Gifts,Walk And Brooches

Tree brooch

Dancing Stitches

Our Walk Across The Fields (very muddy)

Trees!

Kenilworth Castle Today

Gifts

Hello

Hope your festivities are going well.

I must say thank you to Alex who sent me a secret Santa gift.

She sent me this beautiful hand made pottery, felt book, bracelet and chocolates!

My gift has gone astray across the Atlantic to Paloma!

Hope it gets there soon Paloma

Today we were out in the bitter cold, taking our dog Bertie for a walk across the fields.

Need to walk off all those Christmas calories!

Our walk takes us past Kenilworth Castle , we are so lucky to live near such a beautiful historic Castle.

If you ever come to Warwickshire you should visit.

I have been working on a few bits of embroidery, a dancing figure and another tree brooch.

I do hope to get back to a bit of painting and drawing this week, my husband gave me an easel for Christmas!

Inspired By Christmas

Angel Worked In Split Stitch

Working On Frost Tree

Tree By Moonlight

Hi,

I hope your Christmas preparations are going well.

Luckily we are almost done, presents wrapped, house decorated and food cupboards stocked up.

My daughter will do some Christmas baking tomorrow and I, frantic cleaning!

I am inspired by the magic of Christmas, so here are some pictures I have been working on.

While working on these trees, I was reminded of a programme I watched as a child called the Singing Ringing Tree, a magic tree in a fairy story.

How I loved this programme and now with the internet, I can find all these images from the programme which I watched in the 1970's.

Funny how memories are triggered and all of a sudden I have gone back in time.

I wish any one who reads my blog a very Merry Christmas.

Threads

I have been sorting out my work table today.

Since I had my embellisher machine, which was a surprise Christmas present last year from my husband, I can never seem to throw out any scraps of thread or fabric away.

I think I may have some kind of obsessed thread fetish!

I'm sure I may have said that before...sorry.

Even when I'm at school I check the bins after the textile classes to save thread.

You can imagine what the children quite happily chuck in the bin and I'm the one who is fishing it all out again!

I keep a lot of old trimmings and threads in my Marshall & Snelgrove vintage box.I believe this was an old department store in London's Oxford Street which closed in the 1960's.

Threads are exciting because they can become anything I want them to be, is that my fascination?

Even the smallest amount can transform from a twisted scrap to an image from my dreams .Here are some more threads that have become trees.

Embroidery Painting

Sold

I'm working from one of my paintings at the moment.

I will try and add my Christmas brooch to etsy and do my shopping list Saturday tonight.

There are never enough hours in the day and the light is not good for taking pictures.

I had better start making our dinner otherwise it will be cheese on toast tonight!

Christmas Trees

Such a busy week but we did manage to put the Christmas tree up.

The little felt angels and choir boy I made when my daughter was small.

Out they come every year, a reminder of the time I spent at home before the children started school.

Yesterday evening I was at the Warwick Art Centre to watch sing along Mamma Mia, the film with subtitles for all the songs.

A group of us went and we decided to dress up !

My friend said that every one dresses up for sing along, so I made a real effort, rummaged through the dressing up box, and wore a sequined crochet skull cap, sequin top, flares with butterflies printed all over them and makeup seventies style, you know, lots of blue eyeshadow.

I didn't manage the silver boots though.

When we arrived at the cinema we were the only ones dressed up!

We did have a great time, lots of laughter, singing and dancing which is what we all needed, a real tonic when the days have been dark and cold.

To add to the Christmas cheer I have made a Christmas brooch.

Hope all your Christmas preparations are going well.

Shopping List Saturday ( Sunday )

On shopping list Saturday I am featuring Woolly items, ideal Christmas gifts or to treat yourself.
I think we all need to wrap up warm as the cost of heating is on the up.
Quite often I will be sewing with my scarf or fingerless gloves on!

1.leafgreenhandmade has this warm chunky scarf.

2.monda uses recycled wool jumpers and has made this wonderful Christmas stocking, not to wear of course but to hang up on Christmas eve!

3.This vintage inspired cloche hat is just my style and is available from ekawear

4.jezzabell has also used the past for inspiration with these beautiful Victorian style crochet mittens.

Other blogs are also featuring talented etsy sellers which are listed in my sidebar.

I had better get back to my own making of gifts etc..

Have a good week.x

A Trip To London And Work In Progress

21st Century Embroidery Brooches!

