Textile Goddess

Lesson 4

2012-02-10T17:42:00.001Z

Lesson 4 completed for the PS course

Today I learnt to;
Create an over-painted background
To warp text
To fill type with colour blocks

I had a great day actually – I started with the above and worked on it for an hour, then came back to it later, I read, I stitched, I painted and I even did 5 minutes of yoga.

If the sun were shinning it would be a perfect day. (Its very VERY cold, very damp, misty and generally yuck today, though, unlike the rest of England, NO snow. The Land Rover is doing its job very well!)

Fashion & Embroidery Show

2012-02-06T09:27:00.000Z

Here’s a sneak preview of the work so far towards the Fashion & Embroidery show at the NEC 22-25th March.

The “Coast” dress in progress – based upon studies of Bamburgh beach, before construction, embroidery and embellishment.

And “new” sofa in the background,
I went looking for lace in an antiques shop and came out with a sofa.
As you do.

Sleeves in detail before embroidery – layers of silks and lace.

The untitled as yet “purple” dress (well, top part of).
Hand dyed silks and lace.

The question of the week is this;
”Can I repeat that wonderful dyeing?”
It reminds me of slices through mineral coloured rocks.

Hint of the black Gothic dress and jacket in the background.

Sunday afternoon….

2012-02-05T17:17:00.001Z

Digital art class lesson 3.
Theme of Family – which, having this photo I wanted to use, I limited to my DH and DS.

I had hoped to complete at least another two lessons today but this took me 5 hours! Its a steep learning curve but at least now I have more of an idea why something is / isn’t working!

I learnt how to;
Duplicate a layer with Crl+J
Drawing with the polygonal lasso tool
Create a new brush

It reinforced past learning of;
Installing brushes
Rotating brushes
Colouring brushes
Extracting a motif
Recolour a Motif
Clipping layers

And yes, now you mention it the flowers look as if they are waving. Ophs.

Imbolc

2012-02-02T20:50:00.002Z

Digital image created with scans of original art in pencils and Pan pastels.

If you listen to the sounds of the Earth you can hear the seasons changing as the land awakes to the growing power of the sun.

Spring IS on its way. Happy Imbolc everyone.

Sketchbook Project

2012-01-31T21:26:00.001Z

The sketchbook went away to Boston at 11.30am this morning and I am almost happy with it!
Some spreads I love – like using my artwork on the title and end pages (and the knowledge gained in just 2 lessons on using PS).

The deer are by far my favourite images and I wish I had done more of these (but I only created them on Sunday and didn’t have time to do more). Another project to add to the list.

(NB I “cleaned” up the pencil drawings as the crease in the page affected the photography/light in a bad shadow way).

Title Page; Digital Collage

Carved Axe Head; Inks, cut paper and stitch

Venus of Willendorf; Paper with inks, fabric and fabric paints

The Cave Art of our Ancestors; Pan pastels

Mother Goddess of the Autumn; Pencil

Carved Spirals of Ireland; Wallpaper, paint, watercolour pencils, inks, stitch

Cold Winter Ice Ages; Paper, paint, watercolour pencils, inks, stitch

Goddess of Life; Pencil

Goddess of Spheres; Pencil

Goddess of Flowers; Pencil

Goddess of the Stars; Pencil

Prehistoric Pottery Designs; Papers, Lutradur, inks, pen, collage, stitch

Prehistoric Inscriptions; Paper, stencils, inks, silk thread

The Cover; Papers, ink, stitch

End Page; Digital Collage

The Sketchbook is part of this project and you can see it at various venues around the world – and online soon.

PS My darling DS has just pointed out my watermark is a year out of date!

Journal Quilts

2012-01-30T19:58:00.001Z

For the Contemporary Quilt Guild GB challenge
(October – January, 10x10 inches, using buttons).

Top layer; “drip paper”, inks, acrylics, oil pastels, pen, fixative.

Base layer; hand dyed cotton fabric.

Stitched with silk threads and held together at the corners with buttons.

I really enjoyed making these and plan more in the future (but minus the buttons!)

“Home”

2012-01-27T08:27:00.001Z

Its been a hugely busy week here – running DS to football and rugby four times a week, supper out, shopping, coffee, the usual housework and washing…

…supervising some serious garden clearing; an old hedge has been ripped out, the fence removed, the old caravan has gone (Ian proposed to me in that caravan so it was rather emotional!), the old privy has also gone (thank goodness!), the gravel has been spread out evenly….. lots of wood burning….and planning new fences and planting.

I’ve been driving Daisy all week (trips to Alnwick, Wooler and Berwick twice each around 120 miles total) and tonight, as we set off to Wooler my darling son said;

"I think you've got the hang of driving this now Mum"

Indeed I have, and there are just three rules to remember when Driving Miss Daisy;

1. Only go into second gear when you start off – go around corners in third.

2. If you “lose” the gear, don’t panic - hit the clutch and head for third. Regardless of which gear you have lost (usually fifth) because by the time you’ve found third you lost the advantage of any “speed” anyway.

3. Line the wheels up straight if you want to get the reverse gear to engage and try three times to hit said reverse gear…. you will always get it sorted on the fourth attempt. Do not panic (again).

You see life in the countryside at a different pace at 45mph (50mph max downhill with the wind at your back), I like it. I have honed my technique to get in and out without dislocating my back or rupturing my hernia.

And it would seem, I have the seal of approval from the young master for his taxi.

In the studio I’m busy on a dress for F&E and this evening I completed Lesson 2 of the Digital Art Course. Only 6 lessons behind!

The theme this time was “Home” and I’ve learnt to use brushes, alter their orientation, create and clip masks, make a patterned background, erase parts with brushes, make journaling tags, create inked borders, use my handwriting as a font…. I’m loving it all.

So here is this weeks effort – not totally happy with it artistically, but I’m more interested in learning the techniques at the moment and there’s only SO much time I can spend on each lesson!

Digital Art Journaling

2012-01-13T11:19:00.001Z

I’ve never quite been clarty enough to create the loose abandoned mixed media journaling pages I so admire in CPS and Art Journaling.

Until I discovered DIGITAL art journaling.

