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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.