Bamburgh

School holidays should always include a trip to the beach.

Even better if you have Bamburgh Castle just over the sand dunes.

Which planet am I on?

I ask because I'm not sure I know really.

At the weekend I was in Cumbria at the Quilters Guild Region 15W regional meeting.  Saturday I gave a talk "The Accidental Quilter" and Sunday I taught a workshop on Goddesses.  I had my camera in my bag all the time but forgot to take any photos (as I do when I'm teaching I must get out of this bad habit).

 

Then I finally decided what to do for the CQGB challenge "Breakthrough".  I had started a piece months ago for this but decide it wasn't working and chopped it up - making it too small for the 90x90 or 60x60cm strict limits (I hate having these limits it doesn't work for me at all - and only 1cm tolerance.  Embroiderers would never demand this regulation). 

Anyway, now I have my design I have realised that the deadline - 6th November -  is not weeks away but only 12 days to account for postage of info.  I have visitors arriving tomorrow for a whole week so I know there is little chance I'm going to get this done.  I thought I had about two weeks after the holidays.

So do I try and work like crazy?  My work is always very labour intensive and I don't produce 4 works in a day.  That's not me - I can do much better than that.  Throwing something together is not my style.

Maybe I'll get going and try, at the least I'll have one piece of work in progress........

New paintings

Three new oil paintings in the "Impressions of Northumberland" series are available for sale.

Impressions of Northumberland 10011

15x15x3cm  Oil on Wood Panel  £35

Email me (helen.cowans@btconnect.com) to buy via PayPal

Impressions of Northumberland 10012

20x20x3cm  Oil on Wood Panel  £40

Email me (helen.cowans@btconnect.com) to buy via PayPal

Impressions of Northumberland 10013

15x30x3cm  Oil on Wood Panel  £45

Email me (helen.cowans@btconnect.com) to buy via PayPal

Kelso

I have a few things to show you textile wise, but they need photographing.  In the meantime here are some pictures taken at the weekend at Kelso, a small market town about 30 minutes drive north - just over the border in Scotland.

It has a beautiful ruined abbey built in the 12th Century.

And Floors Castle built in 1721.

Thank goodness its October.

Very rarely do I wish time away but September has been a pretty dreadfully depressing month;

1. I caught Swine Flu.  Not recommended if you can possibly avoid it.

2. I had to cancel the Art Trail Open Studio weekend, disappointing for me after all the hard work and for those who were going to visit.  I don't think the Crossing Borders organisers are very impressed with me as I had to cancel last year too.  But life happens.

3. Land very close to our house has been purchased by a neighbour and goodness knows what we will have happening right next to us.  Large fence / hedge time and I loose my wonderful view but I feel the need to enclose my space and cocoon myself away from the world.  Expensive.

4. The Lawn Mower is terminally dead and and a new one is (another) very expensive purchase.

5. We have two issues to deal with concerning the studio.  A real time consuming hassle and potentially expensive.

6. My cleaner lost two contracts in Wooler and so it's not worth her travelling to me and thus I am just off to clean the house from top to bottom when I would rather be stitching.  That's one day a week completely taken up with housework and the next day spent exhausted resting from housework.

7. The freezer door was left open and all the food defrosted (just after a shopping trip too).

8. Someone I thought was a friend isn't as much of a friend as I thought (which hurts).

9. I have learnt never to trust anyone I don't know really well.  I am too nice and open and the world is full of complete b*!*&*%ds.  I found this out the hard way this month.

10. I have been comfort eating and put on 3lbs (make that 4lbs).

11. I couldn't make my monthly lunch date with good friends.

"Life is just one damned thing after another"     Elbert Hubbard

"There are as many nights as days, and the one is just as long as the other in the year's course. Even a happy life cannot be without a measure of darkness, and the word 'happy' would lose its meaning if it were not balanced by sadness."     Carl Jung

 

Ending on a good note (or two);

1. DS has settled into his new school.

2. I have tidied up the office and can see the floor again (though the desk is another task entirely).

3. I've had tea and a chat with some good friends this week.

4. Isabel and Emily Guinea Pig are settled in and growing every day - and they love cuddles.

5. I've lost a cleaner, but gained a gardener.

6. I've had swine flu so I know I'm not going to get it again.

7. I've had two beautiful bunches of flowers from friends (nothing is better to cheer me up).

8. I've had lunch with a good friend I see only very occasionally.

9. Yesterday I spent most of the day stitching and nattering with friends.

10. My house is cleaner now that I'm cleaning it again (but I do wish it would stay perfect for more than 5 hours).

 

Time to contemplate the new month and its opportunities...
and take the advice of Buddha...

 

"Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment."     Buddha

Interior Design

Many years ago I started a distance learning Interior Design course with KLC and although I never finished the course (maybe I should resurrect it) I still love Interior Design.  If only my house and budget were bigger I'd have great fun.

Recently I got some new footstools for the sitting room and some cushions.  The wonderful people at www.myakka.co.uk even matched the cushions to the footstool colours.

(Btw Plumo also have these stools - but they are £20 -each- more expensive)

 

And finally I finished hemming the curtains in the sitting room.  The embroidery is a table cloth from Dubai.  It was stitched to a cream mesh which I disliked so I FME it all to the curtain material, then cut away the mesh.  Simple tab tops complete the look.  We use this room in the evenings and its my exotic sanctuary from the world. 

