Spirit Bears

I was lent a lovely book the other day, “Learning To Be Wild” by Charlie Russell and Maureen Enns. Its about bears in the Kamchatka region of Russia and introduced me to the work of the artist Maureen Enns. I’m adding her to my virtual shopping list of art, along with the others I have mentioned in previous posts.Here are two of my favorite images…

So, I’ve been reading about bears and doing some quick doodles late at night while fighting the urge to hibernate. Yesterday I picked up four newly framed pieces from Les Prince and left some pages from my sketch book after agonizing over whether or not to pull the book apart…it seems a shame but also a pity to keep them locked in there in the dark where no one can see them.

Well, I think its time I started to do something about the approaching “festive” season ( Winter Solstice ) so perhaps I will make some mince pies tonight…then again, if I do they will have been eaten by Sunday, no use planning too far ahead!

( Reading: “Learning To Be Wild” Russell and Enns and “Never Let Me Go” Kazuo Ishiguro)

Open All Hours

I’ve been playing shops this week! ( Ooh I just got all nostalgic for those toy Post Offices and a sweet shop I once got for Christmas when I was about 7!) last night I updated my Etsy shop and listed some of the things that didn’t sell on Sunday.There’s more to come but apparently its a good idea to list things on Etsy in a staggered way so that they appear on the front page for longer!

The fair on Sunday in Osmotherley went pretty well, despite our stand being on the stage which intimidated some people ,who obviously feared they would have to do ” a turn” if they set foot on it!

Lindsey, David and I were a little fragile after a very late night ( SoniQue was dj-ing at the local dance hall) but were sustained by coffee, mince pies and general silliness.I sold all my little lavender bear brooches and forgot to take a picture of them which I’m sad about, but I’ll definitely be making more as they were so popular.

Now I have to catch up on some household chores…mainly buying some food, since the cupboards are bare.Until next time x

“…Tears of Joy and Jealous Lovers…”

I’ve just returned from a lovely day out at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park. For once it wasn’t raining, in fact the sun was dazzling. I’m not sure how long it really takes to get there as my dad was driving and we seemed to take a huge detour for emergency coffee at the services somewhere ( I was falling asleep ). Anyway, we were treated to a VIP tour of the exhibitions, lunch ( yummy wild mushroom tart) and an off road Landrover trip ,because the head man,Peter Murray, is an old college friend of my parents.I gatecrashed their business meeting because I was keen to see the Rob Ryan exhibition…it was well worth the long drive and “early” morning to see his window installation and try not to cry at his intricate,romantic, paper cuts and prints.

We also enjoyed the amazing sculptures of Peter Randall Page. Beautiful carved stone which ached to be touched- strictly forbidden as the stone ( Killkenny?) marks very easily. Forms based on seedpods and the Fibinnachi sequence.

I loved his sketch books ( below) which were tiny and beautiful, an odd contrast to the huge pieces of stone.

Well, thats enough culture for one day. Time to catch up with a bit of sewing and get ready for another wonderful Osmotherley weekend! x

First Snow

December arrived in style here on Witchmountain, snow,ice and of course the school bus failing to arrive. As you can see there wasn’t much snow but the bus is an “executive mini bus” and not really suitable for the job ( I’m sure they just don’t want to get it dirty!).

Today I’m in a land of greyness; misty, monochrome landscape. Its so dark, i feel like making a big fire in the garden (but I don’t think it would burn, the air is so damp). Anyway, the stove is going like a dream; with my blue enamel pan stewing the coffee, so I’m busy making some little bear brooches for Sunday and some other odds and ends that may or may not make me some pennies. If you’re near Osmotherley this Sunday come to the Village Hall between 1 and 5 – apparently there will be stalls including Lewis and Cooper (deli), Roots Farm Shop and various local produce ( cards, photography, small gifts, jewellery etc) as well as activities for the kids. You can also call in the Golden Lion for a delicious lunch (I won’t be at work so thats all good!) and a pint of real ale.

I stopped on the way home yesterday to take these pictures. The one on the left is Robinson’s Cross which supposedly marks the spot where a poacher was hung for his crimes…I’m going to look that up in a moment as I’m not sure of the story. Not much changes up here on the moors!

Here’s a photo of my cat piece in the Zillah Bell Gallery. Their Christmas exhibition runs until early January and I’m excited to have something on their wall!

Right, time to rescue the coffee and get some work done. x

Happy Mondays

Monday on the mountain and I stayed huddled by the stove all day with Lindsey, making more purses, watching her finish her final travel journal for Minor Project and of course, overdoing the coffee.One moment the sun was blinding and the next the sky was dark and sinister, hurling hailstones and torrential rain.The floods last night mean that Sara is still stranded on the other side of the River Swale and then it began to snow! Polar Bear weather…

Anyway, today’s is only going to be a short post as I need to keep on sewing while I’m in the mood. The stall on Sunday needs to have SOMETHING on it after all.Until next time, when I hope to have more to say! x

Walking on Thin Ice

There was thick ice on the car last night and wintery weather forecast; I want to grow my winter coat and sleep in a nest made of wool until spring.

” In a little woollen box..On the peg of a small cloud…

I’m writing this over a hasty cup of tea before going out to work. I just put some Christmas cakes in the oven so the kitchen smells lovely; only trouble is, they’re never going to be done before I have to leave… oh what bad planning.

