CHANGING THREADS

2009-06-11T13:58:00.000-07:00

It's been such a long time since I posted everyone's probably gone away and is looking elsewhere. Pushed into writing something today as we had Maggie Grey at the Oxford Guild yesterday evening. She's so inspiring. Reminds me so much of Val Campbell-Harding who was my totally inspirational City and Guilds tutor at Urchfont many years ago. I did several C&G courses with Val, the last one finishing just a few months before she died. Maggie is just the same - loads of wonderful inspiring suggestions thrown at you until all you want to do is get home to try and do some of them! Just at the moment I have some rather damp felt drying ready to start stitching into. I'll let you know if it works/how it works in the next few days.

Apart from that, I took part in Oxfordshire Art Weeks again this year. We had masses of visitors (I did it with two others - a ceramic sculptor and a potter) over three days and it was great, very very tiring though! Not huge sales but a lot of nice comments and enough to keep me at it.

Next week off to Windsor to see what's going on there and whether the Diploma is being axed as I have heard. Really want to do it starting September 2010 but may have left it too late!

2009-01-16T11:01:00.000-08:00

Thanks Carol-Ann for your comments; glad it's not just me worrying about the travelling books. Actually I'm really looking forward to them getting started, it's going to be great fun seeing how they're doing!

I've been playing with the idea for some time of applying to do the Diploma in Stitched Textiles at Windsor. I've never been tempted to do a degree course - too much research, when I really want to get on with the fun stuff. Need to talk to the other half, it's a big commitment.

Looking forward to a weekend getting down to some sewing. I also went to an art class on Wednesday, doing still life in charcoal. I really enjoyed it and felt quite proud of what I'd achieved. Took some photos the other day (when it was freezing) of things I saw on my walks with the dog. There's a house I often walk past on my way down to the river which seems to be lived in by an old type rag and bone man - there are piles of things left outside. Can be anything from old computers, to lots of fence posts and then the other day this amazing pile of old metal. There must be something I can do with a photo like this. I love the old Roses tin showing through the mattress.

2009-01-13T13:59:00.000-08:00

Well into the New Year now and some work is beginning to come out of my workroom. I'm beginning a series based on city landscapes which I'm quite pleased about. More to follow.

We have a meeting of my local Embroiderers Guild (Oxford) tomorrow. I'm currently the co-Chairman. One great idea that my fellow Chairperson has introduced goes live tomorrow. Much to our delight we've got the vast majority of the membership interested. The idea is that those taking part are split into groups of six. Each person in the group has two A5 notebooks each. Every month you fill in a double page spread of both of you books and then pass one of those books to the next person in the group. The idea is to get people motivated and inspired, with the idea of our Branch exhibition in October in mind. Having kept a sketchbook for several years now, and being totally committed to and loving my stash of books I am now panicking about what to put in!! Of course previously the sketchbooks have been my property only and it's up to me whether I show them to everyone. I actually did, during Oxford Artweeks last year when I was amazed at how many people wanted to look at them. But this time is different - this time they're being passed around and so I want my double page spread each month to be PERFECT!

I'm being far too precious of course, the whole idea of keeping a sketchbook is to try out ideas and I must get over this. But I worry that if I'm finding this hard - when I've kept a sketchbook already - how hard are others finding it? I hope we don't get too many people falling at the first post. We'll have to have a go at maintaining interest/giving ideas etc. Anyone any ideas for some good websites to look at?

2008-12-03T01:57:00.001-08:00

I found an old cream wool blanket the other day that my mother in law had given me. Also found in a drawer some acid dyes that I bought last year at Ally Pally and have never used, so set myself up for a morning of dyeing. It was so easy!!! All I had to do was weigh the blanket (which I cut into 18" squares for ease) and then wash it in some synthrapol (which fortunately I already had) and then rinse and add to the dye. This was warm water - enough to cover the blanket pieces - to which I added a paste made of a small amount of water and a teaspoon full of dye per 50g weight of blanket. Let it simmer gently for about 30 minutes, take it out and rinse it out and dry. Later I ironed it to 'set' the dye. Now all I have to do is decide what to do with it! But what lovely, heathery colours came out (well, not the turquoise obviously!).

2008-11-26T09:58:00.000-08:00

Such a long time since I looked at a blog let alone wrote something on mine! Hopefully the worst is over, work wise, and I can concentrate on being more creative for (at least) the rest of the year.

The picture on the left is a close up of a piece I finished recently based on landscapes which are increasingly fascinating me. I walk a lot around the fields locally when I take my dog out each morning and love looking at the fields and trees and how everything changes over the course of the year.

I've been invited to take part in Oxfordshire Arts Week again (did I say?) - this time in a nearby village with a potter and a ceramic sculptor. It should be a good mix and we're only going to open for 3 days (instead of this year's 9!) which is more manageable, and hopefully a lot less tiring.

After that we have a Guild Branch exhibition next October at Wantage museum, which is a lovely little venue. We've decided to keep all exhibits to a uniform size which should work well within a small space.

The other week I took part in a fabulous workshop with Jacky Russell. Jacky did the Diploma at Windsor and Maidenhead with Jan and Jean, finishing a couple of years ago. She 'specialised' in lutradur which is a product I have heard of but never used. This workshop was all about lutradur and we had a great day. We painted it and printed on it, burnt it, sewed with it, put gesso on - the list was endless. The great thing is that if you put acrilyic paints on or gesso (either splashed on or carefully printed on with a stamp) this acts as a resist so that you can then get out your heat gun and burn away as much as you like around the resist. The picture above shows some of the samples I came home with. The small dots you can see were made with a fine soldering iron (on my Christmas list!). The picture further above is a close up of one of my favourite samples done with gesso and then machined and painted with silk paints after I used the heat gun.

