Only just time for tea

I've had an extremely busy week including visiting Dad on the Isle of Wight and a trip to Ikea to buy new desks for my work room - thanks to John and Trish for the lift and help lifting heavy flat packs. I have put together one under-desk cupboard, but my back suggests leaving the other one for a few days. Eventually I should have continuous worktop along one wall which will also accomodate my new computer.  Hopefully I will be able to fit everything in. At the moment every gap is filled with a folder or a box, my new arrangement won't have so many gaps!

I have made time for one project in my sketchbook.  I have used a favouite teapot as the starting point. May do a bit more work on it at some point.

It is nearly the end of October, so I am going to work on my November calendar page now as I've another busy week ahead with more family visits and appointments with the vet and the hairdresser! I don't know why, but appointments each seem to take up half a day since I retired.  I can't believe I used to fit them all in with working full time!

Hope you all have a good week and see you in November!

Jill

The weeks fly by...

Thank you all who wished me well after my tumble - I'm fine now. No lasting damage, although my back is always a bit dodgy, as many of you who are fellow sufferers of chronic back ache know.  Falling over is not recommended!

I have been really getting into my sketchbook course.  It is helping get back into a creative mode.  Hopefully it will also push me into some textile work.  Meanwhile I have been getting into cut out pages -

the edge of the right-hand fork is cut out and turns over to reveal -

this page with pink fork and some rubbings on a cut out jug.

This was an experiment with large scale washes - not totally happy with these - yet.

Wax resist experiments ...

and a more finished piece.  The wax resist and rubbing has been really great for getting me away form  finicky detail, which has its place, but can obsess me!

I'm in for another busy week - but I will try to keep up with you all

Have a great week

Jill

Catching up

Thought it was about time to catch up although not a great deal has been happening on the home front. However last Monday I took my camera out for a walk on Sharpenhoe Clappers to enjoy the last day of the 'heatwave'.
I bought myself an impromptu sandwich and ate it sitting by the car park enjoying this view, with the wind blowing in my hair.

Then I set off along the path ...

to emerge with a view across Bedfordshire.

Although very sunny, it was hazy in the shadows and I think the Travellers' Joy (aka Old Man's Beard) that smothers the hedgerows gives these bushes an almost eery appearance 

 It was very windy on top of the hill and there was the continual clatter of beech masts falling from these magnificent trees.  It looked as if someone had been trying to improvise some shelters with fallen logs.

As well as the magnificent beeches I love ash trees. Their leaves make a beautiful tracery against the sky.

I always like to keep my eye on the ground too ...

...however unfortunately, when I was nearly back at the car and on the tarmac path, I turned my ankle on a beech mast and hit the deck.  I was thankful that I had put my camera in my bag and managed to avert an expensive trip!  However I did cut my hand and knee AND TROUSERS.  It was a good job no one was around as I must confess to uttering a loud expletive as I landed.  If any of you watched Steven Fry's Planet Word you'll understand that this was to relieve the pain.  Luckily no lasting damage was done, although I was so cross with myself - I have very wobbly ankles and have to take care.  I had picked my way gingerly across the rough ground, but with the car in sight I let down my guard! I have said before that I can turn my ankle on a sixpence and devoted a whole post to my tripping disasters here.

Kitchen shelf

I am finding the Creative Sketchbook course with Design Matters great fun, and I am very impressed with the material and immediate feedback. I would not hesitate to recommend it (It's full at the moment) if Linda and Laura Kemshall run it again. I have finished the first module so here are a few more of my pages.

forks,

knives

and spoons.

I'm moving out of the kitchen now and into colour!

My best wishes to all of you - several of you seem to be having a bit of a rough time lately, and what ever you do take care - watch out for those beech nuts - tripping hazard!!

Glorious October!

Well there goes September

and in comes October in a blaze of glory.  Looks a bit of a muddle here but I painted the background in the garden surrounded by beautiful sunshine and warm autumn colours. I used water colours and my water brush.  I scanned a page and printed out a couple of sheets for the squares.  They'll stand out more when written on. 

I was inspired by my previous page in my journal which I wrote about in my previous post.