Wednesday 23 March 2011

Why I didn’t make the Swindon Winter Image Show!

My son Stirling had been promised to have his room decorated for his 7th birthday and as this coincided with half term and he and his sister were off to stay with the outlaws it was a perfect opportunity to surprise him. In the preceding weeks we had been asking him what he would like and it ended up after being themed on one of his favourite toys – Lego but not just any Lego but Star Wars Lego.

After hours of trawling on the internet we drew a complete blank. No wallpaper, borders, nothing. So it was left to Sally and I to paint a mural containing some of his favourite characters. Hours of scaled up drawings onto tracing paper consumed most of our free time but eventually we were ready. My dad and I striped the old Noddy mural that we had painted a few years ago and got the blank canvas ready for when Sally returned from dropping the kids off. After hours upon hours of hand painting and detailing here’s the results!

Although his room is very small we still managed to get C3-P0, R2-D2, Obiwan, 2 Ewoks and a Naboo Starfighter. We did luck in to 1 finishing touch, a colour changing lightsaber as a night light with a remote and “on/off” noises for our Jedi to hold.

Much of the credit for this creation should go to Sally as at times I was more the gofer and chief paint mixer. Still working in miniature but not quite Bonsai!!!!

Thursday 10 March 2011

I'm not all about miniture trees!!

When I’m not working on Bonsai trees (usually in the Winter) I have time to work on special 1 off motorsport models and I’ve had the chance to create gifts for current Formula 1 driver Mark Webber over the last few years. Here’s a car commerorating 10 years of the Mark Webber Supporters Club depicting liveries from all the teams that Mark had driven for. Many of the transfers used were not commercially available so I had to design and print them myself.  This was given to him as a Christmas gift and the last I heard it was still sitting in his office!!



I sometimes make things for my own collection and get the man himself to sign them. I’m now know by Mark as “The Car Man” and he’s always intereseted in my work. 


I’ve been lucky enough to “race” against him on a few occasions (all be it only in Go-Karts) and as you can see my son Stirling is offering me advice before my next stint . It didn’t help much but at least I can say that I was taken out by a Grand Prix driver!!



Simon goes Cyber

The time has finally come for me to chart my life’s journey, for good or ill, so welcome to my Blog! It could be happy, it could be sad or just downright silly but with these entries I hope to share with you my version of Top Gear’s “Cool Wall”.

My two main passions, F1 Motor Racing & Bonsai, couldn’t be more opposite. One requires outright speed at the cutting edge of technology and the other is slow and uses age old horticultural and styling techniques. Having worked all my life in the printing trade, design and aesthetics have played a major part so both of these hobbies, although very dissimilar, hold similar artistic qualities.

My passion for Formula 1 started from a very early age and I have been lucky enough to have some totally unique experiences over the years. Bonsai was a later, but no less passionate, interest and I have also had many chances to visit premier Bonsai events thanks to the generosity of my good friend Andy “Stone Monkey” Pearson. In both my “worlds” I have been lucky enough to make many lasting friendships and am using this Blog as a way to celebrate everything that I hold dear.

I hope you enjoy reading my ramblings!!
Love, Peace & Bananas, Simon