tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44652669828398810972024-03-14T07:17:18.894+00:00Third Age MusingsChronicles of a mature learnerJillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18410318976755292700noreply@blogger.comBlogger393125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4465266982839881097.post-6479169929963130342016-09-05T14:26:00.000+01:002016-09-05T14:26:16.758+01:00EXHIBITION<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Hi there - another quick blog showing our exhibition. I do apologies for the poor photos which I took on my phone. Sian Fenwick has much better ones on her Facebook wall. The work covers a wide range of techniques, and each work has an accompanying story which are only briefly alluded to in the exhibition labels, we leave the rest up to your imagination.</div>
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Sian Fenwick</div>
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Stephanie Edwards</div>
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Caroline Kirton</div>
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Jackie Bennett</div>
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Jill Taylor</div>
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Linda Gifford</div>
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Marian Murphy</div>
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Jackie Hodgson</div>
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Joanne Bowes</div>
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Catherina Petit Van Hoey</div>
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June Faulkner</div>
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Helen O'leary</div>
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Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18410318976755292700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4465266982839881097.post-8665197864718999312016-08-27T15:46:00.000+01:002016-08-27T15:46:45.344+01:00Things you may not want to know … and things you might...I've been having some health issues this year and although I have restrained from talking about them on Facebook and my blog, I thought I would share some of my experiences. Hopefully this will help others suffering similarly to talk about their problems and also to enlighten their friends and families.<br />
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There have been some great breakthroughs in the acknowledgement of the fight with cancer many people go through, and the discussions of mental health issues have done a lot to breakdown the misconceptions held over stress, depression and anxiety and so on. However my problems are with my bowels, and this is something that is still difficult to discuss. Although I am quite happy to share my problems and symptoms, I am very sensitive to the fact that many people do not want to talk about toilet matters. It is very hard to judge when one should stop when explaining why you cannot go out, or why I need to feel I have easy access to a loo. For many years I have suffered from what I thought of as IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) and possibly still do, but in May my symptoms became more alarming which resulted in my GP referring me for an urgent colonoscopy. This has resulted in a diagnosis of mild Ulcerative Colitis. This is related to Crohn's Disease which is a much more life changing and a serious matter. However I am much reassured and hopefully newly prescribed treatments will prevent me from having bad flare ups. This is coupled with a brilliant service run by the the Luton and Dunstable Hospital which means I have daily access to a nurse to answer my questions on-line, and the ability to log symptoms, treatments etc. It is call "Patients Know Best". The principle being that the patients are the most knowledgable about their own symptoms and with guidance the best to managed day to day treatment. Hopefully my disease will remain on the mild spectrum, but what a brilliant service! I have been on a steep learning curve. I have learned Irritable Bowel Disease (IBD), as opposed to IBS, is an autoimmune disease in which the body attacks itself and caused identifiable inflammation in the digestive system, whereas IBS seems to be much more of a mystery. However both seem to be affected by stress and anxiety. Interesting IBD doesn't seem to have any identifiable food triggers whereas in some people IBS does. My doctor suggested I read as much as I could about the syndrome/disease - something I thought many GPs discouraged, but educating myself made me realise how many people's lives are ruled by their bowel, so this is a brief educational blog. My symptoms showed up after two nasty bouts of bronchitis and a cat bite which resulted in me having three lots of penicillin in a short period of time which may have trigged the more acute flare-up.</div>
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Typically this is what happens to me when anxiety, stress or a break of routine occurs … We are having a stressful week with mother-in-law being rushed into hospital, very frail and confused. Unfortunately travelling to Oxford to see her Wednesday has put my digestive system out of kilter and we have had to cancel going to a concert Thursday evening. Change of routines, travelling, disruption to regular meals times all see to be triggers for me, which is why I hate to commit myself to being somewhere or having someone depend on me. And of course the anxiety of feeling that I may be letting someone down adds to the likelihood of symptoms. I'm the only driver in my family and we want to go and see her again soon, but the prospect of a 90 mile round journey over bank holiday is worrying if you cannot rely on your bowels!! </div>
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(By the way m-i-l stable and being well looked after)</div>
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Okay that's enough of that, but I hope to raise awareness of these rather unacknowledged complaints.<br />
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I <i>have</i> managed to do a bit of sewing in the meantime. So here is a more light hearted catch-up.<br />
Way back in April we hung an exhibition at Ashridge Forest Visitor Centre as part of the Nation Trust/Embroidery Guild's combined effort to celebrate Capability Brown's tricentenary. He didn't do a lot on the Ashridge estate, but he did shape what is known as "The Golden Valley" which was the inspiration for my quilt here.<br />
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Hanging the show was quite an experience as the visitor centre had never hosted an exhibition before, but we were pleased with the results. It's on until February if you fancy a lovely walk in the woods, free entry. </div>
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The other exciting thing that has happened is that I am taking part in an exhibition with Herts Visual Arts Textile Group in Hertford Theatre Gallery starting next week. It is called The Fabric of Life and we have all taken on a very different view of a connection with Hertfordshire. The variety of work is great with machine and hand embroidery, woven tapestry, constructed pieces, knitting and felt work. I have three pieces based on photographs I took at St Albans Cathedral. I went to college in Hertford and spent many of my weekends in St Albans, the Cathedral Park being a favourite student hang out!</div>
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Details of Aisle</div>
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'Wall' in hand stitch phase</div>
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'Window' under the machine.</div>
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'Window' (20cmx20cm)</div>
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'Wall' (20cm x 20cm)</div>
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'Aisle' (37cm x 50cm)</div>
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This last piece is a bit more adventurous for me. It started as an experiment. I layered up some recycled cotton, felt and wadding and machine stitched on the arches. I then dyed it using old rusty tools given to me by my father and strong tea, which reacted with the rust resulting in the grey hues. I then added colour with Inktense pencils and hand stitched over this colour. I had intended to make a larger work, but feeling poorly hadn't the energy. I had intended to create a border and make a more 'finished' piece, but this reflects how this is a snatched impression of inside the cathedral. My fellow exhibitors encouraged me to leave the edges rough and with loose threads. This picture is a little dark, the sun has gone today.</div>
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I invite as many of you as possible to visit the exhibition, and if you can make the Private View, that would be delightful.</div>
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Here are some of the photos I took my inspiration from.</div>
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Thank you for sticking with me with this, hopefully my next post won't be so long in coming.</div>
