Hare Finished

I finished the needle felted hare I had started in my last post.  

I chose to put him a slightly more active pose than others who made one.  Most of my hares here, and there are many all over the place, are moon gazers so I thought I'd be different.  

Other than that I have been pottering in the garden when cool enough and not too much else creative.  I did have a day with West Country Embroiderers yesterday with guest Margaret Beal. 

The village hall was stifling and using hot soldering irons only added to it. I put together a little sample piece of some of her processes but concentration was lacking! The car which had been in the shade all day read 32 centegrade. 

I have a current pick up and go project, other than the continuous knitting, of some felt garland pieces.  The pattern is on Shiny Happy World.  It's small and simple and nice to do sitting the the shade of a tree.  

We had a lovely day, before it become silly hot, at West Wittering with some friends and the Pointer dogs.  

It was glorious and cool with the tide out.  All 16 dogs could run and run and run. 

And run a bit more.

There was plenty of snores going on afterwards.  

We have Remi staying with us for a while.  I think he enjoyed the trip home in the convertible. 

Also Chris arrived with his Rotti Polly for a visit so we had a family photo opportunity. They actually sat still for 10 seconds! 

Remi, Ruger, Polly, Tully, Willow and Ellie

And finally our Robins fledged but I missed it.  I did see one go but it was all so quick.  However this little lady and her beau has been back again. 

We now have more Blackbirds in the studio nest. This was Sunday 18th June.

And this was this morning.  

Growing like weeds!  I'm quite pleased it's a shady part of the garden at least.  I count four this time.  

We have a house of men changing the boiler for the next couple of days and a few visits out and about.  I hope you can keep cool if you have the heatwave too. 

Another Play Day!

Not sure where the time has gone.  I haven't been creating much but I have been busy, don't ask me what with though.  I think part of the problem is that Spring finally arrived.  Little bits of gardening need doing and then, of course there are the moments just sitting in the sun and enjoying it all. Those moments can easily stretch into a fair amount of time!  And why not?  We've been waiting too long for a drop of Vitamin D.  Speaking of which I finally had the news this week that I am still low on iron but I'm just out of being anaemic.  Perhaps the sun has helped there, it certainly lifts the spirits.

My studio is now tidy!!! I can find things.  And I have found things I forgot I had and can now put to use.  I have sorted a couple of other cupboards around the house and have put some of the more rarely used items away so freeing up other space.  I don't feel as though I'm drowning anymore and it's wonderful.

Last Friday Elsa and I went to the Creative Crafts show at Shepton Mallett and had a lovely day. We saw lots, bought a little and inspired the mind.  One item I did buy was a wheeled cupboard that has six 4 litre Really Useful boxes in and it's just right for the majority of my hand threads I was having trouble sorting before.  I can have it out next to my work area and not have to cover the desk with the boxes from the cupboard.  It was quite cheap as it was a strange colour.  I'm not worried about the colour, the size and functionality were what sold it to me.

On the top you can see a book I won, Tray Dying, from Marian at Textile Snippets.  I really must do some more of my own fabrics and this should inspire me! Thank you Marion!

Yesterday I had another play day   This time I took Hilary over to Carol's studio, (links in the last post), where we met Debbie Rijns who was over from South Africa and staying with Carol.  She had brought some ostrich eggs over with her for us to play with.

These are my two and a shard. (I finally re covered my ironing mat with calico, it almost looks too clean to use now. I re drew the inch grid.)

This one I had started to add to after gilding, the plain gold I wanted to work further into before adding my own beads so I saved that one for home.  We made some copper metal clay parts that Carol fired while we fiddled around with other bits.  I've placed a porcupine quill though the centre and it's held with my copper clay and bolts as you can see.  It still needs a lot of additions  and refinements, I'm going to look through my own stash of beads and see what calls to it.

Debbie brought some amazing pieces over with her for us to use and there were some to buy as well.  These are a few of the beads made in South Africa.  The larger ones are rolled paper.

A couple of brushes she finds in a Chinese market over there and lots of very old snake vertebrae. Not every ones taste I know but I think they're great. 

A lovely lampwork vial I intend to put some metal with but it's just so lovely to look at for now, a tiny wooden bowl turned by Debbie's husband and some of the leftover pieces of metal clay I made into torn shards.  I love the post fired colours of the copper! 

My head feels like it's full of lemonade it's so popping with ideas from yesterday.  I think I need to make some notes before I lose them all.

Have a great weekend whatever you're doing.

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Stitch as a Therapy?

I have signed up to do the Traveller Blanket workshop with Dijanne Cevaal.  Yes I know I need another thing to do like a hole in the head but there was something about this one that just needed me to join. 

