I'm back!

I have just returned from a short holiday in Tenerife.

This was not the best of holidays for me and we faced problems from the beginning. It had to be cancelled and the alternative we were given meant I was missing the Embroiderers' Guild Biennial Exhibition of all things. This did not put me in the best of moods as you can imagine.

The flight was very disappointing, the seats uncomfortable with no leg room. My tray sloped and I spilt my orange juice into my food and my roll popped out of the bag and disappeared under someone's seat. I'm sure you are beginning to get the picture?

We duly arrived safely and the weather was perfect for the whole 2 weeks if a little too hot. The hotel was perfect and the food wonderful, but... I had picked up a heavy cold on the way over, it was so bad it could even have been the flu and lasted a week. Then, in the meantime I was eaten alive by mosquitoes which doesn't usually happen to me in Tenerife.

After that little moan there were parts of the holiday I thoroughly enjoyed and I still took loads of photos and read quite a few books and relaxed. The flight home was much better, but this holiday ended as it began by having a frightening landing. We were almost touching the ground when the engines revved up and up we climbed back into the clouds. I understand this was another plane that was too close for comfort.


After all this I have been suffering from post-holiday blues and was even sorry I had booked an Embroiderers' Guild course making book covers with Miriam Forder and almost cancelled it. I warned my husband that I might be home after lunch. But it would have been a mistake to cancel and after half an hour, the 'blues' had gone and I am now back to my usual cheery self you will be pleased to hear and shall moan no more.

Please visit Croesew for details and photos of the course which was wonderful as we have come to expect from Miriam.

My new friend shares her secret

(click for a larger image)

She's going on a course to Plas Tan y Bwlch and of course has to take everything except the kitchen sink. She did even consider that!
The stupid woman is even taking her laptop on a two day course. Now I wonder who in their right senses would do that do you think?

She's going incognito and doesn't really have red curly hair. Here is a clue to her identity, I have a red car just like that. One year I took everything I could think of that I needed, but I left home without a hairbrush or comb. But I had a great room mate who let me share hers

This is my entry for the Wild and Wacky competition at the Embroiderers' Guild Extravaganza of Embroidered Textiles which begins at 10.30 this coming Friday and is also on Saturday at the same time. The competition is in memory of Dawn Roberts who was a very popular member of our Guild. To read more about Dawn, take a look at both these posts showing her creativity with words and stitch. Dawn's work and here Dawn's creativity, tassels and poems

The work had to use recycled material and my friend and her setting contains all manner of recycled material, including one with which I feel that I'm fulfilling a promise, a promise to Dawn herself. I had a favourite red fine cord blouse which I wore for years to do messy work. I shared a table with Dawn more than once and each time she reminded me not to throw the blouse away when I'd finished with it. She used to say 'I'll have it'. I have used part of the blouse to make 'my friend's' red waistcoat.

I can tell you all about it now, because there's a Show and Tell at the Guild evening meeting tonight and she's being shared with the members. I hope it will give them all a good laugh when they see it. I think this situation is one most of us find ourselves in when we prepare to go on a course. What to take and what to leave behind. I find some people have it down to a fine art and know exactly what to take, but I still have a lot to learn.

Any advice welcome!

My new friend

This last week has gone very quickly as I've been so busy with one thing and another, so busy I haven't replied to my comments. But I will as soon as I have time.


This is my new friend, you may have seen her before on my blog, but she is so fussy and keeps changing her outfit. She's a casual dresser and prefers her jeans after all. She had a curly perm and coloured her hair, she really should be wearing her glasses and is always searching for them. She forgets she wears them as a hairband!


I'm sure you can guess where she's going?


This is one of the boxes she's taking with her and a suitcase.


She has some fabrics and threads, scissors, iron and her sewing box in there.

Country Channel TV

Country Channel TV
I have just watched Talking Threads on the Country Channel and it was very good. I look forward to the next one!

