Since my last post......

I've baked......

Visited Yarndale and spent far to much.......

Started a crochet blanket, working slow but sure.....

Finished a City and Guild project and.....

started the next.....

The guy in the Wet Fish shop was a bit mystified when I asked if I could photograph his fish as inspiration for my project. Just as well I'm a good customer!

Watch this space........ or should that be watch this plaice?

Wall Hanging

Last weekend I popped the Mandala in the post box and its been put on the Pinterest page you should be able to view it here. I'm really looking forward to seeing it when I visit Yarndale in September. It will be interesting to see how they are all displayed together.
I also handed my wall hanging and sketchbook in yesterday, a big relief when a project is completed. So here is the finished hanging and one of the paintings that inspired it. For some reason the yellow is much brighter in the photo than it actually is, I hope you get the idea and it reminds you of the Mediterranean!

Now it's onto the next one, a vessel my ideas have been approved, now it's time to start making samples. I'm planning on dipping into felting, hope I don't regret it!

Wedding Wedding Mandala!

In the last month I've been to two weddings in different parts of the country and on consecutive weekends in West Sussex and Staffordshire. One a family wedding and the other my daughter Rachel's friend Claire, they met at Uni and have been best friends ever since, at one time they were house mates.  Claire asked Rachel to be her bridesmaid, this was Rachel's first time and as Claire's Mum lives in Liverpool Rachel was involved in all the wedding planning. Rachel's hair was amazing I couldn't resist sharing it with you!

We were delighted to be invited to the wedding, and had a great time. I t was a good opportunity to grab a few days away while we were staying near Petworth we visited Petworth House. I particular enjoyed visiting the house  although its a very grand property it's a house thats of the same period as Rainham Hall which is where 'The Material Girls' next exhibition is. It's a lovely part of the country and we found an amazing B and B, we'll be returning  at some point, soon I hope.

Petworth House

Petworth House

Gold work at Petworth House

As well as partying a lot of work has been going on, I've completed another City and Guilds Project. A wall hanging inspired on a series of paintings by Picasso, I'll show more when I've actually handed the work in.

My nephew and his girlfriend are expecting their first baby in the next couple of weeks so I've finished a quilt for the baby, I have also been busy knitting for the baby too.

In September I'm going to Yarndale, last week Lucy asked for Mandala Wheels how could I resist, I couldn't!

The Material Girls

Last week Chris and I went to talk to the 'People' at the National Trust to keep ourselves updated on the progress of the restoration work going on at Rainham Hall, this is the venue of the groups next major exhibition. There are lots of research trips being organised and meetings with historians and experts in all sorts of related fields. What with that and other things going on I have even managed to update The Material Girls website click here and have a look, theres still a bit to add so keep checking in.

Last week at class we started making a box, my least favourite thing but I have finished it, no photos until I show it to my tutor. Today the groups were visiting Art Van Go and I was really looking forward to it, I'd arranged for Betsy to be looked after for the day, so no need to rush back. Money to spend and a list of wants, then yesterday afternoon I felt my throat tickling, I had an early night and dosed myself up, but no at 4am I woke up with a sore throat running nose and a thumping headache....... I'm p'd off! I think that's an understatement to be honest. Really needed something to take my mind off things today, but never mind we cope don't we? Tomorrows another day and maybe I'll feel like getting on with some textile things and if I feel better by Thursday I can go to Excel and meet up with friends for a coffee and have a bit of retail therapy.

As I don't like a post without a photo, here's one from last week Betsy with all her walking friends, she's sitting waiting for her turn to get a treat. Mary is the dog whisperer as soon as she walks on the field all the dog flock to her as they know she'll have something special for everyone of them! This is only half the group, the others had taken their reward off to eat away from the gang.

Betsy sitting on the left her sticking up ears give her away!

Quiet Times??????

In the last few weeks of October it seemed as though my feet didn't touch the ground, Michelle who works for my husband got married. She is also a friend of our daughter so she was invited too, it was the most amazing wedding. It was held in at the Buckingham Railway Centre, Quainton, they were married on the platform and there was a steam engine running along a track for the guests to ride on after the photographs were taken. I don't think I've ever been to a wedding were everyone laughed from the start to the end, everything was fun even the singing of 'I'm a believer'  after the signing of the register,  had us all jigging about. I'm sure if their wedding was anything to go by they will have a very happy marriage! Oh! I should say that the Railway theme was very apt as Dave and Michelle work for a Rail Engineering Consultancy.

