A lovely night out

Just been to see 'Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (for the elderly & beautiful ) That's what I'm going to be from now on, old & beautiful! It was a fabulous film, my textile arty buddy Jo suggested it - she's actualy been to Jaipur but I felt as tho I had been tonight. See it if you can ;)

Finished my collage, hope my customer likes it! Thanks for the 'love' word suggestions.

A 'beige' (!) brooch to match, a corner left from the heart. The origonal collages from early last year were inspired by Ruth Rae if you remember.

I wanted to start on a hanging based on a flower, no surprise there, inspired by a flower I made in a class given by Diedre Nelson a few moons ago. But due to the upheaval of moving things around to make a second B&B room I couldn't find it. I'll let you know if I do ;) The link is an old blog post on flowers in a hosital....probably similar to her class then. This is a quick sketch I made last year (it would have been quick as it's on receipt paper....from work  shhh ;)

It's going to be quite big, 3 or so feet long, anyway.....I think. I want to make the elements in parts & bring them all together as one, just like she who inspires me Beryl Taylor who wrote Mixed Media Explorations. Wish I'd been to Egypt! I've got a way to go, I think, this is all I managed!

I've decided I need to make 6 or 7 petaled flowers from now on, Clematis, say. It looks like a starfish with barnacles!!! The pre dyed cloth came from an inspiration pack I think & the cerise colored silky feel fabric, good old charity shop stuff. So I still like the color combination. A sample for sure ;)

I've got a few hours gardening time in this week (oops, given away my secret!) I heard my first Skylark, unmistakable & even saw my first swallow this year. Unbelievable, but all so promising ;) Nothing like a little sun on your face.

Much better now!

Thank you for all your kind wishes helping me on my way to recovery ;) It's been the usual kind of week which flies by in 5 minutes. I had a last minute craft fair in Dornie Hall overlooking Eilean Donan Castle (scroll down half way to the castle pic) on Friday , a wonderful setting. I covered my costs plus a bit - it's early in the season, yet. I was on a cancellation list & got the call the evening before. Quite tricky to not strip the studio  & have enough for a reasonable stall. It's thanks to 'smalls' that I can do it ;)

I sat there working away cutting pieces for cards using a sliding cutting machine that my arty buddy Janet lent me - good for doing on your lap! Then I ran out of glue ;( I was using that fabulous dry glue on a roll thing, doesn't last long! Then I did some hand stitching on this.....well I promised you a sneak peak, didn't I?!

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I hadn't realised there were so many last minute things to check & refer to when writing but I finally got there & my Workshop on the Web article was sent off today, phew! Lot's of help from the DH proof reading etc...he's learnt a lot! So exciting, exhilarating, fantastic to have been invited to do this. You'll have to subscribe to WoW to see the rest of the above pic, it's only £15 pa for what must add up to about 32 plus articles, well worth it (aren't I naughty ;)

When I wasn't running around like a blue arsed fly making words fit pics I started to work on a collage like this -

I got a commission for one similar for a wedding present at my exhibition last year ( oh my, the next exhibition is less than 2 months away!!!) I've been thinking about loving words; loved, to be loved, to love, one love, much love,  lovely one....hmm Any ideas I could borrow? So I've been laying down fabrics , pulling out lovely bits of forgotten lace, stitching away. I'll show you when I'm finished.

Said goodbye to my Middlest today, he's gone to sea! Had him home for the Easter holidays tho - so it was good to see him before he went off on his next phase. He'll be in Norway for a few weeks, just off the Arctic Circle! Went for a brisk walk along the shore after they drove off this evening to dry the tears (which nobody saw! ;) aren't I good keeping them to myself! Sweet rainbow, crystal clear on the hills, slanting evening sunshine & I think I heard my first cuckoo.