I have decided to take it easy for a few days as I just realised my feet have hardly touched the ground in just over a week and have come to a full stop. But what a wonderful week I've had and if someone told me I could do it all over again I would.


The evenings are drawing in and it's almost time to draw the curtains again, but this was what the sky looked like last evening. It was so beautiful.


This is one of the Chester Cathedral windows taken today.


While I was waiting for my husband to pick me up in the car I noticed this grill on the wall of a house and then.....


I noticed this lovely hinge on the door. Isn't it unusual?


As I looked down on the pavement I noticed a small circle. I think it must once have held a lamp post.

SerenTex

If you would like to see what we did at serentex today have a look here

The Knitting and Stitching Show - Goodies

Today was my sister-in-law's birthday and we were out all day, but now that I'm home I've been having another look at all the things I bought at the Show and sorting out more photos.


This is a photo of Carol and Lynda demonstrating some methods from their new book on Maggie's stand.


And here is the lovely Maggie herself. They must have been very tired of seeing me by their stand, as this was where I arranged to meet friends during the day.


All these beautiful luscious fabrics and yarns were some of the things I bought from Dale and Ian on the Thread Studio stand. The fabric on the bottom is pre-felted merino and is called a Flimsie and there's a hank of Kashmir Sari Ribbon with a skein of Slushie, hand dyed mulberry silk/15 micron merino wool. I will be using these with my Janome Xpression embellisher.


These are from the Craftynotions stand where we watched Sarah demonstrating the use of Rusting Powder and Gilding Flakes which I just had to buy with the booklet explaining all the ways to use them. I also bought a swirly template and a similar stamp. I also bought a roll of Moulding Foil which looks very promising!


This is Ruth Issett's new book 'Paintsticks' with 3 new colours to add to my already large collection of Paintsticks. We watched Ruth creating her magic with a strip of masking tape, dye and Markal Paintsticks.


The next lot were bought from Kim Thittichai who did tell me how to say her name, which I forgot immediately I'm afraid. As you can see I've bought a White Hot Block which can be impressed with any textured surfaced and used to print with. It can be re-used by re-heating and impressing again with another texture. Then I also had hot Stuff sheets in black, this can be impressed and easily stitched into. I also bought a roll of Lamifix, a clear plastic film that can be ironed onto fabric or paper.


I'm certain some of you are wondering what on earth this gadget is? It's called a Couronne Stick and I bought it from Jean Draper. I took some reading material with me to read on the train and one of them was this month's Stitch magazine and I was very interested in the article by Jean Draper using hand stitching to create textures and forms. There were lots of circles in various sizes, all using buttonhole stitch which I saw Jean stitching on one of these gadgets which is really beautifully handcrafted in pine.

The Knitting and Stitching Show Alexandra Palace

I think that once I start to write about my visit to London I will be unable to stop, so I have decided to do it in stages.


This is my first visit to Ally Pally (as it is often called) in about 6 years. At one time I visited the Knitting and Stitching show every year. My friends Pat and David have invited me to stay with them in Hertfordshire every year since then, but this time I decided to take them up on their kind offer and both of them and their black labrador Toby gave me a royal welcome. Pat drove us to the show and the first view of the palace is shown above, the photo borrowed from Wikipedia.


I tried to take a photo from this angle, but it's not as good as this one, another borrowed from Wikipedia.


Here is another view, this time of the rose window and below is one I took myself of the rose window from the inside.


Alexandra Palace Rose Window


Above is a photo of the other end of the hall. This is the famous pipe organ.


You are high above London at this point and the views of the city are fantastic. Here is a photo my friend Pat took of the view below.
If you are interested in reading more about Alexandra Palace have a look here Alexandra Palace - Wikipedia,


Here is what I bought at the show. I set them up like this to photograph them and DH asked me if it was a shrine. I can't bear to dismantle them and they have been like this all day while I drool over them.