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<br />Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18410318976755292700noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4465266982839881097.post-10461549131080026792016-03-28T15:01:00.002+01:002016-05-10T01:04:15.746+01:00Time Marches on.March is nearly through, so I thought it was about time I posted again. I've just spent another fabulous weekend on a stitch retreat, this time with Jan Beaney and Jean Littlejohn. Despite having a horrible sore throat and other cold symptoms which kept me awake it was everything I'd hoped. Since retiring I have set myself the challenge of developing my skills as a textile artist. The Creative Quilt-making C&G cert. set me off. However I have always found hand stitching more challenging. M<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">achine embroidery gives quick(er) results than hand stitching, but I love the richness of texture and surface detail that can only be achieved with hand stitch. Jan and Jean must be two of the most well known practitioners of creative embroidery, so it was definitely worth listening to what they had to say about embroidery as well as their amusing anecdotes about their travels teaching round the world. They combine machine and hand stitching, embellishing, bonding, dissolvable fabrics, infact any method that produces the effect they are looking for.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">I think the most important thing I've taken on board this year is the need to practice and experiment and then more practice and more experimentation. When you're attending a workshop with a skilled teacher it is so easy to take it for granted that you will be able to go home and apply the skills you've just learned about. I frequently have a go at home with my newly purchase materials and manage, unguided, to make a dog's dinner! So thank you Hilary Beatie, thank you Maggie Grey and thank you Jan and Jean for giving me enough techniques to practice for the rest of my life! Hilary, on the retreat, and Maggie at a demo at Art Van Go convinced me that I must stop being so precious about my sometimes expensive materials and be prepared to create some colourful dog's dinners. I'm not going to improve my results if I don't get experimenting. Jan and Jean impressed upon us that they continually experiment and practice their stitching, never taking anything for granted. I just watched Hilary Beattie's quirky video on Facebook where she talks about how she made herself a career in textile art. Nobody could deny that beneath all of these artist there are years of hard work and an underlying self belief. Hilary shared with her viewers how diligent she was at making a five year plan and then breaking that down into one year, months and weeks - and she stuck at it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">So... time to make a new plan? I did make one when I started out, to learn about textiles. I can say I have covered much that I'd aimed for. So now may be a good time to set out some new objectives. I do not need to plan a career or a way of making a living. I do not want to commit myself to a lot of exhibitions, However I do want a challenge and to move forward. I shall take my time sorting out some priorities and setting myself achievable goals as well as challenges. I will share my journey here, but don't hold your breath, but committing myself here on my blog is the first step.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">I also popped into Art Van Go to see Maggie Grey give a super demonstration of Pebeo Prisme ceramic paints to add a few special effects to her multi media pieces Had to treat myself to a few pots and trialed a few inchies. They are great fun - not sure how I shall be using them, but the effects are lovely.</span><br />
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Here we are at Wyboston - a large group, but we did have two very experienced tutors.</div>
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First evening I took a bit of stitching to bed!</div>
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We practiced textured stitching, trying to raise the surface and make lots of texture.</div>
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On Sunday we all displayed our work Jan and Jean were very supportive and totally inspiring.</div>
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A visit to our local craft shop yielded a few bargains which I have subjected to some dyeing, inspired by Double Trouble, to increase my yarn selection.</div>
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Below are two close up of 3 inch square samples experimenting with depicting a flint wall</div>
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Below: exploring some more ideas</div>
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I keep postponing posting this post! I'm busy experimenting, but if I wait any longer I will have to rewrite the whole thing, so I'm pressing the 'Publish' button and saving anything new for next time.</div>
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Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18410318976755292700noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4465266982839881097.post-65176359069581373192016-02-06T17:04:00.001+00:002016-02-06T17:13:19.266+00:00It's about time...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Oh dear, it's February. No excuses I'll just get on with it...</div>
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Rather shocked by the death of David Bowie whose music I have always loved- he's been one of the artists who has always been part of the sound track of my life. I saw him twice in the seventies and I searched out my badge from the '78 gig. </div>
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I had to make a couple of pages in my journal (written on now) and I keep finding Bowie tracks running through my head, I'm still very sad.</div>
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Mr T go a copy of Black Star last week but we still haven't found the right moment to listen to it.</div>
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The high light of January was my Stitch Retreat weekend at Wyboston Lakes.</div>
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It was a follow-up from last year's gelli print weekend with Hilary Beattie.</div>
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Most of last year's group were there and as quite a few of us have kept in touch via Facebook it was a matter of getting back with old friends so everyone felt at ease straight away. I hope that those new to the group felt that way too.</div>
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After unpacking all of our 'stuff' Hilary took us through a routine for sorting potential material for a new piece. We brought some of our prints from last year and other papers and fabrics we'd dyed, printed etc.</div>
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I've 'stolen' Judth's picture here as I'm in it (back, right). So the first evening we sorted and then worked on our materials till we felt we had enough to create a collage.</div>
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I retired to bed quite early, shattered, only to find when I was in my PJs I'd left my iPad in the work room. It was a long walk back, our bedrooms seem to on the outer reaches of the complex. I didn't quite have the nerve to walk through reception in my flowery jim-jams, but hastily pulled a layer of clothes over the top.</div>
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On Saturday Hilary gave us lots of ideas on developing layouts for collage backgrounds. One of her ideas was to use traditional quilt blocks, but in a much looser way. Here are a couple of pages in my sketchbook using a "log cabin" layout.</div>
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We then used these ideas on our fabric and paper pieces and applied the background to a piece of felt.</div>
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The next task was to stitch the pieces down.</div>
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By Sunday morning everyone had their sewing machines out.</div>
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We finished Sunday afternoon, everyone determined that we should repeat the weekend next year.</div>
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I cannot begin to describe how much good the break did me. Hillary was brilliant at sharing her processes and working methods. Of course everyone works in a different way and this was reflected in our final 'show' when we looked at everyones work. I will include a link to Hilary's blog where you can see the photographs she took of everyone's work.</div>
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I came away with a battery of practical ideas for developing sketchbook work, with ideas for layout and colour. I found one of Hilary's recommendations second hand on the web, and I had to buy some Gelato colour sticks to play with.</div>
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I also came away with a nearly completed piece of work which I have finished stitching at home, and it is now ready for mounting. What is great, is that it is thoroughly <i>me, </i>using pieces I'd stencilled with one of my own designs.</div>
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I tried the mounting method Hilary shared on this little sampler piece. It's part of the Capability Brown project. So I now have a small hanging. When I have time I shall try it on my larger piece.</div>
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Meanwhile I need to get back to my proper Capability Brown piece. I was pleased with the free cut pieced background, and I'm now playing around with ideas for appliqué.</div>