2008-11-10T02:08:00.000-08:00

Am having problems these days finding time for anything creative, so I've decided to make myself do 30 minutes a day - that shouldn't be too hard! Anything where I'm looking at colour, texture, shape etc, which means most things are happening in my sketchbook but it's good background for something - eventually!

I have been following Maggie Grey's online lessons at http://www.d4daisy.com/maggiete.htm as I bought her latest book at the Knitting and Stitching Show. Here you can see my part-finished 'book'. I loved making the squirly design using a foam stencil and water soluble paper which was layered and dampened and then left overnight on top of the boiler before I could peel it off and stick it on the pelmet vilene. The lovely purply mauve colour came from gesso being put on the vilene quite thickly with salt sprinkled over and then painted with watered down Quink ink. Fantastic - I'd never have thought of it. Maggie comes up with some great tips.

Here's a close up (bit fuzzy, sorry).

2008-10-01T03:20:00.000-07:00

I don't seem to get any time to sew at the moment - very busy at work. However, I was thrilled to see on the Twisted Thread website that my offering for the Embroiderers' Guild auction has been receiving bids!! How cool is that? (as my children would say) I do hope the auction does well, the Guild needs every penny it can get at the moment.

Still I have been keeping up to date with my swaps on various forums, but forgot to take pictures!

Looking forward to next week's Knitting and Stitching Show at Ally Pally. I'm going with three friends and already have a shopping list (must haves!) as long as my arm.

2008-08-26T13:56:00.000-07:00

We have had some reasonable weather recently so, as well as doing some fabric dyeing, I've been out painting papers (and the grass!). I've also been doing some gardening and found loads of poppy seed heads which I've cut down and put in a vase.

The shapes fascinate me so I've been filling pages in my sketchbook with poppy heads in all different media. I'm a great fan of Cloth Paper Scissors and, although I find some of the articles, rather 'American' in their sameness I enjoy the different techniques. One of which I used for the double spread - drawing the poppy head outlines then filling some of the areas in with pasted pieces of newspaper before painting over. I'm quite pleased with how it worked out, for a first attempt, although I have to say it looks better in the sketchbook than in the photo! C'est la vie!

2008-08-18T10:35:00.000-07:00

I just don't seem to get the time to sew at the moment. 'Real' work is taking over and of course it's the summer holidays although the children are being brilliant with the fact that I have to spend so much time at the computer rather than entertaining them. I think the 15 year old is quite content but my (nearly) 10 year old needs her mum around still.

Anyway, one thing I did with her yesterday was fabric dyeing. I've been meaning to do this for ages after the great weekend I did with Ruth Issett some months ago. It was a reasonable day so we did outside (and dyed some grass in the process). I had completely forgotten how some fabrics take dyes better than others so we had a range of tones of colour, mainly in my favourite reds, pinks, oranges. They looked like flags on the washing line drying later!

I'm also pleased to see that the Embroiderers' Guild Auction is now up on the Twisted Thread website ready for the Knitting and Stitching shows (still saving up!). This is a great opportunity, not just to refill the Guild's coffers, but also to buy some lovely embroidery!

2008-07-11T05:28:00.000-07:00

Very very busy at the moment but had another 'high' yesterday. Remember the commission I got as a result of Oxfordshire Art Weeks? I really didn't know what Jane wanted, her tastes, etc, all I had was a colour scheme. So I produced five pieces for her to look at and - guess what - she wanted three of them!!

This was one (sorry about the flash), which I had been quite pleased with. My usual mixture of fabric and paper.

I was using Jane's curtains for the basis of the colour scheme - cream with turquoise, baby pink, orange and red. My tendency was to miss out the cream and go for the other colours but I was aware that perhaps she wanted something more 'airy' to reflect the curtains. However, not at all - she wanted 'wow' factor; something to catch the eye as you walk into the kitchen. This one on the right was the 'airy' one which I was pleased with - it was machine embroidered onto layers of clear plastic, doesn't show too well in the photo unfortunately.

I was also really thrilled to be invited to join a group exhibiting at the West Ox Arts group in spring 2010 (not 2009 as I originally thought). Seems quite a long way away at the moment, but I know it will come along quickly.

2008-07-09T06:27:00.001-07:00

What miserable weather! My son announced this morning that 'summer was boring'. I know what he means.

However, at least I don't have feelings of guilt when I'm in my workroom rather than gardening. I watched the Quilting Arts DVD again the other day and had a play at Beryl Taylor's 'fabric paper'. It went well and machines beautifully, so I made a small piece which I'm quite pleased with. Even my sister, who is not a fan of my type of art, thought it was 'quite nice'. That was praise!

I see the Embroiderers' Guild is asking for members to donate pieces of work to display at the Knitting and Stitching shows. These will then be auctioned to go towards filling the coffers after the Manchester debacle. I might put this one in.

Still very behind with Dale's course. Lesson 6 arrived this morning and I still haven't finished Lesson 2. Anyway I've printed it off so I can go back to it at some point.

2008-07-02T14:12:00.001-07:00

Wow! Two blogs in two days, almost setting a record here. Actually I'm sitting waiting for a customer to come and view the textile art I've made with a view to filling a hole in her kitchen. However, she doesn't seem to be getting here today so I'm checking everyone's blogs, trying to catch up with what's going on over the past five weeks or so.

