Red Letter Week

This is an exciting day for us as the new Quiltwow site, with the free taster issue, has gone live. We decided to put it up a day earlier than planned as we were all ready and it's good to have a weekend to look at these things. You'll find it on http://www.quiltwow.com/

Actually, two people signed up while Clive was testing the site yesterday so welcome to them. Then more this morning - they must all have been lurking! Fiona will soon be sending out the message to all who asked to be reminded but this is advance warning for bloggers. I think it looks wonderful and Carol Dowsett, who is the editor, is doing a fantastic job. She's got some great people lined up for future issues. I am finding it hard to proof read for Quiltwow as I keep getting so interested in the content that I forget what I am supposed to be doing. Good thing we have such a sharp eyed team to do a proper job. Do let me know what you think of the Taster.

Launching things such as WoW, Quiltwow and the books I write are like sending your kids off to school for the first day! You feel protective and worry about them. Talking to other writers and editors I think this is a common feeling.

This is quite a week for us. As well as the Qwow launch I have my book manuscript sitting on the dresser, ready to be posted to Batsford and Clive has just sent off what he hopes will be his final dissertation in his last Open University Module. He has enjoyed most of the course but it is a huge time commitment and Fiona and I keep thinking of new jobs for him.

I've been playing with a few extra ideas for the book on using computer imagery and this little piece is based on printed tissue paper. Stitched to felt and zapped it looks OK with a dribble from the Melting Pot on top. I slapped on a stamp while the embossing powder was hot.

I still have time for a few more experiments as the photoshoot for the book is not until mid October. I also have a few other piccies to finish but I got a lot done in the last two days at the exhibition. Yesterday was very quiet but a few friends that I've not seen for ages came in, so that was lovely.

AussieJo (love the name) I think I have seen paintings by Grace Cossington Smith in the Melbourne gallery. Would that be right? Looking forward to seeing the bridge again in April. Love those ferries.

Lots of things to do this week - and the next Knitting and Stitching is looming. At this rate, I shall probably still be working on pieces for the book at the show ! I shall still blog on - my safety valve.

An Excellent Days Work

Ooh! What a lot of lovely comments - so good to hear from you all and special thanks, Nanouanne, for the offer of pics. I did take a lot when we were in Barcelona but, as I am very good at losing the vital CDs I may well take up your offer. The pic I used was taken from a bus - just the right height. I did give it a little bit of distortion, just used the Punch filter, I think.

I have found a way to get something like the gradient map effect using Paint Shop Pro. Open a page and use the fill tool to fill it with a gradient. Then open a landscape, building or whatever. Go back to the Gradient image and then use the displacement map (under Distortion in Effects). Use the second image to displace the gradient. I've had to use a pic of an embroidery to displace the image (I'm on Clive's machine at the moment) so it's not as clear as a building. I don't like the displacement filter on Elements. PSPs is better. Will do something on layers in Elements when I find out how. Possibly!

The dangerous book for Boys does seem to be more adult orientated. They never do grow up.

I've been stewarding at the Wessex textile exhib at Upton House. Had a great day. Met Fiona for lunch - they do a good lunch there. Nearly finished a biggish piece of stitching and then sold a piece of my work. Only a little piece, but good to know that someone wants it. Flushed with success I shall look for another to take tomorrow in its place.

Here are two of Maggie Hills landscapes. I do love her work. Back soon, folks - another day of stewarding tomorrrow and then it will be all go preparing for the free taster of Quiltwow. Exciting stuff.

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Elemental My Dear Watson

Arti - I do think your boys would like the book - all the guys in our family seem very keen. I just hope that Clive isn't going to rush off and make go-carts, though. We don't have the time. There is a version for girls but it's not nearly so good.


I'm glad you like Lynn Prossers work. I think that both Lynne and Carla will be wonderful additions to Wessex Textiles. I'll try and get some more photos on Friday or Saturday as I am stewarding then. I shall take a sewing machine and hope to get lots of work done while I am there. It's upstairs and I will regret lugging a machine all the way up there. I'm thinking of getting a little lightweight machine - getting too old for weight lifting. My doctor would be pleased, though - she asked about exercise and I said I walked a lot. She replied that it should be weight-bearing exercise so I said I'd take my handbag.


After a massive onslaught on the book front the text is now all printed out and ready to go. Usually I just type it all as one large file, marking where the pics go, noting my word count and not worrying too much about how the designer allocates the space for each pic. I have tried a new tactic with this book, which was successful with Embellish and Stitch. It's pretty obvious really, but I've worked much more with page spreads, numbering the pages and working out where the big full page pics go. It involved more blood, sweat and tears as there were lots of adjustments and you can't be so last minute about it. Now they will probably find that I've miscounted and that will be a disaster. We shall see.


I'm having fun today, re-learning Photoshop Elements. I needed to take some screen shots for the book and thought I'd better not use PSP exclusively so I ordered the latest version of Elements from Amazon. This was expensive, as they kept suggesting CDs I would love to have. Must have caught me at a weak moment as I bought three. They keep telling me that I might like books by this Maggie Grey person.