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My weekend away gave me the break I so desperately needed. Home life can be a bit stressful, and I know I can be my own worse enemy. It was wonderful not having to take anyone else's needs into consideration for a couple of days. I'm going on another retreat in March with Jan Beaney and Jean Littlejohn. How lovely that a couple of friends from this weekend will be there too. Looking forward to it very much, and guessing it will be very different. I'm also looking at the possibility of some others later in the year.</div>
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Here are a couple of links to other blogs about the weekend:</div>
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Heather - one of my fellow retreaters: <a href="http://heatherramsden.co.uk/tag/stitch-retreat/"> http://heatherramsden.co.uk/tag/stitch-retreat/</a></div>
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Hilary Beattie - tutor: <a href="http://hilarybeattie.blogspot.co.uk/2016/01/what-wonderful-weekend-we-had-piccies.html">http://hilarybeattie.blogspot.co.uk/2016/01/what-wonderful-weekend-we-had-piccies.html</a></div>
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Hope 2016 is going well for you - so far…</div>
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<br />Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18410318976755292700noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4465266982839881097.post-57977379970118774802015-12-06T15:17:00.003+00:002015-12-06T15:17:54.476+00:00Nearly November… No Nearly 2016!!!I started this post way back in November when I was doing a lot of 'thinking'. I am committed to take part in two exhibitions next year and I like to take my time, considering my options and then ideas seem to come in a rush. Firstly I am part of our local Embroiders' Guild group creating work to celebrate "Capability" Lancelot Brown's tricentenary next year. The Embroiders' Guild has join up with the National Trust and English Heritage to stage exhibitions and events across the country in many of the great houses who employed this man to landscape their estates I am working from <a href="http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/ashridge-estate">Ashridge Estate </a>in Hertfordshire where he landscaped the "Golden Valley"… and secondly I have joined another group exhibiting next October in Hertford. More on that another time.<br />
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I used to visit Ashridge a lot at one period of my life and had no idea of its history. In fact the main forested area was a deer park dating back to pre-tudor times. Brown didn't do a lot there, but it is part of the beautiful Chiltern landscape which I have photographed a lot. As an extra to my Brown piece I have been working on some small collages in my sketchbook and some samples. This turned into creating miniature landscapes which I have pieced together, my Chiltern Ninepatch.<br />
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Work in Progress:</div>
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"Chiltern Ninepatch"</div>
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Sketchbook</div>
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Samples</div>
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Patch rehearsal</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WcTrurkOUMQ/VmQ32P6qYJI/AAAAAAAAFdg/0hE1_rrRlB0/s1600/IMG_2331.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SlfmRAf4RyU/VmQzXWjoYiI/AAAAAAAAFdQ/Tj56ZU2ClCc/s1600/IMG_2316.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SlfmRAf4RyU/VmQzXWjoYiI/AAAAAAAAFdQ/Tj56ZU2ClCc/s320/IMG_2316.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Stage 1</div>
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Stage 2 </div>
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Now do I add more embellishments and then make it into a hanging or a cushion cover?</div>
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The Chilterns around Luton.</div>
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I'm going to publish now - trying to keep in brief and trying to post more often. </div>
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My end of year resolution.</div>
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<span id="goog_1429284933"></span>Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18410318976755292700noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4465266982839881097.post-58636424394058496482015-06-28T15:15:00.001+01:002015-06-28T15:21:34.825+01:00Another month goes byI started this post at the beginning of June, but stopped as I didn't have a lot to say, but June has proved to be very eventful, and now it's nearly over. At the end of May news brought me up short. My old friend from college and then work rang to tell me that her partner of over 40 years has died after a short illness. They lived a very busy life and I had only bumped into her couple of times since I retired. However I have seen her lots of times since and we have spent many hours laughing about our mis-spent twenties, before our social lives went their separate ways. All the clichés about old friends has proved right and we have a few outings planned for the summer. How sad that it took tragic circumstances to bring us back together.<br />
I shall be glad of her company as I have lost a regular slot in my diary. I was totally shocked when Gina contacted the group to say the Spectrum was folding. I suppose it is only natural that these sort of groups run their course but as I am a 'new' member I had no idea things were running down. I feel at a bit of a loss as I had lots of ideas buzzing around for our Gothic theme. I'm going to try to follow them through. I've lost my motivation at the moment. I hope that eventually I can find another textile group to get involved in as there is nothing like working with like-minded people.<br />
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First here is a 'Gothic sampler' quilt I made using lots of the experimental bits of fabric I accumulated trying out techniques and patterns. it is approximately 16x20 inches. I used a method as described by Jane LaFazio in her blog <a href="http://janeville.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/the-start-of-art-art-quilt-in-progress.html">JaneVille</a>. It was very straightforward and a good way to use up lots of bits. I may do another one.<br />
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Here is a collage of my latest Gothic sketchbook pages.</div>
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This is another experiment - this time in stitch only. Following on my interest in the work of Beany and Littlejohn and revisiting the work of Julia Caprara. It was inspired by a page in my sketchbook based on a photograph taken in the garden.</div>
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It is worked in layers of cretan stitch. I now need to decide where to add the pink highlights. it measures about 8x11 inches.</div>
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Meanwhile we are very happy to have had regular visits from a pair of hedgehogs.. We haven't seen any in the garden for years. I've been taking a spot of cat food out every evening to encourage them, but not too much as we have a copious supply of slugs and snails. Mungo has taken to being a night cat since our garden has been taken over by a ferocious blackbird - nicknamed 'Cocky' by me. Cocky is extremely territorial and started off chasing off all blackbird rivals from his patch. Now he has a family in the shrubbery he is picking on the cat who only has to step into the garden to incur Cocky's wrath. At first Mungo just took to skulking in the shadows, but Cocky soon got to spot him, so Mungo just sat in the conservatory and looked out. However he was too close for Cocky's liking, and he charged at the open door, 'pinking' at full volume causing the cat to mew and run for cover. We are very glad the blackbirds' family appears to be safe, but the cat may need to go for therapy!</div>
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Have a good week, and I try to catch up soon</div>
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Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18410318976755292700noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4465266982839881097.post-20458579444653932762015-05-04T18:56:00.002+01:002015-05-04T21:03:04.905+01:00March to May<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Life is moving on here. Mr T will soon be finished with visits from District Nurses and my role as care-giver is moving back to support-supplier. Meanwhile I fill my days with creative activities - I don't get out much. Once a month with the Embroiderers' Guild and again with my textile group - Spectrum are a life-line, as well as Nutty Knitters at Maxine's when it doesn't clash with other dates. Everything seems to happen on a Wednesday. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This is what I've been doing. The photographs are in the order I took them. As you can see, I enjoy working on more than one thing at a time.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div>
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I planned a little dandelion triptych which I started by painting on to pelmet weight Vilene.</div>
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I then filled it in with lots of machine embroidery. Colouring in with the sewing machine.</div>
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I love them and have done some experimental printing.</div>
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I also bought this book by Jan Beaney and Jean Littlejohn as I wanted to add a bit more to my embroidery repartee.</div>
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A couple of days after the book arrived, Stitch Retreats announce a weekend with Jan and Jean at Wyboston Lakes next March!!! I have booked myself a place, what an opportunity!!</div>