Purple Missus is amazing - every one of her blogs is full of information of wonderful things to try. she's made me decide that, weather allowing, I'm going to have a go at dyeing some fabric tomorrow. After doing a weekend with Ruth Issett last autumn I'm hooked on procion dyes for painting papers and now think it's time to move into dyeing fabrics to go with the papers. After all, most of the work I do is layered paper and fabric. So think of me tomorrow, with plastic containers all over the garden and trying to persuade the dog NOT to sniff them all.

2008-07-01T07:55:00.001-07:00

Where is the time going? I've been hectic with the 'day job' so haven't had time to blog, or even look to see what everyone else has been doing. I have managed to fit in some stitching though! I signed on some weeks ago to do Dale Rollerson's embellishing course which I'm very behind with but enjoying. Got piles of samples and ideas for things as you can see from the picture! That was only two weeks' lessons. I haven't had a chance to look at the others yet.

I've also been trying to get on with the commission I got at the end of Artweeks. I decided to go ahead and do as many pieces of art as I could in the colour scheme that went with my friend's kitchen curtains (Designer Guild) as hopefully the rest won't be wasted.

Finally, you might be interested to see my workroom mid-project! It's a little bit bigger than it looks in this picture, but everywhere things are piled up. Someone just lent me the Quilting Arts 'Studios' magazine. What I would give for some of those studios! Space, organisation, shelves, eye candy everywhere!! Mustn't complain though - I do have a room to work in and don't have to clear up all the time when I'm in the middle of something and the dinner needs cooking, I just close the door.

2008-05-28T07:38:00.000-07:00

Time has flown past and it's a few weeks since I last posted. I've been busy catching up on the swaps that got missed during Artweeks and I'm really pleased that I've only got one more to do and I'm not late with it either. I've had several of the African Arts quilties in from the Embellisher Group. I won't post pictures in until they're all here. I plan to attach them together in some way and hang them from my workroom wall.

Which is just what I've done with the white on white quilties for Lenna Andrews' swap. Unfortunately because they're white they don't photograph too well, but I've done my best to show you the wonderful stitching and textures in them - only two of the four because the photos just don't come out.

As well as the African Arts swaps I've done the complementary colours, cupcakes, recycled fabrics and another I can't remember. I've also received this wonderful tag from Eileen (that's the last thing I've got to do).

I signed up yesterday to do Dale Rollerson's 6 week online embellisher course. I always enjoys Dale's blog and came across this course which starts next week by chance. The exchange rate is still so good that it was great value and I'm looking forward to learning lots. Thank goodness it starts after half term finishes; the weather has been so awful that the children have been tied to the house. We've seen the new Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford just gets hunkier), been ice skating, done mosaics, etc, etc, and we're only half way through.

2008-05-11T00:33:00.000-07:00

Well, we've got to the last day and I'm on a real high! Couldn't sleep last night. We had a really slow week, Thursday we only had 5 visitors which was very depressing. Friday was much better and I made my first 'big' sale - ie an embroidery rather than just cards or sketchbooks. I was so thrilled! Then a neighbour came in and oohed and aahed over another picture and wants to come back today to discuss a commission!!!!

However, yesterday was my big day - sold FOUR more pictures. One is even going back with its new owner to Canada. It's such a wonderful thrill to know that complete strangers (and some friends) are prepared to pay money for something you've worked for. It's just a great confirmation that I am producing 'art' that means something to other people, not just me.

Lots of local people I know came and made the usual comments 'I didn't know you did this'! I'm sure there are so many people out there hiding their light under a bushel and Artweeks is such a good way to show what you do. It can be a very lonely business otherwise. Now I'm looking forward to having the chance to visit other people, once today's finished. I'm so grateful to Debbie for letting me use her studio in such a fabulous place.

2008-05-03T12:12:00.000-07:00

First day of Oxfordshire Artweeks and I'm so tired! We set up yesterday. I'm sharing a studio with another woman in my village. She lives in an amazing old Victorian grange with a huge garden and beautiful studio. I'm not jealous - honestly! She also imports 'animals' made from wire and beads from South Africa. They're made by Zimbabwean refugees and they're fantastic. My daughter has so far fallen in love with the elephant, the zebra, the goat and the crocodile. I have a personal favourite in the sheep. I can't really see a zebra on the lawn of an Oxfordshire cottage somehow! (I'll post some photos tomorrow).

Anyway, we sat and chatted for the first hour then people started arriving. We're open from 12-6pm every day for the next week - rather a challenge. Anyway we had quite a few visitors up until 4.30pm then all went quiet. It's great fun talking to people who are really interested in what you're doing and I've had lots of admiring comments (though no hard sales unfortunately). I'm trying to 'sell' the Embroiderers' Guild as much as I can as well; we may well get some visitors at least through this.

2008-04-28T04:08:00.001-07:00

Well I think I'm finally ready for Oxfordshire Artweeks which starts this Saturday. I'm sharing a studio with a mosaic artist in the village and we decided to open from 12-6pm every day. It seemed like a good idea 6 months ago but I've a funny feeling that the family are going to be deserted over the week and will have to fend for themselves.

I've got about 11 pieces framed and ready, together with any number of cards, so I hope someone buys something! I know it's mainly people who want to see what people consider 'art' and just what their neighbour gets up to!! Anything that will help people to understand that 'embroidery' is no longer cross stitch tablecloths (although they have their rightful place) has got to be good. If I can get a few visitors to the Oxford branch of the Embroiderers' Guild, even better.

