“Birdland”

I’ve been making this bracelet for my friend Becca’s birthday… I knew that button box would come in handy! Apart from that it’s been a strange week on the mountain, with spring bursting out all over and me nearly knocking myself out with the lawnmower. The swallows haven’t made it back yet, they’re late. “What time do you call this swallows? I’ve been waiting up”

Instead there is a huge lesser spotted woodpecker monopolizing the bird-feeder and looking outlandish with his crazy bright feathers.

Yesterday I shared my birthday with Shakespeare and was spoilt rotten by my wonderful friends and family. ( The card above is by Claire Baker who also graduated from CCAD’s Textiles and Surface Design course) So, 42!! Good grief , that came around a bit fast, time I got some things done…

( Listening to: “Horses” Patti Smith, Reading :” Backwards in High Heels-the Impossible Art of Being Female” Tania Kindersley & Sarah Vine  and “84 Charing Cross Road” Helene Hanff)

House of Blues

Look what I found in the vegetable patch when I was planting peas! This little blue house. I want to live there but failing that I’m going to see if Helen can drill a hole in it to make a necklace…

So… the winner of the book ( drawn from a Tyrolean shepherd’s (?)hat by Sara ) is Melissa. Thank you to everyone who left a comment and to all those who looked. I hope you’ll keep checking back.

I’ve finished a design today, the first for quite a while. Getting back in to the swing of things hasn’t been easy but the threat of all those fantastic new graduates thundering up behind me means I have to keep going and try even harder to produce some work that will sell and save me from being an eternal barmaid!

Tomorrow it’s my birthday so keep your fingers crossed that it turns out nice.

Thanks again.

x

“What Surrounds Me”

Thank you to everyone who’s been leaving comments…there’s still a bit of time left if you’ve been too shy! The days have been flying by and everything went green before I’d noticed that winter was over , as a famous man once said ” Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans” .

Today was the last day of the Easter holiday and we had to dash about taking pictures for Sara’s exam. This pink key is part of her project on colour ( my phone photo not her fabulous Nikon one).I love old keys and wish I’d remembered about these when I was doing my Lonely Hearts project a few years back.

The Balsam Poplar avenue at Westwood Studio was looking(and smelling)particularly lovely today, like a cathedral full of green stained glass.Back in my kitchen it really is time I started to work again so tonight I’ll be planning some designs and tomorrow will make a heroic effort to stay awake after the schoolbus comes at half 7….

Goodness, what a terrible photo…part of an embroidered print sample, but green ,so it fits in with my spring theme. Only remains for me to say, Happy Birthday for tomorrow to Witchmountain and also to my good friend Becca and travelling man Ralph.

Many happy returns.x

(Reading : “God’s Own Country” Ross Raisin ,Listening to: “Is The Actor Happy” Vic Chestnutt )

“Saturn Return”

“easy to poke yourself square in the eye

harder to like yourself,harder to try

these elvis poses,postcards and neopryn

roses a dollar a stem

everyone’s sleeping or pulling a long haul,

the keys in the cooler, it’s 3am.” (REM)

I’m proud of myself today, I got my act together and made this book in honour of Rob the starman who showed me Saturn through a telescope when I stopped at Square Corner in the middle of the night – after an epic Easter Sunday at the Golden Lion. The Great Bear was directly overhead and Saturn was pinky yellow under a triangle of stars. Anyway, I have no idea who he is but it was one of the few good things to have happened in the past four weeks of wilderness.

Pasque flowers outside my door -and April 21st is Witchmountain’s first birthday so I’m giving away the Saturn book as a Thank You to those who have been reading and supporting me in the past year. Just leave a comment before the 21st, I will pick a name at random and this inspired masterpiece could be yours! The design is printed and hand embroidered on wool voltaire and includes vintage buttons and a tiny satin Saturn (in the top right corner).

Many thanks x.

Motivation Radio

These are some thoughts from Witchmountain, as the year comes nearly full circle and I’ve been writing for almost a year…

“When all else fails ” we must go and work in the garden” ( “Candide” Voltaire)

“( for if you’re not afraid how can you be really brave?)” ” The Exploits of Moominpapa” Tove Jansson.

So I just wanted to say…Good Luck to all those final year students at CCAD.Don’t stress too much over Easter!From what I’ve seen this looks like being a vintage year and I’m looking forward to the Degree show in June (?) although I’m a bit worried about the competition! Have a look at their blogs and see what you think.

( sorry if I missed some out, but follow the links on those pages for more CCAD talent!)

Anyway, these drawings are part of something I did in first year when we were asked to illustrate a song or poem using the techniques we had learned that year (collage, heat transfer, stencil, cutwork, stitch and watercolour, amongst others). The song was by John Martyn ( “Fern In The Spring” -I’m not sure if thats the official title…)and those in the know will understand why I chose to post it now.’Nuff said.

Take care everyone and by the way Louise Broomhead and Melissa at TinyHappy are both offering fantastic giveaways on their blogs so get there quick. I’m going to do something similar towards the end of the month to celebrate a year of Witchmountain ( just need to decide what to giveaway…)