What's been going on...

My art and blogging seems to have taken on a different pace recently. I have established  a routine for myself that includes some aspect of art or craft most day. My camera is part of my life as is logging into my blog and now running my Etsy shop. I no longer feel the frenzy I had a year ago to try everything I could get my hands on. I miss that energy to a certain extent, but I feel as if I am on a plateau, consolidating  all the new skills I have experimented with. I have been busy doing this and that and haven't seem to have had the time to put a blog together - but today I have the time so here goes. (Two long phone calls later - see what I mean)

Last week I got an envelope stuffed with fabric scraps from Lesley at Printed Material. They burst rather magically out of the envelope so I filled this basket with them

After taming them with the scissors and hot iron

I ended up with a beautiful pile of Tana lawn scraps for my patchwork.

You may spot a couple of the pieces in my new creation - a spectacle case.

Which I have lined with yellow felt to cushion your specs.

Shortly to appear in my Etsy shop .

There are some more in the pipeline. What do you think?

I shall be posting this pair too soon.

Meanwhile I have been doing other things.

I am working on my Honesty seed-head book. There is still a lot to do.

...and I have been trying  some ideas for C******** stars.

When the sun came out this afternoon I thought I would take a quick walk round the lake at the park.

I grabbed my camera,  just in case there was an irresistible photo-opportunity. When I got there I thought I would snap as many different birds as I could - plus a squirrel. I made it half way round when I spotted the rather ominous black cloud that had been lurking on the horizon was now overhead and large , so I had to tuck the camera into my coat and rush back to the car park.

1. Pink Footed Goose (there only ever seems to be one), 2. Mallard duck, 3. Coot, 4. Grey squirrel, 5. Whooper swan (one of several), 6.The sun and rain from inside the car, 7. Feral pigeons

So my walk and photo session was cut rather short - I took a last photograph inside the car with the hail stones bouncing off the roof!

Writing this has taken all evening! At least the photographs up-loaded smoothly. Now I will take a time to catch up on everyone else's posts.

ten ten ten

I was going to take some significant photographs today, but some how I haven't managed it. However we had a great lunch out with one of Mr T's old school friends and his wife.  Mr T has only met up with him a couple of times since 1974! So as you can guess there was a lot of catching up to do. I'm afraid I am not used to eating in the middle of the day and fell asleep in the armchair when we got home!
Yesterday another of Mr T's old school friends who we have reconnected with this year, brought his son over for lunch. John was a lovely lad  and soon made friends with Marvin who is a sucker for a brisk brush down with the deck scrubber.

Marv with his new friend - John

and oh yes, that is me and Mr T with John. Both of us looking a bit scruffy I hasten to add. Mr T has his gardening jacket on and I have a long overdue visit to the hairdresser tomorrow. But I thought I knew you all well enough now to see us in our everyday state!

And John took this one of his Dad and Mr T.

(  I was looking at the picture on my side bar and I had to smile. It suggests that my character from a Jane Austen novel would be Elinor Dashwood, I think is time to  face reality, I am more likely to be cast as Mrs Bennet!!)

o0O0o

Yesterday I put these book covers in my Etsy shop.

I'm not sure about that blue background, your opinion would be gratefully received.

The sky matched that blue today - hopefully the sun will be shining again tomorrow.

Wishing you a good week,

Jill

Sunday, Sunday

I don't want to use my blog just to plug my Etsy shop, but all of you dear friends who encouraged me have only got yourselves to blame if I keep going on about it!!  As it is a new enterprise it is dominating my waking hours at the moment. At least any of you who may be thinking of doing the same thing can share my experiences. I know I have got to put a few hours in setting things up and hopefully when I have got used to the procedures I can do this more quickly. Of course just making stuff to sell is only the start. I have spent hours looking at other posts deciding how I can make my pieces eye-catching as there are hundreds if not thousands of rivals. Here are my new book covers I have stitched this week. My first one sold immediately which was very gratifying, hopefully these will too.

I thought I would photograph them with some accessories to make the pictures more eye catching.

Now I need to start looking at magazines and catalogues for ideas for making the photographs more striking,

Now I am going to enjoy my Sunday evening watching some television with Mr T.

I hope you have a good week and I'll be back soon. 

Where does the time go?

It is Thursday already and September is more than half way through.  I don't really feel I have had time to enjoy the lovely days we have had in one of my favourite months, although yesterday, which was gorgeous I did manage to plant up lots of pots of spring bulbs. However it was a bit too hot in the greenhouse which is also our potting shed, so I had to do a bit of tidying up outside to cool off, you don't often have to say that in September. Otherwise it seems to have been a week of chores and appointments. We made a large batch of pear chutney which this year had the benefit of the addition of plums and Mr T pickled the last lot of shallots. The smell of boiling chutney still seems to be lingering even after a couple of days of having lots of windows open, but perhaps it is my imagination. I had to go to the foot clinic (I have a neuroma - an enlarged nerve - between the bones of my foot) but after a cortisone injection about three months ago I just have to wait another three months to see how it is doing).  Mr T is almost back to himself now - thank you, to all who have enquired and wished him well. However he is totally banned from doing any lifting and as I have the muscle power of limp lettuce some jobs take a long time, but we are adapting.
However sewing and drawing don't take a lot of muscle power so this is what else I have been doing.