Results of the first lesson, not my usual style, but hey, lets fly outside the box today shall we? You never know what might happen if you think outside your “usual” rules.

Inks and Stencils

2012-01-10T21:02:00.001Z

Following an online workshop I’ve been creating the first stage of some new backgrounds, next stage is painting with acrylics and and then doodling with pens. Some of these backgrounds worked really well at this stage and I’ll keep them as they are.

Looking forward

2012-01-09T20:08:00.001Z

I’m in print so it must be true – the “Fashion & Embroidery Show” leaflet arrived on Saturday and my name is in print.

The ideas I need have finally crystallised with absolute clarity. Really could have done with starting in November, but its OK - once I know where I’m going I can push on and create.

I’ve quite a large “room” at the show, 4.5x5m double sided – the idea is to take what remains of the Translations Exhibition, along with some new wall pieces, a few Towers and costumes.

I’m a long way from being a dressmaker, but I love making costumes to showcase the colouring and embroidering of fabrics.

Using original Edwardian patterns I’ve been making up in cheap scrim-like fabric.

The above dress is from this pattern – looks like a jacket and dress to you? Did to me too. It’s not. It needed some alternations so I took the scissors to it.

I cut the back neckline into a square.
Above looks better? I think so too.

Other patterns were scaled up from “Patterns of Fashion” by Janet Arnold. I loved doing this part – reminded me of scaling up artwork at school (oh WHY did I give up art at 16?)

The scrim and a cutting mat made the job of scaling up 1/8inch=1 inch a doddle.

No skirt parts just yet, as I wanted to ensure I had enough fabric to create the bodices as these require precise fitting.

This one had me confused? why such a large centre panel?

The back looked interesting, but too “modern”, so it was put back how it’s supposed to be.

And again I took the scissors to it. The costumes are to be based on original patterns – not faithful copies.

The start of the “collection”.

A mixture of Project Runway and House of Elliot meets Downton Abbey.

How good is it to have this as my job?

2012 is going to be a wonderful, wonderful year. I have certain exhibitions planned (are you ready for this?)

1. F&E -NEC - March
2. Pins & Needles (with the Twyne Textile Group) – Newcastle - March
3. Loch Lomond Quilt Show - May (showcasing Goddesses)
4. Solo exhibition - Baliffgate, Alnwick - June
5. “Linens & Lace” Solo exhibition at Old Gala House – Galashiels – September > October.

Plus working on a Uni course via distance learning – which I’d planned to take a break from for a few months but I need to cram it into Feb – Oct to beat the governments fee hike (it changes from affordable to you have got to be kidding expensive).

Thanks you guys in parliament, I REALLY needed something else to be doing!!!

So New Year Resolutions? None, instead a word for 2012……..

It could only be

“FOCUS”

(or an alternative trendy phrase)

“Keep Stitching
and
Don’t Panic”

Images created in the iPad using the Noteshelf App – later today I’ll add my (private) notes and scribbles.

End of the Year

2011-12-31T20:11:00.001Z

The final pictures of 2011 – collages for December.
You can see these pictures in wonderful quality at Blipfoto.

Wishing everyone a
HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Concentration

2011-12-27T22:27:00.001Z

Getting in to Daisy

2011-12-26T22:37:00.001Z

Drawn with right index finger on iPad. First attempt.

OK, must admit I used the Tracing Paper app and a bit of practise would help (and I have DS sitting beside me and he keeps jiggling around as kids do).

Now, where’s that stylus….. AMAZON???? Quick, quick, quick on that delivery please!!

Merry Christmas

2011-12-25T18:49:00.001Z

Hope you’ve had a great day.

Its a tradition with my favourite group of internet friends to light a candle on Christmas Day, its a way of feeling closer even though we are spread throughout the world.

I’d like to share this with all of you too.

Hoping Santa was good to you, he went to Space NK and the Apple store for me!

Happy Christmas to everyone

2011-12-24T16:15:00.001Z

Best wishes to everyone out there reading my blog.

I hope you all have a wonderful day with lots of laughter and happiness.

Helen X

Dancing Reindeer

Richard Cowans aged 11

Journaling December

2011-12-17T21:37:00.001Z

Journaling December

2011-12-10T22:37:00.002Z

Journaling Christmas

2011-12-10T21:32:00.001Z

Snow!

2011-12-10T21:05:00.001Z

Enough snow to play!
Taken mid-afternoon when a sizeable amount had melted.

Trip to Ingram

2011-12-09T18:57:00.001Z

We took a short lunch time break so I could get more practise in Daisy (DH refuses to call it Daisy, but for me its stuck, Sue’s fault!)

Getting in is always a challenge (when laughing it’s even more so) – can you see ~~how short I am~~ how high up it is?

The head of the valley looked spectacular.

He waited for just one shot, then turned and walked off.
Perfect.

Waiting…

2011-12-06T21:04:00.001Z

Held - Awaiting Booking-In Date (GATESHEAD SERVICE CENTRE)
6th Dec 2011
10:34

Arrived At Depot (GATESHEAD SERVICE CENTRE)
6th Dec 2011
04:04

Departed Depot (HATFIELD TERMINAL)
5th Dec 2011
20:32

Arrived At Depot (HATFIELD TERMINAL)
5th Dec 2011
20:29

Parcel data received awaiting coll. (BRISTOL SERVICE CENTRE)
5th Dec 2011
00:00

It’s that time of year when it takes parcels far too long to arrive….. my parcel was only an hours drive away at 04.04am this morning. Maybe they’ll get it booked in sometime soon? Amazing they can know its arrived, but its waiting a booking in date – isn’t that the same thing? Or are they deciding when to put it onto the van and drive north?

Harrogate, Part 2– I have been trying to write this but have given up for two reasons – 1. I realised that I couldn’t, because of copyright issues, post pictures of other peoples work that I liked and 2. I find as I get older that I’m less easily impressed and only really, really liked three pieces of work. The days where everything excited me are long, long gone.

Back in the studio I’m working on two very different projects.

