Uncategorized – Page 7

Sep 16, 2014

Just a quickie…or where are my glasses…

Just been sent this to advertise the knit and stitch if you can read it you’re a better woman than me. Just spent half an hour trying to play with the image to increase it. Where’s a teenager when you need one! Made my own poster( see above)..much quicker to do and really easy to read.. You like? Perhaps a bit amateurish but with a little work?????

Madly making to do lists to get ready for shows and trying to fit in uni and teaching. Flipping technology glitches not all helpful. I need a bernina moment….painted some bits of wood to try to calm myself…what do you think Abi? Are you following my blog yet?

Phyllida Barlow eat your heart out! Can you guess what they are? Answers on a post card please….look out for them on my stand at

2014

Sep 10, 2014

You’re never too old to learn

Just found out at the age of 37 and three quarters and a big bit ….( if your going to fib make it a good one) that I am hyper mobile. Also, I do not, I was told 12 years ago have foot drop, my peroneus longus muscle does not work which is why I fall over all the time. Strangely, since I have found out exactly why I fall over, I haven’t fallen over once……funny that.

So it’s all about change!!!! And talking of change, I have just joined the third year of the Fine Art Degree at Chichester University. My first two days have been great. The journey there on Monday was quite daunting. Lots of questions and conversations going on in my head. I really want to grab this opportunity with both hands and grow my work. Scary stuff! But change is always scary.

Apols for underlining don’t know how I did that!

I get my own studio space and everything…. today I hung ‘ eye on the ball ‘ A rather small piece of work on a rather large bit of wall……..to try to motivate me. The idea being that someone is looking at me so I’d better get a move on!

Still spending lots of time sorting out what I need to make, mainly to sell. Will give all the details in next blog! Am including this featured piece ( not quite sure how I did that either). Rather a lot has happened today and it seemed to be apt. It will be for sale at the Knitting and Stitching Show along with all my other worldly goods and chattels if I am ever going to cover my flights, petrol and accommodation costs!

Finally…..just got results from Winchester and I got a distinction. To say that I am really rather pleased about that is a bit of an understatement. ‘Nuff said.

Aug 27, 2014

Books are art…

Just finished Caitlin Moran’s How to Build a Girl. All the things I love in a book…great story,, great music and book references and a bit of rude stuff and funny. Well actually not just finished reading, there’s about a 5 day delay on my blog due to lack of internet at home…currently exploring wifi hotspots of east hants…Going to create a box especially for Caitlin.

Please god let the builders hurry up and finish so I can get my Bernina out! However running water in the kitchen would be good for the time being.

ps thinking about how to make my ladies on a bigger scale

pps thinking about making more boxes devoted to books (think Olympia du Tan)

ppps note to Sue…have made a time line!

Aug 26, 2014

Blog withdrawal

Sorry about this! Getting blog withdrawal! My partner decided to have a row with BT before we left for holidays consequently we have no internet and no phone and no on demand(!) and I keep writing little blogs in my head which I can’t send. This is as well as no heating and water at home but that’s just a by the by. Just at my friend Rebecca’s trying to get blogs up to date. Been continuing to stitch little books and write in them in English and bad French ….they are also morphing into little pictures in themselves. Also I realise I really miss my ladies so when we get anywhere close to having an available electricity point and a table in my kitchen/studio am going to get my trusty bernina out and try to add them and see what happens.

Here’s what they look like at the mo

Watch this space to see how they develop……

Aug 26, 2014

Qel domage!

Arrived home from France to good news and bad news. Good news was letter from Twisted Thread confirming my exhibition offer bad news was the builders had piled loads of stuff on top of my boxes that were supposed to be going into the PACs exhibition so my neighbour couldn’t find them and they didn’t get entered! Here’s what they would have looked like….. C’est la vie as they say in Brittany! Good news was I got a Highly Commended for one of my tryptich pictures and I sold one too! So really pleased about that!

Spent Sunday haring around Hampshire and the New Forest visiting open studios. Saw Susan Chapman and Lynn Onions exhibiting in the beautiful Granary in Owlsbury ….can’t say anything more than scrumptious textiles….and then went on to Christine Watkins amazing house in Romsey! A 3 floor ordinary house which once you are through the gateway you realise is far from ordinary! An amazing eclectic mix of artists exhibits on display….from a mini Stonehenge in the garden to Westwood style pottery shoes to beautiful quilts and a range of gorgeous up cycled everything! Gutted I couldn’t stay longer but I was then off to the New Forest to the Coach House Studio to see Sarah Waters, Wendy De Salis, Andrea Finn , Dawn Gear and Sarah Orchard 5 diverse New Forest artists…more beautiful stuff to see. What’s even better is because I was skint Sarah stood me tea and cake and we babbled lots about what to do next! Sorry no photos… I am rubbish but check out their websites!

ps I really need you to know that my bad French is intentional!

Aug 19, 2014

Aujourd hui…

Having an amazing time in Brittany. Stitching loads. Brought a small amount of thread and material to use..all scraps and some threads I have on extended loan from Lynn Onions…oops! Promise I will return…still taking over your desk Lynn! Books have started to appear and have rather a lot. Here is one I made for the most amazing French couple that were staying in the adjacent ‘gite’! Lovely to have different source of inspiration for my work!

long live le francais-anglais entente cordiale and thank goodness for o’level french

Ps bumped into another flipping textile artist in Vannes! We are everywhere!

Aug 4, 2014Aug 4, 2014

Glorious Goodwood and more…

Well the weekend started we’ll with me managing to pick two winners and a second place at the races on Friday….I have a very scientific system…I go on the name! If it works don’t knock it. Not talking big stakes here….might fund a couple of forays into charity shops for vintage fabric to make more boxes.

Anyway, I digress, got home to find an email from the Embroiderers Guild asking me to exhibit at the Knit and Stitch! Very flattered, excited , chuffed, and a bit well I don’t know really….can’t quite believe it! I await my official invitation from Twisted Thread!

Still trying to work on my “Art Cubes” started to make some related to artists I like and about art in general as it’s my passion. Being inspired by fashion designer Bella Freud. Really like all her Ginsberg is god logos. Mixing it up and using free machining to construct cubes……1 down not sure how many to go!

Aug 2, 2014

I’m Back!

Decided to give my self a couple of weeks off after the end of year show. Now itching to get started again. Had an exciting couple of weeks. Been invited to join The Society of Designer Craftsmen as a licentiate member. So, excited about that and exploring opportunities that will bring. Also been to see Sarah Waters in the New Forest to chew over other opportunities that may be coming my way! Thanks for being my sounding board Sarah…watch this space…

http://www.societyofdesigner craftsmen.org.uk

Great feedback from the SDC so going to use comments proactively to trial some new boxes at the Petersfield Arts and Crafts Exhibition (Thursday 21st August – Tuesday 26th August, Festival Hall, Petersfield.) Will also be selling some pictures and cards with images of my work as well as boxes. See you there.

Jul 10, 2014

and now for something completely different..well sort of…

having blog withdrawal symptoms………The Small Woman keeps coming back to me from the exhibition last week….been thinking a lot about this ..the inaccuracies of the film which depicts her life ..the inn of the sixth happiness…. reality as opposed to fiction..(opposites Sue?)…..going to set myself a mini project and see what I come up with….

This is Wales!

Jul 6, 2014Jul 6, 2014

absolutely finally….honest

Another one goes to another discerning buyer from West Dean!

Bye bye little box it was good while it lasted.