I can't believe we have got to another year already. Spring is round the corner and the snowdrops are looking great in the garden - and distracting me when I'm supposed to be working. I must admit to being fed up with the rain and mud though. I think I should be painting all my portraits with mud splatters for authenticity at the moment. I have started a new project at the end of last year, doing sports memorabilia, which is a bit different! I love doing the pet portraits but it is really good to have a new challenge and to do portraits of a few people. Painting famous people is a first for me and I found I got quite excited by doing something different. The gloves have already been signed by a celebrity so I just have to add their portrait. The gloves are apparently special display only gloves - so not for using - that would muck up my work a treat I should think anyway. I used oil paints for these and I think I'm happy with the result. Oils are slow to dry and can be a bit tricky but I do like using them for doing people. They also stick on the leather very well as they are flexible and have a lovely lustre, compared to acrylics, for this sort of thing.That's about all my news for now best wishes Michelle