Joanie was heading for Font’s Point but I was mildly concerned when she turned off the road into the desert, to see this sign:

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It was great fun in the truck going along the sand dunes, we stopped off and Joanie took this photo:

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This photo was taken from the same spot, but turned the other way, it gives an idea of the scale of it all (and look at that lovely blue sky!):

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We jumped back in the truck, ramped up the air-con (thank heaven’s for air-con!) and headed off to Font’s Point.  When we got there, we found this sign but not much of a view….

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…but as we approached the edge…

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This AWESOME view appeared (bear in mind that’s about a 100ft+ drop from the ledge):

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We came across this small monument, it’s a bit like Geocaching from what I can tell, people hunt for these and sort of “collect” them, although obviously they leave them in place.  They are rewarded healthily for finding these with the mind-boggling views!

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I started looking at the stone around, there were some very interesting ones (I’m not a stone-buff, but I found these intriguing):

Here’s one that looks like Mary (to my eyes anyway, hehe)

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Here’s one for Jenn Danza:

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And here’s one that Joanie explained to me as having sun-bleached over thousands of years, one side was very dark and the other side was golden – it takes a long time to bleach a rock!!  I was a little bit naughty and brough a couple of pebbles home with me including this one (I left Mary, I felt someone else would find her far more interesting than agnostic me!).

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FOr all it’s barren beauty, there is life in the desert!  Even though it was just after midday (I know!), this hawk was on the prowl:

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There were also some tiny little birds but they were far too quick to capture on camera.

After drinking in the beautiful landscape we hot-footed back to the cool sanctuary of the truck (quite literally) and headed home via Assaggio’s, an Italian restaurant with a small airport that was in the middle of this sandy basin, but not before a small detour to check out a local artist’s work. This was my first view of some of his pieces:

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Over a several mile (maybe 10 mile) area, this man has created dozens and dozens of these metal sculptures, we stopped off to meet a couple – Joanie got a bit too close to this one!

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I thought I’d add this pic as it has us both on it, but from this angle it looks like Joanie is giving as good as she got, roflgigglesnort!!

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Seriously though, this guy’s work is incredible and even while we were driving through, the man was there and Joanie stopped for a little chat.  He was working on a monstrous creation that was in pieces when we were there, I’d love to see how it finished up!

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We had to get back to Joanies after this but it was such an amazing day, the landscape, the heat, the art, the company – all wonderful memories I’ll treasure!

When we got home, Joanie indulged me and treated me to a tour of her collection, I hope she won’t mind my posting this two photos:

Here is Sarah Minkiewicz-Breunig’s medallion, when I saw this I just had to agree:

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And this one is a one-off hanging bat in this beautiful albino colour, I think this was one of Addi’s but I’ll have to check that.

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Then, all too soon, it was time to leave the United States and fly home.  I’d had 10 days of super-intense hobby fun/socialisation/friend-making/creativity/cocktails/FOOD/ and a so much excitement, I left with a happy heart.

Before my flight Joanie treated me to one last American breakfast at an undeniable French Cafe:

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And we drove to the airport, I had to capture a quick snap of these, what amazing architecture!!

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I flew from LAX to Ohare, in Chicago…

This is the bridge that had me intrigued when I first arrived in San Diego:

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I love how organised everything in America is!  With squares…

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…and circles!

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An interesting, random sight – 3 lakes, three different colours!  I wonder what minerals make that happen!

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As we approached OHA, I was in awe of this – this is a photo of about 100 miles of cloud rolling in, this was the edge of the weather, in a perfect straight line!

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OHA wasn’t as much fun as I’d have liked; we weren’t given much time to get from one flight to the next, and I realise when we’d landed that I didn’t know if I had to pick up my luggage or not, so after going through security (where I had to take my belt off – this is relevant), I had to RUN through the airport to baggage reclaim…

(but I did get to see this, which was awesome – this is a rushed photo taken whilst running, trying to keep my glasses on my face, holding my book, on-board luggage and trying to keep my trousers up!)

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…only to find out that my bags had been transferred for me!!  So, bag, book, glasses and jean tops in one hand, camera in the other (I’m a cereal photographer, I can’t help it!), I RAN back through the airport…

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…to get to the gate as the made the FINAL call for me!  So, sweaty, wheezing like a trooper, tired and in quite a state, I boarded the plane in a cloud of “sorry”, and promptly collapsed into my seat for the final leg home. I was supposed to sleep on this 7 hour flight, but I couldn’t too many amazing things to see like these:

(sun going down)

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(sun coming up)

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(Sunrise)

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(and clouds on fire!!)

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See!

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I loved this – the on-board screens tracked your journey (I’m easily pleased, me!)

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And after a few more entertaining sights, like my engagement ring casting these beautiful reflections on the wall (click to enlarge)

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I was home.

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Well, London anyway – that’s the Thames from above:

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Back to the rolling hills, clouds and the suburban metropolis of England.  For all my excitement in the US, it was good to be home.

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So here ends my BOYCC report, I hop you didn’t find it TOO long, there was just SO much to tell you about!

Back on track next time, I have some exciting news to share about a fresh new model (hint – go check out my website to find out what it is!).