My friend and I decided to make it for Dale's stand (The Thread Studio) we wanted a go at winning one of her Pommie Bags full of Aussie goodies. We had the answer to her question ready and only one person had given her the correct answer, so we both won a bag each! Yay! Thanks Dale. Above, I show you what was inside the bag. We were very lucky!

Autumnal

I have been looking forward to the arrival of Sue and Terri's book from the USA, it's called Creative Ways with Books and Journals. I haven't had time to read it yet, but it looks very interesting and beautifully set out.


It has been a dreadful day here today and didn't stop raining except for this one little dry patch with the sun shining on the mountain. That little patch of sun is not as bright as it really was for real.


This was last night's sunset.


And the train passing at speed after dark with the Castle illuminated.
Tomorrow I'm off to stay with a friend for a few nights and we will be visiting Alexandra Palace for the Knitting and Stitching on Thursday and Friday and I look forward to meeting some of you there.

I've been sorting out some of my photos while I was searchinng for some images that needed to be sent away. I thought you would like to see these.


There is nothing special about this one, but I do like the colours.


This tree was taken in Cyprus quite a few years ago and I think it looks good converted to greyscale.


This wonderful sculpture was taken at an exhibition i saw at Beaulieu, again some years ago.


I wonder what you think of these? I think you would probably love them or hate them. I find them rather pleasing myself and they remind me of Yul Brynner.


Especially this one.

Having fun

Are you like me I wonder? Some days I am busy doing nothing, but other days going at the same pace I get loads done!


The last two days have been like that and I have finished two fancy dress costumes for my 8 and 9 year old grandsons. It is 400 years since the Welsh highwayman Twm Sion Cati was active in Wales and they are also celebrating the life of T. Llew Jones a well known author of Welsh books for children, who died at the age of 93 in 2009. Many of his books were historical novels about men such as Barti Ddu a Welsh Pirate and Twm Siôn Cati often described as the Welsh Robin Hood. It seems he died in 1609.
Next week they are dressing up for school.


I must admit I have always enjoyed making costumes and have been doing it a very long time for one thing or another. As a teacher I loved making costumes for school plays, also for my own children. I didn't own a camera when they were very young, even if I had, I dare say I would have been too busy to take many photos. I recently came across these two photos taken by my mother. The quality is very poor, but I love them. The photo above is my two sons dressed - obviously as Superman and the Snowdon Railway Station Master at the village fancy dress show.


This is my eldest son dressed in his Ladybird costume (with a not very flattering photo of me in the background as you can see, wearing a mini skirt). These were children's clothes which were very popular at the time, being sold by Woolworth stores. They both wore them, but unfortunately there's only a photo of one of them. A strange coincidenece here is that the clothes were then borrowed by someone else for another Fancy Dress show. Recently we realised that it was my son's wife and her sister who wore the clothes! I wonder if there's a photo of them wearing them somewhere?


Here is a redhead I'm working on, not yet finished, but coming along well.


Do you think there's a connection between the redhead and the car boot?

Great inspirational evening

Tonight I had a most enjoyable evening at the Embroiderers Guild with Voirrey Braithwaite of
Voirrey Embroidery
Her talk was called 'Textile Inheritance'. She started by showing us some things she herself had collected over the years, then went on to show us some beautiful clothes she inherited in a suitcase from her mother in the Isle of Man. If you ever have a chance to hear this talk then don't hesitate as I would have not missed it for the world. We were very lucky to be the first to hear this new talk.


This is a Royalty Free photo I'm showing you here. But we had the opportunity of studying closely some work like this. Voirrey also had some similar reverse embroidery from Sough in China.

We were also shown a beautiful jacket made by refugees in tents in Palestine, who were given black fabric and embroidery threads and created this beautiful work using Jordanian cross stitch free hand. This part of the talk was particularly interesting for me as I studied some of this work when I was doing City and Guilds.
The rest of the talk was even more interesting as we saw some historic pieces of clothing from the 19th Century, which is all I will tell you.