A lingering lurgy

or too much on my plate? I don't know but the result is not a lot to show for my week ;(  I guess we did have our first two room B&B - lots of prep ( tidying away stuff that should have been done earlier) & I did have a craft fair to get ready for, it was only a small one but it's got to look good still. It went ok, well, 3 cards, miserable weather & lots of families out for the egg hunt. But you've got to try.  I didn't do any demonstrating as my buddies dog had been up all night ill.  Wonderful setting on the green outside Rag Tag tho, so I didn't feel despondent, I felt I'd done my bit, i love the atmosphere. I do what I do & I enjoy it & I guess it's a question of getting it to the right market. I was asked by a customer would I take a workshop in Uist, the Outer Hebredies, so that was good....would I ?!

welcome to my new follower by the way, if you comment I'll visit but I can't see a link ;)

 my little treat -  £4 from Rag Tags 'second chance rail' How could I not? These are the color of my bridesmade dress from nearly 25 yrs ago, still love it, along with the turquoise that i also had in very small doses. To avoid the veiny look I lay on the floor & took this, very good for the abs, too;) My family think I'm completely mad but there's a certain freedom in that...

One of the stalls was lovely knits & tweed & tartan by Alison (sorry, don't know her last name!) who I regularly meet at craft fairs & I was picking her brain. I've been asked to make some tartan cards to add to the range I supply to Isle of Skye Candles, wonderful smelling shop & they've just won  best new Scottish company at the Scottish Variety Awards, brilliant ;) I think this kind of tartan  is what they're thinking of, traditional, classic. But how to interpret  it in my style?   Then I found this what I would call  creative tartan (scroll down a bit in the link).  Wonderful!

It's got me thinking, I love Maryanne Pollock's work, from what I can find it's her old work - we all move on I guess. I also saw somewhere quite thick paint laid down, lots of colors & then scored thru with a comb & then again at right angles - I think it's in the above link. I'll do some of that, but given the time I had I tried this above. With the idea of cropping to this below. Or something....

It needs a lot of work. The colors were a bit shocking but they're growing on me, hah! One of the books I borrowed from Lesley was Jan Beany & Jean Littlejons exploring color books - purple & yellow...(it worked for them!) So I went for it & added orange...

the Middlest was horrified & told me to go back to my blues & greens!

 

for example

 

I had fun....! & I will work out some traditional ideas too ;)

Happy Easter!

A snotty week

 
It's my turn to complain about a cold/bug this week. I sometimes think I'm allergic to ripping fabrics & I spend  time stitching away trying to stop a runny nose ;( But this week it turned into feeling grotty altho I only had a gravelly voice for a couple of days ;) Extra tired & extra lethargic but I feel better now. Bit behind on things but with an excuse! Before I didn't feel like it we had our first kayak of the season. It looked a little like this

 I confess I took this last year, sunny but misty at the same time & totally calm.  I didn't take my camera this time,  it was 8.50 in the am for heavens sake! Glad I seized the opportunity, tho, well, the DH made me! (I'm grateful!)

Got my books to the art group 'Aos' meeting & I am on the committee it seems!  I've volenteered to be one of the studios to visit over the summer......a little bit of tidying to do! Made sure I wasn't the first, tho. What shall we do for the visit, to keep people interested in the studio, I wonder? Hmmm. We're also looking out for a place to have a 'pop up' exhibition, a new phrase to me. There was an idea to use an Estate Agents window, the 'shop' is bing sold, so sadly they didn't want any art cluttering it up . Good idea to try to find an end of lease place, or something.

There are 5 on the committee so far, me & these others, just for your interest!  - Caroline Dear, photographer. Emma Noble, printmaker  Margaret Fergusson mixed media. Couldn't find many images for Margaret but I did a Cyanotype w/s with her a few years ago. & Lesley Linley, watercolorist. Quite a diverse group, we'll see what opportunities we can make happen.

As I said, didn't feel like doing anything this week but as I've got a table with my arty buddy Jo at a 'Fayre & Square' next week on Good Friday I thought I'd better russtle something up. It's being run by NTS & Rag Tag n Textile in Balmacara Square. It'll be an eclectic mix of things, I think. I'll be doing an hour demo of textile bits & pieces which will hopefully encourage people to do the future w/s with me there.


So I decided I felt like cushions, covers for the blanks I bought a couple of weeks ago.
 The youngest said it was very neat for me & I think it's a little pale, well, I still feel a bit pale!

