Spring in the air?

It is so long since I did a blog post. It has been a hard winter. So much has happened, not all of it good, but it has been a busy time. The box is finished and raffled and won, making someone happy.

One of the highlights of the last two months was a wonderful weekend course with Jacqueline Smith. organised by Ribble Creative Stitchers. I have long admired Jacqueline's work and I just love this print of one of her collages.

I have been busy doing a blog for Preston Embroiderers Guild, which you can look at at here.

Many thanks to Jackie, who knows all there is to know about blogging ... and many other things.

Another highlight was a talk by Judy Fairless of the Contemporary Quilt Group at Parbold Embroiderers' Guild on Saturday. This was the 'Journal Quilt Project' and involved making a small quilt every month for a year. Judy did this for four years!

I'm not a quilter but I was entranced by some of the images and ideas. These little shoes were delightful. There were lovely sketchbooks as well ...

... as more than 48 delightful quilts.

This was one of my favourites - a Tuscan hillside.

There is, perhaps, a hint of spring in the air and the promise of the return of creativity?

Twelfth Night - and some trees

Yes, it's 'Twelfth Night' and apart from it being my very favourite play, it's also the day you take down your Christmas decorations if you're as superstitious as me. Can't risk any bad luck this year!

This was the view from my bedroom window this morning. Pretty bleak - but still pretty?

I am going to try to note three things every day that have made me happy. Today's are (1) that I decided to scrape my frozen car and brave the icy roads - scary but satisfying. Then (2) I took down the decorations and have the house looking back to normal. Sometimes I think that Twelfth Night is a better time to start New Year's Resolutions than New Year's Day. It's like a new start in a way?

This is my Christmas tree before I started to dismantle it ...

... and these are two of my favourite decorations. Two glass Christmas trees bought at the Corning Glass factory in 1988 on our first visit to America. They hold lovely memories ...

I made these door garlands many years ago and am still fond of them.

(3) is that when I go to bed I have lovely clean sheets. I've had a busy day ...

... and I've also been doing some sewing. This is going to be a box to raffle to raise money for the Mission Aviation Fund in February.

Oh, and keeping to the 'Twelfth Night' theme, those NYRs have to include "there shall be no more cakes and ale". Oh, dear ...

Ring out loud bells across the snow

Well, no bells and no snow ... but a Happy New Year to one and all!

You've probably guessed what my New Year's Resolution is? Welcome to 2010! ('Two thousand and ten' or 'Twenty-ten' - does it really matter?)

Strange how enjoyable - and guilt-free - a Bank Holiday can be? Somehow there is permission to do 'nothing'? I read an article in this morning's paper about how happiness is made up of very small things and that we should make a note of three 'simple pleasures' that we encounter every day. Interesting ...

Well, here's mine for today. Stayed in bed (a rare treat) listening to Desert Island Discs with David Tennant. I'm not a Doctor Who fan but he was fantastic in 'Hamlet' which I watched yesterday. And he's a 'West Wing' fan!

Lazy morning reading the paper and then a wonderful walk on the park in the sunshine after lunch. Tidied up my 'playroom' and made a trifle for tomorrow's Embroiderers' Guild 'Jacob's Join', whilst watching 'Guns of Navarone' - they don't make 'em like this any more?

Then a look at some lovely blogs (not something I've been doing lately) and realised that I have so much to learn/re-learn as they all look so beautiful and I've forgotten so much. (Must learn about mosaics and pretty mine up a bit - another NYR?)

Finished off with the last episode of 'Gavin and Stacey' and then wrote this post. Yes, all in all, a happy day.

The photo is a felt corsage with beaded centre. I've had 'tennis elbow' for ages and haven't been doing any 'proper' felt-making but have been able to manage these small pieces. The elbow's getting better - I've given up on those smashes, lobs and killer strokes - and I hope to be back on the felt scene properly soon.

The year is going, let him go

I was reminded of the Tennyson poem when I was listening to ‘The Armed Man’ the other day.

As far as I am concerned this year can’t ‘go’ quickly enough. It hasn’t been a good one to live though, although it is ending on a high – hence the rainbow.

