Textures and cabbages

A busy day inspired by the new book by Maggie Grey, Textile Translations.

I had tried mixed media in my first pieces for the Norton priory exhibition, but I had trouble stitching the pieces.

I decided to make 5 samples following the instructions in chapter one, using slightly different colours and papers in each. I have a couple of ideas in mind, for a final piece.

Here is three of the samples at the first stage of chapter one in the book.

Whilst I was waiting for the gesso to dry I took Barney for a walk along the sea cop adjacent to the Ribble estuary.

A beautiful day, so warm and sunny but the view of the Pennines and the lake district was obscured by cloud.

I saw these lovely marks in the mud on our way back across the fields.
They had the same textures as the samples I had left drying in the garden.

The cabbages I photographed last week, have changed colour and some of their leaves are showing a lovely lacy texture.



When I got back home the gesso had dried so I sprayed the samples with some Moonshadow Mists I bought at the Fashion, Stitching and Embroidery show at Harrogate last week.

Here is the result.

Finally, whilst I was in the garden I just had a check on my catalogues ( see Maggie Grey's weblog Magstitch). This is the result so far!

Winter's here! back on the blog

Since GD5 arrived I have had no time to blog. But the days are drawing in and the evenings getting longer so I am spending less time out doors, golfing, gardening and walking the dog!

Here's the youngster. Don't they grow up fast?

I've been busy doing something creative this weekend. Hubby's been to Spain for the weekend so I have had the kitchen to myself to make as much mess as I want without having to clear up to cook. Well done to M&S and their ready meals!

Inspired by a visit to the fashion, stitch and embroidery show at Harrogate. A great venue. Smaller than the Knitting and stiching show but without the 'Tack'

Here are some cabbages in the local fields. I just love the textures.

I've been doing some paper collages to try to reproduce the fields and the textures. I am looking to produce a piece of work based on this using the embellisher.

I also dyed lots of different fabrics, although i may just use white fabrics and paint them after I have pieced them.

GD5 arrives

Five days late and Granddaughter Number 5 has arrived at 2.30am this morning. A little Hampshire lass, weighing in at 7lbs 11ozs. She is beautiful, of course and so unlike the other four!(who are also beautiful!)

I have been busy waiting for this new arrival by making marmalade. After complaining, earlier this week, that I never see Seville oranges in the shops any more, there were plenty to be found in my local Supermarket! I combined Delia's recipe with one I found on the Internet and, if I may say so myself,,the first batch looks and tastes excellent. I'll try to make some more tomorrow.

It was wild and windy today, but I needed to get out with the dog, so I followed a walk in a book by Jack Keithley. This was the penultimate walk in his book called 'Walks in the Ribble Country' A lovely, if rather muddy, walk from the start of the Ribble Way and around the Longton Marshes. The book is interesting because it is full of historical facts. Also the route was described accurately and the instructions were easy to follow.

The people I met en route were very friendly and helpful. Which is not usually the case when you are in a strange place with a dog, and following a map. The people I have met in Hampshire are very pompous and unfriendly, when you miss a turning, because the farmer has allowed the right of way to become over grown. Perhaps it the difference between northerners and those folks down south!

My own pile of bricks: Tate Modern Watch out!

My own brick pile, growing on the patio. Barny thinks it is a place to put his toys.I am afraid I have not been able to complete the job yet. Too many distractions.

Here is a view of the remainder of the wall which fell down in the middle of the night.

This has been one of the distractions. The weather has been great for fell-walking last week, so we took ourselves of to the lakes for a few days. Climbed Loughrigg and Lingmoor in tee-shirts. This photo was taken from the memorial at the top of Great Carrs, looking over towards Scafell, Great Gable and Bow Fell. We did the round of Wetside Edge, Swirl How and Wetherlam from the start of the Wrynose pass that day.


