Mr Smile-a-While...

I was already awake when D's alarm went off at 5am.  He only pressed snooze twice :-)  Waved him off at 6am on the dot and after a few rounds of a word game on my phone to induce sleep, I snuggled back under the quilt and slept soundly until 10am!!!

The weather has turned back to grey and dull. Sigh.  Alan didn't want to go out but was full of the joys regardless.  He is happy to be looking after me this week while his dad is in Spain but equally happy to know his dad will be back home again in 5 sleeps :-))

I continued painting Mairi's thistle.  I don't know why this particular piece is giving me such grief.  I am just not feeling it!  I have painted a load of thistles and love doing so, but this one is just not appearing as I see it in my head!  Grrrrrr....

Took a break from it and painted a background on a canvas for another painting.  When I returned to the thistle I decided to paint out the grassy background and make it all sky and I think that has helped.  The stem and leaves of the thistle were getting lost in the background foliage I think.  I decided to leave it there for today and return to it tomorrow with a fresh eye.

No break from paint dilemmas though as I've spent the rest of the day trying to decide on a new colour for the kitchen.  Our kitchen cupboards are F&B Strong White and the kitchen island is F&B's Cornforth White, with the walls F&B Ammonite, which is a pale grey.  I want to go bold.  At the moment I am thinking Deluxe Heritage colours Boathouse Blue or Midnight Teal.  Another thought is F&B's Stiffkey Blue.  Pics of each in extras in the order I've just mentioned.  

I have to take into account the garden room too, which is separated from the kitchen by bi-fold doors (rarely closed) I think D and I agree that the walls and the new sofas for in there will be neutral, with bursts of colour coming from the cushions and throws (for as long as Lola rules the roost there will be throws on the garden room sofas! :D)  and perhaps a rug.  Once a decision has been made on kitchen wall colour the rest should fall into place here's hoping!

D messaged earlier to say he's arrived safely in Spain. It's very hot!  I've just sent him an audio clip of the rain thundering down here.  It's biblical!