Firstly a hanging for DS – he saw Frieda’s circle quilt and asked for one like it. Having taken a class with Frieda on piecing circles I was well armed with knowledge, if not patience…. piecing is not my favourite task. Not by hand, not at all really. Each to their own and I know it makes some people’s bells tinkle, that’s wonderful, it just doesn’t tinkle my sleigh bells.

I wonder what Frieda thinks of the colour scheme! Very different from hers.
(Sure she’ll tell me! Hello Frieda!)

Mostly chosen by DS himself and with a fern pattern to remind him of our trip to NZ (they are all fossil fern fabrics).

Guess what I’m stitching this evening – once he’s off to bed…

The second project involves using the inspiration of Bamburgh Beach and “Coast”, not a cut seam in sight (oh the freedom of ripping silk).

Journaling December

2011-12-06T20:34:00.001Z

Journaling December

2011-12-06T17:59:00.002Z

Journaling Christmas day 5 (3 and 4 to follow!)

2011-12-05T21:28:00.001Z

I’m having great fun playing with digital scrapbooking (and positive thinking), its been too cold to head outdoors today so I stayed inside reading about farming in Neolithic Europe – and playing with Photoshop… and Facebook…. and surfing the web in general…. and a bit of housework and baking. Not a bad day.

Sunday Afternoon

2011-12-04T17:08:00.001Z

Today I took a break form art, stitching, thinking about art and stitching, reading about art and stitching and it did feel good.

This afternoon we all went out to Harthope Valley for a short drive. Out of the gate, over the ford, up the hill and there we were…

Beautifully coordinated with the hills. But the paint is changing just as soon as I can get it done….

There are some elements to mask off and keep – all part of its history (this car was new when I was 17 years old!)

And some wonderful textures (even on a day off I am still thinking of art, even though I don’t realise it).

No need for the gym either – arms have had a good workout with the non-powered steering!

Evening at the garden

2011-12-03T21:34:00.001Z

Visit to the evening opening at the Alnwick Garden, love these sparkling lights in the stone… can we get these for the patio?

Below is my favourite photo of the evening, no tweaking in Photoshop required. Its my Blip photo too.

Brrr… its cold out there

2011-12-02T21:57:00.001Z

Journal your Christmas

2011-12-01T10:59:00.002Z

New month and another new challenge for me you can see the class I’m taking here.

Last time I took a class from Shimelle (journal September) I used paper, pens and glue…. this time I decided to use Photoshop. The red and white card was this mornings prompt and I’ve managed to ~~waste~~ use an hour of my morning creating this “page”

November Pictures

2011-12-01T10:33:00.001Z

What a real contrast in November this year!

Autumn leaves in deepest golden browns along with flowers on Delphiniums and Lupins.

Really hoping my photo a day muse will return this month – I think I was subconsciously sulking as the light levels fall towards mid-winter.

You can see these pictures in better quality and read the captions at Blipfoto

Harrogate Report part 1

2011-11-30T21:51:00.001Z

It was great going to Harrogate last week to the Knitting & Stitching show.
Good to have a break away, but great to be home (less traffic for a start!)

There are three sides to the K&S show – seeing friends, shopping and inspiration. It was wonderful to meet up with Caroline and Fiona.

Todays post is shopping, tomorrows post is inspirational art.

There were some of my favourite shops missing, one being the Bead Merchant, their loss with the Spellbound Bead Shop’s gain.

A few beautiful buttons, the small number reflect the price rather than the choice.

The unequalled Habu yarns and Silk Route fabrics.

Indian trims

More silks from the Silk Route and Mulberry Silks – my colour choices are mellowing.

Most of this lace came from a vintage fair – a few metres from Harrogate. The buttons are art nouveau in style and really beautiful.

There are plans to combine the lace with the pattern above, lets just says its going to be interesting as the instructions are minimal, as is my dress making experience. Hopefully I can reveal the results in March at the Fashion & Embroidery Show.

No Snow this Winter

2011-11-26T17:38:00.001Z

We have a new family addition – we should be able to bring it home next week.
Name to be decided.

Once we have paid the balance I can almost guarantee there will be
NO SNOW IN NORTHUMBERLAND
this winter.

Well, nothing more than an inch at most.

No, really, there will be nothing much at all…..because…..

It needs a new paint job and I want to add a few daisies…..maybe I can get a few on the back door without DH noticing????

Anyway I am not driving around Wooler in a camo-designed Land Rover!

But at least if my predictions are wrong
I WILL BE ABLE TO LEAVE THE HOUSE!
Unlike last year …

Anyway its Spring here in Northumberland, forget winter.
A windy spring day admittedly.

All the golden leaves have gone from the trees but the flowers are doing well.
Here are photos from this morning.

Its been a good week - I’ve been away to the Knitting & Stitching Show in Harrogate – will show more next post.

Also we’ve got two nights out to look forward too – to see Dara O’Brien in May and Kevin Bridges in October.
Maybe now we have the new toy I could book the ballet in February. I didn’t dare as you know what happened last year when I booked winter evenings out in Newcastle…..

Owl calendar

2011-11-17T18:00:00.002Z

Image from http://www.myowlbarn.com/p/owl-lover-2012-calendar.html

Didn’t realise I liked owls quite so much!

 “….you can select the images you love the most and create your own

free calendar or you can simply download the pre-made version….”

Mines just printing now…..

How long?

2011-11-16T20:13:00.002Z

Gosh, I just checked when I last posted here. Where did the time go – I seem to be chasing my tail and getting nowhere really fast this month.

Last week I was lecturing and teaching in Castle Douglas for the Embroiderers Guild (Towers in a Day) and teaching in Newcastle for the Quilters Guild (Goddess wall hanging).

Both great groups – I had a wonderful time and I really hope they did too.

That's me done with teaching for several months – until the sun and the “warm” weather return.
(Well, we can hope).

I went to a vintage fair on Sunday and came home with some great lace pieces.

Tuesday I had a day out in Rothbury with stitching friends and laughed and laughed.

Today I went to the charity shop in Wooler and came home with the bargain of the week - £3 for a linen/cotton damask tablecloth.

You don’t get bargains like that at Vintage Fairs.

Today I also ventured out with the camera.

I find it hard to keep the Photo A Day going in the winter, the light is only really good here from 10am-2pm – and that’s on a good day.

