Drifts of dandelions…

Today , in a maddly out of character burst of energy, I decided to cycle to the village ( to collect my car from the garage). I didn’t rush, fearing that passing drivers would think I was a fitness freak, instead I enjoyed seeing the familiar journey in close -up  and saying the names of plants to myself like some sort of rosary…Cow Parsley,Campion, Stitchwort,Bluebell, Dandelion. Curlews dive bombed me and sheep got suicidal, my legs feel like jelly but it was fun!

More ancient designs to show you today, these involving image transfer and hand embroidery.At least I got the compass the right way round, unlike this time. I’m slowly gathering my scattered work up from various galleries and contemplating whether to re-apply for the AA2A scheme; it could be just the boost I need after a year of gloom and trampled self esteem. Maybe .

So, I’m off to investigate that possibility, since the original plan of planting a row or two of Rocket has been foiled by a giant rain storm. Here is a lovely mosaic of a curlew, on the side of a house in Osmotherley, which I’ve always liked.

( Reading: “Wilderness, the lost writings of Jim Morrison” Listening to: more Elbow and the curlews swooping song, bedtime stories and rain.)

A Little Piece of Heaven

The sunshine does seem to put a different complexion on things. This last weekend felt like a holiday; padding around in bare feet,lounging in the sun reading ( or better still, being read to) and taking an early evening drive to Whitby to eat chips and watch the sun go down. It was lovely having a house full of friends and kids, although I’m sure its not right that the teenagers were all asleep long before the adults!

I told you I got most of my design samples back from the NewLeaf agent didn’t I? Well at least I don’t have to worry about breaking their copyright rules now so I can share a few images with you. The question is, what on earth do I do with nearly 100 samples? What can I recycle them in to?!

You can see Toast,the model for one of these designs, snoozing by the watering can, enjoying the sunshine.

So,how very British to be discussing the weather! But it has been lovely and everyone seems happier, if a little redder! Next weekend Jane Thorniley-Walker is opening up her shed gallery again so if you’re in Osmotherley on Saturday follow the signs and take a look.

(Reading: ” My Other Life” Paul Theroux  Listening to:6Music in general, “The Bones of You” Elbow )

“Slightly Foxed”

Hello from the land of mud and mole hills! I have to appologise for the quality of my photography today; it was very late last night when I took the picture above though. Its not finished yet but as soon as it is I’ll have to get a decent photo so I can add it to my PoppyTalk Handmade virtual market stall which will be online from next Tuesday.I’ve got quite alot to do before then though so mustn’t waffle on today,

Yesterday I found these lovely old books at the village book sale ( This is open every week and raises money for the church roof or something). I wanted to get some old map books to use in my work, or perhaps alter these to use as journals but in the end I’m too well trained and just cannot cut up a book ! Aren’t they beautiful though, with embossed covers and lovely floral designs. They smell musty and gorgeous too.

So, obviously it was partly the titles that appealed to me, ha ha! So here as promised is my Anti-Valentine giveaway……

Only a little offering but its the thought that counts isn’t it? leave a comment before the  18th telling me  the name of your favorite love/ break-up song and as an antidote I could be sending you this cheerful owl card, hand embroidered bear brooch and a set of my little moo stickers….

Share the love. x

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

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

“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

 

Little Pearls

Last night I nearly ran into an owl sitting in the middle of the road in the thick fog…he was lovely, with giant eyes and he didn’t move but just gave me a look as if to say “please dim your lights I’m very busy hunting for my supper”. November is grey, green and rusty brown; everything seems to be covered in spider’s webs and little pearls.

My Gocco owl prints needed jazzing up a bit so I added a bit of heat transfer,water colour and random bits of collage.Maybe I’ll be able to sell a few at the Christmas Extravaganza in Osmotherley Village Hall on December 6th if Lindsey will let me share her stand.

Since I last wrote I’ve been having another look at Holly Flanagan’s blog and  Facebook group, discovering her fantastic success since leaving CCAD. She’s designing for Hugo Boss and meeting all sorts of famous artists and designers so HURRAY for a Textiles and Surface Design success story!! I think she might be at the next Designers Marketplace in Middlesbrough so grab a bargain before she gets too famous!

( Reading: last weeks Guardian!   Listening to: Dandy Warhols )

 

Caffeine and Sugar

A wild party in the village to celebrate a friend’s 50th birthday this weekend,so it was nice today to have a quiet time getting down to some work and recovering from the excesses.

My motivation was helped by Lindsey coming up armed with a huge box of jelly teeth (an odd concept…toothbrush shaped sweets…) and a drawing board.Lindsey also works at the Golden Lion and is another of Osmotherley’s artists,currently in her final year of CCAD’s Textiles and Surface Design Degree. So ,coffee and sugar fueled we worked and put the world to rights all day. It really is so much easier to work sometimes when you are not alone and distracted by everything ;so thanks Lindsey and Good Luck to all the CCAD 3rd years!

Now I must do a bit more sewing and then I need to start the last Haruki Murakami  book on my list ” The Elephant Vanishes”, it had better be good, I’ve been saving it because the next one isn’t due to be published in English until 2011( I suppose I could try to learn Japanese before then!)

Until next time – here is a sign that I should have taken more notice of! ;@)

“When You’re Falling, How D’you Tell Which Way Is Down?…”

Ok, I know it’s been a while…is anyone still reading? I stopped saluting at magpies in the hope that my luck would change, and it has , in strange ways; though not always in the ways I’d wanted.

These pictures are from an exhibition being held this weekend in Jane Thorniley-Walker’s newly revamped shed. It’s in aid of Street Child Africa and will hopefully be the first of many.

Here is the work of Heidi Turner and below are some of Jane’s landscapes.Jane also showed some lovely mosaics one of which is an owl which I would have loved to buy if I was a bit richer.

Meanwhile, it looks like a few galleries are interested in showing my work later in the year so I’m hoping to pull myself together and get some new work done.

Please keep reading, I will try to be a bit more reliable in future! x

(Reading: ” The Bedroom Secrets of The Master Chefs” Irvine Welsh, Listening to: “When You’re Falling” Afro Celt Sound System)

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. )