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I've stitched a sampler following their idea of combining hand and machine embroidery.</div>
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Mungo is celebrating his year with us by finding novel places to sleep</div>
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Back to the triptych and I'm making the cover by sticking down Expanda Print pieces onto more pelmet Vilene, and then stitching it down...</div>
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My cover gets a couple of coats of gesso then lots acrylic to build up an antique patina.</div>
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The hand embroidery is complete...</div>
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… and the whole lot is then blended together.</div>
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The components for the triptych are read for assembly, but I will live with it a bit deciding if I will add anymore embellishments.</div>
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All of this activity meant my workspace was overwhelmed, so a systematic tidy-up was initiated...</div>
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only to be interrupted by a spangly spillage!</div>
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And finally I managed to put the facing on my little quilt</div>
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I think this is finally finished, although I may stitch on some beads...</div>
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So that is some of what I've been up to, </div>
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thanks for keeping up. I hope I'll have a few more things to show you next time.</div>
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<br>Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18410318976755292700noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4465266982839881097.post-18473959262919702982015-03-18T15:34:00.000+00:002015-03-19T12:05:48.763+00:00Back againHere I am with some time to fill so I thought I'd catch up. Oh, how we wished 2015 would be a good year for us, but it is March already and things are still difficult. Mr T has been back into hospital twice. Once for surgery to correct the problem that made him so ill in October and then again to open up the infection in his wound which set in after he had been home for a few days. He is susceptible to infections and this has happened before, last time we had months of nurses' visits to change his dressing, and in looks like this will be the same. Mr T is an inspiration and his despondent moments are brief despite discomfort, pain and people regularly pulling him about. Last year I was determined to get him to go out and about more, as I was going a bit stir crazy. I get out on my own, but getting my husband out is difficult, but this looks as if this plan will have to wait. Once again we are chasing prescriptions and appointments, juggling medical supplies, trying to guess when orders will arrive, trying not to waste resources, waiting for people to ring us back when we can't get through. This will be familiar to any of you who are home carers. My husband <i>can</i> look after himself physically, but cannot cope with the management side. However for the time being I don't like to go too far from home. My heart goes out to those carers who have to cope with physical care too.<br />
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How lucky I am that I am a creative person, always fiddling about with paints or fabric, dyes or threads, photographs or the computer. And how lucky I am that I can afford to indulge myself in new materials to play with. I've been making good use of those resources and filled up a lot more pages in my Gothic note book. While Mr T was in hospital I took a trip to St Albans Cathedral which has architecture dated from Saxon to the modern. Plenty of examples of Gothic architecture from medieval to Victorian revival.<br />
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When you are going out with your camera with a design brief, you look at your subject in a different way, and on this occasion I wanted to capture pattern and texture as well as examples of the architecture. On my iPad I have an app that will make your photographs look like watercolour paintings. These two turned out particularly well.</div>
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I have also stitched a little sampler based on trefoils and collage a page quatrefoils motifs that are always featured.</div>
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Next I've made a little book. Taking inspiration form Maggie Grey from <a href="http://magstitch.blogspot.co.uk/">Magstitch </a>blog and the Workshop On the Web know as <a href="http://www.workshopontheweb.com/">WoW</a>. I made a little Gothic inspired book, which looks a bit like a Bishops mitre. It's about 7 inches tall.</div>
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I'm particularly pleased with the back. It is a stencil of a church window with transfoil applied to the 'glass' areas which seem to glow.</div>
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Another page in my book has been devoted to Grotesques and Gargoyles, another fascinating subject.</div>
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Meanwhile the new conservatory has been finished, decorated and fitted with a new floor.</div>
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We just have furnishing to choose now. We don't like to rush things round here!</div>
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Well that's all from me for now, it's taken me at least two hours to get this blog done. I've got a bit of sticking to do. I will try and catch up on your posts too. </div>
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Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18410318976755292700noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4465266982839881097.post-62318278072897377552015-02-15T14:01:00.001+00:002015-02-15T14:01:26.924+00:00Using what you know and learning more..<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
My textile group, Spectrum has been given a new them for 2015. I was ready for a new focus, and more than ready to leave wrought iron behind me. Gina gave us the prompt "The Gothic Mind" with the task of exploring a different aspect of the Gothic every month, starting with architecture. </div>
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I had a new good quality sketch book that I had got covered with moulding paste while at my Hilary Beatty workshop and also had stencilled some past onto a few pages that were rather uninspiring at the moment. So I turned the book back to front and collected a lot of Gothic images from the medieval to the modern Goth movement and created a collage for the cover hiding the unsightly splodges.</div>
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Like a lot of people I had a vague idea about about Gothic architecture. Mine started with a school trip after our O Levels when we were given a talk by a vicar about his church and he showed us the difference between Norman and Gothic arches. (Norman arches are round like a penny, think of Norman Wisdom - wisdom of saving pennies - and Gothic arches were pointed like praying hands) I don't know why this stuck in my head, but it did. I think this was the first time I found history interesting, but that's another story.</div>
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I tried some italic writing, only with a felt tip, which I also enjoyed at school, combined with some images from the good old internet, The photograph is of Cromer church which I took a few years back.</div>
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I created the pages using the techniques I learned from the Kemshall's Creative sketchbook course...</div>
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… cutout windows and altering photographs...</div>
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Then I collaged with some of the papers I created with Hilary Beattie.</div>
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I thought I'd try some printing and stencilling paper and fabric. Mungo thought he'd help with pressing my fabric pile.</div>
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Next I'm going to over-dye the papers and fabric with procion dyes. </div>
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We were prettying worn out after all that work! Mungo likes sleeping on my lap for a while, as long as I have my crochet blanket on there first.</div>
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Must stop now and try a bit of dyeing. Have a good week.</div>
<br />Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18410318976755292700noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4465266982839881097.post-81534401879017844192015-02-09T17:27:00.002+00:002015-02-09T17:27:56.352+00:00Refreshed<br />
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I can't believe it's more than two weeks since my weekend retreat with Hilary Beattie. It was just what I needed to charge my batteries. Going away for a weekend with a group of strangers is always going to be exciting, wondering what sort of characters you will meet. Of course we all had a lot in common before we started as we had all seen Hilary's work and were interested in learning from her. Wyboston Lakes is a large complex with an hotel, spa, golf course and conference and training facilities by the A1. We were in the training complex with a hundred-plus psychiatrists, our group of fifteen were somewhat outnumbered but they gave us plenty to giggle about at mealtimes.<br />
