I am running my FIRST EVER workshop making Hanging Pockets in the Staffordshire area, click on one of the links below for more details.
New Art Exchange - Nottingham
Treasure Tree Arts & Crafts Fair Christmas Market
This special seasonal arts and crafts fair will showcase a feast of independent artists and craft makers. Enjoy a festive day at the NAE with face painting, henna artists, mulled wine and shopping, all under one roof! Purchase that special one off gift from handmade jewellery to a limited edition art print.
Sunday 12 December, 11am - 5pm
Admission: Free
So, people of Nottingham who didn't buy what they wanted to at Lustre a couple of weeks ago, get along to this!
Not only is it my Birthday month but also this great event is happening. The Selvedge Summer fair was probably the nicest event I've done this year, thankfully they're putting on this Christmas fair to round off the year in style. Me and my wares will proudly be attending (Saturday 4th December) so please do come along in force to do some important Christmas shopping.
For more info. on other exciting things happening that day look here
This nearly passed me by, then my friend Effie (whose work is also featured) reminded me of it's existence. A fascinating insight into 'the creative potential of stitch through a variety of machines'. It's written by a number of contributors/a few of my tutors from my time at University. Thankyou for the kind words.
My work features in the chapter, Stitched Words by Lynn Setterington.
In the Summer two of my Dutch relatives came over to visit, it's been about ten years since I last saw them so I really did enjoy myself spending time with them.
They brought me these as a gift, pretty cool so I thought I'd share. They have a traditional Dutch pattern on them and were bought from a farmers' store. All hand carved, a wonderful piece of craftsmanship.
Earlier this month I went to Snowdonia for a week on a Summer jaunt. I stayed in a very cute old cottage near Blaenau ffestiniog. The cottage belongs to a lovely lady who has a passion for making rag rugs. Slate floors covered with rag rugs, walls decorated with them, as you can imagine it was right up my street. The cottage is around 150 years old and was built as a farm workers dwelling, the owner has spent a lot of time and effort attempting to restore it to how she believed it would have been at the time..
A couple of my favourite snaps...
Not only was staying in the cottage a real treat but being in this particular area was very important for me. This is because this is the area my grandparents first lived in when they came to the UK. My grandad worked down the Slate mine at Llechwedd Slate Caverns (I visited these on my trip). I went and found the house they lived in, the very house my mum and aunt grew up in in their early years..
At the bottom of a little valley very near to Blaenau ffestiniog is the house they lived in..
One of my most memorable trips of the week was on the ffestiniog Steam Railway. We caught the train from Porthmadog to Tan y Bwlch. it was very jiggly and smelly but cool non the less!
Those of you who know me and the concepts behind my work, will realise how important and inspiring this holiday was for me.
I know it's a couple of weeks since it was the Selvedge summer fair but I felt it deserved a few words on here as it turned out to be such a brilliant day. Both profitable and well attended, it was worth every minute heaving a very heavy suitcase around in the baking heat of London to get to! The attention to detail with the decoration of the hall, the layout and even the music was ever so thoughtfully done. I only hope they have another x
Photo courtesy of Linda Marie-Young
I found this gold whilst digging around at my parents' last week.
Top image: In the very old caravan with my dad.
Bottom image: On top of the Cheesewring with my dad.
I was invited down to London on Monday
to go to the second Selvedge cinema evening,
I was very excited about seeing Bright Star
as my sister had told me many good things..
It most definitely lived up to expectations,
such beautiful scenery and light. The Phoenix
cinema itself is well worth a visit, the
architecture and features within were quite
incredible.
It was a really nice touch to have the speakers
beforehand, they made me think about things
and see things within the film I wouldn't
necessarily have thought about or maybe not
noticed otherwise. Well done Selvedge, always
one step ahead of the rest!
A week camping in my tent, in a very beautiful, isolated part of Cornwall. A well earned break. It's so wonderful when you re-visit a place you used to go to frequently, I hadn't been back here for almost ten years. So many memories came flooding back to me, mostly ones that reminded me of how strange a child I was!
Perhaps my favourite place in Britain; The Cheesewring, on Bodmin Moor.
Sunset is the most beautiful time to be up there.
What a lovely week x
I think it's about time I showed you my Valentines window display for the Selvedge shop in London...
In progress..
" Love Hearts. A collection of origami hearts made from love letters and documents gathered and kept as keepsakes from previous relationships. The folding of the heart and the varying sizes of letters has resulted in an interesting display of text and images. I am particularly fond of the hearts where only fractions of a sentence can be read, leaving it to the imagination to work out what was or wasn't said.
It was quite a strange time digging the letters out of my loft, a box that hasn't been touched for at least five years. I couldn't help but re-read them when I started working with them, curious to what was written, re-living particular events and memories.
It's a first that I have created a body of work without fabric or stitch being integral. Qualities that are inherent in my textile work did seem to emerge with the hearts. The repetitive process that is part of cross stitch became apparent. The intricate, precise qualities of hand stitch seemed the same as all the folding involved with the origami hearts. The ever so personal element that I always seem to put into textiles, was most definitely put into this project."
It was difficult to photograph because of the glare from the window. Once completed the wall behind was painted red and some of the paper hearts were scattered on the floor. I am still waiting to see how it finally looked..
As my new edition of Selvedge dropped through the letter box this morning I was already busy making my latest work for them. Origami hearts (by the hundred). This is again a very personal project, the hearts are made from old love letters sent to me over the past ten or so years. It's a first that there is no stitching or fabric involved....This project is going to form a St Valentines window display for their store in London for the whole of February.
The latest edition of the magazine looks like it's a good one, here's what I came across on p.53..
So, if you live in London or are planning a visit in February be sure to pay a visit.
I was recently asked to participate in the Advent window display for the Selvedge shop, what a privilege! Keep your eyes pealed, my piece will be revealed real soon.
I love the idea behind this, not enough traditions are kept alive today. Enjoy x
Having been away for a while to Nice for a break from the stitching it's back to Life, back to reality. I'm finding the transition in temperatures, etc a little difficult. I'll hopefully get back into the swing of things soon and be sewing like there's no tomorrow...