Headdress Early Dynastic, about 2600 BC

Wall Painting 4th Century AD!

Siren by Marc Quinn

Venus In The British Museum

Big Ben

St Pauls

Tate Modern

Buckingham Palace

Hope you get a feel of London from these pictures.

It was grey, wet and cold, but very exciting!

I love the buzz of the city, beautiful architecture, museums and we got to see the Christmas lights!

Tate Modern was interesting but some of the art is quite disturbing.

I know it has to reflect all sides of life but I just find it difficult to appreciate it.

If you ever visit London, you must visit the British Museum.

Firstly, you can take photo's and secondly it is so inspiring.

They have on show until the 25th January five major contemporary works including the solid gold statue of Kate Moss by Marc Quinn.

Do you think she can really bend her legs like that?!

Of course I was transfixed by the ancient artifacts which some of them incredibly would not look out of place today.

Take the 4th Century wall-painting from a Roman villa which had a 1960's flower type of design and would look on trend today.

I loved this lapis lazuli and carnelian bead headdress with leaf pendants,again this could be worn today as a necklace.

I have quite a few more pictures from the British Museum and I still need to tell you about the National Gallery and Portrait Gallery.

I will save that for fear of boring you.

Again I leave you with the embroidery work on my sewing machine which is in progress.

A Magical Forest

I had a brilliant time in London and I will share more with you soon but today has been a sorting out today, catching up with the jobs I left behind.
My head has been buzzing with all the wonderful art I viewed.
So all I can manage today is a mosaic of some of my trees, it has been quite useful for me to see my different colour combinations.
A very busy week a head as I'm sure most of us have at this time of year!

I really must start writing my Christmas cards.

Have a good week ! x

Embroidery On Paper And Little Snow Tree

Snow Tree Sold

Adding Hand Stitches On Paper

Machine Stitching On Paper

This week I have been experimenting with some tea bag paper which I purchased from
Jackie.

I have used two layers which I have ironed together and then I painted with acrylic paint .

My subject is not something I would normally attempt.

It is a section of a photograph of a room.

It is a challenge set by my art society, each person has a different section of the same photograph and we have to use our own choice of materials and use only five colours, again our own choice.

I still have quite a bit to do, I have used some machine stitching and I am now adding some hand stitches.

The paper is taking the stitches very well, I have backed it with calico. I love the fact I can merge my painting style with embroidery.

I have been working with one of the A'level art students at school and I suggested she use this paper as she wanted to use embroidery in her sketch book.

I'm excited at the moment because I am going to London tomorrow with A'level and Community students to visit the London Art galleries.

Tate Modern, Tate Britain, British Museum, and National Portrait Gallery.

Nothing compares to seeing a painting in the flesh so to speak, the textures, brush marks, intensity of colour, size and much more.

We are staying one night, so two days of galleries, heaven!

I hope to share it with you next week.

I will leave you with another tree brooch .

Hope you have a good weekend.

Shopping List Saturday ( Sunday )

A winter feel to shopping list Saturday this week, as the cold winds arrive.
I think next week it will have to be winter woolies!
Charlotte at Fancypicnic also has a winter theme, I had already done my mosaic and found Charlotte had also had the same idea.
A range of blogs are promoting etsy sellers you can find the others on my side bar.

1. Of course I love this tree painting by Paintbox.
2. Her whispers are wind.Her sighs, the snow by eekdesigns is a beautiful original print and the title is perfect.
3.This soldered pewter ornament was created with cynthiacallans original snowflake paintings.
4.dollmachinegallery has this delightful, whimsical, wintry painting.

I am busy with orders at the moment and I hope to show you more in the week.

Hope your keeping warm or those of you in warmer climates I wish I was with you!
Oh! and thanks for your lovely comments in my last post.x

Stitching Trees And Tags

More Trees

Hi,

Just a quick post to say thank you to Cathy Novembermoon and Tricia Letscreate for tagging me.

I think it's a great way to share blogs and an opportunity to share interesting little known facts about yourself.

Also I had an award from Lynn which I need to pass on, so the following blogs I tag and I will give an award.

The rules of this Tag are:1. Link to the person who tagged you.2. Post the rules on your blog.3. Write seven little known facts about yourself.4. Tag seven people at the end of your post and link to them.5. Let each person know they’ve been tagged and leave a comment on their blog6. Let the tagger know when your entry is posted.