I shouldn't think our workroom had seen anything like like us and all our paints, inks and dyes. Poor Nichola who organises the Stitch Retreats was frequently seen on her knees with the Fairy Power Spray and a baby wipe cleaning splashes off the carpet or the wall! Over the first sessions Hilary showed us how to make texture and use a Gelliplate to print lots of gorgeous papers, finally we made a start on some collages in our sketchbooks and on canvases. The staff at the hotel were friendly and helpful and didn't bat an eyelid when we wandered through reception with splattered aprons and painty fingers or raided the garden for interesting leaves or visited the Ladies washrooms with a handful of mucky brushes. Hilary is a dynamic and inspiring teacher and best of all, very encouraging. She is also great fun which helped make the weekend most enjoyable.<br />
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I had been struggling to complete a piece for our show with Spectrum at Textiles in focus at Cottenham Village College. I had started piecing some fabrics, but I wasn't very happy. With Hilary I had started a long narrow canvas, and looking at a rubbing I had made from a card cut-out of wrought iron shapes, which have been my theme a light went on. I cut up the rubbing and stuck it to the canvas and added leaf and flower shapes cut form my piles of various printed papers. I added some stitch and ended up with a piece which I was finally happy with. Here it is at various stages.<br />
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Finally, I'm really enjoying BBC's Wolf Hall and I think I'm just a bit in love with Mark Rylance, what an actor and well done Hilary Mantel for creating such a likeable character from a man with such a shadowy reputation.</div>
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Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18410318976755292700noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4465266982839881097.post-38097330193510330962015-01-11T17:20:00.001+00:002015-01-11T17:20:21.856+00:00What's been happeningTo follow on from my previous post at the end of November, nothing has stopped. Sad to say that my father-in-law passed away on Christmas Eve at the care home, just a couple of weeks after his 97th birthday. We have to say he did jolly well and lived a pretty full life until a couple of years ago, even though his mobility was restricted. He was as sharp witted as ever until his final decline, and we have to be grateful he is released from his suffering and rests in peace.<br />
However as I hinted at in my previous post, all the bits have hit the fan and I have been trying to sort them out with my mother-in-law. I have sorted through three large carrier bags full of envelopes but not managed to file them all yet. Mother-in-law cannot cope with the paperwork from a husband who loved to dabble in the stock market but had no book-keeper or accountant and also kept every scrap of paper going back for years (and years). I've no idea which accounts are current, or sold, or changed names or… you get the picture. Of course when my husband was made executor he was fully capable of managing it, but since his stroke, he has less idea about what to do than me. We <u>are</u> getting some professional advice. I am doing my best to build in a bit of time for myself, and hopefully things will slow down a bit, soon.<br />
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I am really looking forward to my long weekend break in a fortnight, at Wyboston Lakes, a stitch retreat with Hilary Beattie, it may not be restful, but it will be wonderful to have a complete break from stocks and shares. Meanwhile I had a hankering to make some sea themed bunting, I've managed a sketchbook version. Hopefully it will make it onto fabric.<br />
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When sharing my state of affairs with my hairdresser, I said I was coping by saying to myself that I only have to tackle things one step at a time, and he added to make sure some of those are dance steps, which I thought was a great bit of advice. </div>
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So one step at a time, and a with little skip every now and again I leave you with this thought … get your paperwork up to date! (I promise to do mine when I've finished with this lot - really!)</div>
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Have a good week </div>
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Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18410318976755292700noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4465266982839881097.post-39847366702172286802014-11-24T15:54:00.001+00:002014-11-24T15:54:45.489+00:00When?When does one share personal information on the internet and what do you say? My husband is in a long term recovery from 18 days in hospital with renal failure and pneumonia after being very sick and now recuperating before he has surgery for initial problem. My aged in-laws are in crisis and are being stubbornly independent. Although I am grateful for their rejection of help in the past, now a crisis has been reached - mum-in-law has broken collar bone and is doing much of the caring for bed bound dad-in-law - they have had no contingency plans in place. Despite my asking for the information, I had no list of their Care Company phone numbers etc. Thanks goodness for the internet for finding out. Social services are doing what they can, but if they reject help there is nothing they can do. We are a very small family and they live over an hour's drive away and they keep saying they are coping, and I know I must leave them to it - but I worry about them. Should I have been insistent in asking for information, even though I was (usually) kindly told it was not necessary and not to pester as it was making m-i-l distressed? <br />
So now the info is out there. I feel Blogger is a bit more personal than Facebook and haven't mentioned it there although many friends know. I know you lovely people will show lots of support too and I guess that is what I'm looking for as we are all looking for some sort of response when we blog. As a friend says, sometimes lurching from crisis to crisis seems to become the norm, and many people and families are in that situation, although that thought is not much help when you are going through it yourself!<br />
Everyone says that I must look after myself; and I am, early nights and eating sensibly, but my jaw seems permanently clenched and I'm always listening for phone… Thank goodness for my sister and my Dad, who although a bit unwell himself has all angles covered in case of an emergency.<br />
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I have managed a bit of craft work but all larger projects are on hold. My sis came to stay when Mr T was in hospital needless to say she is into a bit of crochet too.<br />
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Mungo likes a bit of crochet himself which is why I'm making him a blanket from the leftovers from my ripple blanket.</div>
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I made one strip about 36x12 inches</div>
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But this week I have been stitching this Motto cushion as demonstrated by Laura Kemshall on Design Matters TV. Might just make another one when I can decide on a motto. Just enough concentration needed to keep my mind off other matters.</div>
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Thanks so much for listening, sometimes it is good to share. I would just say that if you have elderly parents do your best to get some sort of contingency plan in place it would have made life easier, even if it wouldn't have solved all their problems. I will leave you with this picture from FB. It just makes me smile.</div>
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Jill</div>
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Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18410318976755292700noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4465266982839881097.post-27787755376648215902014-10-21T13:42:00.003+01:002014-10-21T13:42:31.663+01:00Golly Gosh ..Golly gosh two posts in one month! Just thought I'd share my finished blanket. It is about 5ft square.<br />
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My crochet isn't as neat as Lucy's of <a href="http://attic24.typepad.com/weblog/neat-ripple-pattern.html">Attic24</a>, but it is lovely and drapes beautifully, and is very snug. I did not expect to finish so quickly but I'm in need of some mindless occupation. I've now decided to use up the left over yarn, plus some more to make a "Babette" blanket. I'd never heard of one until browsing Pinterest. They are made of different size squares. This one will be much smaller, maybe just a metre square. I've made a start.</div>
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What will be fun is deciding how to arrange them. I think I'll join them up as I go along, so I won't be left with a mammoth task at the end. I want something less bulky. </div>
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Mungo has begun to sit on my lap, but only if I have a blanket or a bit of fleece on it. Here he is trying to share the chair with me. So a smaller blanket would be useful. </div>
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He looks so grumpy. However he was there first!</div>