I’m really disappointed that I’ll also be working tomorrow so I’m going to miss out on the Designer’s Marketplace. I have to take next Sunday off instead, for the Osmotherley Extravaganza where I’ll be taking all the cards and other bits and pieces that I’ve been making.I’m having a “Craft Fair” phobia at the moment though after wandering round the bleak affair at Helmsley today …good grief.

I cleaned the windows so that the winter sun would make rainbows on the walls, shining through the hanging crystals, like Pollyanna playing the “glad game”!

Well,time to head down the hill to work… x

Kitchen Confidential

Here is the corner of my kitchen with pin-board and wine crate bookshelf. Sometimes it feels as though my whole world has shrunk to just this room and the ever changing view from the window…today mostly obscured by misty condensation. This time last year it was getting ready to snow but hopefully this year it’ll wait awhile…at least till I sort out why the car is rattling and find some hay for the ponies!

Today I have been catching up with Lyndsay McBean and wondering yet again if we’ve all been heading in the right direction. College now seems SO long ago.Lyndsay has been working on her online portfolio at Carbonmade so lets hope lots of job offers come flooding in :@); I particularly like her nightclub promotion posters…

The Zillah Bell Gallery e-mailed me yesterday because they had been sent a piece of my work by Les Prince. A nice surprise and beyond the call of duty ( he really is a remarkable man). So anyway, I think its going to be in their Christmas exhibition which opens with a private view tomorrow night. I also finally got around to contacting a few other galleries ; so I’m kind of hoping that in the new year things may start to look a bit brighter.

Well, the stove is almost out and the last dregs of coffee have turned to syrup in the pan so I’d better head up the apples and pears to bed. I finished reading “About a Boy” by Nick Hornby this morning ,which means I’m heading back to the magical world of Tove Jansson and “The True Deceiver” . Then what? Any ideas?

“Wild is the Wind”

Wild and windy up on Witchmountain today… I just looked out and saw some kind of hawk ( Sparrow Hawk?) balancing in the air outside my window…so beautiful and amazing to see it holding itself so steady when even the big Oak is struggling against the wind .

I’m still slowly gathering a few things together to try and make some pennies. This purse is another early “zip  experiment” involving a vintage tablecloth, some print and stitch.Its a bit wonky but of course this is part of the CHARM of “handmade stuff”…thats what I’m saying anyway!

My lovely stickers came from Moo. We are all raving about this company with its friendly and quirky style; everything from the packaging to the e-mail confirming your order just makes you smile. I have no plans for my stickers yet , I’m just a sucker for stationary !

So, upcoming events…Lindsey is at Worsall Village Hall on Friday night with her stall and on December 6th we are at Osmotherley “Christmas Extravaganza” along with Jane Thorniley-Walker and Heidi Turner. Don’t forget the Designers Marketplace in Middlesbrough Town Hall on The 29th. I’ve done NOTHING about Christmas yet which is terrible ,so hopefully I’ll be able to get lots of lovely things from there.

Time to get the stove going now… x

 

“A Heart Needs a Home”

I can’t believe its the weekend again already…does time speed up as you get older? Even the children have noticed it!  Anyway, time to take stock , work out what I’ve actually achieved and the plan of attack for next week …

At least I got those pieces to the framer yesterday, and on the way back picked up a cheque for the one I sold at the Saltbox ( goodness knows I need the money but I almost want to frame it just to prove I actually sold something in a gallery!!).

These two drawings are things I did for the Gocco printer and although I haven’t tried to print it yet, I have burned the screen for the bear one and it seems to have worked perfectly…I think we’ve cracked it! Such a shame that Gocco supplies aren’t easily available and affordable.

I found out last night , while browsing about the internet, that the artist Rob Ryan has an exhibition at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, until early next year. I’ve never been there ( hey, Yorkshire is a BIG county and Witchmountain is in the North Riding) but may have to plan a trip ,as having visited his shop in Columbia Road (and seen some amazing paper dresses in Vogue a few years back), I’m a bit of a fan.

Home IS where the heart is….and a heart needs a home. x

( Reading: “About a Boy” Nick Hornby and “The True Deceiver” Tove Jansson. Listening to: ” Earth to the Dandy Warhols ” Dandy Warhols )

East of the Sun, West of the Moon

I bet the suspense was killing you…did the big red hen lay me an egg? Well, yes she did and very cross she was too when I tipped her out again to retrieve it. I haven’t made a cake though, I’ll have to wait till Friday when I should have three!

Tonight I’ve been finishing off these pieces because tomorrow I’m going with Jane  to see Les Prince, the  framer, who will probably curse us,as he’s the busiest (and best) framer in the North.

I’m wondering if my obsession with bears will ever end. Last night I Googled “Bear Art” and found some really lovely images, many of them illustrating a Norweigian fairy tale called “East of the Sun, West of the Moon”. Ok, I’m a hopeless romantic but I just love these Northern myths of trolls casting spells on people and turning them in to bears ; until love breaks the spell and sets them free.(Sometimes bears can be trolls in disguise though!!)

The wind’s getting up again and the plumber failed to mend the heating so I’m off to bed, to hibernate and lose myself in a bit more Tove Jansson. x