I started on a good footing when I sourced and ordered some bump and dommet to act as the wadding.  I wasn't sure which weight to go for so I ordered 2 metres of each. Two ROLLS arrived with almost 10 metres on each. I think they may have thought that the roll ends were just worth sending as there wouldn't be enough to line curtains.  I'm a happy bunny anyway as I was only charged for what I ordered.  

I have thought of a theme for the little stitched parts, butterfly wing patterns.  I was going to go all complicated and dye some more scrim but I found this old piece in exactly the right size at exactly the right time so I guess it was telling me it wanted to play.

Last night I had a look around for something to back it with. I found a pile of very badly dyed linen that was part of my first ever dying session. The linen is very loosely woven and so is easy to stitch through.  The whole point of this blanket is 'therapeutically easy'! I cut them up and tacked them onto the dommet. I'm sure you'll agree they are rather ugly but I'm hoping the amount of stitching and many colours will help change them. And anyway, it's the back!  Lol The green is not really lime, more like sludge, it's the spotlight shining on it.

On the front I laid the dyed scrim to see how bright it is against the white.

This is a pile of more dyed scrim and loose weaves I am going to lay under the main piece to give the colour depth.

Just a bit of playing needed now until I'm happy.

And as a little inspiration of how stitch has been used I had this book arrive this week.  It's not a 'to do' book but one for the coffee table and quite lovely to look through.

I hope the madness of the week before Christmas is not too mind blowing for you!! 

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Moving Swiftly On

OK so that's November almost done too.  Someone has definitely speeded up this year too fast.  Could we have a slower year next year?

I've felt a little disjointed of late, not sure why.  Trying to settle to something has been weird and so half the time I've just done nothing instead!  Not very proactive.

I decided I had better do something for the Christmas effort this year.  I have some lovely pieces of glass, not too many colours but I did find a nice green and red.  After cutting and foiling I tried remembering the soldering knack.  Hmm, passable I suppose.  I will string these up in a window perhaps with some beads too.

At the begining of the month I went to a bodices workshop to make the bodice below.  Of course it being red is a pig to photograph but you can see the shape.  It was to make a 'mini' bodice which actually turned out to be a full size one but only for a size 8/10 body.  

I decided to leave a part of the lining seam open so I can see the layering at a later date.  The white is the domette, canvas and boning. A lovely workshop to do. 

When I went to the Westpoint show in September with Elsa I saw a really lovely crochet throw kit.  I so wish I had gone back to buy it (Elsa remind your Mother not to be so daft next time will you).  I had hoped I would see it again at Ally Pally but I wasn't really well enough to do to much in depth searching. The other day how ever Su at Living on The Edge blogged about a beautiful throw she had knitted.  The colours and texture were WOW!  Again I thought about it, a dangerous occupation obviously, and eventually kicked myself into buying a kit or two too.  The wools arrived yesterday.

That photo was taken last night, it was so grey outside anyway.  Again the reds have come out wrong and show better in the photo below.  Much more earthy.  I loved the reds, plumbs and greens and John liked the blues so I couldn't make up my mind.  I'm lucky I could whittle it down to those colours, they were all so gorgeous!  I mean look at all these here!! 

Anyway, they have all been on the swift and I have started knitting.  A lovely easy pattern and good for TV work.

And finally these three are convinced there is something under this step.  I'm not quite sure what it could be as the floors are solid concrete under the oak and tiles.  Perhaps something has fallen into the old cavity wall just there and the noise is carrying (yes we do have mice, we live in the country).  It's still keeping them amused several days later.  

I hope this terrible weather is not disrupting you all too much!

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Moving Forward at Last

The hand hexi blocks I cut for the trip to Spain have been slowly coming together.  I managed a couple on the trip but I was otherwise a little busy.  I don't want to rush these as they are great for taking to my Ladies group on Wednesdays and I know I will be kicking myself for some other handwork if I go too fast! Each hexi side is 1 inch and they are in a range of fabrics I picked up as a set from Cupcake Cottons when I went to a class there a couple of years ago.  I know I will be setting them in a dusty blue to off set the pinks but I've just noticed the blue stripe in the rug that the bottom right hand block is pointing too is about the shade I will be looking for! 

Last week I received this lovely book from Maggi, thank you so much Maggi!! Doesn't Kaffe use some wonderful colour combinations?

Chris and Sian spent a few days down in Cornwall and came back with this pot of delights.  It's all great stuff especially the brick, pottery and rare blue, white and brown pieces of glass. Some of the stones are fab too and I may just put them in my tumbler to see how they come out.

And yesterday I had a day with my friend Jan doing a workshop with Alison Board learning about adding texture to surfaces.  I have several ideas to try and take forward with this.  (You have to love it when the 'what if's' start to happen!)

