Another month

Another week and another month have blown by and I just have time for a quick post this week...

 October's pages almost complete

Feeling in an illustrative mood  - it will evolve

I've cut all my pieces for the start of my C&G quilt.

Experimenting with the print I will put on the squares - the print blocks are made from foam stuck on mount board.

I added a bit of hand painting to the print - both acrylic paint.

I have quilted this piece ready to be made into a bag. Good practise as I'm very much a novice.  I managed to resolve the problem of skipped stitches in my free motion quilting by changing to a new and thicker needle thanks to this site The Free Motion Quilting Project. Leah Day seems to have covered every aspect of quilting and is a fount of knowledge.  She is obviously a workaholic and produces an unbelievable amount of videos and information.

Off to start stitching those block now.

Keep warm and dry!!

Jill

Busy doing Nothing

I'm afraid that this is just a flying visit to show that I hadn't forgotten the change in the month.

I'm sorry to say I have nothing of creative interest to report at the moment, but I do seem to have been busy this week.  Managed to put together a page for March in my new journal - my fifth! I have taken a patchwork theme. I'm afraid the artwork is not very impressive or inspiring, but I'm sure it will look very different at the end of the month.  I haven't even had much time for reading!

I am trying to drop in and see what you are all doing, but apologies for not adding any comments. I'm flying off again now - see you soon and have a great weekend.

Jill

No Longer November

No longer November...

Like many people, I find this is a very emotive time of year. Christmas is bearing down on us, and there is an overwhelming urge to prepare for the festival. However in my very small, grown-up family there is really not a lot to do.  I'm sure many of you will envy our quiet time. However somehow I still feel the pressure to get things done...

I am enjoying my sketchbook course. Here are another batch of pages.

The page above now shows the pickled onions in the jar  through the window cut out in the right hand page. I have tried to integrate the photographs into the background with mixed media and different techniques without getting over fussy.

Onion studies.

Here are another two pages using the idea of a cut out and integrating a photograph into the page - the bottle revealing the spotted paper above and the photograph below.

And here is my journal page for December - going for a frosty look, although we haven't had much of that so far this autumn.  The white writing is done with acrylic ink and a dip pen.  They are all December quotations.

Marvin the cat has recovered well from his dental treatment but now only has his canine teeth remaining.  He seems perfectly happy especially as he has to have his 'kitty bricks' soaked to soften them.  We are happy too (although a lot poorer).  Not only has he stopped slobbering over everything, he no longer greets us with his 'killer breath'.  I shall soon be able to remove the pieces of  fleece which  cover all his favourite sleeping spots.

The convalescent sleeps soundly.

Have a great weekend and see you soon

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.

I cannot believe it is ...

... over a week since my last post - and what a gloomy week we have had here in Bedfordshire. Luckily we have had a very sociable seven days which has kept me happy despite the lack of sunshine. Many of you commented on my calendar pages last month when I suggested that I might not bother to post them any more, so I have decided to carry on. I thought you might be getting bored with my life!

Here are my offerings.

Good riddance to August I say, it started so hopefully.

I do hope we have a little more sunshine next month.  The trees are full of fruit but round here we could do with a little warmth to sweeten things up.

My colours were inspired by the fruit and berries, leaves which seem to be turning already and the grass which is still really green and is going to need cutting AGAIN soon.

 I have started my Creative Sketchbook course with Linda and Laura Kemshall 's Design Matters. 

The package is really well presented with lots of helpful videos.

This week I have been doing a lot of drawing.  I often draw natural objects, but these studies require a bit more discipline.

My accuracy has definitely improved.

My computer is really giving me a hard time and it takes ages to scan or up load photographs.  I think this is why I have been a bit more reluctant lately to keep up with regular blogging.  I have a horrible feeling the whole thing is going to jam up on me.  I am pretty sure I am gong to treat myself to an Apple Mac so I now need to get everything backed up and ready to transfer to a new machine as well as rebuilding my computer desk so it will accommodate the larger screen.  Although this is something I should do joyfully, I am a great procrastinator when it comes to change!

Have a good week - what is left of it, and here's to a sunnier September.

Going Dotty

At the risk of repeating myself - yet another month has gone by, and finishing June's pages means that we are halfway through 2011. June has been very busy as any of my regulars will know, preparing and manning the Open Studio event and at home getting ready for Mr T's garden party on Saturday,  Thank goodness that the forecast is for fine weather, if not sunshine.  Mr T has been working very hard and the preparations are all in hand.  As you may guess from the fuss, this is not something we do very often.  I think the last 'do' we had was for our 25th, but that was a much smaller affair, and - oh my goodness - it was SEVEN years ago! I hope I shall have a few photos to share with you later. Next week I am aiming to visit my Dad and sister on the Isle of Wight for a  couple of days, leaving Mr T and Marvin to look after each other, so I don't suppose I shall have time to squeeze in a post.  I have my next postcard for Postman's Knock more or less ready to post when I get back from the IOW.  The postcards and my calendar have been the mainstay of my creativity this month I am looking forward to getting down to some serious stitching very soon. Meanwhile I will share my pages with you.

Some of my June entries I have filled-in in blocks, sometimes I find it difficult to remember what I did at the beginning of the week! I can look back and find out it was only last week I had my hair cut - seems like ages ago!

For July I have gone a bit dotty - I used one of the paper napkins I have bought for the party as a background. I haven't had much time for embellishments so I can add them later if I am in the mood.

I have been trying to keep up with everyone's posts but I haven't always had time to leave a comment. I'm feeling like a little nap now.  Mr T is watching some cricket, that is ideal to shut your eyes to for five or ten minutes.Goodness knows how I would have coped if I had had to teach until I was 66 or even 68!

Have a good weekend,

Jill

June, she comes too soon

Filling in my calendar is never a chore, even though sometimes I fill in three or four days at a time.  However the idea of preparing a new page sometimes does feel a bit of a drag.  This week I really enjoyed looking at some paintings by the Fauves after being inspired by the envelope and label Gina used for my Postman's Knock postcard.  I would never normally  make a painting like this as I would think about it too much, but as I knew it would be mostly covered with the squares I let rip with the acrylics - great fun.

It is hard to believe that it is June already,.

 I omitted to say in my last couple of posts thank you to all of you who sent me positive messages when I was feeling a bit glum. Gave myself a bit of a talking to.  I spent a great day with some lovely friends as Nutty Knitters today, there is nothing like a good heart to heart, especially when accompanied with a good cup of tea and a slice of Maxine's home-made strawberry cheesecake. Shame I can't share that with you over the ether!

Hope you have a great June,

Jill