The afternoon walk

 

Photos taken in the iPhone using the TiltShift camera app.  No tweaking in PS.

And its snowing heavily again….

Walls

More shots from this morning.
You might remember this wall from January time. 
Two variations here – reality is somewhere in the middle.

 

Went out for another walk about 2pm (to let stroppy 10yrs old run around) but it was too dark for photos.

Tups

Tup - That’s what you call a male sheep up here and when they get together with the girlies its “tupping” time.

Not often the boys get their portraits taken, after an (hopefully) energetic autumn they are now back in their own field having quality male bonding time.

  

Snow showers

Buddha is looking serene in the snow.  In a brief burst of sunshine I went out for a walk. 

There is nothing like putting footprints into virgin snow – I love it.

Though someone got there before me

Snow is sliding OFF this roof.  That’s a very good sign!

  

Rare picture of me below.  I’ve decided to work in the house today, studio tomorrow.
With DS off school I feel I need to be in the house.
DH is glued to the Blackberry and laptop behind a closed door.

One thing we did learn last year – no this year, its only been 7 months since the last snow.
Anyway, we parked the car up the top of the drive – just enough in so the postman doesn’t come haring round the corner and hit my car!

  

Me again – I’m tall!

More photos later – sheep and gorgeous fabrics…..

Winter is coming….

Autumn seems to have gone and Winter is heading towards us in the next few days. 

Snow forecast this week which might curtail a trip to Harrogate to the Knitting & Stitching show. 
I’ve know it be bitterly cold for this show – but snow hasn’t been a problem before.
I’m a little worried about heading down and having problems getting back so I might well hibernate and head to the studio instead.

I will miss the inspirational exhibits though…..  maybe I can get to Sedburgh in Cumbria to see the East exhibition instead.

Here are some frosty pictures from last December – I think there’ll be a few more like this soon.

 

 

India course

I have just finished my 10 week course on “Indian Art: A History” and have thoroughly enjoyed the challenge of learning about Buddhist art, Hindu Gods and temples in all shapes and sizes, Islamic influences and pompous British colonialism (so sorry guys).
I now understand much more about the Indian art I so love and admire and use for inspiration.

Throughout the course this book has been the set text and constant companion and I would recommend it to anyone who is interested. 
Last assignment and essay submitted this afternoon – not sure when I will hear if I have passed.

Indian Art by Vidya Dehejia

So far….

Only one person commenting has got the joke….and my DH, he thought it was funny, but then I married him for his warped sense of humour.

From Red Dwarf - Series VI

Rimmer: Step up to Red Alert!

Kryten: Sir, are you absolutely sure? It does mean changing the bulb.

Maybe you have to hear it in context!

Quote from http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Red_Dwarf

See on YouTube here

 

A question…

Asked recently on an internet group;
>So what are you all creating for the Royal Wedding? <

My Answer;
Ear muffs and a eye patches...?

I wish them both all the best but its going to get tedious before too long.

Do you know I now have all my Christmas presents in order except a few for DS? I have just hit the “ORDER” button on Amazon.
I have the cards and wrapping paper too. 
I am in “smug mode” as Red Dwarf characters would say (do you remember?)
Its the only way I can deal with it all.

Good job its under control and not an emergency situation or I’d have to change the light bulb.

oophs

Seems I have accidentally deleted some posts….
so to catch up here are the pictures again…

The studio in the warm glow of the dark afternoons..

 

Roll on the solstice.

And an old piece of textile washed and ready to have a new life.

  

And some lace – including this lace collar.

All ready for collage work

History of Embroidery

The blog is now finished, I uploaded the last post today. 
Using the pages feature on blogger (a wonderful invention) has made it very easy to navigate.

Click here to open it.

Saturday morning

This picture (my back door – the main door we use) seems fitting today.

Reading from Left > Right;
I’m enjoying the Indian Art History course.  We are now past the Mughal emperors and onto the Rajput court.
A wish for peace from wars to bitchiness.

And the bell – wish we had more visitors ringing it.

New dates (and a cancellation)

Due to unforeseen circumstances the talk and workshop at the Castle Douglas Branch of the Embroiderers Guild scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday next week has to be rearranged. 
I am very sorry. 
I hope we can rebook it for another time soon.

I have confirmation of a talk and workshop for the Quilters Guild Region 15E in Autumn 2011

Quilters Guild NE Regional Day
Stannington
Talk “Goddesses”
15th October 2011

Visitors are welcome to attend.

For details and directions;
Click here for a contact form.

Quilters Guild NE Region
Stannington
12th November 2011
Day Workshop “Goddesses”

Bookings details for the workshop will be available in the Regional Newsletter soon – if you are not a Quilters Guild member you can still come to the workshop.  The workshop will either be 3D Goddesses or quilted hangings, I am still waiting on the decision.

Let me know if you are interested. 
Click here for a contact form.

Me time

Today I’m going out to the Living North Fair.  Bye!

   

 

Solo exhibition dates confirmed

The dates for my solo exhibition have been confirmed

8th – 29th June 2011 at Paxton House.

I’ll be running workshops on some weekends – details to follow – and possibly having a party to open the event.

Paxton House is beautiful and well worth a visit, just a few miles from Berwick upon Tweed.

After the holidays…..

School holidays ended yesterday and I spent the day in the hairdressers getting some much needed TLC.

Over the week we had the electricity board checking the cables… very off putting to have a helicopter so close to your roof and Sky dish!

At the weekend I started painting the bathroom – as the plan is to completely redo this in 2011 its a minimal spend. 
(It was planned for this year but we built the studio instead).

 

As you can see its a small room with one huge window. 
The preparation is my least favourite job – the Cath Kidston gloves and flowery scrubbing brush made it seem less of a chore :)
Sad.  But true.

Major work was required filling in the gaps between floorboards;

 

The new colours are;

Wall colour – Mouse’s Back

Woodwork and floor – Light Gray
All from my favourite paint shop Farrow & Ball, I’ve loved these paints for years, even before they were trendy.

I love Autumn for its colours, but really do hate the lack of light at this time of year. 
Photography becomes difficult and I always feel a bit sad as I love the sunlight.

Though it is an excuse to wear my new purple velvet jacket. 
Looks great with the new boots.

New Boots

This post is dedicated to my friend Nadine in Canada, who also has a passion for footwear :)

My new boots – and boy are they comfortable.
(Plus I am 3 inches taller, which, when one is only 5ft, is quite significant).

History of Embroidery 1900-1999

New post on the History of Embroidery blog.

We are now looking at 1900-1999.  Almost finished.