Two weeks later and we were in Michelle and Nicks company again for the company dinner and dance, at a hotel in the Forest of Arden. I managed to wangle a trip to the Cotton Patch while in the area, well you have to take advantage while you can, don't you? I bought the fabric for a baby quilt, I'm going to be a 'Great Aunt', we also managed to fit in a quick visit to Kenilworth Castle.

I completed this crochet blanket a while ago, it was just a matter of sewing in the ends. It did take me over a year to finish. I enjoyed doing it but it did drag on, as I seem to have so many projects on the go.

Last week saw the opening of the third exhibition of Bridging Waters, after this exhibition finished we were expecting the work to be returned. But an exciting thing  happened, the work is going to be shown at another gallery.  The work will be staying in Canada for a few more months, watch this space…….

Last Saturday was the exhibition of the City and Guilds classes, I had two pieces of work to show, the table runner and a bag which I didn't finish until the night before.

This isn't a good photograph I will do a better set for the next post, I have to say I'm pleased with it, at last I've made something I know I'll use myself. The exhibition had lots of visitors, and the work exhibited by the students who have finished their Certificate and those that have finished their Diploma was amazing.

I'm looking forward to a quieter time……...

Sigh........

The doggy group has a new member a White Miniature Schnauzer his name is Yuki, he's a cute little chap. So now Dizzy Betsy's pal has a new playmate. Yuki is second cousin to Betsy, so there was no problem settling Yuki into the rather large group of dogs that we walk with as Betsy has spent a lot of time with Yuki since he came along. These are the photos of Yuki's first outing, Dizzy looked on very protective of his new little brother, Betsy soon became bored, I don't think she can wait until Yuki is off his lead and they can have a chase around the field. I don't think Dizzy is getting a lot of rest at home now a lively pup has joined his family. I must say it has made me think twice about adding another pup to our family, that has made Dave very happy as he doesn't want another dog.

Yuki meets one of the largest members of the group

Betsy is getting fed up with the standing about!

How relieved am I? Very!  Today I handed in my first completed project for City and Guilds, Janice has also taken my Line and Colour folders to have a look at, fingers crossed I wont need to add anything else to them.

One of the inspiration images for the table runner

Table Runner

I have also had my next project approved, so I'm now making a bag................  really out of my comfort zone now, I don't like making bags or boxes. But this is why I decided to do this course I need to stretch myself. sigh....... oh yes and trying desperately to catch up on lots of samples. sigh.........

City and Guilds Samples

I've been keeping myself busy getting samples done for my City and Guilds, I have also added a finished piece to the City and Guilds page.

Kantha

I knew I'd done a Kantha workshop a while ago and thought I'd do a short cut and finish the work off and use it for my sample (I'm a cheat I know), but no matter how or where I've looked I can't find any sign of the work.  It wasn't till I typed the link for this post I found the this! Oh well as my Nan used to say 'Cheats never prosper' and I've not cheated, haha.....

Sashiko

Sashiko

Sashiko

FOQ

This year was my first visit to the Festival of Quilts! Yes I know I can hardly believe it myself, why have I never been before? There is always something else to do, well that wont happen again. Betsy went off for the weekend and Dave and I set off very early on Saturday morning for Birmingham. I'm glad we decided to stay overnight, Saturday we visited all the exhibitions, it was very busy. I did buy some bits for my next City and Guilds project after having a chat with Janice Gunner my tutor who had a stand.

There were so many lovely quilts, it was hard to decide which ones I liked the most. The quilt below received 'Highly Commended'  lovely colours and the workmanship was amazing, got to love the title.....NEVER AGAIN

Two Person Quilt- Alison Robins and Krista Withers - Never Again

After a nice dinner at the hotel a couple of glasses of wine a good night sleep and a lie in we were back to the NEC for a look around the stalls and some spending. It was much quieter on Sunday morning so as we passed the quilt than won the BEST IN SHOW I managed to get a photo. Even if you are not a fan of traditional quilts I think it would be hard not to admire this quilt! I think the Judges comments say it all 'An exquisite quilt'. Just a shame it wasn't placed in a better position so we could all take better photographs, I heard lots of moaning about that.

Kyoko Yamauchi- Thank You Father

Judges Comments

Anyway after the admiring it was down to shopping, here's my stash. Fabrics, bobbins, a few other bits and pieces and an African Basket. I'm happy and looking forward to returning next year......

Before I took Betsy to her other family I took her for a walk as always, I was bitten on the wrist by this nasty little black fly. It didn't hurt at the time but Friday night it woke me up and was painful but didn't itch and over the weekend I was rubbing antiseptic cream into it. It blistered and my wrist became very swollen, hot and rather nasty and the cream made it worse. This morning I went to the pharmacist but he said I needed an urgent appointment at the doctors it had gone septic, he was right now I'm on antibiotics. Well thats life full of the unexpected......

