Kingcombe and DAW

After coming home from Devon I had a few days to gather my things together for a residential course with Lynda Monk at the Kingcombe Centre. I've never been there before and was really impressed with the barn for teaching and the standard of catering.  The bedroom was ok, at least most are en suite, but my bed was a bit hard for me.  It was all far too exciting to sleep much anyway! 

Lynda showed us her techniques for making fabrics with Tyvek and Lutrador.

As you can see I had a huge pile of good sized samples to bring home by the time we had finished.  We did use some of them up whilst there too.  We also experimented with textured surfaces and paint effects. 

I'm almost finished with the tall vessel.  I've painted it fairly lichenish but need to add a few extra bits.  The bowl was a clever effect and several people have asked if it's metal.  It's not but you'll have to go on a course with Lynda to find out what!!!!  We also made a stitched book, which I had to help several people with but then I do make a lot of stitched books, and a Grandma's Boasting Book which is origami folded pockets.  

I'm now making some of the fabrics into other things including these screw spine sketchbooks. 

She is a full paced, non stop tutor and I've heard rumours that people refuse to go on a second course with her as they can't keep up!  I loved it!!! We were allowed in the workshop anytime so a lot of us started around 7am and often finished after 9pm.  The superb food was copious, fresh and very delicious with continuous tea, coffee, cakes and biscuits.  Good job there were lots of walking paths around the estate! 

On one night the wardens put out the moth trap for us, something I've always wanted as I love moths.  We had quite a collection of the usual suspects the next morning but, oh joy of joy's, we had a Poplar Hawkmoth!! So pleased to see something exciting. 

Isn't he beautiful?  

I seemed to be on a bit of a wildlife spree whilst there.  The first night I rescued a huge queen hornet from the bedroom area.  The following day a swallow had managed to fly in too so I had to capture that as well.  So amazing to see the beautiful iridescent colour feathers on it up close.  The next evening there was an escaped lamb which no one would go near but I managed to get it back into the field with its friends.  Oh and about a dozen bees needs rescuing from various windows.  All good fun.

Next event is the Dorset Art Weeks which starts this Saturday 26th May.  I'm pottering now as I think I have enough to show.  I've just about run out of time now anyway as the rest of the week is taken up with other appointments.  We're hanging Friday. 

Enjoy your week! 

Now Where Was I...?

After spending some time making samples for Brockenhurst I did put together this little book from a 1968, rather well used map of Dorset.  

It was falling to pieces along the mappish creases and so it naturally wanted to be pages.  I just added a few bits and stitched it together keeping all the lovely worn bits around the edges.  

There was also another couple of bags done for the Art Weeks.

I had a few scraps left over from the bags and, after pulling out my bitsa box, put together some cards in my Fragmental Cartouche style. 

Love making these!  Who needs to through stuff away. 

We had an amazing presentation of Elsa's Masters with Merit last week too.  I'm so proud of this young lady!! She has studied for her Masters at the same time as working full time, having two babies and training and running all over the place! Perhaps she's one of the ones who has found the secret door to another time dimension to fit it all in.  

Brockenhurst Needlework Fiesta went well.  Two days of stitchy, creative people can only be fun really.  Maggie Grey and I before the doors opened.

The Greys Mandala has had a few rows added.  Now at 32 inches.

 I've also started the new CAL this week in colour.  This is Cosmic and is 21 inches across at the moment.  

I'm sure the colours will grow on me as they expand.  I'm just used to dull! I did have to change the greens though as I found them a bit too off my taste.  I've put in much more earthy ones, chosen from some of the colours in one of the Batik yarns used so they do go much better to my mind! 

Finally, this week we have started the prep for the Dorset Art Weeks, 26th May - 10th June.  John has dug out the signage A frames and attached the new roadside posters.  I've been making up arrows and numbers.  

I'm not going to blink or it will be here!!!  

Have a creative week. 

Momentum

I've been on a bit of a roll lately and I'm loving it! 

I've organised more of my collected junk into another Junk Journal to go with the one I made in September HERE.

 

Plenty of writing pages and places to tuck things in.

I made a piece inspired by a beautiful sunrise one morning on our dog walk.  19.5 x 8 inches.

Knowle Dawn

Rock of Ages finally had a backing put on.  I'm just waiting for the hanger to be forged by Colleen du Pon and it will be complete. 

Rock of Ages

And I'm now working on a piece taken from the edge of a holly leaf.  

I hope this momentum keeps up!! 

Making Mess

I have spent years collecting Junk for doing something arty with.  I always knew I wanted to do something with it but hadn't found the what yet.  Recently I've started junk journalling.  

I stained up some papers, with able assistance dog.  

This is about half the pile left. 

Gathered stuff, i.e. trashed my studio.

and joined in Nik the Booksmith on her course to make some.  She has and interesting and almost traditional technique which I have enjoyed doing.  

First one is now bound too. 

