28 April 2015

Paint + Play = Fun!

Well I have a new addition to the family....  another baby.. oh OK baby Gelli
4" round
It joins these two.
8"x10" and 3"x5"

There is a video on the Gelli Arts blog on using the round Gelli - take a look here.


This is my second play time.  I didn't follow the instructions... instead I stamped the entire page with solid block colours, overlapping.  Then laid various stencils on top and stamped through with the Gelli.  Quite pleased with my effort.

I have loads of stencils... and got a bit carried away the other day cutting files on my Silhouette Portrait.  Thought I'd cut 15 stencils, but actually when I added it up, its nearer 21!  Some free files and some purchases from the Silhouette Store.

26 April 2015

Sunday Share 26. 4.15

I picked out a random sketchbook to look at and found this.

I joined in with an Exhibition for the Embroiderers' Guild, taking inspiration from the contents of a museum in Leiston, Suffolk.

I have now participated in several of this kind of inspirational events, and enjoy them immensely.
So opening random page I found this, dating from 2009.

Its just a list of things I found within the museum.

Onto the next page and we have

A written list of ideas, you will see at the top, production line - make lots of the same thing.  Smells of oil, use oiled paper.
On the righthand side is a bit of artwork looking at rust effects.

I don't like large sketchbooks, as I find them a bit too cumbersome to physically hold.  However, I'm not adverse and frequently add extension pages in my notebooks, which is what the art page is.
Flipping over the page and I found a pocket and discovered this inside.

It says rust samples - but can't be in the true sense because of course its various forms of gold leaf.  However I am struck by the teeny stitching, how neat it looks and I should do more of...

Actually I'm finding this a worthwhile exercise to revisit things and remember, totally forgotten about this sample.

Wonder what I will find next week?

Facebook






23 April 2015

Been Here and There....

Quite often in my diary I have everything hit in a short space of time, and then no appointments. So once again I find myself in the space of eight days with a mix of textile art experience.

Firstly, local Embroiderers' Guild branch meeting.  Guest speaker was Wendy Smith on Goldwork.  Wendy is a friend to our Branch as she used to belong before moving out of the immediate area, and many of us, inc me studied City & Guilds Embroidery alongside her.
So as well as all the beautiful work, and the mass of knowledge Wendy shared, it was a nice catch up.

Few days later and its the monthly meeting of The Material Girls.  So much exciting stuff, planning and sharing.  Its hard sometimes to feel I should belong when out of bags and folders appears this amazing work.  I'm consolidated on two ideas, just need to think of something else - well I have, just not sure it would fit in, or just my mind racing away.  Probably change that idea a zillion times from end product anyway.  The other two pieces are on at least version three.

On way home I went to see a textile exhibition, well nearly got to see it.  Hrrumph.  Popped in, asked to be directed elsewhere, which I was, said OK I'll be back in few minutes, only to get back and find sign on door to say "popped out for 30 minutes".  So wish I could have done a scene like in Pretty Woman - mistake, huge.  So I had to settle for look through window.

Next it was to the Conference of Eastern Region Textile Forum.
Someone always has to drive a long way as its a big Region to cover - but this time it was my turn to be local, bliss.  Upcyling the theme.  Guest speaker Lisa Tilley who breathes new life and purpose into vintage bags and china.
We also had a hands on practical.  Each of us had to make a newspaper bag and fill it with five items.  We were then given someone else's bag plus an inspiration pack and had to turn it into something.
This is the bag I collated for someone else.
I don't believe Suzanne was impressed by the sticks and tea bag!
In turn I received this one
and very pleased that I managed to use all 5 items in my make!  A n d  a piece of the newspaper!

Paperwork is out for the next ERTF selected exhibition.  "Order and Chaos" - so will have to think about that, and already noting for 2016 diary.

Whilst at the Conference DH was in Norwich and visiting the Castle Museum, so he was told, you must go and see the Lorina Bulwer samplers and bring me back a postcard!  Click the name to take you to the BBC tv programme.
Glad to say he is well trained and obliged.

A complete mixture of things in such a short space of time.




19 April 2015

Sunday Share - 19. 4.15

Another posting to compliment the Sunday Share on Facebook.

Its been interesting pulling out what I think is my first ever Sketchbook post college, well post Embroidery studies.  As usual I'm surprised looking back at how good somethings are - like looking back on stitching and thinking wow, that is so neat.

In this Sketchbook I came across this....
Click on and hopefully it will enlarge to read

I had followed the self assessment course offered by the Embroiderers' Guild Workbook and this is obviously my end self analysis.  Interesting to look and see that some things have not changed, noting the date of September 2001.  I wonder if this is less about not knowing or trying to extend and explore, and more the self doubt which seems to plague artists all the time.
I've done many workshops etc on self evaluating as an artist, and they all say it should be done regularly, well its probably 3 years since I tentatively did it last time, and much has changed.  Time to do it again..... but it is scary!

So the pretties from the Sketchbook this week.  I found this, under a layer of protective glassine paper.



Its dated August 2001.  "Leftover wallpaper paste plus teeny pva, plus Brusho and sprinkles"
The sprinkles are a mix a paua shell, and teeny beads which I think may be called caviar beads, and sequin confetti stars, ie the ones without holes in, which was all the rage to sprinkle over tables or throw a handful in a birthday card.
Love the colours, and surprisingly, everything is holding up well, though of course its firmly on the page, so who knows if it would disintegrate otherwise.
Oh, and I must learn to write more concise notes for self... and worse, when I add notes to multiple things on a page, I've no idea if they relate to the image to the left of them or right or below.  
See you next week

Hopefully in between I'll update on what else I've been doing, as usual, its my 8 days where everything happens at once and then nothing.








12 April 2015

Sunday Share - 12. 4.15

If you follow my Page on Facebook, then you will know I have a Sunday Share, with a photo of my work.
I started this back in November, in response to seeing another's work.  I looked and thought hang on, people love that, and I have work in a series of that ilk, hrrrumph, I'll show it off.
So from 2nd Nov 2014 to end March 2015 every Sunday I've shown a piece of my art.  I do have more I can show, but partly felt like a change and partly some things need to remain hidden until exhibition.

So last week from beginning of April, I decided to switch the share and to take a look through my Sketchbooks.

Last week, I showcased this.
At first glance it might appear to be a zentangle, but actually it isn't that at all.  Its actually all about working out how to offset a square within a square so it appeared to move around.  The pen patterns were only made as a way to distinguish the individual squares so I could see them!  This dates back to 2011 and quite why I wanted to know how to do this, I've no idea, as I never did anything more with it.

This week, I've shared this, dating back from 2001:
This is me... I'd love to have the Sketchbooks of gorgeousness I see others have.  But my sketchbook keeping is really very very practical, often contains lots of diagrams and measurements.  I can visualize things much easier in my head and constructing, than in any form of paint, collage, drawing.  I've never worked it out, why what's in my head doesn't come down my arm into a pencil and paper - but does if I use fabrics and threads.  I'd still love the beautiful books, but have to settle with knowing that's not me, just far too practical for my own good.
So the above was made - likely why there's a tick!
Its black velvet, with a page from a book, overlaid with wooden sticks and machine Or Nue over the top  Took ages to sew in all those ends, and as if that wasn't enough - there are two more!

I hope my non pretty sketchbook sharing, will help others in weeks to come, who thought, as I did, that I HAD to produce the colourful, arty handwritten, inspiring, bulging wow factor  books.  So please visit my Facebook page for the briefest of info on Sunday Share, and the intent is to add thoughts behind the pages here.
See you soon.
Facebook     My website.