Sometimes the light is only good at 11.59am, for 10 seconds……..and I miss it. Note to self; stop complaining and dig out the studio lights!

Have you ever really looked at fallen leaves?

No I means REALLY looked at them?

No, I mean REALLY, REALLY looked?

Nature presents us with such wonderful patterns.

And the moles present me with such wonderful chaos on the lawn!

Finally for todays post – I’m sharing these flowers with you.

Yes, for you lot.

To cheer you up on these cold and mostly grey November days (unless you are the other side of the world, in which case you are waiting on summer which I hope its a good one for you, please can you remind me what a good summer is?)

I promise to be back soon.

(PS the flowers are on my kitchen table and are cheering me up every time I walk past).

School holidays

2011-11-01T20:26:00.001Z

Where did the first term go? Feels as if we have only just started school again after the summer holidays and already the October half term has passed too.

We went for a walk….

Learn a new skill with Grandad…

And I got a beautiful bunch of flowers, home grown by my Dad.

Today I went and had my hair coloured – back to dark reds with a hint of purple. The hairdressers is middle right below. Do you like the false moon?

Running slowly…

2011-10-29T10:56:00.002+01:00

My laptop appears to be dying

Its going v..e..r..y s..l..o…w….l…..y

Bad timing when I’ve just started a new Photoshop course!

Here are the results of turning an image taken this week into an old style polaroid.

(Stitching is on hold as its half-term holidays here)

Workshop info here

Open Exhibition in Berwick

2011-10-21T19:34:00.001+01:00

For those without wonderful eyesight here are the details;

5th Open Exhibition 2011

22nd October – 17th December

An excitingly diverse exhibition of works of all mediums by artists and
designers living in North East England and the Scottish Borders.

You and your guest are warmly invited to the Berwick Gymnasium Gallery
opening on Saturday 22nd October between 2:00pm – 4:00pm

Opening times: 12:00pm – 4:00pm Wednesday – Sunday

Free entrance from the Ramparts

Wild Goats

2011-10-13T20:09:00.001+01:00

Wild goats in a friends shed ready to have tracking collars attached by Newcastle University. They live in the National Park – mainly on Yeavering Bell (hill fort). I used to live at the foot of the hill – I miss it sometimes.

Coastal Themed Tower

2011-10-12T17:28:00.001+01:00

New work based on one of my favourite places of all time.

Bamburgh Castle.

RIP Steve Jobs

2011-10-06T10:36:00.001+01:00

The Man Who Invented Wonderful Gadgets

Where would I be without my iPhone and my longing for an iPad? How many of us invent something truly new and change the way the world works?

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.

Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking.

Don’t let the noise of other’s opinions drown out your own inner voice.

And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition.

They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”

Indigo

2011-10-02T19:33:00.001+01:00

Something I’ve been stitching on and off for over a year (or possibly two).

It uses Indigo dyed fabrics from the African Fabric Shop and Mulberry silk threads.

Sorry the full shot is not so good I had to take some quick pictures as I needed to get this into the post for my mums birthday.

Belated Equinox Greetings

2011-09-25T18:54:00.001+01:00

Hello! Over the summer I’ve not been blogging as much as usual – I’ve been so busy and have loads to catch up on.

One of the courses I’ve recently started is “Learn Something New Everyday”, I discovered this little gem from my friend Gill.

I’m using purchased cards and chipboard and trying not to be precious about using it. This itself is a learning experience.

Melrose Abbey

2011-09-14T18:34:00.001+01:00

Had a wonderful day at Melrose Abbey with Frieda. We started with coffee and lunch and then headed across the road to the abbey where we spent a pleasant time marvelling at the architecture (its stunning).

We both took lots of photos.

This is my Blip of the day – a Blip of a Blipper in action

We spent time spotting old gravestones (fascinating) and looking around the museum - on a beautiful sunny day with the most gorgeous blue skies.

Hello!

2011-09-08T16:28:00.003+01:00

DS is back to school and its too quiet here, I miss his chatter and company.

The Open Studio was successful with 70 or so visitors and several sales. It was SO busy I forgot to take any photographs!

Thanks to everyone who offered a donation to the Air Ambulance - I have sent them £20.
They really are life savers.

I am out of the habit of taking a photo-a-day, something I must start doing again (note to self when finished writing blog pick up camera).

Here are a few photos and there's a link at the bottom of the post to a slide show on my web site.

Please visit my web site for a slide show. Click here.

Final Reminder

2011-09-01T09:57:00.001+01:00

Open Studio starts tomorrow though to Sunday. I’m looking forward to it……. but now I must run and get 6 more sets of mirror plates!

Glendale Show

2011-08-29T17:02:00.001+01:00

Had a lovely day at the show – great to see friends and to be able to walk across the field makes it all so relaxed.

I only took the “handbag” camera today, it was a dull day (but dry – hurray!).

My favourites are always the flowers;

Ian goes for the Harleys;

There was only one entry in the “embroidery” section. How sad is that? I used to enter, then stopped – maybe I should start again. Is it OK to enter shows if you teach? What do you think?

5 days to go!

2011-08-28T22:26:00.001+01:00

More collages finished, framed and most are now hanging up in the studio.

Purple Goddess, background hand dyed (with the natural dye logwood) and hand painted with markals.

Background hand dyed silk ( with sticklac a natural dye) and hand painted with markals. Ribbon from the Australian trip in 2008, paper flowers (painted with sprays), peacock printed onto lokta paper.

One week to go

2011-08-26T12:58:00.001+01:00

One week until the Open Studio. I’m getting really excited now – not least because it encourages the boys to clear up in the garden (and I might even get the caravan washed!)

I’ve been spending time stitching whilst DS has been out at rugby camp and a birthday party. Nothing has taught me to juggle time/tasks better than the motherhood-self employment situation.

This is my box of bits – for each collage I’ve found something to add as embellishment. I’m hopeless at making cards so have opted to create small collages – these will be for sale for £35-£45, very reasonably priced.

Would you like to see a few glimpses?

