28 March 2013
Embroiderers' Guild 13. 4.13
My local branch of the Embroiderers' Guild have guest speakers at the next meeting. Members of the textile group EAST - please click HERE to go to their website and take a look.
21 March 2013
Spring Repurposing
Well the sun is shining and its Spring, wheeee. Though still cold and still snow appears on the forecast.
And what do we do in the Spring - we Spring Clean, ooooh goody goody. Actually I've come to the conclusion its more to do with more daylight you can see the cobwebs!!
I've done some repurposing, fancy new term given to chucking and clearing out. Sssssh don't tell anyone but there's way too much creative stuff around here.
I have some craft equipment bits which do sit in the back of cupboards and have had to be dusted off. Why don't I just get rid of them. I think its the age old thing of you look and see it cost a lot of money and a bit of self nagging in failing to use, and also its nice to think when you part with somethng you do so for the right reason. Sometimes things need to be binned or go to recycling, sometimes a charity shop can be the answer, but not always with craft items, its nice to think they'd go somewhere where people would benefit from them and use them.
But.... ta dah.... local papercraft shop is having a charity day next Tuesday, 26th March. So I've taken some of my old craft equipment things in to them today. Excellent I've got rid of a few things and money raised with go to support a cancer charity... most of us have unfortunately I guess been touched by cancer, knowing family or friends who need support.
And... I might see what else I can find to take in, one of these things where if I pull, the contents of the entire cupboard might fall on my head!
But I'm in need of something pretty, some colour, fed up with the drabness of this very long Winter.
This is in progress, and for all my doubters who says "but she never does handstitching".
And what do we do in the Spring - we Spring Clean, ooooh goody goody. Actually I've come to the conclusion its more to do with more daylight you can see the cobwebs!!
I've done some repurposing, fancy new term given to chucking and clearing out. Sssssh don't tell anyone but there's way too much creative stuff around here.
I have some craft equipment bits which do sit in the back of cupboards and have had to be dusted off. Why don't I just get rid of them. I think its the age old thing of you look and see it cost a lot of money and a bit of self nagging in failing to use, and also its nice to think when you part with somethng you do so for the right reason. Sometimes things need to be binned or go to recycling, sometimes a charity shop can be the answer, but not always with craft items, its nice to think they'd go somewhere where people would benefit from them and use them.
But.... ta dah.... local papercraft shop is having a charity day next Tuesday, 26th March. So I've taken some of my old craft equipment things in to them today. Excellent I've got rid of a few things and money raised with go to support a cancer charity... most of us have unfortunately I guess been touched by cancer, knowing family or friends who need support.
And... I might see what else I can find to take in, one of these things where if I pull, the contents of the entire cupboard might fall on my head!
But I'm in need of something pretty, some colour, fed up with the drabness of this very long Winter.
This is in progress, and for all my doubters who says "but she never does handstitching".
Just one or two French Knots.
Its one of these things which started off as a good idea at the time, then as you work it, you start with, whose stupid idea was this then? But its quite theraputic and gets to the point where must keep stitching and finish off. The idea was a series of... but don't think I can live long enough to do that. The fear is that with the next stage, I muck up all those hours of stitching, but in the meantime, its Springlike, just what we need.
12 March 2013
A Beverley by Any Other Name
I've been playing puter stuff, and bought myself another domain name:
It goes to my regular website same as previously. But I thought I'd get it to tie in with this blog address, so its one name only to remember, and if you happen to miss out the 'blogspot' bit you still get to me!!! (that's a plan hey?)
Isn't it hard though working out names for such important things. For my regular website address I thought for ages and ages about should it be my full name, or shortened? I decided on the short version, mainly because people often spell my first name wrong anyway. Sing along now, its Beverley with an 'e' not....
Beverly is the male version of the name and the ley is the female. Though its often interchangeable. Indeed I worked with a male Beverley for a few years - and much confusion it brought to the office, getting each other's phone calls.
Then let's not start on should it be a .com or a .co.uk or or or. I went with .co.uk for my own name website because, simple, I'm in the UK and I wanted it known as such.
So why Fibre-Reaction and why .com
Fibre-Reaction was the title of my very first solo Exhibition, chosen, very simply because my work is my reaction and use of fibres of all kinds!
I went with .com this time because it seems to flow nicely when you say it, and matches the blog BUT its the UK English spelling of Fibre so hopefully that pinpoints me to where I am in the world, or where I'm not!
Whichever website name you chose, do please visit, it would be nice to know I'm not just amusing myself!
After all of that, I think I've used up my brain cells for the week - though I'm testing if they can be replenished with chocolate, might need several considered experiments in that regard. Mhmmm may be cake works as well.....
07 March 2013
Creating, Sharing and Laughing
Well its been a busy kind of few days.