Anyway this is a close up of a piece I finally finished yesterday. I tend to have two or three on the go at a time. They sit around my workroom while I tweak a bit here and there, or undo something I've already tweaked. But this one is definitely finished. So's the one at the top.

2008-04-26T05:45:00.000-07:00

My next problem - I've started a blog for the Oxford Embroiderers' Guild and some of the info is getting swapped between the 2 blogs! I've just left a note on Purple Missus' blog and it comes from the 'Oxford Embroiderers Guild' instead of 'Amanda'. I'm beginning to think this technology is beyond me!

2008-04-25T02:37:00.000-07:00

I haven't blogged for a while, what with a holiday last week and panicking about Oxfordshire Artweeks. But a friend and I are trying to set up a blog for our branch of the Embroiderers' Guild and I'm not sure it's going well. General opinion seems to be that it's easier to do a blog than a web page so that's what we're doing. But I'm not sure either of us is qualified - I still can't manage a respectable heading for my own blog; the picture is too big and the heading too small (not sure which)! Any ideas anyone? How do I reduce it?

We're also trying to think of other ways to open up the Guild to more people. I know from my own blogging that there are loads of people out there interested in all types of textiles, but I'm sure most of them don't belong to a branch. Is it the 'Embroiderers' Guild' name that puts people off? Have people not heard of it? Do they think they have to be of a certain standard to join? Any suggestions gratefully received.

2008-04-08T05:16:00.000-07:00

Christmas arrived again this morning! This time a package from Jean of the UK Embellisher group and again the Arty Bits swap. I did work at my swap yesterday but I'm not sure I'll get them all finished before we go away on Saturday. But it will be done by the end of the month (promise!). Anyway Jean sent me some lovely handmade beads, inchies, cords, together with a packet of beads, sea glass (which I collect anyway), some lutradur (I think) painted and heated, fabric. I could go on... Also with it came a card with a beautiful photo on it which she took herself. Aren't we all talented?!

Just to prove I have been working on this swap, these are bottle top pincushions which I made last night specifically for this swap (I have to produce four packages). I think they're really sweet and I've stuck one on my sewing machine. You can find the instructions for making these here. I've put a velcro circle on the bottom and they could be put on a wrist band as well as stuck on to something as I've done.

2008-04-07T06:05:00.000-07:00

Seem to have got the computer problems sorted, though I'm not sure how. Anyway I don't keep getting thrown off for no obvious reason.

Christmas arrived early for me on Friday - got this box from Sue through the UK Embellisher Swap group. It's an Arty Bits swap. We have to make 5 inchies, 5 cords, 5 beads and also include something bought and something made. Sue has put everything I've done to shame already (not that I've finished making the cords yet). She made a pelmet vilene envelope for the inchies and another one for the cords, both beautifully decorated with beaded fasteners. The beads are lovely and long and already I know what I want to do with them. She says they were straws, wrapped with chiffon, then acrilyic felt with wool tops needled onto it, then zapped and wrapped with wire and finally dry brush wiped with gold paint. Fabulous! She also sent me some bags of beautiful beads (bought ones). Guess what I've got to get on with this week?

I also had another envelope with these lovely button fairies (sorry about the slightly blurry photo) from Amanda, Jean and Fay of the Mixed Media ATC Group. I really enjoyed making mine and it was fun to see how different everyones were.

2008-04-01T10:44:00.000-07:00

I'm having real problems with my computer which for some strange reason crashes when I try to use the internet but when I log on as my son (same computer!) is fine. However, despite all that, have managed to finish my bookwrap for Angie Hughes' bookwrap challenge at the Ledbury Artplace. I'm really pleased with it!

The book I chose was The Hobbit which is an old favourite of mine. Obviously it had to depict a dragon as well as the famous gold ring! So I painted some garden fleece black and gold and sewed it to some black velvet before using the heat gun on it. I wasn't too sure about it then so it sat around for a week or so before I embellished some black wool tops over it. Sort of like drifting fog I hoped. Atmospheric and black, that sort of thing.

I then cut out a dragon shape out of black velvet and bonded it over the background before machining over the whole shape. Then I cut strips of black velvet and hand sewed gold designs on it, hopefully looking like elvish writing. I copied these from the book.These strips were sewn on top and bottom, with some cords made on the machine alongside. I used the flower stitcher to make some gold felt circles to sew on the ends and then gold metal rings were attached as fastenings. The edges were sewn in rough shapes, intended as mountain ranges (or so I hoped). All in all I'm quite pleased and I'll get it in the post tomorrow. And now for some reason the computer won't let me put the picture on of the whole thing. I'm going to bed. Heh! Managed it - 5th attempt. Wasn't life simpler without computers?!

2008-03-11T03:18:00.001-07:00

I've just got back from a short break in Madeira. It's amazing how much good a little bit of winter sun can do you. I feel completely rejuvenated.

I left the family behind to their own devices and went with my sister and met my parents out there. We had a real giggle and ate and drank far too much.

As a result (of the break not the food and drink!) I haven't done much art and embroidery but I did take a few photos. None of them can

understand why I got so excited about a bit of rust. They were completely bemused! Unfortunately it hasn't come out too well. The other picture is a close up of a tree trunk.

The last picture is, of course, a manhole cover. Another bit of rust!