There are Gothic themed;

Bees and butterflies;

Sewing and seeds;

Starting the framing last night

12 days and counting

2011-08-21T19:29:00.001+01:00

Preparations are well underway for the open day – bunting went up today!

Lots more to do, including framing the numerous new pieces of work and finishing four towers and three goddesses.

Sometimes I think I am pushing myself too hard – maybe I should have been sitting in the garden enjoying the sun this afternoon. Instead I was slaving over a hot sewing machine (and thoroughly enjoying myself).

Ceramics and a Castle

2011-08-20T20:14:00.002+01:00

Had a fantastic day at Tantallon Studio but forgot to take some photos at the end. I was so enjoying myself – in a days workshop I made 3 tiles, one round pot, one square pot, several small tiles with holes for stitching and one large “landscape bowl”.

I haven’t worked in clay since school and it was interesting how “instant” it is compared to textiles…… want to make a pot? Just roll together and press…. instant mark making, moulding, glueing…. One day I shall get myself to Newcastle for the Ceramics course. Do you think DH will let me have a kiln?

I can’t wait to see the results after firing. I used cup and ring marked rocks as inspiration, as I often do in my work.

The view from the studio was amazing – right across the Forth and including Tantallon Castle where I went for a walk after the workshop. The castle was mostly destroyed in the Civil War by Cromwell. Can imagine it being wonderful in summer and freezing in winter.

The approach

The exposed walls

Upping the saturation on the rocks gave this amazing colour display

View from a window

When you know its going to work….

2011-08-13T20:40:00.001+01:00

I find that there is always a set progression to a new project that goes well;

1.Thoughts and ideas (can take weeks to months)

2. Scribbles (unintelligible to anyone but me)

3. Proper planning (i.e you can read the writing on the sketches and plans)

4. Enthusiastic start gathering threads and fabrics together (nothing is more enjoyable than rummaging through and finding just what you needed, its why you absolutely MUST buy so much when you make it to the occasional stitching show)

5. Midway crisis of doomed failure (its just NOT going to work out the way I need it to)

6. A gentle smile when you realise that its actually going to work out just how you planned

7. You realise you really like this and you’re not going to want to put a price tag on it (or even show off it lest anyone else use your ideas)

8. You can’t wait to get into the studio to get it finished (stuff the housework / husband / cooking / gym / shopping / ironing)

9. You’ve finished and you’re PROUD of it

Photos today from a section of todays work, stage 7;

Happy Birthday my Nerf Warrior

2011-08-09T21:31:00.001+01:00

DS's birthday today, always a strange day for me - as for most mums I guess, such an amazing thing to give birth. Certainly some very clear memories still there from 11 years ago.
Though last night was much more pleasant and pain free, no contractions every 3 minutes during the hour long trip to hospital in Melrose. (I still wince every time I drive down the little windy road!)

Week three

2011-08-08T15:58:00.001+01:00

Its week three of the school holidays already.

I’ve been stitching some afternoons whilst DS has been building houses and digging mines. Him at one end of the kitchen table, me at the other - with an audio book playing in the background.

We’ve been to Ingram to christen the new walking boots and visited the Ice Cream Van for a treat. We’ve thrown stones and looked at harebells.

We’ve had a paintballing party in the pouring rain…..and today I escaped for a few hours to Newcastle and came home with this….

Photo from the Mint Velvet web site

I can’t believe it actually fits me – shows how loosing half a stone can make a difference.
Not sure where I shall ever wear it – only to work I suspect (I like to dress up for a lecture). Hoping for lots of dressing up opportunities in the next few months!
I’ll team it with black leggings and long black kitten heel boots. (As the “Gothic” look is forecast for the autumn I shall be in my element).

There’s nothing as lovely as kicking off your socks in the summer and wearing long boots in the winter.

Julys Photographs

2011-08-02T21:14:00.001+01:00

Open Studio

2011-08-01T12:17:00.001+01:00

Come and see me in September!

Get your copy of the brochure here

Weekend work

2011-07-31T19:48:00.002+01:00

School holidays mean working at weekends for a while so here you can see this weekends work. I thought it was about time we got back to textiles here – though I will put up some more holiday photos for the family and friends to see too.

The border around the studio is slowly being filled with plants, a cornflower meadow mix has been sown for next spring.

Remember these photos I took on Bamburgh beach?

Roughly translated into paper and paint to isolate the colours (brusho on cartridge paper)

Finding out fabrics to fit and recording them for the sketchbook/workbook

And starting on the first piece in the series – a 1m Tower for the EG Regional Exhibition

July? When was that?

2011-07-28T07:18:00.001+01:00

Hello!

I seem to have missed the month of July completely….. it has just flown by.

I have been trying to cram in as much as possible before the school holidays started and we have been away on holiday to the Lakes.
I’m busy processing the holiday pic’s and I’ll post them soon.

We spent one afternoon in Grasmere – I took the boys on a short walk to see Glenthorne – do you remember I was here in February with members of CQGB? Wonderful place for a retreat. I’m pleased to say I’ve arranged another retreat in November 2012 with another group of friends.

DS noticed that opposite Glenthorne is Thimble Hall – made me chuckle.

I had to show you this – one of the best portraits from the holiday.

And now its the long summer holidays – do you remember how they used to seem to last forever? And how it was always hot? Well I guess I grew up in the 1970’s and ‘76 was a “heatwave” year. I’d be 7 years old then – summer would have seemed endless.

My gorgeous DS has progressed from intricate pencil drawings to spray painting Nerf Blasters! I think he looks very “Amish” in the long blouse that I use as a painting smock.

And textiles?

Well yes, there is a limited amount of work in progress…
Mainly on a piece for the EG exhibition “Mining a Golden Seam”

Here’s a hint of what’s to come;

First day of the school holidays…..

2011-07-25T11:52:00.001+01:00

Monday morning – start of the school holidays and what a start!

I couldn’t sleep last night as my back and neck were hurting so I went to the bathroom to get some paracetamol.........