 I didn't want anything too strenuous so rummaged around in various drawers & found some silk painted fabric, added a bit more color & stamped using my wonderful Indian block. This is about 4" square., the cushion 14", or it will be ;) It's got gentle gold stitching & the evening sun shows up the stitching ruching but it looks pretty even! I bondawebbed it in place before I stitched. I've learnt my lesson. I may do some hand stitching during earth hour (as long as it doesn't interupt Casualty....I know I'm a sucker for a hospital drama!) Oh, it is earth hour here, I'd better finish up!

The above is something I used to make cards from a while ago, strips stiched, cut, turned & stitched cut & turned again a couple more times. I meandered about with my faithful gold metallic adding bits & pieces from a bits bowl - organza, velvet & silky pieces. Again I may add some hand stitchng & possibly beads if I can see ok. I'm no good with piping round the outside, oh what can I add to stop the denim looking too, well, denimey?!

I'll try to get more made in the week but the boys are home for the holidays which is lovely & B&B is hotting up too - we have our first 2 room booking in the week. I will get round to making a bed quilt for the 2nd rm...one day ;)

Another week flown by

I've spent most of it finishing off my samples for the various workshops I'm writing/giving - I'll put a sneak peak up next time ;) Then I've been dithering, then I made or started to make a couple more books.

 Actually I've also wasted time (but greatly enjpyed) oohing & ahhing over artists books all over the net. An art group called Aos, pronounced 'eusse' which is Gaelic for a 'collective' of arty or poeticy people, is re starting up & at the AGM it's been suggested to bring along a couple of 'Artists Books' & I think that's what i'm making....ish, so it gets you thinking & distracted.


I spent this morning helping to dig holes for 6 apple trees, 2 1/2 hrs, nearly killed me! I left them planting some currants & raspberries, in the Community Croft Garden.

It's crooked, very disapointing, that's the pic & the middle bit...oh well.

To cap it all I'm doing a fundraising drive tonight getting people to their meals, so this is an ultra speedy visit!

Back soon to read up on you guys ;)

My first Coptic bound book

I'm so excited to have finally got my stitches together to try Coptic binding, inspired in no uncertain terms, by Iz of
Threadnoodle  making a couple of little books & making me say to myself RIGHT! , also helped by the wonderful embroidered book I bought last week (see last weeks post for links). Iz makes a wonderful variety of things, have a look around & she's had me rolling on the floor with her hysterical sense of humour (maybe not this week tho, some awful people might be building in front of them, one of my biggest nightmares - we could try making her laugh instead.... ;(

This is made from the covers I showed a couple of weeks ago, it was going to be a concertina book ;)

I admit to being pretty slow on the uptake of written instructions & even tho my arty buddy Janet-her new website promised to show me how to do the coptic stitch, I did venture round utube where these kind people have spent hours videoing themselves stitching books & I had a delightful time binding with my thread, pausing the videos willy nilly. I'll take my little books for constructive critisism to Janet next week...

When I came to write this post I was momentarily taken aback as I saw a pile of stunning books on my blogroll & was a tiny bit dishearteded. I'm sure Carol wouldn't want me to be, tho.  Look at these here ! I will get there, how I'd love to take that workshop tho!

I'm delighted with my efforts, the DH was worried he'd be insulting me if he told me they were actually quite classy. I don't mind being classy occaisonally! If Janet passes the second one, it will go into my Etsy shop.

I was wanting to make a mothers day card & 'just grabbed a selection of fabric & paper'  clearing up my desk, as you do, Linda is right! I made a couple of cards extra & thought the piece above would suit a book. Hope she likes the one I sent her ;)

I had a go at making some tomato & bean soup & decided to put the red onion skins in with some of the shopping list paper & a paper towel. Quite surprised at the yellow color, but it was certainly a better effort that the tiny pink mark on the cloth below - looked a lovely pink in the bowl. Now I'm no dye-er....one day, but why different for paper & fabric? Interesting!

I also found time to repair some trendily ripped jeans the Youngest bought. Of course the whole leg nearly came thru so I added some cloth behind with bondaweb & struggled with some machine stitching. The smaller piece had to be by hand as I didn't have access with the machine.  Altho I don't like fake wearing of denim I was reminded of all the lovely Boro out there, do google it.