We had to chop up what we made blind, from the back.   I have already stuck the cut pieces in my journal and really love the two below the most.

I've been feeling much better this week and even managed an Aqua-fit class with Elsa.  There was always the option of just wallowing rather than doing but it was good to be doing again!

Have a great week.

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Courses, Courses!

I have had a few courses so far this year.  After finishing the C&G I've added a acrylic painting course with Flora Bowley, a couple of courses with Sally Jean and yesterday I spent with Sarah Ross-Thompson.

The Flora Bowley course I became very frustrated with.  It's all online and they make all the videos in HD.  Now I know I struggle with online videos here because of our internet, it even takes half an hour or so to let a two minute YouTube stream in, but I really for the life of me can't see the importance of HD on a computer screen anyway let alone one that, for me at least, literally takes days to download.  I gave up in the end and I'm still waiting for the book I was promised to arrive.  I'm sure it will but all the good intentions and directions this course was supposed to invoke went right out the window on about week three. 

The Sally Jean course was another online one.  I haven't done any soldering for years and wanted a refresh.  She was fun and informative and I now have a whole stack of glass, copper tape and solder to make use of and I am scouting about for items to put to use.  It is the sort of thing you need to set up for a long session so when I have quite a few things I will set too.

Just a few of the pieces from Sally Jean practice.  I have plans...!

And the lovely Sarah Ross-Thompson we met during the Dorset Art Weeks. 

We liked her work so much in fact we bought a couple of prints, not like us because we usually avoid the word 'print' preferring to buy an original.  The collagraph prints are totally different though where there is a very limited print run and, because of the inking process, each one is individual.  

Yesterday was spent in a huge heap of stuff and glue learning different ways of creating depth of tone where plastic, shiny items (parcel tape, PVA) would resist the ink and print as white and absorbent, ridged items (scrim fabrics, scratches) would hold the ink and print as dark.  There is plenty to read about on her website.

One of our late babies sitting outside my studio window.  They've all become very used to us in there now and really don't take any notice so we can be very, very close to the birds.  It really is quite wonderful.

And the little boxes...

 All snuggled up in layers and layers of threads ready to be transformed. 


And the sun has come out on St Swithin's day!! There were one or two drops earlier but we're hoping Mother will ignore them and take into account She has already done more than 40 days and 40 nights worth of rain!! 

Sharon B's Studio Journal Class

If you were wondering about Sharon's studio journal class I mentioned a few posts ago, this is where she is now advertising it.

Sharon B's Studio Journal Class


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A Finish, a Start and a Date, or Two.

Yesterday I finished this little table centre.  All the fabrics were hand dyed by Maggi at To Dream To Stitch.  I hand pieced and quilted it and it is from a pattern called Solar Eclipse that one of my ladies had done at sewing group and I admired very much.  Piecing bias curves is not as hard as it seems when it's done over paper. 16.5 inches.  It goes fab with the bowl Maggi.

I signed up to Lisa Walton's new beading class that starts in the new year at Dyed and Gone to Heaven.  I'm just OK with beading but I'm also always willing to gather new information and expand ideas!

Also the Friday Night Sew In this month has two dates.  This Friday the 10th and also the 17th of December.  I'm almost done with Christmassy things so I will hopefully be using the time to catch up on other things that have been put aside.


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Beppy Berlin Workshop

Thank you all so much for the lovely comments about my Hever win.  I really am glad I followed my gut instincts.  I did have a lot of encouragement from John though, he loves the fish but that's a fisherman for you!

I've had a lovely day today at Hanson's, Sturminster Newton, on the Beppy Berlin Guardian Angel workshop.  This is mine...

She is blonde as is my real life angel (22 on Monday!! where does the time go?) and will be my little guardian for her.

Also this months Friday Night Sew In is on 17th, a week tomorrow, click the thingy on the right if you would like to join in.  It really is quite nice to set yourself a date with a needle!!!

Can anyone confirm if I read the Sky magazine correctly and that there will be a new series of Kirstie's Homemade Home in October?  The mag has gone and I missed a lot of the last series.  Anything crafty on our TV stations should be supported!!!  Fed up with revamped houses and cookery here!!

Yesterday's Box So Far

Well this is the file box, as was.  Now stuck, stitched,and painted to within a hairs breadth of it's cardboard corners.

It's quite metallic and sheeny so quite hard to photograph.  It' now curing outside in the sun before assembly and anything else I can think of.

I enjoyed snipping and slapping and can think of a few more ways to use this.  It's a good job I don't actually go to a supermarket anymore.  If there were goats eyeballs in a piquant sauce in an interesting box I could re use....!!!  Perish the thought really but I am looking at different boxes, how they can be dis-assembled and re made.  Great for unusual present wrapping at the least.

