Monday 23 November 2009

A very little fish


Needle Case delight


Who could resist a basket full of birds?


On view

What a packed couple of weeks it has been, so much so I have not had a minute to update my blog until now.
I have been to London exhibiting my new pieces at the Country living Magazine Christmas Fair, my friend Graham Hollick www.grahamhollick.com installed me in his wonderful house and looked after me a treat, he cooked the most wonderful baked cheese cake which we managed to eek out over the week with very generous portions, we did consider also eating it for breakfast but decided that maybe was a bit excessive.
The fair is massive and one feels like a very small fish in a huge glass bowl with all eyes on ones self, my new pieces were very well received and all the hard work I had put in to the collection really paid off, people were very kind with their comments and praises of my work, which I always find very humbling. One woman even came into my both and burst into tears because she found the images in my work so moving, I was really lost for words and just smiled at her not knowing what else to do, my work usually makes people smile, I'm not ready for tears.

After Country Living it was to Brighton to the MADE Fair, I traveled with my friend Sarah Tyssen www.sarahtyssen.co.uk and along with catching up with news, colour ways, wonderful textiles in general, what we had eaten and what we were about to eat, we settled into the fair and once more had our works very well received. We had dinner one night at Carluccio's which was just heavenly and each day had early morning coffee and pastries from there also, if you find yourself in Brighton in Church Street then pop into Carluccio's for a delicious treat.

I have a couple of days at home before the next exhibition, even though I am working all the time to keep up, I love it! I love the making of new things, the nervous tension that excites one of trying out new colours and forms, of putting into practice new ideas within new pieces, the sheer delight of the finished piece within it's frame, all ready to be presented.

The television programme that I have been included in " Talking Threads " has been aired, and I have had many positive comments, people have been very excited that at last there is a textile programme on television, celebrating the love and joy of making textiles, all I can say is at last! and if my small contribution to the programme is that I can encourage someone to begin stitching then I am really really pleased.

Wednesday 4 November 2009


What a mad couple of weeks it has been!! I have been madly creating new pieces to take to the Country Living Magazine Christmas Fair which opens next Wednesday! I am very pleased with my fabric sewing accessories that I have been busily putting together. I also have new little framed machine embroideries, some new unframed pieces and lots of surprises. Very exciting.

I have made a winter collection of six small framed pieces to go into the Discover Centres Gallery to accompany the Making Merry Open Studios later on this month that The Colour Factory is involved with. I must admit that I love visitors coming into our building to visit our shop/gallery area, but I loath visitors wanting to come into my space, it makes me shudder. Creating is such a personal occupation, I really don't like to be seen in the making process. Once my work is finished I don't mind who views it or what is said about it, but when making it I need my private space.

My lovely husband Michael had his composed piece of music for the PM programme for the "up shares down shares" slot played on Radio 4 last Monday, a very exciting afternoon. I am very proud of him.

The colour rough for the book has arrived and Sunday has been the designated day that I shall go through it with of course Michael's help. It looks wonderful, Cesca's photographs just stand out as truly magnificent pictures, just beautiful. She makes my work look scrumptious. I can't thank her enough.

Tomorrow the madness of trying to get everything finished in time for the calm and gentle packing everything up on Friday and then the weekend for our invitation to our dear friends bonfire party! Hurray!