Got home Thursday evening and Saturday and Sunday I was out again (it didn't go down too well) to a Ruth Issett workshop. This was fabulous - I can really recommend her as an inspiring tutor. We spent the weekend trying out different paints and techniques. I hadn't used texture gels before and they were a real eye opener. I had to leave before they got onto Markal sticks which was a shame as I've had some for a few years and have never been too sure what to do with them. Anyway I've bought a couple of Ruth's books and may even manage to overcome a lifetime's aversion to dyeing fabrics and have a go at that. She made it seem so easy!

2008-02-23T10:18:00.001-08:00

Some time ago I spent a while drawing architectural features and loved some of the rococo shapes I found there. I went back through my sketchbook afterwards and painted over with some koh i noor paints, just choosing the colours I like.

Then I tried to reproduce the left hand page using sheers and water soluble paper. I burnt back the sheers with a hot air gun and dissolved some but not all of the water soluble paper using the same koh i noor paints. I have to admit it didn't really work and it sat on my desk for ages until I unearthed it again last weekend during my big clear up.

This time I put it on black felt and did some machine couching and hand stitching around and I'm quite pleased with the finished effect.

Here's a close up

2008-02-20T00:54:00.000-08:00

Half term! Actually it's going quite well, no big fall outs (yet). I managed to spend the afternoon in my workroom on Sunday while husband and no 2 child went to play rehersal. I'm so pleased with the results of my tidying up - 3 hours of it! - that I might just post a picture.

Had a lovely parcel arrive yesterday from Fibrecrafts. I only ordered this on Sunday! Daughter rubbed her hands with glee and announced she would be using my embellisher this week! I really want her to love embroidery and textiles as I do so I will probably let her.

Also managed a few hours yesterday evening when everyone was out/busy. I painted some brown paper (I use those acrilyic tester pots from DIY shops) a few weeks ago and have spent some time tearing it and laying it here and there and finally sat down to sew on it yesterday. I'm quite pleased with the results although I lay awake for a few hours last night with ideas for

improving it niggling at me.

2008-02-11T06:35:00.001-08:00

Heard from Lenna today that my white quilties have finally arrived, and she does say some nice things about them on her website! I'm sure I'll be swapping with her again.

A beautiful day, maybe spring is just around the corner although it was this time last year that we had all that snow! No 1 child at home today not at his best poor boy.

2008-02-08T08:18:00.000-08:00

I've had a lovely day today getting up to date with a few things. The sun was shining (for once) and I really should have been out getting to grips with some gardening but I put the radio on and settled down to some art. First out was the wherewithal to make some more sketchbooks/journals with some papers I did the other day.

Then I thought about the artwork I need to do for Oxfordshire Artweeks. I'm exhibiting with a friend here in the village in her lovely garden studio. She does beautiful mosaics and I'm working hard not to let her down too much with my exhibits. One of the things Oxfordshire Artweeks sent us recently was an empty CD case with the request that all artists exhibiting this year decorate the CD case (not a CD) with some art which will be exhibited at the Said Business School here in Oxford. Debbie's done her side and I've been rattling my brains trying to complement her work. Think I've managed and I'll post a copy when I'm really sure it's as finished as it's going to be.

A week or so back I got a lovely box from Chris of the UK Embellisher Group. Obviously I hadn't done my box to swap back with her, but I finally got around to it today. Hope she won't be too disappointed. (NB Hers is the lovely pink/blue one at the top).

2008-02-05T12:03:00.000-08:00

I haven't done much 'art' today except make some cards - a quick 20 minutes while the children were happy and before I made more pancakes. But I did get the chance to look at some blogs when I should have been working this morning. I do think the blogging world is great; there are women out there of all ages, nationalities, backgrounds, all creating art in some form or another. Just as women have been doing for generations. So even though we're told that textiles are not popular (ie not for school lessons anyway) it's all rubbish - it's as popular as ever! And our blogs prove it!

Since starting a blog and reading others I find myself often, as I sit sewing away in my room, wondering who else is sewing at the same time and what they're busy doing? When I quilt, which isn't often although I find the hand quilting very therapeutic, I think of the Amish quilts I saw when I was in the US a few years ago and those women sitting sewing by lamplight.

So I will persevere in teaching my daughter to sew. It's so important that future generations carry this on. Although I really can't believe this form of art will ever die out.

2008-02-04T07:04:00.000-08:00

Two lovely surprises have dropped through my letterbox in the past few days. The lovely fuchsia ATC card was from Sue who swaps with two groups I belong to - the UK Mixed Media ATC group and the UK Embellisher group. Is this what is known as an RAK? Whatever - I was thrilled.

The other button girl is from Jean who is taking part in the cross stitch swap for the UK Mixed Media ATC group which I am hosting. I must have a go at making one of these. I know we're only just out of the Christmas season but I can see these as small angels on the tree. My daughter will love it. I really enjoy hosting swaps, it's such fun to see what everyone is doing.

2008-01-31T06:04:00.000-08:00

Spent the morning painting papers ready for making some more journals. Although I haven't posted for a week (how time flies!) I have been busy. Got up to date with lots of swaps for the UK Embellisher and UK Mixed Media groups. Also finished (I think) a piece using hearts for the main centrepiece, lots of brown paper painted and cut out and machined sections. I won't post a picture until I'm sure it's really finished.

2008-01-23T07:21:00.001-08:00

I've now finished the quilties swap 'Shades of White' that Lenna Andrews has been organising. This was harder than I thought - and doesn't photograph well! Still I'm quite pleased with what I've done and will get four 6" square quilties off to Lenna in the morning.