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I've also order some yarn to make a poncho in the style of my scarf on the previous post, but it will be a bit of an experiment. Watch this space.</div>
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Thank you for all the kind mentions about the dizziness. Thank goodness it is not too bad at the moment. I am limiting my time on the iPad, as the way the images swoosh past may have been triggering it.</div>
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Meanwhile I'm putting off sewing, my machine is gathering dust. I have some projects in mind and have been playing in my sketchbooks. However I'm feeling a bit rudderless. I still miss the discipline of following my one-line course. May resort to a few basics to get me going, I'll let you know!</div>
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Don't get blown away, its rather breezy here in Bedfordshire.</div>
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<br />Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18410318976755292700noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4465266982839881097.post-66937899006260903152014-10-02T15:00:00.002+01:002014-10-02T15:02:19.126+01:00The last few months I have been...<div style="text-align: justify;">
When Gina told me yesterday that a mutual contact had asked if all was well with me, I realised how long it is since I last wrote a blog. Although I mainly 'do' Facebook these days I had thought I would try to write a monthly blog but I have failed. There are several reasons for this. Despite the possible evidence to to the contrary I have been going though a protracted blank phase of not being able to motivate myself to do anything. I have had an on-going problem of dizziness since last spring. An MRI scan could find nothing wrong, which is reassuring, but also no comfort when no remedy can be found. The ENT dept put it down to vestibular migraine - dizziness instead of / as well as a headache, but I'm not convinced as dizzy spells last days, even though they're not severe enough to stop me carry on with daily tasks, I don't feel like doing a lot else. Having read something on FB, it could be down to the iPad. The movement of the image on the screen apparently can effect some people, but I had mine a year before the trouble started. I'm going to try to severely ration myself for a week or two to see if it helps. I've tried a food diary and stopped drinking red wine, but can't spot a trigger. A GP said it was down got me to try to figure it out. Sometimes I think it is tension, other times sinusitus. Of course the other factor is, having nothing else to think about. I'm trying to keep busy.. but. </div>
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Now you know why I haven't been blogging, no one wants to read about someone's symptoms. Anyway, since June I have been doing a lot of crocheting. This is productive, repetitive, creative, mindless and soothing.</div>
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I started with a couple of scarves. (Free pattern <a href="http://zootyowlcards.blogspot.co.uk/2014/06/road-trip-scarves-pattern.html">here</a>)<br />
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and now I'm working on a blanket, </div>
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it will be about 5 foot square when finished. I'm about three quarters way through. It is a ripple pattern. Here is a picture from a while back when I just got going on it. (For pattern see <a href="http://attic24.typepad.com/weblog/neat-ripple-pattern.html">Attic24)</a></div>
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In July we had a bit of a crisis when Mungo went missing. Just in the peak of the hot weather he didn't come home for five nights. I was so worried he'd got shut in someone's shed and would die of heat exhaustion. I put out flyers and posters and rang every possible agency short of the FBI. We were just contemplating picking up his bowls of dry food etc. but at 3.30am Mr T got up to visit the bathroom and heard this plaintive cry from the kitchen. There he was! He was very hungry, but otherwise fine. If only they could tell you where they'd been.</div>
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Meanwhile we have had our old conservatory replaced. We had to find homes for all this 'junk'. We did get rid of some of it.</div>
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I'd mainly acquire a lot of the 'stuff' to camouflage a rather ugly, rotting lean-to, but grown rather fond of a lot of it. Not sure how it will fit into my lovely new pristine conservatory</div>
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We now have to decide what we're going to do with the inside.</div>
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On my creative side, I'm treading water. I'm committed to creating a piece for Spectrum next February, but it has been dragging on. I want to get it started, but here I am on the computer, and my brain is hurting. So bye for now, hope you are well and I'll try and catch up on your news too.</div>
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Hope you enjoying this wonderful weather too, I had lunch in the garden today. It would be Mum's birthday, can't remember doing that before on the 2nd October.</div>
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Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18410318976755292700noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4465266982839881097.post-2733260020489945652014-06-15T16:08:00.001+01:002014-06-15T16:08:48.723+01:00June - so far...I think it would be sensible for me just to aim at writing a blog post every month. My time of the weekly or fortnightly blog seems to have past. Facebook has a lot to answer to for that and I know some of you will have seen some of these photos before. <br />
I started this blog with the aim of recording my creative journey and every now and then I come to a lay-bye. I seem to have been at the present one for some time. My engine is still ticking over, and I'm refuelling by acquiring a lot of source material.<br />
My visit to the V&A in April is a case in point. I was interested in the iron work and I have created lots of sketchbook pages.<br />
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I was fascinated by the pattern on this 16th C French padlock (photographed in a glass cabinet),</div>
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and this 18th C German wrought iron gate - given a bit of treatment here.</div>
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I have been exploring cut-outs in my sketchbook ably helped by my new assistant.</div>
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Last week I went on a two day workshop at Art Van Go, Creating Original Designs with <a href="http://hot-textiles.blogspot.co.uk/2014/06/2-fabulous-days-at-art-van-go-10th-and.html">Kim Thittichai</a>. I have had her book Experimental Textiles for some time, so I thought it would be good to work with this rather well know personality of the textile world. She did not disappoint. I had read about her courses and we did what she had written about, however it is such a different experience when you are working in a group with a tutor and a group, rather than trying to do things on your own. </div>
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This is part of my "journey" painting which Kim uses as a starting point to create designs and printing blocks. Below are follow-ups I have been doing at home.</div>
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Above are expanded squares and below a second print block I have created from my "journey"</div>
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We made a positive and negative blocks.</div>
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Painting over the prints with procion dye to gives another effect. Next I shall try some textile samples.</div>
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Well that's it for now. I've just had to have a 'run' round the garden to entertain Mungo. He likes to play 'chase the stick' until it's time for a quick wash! I am left whirling a stick in a circle like a demented dervish while the cat watches me from the sidelines.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xTbAPH514XE/U520ilYxjII/AAAAAAAAFL8/6wufm3MJ84g/s1600/DSC_0001+-+Version+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xTbAPH514XE/U520ilYxjII/AAAAAAAAFL8/6wufm3MJ84g/s1600/DSC_0001+-+Version+2.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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Thanks for popping in.</div>
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Jill</div>
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Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18410318976755292700noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4465266982839881097.post-70243851405866822112014-05-20T12:53:00.000+01:002014-05-20T12:53:08.162+01:00A bit of a wussI know, I know it has been ages since I last posted a blog. I will share some creative work with you… promise.<br />
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But meanwhile here is a series of photos of rescue cat Mungo trying to jump down from a two metre fence. Out neighbours' shed is on the other side and he happily jumps up there from the back of a garden seat. He doesn't want to jump down into the flowerbed where it is overgrown. I think he did it before when he could see bare earth to land on. Earlier we heard him yowling from next door. He must have jumped down into their garden and I had to rescue him from the front. He cannot get to the road from our garden, but he can get through our neighbours' wrought iron gate.<br />
