a Wonderful Winter Solstice Weekend!! (Picture heavy!)

Be warned....

...there are loads of piccies....

....but not TOO much talking (here that is...not over the weekend....we didn't stop!!)

We had a wonderful weekend at Arts Alive in Crickhowell...

....Kirsty, Jules, Catherine, Judith, Jan, Bridie, Pauline...and Moi!

Throwing paint and Brusho around like there was going to be no Monday.....

....and covering as many bits of paper and fabric...

...with as many things as we could!

The Markal Painstiks and stencils were VERY popular indeed. :-))

...and, of course, the wooden blocks from Colouricious.

Here is the evidence...

Such glorious pieces....

....so many things yet to finish!!! :-)

(See some of you Chez Nous on Friday. .....there WILL be cakes!)

x C

p.s. ...and I'll try to remember the roll of paper Pauline :-o

Winter Wonders

I've been putting the finishing touches to some more samples for my "Winter Solstice" workshop at Arts Alive this coming weekend.

I'm thoroughly looking forward to having a wonderful time with a total of 10 ladies....

...who will be joining me to make somethings like these.


Winter Birch brooches....

...using stencils and Markal Paint Stiks from Colourcraft.

...and some delightful bare winter tree stitched pieces...

...using the most beautiful wooden block from Colouricious!

(Only one of a number actually!)

I've also made a couple of folded/wrapped books...

...one being an "amulet" to protect the home...

...using Viking runes...

...and another with part of a winter poem "Lux Aeterna" by Lassi Nummi

(Thanks to Donald Adamson for the poem in full and to Alison Burns for the shortened version. which my choir have sung on many occasions!)

I have other plans for part of this text too...

...if I can fit it in tomorrow! :-o

A Tale of Two Workshops....

It's been busy, busy....BUSY around here!

It feels like I haven't stopped for weeks....and I can't stop yet either!

But...I do have some finished pieces....

...and therefore some pictures to show :-)

First of all, the sample Tri-Fold Petroglyph Book for my workshops at Harrogate Knitting and Stitching Show next week...

I have spent HOURS making all the parts, printing text and notes,  and making this sample....

...I hope the participants will enjoy themselves on Thursday (3.30) and Sunday (1.30)

Maybe I'll see some of you there. I'm on Stand TG137 in the Textile Gallery!

OK

Workshop number 2 is my Winter Solstice at Arts Alive Crickhowell.

I've prepared plenty of examples and samples for this workshop taking place in Crickhowell on the 6th & 7th December. It will be such fun...the same as the last one!!

Here's a Markal Stencil that has been stitched with metallic thread...

....a lovely bunch of Colouricious wooden print blocks to play with....

...a boxful of rune print blocks....

...hand-carved by MOI! :-)

...and this little rune book has been made using lino blocks run through my little Italian litho-press.

It'll be possible for folk to make bags, coasters, calendars, cards, blessing books, and all sorts of lovely things for an alternative Winter Celebration!

Sign up HERE.

Ploughing on.......

Good Grief!!

Has it REALLY been THAT long since I posted here?!

Tellings-off on postcards please :-o

Don't know what it is lately...

...but I seem to have had soooooo much to do for various different projects...

...that the world of the internet hasn't had a look in!

I seem to get one thing done-and-dusted....

...then another thing pops up demanding attention.

More magazine projects - with their associated deadlines...

...workshop samples...

...and then a phone call letting me know what cruise journeys I will be making in 2015 and 16!

Exciting stuff! (More at a slightly later date though...Sorry!)

My workroom resembles a tip...

...and many bits are being worked on.

But all I can show today are some tree pieces for my Winter Solstice workshop at Arts Alive Crickhowell.

The first two have been printed and stitched
(Using a beautiful wooden block from Colouricious.)

...and these that have been done using a Markal Paint Stick through a stencil.
(Both from Colourcraft Ltd)

I'll be putting some backing/stabiliser on these and then doing some stitching I think......

Once these are done...

...I'll be excavating the small litho press and printing some lino-carved rune blocks onto watercolour paper....

...then printing some sheets for my workshops at the Knitting and Stitching Show at Harrogate....

This girl's work seems NEVER to be done!!

(More to show in a few days...)

x C

A Tale of Two Tiles.....

Oh.....what fun is life!!

I spent a delightful Friday with the Crafty Women in Abergavenny.....

...another wonderful Arts Alive Project....

...and then I came home to play with my new Medieval Print blocks from Colouricious! :-)

Literally stacks have been printed...

...and they are now sitting next to the sewing machine.

But these are what I want to share with you today....


Two tiles....

...one block....

...one embossed....

...one printed and stitched.

Can you all hear Pharrell Williams singing away in the background?!

"Because I'm Happy.......Happy.....Happy!!"

x C

Medieval tile blocks have arrived!!

Weh Heyyyyyy!!

Back in August, at FOQ....

...I asked Jamie Malden if it would be possible to get some medieval floor tile blocks done for my up-coming workshop at Arts Alive (1st & 2nd November).

The answer was "Yes"....

...so I did the drawings...

...emailed them....

...so that someone could send the order to India...

...where they were expertly carved....

...sent back to the UK....

..and landed on my doorstep on Monday! :-)

I unpacked them straight away (of course)...

...stroked them....

...then had to return to more urgent things instead.

But....

...those urgent things have been done...

...and I can begin to play!!

Here are my little darlings...

Colouricious have got a dedicated "Medieval" section on their website HERE...

...and these tile blocks of mine will be in there soon.


I have got some fabric pieces prepared with Brusho sprays....

...and will begin printing later on today :-)

See you on the weekend with some results!

x C

Medieval glitz!

I've managed to get a few hours of beading done over the last couple of days....

...and am very pleased with the results so far!!

Here are some of the Medieval Tri-Fold Book samples  for my Arts Alive workshop on the 1st & 2nd November.

Remember that chequered piece made from the bits rescued from the bin?....

....I've now beaded the intersections and put some tiny rhinestones in the middle of the punched-out designs.

I also decided to "distress" a Markal tile piece....

...but with gold leaf and beads!

My prancing critter got blinged-up with some couched gold braid....

...and I've now got some prepared tissue ready to go with some gold foiling done.

I'm sure that Medieval times were very, very stinky, dirty, difficult and uncomfortable....

....but MY take on the period is one of absolute opulence!!

Artistic licence.....:-)