The combines have been busy all day today.  There is dust everywhere and so many flies.  Of course they are doing the thing on my touch screen again.  They are the only ones who have any use out of it!  I was wondering if I left the swimming fish screen saver up if they would react to it. If I touch the screen the fish swim to wards my finger. Fish eat flies. 

The Last Box I Made With Jennifer

As the box from yesterday is still nowhere near finished, I'm working on it as I type, this is a picture of the last one I made at one of Jennifer's workshops back in May.  It's layered, stitched, burnt away, beaded and embroidered lightly and is about 5 inches square by 4 high.

I really must sort myself some background fabric for photographs, the oak dining table is really not a good colour to show other colours clearly!

Box Clever

I’ve had a lovely day today down at Pauline’s Patchwork doing a workshop with Jenifer Trollope. It was embellishing boxes with loads of stuff. Real Blue Peter stuff she calls it and she was right. Nice and mucky. Of course we could only do so much as there was glue and paint involved which meant drying time but plenty to be getting on with once dry properly.


John had dropped me off and of course we had forgotten what a mess Weymouth is. In fact we were not prepared for the worse mess it is now! All in the name of the 2012 Olympics and the water sports. Still there should be left behind some great tarmac. John had a busy day in the garden and then picked me up later. What he hadn’t told me of course was the smell that hit me when I walked in the door. Garlic and roasting chicken all in the Aga and ready to come out on our return. And you would all drool over his roast potatoes! A good ¼ inch crunch with super fluff inside!!!!!!!!!! Don’t mention the diet.

Anyway the lowering sun just caught the grape vine over the pergola in the courtyard this evening and it looked so nice. I’m not sure if you can make out all the grape bunches, it’s smothered (click to enlarge). I know about the viticulture bit but we don’t eat these. They are a variety called Brant, black, quiet sweet and small, very edible and they are also a little on the pippy side but the blackbirds love them so we leave them as a pre winter feast. It also has the most beautiful Autumn colour too.

Feed Me! to Dali

This morning the starling babes were lining up and making their demands. I know they can be a pain but we have more than enough space and feeders and the other birds will actually push them out of the way and, to be honest, when they fly in the evenings it makes your heart fly with them. A couple of years ago we only had about 8 and they used to flit, last year there were possibly 50 or so, This spring there was quite a cloud silently dancing in the perfect formation only a starling flock does. I don’t need all of them in the garden mind! But we’d rather have them than the rooks!

I had an Embroiderers Guild meeting and workshop with Beppy Berlin with bookbinding. It was fab and I’ve put my name down for a possible place in the Autumn for another proper course rather than just a workshop. They are popular enough that there may be a waiting list!

I left early after lunch and took John to visit with Nina at Stewarts Garden Centre where they were setting up for Dorset Arts Week. We did support our local artists, admired other works and had a nice afternoon tea and chat before leaving. I can’t show you what we bought as it’s still on display, maybe in a couple of weeks when it’s free again and home!!

On Sunday I managed to miss the fourth and final (for now) Modern Masters on Dali. I was really upset about this as we can’t have iplayer because of the satellite broadband that bounces through Italy. We’re not English apparently!! Tonight John was looking through the Sky box for a recording and I spotted that I had actually recorded it!! Thank goodness for that lovely little box! What a programme. Great stuff! I know if you read the blogs on it, it has been slammed, but only by those who have their noses so far up their own personalities that it doesn’t matter. For John and I, mere mortals, it was a great series.

We missed the first on Warhol, so have no comment on that one but the other three; Matisse, Picasso and Dali were great. The thing that came across to me the most I think was the amazing ability of their artistic talents at such an early age. They could all produce classic masterpieces and then explored and expressed themselves their own way. You have to know the rules before you can break them. They didn’t slap it around and call it art, they knew art and then slapped it around. Puts a lot of today’s so called wannabes right in the shade.

Tomorrow a trip to Salisbury for some bits for the car and a summer wardrobe for the dogs. Then I have some playtime with Bob!!

Finished Arabesque.

This is it, finally done. 

This was a Quilt University course with Martine House and is a hand done piece with three types of appliqué, embroidery, needle lace, beading, quilting and trapunto. It's kept me quite on my stitching days with my Ladies!!

Thank you for the nice comments about the Journal quilts, tulips, (I think they are the only group Val, about 5), and the dyeing.  You're still not seeing the results just yet!! :-) 

Also I can't tell you how lovely it is to have someone who shows a genuine interest in what I'm doing.  John professes to have no artistic talents but to me his input is invaluable, probably because he has no preconceived ideas.  He asks plenty of questions about my projects when I think he hasn't taken any notice and has really been keen on the dyeing of the fabrics.  It's the little things that spur me on and him wanting to be a part of it all is wonderful.