I've got quite caught up with Elements - one great effect is the Gradient Map - we haven't got that in Paint Shop Pro. Here's a Gaudi pic from the Barcelona book I'm working on.




Looks good with the gradient treatment. It was one of Val's favourites and I always think of her when I use it.
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Must go now and save all the piccy files that I have taken for the book. I don't like to waste my allowance of Michael Wicks pics on boring things like materials so I usually take those myself. And this book has some digital stuff in it. I can see that this will take up the rest of the day. Finding where I've saved them will be the worst bit!

Of Boys, Bears and Birthdays

Hi Folks

It's been a few days - got a bit carried away doing some stuff for the book. Just five more pieces of work to finish. Hazel Credland told me about the rub-off decals from Crafty Computer Papers http://www.craftycomputerpaper.co.uk/ which I had rejected because they sounded boring. They are not - they are huge fun. A fiddle to put together (and very sticky) but a great effect. I've put them on gold kid and made a frame for one of my icons. Thanks Hazel.

I have to get the text bit off at the end of this week and I am not helping myself as I keep changing my mind about the order.

Today is Clive's birthday (been out for lunch so this may not be the most sensible blog I've ever done). One of his presents, which he was given yesterday, was the Dangerous Book for Boys. As we happened to have a few boys in the house they tried out the paper hat instructions. You wouldn't think, with all their sophisticated computer games that they'd like these but the idea went down a treat - see below.

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Bit puzzling this origami.

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Well, mine's all right - don't think much of yours!.

Back to the serious stuff. Loved all the posts about pestiferous cats. Sure you are right, Julie - mine would certainly come back. Arti - your bead accident sounds a right pain. I once had a major bead spillage and sucked them up with the hoover hose - having pulled some tights firmly around it. It worked. You still have to sort them all out but at least you can do it sitting down.

I had a little giggle about your taped up camera, Penny, as we have a camcorder just like that. Clive was very proud of these battle scars as it was dropped while he was filming a bear on Vancouver Island. Today however, he has a new one that I bought him for his birthday. We use little movie clips in our talks - one of the joys of a digital projector - so we will be shooting some new ones soon. One of my most embarrassing moments came when he filmed over my shoulder when I was using the embellisher machine. I had a low cut top on and the camera seemed to keep panning back to my cleavage. Foolishly, I believed him when he said the film was fine so there was great hilarity at the next Guild talk!

I went to the Wessex Textiles Exhibition at Upton House in Poole and it is very good. I don't have anything in it this time - too much work at the moment but we have two new members who are very good. Lynne Prosser's Three Fools on a Hill, below, is wonderfully textural.

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Carla Mine's big hanging looks great in this setting. It is a very good gallery. I'll be there on Friday and Saturday, hopefully with a sewing machine, finishing more book pieces.

Manuscripts, Memories and a Bad Cat

Lesley - what a lovely aunt you have. I'm sure you will both love the machine.

I'll put some stuff up about the Flower Stitcher soon, Arlee. About time I had another play with it.

The last few days I have been glued to my laptop, finishing the manuscript for the 'Image to Stitch' book. You always think you have finished when the 'doing' bits have been written but it takes ages to get all the addresses in the suppliers section and check the headings and page numbering. Very boring and I have persuaded Clive to do most of it, working from my scribbled notes. That man is a Saint. All I have to do now is put the photos that I have taken (Batsford give me a set number of pics - never enough for me so I use some of my own) on to CD. This is much easier now we have those cute little flash drives. I back up everything on to one and it is then easy to find the image files. I used to use CDs which took ages to read.

This is getting a bit technical so lets's have a pic or two. I am working on the image below for a faded fresco type textile.

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It is a photo we took in a church in Jersey when I was teaching there, earlier this year and we went over a day early because the plane fare was much cheaper. I think it was in a little chapel in St. Brelade's Bay. It's lovely using your own photos as they remind you of the occasion. This was one of those perfect days: the plane was on time, the hire car was upgraded, the weather was lovely and we stopped for a coffee on the seafront. They even had toasted tea cakes, which Clive is allowed now and again on his diabetic diet. Then we found the wall paintings.

I love the shapes of the figures. It is turning out well so it will be in the book.

I've also been working on December's Workshop on the Web. It has been highjacked by Ruth Lee - a good thing as her work is wonderful. Her new knitting book is not knitting as we expect it to be - just look at these pieces from it.

The shoe is made from knitted Tyvek. We have an interview with Ruth and she is one very interesting lady. We're also reviewing her exhibition in Dumfries - that will be on the unrestricted bit so everyone can see it.

That !!!!!! cat has just jumped up on the desk and has knocked over half a cup of cofffee and my book file - all in slippery plastic wallets and not yet page numbered. I shall have to dash off now to put it all back in order. Luckily the coffee missed it. I'm sure Jan Beaney doesn't have these problems. If the cat is never mentioned again you will know I have strangled it.

This is a Book Review

I have been trying to sort out the photos from the show today. I photographed the cabinets so that we know where it all goes for the next two shows. Jane's idea - what a good one.

