This Could Be For You

Hi
I've been a bit slow on the blogging due to the Easter Holidays, having been busy stitching, drawing and...going out at every given opportunity for tea and cake!
On Tuesday I visited the Herbert Gallery in Coventry to take a few pictures to share with you.
My work is the one above the box with shoes, the landscape with trees, sorry not a great photograph.
As you can see there was some wonderful,inspiring work.

They have a lovely Cafe with interesting art work and sculpture, I like how you feel you are sitting actually in the gallery with plenty to see, including a patio area with more sculptured works.

I have more drawings and stitching to share which will be in another post soon, but first I want to say thanks for anyone who takes the time to kindly visit.
If you want the opportunity of winning one of my brooches from my still life series, just leave a comment before 8pm Saturday 17th April and you will be entered into my draw.
I hope you have a great weekend.
M x

A Kaylacoo World

Another world to escape to, just made from wool, fabric and threads.

Still Life Stitching

Yesterday we had snow, it started about 1.00pm and fell steadily into the early hours of the morning.

Today, at least, we have had sunshine which has meant a beautiful bright light as the sun reflects on the snow.

I have been lucky to receive another Sunshine award from http://wychbury.blogspot.com/.

Thanks Paula.x

I have been playing with my fabrics and threads for my miniature still life pictures.

Here is a still life in my sketch book , I may use this for a larger stitched textile piece.

For sometime I have considered how I could make my landscapes integrate with my still life sketches, so now my land is the table cloth, my vase the trunk of my tree and the flowers become my leaves and branches.

I try and imagine that I'm walking in this landscape, as if I'm a character from 'The borrowers' by Mary Norton. This would be so much fun, although not if I got lost in my thread pile!

My Clothes

I have always enjoyed shopping for clothes from charity shops, vintage clothing shops, car boots etc..

This started when I was very young with jumble sales and my aunts would also pass on clothes to me, although I never did wear the luminous blue hot pants I was kindly given.

It seems that recently it is now more acceptable, it means far more clothes are being recycled and this prevents them ending up in landfill.

The global down turn has also made us scrutinize our shopping habits.

Of course years go when I was eighteen, recycling never occurred to me, I just liked different clothes, giving to good causes and had little money.

The other reason was I could afford better quality clothing all be it second hand.

The two outfits above I have recently put together from charity shops and by styling with some of my own accessories I can create my own individual look.

Twenty five years ago there was no ebay and not many car boots so we now have more choice than ever before.

To make it work though I do think it is important to mix in one or two new quality pieces of clothing, we still need to support our shops.

I have also included a picture of what my sewing table looks like, at this very moment.

I will be featuring some more etsy sellers soon, I should get to it mid week.

Bye for now Mx

Surreal Embroidery

Here are some more colourful trees I have been working on for the exhibition.

I have been dip dying various wool pieces, I'm always excited at seeing the variety of colours I can get by using just a few colours.

I have worked in some lovely old silk threads on these little trees.

On Monday I will be in Stratford to help get the exhibition ready, it starts on Tuesday 9th of June.

How quickly that date has come around!

I'm just a touch nervous, hoping it will be enjoyed.

I must say thank you to Annabel Rainbow because without her I would not have been able to take part and she will be manning it with her friend and fellow artist Annabel Shirt.

I won't be there until the Saturday and the Sunday.

I promise to take lots of pictures.

Happy Memories

I finished this little picture today, Happy Pink Tree, adding a few birds flying about, creating more patterns.

Also this little tree badge measuring 4.5cm x 5cm in shades of turquoise, it works well against the pale purple back ground.

I am busy drawing, dying wool and stitching for the exhibition in June.

It's great to have an exhibition as something to work towards, I will never get bored!

I think back to my childhood and I remember saying to my Mum that I was bored.

You know, on days when it poured with rain and because we lived in a remote village, most of my friends lived too far away to call on and go out to play.

My mum would get out pens and paper and the fabric scrap bag then my sister's and I would spend hours making all sorts of things; happy memories.

