Ineke Berlyn workshop

Sorry - no photos to show you. The workshop was great - screenprinting using discharge paste to create a fabric ready for stitching. Oh boy, did I enjoy myself! Ineke is lovely - the only tutor I've come across who bakes cakes for the students. Other tutors please take note!

Clay!

Well - what fun I've been having experimenting with polymer clays. It's a no-pressure way to have fun after getting myself all worked up about C&G. Setting myself some (tiny) challenges has got me all fired up again and boosted my confidence. I was given some Fimo (oven bake) and had bought some Hearty (air dry without heat). Both give a similar result, although the oven-baked version feels smoother and more like "real" clay, whereas Hearty is sort of fibrous and has a little bit of "give", which is disconcerting. It feels warm to the touch too.

Sorry about the flowery background - it's a little glass chopping board I won in a raffle and it's very useful for clay work. Some of the clay pieces will be buttons or brooches - others will be fridge magnets. I've also started making a few fabric buttons using lettering. I feel this is something I'll return to again as it's just so enjoyable and easy to get interesting effects. Most of this stuff is meant for the Ombersley fete, howeverI wore one of the heart brooches last night and got a few compliments!!!

Malvern and Clay Play

Spent an enjoyable afternoon at Malvern Quilt show on Saturday. Lots of lovely stuff on sale (you can never have enough STUFF). Bought some fabric, vintage-style buttons, bag handles but resisted all the tempting books. I intend to make some vintage-ey, rather twee brooches to sell at the Ombersley Church Fete in June. Also, I've been making some clay brooches, buttons and fridge magnets. Mixed results, but I'm enjoying doing something different.

NEC Show March 2010

Enjoyed two days of this event. Very little of the new but some great work to see, and lots to spend money on. Nice to meet Lynda Monk of purple missus fame - she was demonstrating for Art Van Go. I felt really inspired and ready to get cracking again.

There was a memorabilia show in the next hall on the Saturday, and R2D2 kept buzzing us while we were trying to talk, plenty of people dressed as Star Wars characters and some weird goings-on in the carpark. Made stitchers look almost mainstream.

Phew! In a fit of mad activity I have published a plethora of posts on my Distant Stich blog. Feel free to have a look. Some of the photos are a bit iffy and some chapters are nowhere near complete.

Oh that's enough excuses for one blog!

Bury me in a blanket

But not yet! My other half works for a funeral director and I was intrigued to learn of the latest trend in funeral ware - gorgeous natural wool felt coffins complete with chunky blanket-stitched seams. I mean, how cosy is that? A nice thought to leave you with. Now back to work.......

Space - the final frontier

Last weekend I had a massive clearout of the front bedroom, which henceforth shall be known as "My Studio". I now have a large (6' x 2'6") heavyweight worktable as well as my dinky pine desk and each day after work I have done a bit more clearing and sorting. Al's away this weekend so I shall really put some time and effort into the room. I shall take a photo and post it on the blog. I keep saying to myself - I deserve this!