Thursday, 21 July 2011

mini canvasses n' stuff

I am having so much fun with these......
and am liking how they are turning out
(for the most part)
I have several more to do - but wanted to finish some off
just to see how they'd look when completely done




detail of one of the canvasses

the other week S and I went to visit friends in Leeds
while S played golf, I went to the Great Yorkshire Show

here are some of the interesting animals I saw:

contemplating


a face only a mother could love
(and my friend; she is crazy for pigs!)

bit too much fake tan?

try to get a comb through that!

this guy loved his head being scratched

those curls!


you lookin at me?!

I want to show you a couple more things:
I went on a little spree in the local antique shops

first up; rusted metal rose

second; a bamboo drinks trolley
I have differing opinions on this one
not that I really care because I love it
but......a few people have looked askance
when I showed them
too kitsch?


not sure what I will do with it;
maybe paint it shiny black? shiny red?
altho I also like the natural colour
use it as an actual drinks trolley
or
some sort of display unit in the studio?
what do you think?

hope everyone is having a creative week
looking forward to the weekend?
I wouldn't mind a bit less rain
altho, am not too envious of the
blistering heat wave in the States

thank you so much for stopping by
appreciate your interest

__a






Tuesday, 12 July 2011

sold!!


woo hoo!
I walked into the Preview party for the show I was in this past weekend
and was told one of my pieces had been sold!
how exciting is that?!
only thing is; I have no idea who bought it
would be nice to know
I wonder if the people putting on the show would tell me

anyway.......
that was such a thrilling thing for me






am going out of town with my hubby for a few days
and then back to the mini canvasses!
I did work out how to stitch into them
so am adding various stitches and embellishments
to the backgrounds

also need to find some old-looking beads
bought a bag of old ribbons that I hope to use also
will show you when I have finished

I know its only Tuesday and all
but hope everyone has a productive week
and a fun-filled, sunny (but not to hot)
weekend!

thank you SO much for coming by
do appreciate your interest!!

__a

Thursday, 7 July 2011

and now for something completely different


our beautiful hydrangea - when we bought it, I didn't realise
it was a lacecap
and such vivid purpley blue!
the middle bit has started to shed parts of the little petals
so there is a sprinkling of blue underneath the plant
the stems, which I didn't get a picture of
are very dark; almost black, which looks amazing next to the blue flowers



I bought some mini canvasses
so today have been playing around with them


love the colours of the background paint
dress patterns and other bits of paper I have added


I want to add some texture with textiles and stitching
guess I should have seen whether I can get a needle
through all this before I started.......oops
but will find out soon enough!

have to admit; this is kind of fun!

when they dry - I want to add
embellishments with stitching (if possible)
maybe some beads or buttons
and whatever else I can find

hope all is going well with you

thanks so much for dropping by!

__a



Friday, 1 July 2011

new family member

this is Sirus
he is our new kitty
he is 9yrs old
half chinchilla (apparently, that is also a type of cat)
half Persian
and yes, he is very fluffy
and likes to make sure every piece of clothing knows it!

he looks a bit scowly, but that is just the markings on his head
(I think)

practicing his movie star look

well, we are all getting used to each other
and settling in


two of my pieces have been accepted to go into a local show,
which I am VERY excited about
I was asked to be in it last year
but this year it was an open submission
so was unsure whether I would be included

Fri 8th-Sun 10th: Artists United – The Replay
Last July our front cover heralded the first-ever Artists United exhibition, a spectacular collaboration between Lewes FC and about 70 of the town’s artists, which saw over a thousand visitors to the Foundry Gallery in one hot, hot weekend. The show was a fine fundraiser for the community-oriented football club (though the artists got over half the proceeds from the sale of their pictures) and organisers are hoping for more of the same this year. A couple of changes have been made, however, as Artist’s United - The Replay is open to everyone, subject to selection from an anonymous board of judges, and to make the exhibition more affordable, there is a cap of £500 on the sale price of each entry. Last year we heralded the show as ‘the art event of the year’ and while this might have been a little unfair on August’s massive Artwave Festival, you know where we’re coming from.

Foundry Gallery, 1am - 5pm (closes 3pm Sunday), free



another project I am getting involved with is a tapestry
my town is making to commemorate the

I went to a little workshop this week
to learn a few of the stitches
they commissioned a local artist
to make the “cartoon”
and local volunteers will be working on it
using traditional stitches

in order to qualify, I have to make a sampler
of the stitches I learned
we were given images to copy and fill with the various stitches
once I start mine; I will give you a little peak

looks like a nice weekend
think I might like a little BBQ tomorrow

oh; and husband is threatening a clear-out
he keeps focussing on the piles of clothes I have all over the bedroom
hm

have a lovely weekend!

__a


Friday, 24 June 2011

well, who’d have thought?

I finished the woodpecker!
haha


almost forgot to take pictures of it
to show what it ended up like
I think it turned out kind of sweet
I hope my mother-in-law likes it
I hope it cheers her up just a teeny bit




but.......where the heck did all those shadows come from?
I know the actual piece will be shadowy
since it isn’t flat
but I always seem to have mystery shadows at the edges
when there aren’t any I notice while taking the photos
sheesh

anyway.......
it is actually sunny out today
first day in quite a while
so am going to go out and enjoy it!
got my latest Cloth,Paper,Scissors
so will sit outside and peruse that
(thank goodness for International subscriptions)

hope everyone has a nice weekend
and a burst of creativity!

thanks so much for being here.........
__a

Thursday, 23 June 2011


hello
thanks for stopping by
I really appreciate your interest and lovely, kind messages!

have been doing various things this week

I worked on this tulip piece to submit to a local show - not sure when they decide who is in
I am a little unsure about this one........is it finished? I usually add much more to things,
so am having a hard time letting go
maybe if it doesn't make it into the show, I can rework it.......or not
what do you think??

Tulips are my speech

I have to say..........
am getting a little tired of all this rain
I know it makes all the flowers happy and all
but I am getting a little mouldy!

the men of the garden

I also find it quite ironic that as soon as
the government declared the Southeast as a drought zone
it has rained non-stop!
ooh! just saw a sliver of sun peak out as I wrote this
at least it is trying

our upholstery class ended
I enjoyed it so much am planning on
signing up for the next session in the Fall
we didn't finish our chairs
for the black one; all I have to do is put the final fabric on
the other one is missing the springs!
(no wonder it was so cheap)
so.......it is partially started and will be worked on in the next session

and finally;
I am in the middle of a Green Woodpecker
a request from my mother-in-law
she hasn't been too well lately
we are visiting them this weekend
so I will need to finish this by Saturday morning
to take to her


I have done quite a bit of the stitching so far
and haven't a clue what I will do next
guess just see what happens
bit of lace......a few buttons......
the usual!

thanks again for being here
hope you are having a flower-filled Spring/Summer

oh! almost forgot
a few years have gone by since my beloved Sophie passed away
and we are getting a new cat!
we pick him up from the cat sanctuary on Monday
he is THE FLUFFIEST thing I have ever seen!
so, guess I am diving back into the world
of cat hair everywhere

__a