I don't know where the time has gone, I'd planned to make a few more books this week, I will when the fingers have recovered & I've had time to learn some different swear words ;) Can't believe it's Easter in a few weeks & the season starts propper, , I'm terrified!

A day out at the Creative Stitches show

 I haven't done much making this week, but lots of writing, stitching samples & more writing.

I think this will be my first post with only one photo - the slr camera is just too heavy for a show so this will be full of delicious links ;) A light camera for the handbag is on the long list!)

So, I went on a little trip out to Glasgow to visit the Creative Stitches show at the SECC. The DH decided to come as we had a few things to get from Ikea for the new B&B room. It was also an opportunity to see the Middlest with his GF & the Elest & my DIL  to be, who are only an hour on the train away from Glasgow so we met for a cheap & cheerful meal in a place chosen by the Middlest. There was someone thrown out of a 2nd floor window recently but that didn't phase him - we had an uneventful evening on that score, luckily! Stayed in a perfectly fine Travelodge where there seemed to be a loud meeting in the hallway till 3am, but never mind!

I got a  couple of hours on the first day of the show to do some of the shopping on my list & sound out things to do the next day. I'd have had a longer day but we got a late B&B booking  for the 2 nights previous which I'm very glad about as it financed the shopping ;)

This is what I got -

 The first afternoon I went to a talk by Isobel Hall, very interesting, talking mainly about her new book 'Textile Adventures' & the techniques in it, using membrane from the garden for one & moulding paste. So I got some of that but as I am in a book phase I got her Embroidered Books, so difficult to choose! Can't see her own website.

Another good talk was by Kim Thittichai, very funny, she describes herself as a techniques teacher, not a product teacher, otherwise we get stuck on one thing & don't grow. Newspaper chenille is her thing at the moment, sounds fabulous! She's teaching in Australia in April I think - her w/s & shows schedule would have you in a spin, I'm telling you! I got some of her solufleece...

Wendy Cotterill gave a wonderful talk with demonstration, bravely printing text on white cotton using a stand alone printer. The best tip was to cut a little bit off of the leading corners of the paper/fabric. Her thing is transparent fabric & she'd dyed & ironed on bondaweb - paint is obviously opaque, a bit of glitter, printed with a painted stamp, added accent beads & dyed net over a bit of that. A lovely layered collage effect.

I was late for a 15 min taster w/s with Rachel Powell on using a drop spindle, but she very kindly showed me anyway. I've felted wool found on barbed wire that'sbeen torn off sheep before & now I can give it a go to spin it & couch it down. Somewhere I read you can spin paper.... So I got the drop spindle on the left of the pic & the Jan Beany & Jean Littlejohn book on the right on couching. I'll have a little squiz first, but I might give it away as a special thank you...



Saw Helen McKenna's stand, new to me, with fabulously embelleshed bits & pieces, especially shoes! Didn't know coz I didn't look at the program properly but I could have asked for a demo. I think she was the only one who had a sketchbook with lots of frilly bits in it on her table. I love a good flick thru those ;)

Wendy Dolan was there, but I'd seen her last year & there wasn't time (or energy!) for everything, sadly.


Went into the Hobbycraft Hall, boy! A little daunting & all very white. I went round very methodically & got those dry glue things - in the middle of pic; I find pritt stick a little gloopy these days. & the 3 permanent ink stamp pads I've been after for ages. Back in the Stitches bit I found a huge roll of gold foil & a special glue pen, no ironing & bondaweb needed, just rubbing. I had to walk past a chocolate stall - why is there a chocolate stall in a stitch show? to get a bigger pot of special tacky glue, an oil stick, cheap brush & a big metallic reel of gold thread :)

Saw some beautiful lace & someone demonstrating tatting, facinating! See the blue corners in the pic? 3 little cushion blanks from Ikea to encourage me to make some covers. We'll see ;)

My real luxury book is From Print to Stitch by Janet Edmonds of Embroidered boxes fame. Looks great & again, so many to choose from for my collecton! I had to have a coffe cup wrap (off the floor!) for my favorite kind of printing & stirrers, so useful. I forgot to pic the straw from I won't tell you where ;)

Hope you enjoy some of these links!