Christmas at Annie's

The lighting of the Christmas pudding!
Wishing you all a very Happy Christmas .

Rusting fabric continued

This is what the fabric looks like after all this time. I didn't realise it but it has been quite a talking point with the window cleaners. I think I am now confirmed as mad as they never know what I am going to cure/dry next in the garden. Ha ha

Gillian Travis playday

Spent a wonderful day with friends in Gillian's workshop using her print table. Here are a few papers from the day.

Shopping in Morrisons

 I just have to blog this !!!
I could not believe my ears and eyes when a man was stuck on his self service checkout in Morrisons.
He did not have enough cash and the shop assistant asked the customers to give him money.to help him out, of which the lady next to me did with great kindness. I have to mention that it was not for alot of money but  it made the lady and I smile at each other in disbelief.
You go around the store to save money only to help each other to go through the tills !
What was that all about !

Gorgeous cream/white fabric

The dresses are all still in bits but they are all coming together slowly. Amy, I promise not to show everyone until after the wedding !!!! Exciting times x

Bridesmaid dresses

It is Amy's wedding and it is great to be back in dressmaking mode which is where I started all those years ago. I am in the middle of 4 bridesmaid dresses and a waist coat for the little page boy. All this gorgeous cream fabric I am in heaven !
The only thing is the deadline is 1st December .......... HELP !
I had better get on with them !

Whitby Goth Weekend

Spent a great weekend in Whitby. Fantastic atmosphere, friendly people, fabulous costumes .

Rusting fabric

It is half term and for those that are following how long it takes to rust fabric, this is what mine looks like after 4 weeks! The calico is in a bath of water and vinegar and rusty objects. It looks a bit of a mess I have to admit !
If anyone knows how to speed up this process any suggestions will be appreciated .

Not quite a picket fence but ....

Air brick

I have just been to the music festival at saltaire
and had a lovely time but I couldn't resist looking at the unique terrace houses there, this air brick caught my eye and I just had to take a photo

Kaffe Fassett

Kaffe Fassett came to speak at the York embroiders guild on Saturday . It was a fabulous talk on his knitting, needlepoint and quilting. He taught how to look at the world in colour and not to be afraid to use it in our work. He has just published his autobiography and I cannot wait to read it.

Hidden treasures

Some of you who know me will know that a friend of mine has moved to Malvern and is renovating her house. What she doesn't tell you is that she had a wonderful garage in her back garden that is tumbling down and is full of rusty nails. We had fun dying anything that we could lay our hands on from fabric to strips of paper to sketchbook pages.
I also loved the reflections on the dark dirty windows together with the peeling paint, you who knows what may come out of the week end . Thank you for a lovely time.

Sketch book pages

I cannot seem to get into 'design mode' at the moment so I have spent the morning procrastinating and made pages for my future sketchbooks. One is from inking up pages and layering them so that the colour bleeds into one another and the other is using wallpaper paste which is too striking for pages really , but fun to do .

Print block - picket fence

Here are a couple of images that I have made from the print block using acrylic paints.

Print block

I have just made a quick print block of a picket fence . Watch this space who knows what will come of it.

Picket fence

Here are my first thoughts, over to you now Hazel! The challenge is now on !

Picket Fences

Ignore the 4x4 in the background.  I looked up the history of picket fences.  Mainly American, but also Canadian.  Is seen as representing middle class suburban family life, with children, a large house and peaceful living.

Interestingly it can also mean text without spaces between the words.

The preview of work at Ann Holdens

A lovely evening was had by all at Peckfield this evening and for once the sun shone.
Showcasing the work of Ann, Catherine and John. Katy also had her graduation work on display.

Skies over spa bottom farm

Robert who farms spa bottom says if we get 1 mm more of rain in June it will have broken all records for over 100 years. What a thought ! My umbrella has never been used so much !!

Dublin doors

Dublin is famous for their doors, they say that no two doors are the same. Many of the Georgian houses in days are now occupied by business such as solicitors and accountants. In days gone by the owners used to light the lamp above the door to let visitors know that they were at home.

Who said it wasn't for the ladies!

Guinness in Dublin

Is there no end to the talent ! Such fun . Even better drinking it.

Temple Bar

On the Guinness !! All in aid of textile inspiration !

Dublin

This weekend I have taken myself to Dublin for a weekend break. I have just come back from visiting Trinity College to see the Book of Kells which is in fact 4 books. Two books on display and 2 in storage. The work is amazingly fine and I cannot believe that they did it all with swans feathers. They used various mediums to colour it with and I believe they used oak apples and charcoal for the writing, indigo, the red was from pregnant beetles and the yellow was made from arsenic!
All this was meant to be a labour of love

Delft

Went to Delft. What a lovely market town, the reflections of the buildings in the canal were just perfect.

Van Gogh and cakes

Enjoyed the Van Gogh museum now seeking inspiration through tea and cakes. Mmm! Naughty but nice.

Tulip fields and windmill

Weather cloudy and dull but the tulips amazingly colourful and bright.
What a photo! This can't be anywhere else than Holland

Tulip fields

Enjoying a well earned break in Amsterdam, the tulip fields are glorious and I thought I would share a few photos with you.

The first stamp

It was interesting to discover that the first stamp was produced in Dundee

Discovery Dundee

Ann and I found the time for a quick visit to the very interesting Jute museum and an explore around the Discovery.