This year I was diagnosed with a very nasty sounding disease (PBC – anyone else out there have it? I’d love to hear from you!) which has proved to be most benign at the moment – and I have learned to live for the moment.

My grandson and his fiancée were delighted to be pregnant but were told at the twenty-week scan that things were not looking good. Subsequent scans were closer to normal but there was careful monitoring and a great deal of anxiety for us all. Harley was born mid-November and is a bright, alert and absolutely gorgeous baby. I’ve had lots of ‘Harley hugs’ over Christmas and ‘Finn fixes’ and cuddles from Jack and I consider myself a most fortunate Mother, Grandmother and now Great-Grandmother. I must sound like ‘the old woman who lived in a shoe’?

And as I had a wonderful 70th birthday party in November that is probably quite true. bring it on!

Roll on 2010!

Getting there!

This is just a vey quick progress report. I now have walls (painted) and floors. Everything is very white and stark, just waiting for some colour to be introduced. A blank canvas, you might say?

I seem to have been walking aimlessly around, tape measure in hand, mumbling "105 centimetres, tea with two sugars and coffee with one sugar ... , etc ..."

All that is going to change this weekend as I take a break from the cleaning and refresh myself ready for the week ahead. The exciting bit is yet to come!

Well and truly plastered!

I've just spent a delightful afternoon in the company of my lovely daughter-in-law (I much prefer the French 'belle-fille'?) and my youngest grandson, Finn, as he chatted and giggled his way along his first train ride on the 'Docks' railway at Preston. The trains had 'Thomas' faces on several of them, which made it very exciting, and he got the chance to climb aboard some of the engines. It's definitely a 'boy' thing!

What a welcome break from the last week! I seem to have spent the week charging around IKEA or B&Q with a tape measure and trying to work out 'what' will eventually go 'where'. So many decisions to be made!

On Saturday, the plasterers came. Despite having to listen to the dulcet strains of 'Rock FM', the lads worked hard and now - I'm plastered!

I'm well aware that the pictures are pretty boring but they're all I've got so far. Hang on in there!

Whilst all this is going on I'm being very industrious. I'm clearing out drawers and cupboards so that when I can get at my fabrics and fibres again I will have the time to be creative. All the boring housework will be done? That's the plan anyway.

Hitting a brick wall

Well ... I should have known. It was all going so well. That just doesn't happen to me. On Friday, Alan started to take down what he and the building inspector had both decided was a 'studded wall' (no, it doesn't mean anything to me either) only to find this ... breeze block. Literally hitting a brick wall?

Cue another visit from building inspector on Monday. There will probably have to be some kind of support for the walls above. (My worst nightmare was a sudden collapse from above - don't anyone even dare to hum " ... and the walls came tumbling down ...")

Then when I plugged in the kettle - a very necessary piece of equipment at the moment? - no electricity in the utility room. The electrician was due and we had power in the kitchen. Tea problem solved. (I have to tell you that Alan likes the weakest of tea - it's me that has the 'builder's tea'!!!)

I went off to order the laminate floor to match the existing floor (this is now a 'special order', which may delay things? But, thankfully, still available). And another ex-pupil in 'Floors 2 Go. They're all over the place!

Returned to find this ...

... the source of the electricity problem. A nail - which had been hammered through the electricity cable by the original builders!!! - had moved when the plasterboard was removed and touched the wire.

And, yes, a leak in a pipe...

Cue buckets and a boiler that needs 'topping up' at regular intervals because the water pressure keeps falling.

And then, when everyone had gone, no Internet access!!! Quelle tragedie!

It has taken me till now to work out that the 'computer' sockets had also died on me. Ran an extension lead from the utility room and we have lift-off!

So - picture this - trailing leads, buckets of water and a boiler that needs more attention than a baby (will I have to get up in the night to 'feed' it?) Not exactly a picture of domestic bliss, is it?

It all makes me feel very 'ditsy' and silly and well ... 'girlie'? In my defence, I do have my own drill and screwdriver. It's just knowing what to do with them that's the problem ...