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It's a long way down</div>
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wobble wobble</div>
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I can do it!!</div>
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No I can't</div>
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This side?</div>
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Or this side?</div>
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I'll just hang on for a moment...</div>
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I'll head for the trees.</div>
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Was that a good idea?</div>
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I think it was!</div>
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From here he was able to make it to the compost bin… no photos of that bit. He must have been going backwards and forwards for at least ten minutes. How long will it be before he tries it again do you think?</div>
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I thought cats were meant to be sure footed, but he certainly isn't. We're more and more convinced he was an indoor cat before we got him. It is great to watch him thrive. A cat needs a bit of adventure. We still cannot get him weaned off a litter tray. He will use it outside, reluctantly, but he's obviously been 'saving up' for when we bring it in at bedtime!!</div>
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If you're still with me, thanks. I've been rather lax posting lately. Sometimes real life gets in the way. However I still love reading what everyone else has been doing, even if I don't comment. </div>
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Have a lovely week.</div>
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<br />Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18410318976755292700noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4465266982839881097.post-87420393303586962002014-04-13T17:56:00.002+01:002014-04-13T17:56:28.292+01:00Out today<div style="text-align: center;">
We've had our new cat Mungo for three weeks now, so he has been let out today.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ood33zRWlMQ/U0q3YQBw93I/AAAAAAAAFF8/v8icwhJ8iog/s1600/DSC_0001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ood33zRWlMQ/U0q3YQBw93I/AAAAAAAAFF8/v8icwhJ8iog/s1600/DSC_0001.JPG" height="214" width="320" /></a></div>
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Yesterday he was remarkably grumpy!!</div>
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Today he's very happy.</div>
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I have been a bit creative. </div>
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At the Spectrum exhibition <a href="http://ginaferrari.blogspot.co.uk/">Gina Ferrari</a> had a bag she had made. She inspired me to make one of my own using fabric scraps. I had embroidered the paisley shapes on pink felt ages ago and knew that one day I would have a project that suited them.</div>
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I did have to buy some fabric for a lining.</div>
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'Spectrum' had a day out to the V&A. I took my new bag. We were on a mission to do some research.</div>
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I was interested in the iron work, but a lot of the pieces in cases were difficult to photograph.</div>
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It is many years since I've been to the V&A so it was all a bit overwhelming. I'll share what I've been up to as a result of our visit next time.</div>
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What beautiful weather we've been having. We've had to water the veg. </div>
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I do hope you have a good week. See you soon.</div>
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Jill</div>
Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18410318976755292700noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4465266982839881097.post-4804912953369572532014-03-26T18:54:00.001+00:002014-03-26T18:54:34.855+00:00Hello<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We just couldn't be without any longer. So on Sunday Mr T and I went to visit the brilliant <a href="http://www.animals-at-risk-shelter.org/">Animals at Risk Shelter</a> to have a look at who was there. Roaming around the immaculate garden must be a dozen or so residents who cannot be re-homed for various reasons, cats with illnesses, injuries or bad habits. Then there were the one year olds that had grown up at the shelter, various variations of white with black splodges. At the end of the garden we visited the lost or abandoned cats in individual runs and one of them - you can guess who, jumped down from his bed and immediately started rubbing himself around Mr T's finger poking through the wire. From then on there was no question of who was coming home with us - we had been chosen! We think we have named him Mungo, we cannot come up with anything else. References to T.S. Elliot and Mungo Jerry the early70's rock band. He was abandoned outside some flats which have been demolished. However he is well behaved and well mannered - well he has been so far.</div>
<br />Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18410318976755292700noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4465266982839881097.post-69823275376204541702014-03-11T19:07:00.002+00:002014-03-11T19:07:46.445+00:00Spectrum show<div style="text-align: justify;">
Just a quick post to give you a glimpse of the exhibition which was put together on Monday. It is now on view in the shop until 5th April. We will be there on Saturday for a not so Private View, all are invited. The picture montage doesn't give it justice and there were a few minor adjustments to be made.</div>
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Since <a href="http://laurakemshall.blogspot.co.uk/">Laura Kemshall </a> posted a picture of my cushions on her blog, I have gained a few followers. So welcome and you are a good incentive for me to blog a bit more frequently, although you can find me on Facebook too. </div>
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The prints were made of three paintings I did. I have all three up for sale in the exhibition. </div>
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Meanwhile I managed to finish this piece for the show ...</div>
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and I have been stamping, stencilling and gelli printing fabric for another project.</div>
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I do hope some of you can make it on Saturday, </div>
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Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18410318976755292700noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4465266982839881097.post-6608180732161432932014-03-08T16:48:00.000+00:002014-03-08T16:48:36.811+00:00March catch up and invitation.Busy, busy busy as we all seem to be, but here is a quick catch up on what's been going on…<br />
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On the 17th of February we celebrated our 35th wedding Anniversary with a casual get together with our friends. Unfortunately my sister broke down on the M25 and had to be towed home so didn't make it.<br />
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On Monday we are setting up at Art Van Go for Spectrum's exhibition.</div>
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I am a new member but have been invited to put in some of my work.</div>
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Hopefully there will be room for some of my cushions...</div>
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…and at long last I have finished this little piece.</div>
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Meanwhile I have been drawing goldfinches which we have lots of in our garden.</div>
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And on my 'design wall' I have some hand dyed fabric and papers with an idea for an amaryllis inspired piece. I want to do a bit of printing and stencilling before I begin.<br />
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I am coming to terms with the fact that I am a long term creator when it comes to finishing pieces, but that's fine. So this may be resolved next autumn!!</div>
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I spotted these two in the garden this afternoon - exploring the limitations of my phone camera, this is cropped quoted a bit, but the resolution is pretty good.</div>
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Shield bug and ladybird.</div>
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It would be lovely to see you at Art Van Go next Saturday for the Private View. </div>
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Tea and cake will be served.</div>
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Otherwise, Art Van Go is always worth a visit so don't forget to pop into the exhibition while you're there.</div>
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Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18410318976755292700noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4465266982839881097.post-27643289800780813472014-02-17T16:21:00.001+00:002014-02-17T16:21:36.052+00:00Sketchbook workI have been working in my 'garden' sketchbook. Not strictly a garden subject but one that was growing in my home.<br />