I've used old lace (of course) some white cotton with seeding on it to break up the whiteness a little and, on all four, a section from something I did years ago with Val Campbell-Harding and found in my box! We cut strips of different white fabrics - lace, velvet, cotton, cord, everything we had, then sewed them together with zigzag stitch. Then we cut the rough square we had made diagonally, moved everything around and re-stitched, again with zigzag. Cut a different diagonal, moved all the strips around again and re-stitched and kept on doing this until we were left with very small triangles. It made a really interesting fabric and I'm delighted that I've been able to use it. I knew there was a good reason not to 'de-clutter' my workroom!

Had number two child at home feeling ill all day so I've spent part of the day playing games, doing jigsaws, etc and also managed to get an hour to paint some more brown paper. I've just finished one piece based on Hinterwasser (?)'s circles and was rather pleased with it - all painted papers and silks. I do love machining on brown paper. So I decided to do more while I was in the mood. Hopefully I'll get them all dry and finished this evening ready to do some machining tomorrow.

2008-01-16T02:58:00.000-08:00

I've been working hard getting up to date with all the swaps I've put myself down for. Hopefully now I can concentrate on work for Artweeks but I have just got an e-mail from Angie Hughes at Ledbury Artplace about a bookwrap challenge which sounds quite fun ...

Got very involved over the past few days doing Traci Bautista type printing and then making journals. I love making journals - the problem is that I now have so many I shall have to give them away or start doing a lot more sketching! I do keep a journal/sketchbook which I enjoy but I've got a stack now, enough to keep me going for a couple of years. Actually the photo doesn't do

them justice (modesty) 'cos I can't get rid of the

glare.

I'm being taken out to lunch today by my nearest and dearest - it's our 15th wedding anniversary! Amazing how time flies. I've dropped hints about it being a 'crystal' anniversary and how 'roses are the flowers for this anniversary' but I don't think the penny dropped. Never mind, lunch will be good.

2008-01-02T01:15:00.000-08:00

Haven't blogged in a while - Christmas seems to take over an entire month. Having flu and an op didn't help, but hopefully over all that. My New Years resolution must be to do some art every day.

Found http://www.judywise.blogspot.com/ this today - I usually buy my sketchbooks and decorate the covers but inspired by Judy I will add another New Year resolution and start making my own. I've done it before (for my Dad) and it's very satisfying and somehow starts the thought processes.

Hope everyone has a great 2008!

2007-12-06T06:12:00.001-08:00

I haven't posted for a while as I was due to have a small operation last week and - don't you love the NHS - they changed the date and didn't tell me till I got there, all geared up and ready to go! So the next date was last Saturday and, yes - you guessed it - they cancelled that one too. So I'm waiting for a 3rd date but not holding my breath too much. It's the mental stress more than anything, even with all the arrangements for children, dog, food, husband (not necessarily in that order!).

Anyway, I was delighted a few days ago to get this lovely card from Jean who swaps with me on the ATC Mixed Media group. She's kindly allowed me to put a picture here.

As well as making 30 large red stockings for the school Christmas Craft Fair this Saturday (why don't I learn to say no?) I've been playing around.

I used this lovely wool top I bought at Knitting and Stitching Show to make coloured discs on the embellisher, then put some chiffon over them with some water dissolvable paper and stitched with the machine. I was looking at the sketches I did recently of architectural carvings.

I then got the heat gun out on it to distress it a little. The whole thing was then laid carefully over some transparent organdie and hand stitched with some lovely space dyed threads someone sent me which went beautifully with these colours. Now I can't decide whether to stop stitching, whether it's a complete mess or if it's OK?!

2007-11-27T03:11:00.000-08:00

Had a great day on Sunday when I went to the AGM of an embroidery group I belong to. We've had an exhibition on in Abingdon Museum for the past few weeks which was very successful so we all toasted ourselves! We have a great AGM - everyone takes some food and we sit down round a large table, with tablecloths (I forgot the candles) and have a really good meal. Definitely not 'ladies that lunch'. I was also celebrating selling another picture!! It was one I did recently but which I don't seem to have blogged about! It was going to be part of my 'stock' ready for Artweeks.

Yesterday I received my bag swap through the post. This was organised by Lenna Andrews in the USA http://creativeswaps.blogspot.com/. I've been following on her website the bags she's received and was excited to receive two beauties. The one on the left is from Dawn Sellers and the one on the right from Linda Bean. Thank you to both of you - they're great! One of the things I love about the internet is that you can 'talk' to people all over the world. I e-mailed both Linda and Dawn to say thank you and heard back almost immediately from Dawn. She has a great blog http://www.dawnsellers.typepad.com/ and, like me, has signed up to do Lenna's White on White swap!

Apart from that excitement I'm hosting a swap on Remembrance Sunday for the Mixed Media ATC group and have remembered that I'm the only one whose cards I'm waiting for. Must get on with that today. I'm also playing with the remnants of the lovely wooltops I bought at Knitting and Stitching show - will put the pictures up in a few days if all works out as it should!

2007-11-19T01:46:00.000-08:00

I don't know where the time goes to - too much of it spent on the other job and family (why are teenagers so horrible???), but I have managed to do some drawing this week. Found a wonderful book called 'Surfaces' by someone called Judy Juracek in the Oxford branch of the Embroiderers' Guild library last week. So I've been doing some drawings of the twiddly bits often found on wrought iron. Similar looking twiddly bits on some wood carvings.

