Harvest time.

This weekend was sunny and quite hot, and the fields around here have been harvested. This is the view from my front garden which looks up at the field opposite, every few years there is a crop there and it is quite a sight to see how quickly it is harvested and tidied into round bails.

Can you spot the man with the gun shooting the poor rabbits as they scuttle out seeking safety?
This is small pouch I made earlier this year inspired by the view and practising with Transfer Paints.
If you pop over to Flickr you can see my attempt at practising both my drawing and computer skills on“The Art of Anatomy”. This is an interesting group on Flickr and have a look at Crunchcandy to see a contemporary slant on embroidery.

Clouds

This months Etsy UK Challenge is on the theme of ‘Clouds’. I’ve have made a small bowl, four inches high. I made it in the same way as last months piece but did the shaping round a three dimensional piece,which I haven’t tried before. Once again using beads, this time round plastic ones. I found the trick was to use fine thread rather than a heavy cord to do the tying.

It is made of Merino tops with wisps of silk tops.

I have also been practising with Photoshop as you can see; not in a very expert way but I’m always pleased to get a result.

Pencil Case

I made myself a pencil case this week out of a piece of fabric on which I used up my left over acrylic paint after the monoprinting session. It is a remnant of really heavy duty furnishing fabric almost like a canvas so it is very suitable. It is lined with the left over monoprints on which I practised my digitised designs. The point behind this is that I think it is a sort of displacement activity, because I am getting nervous about starting my Access to Art and Design Course in September, only a few weeks away. This is for two days a week at The University for Creative Arts at Farnham.

If I have a rubber and all my pencils sharpened perhaps it will be OK, rather like I used to feel when getting ready for exams at school.

The other pic is of a small pouch made with some of the brushed cotton which was low immersion dyed and lined with a piece of ordinary cotton dyed in the same way. The lining is lovely shades of acidy green and yellow. I like it and I think the large mother of pearl button works. So why did I make this – well just to keep my mind off other things!

Busy weekend.

This has been a busy time with both my sons visiting. The local Horticultural Society had their summer show, and as my husband organises it I have to try and take part. In the summer there is a photo section but no handicrafts. There were over 300 entries in total for all the classes and a lovely display of flowers and produce despite the torrential rains over recent weeks.

This is a view of our village taken last winter.

This was a scene on the road around the Dingle Peninsula taken during our recent holiday in Ireland. A really dramatic spot, taken towards the end of the day when the light was going and suddenly coming across this group in white set against the black rock.