Giveaway Draw.

A few photos of West Deane, unfortunately photographs inside the house are not permitted. This is understandable as the house is not open to the public and contains many treasures which could not be replaced. This is the view from my room.

Along one corridor are artworks mostly of the Surrealists collected by Edward James who was a sponsor of the group.

The sparkling lights are from a row of chandeliers down one corridor.

 So these are a few random views before I get together some pictures of the samples from my course.The course was excellent and I feel really tired today as there was plenty to work on and try out.

The West Deane Festival starts this weekend on the parkland infront of the house.

The Giveaway winners are:

Chrissie

Lynda Howells

Robin Olsen

You will need to email your addresses so I can forward the small pieces of work.

Thank you to all those who took part and became followers.

Finished growing.

Finished growing., a photo by stitchworks-jackie on Flickr.

Up-date on Summer Giveaway.

These are pics of the Summer Giveaways.

 I shall be away next week on a course at West Dean College . Follow the link if you want to know more about what they offer. Its exciting just looking at the images and colours.The title of the course is 'Exploring Stitches to Create Structure in Cloth' with Dionne Swift, whose work I have seen at Knit and Stitch. I particularly liked her work with felt.
For those of you who have no idea about West Dean it is a wonderful manor house, the former home of the eccentric Edward James, who set up a fellowship to support artists and craftspeople. He was a sponsor of artists such as Rene Magritte and Dali. His final years were spent in South America buiding a series of follies in the form of towers.
The house is amazing with lots of history and attached to this are very modern studios, including a professional weaving studio where the tapestries for the new Houses of Parliament were woven.
Then there is the food!

It is a real treat to myself to go there again, and I am telling myself to enjoy every minute. I do get a bit driven on courses, rather than just enjoying the moment. We shall be making a number of samples using 3D structures as inspiration, hopefully you will see the results here.

So,if you want to join the giveaway scroll down to the original topic,(July 12th) leave a comment there and join the followers list.Be in it to win it. I am thinking of adding a extra freebie too.

Be part of THIS.

‘A collective charity project directed toward children and education.
This is a community ‘stitch a magic feather’ project’'

Spirit Cloth has started this project and put a video on her blog to guide you as to how to stitch the basic feather.

If you go to her blog ( see my links) and click on the side bar it takes you to the video and the instructions for taking part in the project.

Her plan is to post information about the Magic Feathers each Friday.She is hoping for at least 1000 feathers.
It is a good cause and a cheerful project to be part of, so take a look and join in.

Next week I will post pictures of the giveaway 'prizes' and it will be coming up to your last chance to have a go.

August Challenge

Still having fun with the Sketchbook Challenge; this month’s theme is Every Day Objects. It is quite difficult drawing in my tiny bathroom but I made an attempt to sketch some of the bottles.

Eventually the two orange flannels turned into two women in burqas rushing across the room. Can you see them?

I printed the background with the top of an old deodorant tin. It works quite well and the side of the cap can be used for a lined effect.

 
 

 
I would like to recommend you take a look at the work of one of my new favourites on Flick ,an artist from Israel Sharon Pazner. Her work appears simple but the images are really fascinating. She uses rust, old nails and wire in her images. I found her via Cathy Cullis’ Mosaic Monday; she usually makes some excellent finds.


Don't forget to look at the Summer Giveaway post.

Blogger has been playing me up something awful today, but I suppose I will forgive and forget,eventually.

Poppy

My header image which I have now decided is finished, I will probably make it into a little lined bag at some point; I am quite keen on these at the moment and I have been collecting nylon zips in Charity shops.

I have mainly used Cretan Stitch, some of Spirit Cloths' method of backstitch, and some triple seeding stitch, on a backing of thin wadding.

These bags are always useful, and the last one has made a good case for my Kindle; using a piece of indigo dyed on my Access Course and a piece of cyanotype print, which I was into the last time we had a sunny summer; how long ago was that?

One of my books will be in the Sheffield International Artists' Book Prize Exhibition being held at Bank Street Arts in Sheffield, from 11th October to 5th November. Take a look here for details.

I will show you some images if any come on line, as I shall not be able to get up North to see the exhibition myself. There is no selection process, but you are encouraged to donate the book to their growing collection of books. A good thing about the exhibition is that it is an exploration of the way in which to display artists’ books as much as anything else and all books will be there for visitors to look through.
Don't forget the Summer Giveaway - see my side bar.

Brushes

Brushes, a photo by stitchworks-jackie on Flickr.

They are dirty and old, which I suppose proves I use them sometimes.

Bala

We spent a recent long weekend in North Wales centred on Lake Bala for the long distance swimming and boating which I took no part in, despite encouragement to have a go. I did take lots of photos of the beautiful scenery; we were in a house high up overlooking the lake and hills.