Not quite sure what I'll do with them but they've filled up several pages of my sketchbook quite nicely. Keeping a sketchbook is something I've meant to do for years but didn't really start until I was doing a Machine Embroidery City and Guilds course at Urchfont Manor a couple of years ago with Val Campbell-Harding. She got me started and I've been hooked ever since. Hardly a week goes by (I'd like to say a day but have to be honest) without something being doodled in. Or a picture being torn out of a magazine, or a photo of something I like being stuck in. Very addictive, I recommend it.

I finally managed to change the needle unit on my embellisher last week. I had tried brute force but the lady in my local sewing machine shop obviously had more muscles than me and she got it out. Brilliant - I can now put in a full set instead of managing with three needles. I have also ordered the new Janome unit so that I'll be able to change needles individually in the future.

2007-11-09T06:52:00.000-08:00

I had a marvellous time on Wednesday - we went up to town early and wandered down the Embankment. Stopped for a lunch and to watch the boats going past then over Blackfriar Bridge and along the Strand. Joseph was wonderful, only slightly spoiled for me by learning that the small girl behind me knew the words to all the songs! Very sweet I'm sure, but extremely irritating for those of us who wanted to hear the stage performance.

Anyway, I've finished my pins for the UK Embellisher swap. Will get them posted out either later today or tomorrow. I made them from some wonderful coloured wool top that I bought at Ally Pally. I wish I could remember which stand it was so that I could get some more.

Tomorrow I'm off to a Guild organised workshop doing Faded Frescoes with Jan Evans. Some hand stitching will be a nice change. Lucky me, two days out in a week!

2007-11-06T13:48:00.000-08:00

Haven't had much 'me' time recently; spending all my spare time with the other job and catching up on a list as long as my arm on things that need doing around the house. So yesterday I cleared out the barn, today I painted the window boxes and re-filled them and took two old TVs and an old computer to the tip. I feel good - and totally as though I deserve my day off tomorrow when a friend and I are off to London to see Joseph! We saw The Sound of Music back in January and had a ball, so we booked another trip.

Anyway I have managed to finish my notebook cover for the UK Embellisher group. I was quite pleased with this. I did a background of torn up papers stuck onto a piece of old sheeting. I then splashed paint all over it and put a layer of acrilyic wax on it (I love the stuff). This idea was all from one of the Cloth Paper Scissors e-mails, one of Beryl Taylor's suggestions I think. Then stitched some pieces of organza over. Finally, made a piece of fabric using the embellisher and cut a heart shape out of it and stitched that on. Only thing is I'm not sure just how durable it will be. But it looks quite nice.

I'm also putting my earth, wind, fire and water cards in the post to Ula. Still have a long list of things left to do and Artweeks hanging over me. Still, May's a long way away (!)

2007-11-01T06:46:00.000-07:00

Haven't had a minute to do any sewing this week, been busy with Halloween parties, niece's 18th, etc, etc, not to mention 'the other job'. Anyway, the post brought me some nice little parcels today which really cheered me up. there was a lovely little brooch from the Embellisher swap group from Liz - really great, and beautifully made. An ATC on the theme of summer from Ati of the same group, lovely colours and some cards I've been waiting for for ages (so it seems) on Monsters Inc - I really enjoyed making mine but it was so long ago I can't remember where I filed the photo of mine.

2007-10-29T04:36:00.001-07:00

Back from Portugal - lovely weather, it was so good to get a solid week of sunshine, I'd almost forgotten what it was like. However, I still don't like the Algarve; too full of ex pats! We hardly met any Portuguese. The children had a good time though and I read lots of books and did my sketchbook Frances Pickering style.

Got back to some good news - I've already sold one of the pieces (alliums) that I did for the Abingdon Museum exhibition. Had a message on the answerphone that someone else was interested in the same piece and wondered if I could do something along those lines! I think I probably could!! Funny, it's the piece I liked least of the two but I'm obviously doing something right there. (Have just rung the museum, explaining that I was away last week and only just got the message and the lady I spoke to couldn't find any details of the person who was interested - typical! So long as he/she doesn't think it's me being inefficient.)

Also need to get on with doing some work ready for Artweeks next May. It sounds a long time away, but I know that it will go really fast and to make a good show I need to get started now. I did two pieces based on Klimt for an exhibition for the Oxford branch of the Guild this time last year and I really liked them, so I might go back to my sketchbook and get some ideas for some more along those lines. They were machined on painted brown paper, a way of working I seem to go back to.

I collect blue and white china and couldn't resist photographing these tiles on the outside of a house in Lagos!

2007-10-17T06:33:00.001-07:00

Going away next week with the children for half term so I've been busy catching up on my swaps. Finished doing Earth, Wind, Fire and Water for ATC Mixed Media UK group and felt very pleased with myself then realised I'd got muddled and this one didn't need sending out for another month! Then had a mad panic doing 4 Seasons for the Embellisher group which I must get out before Saturday. Anyway, they're done but I didn't find it easy at all. These are summer and autumn but the colours of autumn have been a little lost by the flash.

I've also made my pages for my Frances Pickering type sketchbook for the holiday, all blues and yellows (and yes, a little bit of green mixed in!) but can't get the cover right. I used Brusho again, as I did for the pages, but there must be something in the pelmet vilene that doesn't like it much because it dried nearly purple! Will have to have another go this evening. I'm going to take that together with Koh i Nor paints, pencils, etc and a canvaswork cushion I've been doing for ages. Can't go away without some sewing! I'll leave the quilt I've been working on, it's too bulky to take although I rather fancy sitting in the sunshine while the children play in the pool quilting quietly. That's if we get any sun.

