Yet Another Busy Time

I know I've not posted for a while but I have been busy. Last week I met a friend, she made me a lovely lunch, we went to an exhibition of City and Guilds Diploma work. Some of the class we did our Certificate with have gone on to do modules from the diploma. Their work is lovely but I'm so glad I decided not to carry on. I would never have coped with everything that has happened during the last year and I'm better off going to Material Girls and The Art Quilt Group and enjoying them.
This week I went to the Quilt Group, I'm getting on ok with the wall hanging, it's going into an exhibition in September. I need to be quilting it by the next time we meet. Thursday I met up with friends and went to see the Julia Capara Textile School Graduation show, there was more work there this year that I liked. No images sorry couldn't take photos! We then walked to Spitalfield Market and went to Luxe a cafe, we were shown to our table by John Torode of Master Chef fame!

Friday was a bit of a mixed day, in the morning I went to my Mum's sisters funeral, the last of her siblings to pass away, it wasn't a nice thing to go to so soon after Mum. I went with my brother we didn't go on to the wake.

(The Barbican, I'd love to live there, need to win the lottery first!)


In the afternoon I took the train up to London and met Dave, Rachel and Alec, James was performing at the Barbican with Gyratory System, they were part of the Blaze Free Events. They were really really good, plenty of new songs in the set that I've not heard before. It was a strange event it took place in the foyer so people were wondering through, some carried on through while others sat down and listened.

The Band


Lights above the stage

James on stage

Alec had something else on after so just four of us went to Smith's of Smithfield for dinner, just by chance a John Torode restaurant, we have been there before, so I suppose you could say we like the food.

Today Dave has discovered a new hobby trying to get an automatic watering system set up. The weather here is really hot and I cant remember when we last had rain. Sadly the set up isn't as easy as he thought but he's a persevering!

Tomorrow we are all going to Mum's to starting sorting out the house. It's a job that none of us really want to do!

From Chelmsford to Brixton

On Monday I went to Chelmsford branch of the Embroiderers Guild, I've become a member! The speaker was Jacky Russell, her work was amazing, she uses a lot of Lutrador, something I bought ages ago but had no idea of how to use it, but I have now! They are a really friendly group, I did already now a lot of people there some from Aqua , also from my City and Guilds class and of course some are blogging friends, Sharne and Nickie and Diane. It's about a 25 mile journey for me but well worth it, I'll be a regular at the meetings, their programme of speakers looks really good, next month it's Sara Impey!

James, my son had some good news this week the band he plays in Gyratory System ,have been booked to play two nights at the Brixton Academy they are supporting Soulwax, apparently they are really well known! We are all really pleased for him, the only thing is that we had all planned to go out on one of the night's for dinner. It's one of my nephews 21st birthdays, we will miss James and Becky his girlfriend, but it's an offer that the band couldn't refuse! The Brixton Academy is such a well known venue, James took Rachel my daughter there to see Morrissy years ago, so Rachel's really excited to think that he'll be playing on such a well known stage!

The weather here is really miserable, it's going to be another afternoon spent watching TV and hand quilting I think. I didn't manage to get any quilting done yesterday, so I need to get lots of stitching done today!

In The Groove?

It started off as a really good week, Tuesday I was in Cambridge stewarding at the ERTF exhibition. It was a really good day, we had plenty of visitors and I met a new member, Sue she's a weaver and lives in Norwich. I also started at the gym this week, so far so good, I can still walk and feel a lot better knowing that I'm doing some exercise, I've been 3 times this week!
Wednesday the band that my son is in had a launch party near Smithfield Meat Market, at a place called Pure Groove, we felt old! However  we weren't the oldest there Robin in the band is in his 70's I think! The band is called Gyratory System, I dont mind the music but I couldn't listen to it all the time. Everyone there seemed to enjoy it, the place was packed,last week their single was voted as the best new release of the week in the Guardian! The band before were 2 boys dressed as girls, with very bad makeup and clothes, when I said to my daughter that I could give them a couple of tips on how to apply lipstick I got a 'schooosh', their first song was all about cutting off their 'boy bits', not the words they used! As I said to my sons, mother in law, they were trying to shock, been there done that! Some of us remember Punk the first time round! And the first time it was better than the rubbish they were churning out, maybe I am too old! Before we went to the gig we had a lovely meal at SOS, if you watch Master Chef it's run by John Torode.
Today I took my Mum to Cambridge so she could have a look at the exhibition, have Lunch and have a look at the shops, she's had some very sad news another of her sisters has been told she's got cancer and doesn't have very long. My cousins have taken her to live with them, which is very sensible as they live quite a few miles from her. Mum wont be able to pop round the corner to see her, and to make it worse their eldest sister died at the start of the summer. My Mum is the youngest of 7 and has only one sister left, and they aren't close at all! I cant imagine how she feels, but I spent the day listening to her! When I left her she said how much she'd enjoyed the day and that it had helped not sitting at home thinking about things.
Oh! to end on a good note I have a follower, thanks Gina! I should also say that at the exhibition today I noticed that another piece of work has been sold, a felted piece of work.

ERTF AGAIN

I've been having a really busy but good time at the moment, I seem to be spending most of my time dashing up and down to Cambridge. My other half and I were there for the weekend, we stayed in a lovely hotel and enjoyed a great lunch on Sunday at Jesus College with some of the members of ERTF. Michael Brennand-Wood gave a talk after lunch, which everyone enjoyed even by those who are not really textile enthusiasts. After lunch we walked around the gardens and admired the sculptures by Anthony Gormley that are being exhibited around the gardens or perched on the top of buildings. Below photo of lunch.

Pictures of our walk around Jesus College Cambridge, it is such a lovely building full of doors and interesting areas, I took lots of photographs!

On Wednesday I was back again in Cambridge stewarding at the Shop. We had lots of visitors so the time flew past, I had taken some knitting to pass the time, but I didn't need it! I me some very interesting people, also a few people expressed interest in joining ERTF.
While all this has been going on I've also been getting some work done. But I'll post about that at another time.
My son is in a band Gyratory System, next week they have an album release!