Still, I have enjoyed a lovely visit with my friend Elaine to 'Art in the Pen' at Skipton this afternoon. So nice to see her again now that she has returned from New Zealand.

Oh ... and the ladies at the Platform Gallery didn't reject my piece. But I think they were only concerned with the back - and, yes, it did have mirror plates and a label .... So far, so good.

'B' day + 1

Yesterday I had a garage door - and today I have a wall and a window! Magic!

And this is the view from inside. It's beginning to look like a room?

'B-day' - at last!

It may not look as if a great deal has been done but the foundation for the front wall has been dug and the concrete poured. Bricks have been removed from the sides so that the new bricks can be 'eased in'. This is Alan boxing in a pipe in what will be my new office.

Tomorrow - weather permitting - the wall will be built and the window put in what will be my office. Then it will begin to look like something other than a garage.

So far the noise and dust are making me excited - wonder how long that will last?

As this is supposed to be a textile blog - and textiles are very thin on the ground at the moment - and, as I always need to have something to worry about, I am now imagining the scenario when I take my felt piece ...

... into the Platform Gallery for the Open Exhibition. As it was selection by photograph, what happens when they see it in the flesh and decide they've made a big mistake?

Don't I have enough to keep me awake at night?

'B' (for build) Day minus 1

A very short post today just to say that it’s ‘B-day minus 1’. 'B' is for 'build'. The bricks are here – and appear to be the right ones. It was a very tense moment as the lorry arrived – what if they weren’t the right ones and had to be sent all the way back to Durham?

Because this is supposed to be a ‘textiles’ blog I will show you the results of my session today at ‘Fell-Side Felters’ – the lovely felt group that I belong to. I’ve got very ‘achey’ shoulders tonight because I was determined to make a nuno piece out of some fabric that just didn’t want to let the fibres through. I won in the end because I’m very stubborn but now I’m wondering if it was worth it?

Pretty rubbish really ...

The nice thing about our group is that there is always someone willing to give you advice, which is always appreciated. The fact that we laugh a lot - and have cake – helps as well!

What a brick!

You wouldn't think it would be a problem, would you? After all, a brick is - well, a brick. My house was built around six years ago so you wouldn't think it would be too difficult to get some more bricks, would you? Think again ...

The builder is 'incommunicado' (more of that later) and the brick is rather unusual, and very attractive. One of the many reasons I bought the house. Now I need 150 bricks to build up to a window when my garage door is removed.

On Monday it was looking like I was going to have to settle for something less than a 'perfect match'. I had visions of ...

Being of a rather perfectionist nature, this was obviously not going to do.

Did you know that there were such things as 'brick libraries'? Neither did I. (I had visions of popping in to exchange an 'Accrington' for an 'Olde English'???)

Photographs were taken and websites consulted but my brick remained elusive.

And then - 'ping' - a light bulb moment. Wouldn't the local council have a copy of the plans - and might that perhaps include a note of the type of brick used?

I had been in to the council offices the day before to sort out my 'Building Regs' (whatever that is but it cost me £180) and caught up with a delightful ex-pupil who now runs the front desk. We had a long chat and a 'catch-up', which was lovely, and there she was again when I ventured in once more to enquire about my 'brick' problem.

Mary consulted various different people and then a computer - and, several screens later, up popped the brick. It was a 'Tyrone Navan multi-brindle brick' - made in Ireland.

(I have to say that this is when you're so grateful that you got on with the students - Mary was a 'star' in so many of my school productions and the sort of student you remember. Another one is Diane, who takes my blood at the surgery. Phew!)

Then the search for the brick really started. Long story. I finally tracked down what seemed to be the only supplier in the UK. In Durham. Another long story. But - at last - the bricks are on their way. Watch this space ...

After numerous visits to the tip and the charity shop, the garage and my office are nearly empty. You can see the walls - and some of the floor?

Where did the rest go?

Here.

From the sublime ...

I spent a wonderful weekend on the Embroiderers’ Guild Summer School at Alston Hall on the course run by the delightful Lucy Smethurst.