1. Sliced my thumb on the packet

2. Went downstairs to get a plaster

3. Saw The Mother of All Spiders

4. Back upstairs to get DH to remove it (no way was I going back in knowing it was lurking)

5. Back downstairs to supervise

6. Saw the Son of The Mother of All Spiders by the washer

7. Lost sight of the Son of The Mother of All Spiders

8. Spent 5 mins locating Son of The Mother of All Spiders for removal

9. Returned to bed and wrote Facebook entry – it disappeared into the ether as it was too long. Great.

10. Looked up, saw Spider Above Bed

11. Lost Spider Above Bed, now Spider Somewhere Under Bed

12. Pulled out shoe boxes and canvas panels, located and exterminated Spider Under Bed

13. Lay down, fly - low flying over head

14. Got up, exterminated Fly

15. Noted 3.18am on clock

16. Set alarm for 10am – its the school holidays I can have a lie in! Now I can sleep and dream…..

17. 7.51am woken by child who wants to get some spray paint..... shops open at 9am and are a few minutes drive away, its too early!

18. Now 11.28am, shopping done, DS happy and one LARGE, STRONG coffee coming out of the coffee machine and heading my way.

Seahouses

2011-07-11T22:11:00.001+01:00

Went to Seahouses early(ish) this morning for boat photographing – for the “Coast” art project.

The sun duly came to play as I waited.

View to Bamburgh Castle from the harbour walls

Manoeuvring into position to collect the day-trippers off to the Farne Islands

Ropes and rust (also my Blip entry for today)

Landscape Impressions

2011-07-10T20:05:00.001+01:00

Teaching in Snape, near Bedale.
Great group giving these wonderful results.
Great to be out teaching, not enough opportunities this year.

PS In the holiday section of the Sunday Times they report that Northumberland is a beautiful hidden gem – they are incorrect.
Its a dreadful place to visit.

June

2011-07-07T10:12:00.001+01:00

Time for a review of June. Fewer photos than normal….. I was a bit busy!

Exhibition Days–final post

2011-07-06T09:03:00.000+01:00

Vilandry

50x50cm mounted on stretcher bars
Antique Lace Collar
£160

Wetlands

150x100cm
£450

Winter Hare

50x50cm mounted on stretcher bars
Hare photo courtesy of C. Sharratt
£160

And then we took the unsold pieces down…. in the POURING rain!

Many thanks to all those who helped at Paxton House.

Exhibition Days

2011-07-05T09:00:00.000+01:00

Trackways

12x17cm plus frame
£45

Translations

82x188cm
£250

Valley

80x60cm
£280

Venice

19x29cm
£80

Exhibition Days

2011-07-04T18:57:00.001+01:00

I failed to keep up , but here are the remaining works over the next day or two.
The exhibition has now finished but work is still available to buy.

More from the studio soon!

Sunset Moor

30x30cm Oil on deep wrapped canvas
£140

Sweet Love

12x17cm plus frame
£45

Tea Dance

50x50cm Antique lace collar mounted on stretchers
£160

Exhibition Days

2011-06-25T09:00:00.000+01:00

Sorrento

12x17cm plus frame
£45

Spring Moor I

30x30cm deep wrapped canvas (Oil)
£140

Spring Moor III

75x100cm deep wrapped canvas (oil)
£320

Exhibition Days

2011-06-24T09:00:00.000+01:00

Shadows

12x17cm plus frame
SOLD

Snowline

50x20cm (Oil)
£140

Solstice

20x50cm
£95

Exhibition Days

2011-06-23T09:00:00.000+01:00

Peace

12x17cm plus frame
£45

Rain over the Moor

50x20cm (Oil)
£140

Roses and Crowns

39x49 plus frame
£160

Exhibition Days

2011-06-22T09:00:00.000+01:00

Memories

39x49cm plus frame
£160

Moorland Sunrise

100x30cm deep wrapped canvas (Oil)
£280

Nature Study

19x29cm plus frame
£80

London

2011-06-22T05:34:00.002+01:00

Finally have time to write the London post. (That sounds like a newspaper!)Though I have time now as that's because DS was throwing up at 3am so I am wide wake, he’s fine now, as kids are, but I guess I have to miss a class today that I’ve been looking forward to for a long time.

A group of us have paid to have Alysn Midgelow-Marsden come up and teach us for two days. DS has always had a knack of being ill when I have something special planned. You’d think after 11 years of this I would be used to it, but I’m still disappointed.

Anyway, to London by train in under 4 hours from Berwick on Tuesday last week. Firstly I went to drop off luggage at the hotel. London traffic is always the same……. (note the advert, it made me laugh).

Then to the V&A (Victoria and Albert Museum) for the Cult of Beauty exhibition. I am too tired to go into flowery exhibition speak, needless to say the Pre-Raphaelites never fail to impress.

Soya milk has finally reached London establishments and I was able to get a lovely coffee at the outdoor cafe. Enjoyable to sit reading the map and watching the people go by.

I went for a wander around the small (but perfectly formed) Indian sculpture section and the Islamic arts. The work shown is exquisite, but there is just not enough of it.

On the way back to the hotel I stopped to say hello to Darwin.

I love this view.

The building itself is fascinating

Wednesday I headed to Bloomsbury and the British Museum for another exhibition. It was also wonderful, the gold work was exquisite and I spent two hours in there looking and sketching. Having read the book beforehand I knew the history and the reports of the destruction of many of the objects and sites; wars, looting and purposeful destruction mean that so much has been lost from this immensely important archaeological area.

I spent another few hours wandering through time and the world, meandering through Prehistory (lots of sketching) to Medieval times via an Australian print exhibition and an Aboriginal basket display.

Spent a good hour pretending I was in India in Room 33.
Good to see, in real life, some of the sculptures I’d studied on the History of Indian Art course.

In the afternoon I met a friend for the Summer Exhibition at the Royal Academy. It was, as usual, interesting and thought provoking.

Then a walk to Liberty’s via Anthropologie - which I was not really in the mood for – by now it was 6pm and I was shattered, having been walking since 9.45am. Usually I can zen into the crowds of London and enjoy the buzz, but I was not in the mood.

Thursday I went back to the V&A and enjoyed the Cult of Beauty again, sitting for a long time in front of my favourite artist and one of his most beautiful works.
The Beguiling of Merlin by Edward Burne-Jones.
How I wish I could paint like that.

