Magazines

I would love this posting to have something pretty on it.... but alas nothing to show to you.

I might finally be getting some time back for creating, and yes, today at our EG meeting I did take out a needle, whoah, almost needed a lesson it what it was used for!.

I have been spending money... renewed my subs via the EG for Embroidery magazine.  I've been taking it since 1992, sometimes there are issues not so good, but I can't for the moment imagine not having it.  I also decided to renew my sub for Quilting Arts.  Hesitant, but also feeling the need to keep something going, and I get it via digital sub, so not so much money.  I've decided not to renew the sister magazine, Cloth Paper Scissors, although I've had that since Issue 1.   I went online to discover that the last issue of The Bonefolder has just been issued.  Its a free online magazine for the book arts.  So downloaded that to complete my collection.  Alas bit disappointed with my other book arts magazine.  Dogeared  it stopped publication a while back, but with the promise that all subs would be honoured.  Well I am still owed FOUR magazines.  As I wrote recently discovered that another issue has been published, available as an e-mag.  Well I've done as requested, sent in my info to get my copy..... nothing.  Chased it up via another direction...... nothing.  I won't quite write this off, dealing with the wrong person, if I'm owed something I won't let go without a big fight, and I've barely started on this one.  Someone hold my coat!!!
Oh oh oh, we have a new laptop, hooray.  Went into that well known, usually out of town computer shop, to buy, from the usual 12 year old staff member.  Him indoors asked about a particular model and got the ever helpful duh response!!  Well what about this one, sorry can't sell you that one.... oh OK then in the words of Pretty Woman, 'big mistake, huge' - no sale for you then.  4pm ordered a laptop online from a large none electrical store - next day arrived 1.30pm and via FREE delivery!  Obviously in these dire financial times, some people want your money!!!

Forthcoming Exhibition

Make a Note - this is the first of many Exciting Exhibitions to come this year with The Material Girls. As you can see its a collaborative project between The Material Girls here in the UK and Articulation in Canada.
I am still working on a piece for the Exhibition, not saying what it is, but it will be colourful and has involved a huge amount of scissor wielding!!
I expect there will be a flurry of activity soon in terms of opportunities dropping through the ether.  Another reason for keeping my little year book, you get to see the timings of when people send out information, how far in advance etc.
It is my intention to take each opportunity I come across and assess it on its merits, and more importantly me on my timescale, and ability to fully embrace, as things have radically changed, at least for a few months.  It will all even out in the end, just might be a bit full on at times.
But 2012, you've lots to view in Essex from The Material Girls. so do come along and see us.

Getting Organised

Oh, first, Happy New Year.  Its a bit later than I'd intended but I'm getting myself up to date with things, printing off mini calendars to stick in notebooks etc.  I used to have one notebook for everything, but actually it does get rather heavy and also confusing, searching through pages to find what belongs to what organisation, and over time I've found some places I go, I only ever write half a page, so pointless to heave a heavy tome about. So these days I have a notebook for each, much easier to just grab the red one on this day and the green one on that. I've also made myself another year book.  You can read all about the how, what, why in this posting  I did hesitate about making another, number 7, but it does prove to be very useful.

It just has to be patterned paper - and this is Tim Holtz. Vintage Shabby - which I love.  The cover is a textured paper which I bought at one of those 'fill a wallet' stands.  It will have the year added on the front at some point.  It will also have bells on!!!  Yes really.  I have a couple of bells on a split ring which will attach to the spine - so useful to then be able to find the book!!!  Wobble the table, smack the shelf, and it will ring to say I'm here!

In the back of the book I also keep a list of forums etc I belong to and my sign in details.... I thought I ought to check out and upgrade the info.   Dogeared Magazine which is a publication about book arts has a forum do dah..  Publication of the magazine itself has disappeared and lots of us are still owed issues.  But the promise has been that they will appear,  Well checking the forum, thinking perhaps I ought to ditch it, been such a long time... and what do I find, next issue of the mag is available for download for those who were subscribers.  So I hope to get access to it.  But odd... I have the blog in Google Reader and there's been no notification on there, so its only pure chance I discovered, and I don't know when notification was put up on the forum site.

In the meantime I'm toying with the idea of continuing with Quilting Arts for another year..... change of editor, may bring about changes, as such things often do.... so thinking about it.

How about something pretty

This is Rico PomPom yarn.  I'm using Tunisian Crochet to make..... well its a thing!  I tend to call these pieces Therapy work.  Its an itch to scratch, either in terms of the need to get back in touch with crochet, or to play with a ball of yarn.  I can't knit - well its more like pushing a snowball uphill - but lots of these lovely fancy yarns don't show how you can crochet with them.  I've chosen Tunisian Crochet, because I can push the pom poms onto one side.  It may turn into something, perhaps another cat blanket which the cat sniffs looks at and declares "you expect me to sit on that".  But its bright and cheerful for these dull grey days of Winter.