I used one of my photos for the sketchbook challenge, July’s theme being ‘Elements’ and I sort of stretched the idea for Earth to use the shapes in the distant fields.

‘Design Matters’ TV has had a recent episode showing how to use water soluble pencils and then InkTense crayons on fabric. I having been using these for some time and my book for ‘We Love Your Books’ made use of them but one useful tips was to iron the fabric onto freezer paper first in order to make it easier to work on the surface.

Drawn with ink, crayoned,' activated' with fabric medium, machine and hand stitched.

Still lots of time to join the Summer Giveaway mentioned in the previous post.To be clear you need to comment on the Giveaway Post to be in the draw.

The cucumber ‘paper’, despite some good tips and advice, was a disaster. We have lots of home grown cucumbers so if we get a glut I may have another go.

Summer Giveaway.

It is time for a summer giveaway. I promise it will not be one or even two of my old tin cans, despite them being part of a valuable collection.

To be in to win one of two prizes you will need to:
1. Leave a comment on this post.


2. Join the Followers List if you are not already on it.

I will make the draw, which will be random, at the end of August.
If you have trouble with Bloggers’ vagaries re commenting you need to sign in and untick the ‘stayed signed in box’, which will then take you back to the comment box.

Again my annual grouch, if you are kind enough to like my images so much that you wish to download them, it would be nice to comment and say ‘hello’. I know these remarks make no difference, because I am regularly aware of downloaded images, without the recipient bothering to comment.  I suppose I should just be flattered.

I want to recommend a book by Julia Manheim called ‘Sustainable Jewellery’ published by A&C Black, London. It was a random find in my local library and is all about jewellery made from ‘found’ materials, including old cans. There are some fascinating images in it and  it is well worth a look.If you follow the link it will take you to the book on Amazon, where you are able to have a look inside.

Bath time

Bath time, a photo by stitchworks-jackie on Flickr.

Paper

I had a go at pulp paper painting at the Hackwood Festival; these things are always so much easier when someone actually shows you how to do it, rather than reading a book which seems to complicate matters. I once tried learning tatting from written instructions and although I mastered it in the end it took me hours(by the way, I have not idea how to do it now, though I still have the lovely little shuttle somewhere).Well painting with pulp is child’s play, at least how I did it. Especially as the tutor had already spent hours pulping the recycled paper and colouring it!

 I was inspired to make some paper, which I haven’t done for a long time, and with the tips given me by Anita Bell the whole process was less messy and more successful. Firstly keep all the equipment damp, including the cloths and deckle, and best tip, use a sponge to take off some of the water before couching the paper, not too much as otherwise the paper will stick on the frame.

The first time I tried this process I remember having pieces of wood and bricks in the kitchen to make a sort of press. Now I layer in between my blankets and there is less water about in general.

 I did get air bubbles, and some pieces not pulped sufficiently, but I like my paper, so much so that it may take some time to actually work with it. The colour came from teabags and turmeric boiled up together. I also have an old liquidizer which works better than the food processor.

If you would like to see some excellent images of work by paper makers take a look at IAPMA..

I am also trying to make some paper from cucumber slices, but I don’t think my little book press is man enough for the job; I suspect it may go mouldy before I have a sheet of ‘paper’.

Shoes,paper, and a Chinook

This display of shoes is part of the permanent display at The Link Gallery, Winchester. I thought that it was a perfect fit with the theme of ‘HerStory’.

Don’t forget that if you are in the area the exhibition continues until July 8th.Scroll down for details if you missed the previous posts.

Today I went to the hackwood art festival which is a biannual event; this year held in a marquee in a lovely setting, and with the chance to stroll enviously around the hosts’ garden. As usual there was a range of workshops led by exhibiting artists. I chose to go to the ‘painting with paper pulp’ workshop run by Anita Bell. I think it says a great deal about the area in which I live that I was the only participant. Lucky for me, but a lost opportunity for others. There were lots of inspiring samples to look at, suggestions for books to read about the subject, and, of course, individual attention for me.The festival continues on 26th June, so if you are in Hampshire check out the website for details.

I have made paper before, but never done any pulp painting or made a bowl, which I had the chance to do today. Needless to say, another creative pursuit that I will not be able to resist. Fortunately I already have all the equipment needed, except for the turkey baster!

When I got home I nearly drove head on into a large tanker coming down the lane leading to my garage, which I did think was strange, and stranger still to see a Chinook in the field behind my house. It had attracted quite a crowd, who were all ushered away as it prepared for take off. I think the pilot may not get any dinner tonight.(Correction,I am informed,by he who knows best, that this was a planned stop to coincide with Armed Forces Day).