Ireland

We got back from Ireland on Wednesday. The journey was complicated by the flight being cancelled and then having to get to Dublin via Belfast and a taxi, arriving at 2am rather than 8.30pm as expected. All due to terrible weather conditions in the UK.One of the many lovely spots was the coast line at the very edge of the Dingle Peninsula; here we found the site of the schoolmaster’s house featured in ‘Ryan’s Daughter’ for those of you who may remember the romantic 70’s film. That’s where I collected this wool from the edge of the cliffs. I have washed it but it will need some tender loving care before I can use it in felting.
The purply stones and heather are also from the same area.

Mono print

I am persevering with the pieces of fabric which I monoprinted in various ways.
This one was done with acrylic paint and fabric medium on a piece of procion dyed cotton. I have also been using the Wacom tablet to draw out more images for digitizing. This was one of the techniques encouraged in Thr3fold Journal; although they have much more sophisticated technology than I do.
I have only a small hoop which makes it all a bit tedious, once you are passed the thrill of seeing the drawn image stitch out for the first time.
This piece looked rather drab until I went for a walk and saw purple thistles amongst the grass, which I think was just the colour scheme I needed to lift things. There will be more stitching before its finished.

I will probably make a bag and will have to decide whether to go for a green or purple silk lining and some kind of dangly in one of those colours.
I enjoyed the get together at The Festival Hall; it is a pity a few more people could not have come along. I also went for a taster day for my Access Course in Art and Design which will start in September, a bit daunting but also fun. No doubt you will be hearing more about that in months to come. I expect the stitching will take a back seat for a while.

We are going to Dublin at the end of the week to see one of my sons and partly as my birthday treat. I have never been to Ireland before so it will be a bit of an adventure.

Hackwood Festival

Yesterday I visited the Hackwood Art Festival, which is in about its third year. I have never managed to get there before which is bad as it is literally round the corner from me. As you can see the setting is beautiful, and the work was of a high standard. I was particularly interested in the print room and a demonstration of paper casting.
If I could have taken something home it might well have been the life size giraffe or the tortoise, way bigger than life size with the shiny metal scales of its shell catching the sunlight - I would have needed to take their garden home as well to fit them in.

I have just received the first copy of the thr3fold journal;' enquiries @thr3foldjournal.com'. At first I thought it seemed a little pricey, although excellently presented, however there is a CD included and when you start to work through that and watch the videos the whole thing comes to life. I am hooked and have been trying some of the dyeing and printing techniques. I think it will be really successful. I always look at Linda and Laura Kemshall’s monthly newsletter, and from that I found out about blogging!! This is their newest venture.

I am off to meet some members of UK Handmade in London tomorrow June 12th. 11am at the foyer of Festival Hall if any other Etsians or crafters can make it.

Fabric covered bowl

I’m still trying to work out the best ways of monoprinting on cotton but in the meantime for a break I made this bowl as one of my sons wanted a ‘house’, or I should say, room warming present. I had just enough hemp rope left to finish it off with one join. It was also a chance to use up some paper beads. I am experimenting with trying to set up a home made light box to take better pictures, so the two aims sort of came together. I haven’t quite cracked improving the photos yet; if only I could stick to one aim it would surely help.