Official diagnosis and some new babies

It's official - I did have Swine Flu and as a friend of mine said "its a swine to get over".  3.5 weeks later and I am still snuffling and exhausted, though my Dr thinks I'm not contagious anymore. 

So I know I was right to not open the Studio for the Art Trail.

Fascinating that these little viruses can make us feel so awful. 
(I used to work in a lab looking for viruses like this - I loved it, best job I ever had).

To cheer myself up I went shopping........ Let me introduce Isabel (left) and Emily (right).  They have been with us for a week now.

They are now 10 weeks old and Emily is renamed Emily Widdle. 
Because she does.
Almost every time you pick her up.

Mid-Year Journal Quilts

Journal Quilts for 2009 are 6" x 12" (for the Contemporary Quilt Group), I've forgotten to post these for you to look at..... they are bound with black bias binding which really sets them off.  I have three larger hangings in this style which I will photograph sometime soon (and another in progress and plans for yet another few).  Not sure what I will do for the September JQ - better get thinking as we are more than half way through the month.  I might carry on working in this series.... or I might start a fresh set of ideas.....
If I can think of any that is.

These works are made with hand dyed silks,rayon, silk cotton mix and silk velvet.  Dyed with procion dye.  Grey threads are Anchor (or was it DMC?) 6 stranded using two strands and Mulberry Silks red silk thread (my favourite in the whole wide world to use).  The metallic machine thread used in June is from Madeira.

My "flu" is still with me - sore throat and an annoying cough now. 
OK, back to the new Dan Brown book that I started at 6am this morning..........

May 2009

June 2009

July 2009

August 2009

School Days

Last week DS started a new school.  He looked so smart and grown up in his new uniform. 

Autumn and thanks

The weather is turning here, the temperatures are rarely higher than 17-18 degrees during the day and the mornings and evenings are really chilly.  Leaves have started turning colour and falling.  Autumn is coming.  I love the colours and the coolness - just wish I could keep the light.  I miss the light during the days.

I have to say a BIG thank you to everyone who has sent a message or left a comment wishing me well.  The worst is over but I am left feeling like a wrung out rag.

Janice was correct to say I've taken 2 steps forward and 4 back this year.... certainly feels that way.  It all seems to have gone downhill since the cancellation of Andalusia in April. 

So the next few months must be recovery and planning for 2011.  Yes, 2011.  I've just a few teaching commitments left in 2009 and a few for 2010 but in 2011 I am at the Loch Lomond Quilt show in April and Pebbles Gallery in November.  I'm also going to try and arrange one more exhibition locally during that time.  So that's 18 months to rest, recover and make new art.

Here are some pictures of the studio as it was left last week - all that was required was the hanging of the new textiles pieces and photographs. 
These are not "arty" pics - just taken yesterday and the light was limited. 

 

 

Studio closed reminder

Studio is closed

Helen has suspected Swine Flu

So sorry for any disappointment – she is disappointed too.

That's the wording on my poster for the end of the drive.

Just wanted to remind everyone not to come along on Fri -Sat - Sun as I am unwell.

Energy has gone, everything aches, food is not staying where it should.  Keep away!

I do worry though, that some poor soul will come and be disappointed.

I feel so guilty for letting people down.

Important - Cancelled Open Studio

It is with REAL regret that I am writing to let everyone know that the studio open day is cancelled. 

I am strongly suspected of having the dreaded swine flu and can only just drag myself out of bed.

I am as disappointed as those who might be planning to visit (after months of work and preparation) - but you really don't want to meet me this week!

I do hope no one turns up with a wasted journey.

Helen

Guest blogger

Today we have a guest blogger to entertain you. 
Here he shows his latest work, all designed and stitched by DS himself. 

Isn't it just wonderful?

Festival of Quilts

I managed to make it to the Festival of Quilts - just.  I hobbled around very slowly and I'm still recovering.

I always get drawn to this shop.  I've never been to Africa but I do have a fascination for it - the culture and the mark making in the arts and fabrics.

I came away with one of these (this is off the web site I haven't unpacked mine yet). 
I'm going to get some more of this Indigo wax print fabric and do something but I'm not sure what yet.  I want to play - with no rules and restrictions.  You can see the wonderful African fabrics here.

The SAQA stand.  Shall I start my membership again?  (I let it lapse for a while).  I'm waiting to hear what's going on in Europe (and the UK especially) before re-joining. 

I do love this fabric but resisted the books as I know I would never get around to making them.  Well......maybe I should sometime if I like them enough. 
I find it hard to follow someone else's designs when I've been trained to create original artwork.

Glendale Show 2009

Every August Bank Holiday the Glendale Show is set up - the largest in north Northumberland. 
For us its just a walk across the fields (well for me a very slow walk hanging onto Ian).

Of course it's mainly about tractors...

and sheep... (and discussions about sheep)...

and who has the largest leeks...

For us it's also about entering and taking part...

But lets not forget the Sloe Gin, owls and, for DH, motorbikes...

I love seeing the beautiful flowers...