I'm just beginning to stuff with the Junk. 

In case you are wondering they are to be used as notebooks or diaries but are already filled with lots of ephemera to make them a little more exciting to use.  At least the stuff I have is finding a home at last!! 

I also spent an enjoyable day making beads and dangles to add to the Journals.  

I also listened to a big chunk of audio book too and felt totally great at the end of the day!! 

This Saturday I have been invited to take part in a Plein Air painting festival at Sculpture by the Lakes owned by friend and sculptor Simon Gudgeon.  I will be attempting to paint with thread of course and feel honoured to be asked even though I don't actually wield a paintbrush.  We will see how it goes!! 

Being a Bit Bookish

I've had a tub of wonderful shells for a few years now and a lot of them I've collected with the specific purpose of making books.  I have actually achieved this on a few occasions but this last couple of weeks I had another rummage as the urge was upon me again! 

The scallop shells were pretty standard but the enormous cockle shells (those are 5cm squares they are sitting on) needed a little thought.   I ended up grading the pages to fit the concave shells better.  Rather pleased with them. 

I will actually take some decent photos soon!! 

There was another scroll book finished too and I have another in the pipeline which still needs a little thought.  

I also put together this little palm sized notebook in leather.

It feels lovely to hold and I can see where I could take different fabrics to make covers with this one.  Perhaps a few to sell at the Art Weeks for the GSP Rescue UK charity.  

One thing I have been working on for a little while is another compendium.  This one came from the fact that I bought this beautiful, chunky frame some time ago and then promptly broke the glass in it.  

I am constantly on the lookout for little bits of 'stuff'.  They usually end up on display in my printers trays but I do have a basket where I collect up things that will need a home at some point or another.  This was the perfect chance to showcase them.  That and I had a clock mechanism to use too and it all came together nicely.  As with my other ones there is still spaces to fill but these things do evolve.  And to clean them you just use a soft paint brush, just in case you were wondering. 

I have several little bits on the go like knitting and crochet and also a bit of a bead-a-long with Fran Griffith for National Beaders Week so no excuses to be bored at the moment! 

I hope the sun eventually decides to show it's face again up here soon though I do feel for those in southern Europe at the moment.  

Happy creating! 

Oh Deer

Reindeer to be precise.  I did another stab along and did this guy.  He's 18 inches from nose tip to antler top.  

There was the option to add a red nose.  I chose not to but he will showing an appearance just at that time of year.

Other projects have included this hoop for my embroidery group.  Theme of the sea.

Lots of encrusting and beads.

Also a bit of nice slow stitch using up some odd bits onto a little scroll.  I see a few of these in my future.  

This crochet bag made a change from knitting in the evenings.  As I did it using DK yarn rather than chunky I did a few extra rounds to make up the size.  There are pockets all around inside, some I stitched to make channels for needles and hooks so they don't become lost in the bottom. I think I will make a smaller version too.  A great way of using all the leftover yarn from the grandchildrens knitting! The pattern is HERE

The Blackbirds flew the nest on 1st July and I just missed them go! They had regular postings on my Facebook page and I was a little sad I didn't have a photo of them leaving.  I hope they have all fully fledged now.  

I have also been in training again as I will be doing another walk in October with Elsa and my friend Natalie.  Not as far this time, just down the Test Valley.  This time GSP Rescue UK will be the 80% beneficiary.  The other 20% goes to the Rotary Club who are the organisers.  

We have a shiney new Justgiving page if anyone would like to donate.  Every pound helps and I am very grateful if you do give to us.  We haven't started nagging people yet but there will be a little nearer the time.  https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/amoelsanat

I have the pleasure of lunch out today and a broken filling to sort asap.  Have a great week. 

Some Bits Used Up

I have a little box of bits and I thought I could do something with a few of them so I made some pages. 

They're all sorts of papers and fabrics layered up onto Khadi paper and stitched into. The cover was made the same way onto a backing fabric.

All now made up into a little book. 

I've also been doing a stab-a-long and felting a hare.  It's taking an absolute age waiting for the videos though. Mustn't complain as they're free but the kit wasn't.  He'll be another nice addition to all the others when finished though.  

Some of you may remember the Robins who nested outside the studio window in 2014 HERE and fledging HERE . Well, after we had the blackbirds nesting earlier this year some Robins moved back in to the, now very overgrown and hidey, robin box.  

So pleased to see some back in there and now it's well and truly hidden in the ivy I hope to see more. 

We also had The Greater Spotted Woodpecker dad, on left, showing baby, on right, how to find food in the lawn.  They were there for a good 10 minutes and baby was quite impatient at times! 

We're now through the un asked for General Election and the result has left us in quite a mess in my humble opinion.  No one party, whichever you voted for, is strong enough to take us through the Brexit process.  We will more than likely be shredded as all the bickering and backbiting goes on here.  This could be a bumpy ride, not that the dogs were too worried. 

Have a peaceful and creative weekend.