Maryanne Wakeley

Victoria

Lou

Alex

elena

Kitty

Helen

I am now supposed to leave some interesting facts about me and as I did that not long ago , I thought I would leave that for another day and instead you can see a picture of me!

More Creative Mess

Tree Brooche sold

I think I may need to sort this out today!

When I am in my creative world I cause havoc around me!

If you love threads as much as I do you will love this picture or you may despair at my unorganized mess.

I am sure if I kept going you would find me buried under the pile of silk tops, wool, threads and more threads, not to mention paints, pastels and books!

The trouble is do I have time to tidy when I am in full flow ? ... no, yet now I must pause so I don't waste time finding that exact colour of thread I need, although I quite enjoy that.

I am in such disarray that I still need to do my Shopping List Saturday , I hope to bring you that later but I really must sort myself out.

A Splash Of Colour

Purple Tree

Hi,

I have managed to add some embroidery brooches to etsy today.

You can find them here.

I think the best way to describe them is stitched paintings, lots of small stitches of different shades blended together.

I have some more to add but the hardest thing for me is to let them go, strange I know but each one is so different, yes the same theme, but each has its own character.

I hope they are like real trees because they are individual, also different in seasons and weather.

Well I may not manage to sell them but I have sold this one above.

Today my daughter has been ill with a flu type virus so a day spent lying on the sofa curled up in her duvet.

I'm hoping the rest of us will not get it, fingers crossed and staying positive!

Hope your having a good week and thanks for visiting.x

P.S Thank you so much Lynn for giving me an award.

Sorry I think I still need to nominate some blogs, I will have a think.

Shopping List Saturday ( Sunday )

Hi,

I have had one of those mad weekends, trying to fit in house work, bonfire parties and shopping the boring kind etc...

So for exciting shopping I can share with you these lovely items from etsy sellers.

It's a pink with a hint of turquoise this week as a theme, following on from my little pink tree.

1.Joycelo from Dublin makes these beautiful aqua glass beads.

2.I love Charlotte's unique textile jewellery and this collar is stunning, you can find more in her shop Fancypicnic and check out her blog too.

3.Daphne Had a Penchant for Pink, Her Pekinese, and Men in Uniform original painting by

vivstrauss would make me happy especially a man in uniform!

4.Leahsutton has these wonderful hand knitted fluffy bracelets in her etsy shop.

I hope to update my shop this week and to share a few more pictures with you.

I must say thank you for all the positive comments I had in my last post, they are so appreciated.

Little Stitched Trees

sold

Here are some little tree brooches I have been making this week.

They measure about 5cm in diameter, although small a lot of stitches have gone into these.

It has been useful working small, I have had time to play with different colour combinations.

The trees look so wonderful this time of year, the rich colours against grey mists or blue skies if we are lucky!

The landscape changing everyday, a wealth of inspiration.

I hope to bring you more soon.

Shopping List Saturday ( Sunday )

Oops! sorry late again, sorry Charlotte at Fancypicnic who organizes shopping list Saturday.

Well it had to be black this week for Halloween, inspired by witches,black cats and dark nights.

1.cathycullis has beautiful embroidered items in her shop and I love this little face appearing from the darkness on her hand made felt purse.

2.This wonderful Gothic style purse is made by urbanheirlooms using an antique key.

3.A black wolf features on this intricate necklace made by adorapop , it's an illustration of the story of Peter And The Wolf.

4.lottiefrank has this delightful original print and many more in her etsy shop.

So the half term week comes to an end, how quick was that!

Hope you have a restful Sunday before the start of your week.

Art In Miniture

Art in miniture

Hand and machine stitches

Painting in detail

Taking ideas from my sketch book

More stitching on this

I have been working on my stitching this week fitting it around children and visiting friends.

On Wednesday and Thursday I had two children's craft sessions to run at the local leisure centre.

We made Halloween inspired necklaces on one session and masks on the other.

Seeing the children so happy and eager made me want to continue with my own work when I got home.

I am a very visual person and always need to work my ideas out in my sketch book first.

I have never been able to follow a pattern , in fact I'm hopeless.

I have to make my own up.

Tonight there will be no sewing as I'm off to see the new James Bond film.

Sewing can wait for Daniel Craig!

Lastly I must say thank you to Tricia who has given me an award.x