At the weekend I shared a studio with Diana Kazemi and Carmen Renwick. We decked it out with an enormous amount of Christmas lights, put the mulled wine to heat up and opened our doors to the public.

Here is a photo of me just after we had set up the previous evening. Behind me is one of my largest Cambridge paintings that incorporates gold leaf and some of Diana's beautifully elegant ceramics. I love the way the two different media and styles work together.

We had a wonderful time meeting everyone who came to visit us and the time just flew by. Thank you for for visiting as it was a little cold and we would love to see you again next year.

I shall be sharing a Winter Open Studio this weekend with Diana Kazemi, ceramicist and Carmen Renwick, painter and printmaker in Chesterton, Cambridge.

I hope you will be able to drop in at some time over the weekend to see our work and enjoy a glass of mulled wine. A number of other artists, within cycling and walking distance, will also be opening their studios during the same times.

We will be open on 24 and 25 November from 10am to 5pm. If it is cold the door will be closed but please knock. You will see the flags and 'A' board near the entrance at The Old Dovecote, 5 Church Street, Cambridge CB4 1XQ - the same street as St Andrew's Church.

I have made some more scarves for this open studio. They are gorgeous, soft, silk, vibrant in 6 different colours, I can't wait for everyone to see them.

As you may be aware, I love the monthly meetings with Cambridge Urban Sketchers - #USKCambridge. On Saturday we visited the Zoology Museum in Downing Street, Cambridge. Although there was a large group of us, there are two floors to explore and we all managed to fit in among the visitors.

I headed to the lower floor where the animal skeletons are and found a seat in front of the large display cases. These exhibits are lit so well they throw the most wonderful shadows. So here are my sketches using a black 0.5mm fineliner. A red howler and a brown hare.

After the photos of all the sketches and the group we headed for the cafe which overlooks the huge whale. Here we look at all the sketchbooks over a cup of tea. As I ate my brie and grape panini I was devastated to learn that the cafe would be closing as it was not profitable. Such a shame that this lovely place is unable to survive as people prefer the expensive brand coffee shops.

I am absolutely delighted to have been asked to exhibit some paintings in this exhibition. There are 6 altogether although they will not all be shown at the same time in this ever-changing exhibition.

I went along today for the opening and found myself with a glass of mulled wine, my first this year so Christmas must be coming.

There are plenty of wonderful things to see by dozens of different artists in all kinds of media. I do have a soft spot for the checked pottery and I think one of the jugs will be on my Christmas wish list. There are also some one-off pieces of amazing jewellery which are exquisite and some really interesting mixed media pieces plus ceramics with Emma Will represented who is also doing a Winter Open Studio near me this year.

Other pieces I really love are the wacky houses and the ceramic people. I am so chuffed to be showing my work amongst such talented people. Exhibition ends on 24 December.

I am very excited, and a little nervous, about giving a talk and demonstration at Ely Art society. It all happens Friday 9th November at the Methodist Hall, Ely, CB6 1AD.

I shall be talking about my work and giving a demonstration on how I use copper and silver leaf in my paintings. After that I shall be talking about my love of Urban Sketchers. All illustrated with lots of prints and paintings plus sketchbooks from my art classes and urban sketches.

Bookings can be made online http://www.elyartsociety.com/section816939_

One of my students has been offered a job abroad and this means I have a vacancy in my Friday class.

If you are interested in joining my classes please let me know by emailing info@maureenmace.co.uk

What we do in the classes is led by the students and we discuss media and subjects at the beginning of term. My students love drawing and this is the best way to learn to look at the world around you. We also make a lot of paintings, in both watercolour and acrylic, on various themes and experimenting with different techniques.

I provide all materials so you don't need to pay for paints and pastels like in most other classes. My classes are for a maximum of four people so everyone gets lots of attention.

The classes are from 10am to 12.30pm. Want to know more or like to visit? Please contact me.

You can see some of the work we do here http://www.facebook.com/cambridgeartclass