Branches "kissing" my bedroom window

When I drew the curtains this morning, the snow had brought nature within inches of my bedroom window....I took this photo from inside, and then went out to see what the other bushes were up too.

1937 Vintage 3D Pop-Up Printed Paper and Card Nativity

I've had this lovely Nativity since 1993, when it came to me from the original family who owned it....it was a school prize for music,given in 1937 at St.Mary's Dominicant Convent, Wymberg, Cape Town, South Africa ( where I used to live).
However, I am once again going through all my collections, thinning out in order to make more space, now that my studio is in my tiny home, so today the Nativity has been put onto ebay as I never have room to display it.
I would put a link to my ebay page, but at this stage am not sure how to do it, unless some kind soul can tell me....never mind, here are one or two images....the colours are wonderful, and the printed paper which is attached to the card base is just like those Victorian scraps.

It's actually made in 4 pieces which all slot together, and condidering it's 76 years old, its wonderful that it is still standing and its quite large too at 12" high to the chimney...it needs to go to a new home where it can be displayed and enjoyed.

Christmas Cameos

A little corner of my "studio in the sitting room" awaiting Christmas and family.

A Christmas Break & Blessings

I'm having a Christmas break after completing 9 new pieces for an exhibition, all of which I will put up here, once the show is up and running. I'm also doing some larger new work, and need to concentrate on that now ( after a time of peace over Christmas). So here are some little details of some of the Hope Chest contents, and my very good wishes for you all for a peaceful and blessed Christmas....with love.

Kitchen Gallery

Two corners from the "kitchen gallery" of my small home....I'm always surprised at how different something so familiar can look, when seen in a photograph.

Tiny Nest made from hair

Made randomly with my own hair from brush....after getting rid of the damp washed hair tangles (its long).I found myself felting it with my fingertips and it turned into a little birds nest.
Here it is surrounded with soft feathers I found on the grass in a morning following shrill Owl and or Kestrel calls, and I wondered if there was a bit of a fight, as I can think of no other explanation of the loud calls and subsequent treasure.

Lovely things waiting for assembly or transformation

Waiting to be used in a current project: art deco mirror,rusted fabric, faux pearls, 1930s bridesmaids floral headband...and a little birds nest made from my own hair...will show that in detail in the next post.

Sycamore Angels...or fairies

Another page from an old journal I was writing three years ago....scraps of antique fabric and Sycamore seeds....I think I shall start playing again, artwork can get all too serious.

A Page from my Old Journal

I have been making my own journals for about 6 years now, using my late Mothers Victorian story books, so that they wouldn't just stay in the bookcase unused.
Today I started to read through some of them again, and found some pages that I loved at the time, and still do....here is a stitched Sooty ( although I added the name "Little Flo", as that was the title of the chapter, but it was Sooty, sitting and staring out of the window watching the birds.
It was done on the spur of the moment, in minutes, which always seems to work best, and somehow just captured the essence of my little friend, simply.

Contents......and chat

This photograph was taken at home before I packed the chest for the EAST exhibition, so the contents are all spread infront of it...gradually I will put images of them on the blog, with their stories.
At the moment I am working on another project with a group of 8 artists, each making an "Heirloom Box", its contents and story. Its inspiring to see how creative and individual each body of work is, as they emerge.
I find that I am now really enjoying making the"artefacts",and creating their stories especially when I can manage to combine wood somehow with textiles, as its such a great contrast, and am looking forward to seeing how this will feed into future work....no images of this work untill the exhibition is up and running of course.
In the background at present is research for a completely new body of work destined for local and London exhibions in 2014....and a competition in 2013, so I need to stay on track, and what better for that than deadlines.

Details from 2 Framed Works: "Making a Point" exhibition

"Hope Chest"....the exhibition "Making a Point" is now open

It was the Private View of the new EAST exhibition: Making a Point, this evening, and despite the bad weather lots of people came, including many friends, making it a lovely event. The feedback for the show has already been excellent,and images will shortly be appearing on the EAST website, which I will add a link for soon.....it is late this evening, and I just wanted to post this, plus an image of my "Hope Chest" which I hope you will enjoy.

Super New Exhibition of Textile and Mixed Medium Artworks by EAST

This is an exciting exhibition of all new textile and mixed medium artwork by a group of very talented artists, so if you are in the region, it is not to be missed. I have new work on show, and will put some images onto Blogger once the show has opened on the 6th October.