Then another coffee in lavish Victorian surroundings.

And a visit to the Yamamoto fashion exhibition, where I got told to stop drawing! As if my scribbles were going to bring down an international fashion house. I wandered out via various corridors, disappointed that the textile collection was ALL closed. Finally to the British Galleries where I saw some wonderful costumes and embroidery.

Then to Leighton House. I could live here! No photographs allowed so see internal images here.
It is such a beautiful house inside and so much of everything I love.
Islamic tiles and wooden screens, domes, gold and rich colours…..a dinning room with red walls and red floor…… a silk lined room which overlooked the Arab Hall…. a fantastic studio….. *sigh*…

Then it was back to Kings Cross and home to Berwick in 3 3/4 hours, then 25 minutes in the car. Fantastic that the train stops at Berwick when you consider that it only has two platforms…. north and south.

Exhibition Days

2011-06-21T09:00:00.000+01:00

Lace Collar on Blue

Edwardian Lace
39x49cm plus frame
£180

Lace Collar on Red

39x49cm plus frame
Hand made Edwardian Lace
£210

Marie

12x17cm plus frame
£45

Exhibition Days

2011-06-20T09:00:00.000+01:00

Hilltop

20x50cm (oil)
£140

Illusions

19x29cm (papers and stitch)
£80

Indian Summer

23x95cm
£160

Exhibition Days

2011-06-19T09:00:00.000+01:00

Four Journals

62x30cm
£120

Gothic

39x49cm plus frame
£160

Heather Moor

~30x99cm
£160

Heather Moor

75x100cm (Oil)
£320

Exhibition Days

2011-06-18T09:00:00.000+01:00

FairyTales

29x39cm plus frame
£80

Feathers

39x49cm plus frame
£160

Florence

19x29cm plus frame
£800

Exhibition Days

2011-06-17T09:00:00.000+01:00

Distant Fell

50x20cm Oil
£140

Dunes I

20x50cm Acrylic
£140

Dunes II

50x50cm Acrylic and stitch
£180

Exhibition Days

2011-06-16T09:00:00.000+01:00

Coastline I

50x50cm deep wrapped canvas
Acrylic and stitch
£180

Crossroads

12x17cm plus frame
£45

Crow

29x39cm plus frame
£140

Exhibition Days

2011-06-15T09:00:00.000+01:00

Circles I

95x30cm
£160

Circles II

27x97cm

£160

Coastline II

20x50cm
Acrylic on deep wrapped canvas

£140

Exhibition Days

2011-06-14T09:00:00.000+01:00

Cherry Blossom

50x50cm deep frame wrapped
£160

Cheviot I

120x100cm
Acrylic
£320

Cheviot II

50x50cm
Acrylic

£180

Escaping for a few days

2011-06-13T18:01:00.003+01:00

I am just finishing packing for a trip to London.
I get to escape for a few days, back to the big city.

For 18 months I have been waiting to see this;

and this looks amazing

Surviving treasures from the National Museum of Afghanistan
along with the Indian and Islamic Art rooms

then in the afternoon the Royal Academy of Art for the
Summer Exhibition 2011

and somewhere I have always wished to visit;

Leighton House Museum

Saying hello to Darwin at

if there is time a quick look here;

for Camden Town and Beyond

and probably back to here;

With an interlude at

and of course

So, not too much to fit into one afternoon, one day and one morning then. Nothing like a busy life.

No fashion statements to make on the streets of London; just one comfy pair of trainers, one sketchbook and one small handbag camera (the Nikon really is too heavy to cart around exhibitions).

Bye boys, be good whilst mums away!

PS exhibition is being very well received, though numbers through the door are depressingly low. Three pictures and one fabric panel sold to date and three opportunities for further exhibitions / shop presence.

Exhibition Days

2011-06-13T09:00:00.000+01:00

Butterflies and Flowers

29x39cm plus frame
£80

Butterfly Tree

12x17cm plus frame
SOLD

Buttons and Butterflies

29x39cm plus frame
£80

Exhibition days

2011-06-12T09:00:00.000+01:00

Birdcage

39x49cm plus frame
£160

Birdsong

19x29cm plus frame
£80

Blue Jewels

12x17cm plus frame
SOLD

Exhibition details

2011-06-11T11:06:00.001+01:00

Whilst the exhibition is on I’ll be posting images each day.

1906

12x17cm plus frame

£45

Autumn Moor

28x99cm

£160

Autumn Moor II

Oils on wrapped canvas
75x100cm
£320

Exhibition is up!

2011-06-08T19:06:00.002+01:00

Its been a fun day – lots of laughs and now the exhibition is up and ready for you to visit if you live close enough.
It’s at Paxton House, near Berwick upon Tweed from the 9th –29th June.
I’ll be there Fridays and Sundays 11am-3pm.

For those too far away you can see a slide show here

There is no official “preview” party, so I invite you all to my virtual preview night / morning depending on your geography!

Many, many thanks to DH, Dave and Margaret! This was at the end of an enjoyable day.

Pre-exhibition days

2011-06-05T15:00:00.001+01:00

I feel as if I’m in limbo waiting here.

I seem to be in control – is this an illusion?

Journal Quilts

2011-06-02T20:17:00.001+01:00

First four completed for the Contemporary Quilt Guild Challenge 2011.
All 10x10 inches.

Painting day

2011-05-25T20:39:00.001+01:00

A second day of painting for the exhibition. There are already several paintings finished but I wanted to do more.
As you do, with just two weeks to go.
You know how it is – this creative urge comes and….. well, you just HAVE to go with the paint brush…

In progress;

Drying;

Beautiful colours in the waste water hint at other pictures (also my Blip for the day);

And the trampoline was successfully removed from the tree with just three bent poles (and the tree survived fairly intact too).

Another tantalising glimpse

2011-05-24T09:29:00.000+01:00

I decided a while ago that I wouldn't show you finished work before the exhibition opened.
That partly explains the lack of textile blogging recently, normal service will be resumed shortly.

I’m planning to show you a few pictures of art work each day whilst the exhibition is on.

Here are a few shots from the studio today.

Please note the textile pieces are unmounted in these pictures, hence the crinkles.