Mixed-media sculpture

I do hope these mixed-media sculptures give you as much pleasure as I had from looking at them. The photos were taken at the La Malmaison Museum in Cannes. This is somewhere I always like to go and browse in every visit. Unfortunately it wasn't open this time, but these sculptures were outside in the courtyard, but I couldn't find the sculptor's name and I have searched and searched for his identity to no avail. I Googled the museum but couldn't find the sculptor's name anywhere. so I hope he or she will forgive me for sharing these with you. They are so textiley! The one doing the 'cat's cradle' is my favourite. But I love all the others too. If anyone out there know who created them I would love to know too.

Day out

As I'm off for the rest of the day I thought I'd show you a few more circles before I go.


New York


Stratford upon Avon, UK


Menomite farm USA



Menomite Country.

My car boot

I thought you would like to see what my car boot is looking like now.


A closeup.

I haven't heard from anyone using the Embird software yet, but I must correct one thing, my friend says that actually she has a Janome 300E embroidery machine and not a Pfaff! I'm sorry to have misled you on this point.



I also found the original tree I used to create the winter tree in yesterday's post and I have now printed out part of the tree on a new piece of fabric so I can have a little practice to see if what I have in mind for it is going to work.

SerenTex

Today I printed out myself another winter tree, I think this one will have machine embroidery rather than embellisher felt work which I felt was heavy compared to the other trees. This tree has been played with in Paint Shop Pro, but I can't find the original ATM, it's a tree just round the corner from where I live. Today was SerenTex day and I had intended to start off some computer lessons, but instead we had a really companionable time chatting and drinking tea.
I have put a few photos up if you want to visit.
On the way home I stopped by at my friend's, Joan (SerenTex)as I have promised to call for ages, but have been too busy. We printed out onto fabric some wedding images that she will use to make a box for her grandaughter who was married recently. We struggled a little to understand the printer which is a Canon. But it's a lovely printer and gave no trouble printing on the fabric.


This photo was taken at Ruthin on Saturday and I quite like it. It may be used for something one day.


Here is another one of my circles images.

Lazy morning

I seem to be having a very lazy morning. When I sat down to open my emails, I found myself quietly opening Paint Shop Pro. At 9 oclock in the morning! Anyway I was having a bit of circular fun and this is what I created. Both images need to be clicked to enlarge for the effect to show up properly.


I'm sure this could be used as an inspiration for embellishing using a strand of some twizzly yarn? I'm sure I have some to try it out somewhere. But maybe this could be machine embroidered?


This next one I think begs for some embossed stamping using gold. I'll share the results with you if I ever get around to doing either of them.

BTW, I have a friend who is interested in the Embird software for her Pfaff sewing machine. If anyone uses it and would be willing to share what you think of it, could you emailme privately about it please? margaret.rbts@virgin.net I know my friend would be so grateful as she doesn't want to buy something that might not work for her.

Maelgwn Male Voice Choir Annual Concert

I've just arrived home from a wonderful concert at Venue Cymru our local theatre in Llandudno. Cor Meibion Maelgwn is the choir my husband belongs to and they won the main male voice choral event at the National Eisteddfod of Wales 2009.



The main soloist was Sain Cothi, the well known versatile Welsh star. She has her own TV show, has starred in Andrew Lloyd Webber's 'Phantom of the Opera' in London's West End.

Another up and coming 12 year old star of the future, Lucy Kelly sang at the concert. She has already sung at the Royal Albert Hall in London. She won all our hearts with her beautiful young voice. Her first record has just been released by Sain.
Safle Gwe Sain/Lucy Kelly

They were both accompanied by Wales most well known and popular pianist-Annette Bryn Parri.