2007-10-13T12:28:00.000-07:00

Just realised I can read the 'comments' - thank you Liz for your kind comments and where on earth did I find 'Sue'?!! Sorry, it was really nice to meet you, I put it down to not being very computer literate.....

Anyway - I photographed this old, rusty mattress when I was walking Tilly down to the Thames the other day. I'm beginning to be interested in circles of all types and the colours in this were fantastic - lots of rust, green, oranges, golds. Really yummy! When I can get my eldest to show me how, I want to put it into some sort of programme and see what fun I can have with filters.

2007-10-11T13:20:00.000-07:00

Just got back from a full day at Ally Pally - fabulous! Bumped into so many friends, it was such fun. I drove down with some friends - two embroiderers from the Oxford Branch and a quilter friend whom we may have persuaded to at least 'visit' on occasion. Three of us were still thrilled with managing to persuade the rest of the Oxford Branch to vote to stay in the Guild despite the appalling state of things after dropping out of the Manchester project. I was so pleased; being a part of the Guild has meant so much to me over the past 20 years and I really didn't want the Branch to walk away from the problems, rather to help try and build a Guild we could be really proud of instead.

Anyway - the Knitting and Stitching Show. Yes - of course I spent more money than I had planned to. Bought all sorts of lovely things - some lovely Koh i Noor paints that Frances Pickering recommended, some wool tops dyed in really vibrant colours that are really crying out to be put under the Embellisher, a doll pattern for a niece, some beads, some dyes so that I can have a go (again) at dyeing fabrics - never something I willingly did when doing C&G, and a few other bits and pieces. Wonderful exhibitions, particularly the Val Campbell-Harding retrospective that Maggie Grey and Jane Lemon have put together. Val would have loved it and it was so 'Val', lovely to see all her samples again. I can't believe it's a year since she died.

Loved the Pfaff exhibition too - based on still life and what a lot of different takes on it there were! The Graduate exhibition, as always, very exciting. The 62 Group - loved some of it and hated some, but so be it. A great day, can't wait for next year. Now I just need to get on with some work.

2007-10-05T07:03:00.000-07:00

Have had a week tied to my computer busy with the 'day job'. However, I have managed to finally finish two small books that I started at the fabulous Frances Pickering workshop weekend we had here in Oxford recently. It was great fun and has given me loads of ideas.

I've also stolen a little bit of time today away from both the computer and the housework (I hate housework with a vengeance) to work on a purse on the embellisher for a swap I'm doing with the UK Embellisher group I belong to. Love the colours, I must use these again. I just wish I was better at photography!

2007-10-01T06:28:00.001-07:00

I didn't get anything done over the weekend except to finish gessoing and painting the pages of an altered book I'm doing on seedheads. Read through Linda and Laura Kemshall's lovely book on quilts - lots of lovely ideas for sketchbooks, printing, etc. I'd quite like to do some mono printing using this photo as a basis, with some seedheads on top.

2007-09-28T04:00:00.000-07:00

Today I've promised myself a 'me' day, but already it's nearly 12 and so far I've not got near my workroom. I did take lots of photos though when I was talking Tilly, my golden retriever. I'd like to do something with seed heads and have a large pot full of thistles, dried crocosmia, poppyheads, queen anne's lace, etc which I've been drawing and studying. Brought back some more queen anne's lace (much nicer name than cow parsley I think) from the walk to add to the collection. If I do anything worthwhile later I'll post it.

Bag swap

2007-09-27T06:17:00.000-07:00

I've just completed a bag swap for Lenna at http://creativelenna.blogspot.com/. I did an eight week workshop with her earlier this year on quilties which was great fun. I'm quite pleased with what I've done, be interesting to see what comes back!

Have also finished a piece which started off as a sketchbook cover. My friend, Jo, and I have both got embellisher machines and we had a get together to play. Then decided we should have a theme so we started sketchbook covers. However, when I laid mine out flat, after quite a bit of work on it, it looked more like a wall hanging so that's where it's at at the moment. However, another embroidery friend pointed out that 'it's not finished yet' so back to the drawing board for the finishing touches. I'm quite pleased with it though.

2007-09-22T08:31:00.001-07:00

I'm not sure I've got the hang of this blogging yet, still can't seem to add pictures in the middle of a post or change the layout but I'll persevere.

Met Sue today from the UK Embellisher swap group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UKEmbellisherSwap/ that I belong to. She came all the way from London, hope she wasn't bored. It's nice to put faces to names.

2007-09-19T13:36:00.000-07:00

I've currently got two pieces of work in an exhibition in Abingdon Museum. It's been put up by the Oxford Embroiderers' Workshop, a group I've belonged to since it started about 12 years ago. We meet monthly and spend the day sewing (and chatting!). About once or twice a year we have a visiting tutor but otherwise it's just us. This exhibition was based upon a day we had when we had several still life sessions and spent the day drawing and photographing things, then we've spent about 18 months trying to produce something from it! It does mean there's a certain cohesiveness that it's sometimes difficult to achieve from a group exhibition, but I found it very hard and I'm not terribly pleased with what I did.

2007-09-18T13:25:00.000-07:00

It seems rather self-indulgent to start a blog, but several people have suggested it and I can't think of any real reason why not!