“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

 

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

“One For Sorrow” ?

A little bit of good news today as I got a call to say I’ve sold a piece of work at the Saltbox gallery!

The Magpie was a print and embroidery sample for Minor Project during my degree at CCAD and its sale has given me hope that my new policy of NOT saluting Mr Magpie every time I see a solitary one, is actually bringing me luck. On this basis I think I will turn all superstitions on their heads and make a point of walking under ladders, putting new shoes on the table eating late blackberries!

I’ve been messing about with my bear drawing, creating brushes and simple repeats. Now I need to test my printer to see if the nice man in Ink to Print has managed to unblock the magenta print head.

Tomorrow I will be in York, helping Lindsey Murray with her stand at the Guild Hall…an early start so wish me luck, I’m not so great at mornings!

Have a good weekend.Enjoy Halloween x

Hibernation

Semi- hibernation here on the mountain as I have a cold which is making me feel very sorry for myself. So, “what’s new?!” I hear you say…Ok, I know, but this week all my new toys have arrived ,so soon I will be busy and inspired for sure.

I hung this piece of dyed and screen printed fabric on the line earlier and loved the way the sun seemed to make it glow. Its going to be a little skirt shape once I do a bit more to it.Yesterday I was supposed to take my work over to Les Prince’s to get framed but I just had to have a day with “Norwegian Wood”, hot lemon drinks and  a soft green blanket. I’m loving that book even more second time around,and with it all things Japanese , so it was lovely to get these beautiful stamps this morning when my Gocco machine arrived!! Now I just have to figure out the instructions ( not in English so hmmm…) and think of something to draw to make a print ( I’m guessing bears but …watch this space).

Its a shame some of the stamps and cancellations were ruined by the nasty sticker slapped on by Royal Mail. I think I’m belatedly turning in to a stamp collector, oh no,what next, train spotting?!

Wish List : A plane ticket to Canada so I can go to Nick Bantock’s studio/gallery in November.Or Spain in May?….

A space to work in that isn’t the kitchen!

A clear head.

Love, peace and inspiration.

x

“Honey Pie”

Today I had to dash out for another Haruki Murakami fix, having finished “After The Quake ” last night. One of the stories, “Honey Pie” was so good I ended up reading it about three times! You can read it on the link above and see if you can guess why I loved it…

The only one I hadn’t read wasn’t in the bookshop so I got “Norwegian Wood” which I borrowed from a friend years ago.Looking forward to getting snuggled up with that tonight.

I’ve been doing some wool embroidery on to the print I made the other day. I’m going to have to search for some more old blankets soon so that I can have a go at that winter coat I keep thinking about. Meanwhile I’m wondering what on earth to do about my printer because its refusing to print magenta, the print head must be blocked and no amount of cleaning seems to be unblocking it…

Here is a picture of the random magnetic poetry on my rusty old enamel bread-bin. Several ways the words could be re-arranged to inspire me whenever I make toast! Talking of inspiration here are a couple of blogs I’ve been looking at today; Dottie Angel and A Bun Can Dance.

x

“…In another life when we are both cats.”

A beautiful autumn day today, berries and yellowing greens. I feel as though I’ve been sitting here forever watching the big oak tree go through it’s changes; skeleton to spring green, and now just starting to turn golden round the edges.How fast it all seems to have wizzed by.

My friend Jane just called by on her way back from delivering mosaics to the Saltbox, apparently my magpie and owl are up on the walls there .So, goodness, I actually have work in a gallery! The exhibition runs until November so if you’re in the Helmsley area go and have a look (closed Mondays though).

These images are of a piece I’ve been reworking, intending to get framed for the exhibition.This morning my model “Toast” was sunbathing on the garden table, making the most of the last days of summer.

Events this weekend : Designer’s Marketplace is at The Loft in Leeds this Saturday. These events are really taking off and getting lots of good publicity from Tigerprint , PrintandPattern etc.

“The Printed Image” Opens on Friday and runs until October 23rd at the Zillah Bell Gallery, Thirsk.

Purple and Green

Last week was pretty tough as I got rejected by the AA2A Scheme despite having “a strong application” and being asked to apply again next year ( congratulations to Heidi Turner though). I’m now having a bit of an identity crisis as I set myself to thinking which way to head next. Do I concentrate on freelance fashion design or pursue the opportunities that have been offered for exhibitions? I have a problem with calling myself an “artist” so, hmmm.

So, I managed to get this piece finished last week but don’t think I’m going to be able to get it framed in time for the Saltbox this coming weekend. I’m quite pleased with the colours and textures; I really would love to make a winter coat out of this wool, with panels of rich embroidery and print.

