Quick Catch Up

Well, whether I'm nattering to myself, some peekers you other lovely people, here's a brief of what else I've been up to. 

I managed to collect some lovely bits in Devon when we took the girls there for our anniversary last month.  I've been trying to not go overboard on just shells, I have hundreds already, but try to find the more unusual.  I picked up some nice water worn wood, a lovely cluster of big barnacles and a fab bottle neck with cork still in it.  The cork shrank as it dried but I glued it back in before mounting them all in a deep box for one of the bathrooms.  

I think this is a lovely way of keeping memories from beachcombing and I have quite a few now.  

I really, really got fed up with waiting for the finishing instructions for the bead-a-long I took part in which started on 1st August for National Beading WEEK! Despite having several messages on her FB page from several ladies she was always doing other things. Why start something if you can't finish it? I would be devastated if I did that to others.  Anyway, I had to clear the space on my desk so strung everything together in what i thought was a pleasing way and it's finished.  

I have space on my desk!  Only a little mind and I have a commission to be doing.  Maybe I should try clearing some more first.  

I never seem to show the continuous stream of knits I do for the grandchildren any more but this little waistcoat is the latest.  Olivia doesnt seem to like sleeves, well I always seem to be knitting short sleeves for her anyway.  This is such a quick and easy pattern and I loved the repeat in the wool, quite short which is important when doing small garments or you end up with huge blotches of colour and it just looks wrong. I hope she likes it anyway 

My list for the K&S at Ally Pally is starting to grow and the next load of yarns is part of it.  There was also a fabulous button lady at Westpoint, I wonder if she will be there too?  I will have to check! 

And our wonderful Facebook Pointer dog group had another local get together when some of the northern members were down, two from the very top of Scotland and one from Yorkshire.  John calls the gatherings a stand arounds as 'walk' is a bit of a misnomer.  There is always a lot of chatter!! He didn't mind the coffee and donuts afterwards though.  The dogs love it and they really are a lovely bunch of people so worth going to. 

I have a West Country Embroiderers meeting with Fay Maxwell now so I will let you know how that goes later.

Genie's Finally Finished!!

After a few days of really knuckling down I've finally finished!

I learnt several little tricks and I'm pleased I've done it.

My fingers are now rather sore and the joints ache though.

It has been cloggin up my todo list so I'm pleased it's done.

There's about 200 hours of work in that and it's only 6 inches tall.

So Why Had I Not Heard of This Before????

Over on Julie's blog at Mixed Media she mentioned the Erosion Bundles.  Well I thought, that's interesting, and did a little bit of investigating to find out that they are old hat and I'd totally missed the boat!  Never mind. After my success in the rusty fabrics I thought I would give it a go anyway (thank you Julie!! )

I gathered a few bits, well a lot more than shown here actually.

After a dog walk I had collected a mixed bag of stuff from the ground.  Bracken, bark, pine needles, leaves, masts, moss and cones.  So they all went into one bundle.

and that went into the old Hawthorn tree for a sit.

The next one had a few rusty bits, some tea bags a few dye grains, walnut crystals and some other bits I can't remember and I've managed to misplace the piece of paper I wrote it all down on.  It will be a surprise when I open it!  It looks like it's doing something up in the pergola on the terrace, it's quite open there at this time of year so should see a bit of weather.

Then I thought about adding some berries but it is totally the wrong time of year and thought of other dyestuffs. One of these has some madder root pieces sprinkled in and I think it was this one up in the very old branches of a Russett apple tree.

And this last one has walnut leaves and woad leaves just sprinkled in too in the prickly embrace of one of the Blackthorns.  (I may do this one again at the other end of the year with some of the Sloe fruit from it.)

I know all those dyestuffs have specific needs to make fabric dye like boiling etc, but I thought I haven't anything to lose and I could already see the walnut leaves were staining before I even tied the bundle.  It will be interesting and the gardener is now convinced I've lost the plot.

I didn't show in the last post the finished neck piece.  I still have to work on the fastening but that shouldn't take too long.

And I've done yet another cardie in a pale gold silk but the photo is awful because of the lighting.

We are happy the 6 Nations Rugby has started again and had some good rugby matches last weekend.  There's another round being played this weekend too so between being all romantic and the rugby it looks like a nice weekend ahead!!

I hope you all have a good one too.


*EDIT* It's lunchtime and we have JUST heard from Natural England that we now have our European Bat Licence!! Whooooooo!!  We can finally put into action the build that we were hoping to start last June! A few bits of bending over backward are still expected and some site surveys for the scaffolding and we will then, hopefully, be enshrouded for a few months.  

Well That's Shalott

I knuckled down over the past week and finished the Lady of Shalott quilt.  As you know I have a love hate relationship with this one mainly due to the poor quality of the fabric sent.  (The white line is a lightpull cord).

