Up and Coming

I'm back to singing that song again... "busy doing nothing, working the whole day through, trying to find lots of things not to do"
Actually I'm doing a lot of work on a website for a group, lots of on the job learning and doing.

Coming up........
~ Embroiderers' Guild Branch Workshop - 10th August - with little moi, practical afternoon making simple books:

~ Hand and Machine Made Cords 22nd August - click on the link for the venue information.
See previous post for details.

~ Rochford Art Trail, 19th-28th September.  This is my venue.  No, not the inside, you will be looking through the window!  So I will be open 24/7.
For any of you on Facebook, search for Rochford Art Trail to find their page.  Each artist has been asked to submit photos, so its ongoing, but there are taster images appearing, full of wow!

Last Friday, I went out and bought one of these..... 19th July and I have next year's diary!  What's even more jaw dropping is that one day in March has the possibility of being in 4 different places, and not just around the corner, Essex, Norfolk, Suffolk and Herts.  I have this mad life, nothing for weeks, and then everything piles in on one day.

I can also show you these... task for my EG Branch.  We are making a visual record book of techniques.  We each had a colour box and told to use one stitch.  I had the blue so used seeding stitches, then I took a friend's red box and probably my favourite all time stitch, raised chain band.

Right must not take on any more "can you just" - except I've got one more, and to a deadline, sigh.

Teaching and Creating

Roll up, roll up, time to book my class at The Sewing Box.

Tuesday 18th June
not running due to lack of student numbers

NEW DATE
THURSDAY 22nd AUGUST 2013

Hand and Machine Made Cords

Check with the shop for information - places available

The intention is to use the sewing machines on the premises.  The requirements are a few machine threads, for practice use up the threads/yarns from your stash, knitting yarn, embroidery threads, even string!  It is my intent that we work on a rotation, with some learning the machine techniques, whilst others do the hand and others play with some equipment I have.  So everyone goes home with a range of samples, a practical dictionary if you like for future reference.  But what will I do with them?  As well as being accent decoration for pieces of textile art, there's the practical, light pulls, bag handles, jewellery.  These sample techniques will reference to endless possibilities.

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Sigh, I would like to be able to show you all lots of lovely work which I'm doing.  I look at artists on Facebook and see masses of creations appearing on an almost daily basis, and think oh dear, where are mine?  However, what I'm involved with is work for exhibitions and displays.  Personally I don't feel it fair on those attending such events to share it widely first, so hence it looks like not much is hapening.  But have a clue....

A very badly painted sketchbook cover.  I really love these sketchbooks so have to do something to them, so I can find the latest, or the one with specific things in.  And to go in it.... mhmmm

Stage 1 in sampling.........







Looking, Buying and Playing

Friday I paid a visit to Art Van Go, for the first day of The Gathering.  I met up with old friends, and new.  Alongside lovely textile work from Bobby Britnell, there were 5 artists showing their practical talents.  More information and photos can be found via the blogs of Lynda Monk and Art Van Go.  I enjoyed seeing the practical and came away with "oooh must try that".
Of course had to do some shopping, well, rude not to isn't it?  Paper of course, another sketchbook, a texture roller, amongst.

Last week I struggled with a supposedly simple paint technique, easy peasy everywhere said.  Huh, right, here's my pile of failures, tried every pot of white gluey sticky stuff I could find, starting with builders pva, the stuff you can stand a spoon up in.

On way home from Art Van Go, I called into Hobbycraft, well one roundabout away, silly not to. As I said to someone, my one pot of school pva cost £30!
By coincidence, next day I saw this on a Facebook page

Playing 'Supermarket Sweep' in Hobbycraft! Such fun!

courtesy of KateCreates on Facebook, see her website

roared with laughter, I can certainly spend loads in 5 minutes, but not get what I went in for, which was the case.
Anyway used the cheapy pva for the technique, and it instantly worked!  So all these articles and videos are forgiven, it is easy peasy - with the right product.  Can move on to next part of the plan.

My bead edgings class didn't happen - suspect it being half term week is a problem.  Wonder about my next offering, Hand and Machine Cords.... simple, practical, decorative.  Tuesday 18th June contact The Sewing Box for details.

The intention is to use the sewing machines on the premises.  The requirements are a few machine threads, for practice use up the threads/yarns from your stash, knitting yarn, embroidery threads, even string! Full information from the shop.  It is my intent that we work on a rotation, with some learning the machine techniques, whilst others do the hand and others play with some equipment I have.  So everyone goes home with a range of samples, a practical dictionary if you like for future reference.

Going Forward and Standing Still

Do you think things happen in batches, or just more ready to receive certain information at certain times?
The 'thing' I sorted out on Monday is two teaching sessions at The Sewing Box in Leigh on Sea.  Rachael bought the shop a few months ago and is developing workshops on the premises.  I'd been told by my friend Helen several times, go in and see.  So eventually I did and went back on Monday to finalise.

 

28th May : Bead Edgings

18th June : Hand and Machine Cords

Contact the shop to book

 

I have done this before, and lots of demonstrating things, and even have a mini qualification in teaching  Mostly its been for the Embroiderers' Guild - this will be the first time I've ever done it for a business concern.  I'm also waiting on teaching or giving a demo as part of an Art Trail, and will be teaching again at the Embroiderers' Guild in August.  There's been a gap because of life issues, (hopefully people will stop with the crises now) but even so its weird all these things have hit the front line this year.

I do know that I couldn't do what others do and travel around the country to teach, or to give lectures. I'm more than happy to demo something and share information, but talking about 'me' well that's another issue entirely.

 

And the other batch of things - is a batch of stuff for the bin.  Everything I seem to have touched the past week, has resulted in little progress and satisfaction. I really should pay attention to myself, I am useless when I'm too tired or not feeling right.  I know this, but still I persist, but every time the item ends up in the bin.

I messed up the stitching on this, stitched in the ditch when I shouldn't have, lines not straight etc, don't think I can, or want to rescue this.  Then I prepped another little piece, spent ages cutting paper.  So all ready the next day.  Started off with one piece which I couldn't stitch very well again, sigh.  Then turned to this lovely creation, only to find it on the floor and worse - wheel indentations through it.  I'd run over it on my office chair.  Its paper, no rescuing to be done.
I think I might have to warn poor Jae Maries.  I'm on a weekend course with her this weekend - my plan at the moment is to sit quietly and try not to ruin anything, and just soak up whatever she has to say.
Mhmmmm, another one for the useless effort - four times now I've hit the wrong button and 'lost' this post.  Sigh - perhaps I need chocolate?  Or cake?  Or tea?  Or a dark room?