Quick Round Up

I've had a busy couple of weeks.  I've made sure everything for the exhibition next week is ready.  Not that I'm showing much more than a few books but there are three other artists and it should be a good showing. 

I also made three sets of these cute Scandi style advent stockings and I'm auctioning them on one of the dog sites for the GSP Rescue trust. Fiddly but mindless to do.  

A doggy friend had a 50th birthday so I made her a tweed A5 notebook cover with her pointer and labrador on the front. Sadly her beautiful Pointer died the day after, he was a much loved elder statesman of our group.  

My Wimborne branch of the West Country Embroiderers didn't have a web presence and it was a little frustrating not having anywhere to check up on dates etc so I built one for them and it is now live  HERE.  I really quite enjoyed putting it together and I think they're all pleased with it.  

On a dog walk recently I had this little nest fall infront of me.  

It's too small for a robin so probably Finch or Dunnock.  You can tell it was in a tree next to the horse field from the horse hair and baler twine! So beautiful and delicate but strong enough to raise a brood. 

This tiny, beautiful little pup annoying Ruger on her first day...

is 6 today!!! Though she's a very grown up and sensible dog, she still has her moments.  Love you Ellie pup!!!! 

I also wrote and hosted a Pub Quiz at our local on Halloween and I think it went rather well.  Lots of positive comments and money raised for the fund for the refurbishment of the loos into disabled access.

I'm off the rustle up some cards for the gallery next week.  Have a good weekend!! 

On to the Next Thing

We've packed up the exhibition and brought it all home.  I know I saw quite a few friends from Facebook and even one or two from here as well.  It was lovely to see you if you came, thank you for taking the time.  

Up next is the Brockenhurst Needlework Fiesta at the end of the month.  I will be upstairs with Maggie and Fiona again demonstrating something. Will have to work on what though. 

I do have another companion outside the studio window!! Some of you may remember the Robins who moved into the nestbox in 2014 HERE and went on to have a lovely family which I was lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time to photo fledging too.  Well this year we have a Blackbird who has made her nest just below the nestbox so still right in view.  

The blur along the bottom are the numbers on my quilting ruler, that little access alley is only 3 feet wide so she's quite close.  She has been there just over 2 weeks now so hopefully she has become used to our comings and goings.  I will keep an update on the nest progress I hope. 

Not a lot else to report at the moment. It took a while to log and put away all the quilts from the exhibition and I'm only just putting my head straight so I will leave you with a picture of the four dogs having a blast on the beach this week. 

CAKExhibition

We are all set up and under way at the Shaftesbury Arts Centre.  

I'm there today so, as yet, have no photos but here is one just about as we finished hanging on Tuesday.  

It looks rather good even in the dark!  Lovely vibrant colours from all three of us. 

I was very honoured for the others to choose to put mine in such a way that you see some of them as a succession as you walk in the door.  

I have been asked several times at the Art Weeks and since if I have any of my landscapes.  Well you can see Strawberry Moon on the back wall above but I decided on Sunday night that I could make some more just not as big as the others.  So Monday I set everything up and got on with four more.

The three above are at the finished machine stitch stage and ready for me to add all the hand stitch and beads.  I have finished the one below, New Moon, so that is going to the Gallery today.  They finish at about A3 size.

I have also managed to put together another dog blanket for a friend too. 

I had a fab day yesterday as a guest at the West Country Embroiderers Dorset Day.  They have persuaded me to join them.  After my rather cliquey experience with the Embroiderers Guild I was happy to meet some really lovely ladies who made me feel welcome and so will be going to the first meeting I can in a couple of months time. 

The toes are healing fine though I did manage to put them in a roomy pair of shoes for yesterday's day out and have been paying for it with throbbing toes ever since.  Seeing as I'm not willing to encourage badly growing nails, been there and it's not nice when they have to be sorted, I am staying in flip flops or the like!  

I'm now off to the gallery!