It has grown on me a little but I think I'm just about done with stipple quilting for a few years!  Finished size 40 inches. 

Evenings were taken up with two summer cardies for Olivia.  Honestly, knitting for a little one is quite addictive! This is a pale lilac cotton but it looks a bit washed out in the bad light.  The cloth it's on is bright white!!

And another cotton in eye watering pink.  Both a little large for her at the moment but they are for summer and she can always have long sleeves under them for next Autumn!

I've been having a few thoughts towards next years Art Weeks, yes already, you know how long textiles take! I think I have a few bit's brewing but need to have a rummage around first.

A couple of weeks ago I made some notebook covers for the GSP Rescue and sold them on our Facebook group page.  They all sold in an hour and made a nice little sum for the charity. The fabric is called Happy Pointers and it's by Print Me Pretty.

I have started another bead embroidered collar.  The focal in this one is Fern Agate.  Nice and easy to be working on while I think!

Can you believe we are still waiting for Natural England to sort our bat licence out even though it was promised on the 6th January at the latest after previous delays in November!  I'm sure Andy our builder has bitten all his nails away by now.  We're not even allowed to touch the building in any way without it!  February was the last expected date.  Well at least the weather will hopefully be getting better.

I hope you are staying warm and safe in the snowy weather.  We've yet to actually see any even though it has been quite bitter, I hope those are not famous last words! The dogs are ready for the cold in their fleece jumpers at any rate!

Have a great week!

Well That Was an Interesting Weekend!

On Friday we were planning on a little drive out to see Elsa and Mike, but more of that later.  First thing John went and did some pottering in the garden and I actually warmed up the sewing machine.

I was in one of those I don't know what to do moods and started just generally tidying up when I found this jelly roll which was one of the prizes given to me for Sunset at the West Country Quilt Show.

I'd seen that quick strip method a few times around the internet so I thought I'd use it up with an added fat quarter to add stops.  It's really not my colours but for a floor quilt for Olivia it's lovely and bright!  It took 1 hour 15 minutes to make and is 42 x 60 inch.  Can't beat that for a quick fix can you!

In the mean time John's pottering turned out to be preparation for another 5 fence panels to be replaced. Again these were in slot in posts so John just needed a hand lifting the panels up high enough to put them in.  Unfortunately the wind was a little gusty and just as we had one panel at it's highest it was blown backwards.  I hung on to it ok but my right wrist didn't like it very much and there was a nasty pop.  Yes, wrist had given way and I spent most of the rest of the day with ice on it.  I was pleased I had finished the quilt top beforehand though!! Saturday I really wasn't happy with how it felt so John drove me to Salisbury A&E.  X-rays showed no obvious break but there was a large widening on the bones and a very rough looking bit on one of them.  The doctor said it is a torn tendon and she put me in a splint.  Only time can really help at the moment so fingers crossed it will heal with no problems.  I have fingers that move and can wave up and down without too much discomfort but twisting and and any weight is rather painful.  

We still hadn't caught up with Elsa and Mike but Sunday was all planned out!  

There was a little bead fair at Upton Country Park and the Beadworkers Guild were there with the Silver and Grey members display.  My Black Beauty neck piece is on the righthand board top centre among some other beautiful pieces.  

After buying one or two bits (mainly tooling I didn't have so don't tell me off for not Using!!) we went down to Knoll Beach, Studland and let the Pointer Puddle Plus One have a frolic in the sunshine.

Now, do you remember THIS post from las year??  And do you remember that Mike was doing the run too but then THIS happened?  I know quite a few of you were extremely kind in sponsoring them doing the run and you will now be pleased to hear that one year on, a rebuilt leg and a baby later...

...Mike did the run again and finished yesterday afternoon!!

Same people, different poses same fantastic result.

And this time Owen, who was in some of those photos from last year, ran as well.

As you can see the contrast in the weather was amazing but the sunshine doesn't make it any easier, Mike says seeing how far you still have to run is not always the best thing to be thinking!  Three marathons in three days along our amazing coastline is a phenomenal achievement.  Well done all three of you, I'm a super proud Mum!!! xxx

I'm off to see what I can and can't do with a splint on, have a great weekend!! 

(PS The robins are still in and out of the box so hopefully a result!)

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Happy New Year

Happy New Year!!  I had an interesting start as I was on a starve diet for the end of December and New Year ready for more tests on the 2nd January (Champagne is classed as a clear liquid, right??).  All done and the plus is the consultant is happy he's found nothing untoward so far.  Minus side is he still hasn't found where I keep bleeding from.  Sometime in the next week or so will be swallowing a capsule camera and being the hospital guinea pig for their new equipment which is still being set up.  He should then see parts that normal doctors cannot reach!!! Should be an interesting experience!