I have finished one of my embroideries for the Summer exhibition at Norton Priory. This has been in between entertaining the Grandchildren, up from Oxfordshire, for the half-term.These are three of the batik pieces which we started at the last meeting of Textile 21. They will be joined together at the next meeting to form an installation outside at Norton Priory... Some embellishment is needed on them before then.
I must start on these this week

Ramblings

I knew once the rain had stopped it would be difficult to keep this blog going. However, as it really is my own place to record my life it doesn't really matter how much or how little I make a post.

Last week we had a great day in the Lakes. We went up the old 'Blue Flash' route near to Raw Head cottage in Great Langdale. This is really the old way over to Grasmere. The blue flashes which originally marked the path have been replaced by yellow arrows. This is a steep ascent but gets you to the top of Blea Rigg very quickly, and away from the crowds. (No crowds last week, which makes a change) From Blea Rigg we walked towards the head of Langdale. The sky was spectacular as the sun shone out of the heavy wintery clouds. With a strong wind in our faces we climbed Sergeant Man. (Met a miserable couple who were on the way down, who found it difficult to say 'Hello'. They must have been upset because we were sharing 'their' mountain.)From here we walked over Pavey Ark and Harrison Stickle and then decided we had time to bag Pike of Stickle before we desended via Dungeon Ghyll back into Langdale. The dog was tired for once . We only met 10 people on the hill all day. It is a long time since this happened!

This week I have managed to play some golf. My first 18 holes since October and I recorded a net 73 and that included a 10 at the second! I hope my driver keeps on working like this, this summer.

I have finshed the jacket I have been knitting with the bargain wool I bought on E Bay. I am very pleased with it and will post a picture as soon as someone takes my photo whilst I am wearing it.

The garden wall which collapsed is gradually becoming a new Tate sculpture on my patio. I am quite proud of it. In fact I think it is better than the original pile of bricks as the mortar gives it an interesting texture.

On Sunday I made a great chicken stew from Nigel Slater's Diaries, followed by a Lemon Merange pie, nearly as good as my mother used to make. Oh what comfort food.

Things that go bump in the night

My man is away for the weekend,so it is Saturday night, glass of wine and settling in font of the TV when Barnes starts barking like mad in front of the patio windows. I go to investigate, thinking there might be an intruder in the back garden, who has come from the lane, which runs parallel to the house. Off we go to investigate ( the dog cowering behind me) and all we find is an empty can of cider. Well done Barnes. At least he heard something and gave me a good warning.
This morning I discovered what he had really heard. The garden wall had collapsed. It had been leaning for a while and I had been concerned that it wold fall on the Grandchildren. Grandad constantly reassured me that it would not fall! The wind must have pushed next door's tree against it, and caused it to collapse. Thank goodness it went when it did, when no-one was around to get hurt. I can now design my garden around the ruin that is left. This is a great project for the spring. The garden bed in front of the wall was in need of redesigning as nothing will grow beneath the tree which over-hangs from next door. So no plants were lost. This patch of land should get full sun but the tree prevents this. It is a dreaded Leylandii!
Need I say more. Although the bed is south facing nothing will grow beneath these poisonous leaves so I now must come to terms with what I am going to do with this plot of land. Has anyone any ideas? It is approx. 12 foot long and 5 foot wide buried beneath bricks and rubble.

Windy golf and wet under foot.

The rain has let up at last.

I've managed to get out and play some golf on a wet, and windy course.

At Ainsdale the kiter's were out today. Barney is hiding in the middle of the picture. He has been busy giving the rabbits a bad time this week, although they are always more canny than he is.

My friend has been clearing an industrial unit after a tenant 'did a bunk' and left her with a large number of unmade cushions. The inners are made from good quality white cotton which will dye beautifully.

Textile 21 are thinking of making an outdoors textile installation for their next exhibition at Norton Priory, Cheshire in May. Our initial ideas are to use squares of fabric, which we will dye after applying a design using wax as a resist. I think these cushion inners will be ideal to use for this. Here they are drying in the sunshine after washing to remove the factory dressing.

I have been busy designing two pieces for the exhibition, using the painted fabric I posted last week. I'm not too excited about this. Hopefully it will come to life with the stitching.