Buttons,Flowers,Trees And Brooches

Hello,

I was very lucky to be given all these old, odd buttons, some of them will be destined for school and some of the large buttons I have used on my flower brooches.

I spent quite a long time just playing with them!

Before I forget I want to thank a few people who very kindly chose me for awards or tags

karen from Contemporary Embroidery, Izabela from Knit and Crochet,Sarah from The Forest Room and Embellisher.

So sorry I have been a bit late!

I am also in the process of making a few more art works which will progress in to stitches.

Hope to bring you more news soon.

Have a good week.x

There Is Magic In Trees

Hello,

I found out yesterday that my children's school Easter holidays do not co inside with the school I work at!

I don't know why I hadn't picked up on it, head in the clouds as usual!

They break up a week earlier than me, luckily I'm part time so we can work round it, also my husband is still looking for work so at least he can be around too.

You do have to look at the positives!

I have been working on these brooches and a significant commission which I can't share with you yet, but hope to in the not too distant future.

I have used black as the back ground for the pink and orange tree, it was originally a woollen jumper.

The vintage machine embroidery threads are made by Schurer , the colours are so vibrant, I can't wait to try them out.

I do hope you're having a good week, we have had sunshine and showers today.

Looking out the window, our Magnolia tree is just coming into bud, a few more days of sunshine and those tulip like flowers will be open.

I will be waiting with my sketch book...

Collections,Treasures And Flower Brooches

This week I swapped brooches with Cathy of november moon.

I am so delighted to have this beautiful brooch, I will treasure it, thank you so much Cathy.

I also wanted to share with you a few collections, my wooden Polish dolls and my Mums collections of perfume bottles and powder boxes.

The collective gene is strong in my family!

Here are a new batch of flower brooches I have completed, which are a special order.

Hope your having a good week.

Tree Pattern Brooches

I love playing with pattern and yesterday I made these tree brooches.

I still have to finish the backs so a bit more sewing to go.

Looking out the window it seems to be a good day to stay in , we have dark clouds, high winds and rain.

I was going to try and get some gardening done, never mind it looks like I may just have to stitch instead!

Blossom Brooches

Sold

Sold

Over the weekend I made these brooches.

My starting point was pictures of tree blossoms and I played around with different views.

I settled on this angle, as if I was sitting in the branches!

They almost became abstract in design and definitely a Japanese feel to them.

I have also started on a another landscape embroidery which I hope to show you in the week.

Tree Badges

Hi,

My Mum found these beautiful vintage silk threads and she knew how excited I would be to use them.

They are so fine and the mix of colours and lustre are beautiful.

So the best therapy for me is to keep busy and last night I started these tree badges.

Intense colours shining against the wool.

I also want to try out pattern ideas from this painting in my sketch book.

Shopping list Saturday will be on my usual Sunday.

We are off to take the dog for a nice long walk, the sun is out!

Painting Trees

Sold

I thought you may be interested in some of my tree paintings.

You can view my paintings on flickr, but not everyone uses flickr and some blog friends may not have seen them.

It helps to look back at past work to see how you develope your ideas.

I do so want my embroidery to come 'alive'

Hope the start of your week has been a good one.

Threads That Dance.

I have been playing today with different ideas.

Here are a few of the brooches I have made.

I like movement in my work and that has inspired my dancers.

I will try and add the orange tree brooch to etsy today.

The wool is a rich purple blue, it compliments the orange so well.

I now must brave the ice winds to walk the dog!

Colours

The last couple of days I have been dying batches of wool.

Dipping pieces into colours and trying out different shades.

I love seeing what variations I can get.

Colour evokes all sorts of ideas and the blue grey became my stormy clouds.

The soft lilac pink had to be delicate and spring like.

Time has flown by as I become engrossed in my stitching.

I should make New Year resolutions, but I never seem to be disciplined enough to keep them.

The only two I will make is to keep being creative, as much as I can be, and not to be so messy and unorganized, oops I think I have failed that one already!

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!