Two photos of very small sections from a large painting.
What can you see?

The LAST WEEK!

2011-05-23T09:27:00.002+01:00

Morning everyone!

Today is the start of the last week of work before the exhibition.
(I know it doesn’t hang until two weeks on Wednesday – but there is a school holiday next week and I’m mum 24/7 so I have to think of this being the last week to work).

This is how the studio looked last week – lots of work waiting to be framed.

Todays job is to clear this and set up the studio for painting and dyeing.
There are a few paintings to finish off and fabric panels to dye.

Then during the holidays its a trip to the framing shop and a day spent trying to get that last bit of fluff out of the pictures before sealing them (yes there is always ONE piece of fluff hiding away when you are cleaning and you only see it when you hold up the picture for a last look…. then you have to start again… and then sometimes the gremlins strike again, and again……)

Here’s a sneak preview of a work in progress (now finished).
Beautiful, stunning hare photo courtesy of Chris Sharratt Photography.

Updated Home Page

2011-05-17T10:11:00.001+01:00

I’ve updated the front page of the web site to make it more colourful. Do you like it? Excuse the joins.

When friends know you TOO well!

2011-05-12T19:54:00.000+01:00

"...and frankly, he just didn't match her purse (handbag for those in the UK)"

Been meaning to blog this for a while – from my VERY good internet friend in Montreal…..yes we swap shoe info. Sad but true.

This is also the Blip of the day, sorry for the overlap, it was just too good not to post here too.

BTW I am stitching, like mad, but I keep forgetting to take photos!

Then I decided to make a larger version…

2011-05-10T19:34:00.001+01:00

Must be mad, but I decided I wanted a large purple free hanging piece for the exhibition (all the others are framed).

More dyeing and 10’s of hours of hand stitching later….I’m almost there.

Transferring a design for some FME

Exhibition Reminder

2011-05-09T17:05:00.001+01:00

Inspiration from the Coast

2011-05-09T16:54:00.001+01:00

I belong to a textile art group who have chosen “Coast” as the title for the next exhibition, so I headed to Bamburgh one morning.
At first there was NO ONE around on this beautiful beach.
Surely it must be one of the best in the country????

I wish I taken my gloves, it might be May but at 9.30am it was freezing!!

A panorama taken on the iPhone;

No one in sight. At all, quiet perfect;

I was especially fascinated by the dunes and the grass.

Lots of ideas mulling around but I must put them to one side, only two weeks working time until the exhibition!

Finally, its Proud Mummy time again

DS won the “Best Newcomer” in the u11’s at Alnwick and his team won the best team in the Mini’s section.

Don’t let the blue skies fool you, we stood in pouring rain and a thunderstorm before the skies cleared!

A hard question to answer

2011-05-03T16:19:00.001+01:00

I wish the world were at peace, what does it hold for my child?

I’m not one to get political but what do you answer when your 10yr old asks “Is it good that OBL is dead?”

Friend of mine came up with the answer;

"I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that" - Martin Luther King

Berwick Town Walls

2011-05-01T15:39:00.001+01:00

For the 14-15 years we’ve lived here we’ve never done a complete wall walk around Berwick. So Saturday after a great football game (Wooler Juniors won 4-1 – YES!) we headed north east to Berwick, despite a few grumps from the Xbox addict.

I took loads more photos but it seems the UV filter has been scratched (I lost the lens cap somewhere on Hadrian's Wall) and the photos have marks on them - I need to get it replaced asap.

Here are the two road bridges. The one at the front built in 1603 on the command of James I of England / James VI of Scotland – apparently he was not impressed at the wooden structure he had to cross on his way to his English coronation and commanded a stone bridge to be constructed. This bridge is still in use. Behind this is the main road bridge built in the 1920’s. There’s also a railway bridge, don’t think you can see that.

Here you can see the shape of the walls, more information here (though why “Undiscovered Scotland” has a page on an English town?….. its been a long story and many battles for control of this area and its not over yet!) and more info here and here.

Guns protecting the harbour and the entrance to the River Tweed.

Looking down on the town.

I was teased about this one – more building textures and doors. After the pictures I took in France its now a standing joke with DS.

Hadrian’s Wall

2011-04-30T18:25:00.001+01:00

Catching up here!

Just before Easter DS and I went south for a few days to The Wall. Weather was great, we walked, laughed and (hopefully) learnt something about the Romans!

At the Cawfields section;

At Vindolanda;

At Housesteads;

At RE in Corbridge;

Aprils Photos

2011-04-30T17:12:00.000+01:00

Pomp and Processions

2011-04-29T14:15:00.001+01:00

Yes we watched it. Did you? Of course you did.

Oh to be married in McQueen, I want to see the back of that dress.

What a loss the man himself wasn’t here to see it. Wish I could fly to NY for the retrospective exhibition starting Wednesday. Details here.

Vintage Day

2011-04-25T21:35:00.001+01:00

First stop today - Norham Antique and Collectables fair for some lace.
Its a lovely border village with the castle in the distance (famously painted by Turner).

Afternoon at a Salvage Yard at Ford. Came home with a Kodak No.1 Pocket Camera c1926-1932. I have some 120 roll film left over from my wedding photography days and I might put it through. DH and I were intrigued to see how it worked.

The salvage yard is opposite Ford Castle where we got married, we used to live close by – we rented and were to buy but unfortunately the house was withdrawn from the market. I do miss living in a village with the village atmosphere.

After Ford we went to Etal and boys will be boys……

Proud mummy time

2011-04-25T17:30:00.001+01:00

Top row of kids, second from LHS my little rugby player

http://www.alnwickrugby.com/rugby.php?id=11

Life

2011-04-25T13:20:00.001+01:00

"The purpose of life is to live it,
to taste experience to the utmost,
to reach out eagerly and without fear
for newer and richer experience."

Eleanor Roosevelt

The Sketchbook Project

2011-04-24T10:22:00.001+01:00

Its on again this year.
Lots of new categories and they have promised better paper this time. Last time this was a real issue for me – blocked my brain completely when I realised I couldn’t do as I wanted.

I’ve signed up – why don’t you go and take a look? Click on the logo below.