So, now that I’m not going to be able to use the college’s print rooms I’m going to have to save up for some more heat transfer paint and ideally a small heat press. I’m also toying with the idea of getting a “Gocco” printer…but first I need to build up my motivation and confidence somehow, then everything else will start to go right ( ??!)

( Reading: “Hard Boiled Wonderland and The End of the World” Haruki Murikami, Listening to : a large rat or something thats chewing up the attic !!! “System 7 “at Thimbleberry)

“The Return of the Native”

Rain, rain, rain.The beginning of September has brought an end to a fairly miserable summer for me, “things can only get better” ( touch wood)! The heather on the moor is almost finished and the leaves are slowly beginning to turn.

I started doing these designs for New Leaf but have decided to rework them as possible pieces for an exhibition in October, since although I love the dull colours I’m fairly sure they are not “on trend” for kids fashion.

So, this evening I’m hoping to do a bit of drawing, coffee drinking and being inspired by “men and sheds” ;instead I expect my thoughts will be with a certain airplane, making its way back from Canada…a little too early and a little too late.

Meanwhile, you just have time to head over to Louise Broomhead’s blog and leave a comment in order to win a set of her lovely cards.Another event you might be interested in is VenetiaRed’s “Dress to Impress and Destress” tomorrow night in Middlesbrough.(Details below)Unfortunately I won’t be able to de-stress as I’ll be at work more likely feeling distressed!

I also received an e-mail from Catherine Howard a designer maker and technician from CCAD who is starting a networking group for people working in the creative sector. The first meeting is on September 19th at the Ship Inn, Low Road, Middlestone, County Durham. DL14 8AB. Tel. 01388 810904.( contact Catherine if you want more details cjhoward01@hotmail.com)

Ok, thats enough free publicity! Back to the sketchbook.

“Here Comes the Rain Again…”

I’m building an ark out of blankets and thread and old tequila bottles; the rain has flooded the road and the water in the taps looks like Taylor’s “Golden Best”. What happened to the “Barbecue Summer” we were meant to be getting?

I haven’t been writing much here lately, but I have been busy, still working on my cathartic pieces,in between some dress designs for New Leaf. I realize these little embroideries are probably meaningless to most people but I’m enjoying adding to them slowly…most recently some patches printed on sand-washed silk which feels lovely and printed really well through the inkjet.perhaps they are a bit too personal though and I would not be able to part with them if I needed to? Hmm, I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it.

New Designers was last week and it was great to hear that Holly Flanagan,from CCAD,was picked for Texprint and her work featured in their photo shoot . I’m also glad that I picked out her work as being one of the best in the degree show, so maybe my sense of fashion and design isn’t as rubbish as I was beginning to think!

Yesterday, before the rain, I went to Helmsley Open Air Pool and swam up and down until I was worn out. watching the swallows swooping down to drink from the pool and just about managing to keep pace with a lady wearing big glasses and a huge, battered straw hat.Its lovely swimming on your back looking at the clouds and I kind of hoped it would pour down just to see what it felt like.

(Reading : “So Many Ways To Begin” Jon Mcgregor, “The Wind- Up Bird Chronicle” Haruki Murakami Listening to: “To Heaven By Water” on Radio 4, “Owner of a Lonely Heart” …still !, the rain)

Summer Games

It must be a sign! The rainbow yesterday landed exactly on the name of my house, now…, where’s that crock of gold?!

Yesterday was Osmotherley’s annual decent into madness, “Summer Games”. Starting as a fun day out for all the family, it soon degenerates via the yard of ale, crash the crocks and welly tossing;although this year the inter-pub tug of war was banned due to health and safety fears (hmmm, the yard of ale is “safe” then?!) Anyway, I’m feeling a little fragile today (no I didn’t do the yard!) but managing to do a bit more to these small pieces which I’m planning to frame as a series of about 6.

It was so encouraging to have my work admired by so many people last week and  I’m beginning to realize that the pieces that get the most comments are those that have got “feeling” behind them.Out of adversity and all that…my bears are part of an ongoing story, made out of love rather than the intention of making money, so ultimately more satisfying I think…

The exhibition in York turned out to be really useful, with quite a few invitations to run workshops and give talks.So, even though I’ve been feeling a bit sad and nostalgic about the excitement and promise of this time last year, I guess so long as you keep trying the handles, new doors will always open.

Now tonight I must have an early night with a lovely Lush”Karma” bath and a new book to start.

(Listening to: “Owner of a Lonely Heart” dance version. Reading: “Amsterdam” Ian McEwan. )