Gathering Myself...and a new exhibition

Time to gather myself together again, after too much time alone and wondering. It will do me good...and put a bit more structure into my day to start blogging again, and now that some new work for what promises to be a great exhibition is complete, I can focus on other things, rather than too much inward looking. Here is the poster for a wonderful new exhibition of Textile Art, comming up very soon at Braintree Museum ( for starters)...then it will start travelling further afield. This is all for now, as I am committed to "making something" this afternoon....too long have I been wandering, and after some real good spiritual food this morning, I am making a new start, hand in hand with my Lord. Here's the poster.....I will post some fragments of my work for the exhibition shortly too...and here's to life! it is a gift.

Changes in the Seasons of My Life....

I have now decided to have a break from blogging to concentrate on the work I am preparing for two exhibitions.
I've also found that blogging can rob me of the time I usually put into my journals, which have become neglected and were always so important to me.....
I have always seen life in seasons, and mine has changed in three major ways over the last 6 weeks.
Leaving my studio and turning my sitting room into a studio, and getting used to that.....and being alone more, missing the folks at Cuckoo Farm.
Leaving my church after 16 years to go to a new one....and trying to explain to friends just why....and not seeing them so often.
Then having to have Sooty put to sleep.... feeling all the afterwards guilt and doubt that comes with having made that decision, let alone the loss of a very vociferous, and "paws-on" companion.
All this will even out in time, and I will get used to the changes, but in the meantime I shall concentrate on my work and the website that I have been meaning to make for 3 years now, and the book to be started in the late Autumn....and my journals.

Sooty

Such Sadness

Yesterday was heartbreak for me, as I had to make a very hard descision about the sweetest little friend who had been with me for 16 years. Sooty was such a special little person...I have had and loved cats all my life, but never quite like this....it is so painful.I still have his lovely brother William, but feel bereft....I dont usually share such personal things, but perhaps it will help by writing it down.

Sooty just 10 days ago...I never dreampt that he would get so ill so quickly.

Exciting Moves & Projects, so too busy dear friends to blog

Dear blogging friends...I shall continue to be absent from Blogger for a while, as I am working on a large progect which seems to have grown in size as it has evolved, and of course there are approaching deadlines. I'm also in the throes of giving up my studio, as the time and energy spent in getting there....two buses and a three quarter mile walk, has now become counter productive, so I decided to sacrifice my sitting room and am turning it into a studio...that one can sit in of course. This has meant the distribution of the Victorian sitting room furniture...apart from the sofa and wingback ( which wont go through any other doors), between the kitchen and the bedroom of my small park home. On the positive side, I now have a bedroom free of computers and paperwork....all in the studio to be now, and my kitchen has the lovely victorian dresser with the Staffordshire Dog collection all staring out at me, and the Georgian round to table to gather round on my best Eastern rug....very smart now! So far it has taken two weeks....a complete "inhouse" move, and tomorrow a friend with a 4x4 and trailer is going to start the transportation of all that is in the studio. Along with all of this, my sweetest little 16 year old feline friend is poorly, so am feeling a bit heartsore ( a good South African expression) at the moment. However, it is also an exciting time as I JUST KNOW that it is the start of another season in my artwork, and by having everything here at home,when I am inspired I can just carry on as everything will be to hand...and as I only share my home with the cats, I dont have to stop unless I want to. Also....when one of those horrible "blocked" times arrives, I will just be able to go and do some gardening to get away from it. In the meantime, here is another glimpse of a small part of the project....I shall put images of the finished work here when the exhibition opens in October...and will also add more little fragments as I get time.

........and another

Just a little sample to see how things work together.

Another "Fragment" of the new work

I'm ready now...at last, to start work on the front of the "Hope Chest". The top, sides and back are almost finished, and now I have worked out the contents of two of the drawers....the third still is a bit of a mystery, but will evolve as I go along. I never plan everything, prefering to let it grow and evolve as I go along. It always develops from an emotion, and the "story" I am writing about the specific piece of work. Pictured here are some of the early 1900 hand assembled Tape Lace motifs, with some beautiful old mother of pearl buttons which have inspired the initial design The buttons have all been chosen for their sheen and iridescence and are very old ones.... I seem to have collected a very large amount of these over the years, and at last shall use some!