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I'm experimenting with a multiple of techniques. I've done a bit of stitching too, will share that another time.</div>
Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18410318976755292700noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4465266982839881097.post-59617800430080957262014-02-12T16:20:00.000+00:002014-02-12T16:20:23.146+00:00R.I.P. Marvin<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Just to let you know after a rapid deterioration in his health Marvin fell asleep finally at the vets this morning. Gonna miss that cat for a long time...Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18410318976755292700noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4465266982839881097.post-70193363238234501152014-01-27T16:35:00.000+00:002014-01-27T16:35:04.482+00:00No time… no time...<div style="text-align: justify;">
In my last blog I said that I was reluctant to make New Year Resolutions, but I did say to myself that I would try to write a blog more frequently, but I have failed at the first hurdle. However in my journal I did write a list of all the things that have happened so far this year, and it is no wonder I've had no time. Some are rather mundane but, all of them time consuming. Visits to elderly parents, hairdressers', doctor's and more excitingly knitters, embroiderers, textile groups and friends. There have been visits from my sister and nephew too. I bought myself a smart phone - just because… and that seem to take up a day swapping numbers and logging on and so on. Some of the photos I took with it popped up on the TV. Mr T cried out that there was a picture of Marvin on the screen while he was watching the snooker and then I did it again when he was watching the bowls! The only way to get rid of them was the TV off and on again! I thought I'd turned off the bluetooth which I thought was responsible. When I've got time I'll fiddle about and try and work out what happened. </div>
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Also my GP wants me to monitor my blood pressure and I've had to buy myself a machine. I have 'white coat syndrome" and my doctor always takes my BP at least three times and usually says it is falling to an acceptable level, but this time it didn't. I have been practising before starting to record the results and the same thing is happening at home - sky high first take, and then dropping. I could get a bit obsessive and keep on doing it; I try a bit of meditation in between takes, which definitely seems to work if I can be mindful enough! The very act of strapping that thing round my arm winds me up, and I hate the feel of it gripping tightly. Hopeful at the end of the fortnight I will be so laissez faire with the procedure I will get a true picture, which I may have to accept as high. I'm also trying to walk more, lose weight and cut out even more salt, it's no wonder my blood pressure is up! High BP is very common I know, but not something one wants to have to accept.</div>
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I have managed to keep some creativity going, that's what keeps me sane. At our first Spectrum meet of the year Gina encouraged us to have a think about what we wanted to achieve in our textile work, so I applied some of the criteria we talked about to a new long term project. I have a new sketchbook and wanted to devote it to one subject - gardens and plants that are significant to me. I started with a mind map or spider chart as we used to call them donkey's years ago when planning school topics.</div>
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I want to produce a book that expresses my feelings on one subject rather than a random collection of ideas which is what happens in my other books. My aim is to produce a beautiful book with now time limit to get it finished. I started with a collage of some of the pictures I have of my sister and I at home in the garden, and chose one to enlarge. Just a bit of fun to break in the new book. Hopefully it will also spark off some textile work.</div>
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One subject for the new book is this Amaryllis that friends gave us for Christmas.</div>
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It is now on its second spike of flowers. When the first flower head died off I tried a bit of dyeing, wrapping the flowers up in a tight cotton bundle.</div>
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It looks as if it could be a severed finger (or worse!!!)</div>
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The colour isn't as deep as this, but it was my first attempt.</div>
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While I was at it I also tried a bit of tie and bleach. I tied some buttons in a piece of black cotton I knew would bleach to yellow. What a shame it didn't keep the bright orange.</div>
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I'm aiming a bit of stitch on my yellow daisies. Rather pleased as it was the effect I was aiming for.</div>
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Finally I have managed to finish the first poppy cushion.</div>
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This will be shown at the Spectrum exhibition at Art Van Go in March. More details to follow.</div>
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I seem to have gained and lost one or two followers, so hello to anyone new and thanks for sharing my journey. Have a good week.</div>
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Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18410318976755292700noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4465266982839881097.post-81172655489409083752013-12-29T14:26:00.000+00:002013-12-29T15:14:58.319+00:00ReviewI don't know about you, but however hard I try NOT to make New Year Resolutions, somehow the urge to make a fresh start and set myself some goals is too appealing to ignore. I suppose that the New Year is as good a time as any for me to look back at how far along my creative journey I have come in the last 12 months. This time last year I was in the thick of my C&G certificate and there was little time for thinking about anything else. It took me much longer than I anticipated to finish and then afterwards I went into a creative doldrums for a while. However a resolve to make a few things for my Etsy shop got me back into making mode, and many of those have sold either on Etsy or in the Pop-Up shop in Dunstable. I also finished quilting my poppy prints both of which I have written about<a href="http://jilltaylor-thirdagemusings.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/no-time-november.html"> here.</a> But I have been working away at various other projects which I will share with you now.<br />
Way back in October I drew some Iris foetidissima seed pods from my garden. I have been playing with these pictures in various sketchbooks ever since.<br />
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Lots of potential in these shapes. Think I <i>may</i> start a garden/plant dedicated sketchbook. (Res. no.1)</div>
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Meanwhile on the sewing front I have added another spray of leaves to this small quilt</div>
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There is more to come. (Res. no. 2 )</div>
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For Christmas I bought myself a book on Gustav Klimt, I'm not sure why I didn't already have one. Whenever I wanted to look at his work I always had to go on the internet or look at an old calendar I had saved. I remember going to an exhibition of Egon Schiele's work when I was at college and learning something of Klimt at that time. The work of both men has always haunted me; Klimt's wonderful decoration and Schiele's bruised, raw, emaciated figures. I was trying out some of his bleeding colours in the last iris pod sketch above. However it is Klimt's decorative work which captures so many of our imaginations. I hadn't realised ( or remembered) that his father was a gold engraver, so no wonder he is so fascinated with using it in his work. I often search through prints of his work for examples of his motifs, so I have decided to keep a record of them in one of my hand made books, that way I have my own reference book. I have made a start with squares. I have taken patterns from one or two paintings and elaborated on them.</div>
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It is a great opportunity to play with my gold paint and pens. Triangles next. (Res. no. 3)</div>
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It seems to take a couple of hours to put together a blog post these days (with interruptions) so now I must go for a short walk (Res no. 4) and iron and perhaps do another page in my book.</div>
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Enjoy the last couple of days of 2013 and see you next year.</div>
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Jill</div>
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Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18410318976755292700noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4465266982839881097.post-10656104404484409632013-12-24T14:09:00.002+00:002013-12-24T14:09:19.265+00:00Christmas Greetings<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Merry Christmas to all my 'bloggy' friends,</div>
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have a great holiday and see you all soon.</div>
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Jill</div>
<br />Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18410318976755292700noreply@blogger.com8