Ruthin Craft Centre

Today I went to see this interesting exhibition Follow A Thread, Innovative Craft - Dedicated to positioning craft of international quality at the heart of 21st century culture at Canolfan Grefft Rhuthun - Ruthin Crafft Centre

I Googled the artists when I came home and here I share what I found with you. I must admit that personally I found Linda Green's work very appealing, with Anna Ray and Sara Brennan following closely.

Anna Ray
Linda Green
Jo Barker
Sara Brennan
William Crozier
Matt Hulse

As usual I took lots of photos while I was there, but I didn't take any photos of the artists work. A few autumn leaves and circles.

Member's Day

I spent a very pleasurable day at our Embroiderers' Guild Members' Day. One of our members, Joyce Honeysett gave us a workshop on the Japanese art of NOTAN. The one above was mine and I must admit I need a lot of practice to learn what to do and what not to do to get a well balanced image. Learn more about the meeting here on Croesew the North Wales Embroiderers' Guild blog.

Busy

I've been rather busy recently with one thing and another and the image above is a little peep of some Embellisher work I've been doing for an article I've been writing. That is only a small part of it and is rather wild and wacky compared to the rest of the article. I have just sent off the article! Now I can get on with my car boot and my new tree for SerenTex hopefully.

I can see a few people would like to know where they can see the article. Hopefully it will be in the Computer Textile Design Group Design-It magazine in the next issue. I used to write fairly regularly for this magazine for some time, but then I suppose life took over and I was doing other things. But I recently went on a course with the group and found they would like to have some more articles, so I started again. This is an online magazine now.

Circle Design - Cd Histoires

Circle Design - Cd Histoires As some of you know I love circles! I have always loved this website as it's full of circles and such fantastic ways of using old CD's.


These lovely logs were photographed at a pub we stopped at when I went to Christleton to the Computer Textile Design Group Summer School.


This photo was taken many years ago at Sway in the New Forest in Hampshire.


Today I finished a cushion I started some time ago.

Explore Experiment Embellish

What a wonderful day we had yesterday with Sheila Smith! She wrote this book - Embellishing, Embellishing Fabrics. I use my embellisher quite a lot as some of you might know, but it was wonderful to experiment and go in another direction completely with Sheila yesterday. It was such fun and I was introduced to some wonderful new techniques, meaning I will play even more with my Embellisher from now on. Thanks you Sheila. See the book for all these new ideas.




These are my three experiments from the class. If you would like to see some more, then do have a look at some of the other work here - Croesew, this is the new North Wales Embroiderers' Guild blog opened recently.
The members have promised to work on these to create exhibits for the NW Biennial Exhibition, at Rhos on Sea at the end of October. (Please see sidebar)

The estuary today

I just have to share this wonderful red sunset with you tonight. I've seen a few red sunsets since I have been living here over the last 20 years, but tonight's was the best yet.




It was very misty early this morning, which gradually disappeared and this was taken just before it dried out completely.


There were also more heron's than usual and I did try to take a photo of a pure white one that was standing near this one, but it didn't turn out well. Pity!

Dotee and ATC's

This is the cutest little Dotee doll that I received from Kari. Kari is now the list mom on the Mixed Media ATC UK Yahoo Group.

Below are all the ATC's I have received from the Surface Design Yahoo Group. There were 10 of us in this trade to show a technique and I have had most of mine delivered to me now. It has been so very interesting and I have many new ideas that I can use and develop in my own work. Thanks to everyone who took part.





I'm sure you are wondering why on earth I needed to take a photo of the boot of a car. Please watch this space (smile)

SerenTex

Yesterday was SerenTex day and you can read about it here. Above is a detail of a book Janine is making for the wedding of a niece. I must remember to ask her for a copy of the beautiful poem she used.


This is the messy part of my Egyptian project piece and it was such fun as you can imagine. I used all sorts of fabrics for this and glued them onto a piece of curtain lining using PVA.
I then painted over them in patches with lightly coloured Gesso. I will start to develop it shortly by handstitching in the evenings with a lot of machine embroidery. I will let you know how it goes(or not).