Back home...tired but happy...

...after a wonderful 4 days at the Harrogate Knitting & Stitching Show!

Now, at last, I can show some pictures of what I've been working on for the last 15 months :-)

Here's a rather "unfinished" looking stand sometime on Wednesday afternoon...

...with shopping basket and piles of "stuff" still hanging around.

You'll notice those big ........ thingys...

....they are my "Menhirion"...

....Standing Stones....

...done in sets of three.

One set based on Breton embroidery and the carved stone in the neolithic chamber tomb of Garinis...

...the second set inspired by the tent-pole covers of Uzbekistan.

They stand about 3 feet tall (90 cms)

Up on the wall in the middle are my Wall Pockets with Spell Sticks....

...(looking a bit more like swords I have to admit!)

"Naked" Spell Sticks with some amulets creeping in on the left ...

...and a small display of spear-heads that shouldn't REALLY have been there, but they are in the current issue of "Stitch" magazine. (A 4 page project with 6 designs to make)

Looks like I'm going to be all over the place in 2014/2015/2016....

....with all the workshop bookings that came my way :-)))))

But for now, all I have to do is play around with my current sketchbook.....

....and put the book in the shop

(which I have now done)

...beginning the finish...

...been feeling really stressed over the last week...

.....as the Bloke says,  " the last 10% is always the longest..."

How right he is!!

Writing...

...beading...

...more writing....

....more beading....

....putting things together....

....even more writing....

Sneak peak...

...nearly there...


x C

...spells and dangly bits...

The bits are now (thankfully) beginning to come together!

Just as well seeing as Harrogate is only 4 weeks away :-o

I made some more print blocks...

...round ones this time...

...for some very special "amulet spell parchments"...

...and then....

...loads and loads and loads and loads....

...of dangly bits

Loved every minute of it!

x C

(ps.....instructions will be in The Book!)

...more spells...

Isn't it just amazing how...

...when you're doing one thing...

...another, even better thing...

...flops into your mind?!!

I'd printed yesterday's spells onto dyed tissue (for a specific purpose)...

...but THEN had another idea...

...that resulted in this :-)

Of course...

...these idea thingys don't come by themselves do they?

No!

So here are the ones that sit on my desk this morning...

"Magic" bits...

...printed with a mixture of fabric and acrylic paints...

...that will be stitched later when they're dry.


Looks like it's going to be a great weekend!! :-))

x C

Sunny spells and incantations....

"Make Art while the Sun Shines" is the motto around here today.

It's been warm and sunny all day....

...we've had breakfast and lunch on the terrasse...

I also took the opportunity to get out the soldering iron to do a few more print blocks that were then printed this afternoon.

....Magic...

.....spells and incantations.....






Have a good weekend.

x C

Printing and Paper-play...

I take full advantage when the sky is not dropping moisture....

.....and get myself outside to make some experimental print blocks...

...for a special purpose.

I find sheets of this thermoplastic foam at a recycle centre and, after marking out the designs that I want (with a Sharpie marker)...

...I use a small soldering iron to "carve" the surface of the block.

(The Man tells me to be VERY VERY careful as the gases given off can be really bad. So I'm always watchful of wind direction and wear a suitable facemask too.)

I printed onto double sheets of my "Landscape Tissue", then went over the designs with an "18kt Gold" marker pen.

The stuff underneath is what I refer to as my "Leather Paper"...

....dyed in the washing machine on Sunday and Monday.

The purpose, I'm afraid, must remain a secret at this point...

...but there again...

...a little mystery adds some interest doesn't it?!

(Needless to say though....there WILL be stitch!!)

x C

....beading....beading....beading....

Here's what's on my desk...

...a special mixture of beads....

...designed to do a special job...

...and just a VERY small peak at one of my new pieces that I've been working on over the last few days....

I certainly have sore fingers at the minute though :-(

x C

Magic Sketchbook Saturday

Progress with this sketchbook is giving me an immense amount of satisfaction...

...AND...

...at last...

...textile work is well underway!!

Here are a few more page piccies...

Have a happy Bank Holiday Weekend :-)

x C

...time for some serious textile fun!!

The final magazine article for 2013 went off in the post Monday...

...and... after another delightful falala Tuesday choir session....

....this Wednesday morning finds me in a state of eager anticipation...

...and enthusiasm for things-to-come!!

I can now get stuck in to my "Magic" work, and I'm REALLY excited about it all.

Quite a few pieces have been thoroughly worked out on the page (a couple more will be shown on Saturday)...

...and the embellisher has been pressed into action already.

One of the first set of three is ready for hand-stitching to begin (so that's me sorted for the rest of the day then :-)...

...and pieces of felt have been dyed and prepared for the other two.

There is a real buzz in the air around here!!

(...and it's NOT that GIANT bee that was trying to head-butt it's way in through my patio doors yesterday either :-)))

Postie brought some more exciting deliciousness the other day too...

...in the form of a big parcel from Colourcraft.

Lots and lots of goodies to play with!

Lovely metallic acrylics...

several tubs of a new material (being affectionately referred to as "jollop" between Laura and myself) that's being launched sometime soon...

A thick, heavy paste medium that you can mold and build-up into whatever you can think of....

Some watercolour crayons..

...some soft wax crayons....

..and a selection of Procion MX dyes to use with this lot...

...of silky smooth Egyptian Cotton from Empress Mills.

Oooooooooooooo...

...what a LUCKY girl am I!!

Magic Sketchbook Saturday

...just a couple of piccies...

...to give a sneaky peak of an idea that is quietly forming...

As yet...

...no needle has entered cloth though....

Magic Sketchbook Saturday 4

Isn't it odd......

...when you think you know EXACTLY which way you're going...

...and then...

...suddenly....

...well, slowly actually...

...you sit there...

...doing your thing...

...pen and ink...

...dye paints...

...and THIS appears on the page!!

Where did THAT come from!?

WHY is it in THIS sketchbook!?

WHERE does it fit into the picture!?





...and then....








...you know.

:-)

Have a great weekend.

x C

Magic Sketchbook Saturday 3

Remember that piece of round and roundy stuff from the last post....?

...this is how things start isn't it...?

...with a bit of doodling and playing...

Have a great weekend.

x C



I know it's a bit of a late posting, but we've been out and about and I forgot to do it this morning :-o

Magic Sketchbook Saturday

I'm not promising to post sketchbook pages EVERY Saturday....

...but if there are any to show, then this is the day of the week when they'll appear!

I've started a new one for this year's "Very Special Project"....

...and I think I may as well spill the beans on what it is.

It's been a while since I did a LARGE body of work. 2008-9 actually.

That was for a series of solo exhibitions where most of the pieces sold.

I kept three of the larger panels, and these are the ones I've been putting up on the wall of my stand at shows over the last couple of years.

Well.....it's high time for something new...

...and....after some negotiations...I shall be having a "Designer Stand" at the Knitting & Stitching Show in Harrogate this year, where a WHOLE NEW body of work will be on display.

Title?

"Magic"

Why?

...because I shall be focussing on the magical elements in tribal embroidery....

Symbols and their meanings. Why certain colours feature so prominently. .....etc.

It's not just the actual pieces that I'm working on now though...

..there'll be a book too....

"Stitching Magic"

...which will be a pictorial and written account of the journey....with lots of photos and info....

My sketchbooks and lots of pieces of original tribal embroidery will be on the stand.....and I'm planning some workshops...

I'll try to show as much as I can here, but, obviously, there are some things that have to stay out of public view until the book hits the stand :-o

There may be some strange camera angles happening.....

Comments and opinions will be MOST appreciated!! :-))

x C