Like selling a painting...

... or getting two framed for free.

I had ordered the wrong size of frame for one of the paintings for the June exhibition (as I lamented here); full of optimism that I would not only sell one of them but in fact both, I had quickly reordered the correct size. Nothing sold, I never unpacked the parcel and it entertained itself in my office until today when I took it home. While taking it home, I wondered what I may have ordered alongside the frame... I usually sneak in some paints, brushes or similar things.

So, I unpack. And indeed: there is another box inside the parcel. I see from the outside that it's some Old Holland oil paint. 'How nice' I think to myself. Unpack it and it is some cobalt blue. 'Wow - with that you went a bit overboard, Gesa', I continue to think to myself. It's a large tube. I check for the delivery note - Cobalt Blue is pretty much in the most expensive price range of any pigment, Old Holland is so for any brand of oil paint. But no: it says only £20 - och, that's ok then. I grin.


A second later: this is never 40ml, though; I take out my kitchen scales: 500g - hm, 40ml of paint weigh 500g? No way! I check the website for other sizes the supplier sells the paint in. Well, they also sell paint in 225ml. That looks more like it.

225ml of Old Holland Cobalt Blue comes in at a bargain price of £105.

Jammy cow, I think to myself. I think I won't have to buy any cobalt blue for a year or two. Plus: I got a cheque for the first painting from the June exhibition - I mentioned that I loaned them to friends? Good strategy that is! One can sell paintings that way, too.

Lose some? Win some!