I have long admired Lucy’s work, especially her exquisitely worked jewellery boxes. I think I’d chuck the jewels and just keep the box! Not that I’m likely to be given either jewels or box!!!

Lucy was so organised and patient and very generously showed us how to work with rouleaux and beautiful appliqué and cutwork.

Sitting there, calmly and peacefully hand-stitching was ‘just what the doctor ordered’ and I came away feeling relaxed and re-motivated …

… for this …

This is the interior of my garage. When I moved to my present home, nearly five years ago, I brought with me so much ‘stuff’ which wouldn’t fit into my much smaller house and, of course, it all ended up in the garage. My car has lived outside ever since and more and more ‘stuff’ has accumulated.

I have spent the past few days amongst the dust and cobwebs, ‘sorting and siding’ and visiting the local tip ...

... it says 'Here to help' on the back of their jackets ... but you mostly see the back of their jackets

… when this has been your main source of human contact for the last week it’s good to keep the end in mind. A workroom! I have been scribbling ‘plans’ of where everything is going to go in my new space and working out colour schemes and getting very excited. There’s a long way to go but I keep telling myself it’ll be so worth it in the end.

Of course, having a workroom (I can’t say ‘studio’) will remove all those excuses about not having the space/table/right conditions in which to work. All that will be left will be ‘time’ but having the right conditions will surely make me want to stay home and create? Please say ‘Yes’???

I shall invite friends to 'make' rather than 'lunch'?

As a bit of a boost to my very easily-dented confidence I went with Jackie to the Preview of the West Lancashire Open Exhibition at the Chapel Gallery in Ormskirk on Friday. I tried hard not to show how excited I was at having a piece selected for display – jumping up and down would have been a bit ‘infra dig’, I suspect - but I did succumb to having my picture taken with ‘Pool at the Jardin Majorelle 2’.

So ... watch this space for a progress report?

Double Trouble

This has been an ‘annus horribilis’ for my family and last week was ‘last straw’ week. It helped that I was so busy that it rather took my mind off ‘things’.

I have long wanted to go on a ‘Double Trouble’ workshop and my dreams were realised when my friend Brenda and I travelled to Nottingham to spend two days with Jan Beaney and Jean Littlejohn. We had some excellent tuition and were shown some wonderful techniques, but best of all was being able to get up close to all the samples that Jan and Jean had brought. We were encouraged to look very closely, ask questions – and ‘handle’ the samples. For someone who finds it SOOO frustrating not to be able to touch work in exhibitions - especially when it is as tactile and textured as theirs - this was a joy.

Negotiating the one-way system in Nottingham was a nightmare but fortunately we stayed in a lovely B&B in Southwell, just outside the city, which is a beautiful cathedral town.

We had breakfast in a delightful garden (first picture) and found a scrumptious little restaurant called ’The Piano’. We managed to fit in a quick visit to the Minster,

which had many features of interest to an embroiderer ...

especially the ancient door, which just asked to be translated into ‘smocking’?

A lovely workshop with Carol Naylor on Friday was followed by a visit to Woolfest on Saturday.

I had made two corsages for the IFA stand and was amazed to find that they had both sold! Sorry, I didn’t take piccies because I was so sure that I’d be getting them back … but here’s one I made earlier ...

All I wanted to do today was to lie down in a darkened room!

Sailing

I have spent three hours today peacefully sailing on the Leeds-Liverpool canal from Skipton. The weather was beautiful, the scenery magnificent, the company fun and the wild life plentiful. Herons, swans and their cygnets, mother ducklings (I want to say ‘shepherding’ but that doesn’t seem right) carefully guiding their broods through the water. Blue skies and lots of greenery …

All in all, a very colourful day.

As I am, at the moment, being very mindful of colour and its importance in my life, I thought I’d like to post some photographs of some colourful items I made for my dear friends, Mags and Adrienne.

Bags made from dyed silk …

A nuno felted book cover ...

and an appliqued one with it's own little tag ...

... and here we are enjoying an interval break from 'As you like it' ...

which we did - very much! More later ...

(Hey, the photos all came through in order. I haven't forgotten it all!)