As you can probably imagine I haven't been in too much of a mood for creating but I did do some prep work for some more little books which you will see when I have finished.

We did have Chris come back from Australia with quite a few gifts.  One was a glass bottle with some bits in he had found.

Unfortunately the little bottle broke on its way back but I had a thought and made this little guy.

Who sits in the bottle like this.

And then is trapped in with the top soldered on.  I think I just ned to make a few little charms to make sure he doesn't escape and cause more mischief. (Total height 5 inches).

Do you remember the necklace Black Beauty below?

Well it will be on tour with The Beadworkers Guild for the next year so if you go to any show where they have a stand, keep an eye open for it and let me know.

I have chosen another word for this year.  It will be USE.  I want to use my time more wisely, use the things I already have, use the experience of the Open Studios to focus and perhaps even use this poorly tummy experience to get on top of my health.  I'm sure there will be a few other uses for the word use too.

Have a great weekend.


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A Tinker Here...

I laid this up the other day.  Lots of scraps, sari silks and organza pieces.

It was predominantly green and I couldn't find the balance.  Mind you green is not one of my favourite colours it seems so perhaps that was the problem.  Then yesterday Linda blogged THIS post on her page and it twigged that the green needed a play mate.  I know, I've almost changed it to purple but... there will be an overlay on it so that will change it again.  I tried it with a green organza, but it was too heavy, and then with the only chiffon's I have left.  The white killed all the colour totally and the black was too gloomy so I've had to order some more colours.  About time I did anyway.  Now to wait for them to arrive and see which suits the best.  More of that another time then. 

I've had the Spellbound book for a couple of years now and this week I actually made a bauble from it!  I liked the simplicity of this one.  I have some ideas to expand on it and will do a couple more.  (Picassa doesn't like portrait photos so you will have to accept that this is not defying gravity really.) 

And I'm just writing this blog post whilst waiting for these to dry.  A little bit of moulding paste through a stencil onto watercolour paper.

I will be colouring them up later and no doubt staining my nails a lovely few shades of yuck! 

A couple of other bits for Christmas have been done so I will try and remember to show them in the New Year.  I hope all your crafty creations are coming along well too!! 

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All Clear, a Finish and a Start

The past few weeks I've had the works done, numerous blood tests, ECG's, CT scans etc.  We've done our fill of hospitals and doctors now thank you very much.  Final results through last night and all good for the serious stuff just another week of blood pressure taking and hopefully that will be coming down too.  All migraine headaches under control, I just have to mainly watch the Aspartame content in foods!  Nasty stuff.

I did tinker a little and finally used the ammonite halves I had for ages.  I think it's finished but something is niggling me!  I did want to put a dangle of some sort in the gap but...  We will live with it a while and see. 

  

And now for something completely different.

See, not what you thought. 

I am starting to think towards the Dorset Art Weeks in 2014.  A long way off you may think but I would like to have a 'stock' of items to work on and I need to start some-when!

The Need to Bead

Last week I had a little bit of a tidy up in the studio.  (Yes, I know I had a hangup about calling it a studio before but I'm over that now.  It's a place to create and I do create things.)  After all that time making things for the City & Guilds, I was almost sad to see it all being put away.  The enormous feeling of relief soon outweighed that though!  I passed very happily with distinctions right through.  If you would like to see some of my work it is on the Design Matters student gallery here.  I must say I was quite scared of what photos Laura would post!  I think she has been very kind.

Well with no creative deadline to drive me around the bend and all the tidying done I have totally obliterated all work surfaces with 'stuff'.  I've been chopping and changing what I'm doing and actually quite enjoying it.  I found a project basket with some beads in that I had stashed.  In the bottom were some fabulous cabochons I had been picking up here and there.  There may be a project in mind but it's usually a case of just having to own and handle some of these things!!

Fossils...

Agates...

Jaspers and a little turquoise and bronze...

And I have been beading a little with a rather lovely bead made by glass artist Manuela Wutschke.

You can just see the depth of the iridescence inside.

I'm liking the Blogger reply in the comments!  I't nice to reply directly to you.  I know I chatted to a lot of you through email before but it always looks as though you've been ignored on the blog, and there are a few of you with no reply so at least you have one now!

I had the very exciting job of re measuring my tailors dummy the other day.  The diet is going quite well and there are a few inches missing now.  I felt quite smug actually.

The hazels are all out in the garden dripping their catkins, and their pollen.  There are not many things that  I have a reaction to but it seems over the past few years catkin pollen is one of them.  I'll just keep the pills handy.

The rugby is about to start for the rest of the day.  Have a fabulous weekend!

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