I am thinking of making another book this time based on an honesty seed pod. I hadn't realized how many different  names there are for this popular plant, it seems to be a favourite with lots of artists and photographers as well as gardeners. If you click on the picture you can hopefully read them all.

This is my idea for the cover.

I have some blue/green two tone chiffon which is just right stitched over the pod shape. The idea needs a bit of refining but I think I'm on the right track. 

I have also been working some more paperback book covers, they should be ready for my shop in a couple of days. 

Here are my zipped purses which are not really that well finished but I have photographed them on my sewing  board. Well, it started off as an ironing pad which I made by stapling lots of wadding covered with calico onto a small pin-board from B&Q. However it was rather too padded to press anything on, but it is ideal to have on my lap when sitting in an armchair sewing. It acts like giant pin-cushion which means there is always somewhere to stick pins and needles and it is great for stitching on.

Here are the other sides of the purses - I couldn't put them in my shop but I have a couple of friends who might like them.

I've just noticed an imprint of my iron on the pad!

Now I am going to try to catch up on everyone else's posts. Writing this one has taken ages!

On my art ' career' and the passing of time ...

Here is my completed May page...

and here is June.

I made my first calendar in July last year, but didn't post them on my blog so I have nearly completed a whole year. These are more accurately a diary as they are a record of my days rather than a calendar of appointments etc. But I have found them useful to look back on - when was it I went to visit so and so etc? The June pages are in my new journal, my third since starting to keep an art journal about a year ago. The first one I filled up really quickly, the second has been going since last August. Most pages I have not 'published', they are usually of no real interest to anyone but me, or a bit too personal. However I have found the whole idea very liberating. I will share a few pages with you as I reminisce.

Journal page - January 2010 'Action is necessary' self motivation

When I first started keeping an art journal I was rather in the doldrums having retired from teaching, which I loved, but had in recent years drained me, I found myself in the position of wanting to do something creative, but did not know what to do. I was brought up to be full of self doubt. I also felt that although I knew I had a talent for drawing I did not have the passion or confidence or the know-how necessary to follow a career in some form of art. When I was fifteen - at a secondary modern school (11+ failure) I told the careers teacher I wanted to be a 'Window dresser' and I remember he laughed and said "Window CLEANER! - better stick to your shorthand and typing" I hated shorthand and studied hard and achieved enough qualifications to get into Teachers Training College. I did study art at college, but not at a high level as I was training to be a primary school teacher, and although I never stopped drawing everything went on hold. In the late 80's I went to watercolour evening classes with Gerald Kent Wood (now deceased) who changed my life. He taught traditional watercolour, which really was tinting pencil drawings. He had trained as an architect and produced wonderfully detailed drawings and had exhibited at the RA summer exhibition. He encouraged his students to submit work at the highest level and through his encouragement I had work exhibited in open exhibitions with The Society of Botanical Artists ('88), the Pastel Society ('88&'90) and the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours ('89) However at about this time the impact of the National Curriculum hit and my spare time vanished and I found it harder and harder to find enough time, not only to paint, but to take time to get up to London to submit work.

Journal page November '09 as a means of recording interests

That really put a stop to a lot of my art although I did manage to go to evening classes in Life drawing and was constantly encouraged by my friend Sally who is a practising artist. My 'artistic' life changed again when I began to study photography with the Open College of Art. When I gave up work, I had no excuse - I could do what I wanted, but all the old inhibitions came crowding back. I am sure it will take longer than a year to undo all the gremlins about worrying if my work is 'worthy', that I could be doing something more useful with my time and what am I going to do with it all? And what is it all for?

Journal May '10 'Nothing seems to work'

But I keep on telling myself I am doing it for myself, that I don't have to do anything 'with it' and above all I should just enjoy myself without inhibition or worrying about what anyone else thinks. It is still hard. But keeping a journal is a great outlet. Keeping a blog has also been liberating - meeting so many women who are on their own art journeys.

April into May '10 Journal page

I  hope I haven't lost you along the way of this rather long piece, everyone's comments are highly valued. I love to hear from the confident folk who don't give a 'feather or a fig' to what others think and I also love to hear from those who feel like me, still groping in the dark.   I am looking forward to another year of journal keeping and sharing my adventures with you. I hope you will be with me on the journey.

Jill

A Week too early!

Viburnum Tinus

Erica Carnea

Vauxhall Astra

As you can see, we live in the eastern counties that got a good few inches of snow overnight, with the look of more to come this evening.  Of course I had to get out with the camera and there will be more on my flickr pages over the next few days.  I was pleased that I took notice of the weather forecast yesterday and we went to the supermarket to do our weekend shop a day early - the cupboard was bare, so now we are well stocked up.  The advantage of living in a town like Luton is that we also have three corner shops  a couple of minutes walk away - including a post-office - so there is no need to go short of basics. 
We don't seems to have had a postal delivery today, but I did see Gary the postie in his shorts yesterday, I hope he hasn't caught pneumonia!

Keep warm

Dreams

I have to believe I am living my dream.

I can spend as much of my time as I like here...

 ... my work station with my four journals - the A4 'Pink Pig' spiral bound, large and small moleskines and my little handmade book. (More of that another time)

The sun shone this morning and Marvin called me into the garden to play, but like most cats was quickly distracted by the birds on the feeder for which I am grateful, for I really do feel the fool turning in circles on the lawn with a garden cane for the cat to chase!!

and here is Marvin wishing he could fly