Another Beakhead in the making....

Back from Bristol...

...and preparing for Exeter.

No time to rest up!

I'm trying to get a few new things done for my stand at the Exeter show...

...and this big(ish) Beakhead is now well underway.

It's a bit frustrating to have to keep waiting for layers and layers of paper and glue to dry before I can put on more....

.....but I'm sure it'll all be worth it in the end!!

Have a great Friday.

x C

Beakheads!! ....lining up for Bristol

While I was away "up North"...

...I did manage to get a bit more work done in my "Medieval Inspirations" sketchbook.

I'd taken photos of the doorway at St. Ebbes in Oxford last year...

...and had been trying ever-so-hard to get the drawings done.

Well...

....after a couple of days around the caravan...

(the caravan that is now the Rosa-Van NOT the Gladdyvan as our lovely little Gwladys, aged 32, was just a bitty too leaky and we had to say "Goodbye" to her :-(   )

...all twelve Beakheads were done!! YEY!

I've enlarged the sketchbook pages...

...and enlarged again....and again...

...so that I can put the designs onto fabric for some Trapunto quilting.

the stitching WILL NOT be done...

...but the designs will be up on my stand at the West Country Quilt & Textile Show in Bristol from Friday to Sunday this weekend....

...where I will be doing some workshops.

The full guide to all classes etc is here.

I'm on Stand G83 - do come along and say "Hello" if you're visiting!!

x C

A bit of a moldy-looking beakhead!

My first Powertex effort was well and truly dry...

...so I've had a go at altering the surface with some "Stone Art" powder.

It's quite like powdered paper....very light...and easy to handle (as long as you don't cough or sneeze!)

I painted the beakhead with a bit more Powertex liquid, sprinkled on some of the Stone Art powder...

...then rubbed it in with my fingers and a brush to get into all the nooks and crannies.

It now looks almost edible!! :-)

Acrylic paints next methinks....

x C

A Beakhead play-day

Yesterday afternoon I drove down to Tonypandy in the Rhondda...

...to a wonderful place called the "Craft of Hearts Community Craft Centre".

It's run by the lovely Joanne who showed me how to use "Powertex".

I'd phoned a few days before because, as you know, I have this "thing" about Beakheads...

...and wanted to make some 3D models for my current expo work.

So, Jo said "come on down"...

...and by the end of a few hours...

...I had this done!

I still have a way to go with him...

...but I'm really pleased with the result...

...and it was super-easy!

Of course, having spent an afternoon in a wonderful craft shop...

...I came home with loads of supplies :-)

Plans are afoot....

x C

2017....and back to it!

Well HELLO lovely people!

I hope that you all had a wonderful festive season...

...got through the New Year celebrations...

...and are now back into your respective "grooves"!!

I had a very quiet time as is normal...

...and managed to get some bits during my little escape from "internet-land" :-)

A few more pages in my "Medieval Inspirations" design book (calling it a design book rather than sketchbook - more appropriate methinks)...

Beakheads found at Etton in E.Yorks. last July...

These are fairly new - appearing around the time of the Victorian renovation of the porch area...

...whereas these are 12th century originals from around the tower doorway.

I scanned and enlarged my drawings...

...then draw over the main lines with a Sharpie marker.

I use a lightbox to transfer the design onto fabric to be stitched.

(Fabric has been lightly sprayed with Brusho here..)

This one has been hand-stitched and painted...

...but although it looks ok-ish...it's way to thin and flimsy.

The next ones will have to be done with a more "lofty" wadding!

I cut my hands yesterday evening whilst freeing a roll of square-mesh to use as support.

Damned stuff sprung like a clock spring when it was released!!!!!

Pfffffff!!!!!!

Have a good week ...

x C

Little pinky-purple one...

...is the last one for now!!

I just have to finish them all off with backs, hanging loops and dangles.

Then...

...boxes and bags are to be packed ready for the triple-workshop run...

...and ...

....BEAKHEADS!!

Mmmmmmmmm....... looooove Beakheads!!

I'm going to be a really happy bunny! :-)

x C

The Romanesque, Beakhead-Hunting and a Neolithic gathering place...

...and what a trip it was!!

My trusty little Canon is stuffed full of heads...

...BEAKHEADS that is of course!


We took the Gladdyvan over to Oxfordshire and pitched at Bladon for a week.

This part of the UK is one of two areas where Beakheads can be found in abundance...

...the other area being Yorkshire (that's for another time :-)


So, after driving over on the Sunday, we took the bus into Oxford early Monday morning for my appointment with the Librarian at St. Edmund Hall...

...whose library just happens to be the church of St.Peter-in-the-East.

Dating from the 12th Century, it has some wonderful Romanesque features...

...and a fantastic Beakhead-surrounded doorway!

The following day we drove over to Iffley to visit the church of St Mary. WOW!!!!!

After taking a couple of hundred photos here...

...we headed north to Great Rollright - St Andrews....

..and then St Peter at Hook Norton...

...where the Romanesque offering was in the form of a large font!

Finally...

...to round of a lovely day...

...we visited a spiritual centre that is (at least) 3000 years older than these gorgeous churches.

The Rollright Stones.

There were lots of dowsers around...

...and it was very interesting to get results with a set of borrowed dowsing rods instead of my usual pendule!

I'd love to be able to get some of my captured heads into my sketchbook...

...but with the cruise fast approaching I have to get samples finished for that...

...and take loads and loads of photos for the book I'm writing for Colourcraft.

Just 2 weeks before I get off to the sun and begin bobbing around the Mediterranean!!

Tick....tick....tick....

Have a great weekend

x C

A serpent...and some Beakheads...

Been doing a bit more in my "Medieval Inspirations" sketchbook...

A serpent from Kilpeck...

...and some beakheads from...

...all over the place!!

I have scanned and REVERSED the serpent drawing...

...ready to transfer onto lino.

(Let's see if I can get THIS one right!!)

The others will get done a bit later...

..after I've been off Beakhead-hunting next week :-)

EXCITED!!!

x C