'Around the World' blog post!

Something a little different from my usual post this Monday morning, an 'Around The World' blog post.

Janet McElroy asked me to follow on today from her blog post last Monday, and you can see some of her wonderful patchwork and quilting here. 

I have met Jan in person a couple of times at the Festival of Quilts in Birmingham, but we first met through a website sponsored by Popular Patchwork magazine, and from the start I just knew she was going to be a really fun, as well as
 talented and enthusiastic lady. Her quilting especially is just magnificent, and I am in awe of how prolific she is! I dare you to hop over to her blog, you'll not regret it, I promise.

Before introducing some of the blogs that I enjoy, here is a little bit about what I am working on at the moment. After buying myself a Gelli plate a few weeks ago, I am enjoying experimenting with paint and paper, as well as cloth, but I find that if I produce a paper piece that I like, it's easy to take a photo of it, and then print it out onto some canvas ready for stitch. Here is my latest, a robin in the snow! Brrrrr.

Although I started out with patchwork and quilting about 15 years ago, I soon began to investigate 'art quilts', and now I would describe what I do as more mixed media. I really enjoy using paint, crayons and fabric dye for surface decoration on my work, as well as plenty of free machine stitch. Mind you, I'm not too sure that my sewing machine is very happy about this!

Now that I'm retired, I have lots more time to indulge in my craft, and it has become so important to my life, that I can't imagine how it would be not to disappear into my sewing room everyday, and to focus all my energy into my work. I find I get quite grumpy if I go a day or two without it, so maybe it's become almost an addiction!

Last thing at night, before I sleep, I think about what I've been working on, and the following morning, I usually start the day by having a soak in the bath, and a good think about where I'm at, and the best way forward with whatever I'm working on.

The person who is going to be following on from me Next Monday 1st December, is Tessa Spanton. I have known Tessa for many years, mainly through our shared interest in art, and Tessa produces some really wonderful silk paintings, and also silk scarves, ties and jewellery. Click here to take you to her blog, and enjoy feasting your eyes on her beautiful works of art.

Tessa also regularly writes articles for Leisure Painter magazine, and teaches watercolour as well as silk painting.

I must also take this opportunity to give my son Ben a mention. He is an extraordinarily talented designer/maker of fine furniture, and restorer of antique furniture. He doesn't have a blog, but his website is a must, http://www.benstonardfinefurniture.co.uk/

I hope you have enjoyed this ramble, and the links to others blogs/websites I have included. 

Birds and Books!

My journal quilt for November is called 'Crow in a meadow'.  Same techniques as the previous two for September and October. I've really enjoyed doing these crows, so much so that I decided to make a concertina book which you can see below.

There are five prints of my mixed media crows, folded into the 100% rag paper cover which you see above. I have printed an image from my sketch book for the cover, and secured it with a black satin ribbon

I enjoyed making the crow book so much, I decided to make a few more!

This next one (above) contains butterfly images....

This one is all about robins, very seasonal of course,

...and this final one is a reproduction of some of the art I have made depicting the old boats on the beach at Dungeness.

All of these are listed in my etsy shop here

I hope you like what you see. I've certainly enjoyed making them, and thanks so much for reading!

See you next time.