Cushions and Colour

Here's the cushion I finished last week, I was using the wool (Drops) to crochet a blanket but got side tracked as I  do and ended up with this..........

At the end of July my nephew David is getting married, a Stag weekend was arranged in Benidorm YES! Benidorm. It's really not my husbands sort of thing but after a bit of coaxing from my brother and my son, Dave went along on the four day 'Beano', he did enjoy himself, but said he doesn't think he go on another!
Betsy and I had a nice four days, I stitched and stitched and stitched, I had a great time. I  finished a book that I started in City and Guilds class the week before. I was going to only use Khardi paper but decided to paint some paper with Brusho, I used up some handmade paper that I had in my stash,( I've had it for years) for the outer and inside cover. It's good to use bits and pieces from a stash, it makes room for other things.....

On Wednesday I visited the London Fashion and Textile Museum with Jacqueline and Diane, the exhibition was Kaffe Fassett 'A Life in Colour'. The use colour and design of the work is amazing,  I may be a bit controversial here, I was very disappointed in the execution of a lot of the work,  we are all entitled to our point of view. It is actually the first time I've seen his work in the flesh so to speak, if you've seen his work what did you think? Whilst we were in the area we popped into The London Glass Blowing, it's almost opposite the LFTM and well worth a visit if your in Bermondsy, I saw a couple of lovely pieces that would sit nicely in my house........
As always when we are out together drinking and eating is a must, so lunch was in a Gastro pub The Garrison also in Bermondsey Street. This is not a part of London I know very well we usually stay closer to the river. There are lots of little shops and restaurants so worth a re visit at some time!

It's All About The Flowers

The garden looks really lovely now theres been a balanced amount of rain and sun. I'm not mentioning the  bits of the garden or plants that Betsy's pulled up or eaten. Is it weird we still have  Narcissus flowering? I'm sure that everything in the garden shouldn't  be flowering at the same time, it is so who am I to complain.

Wednesday at the City and Guilds class we did samples of fabric painting I was really pleased with the way the paint spread on the silk fabric. I found the silk tucked  in a draw in my work room, it must have been leftover from Rachel's college days.  Lots of possibilities for this fabric, I wish now I'd spent more time on the green background painting. The blue sample wasn't quite so good, needs some work done I think. I'm probably going to over print with a block I have, just need the time to play now.

A Wave

I found a post in my drafts that I started writing on 10th April, I got side tracked..... it's so out of date there's no point in putting it up.  I must show the chocolate cake and apple crumble  I made and took to James and Becky's at Easter, Rachel made cornflake cakes.

That's all so long ago now and since I blogged about my list it grew and grew and.....then lots got crossed off! Phew!

Most days Betsy and I walk with a group of dogs and their owners of course, occasionally we go and feed the geese, ducks and swans. One of the ladies we walk with is Mary, everyone calls her the 'dog whisperer', the dogs all love her, maybe because she has a huge bag of treats with her every day!!! It's a lovely place to walk especially now the weather has improved and the ground isn't like a bog.

There were nine dogs walking this day!

During the Bank holiday Dave and I sorted out our wardrobes and have six bags of clothes waiting to go to the charity shop. I'm not sure if we were both hoarding or we were just being lazy, I had three black tailored suits leftovers from when I worked in a Ladies Clothes shop and smart was the order of the day. Had I been harbouring thoughts of returning to that sort of work, NO! But one thing I did decide to part with is this Aran Jumper, I knitted it about 30 years ago, I haven't worn it for years but have kept it because I still love it. Rachel is going to give it a new home, it's really baggy on her but I sold it to her as  RETRO it will be cosy on those winter nights when she wants to snuggle up. SOLD! And I have lots of space to fill with new clothes....... And I have an irresistible urge to knit something now.

Finally all my work for the Seeking Artemis Exhibition is finished and on Tuesday these will be -

Just a snippet

Another Snippet

hanging here or -

here.......

and there will be some of these. It is a really interesting space, there will be more images once the Exhibition is hung.

Meanwhile I've been working like a mad woman to catch up on my City and Guild work, lots of samples finished and two design folders almost completed. I'm using this photo as my inspiration for my first project, I took this photo a few years ago on the beach at Bamburgh, Northumberland. I've decided to do a table runner and I may even do some place mats to go with it later if I have enough fabric (and time) I need to get some samples ready to show when I go to class next Wednesday, Janice was happy with the design I've come up with, a relief.

At the weekend it seemed as though summer had arrived sitting in the garden eating dinner having BBQ's but today it's all changed. Hope it's Summer where ever you are.