Having been ill for a week with one thing I had a few days well and came down with a stinking cold. But I decided I wanted to work on an idea and needed it to take with me at a meeting where we stitch.
Warning to self: Never ever bother to get on the sewing machine when brain is full of fog.
The brilliant nod to Lynda Monk which was in my head certainly didn't pay off,. Straight lines were anything but... I had hoped that the addition of paint would improve it, but no, still don't like. And its got even worse with the addition of beads....
Friday I was out on a textile get together with friends. Invited by Chris, there were about 11 of us for cake, chat and laughter. Amongst them Lynda, Juliet, Miriam, Janette, who have a web presence.
Lynda, generous as always gave us each one of her postcards... she has nothing to fear I can tell you from my above efforts adopted from her latest book.
The discussion was textile likes and dislikes, interesting. Some people tell such a good story behind it, we howled with laughter. But amongst the dislikes:
~ huge requirements list which need a wheelbarrow to carry to the venue and then you only use 3 items, or sometimes none of them!!! We've all had that experience I think.
~ things like dyeing or paper making which of itself is OK - but the disporportionate amount of time then needed to do the clearing up and putting away.
~ impulse buys of threads which are beautiful but fall off the spool and knot as soon as opened.
~ impulse buys of fabric which is beautiful but hugely expensive, just because the tutor brought it.
~ sharing things with others when you've kept them pristine, turn your back and they've been opened, unravelled, spread out all over the table.
Its said that we learn more by our mistakes, and some of those present keep these things in a prominnent place to remind not to do that again.
Monday I helped to take down A Taste of Textiles at Maldon. No sales for me, but not a surprise. But it seemed well received on the whole.
Tuesday one of my stitchy meetings, Kathleen who has moved to Herts, came down to see us. She travels by bus and left at 6.40am to be with us. So good of her to do that, and we had a lovely catch up.
In my capacity as ERTF web person, I've added the next Conference details to the web. "Marketing Your Artwork with Karen Jinks. Please check it out, open to non Members. The conferences are not of the subject type you normally find for textiles.
Saturday I'm off to the local EG - its a practical stitchy afternoon, a surprise in waiting. "Out of the Comfort Zone"
And next Tues its Material Girls so need to bash on with my project.
I have 4 regular textile meetings but they all happen within approx 12 day space, which should mean the rest of the month I can get on with things, cough....
Having been ill for a week with one thing I had a few days well and came down with a stinking cold. But I decided I wanted to work on an idea and needed it to take with me at a meeting where we stitch.
Warning to self: Never ever bother to get on the sewing machine when brain is full of fog.
The brilliant nod to Lynda Monk which was in my head certainly didn't pay off,. Straight lines were anything but... I had hoped that the addition of paint would improve it, but no, still don't like. And its got even worse with the addition of beads....
Friday I was out on a textile get together with friends. Invited by Chris, there were about 11 of us for cake, chat and laughter. Amongst them Lynda, Juliet, Miriam, Janette, who have a web presence.
Lynda, generous as always gave us each one of her postcards... she has nothing to fear I can tell you from my above efforts adopted from her latest book.
The discussion was textile likes and dislikes, interesting. Some people tell such a good story behind it, we howled with laughter. But amongst the dislikes:
~ huge requirements list which need a wheelbarrow to carry to the venue and then you only use 3 items, or sometimes none of them!!! We've all had that experience I think.
~ things like dyeing or paper making which of itself is OK - but the disporportionate amount of time then needed to do the clearing up and putting away.
~ impulse buys of threads which are beautiful but fall off the spool and knot as soon as opened.
~ impulse buys of fabric which is beautiful but hugely expensive, just because the tutor brought it.
~ sharing things with others when you've kept them pristine, turn your back and they've been opened, unravelled, spread out all over the table.
Its said that we learn more by our mistakes, and some of those present keep these things in a prominnent place to remind not to do that again.
Monday I helped to take down A Taste of Textiles at Maldon. No sales for me, but not a surprise. But it seemed well received on the whole.
Tuesday one of my stitchy meetings, Kathleen who has moved to Herts, came down to see us. She travels by bus and left at 6.40am to be with us. So good of her to do that, and we had a lovely catch up.
In my capacity as ERTF web person, I've added the next Conference details to the web. "Marketing Your Artwork with Karen Jinks. Please check it out, open to non Members. The conferences are not of the subject type you normally find for textiles.
Saturday I'm off to the local EG - its a practical stitchy afternoon, a surprise in waiting. "Out of the Comfort Zone"
And next Tues its Material Girls so need to bash on with my project.
I have 4 regular textile meetings but they all happen within approx 12 day space, which should mean the rest of the month I can get on with things, cough....
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