valentines

I finally finished a couple of heart pieces to put in the café next door

almost missed my deadline!

they take so much longer than I think they will......

but I like they way they came out

hope everyone else does too!

I am going to try and maybe do a couple more

maybe make them less elaborate (if possible) so they won't take so long

it is a grey and rainy, rainy, rainy day today

boo

and now.......back away form the computer, Anne - and get to work!!

so much to do.........

so little focus

thank you to each one of you that takes the time to come by my blog - and especially to leave a message

and a BIG HELLO to those of you who have recently started “following” my blog

welcome -

really appreciate all of you

__a

finished

I am sure you are all kinda sick of seeing this piece- well, never fear; it is finished!

I just wanted to show the last bits of hand stitching I did

It now goes off to the States

oh; and to answer your questions, Susanna; the background is an old cotton sheet

that I have cut.....then a sheet of music that I put a bit of gesso over;

actually, too much gesso as you cannot really see the score

I only knew that it had to have a cardinal in it

so looked on the internet for a nice image -

and use that as a guide to free machine stitch the bird

everything else just sort of happens

I don’t really have a plan

yikes, it is almost 3.30pm.......and what have I done today?

paid bills, filled out a form to get extra pages added to my passport

(I know; weird - but have run out of space for stamps -

the passport control people are getting quite annoyed

every time I come back into the country)

things I haven’t done:

arranged my studio.......I have a new big table and wanted to see if I could rearrange

the furniture in here......haven’t done it so am sitting here with stuff and

boxes and storage containers and piles of paper and piles of magazines and

piles of books and piles of cloth all around me

oh, and a bike I brought back from France

in the middle of the room (long story)

I have two more bird commissions, but they don’t have a pressing deadline -

so before that, I would like to do a few Valentine’s like I did last year

and see if I can put them in the café next door again

I also have a huge pile of magazines I have been collecting but never take the time

to look through them - they all look really inspirational

maybe schedule in an afternoon where I just sit and look through things;

without feeling guilty for "not doing anything" (even tho I know it is actually doing something)

hm.......all jumbley, jumbley, jumbley

__a

friday

wow

first off, I would like to thank everyone for such nice comments on my “wishing wednesday” post

I have never done something like that before - so thank you for your messages!

now........I had planned on finishing this today - but somehow got sucked into

internet/bloggyland and........well; didn’t finish

needless to say - I also didn’t start the one I had planned on starting

when I finished this one......if you follow me

we have a printing job to do tomorrow, so maybe in between tasks, I can finish this

hope everyone has a nice weekend -

and again - thank you so much for coming by.......and especially for your nice comments

__a

new work

I have actually started doing something creative!! woo hoo

I realised I have at least 3 little commissions to work on.........duh, better get going

then I was about to submit my work for a local show when I realised

that I didn’t actually fulfill one of the requirements......oops

but there is another show I want to try to get into - so will set my sights on that one

anyhoo;

here is what I have been working on......

it of course will have more embellishments and stitches....just as soon as I figure out what that will be!

on another note: I was finally able to get some photos off an old camera.......

taken a few years ago - but lovely images! (well, I think so)

so. bear with me - you are going to have to go on another trip with me to the coast

Dungeness and Camper Sands to be exact

a beautiful, lonely, mystical area

Prospect Cottage - Derek Jarman’s house - now a rental property, I think

a beautiful, sparse seaside garden; full of all sorts of stones and bits he found on the beach -

making little sculptures

how beautiful is this?!

below are pictures I took at Camber Sands, which is not too far from Dungeness

thank you for stopping by!

__a

red and white

I am almost done with my latest work

it will be in a show which is explained here:

http://www.patinalewes.com/#/login/4541086101

I ended up adding more red by needle felting it into the background,

which I think looks better; softer than my original stitches

I am thinking of maybe adding a piece of lace and a few more stitches,

but need to get going on that as it is to be delivered to the gallery this Friday morning.

I think the black background goes better...do you??

Thanks again goes to Marco Crivello who asked me to participate in this show.

I am then going up to Suffolk to visit with my in-laws since we

will be in the US for Christmas

I leave next week already! I do not really feel ready.......but then again......

doubt I would get much more done if I was home longer

my head is still sort of floating around and cannot quite land and focus

I am SO looking forward to the new year

this one has been so up and down; such extremes

am looking forward to coming back and getting back to my plans!

it is really cold here........altho no more snow

I hope everyone else is doing well and gearing up for

an exciting and beautiful holiday season

__a

snow!

well, the weatherman actually got it right!

we had a beautiful snowfall last night -

and now everything is covered in sparkly, heavy, wet snow -

perfect for snowmen and snowballs!

cafe next to my studio

some snowy ladies in the courtyard

actually, its normally used as a greenhouse

have been working on my new work........added the red slash

am now adding more hand stitching and still plan on white and perhaps red beads added too

I have to admit......this isn’t emitting the emotions I was wanting it to

but am not completely sure how to do that right now....

or whether I want to actually unleash all that

I think to do that; I would need

a) a bigger project......size-wise I mean

b) more time

so...will just keep at this and see where it takes me

hope everyone is keeping warm - keeping creative

and thank you so much to everyone who has commented here

such nice things......

__a

goldfinch reworked

I felt something was wrong with my goldfinch picture......like; it looked horrible!

so decided to rework it a bit

am much happier with the outcome

and I finally found a way to use my fancy feathers I bought ages ago.......these are pretty subdued -

they also come in purple, bright green, red and turquoise -

not sure when I will use the others as I usually don't use bright colours like that.....we'll see!

not sure you can tell, but there is also an amber "jewel" on top of the feathers, which I have been itching to use too

tomorrow will be taken up by trying to set up my open studios - which starts Saturday til 12th September

felted bags by Get Felt were delivered today - and they look fantastic! great colour combos - will be sure to take photos and get all the different items so you can see everything

rainy day today........rainy day tomorrow

hopefully it will clear up by the weekend - I have visions of hanging my aprons on the brick wall (somehow) outside my studio door- hoping the colours will draw people in

__a

show in Brighton

I am trying to contain my excitement, but I have been asked to participate in a show at a gallery in Brighton!

I only know 3 others in the show, but one of them, Cas Holmes,

is someone who I have admired from afar for awhile now.

and now I, me........will be in a show with her!

the other artist is amazing too, Anne Kelly

(trying not to feel like an imposter...will wake from my dream any time now)

the third artist is Kate Wickham; a ceramicist

these artists are seriously GOOD!!

(ok, Anne..breathe)

so, tomorrow, I am taking my 4 pieces down to have them put up for the show.

rook

auntie jean

rose

and for the fourth one; I finished the red-winged blackbird and am having it framed as we speak;

just in time!

red-winged blackbird

however, this does leave some holes in my Artwave show

hhhmmm

so......have finished the goldfinch for Artwave

not sure what else I will finish in time for the Saturday opening

goldfinch

have been amusing myself today by listening to old radio detective stories

is it bad to say I am really looking forward to all this being over so I can spend some time (alone) with S?

we have a ferry trip to Dieppe booked later on in September

while we were in the States, we had our kitchen redone (looks good!) but haven't had time to get it back together - we still only have 3 forks in there........and don't get me started on how dirty the house is!!

but then again; being asked to be in a show by someone that just happened

to see my work and liked it has been such an amazing thing!!

that's two this year

so really, I am very, very grateful

and grateful to everyone who has come by my blog -

and especially those who have written nice comments

:>D

__a

oh! and I think it is a full moon tonight..

- would like to take a walk in the dark......

we'll see if I stay awake long enough!