Barbara - there is some of Val's Flower Stitcher stuff in the exhibition. She did such a lot with that foot that I took a Flower Stitcher in and put it in the case (you can just see it on the right). Will show a close up tomorrow. Dale has been doing a lot on this foot lately.

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Lesley - better have a blast on the housework - they'll be no time after Friday. Which machine did you get? Here's a detail of my Quatermas piece made at the show. I am experimenting with things to apply to add a focus.

Quite like this piece of carrier rods with trapped wrappings. Val and I did it between us so it would be suitable. Will have to make some more though, so it won't happen soon.

Thanks for the kind words, Sue. I think it's great that we are all friends before we even meet. Everyone wanted to know the cat's name but she made me sign a confidentiality agreement before the show!

Chrissy says she gets in a mess with the embellisher. I do too - I am always surrounded by yarns, fibres and fabrics. Must be a feature of the machine as I am quite disciplined with a sewing machine.

Hope you make Harrogate, Margaret. I'm not doing that one as I am teaching. Jane is going up with Ruby Lever and meeting Val's daughters, Sarah and Louise, who are helping with the show.

Here are a last few pics of the show. I love Oliver Twist's stand and here is a lovely photo of Jean and Walter. The colours of the stand always make me want to photograph it as an inspiration.

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They had a piece of my work on the stand that Jean bought ages ago. I was still experimenting with metal at that stage. I have to fight the urge to take it down and change it.

I have now become a secret blogger. I had announced that I had no time to blog today and Clive thinks that I am doing book reviews for Workshop on the Web. This is becoming an addiction. I shall soon be forming bloggers anonymous. At least the cat would approve of the anonymous bit.

Home Stuff

Thanks for the lovely comments. You are all so kind and most encouraging. Yes, the Val exhibition will be at Ally Pally (with me in attendance) and Harrogate (with Jane and Val's two daughters). It's a slightly smaller space at AP but I shall cram in as much as I can. I have a fire hydrant in the display area, so I shall try to make it look like part of the display. Modern art - an installation, perhaps!

Lesley - I'm sure you won't regret getting the embellisher. Quite irresistible.

Trillium, thank you - that's so kind. I do think that Val would have been thrilled with the reaction.

Just realised that I hadn't replied to a couple of comments from last week. Sorry, Wendy - the Wessex Textiles exhibition finishes on Sunday week - the 30th. I'll be there on the 28th & 29th, although I don't have much in the exhibition. I shall probably be frantically stitching some pieces for my book. I am nearly there but there are a few bits I still have to do. I'm working with the rub-away solutions like Image Maker and Picture This. I've never liked them much but there is more to them than meets the eye. Will report back.

Artisbliss - yes, spirit dye and alcohol inks are more or less the same thing. The ones from Ranger are good but they weren't available here when we wrote the book. With the Spirit dyes you need to be sure to get the coloured ones and not the wood tones.

Hilary; pootling is usually a Sunday afternoon activity and does not make you popular on major roads! People who pootle are usually male, with hats, but I like a little pootle from time to time.

Here's another pic or two from the Val exhibition - from the cabinets this time.

The Miao (Miaow!) embroidery that Gina Corrigan was showing at the K&S was lovely. The cat expressed an interest but was disappointed with the explanation. Here is an example.

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Here is the stitch consequences piece. The one below was embellished felt decorated with some strange papery material that Margaret Beal gave me to try at the show. I'll find out the name tomorrow. It's lovely on the embellisher. Margaret carved into it with the soldering iron and sent it back. Here it is.

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Jane Lemon then cut it into squares and we embellished a silk background for them to go on. Ruth Issett then bore it off and painted a border.

Finally Margaret added the little soldered stars - they have a pattern on and are very cute. It was fun and I shall try to instigate another game at Ally Pally.

Today I have popped down to my local West Country Embroiderers Group to pass on some bits to Carol Dowsett who is teaching there today. Normally I would be joining in but haven't enough energy just now. Carol was teaching her very popular technique with transfer painted tulips that she did for us on Workshop on the Web. The girls were producing lovely things.

A quick trip to the Bank (still in business, I was glad to see) and the Supermarket and here it is, long past lunchtime. At least we now have some food.

Jolly Good Show

Home again from the Knitting and Stitching Show. Lovely to be back and it all went off very well. Clive decided that he could load most of his stuff on a laptop, so he did come with us and we were really glad that he did. We sat in a row, Jane, Clive and I, like three wise monkeys with the middle monkey glued to a computer and the end monkey attached to an embellisher machine. Jane was much more discreet and was getting on with some hand stitching. Here are two of the three.

Jan and Sarah, who deal with all the staging at the show were wonderful to us. Jan had made some large white-painted boards for the A1 mountboards and this gave them a very effective 'framed' appearance. We also had all the books, scrolls and vessells in white cabinets, so we looked quite posh. The tassel tree that Eric Horniblow made was much admired and Val's tassel's looked fantastic. Pics can't really do them justice. These pics are not great as I took them from the 'big' hi-res camera. I'll do better tomorrow with the web camera. Just a taste for now.

Carolyn Sinclair's wheelchair was very helpful in moving the big boards around the show. She said it was the first time she had been used as a wheelbarrow! Carolyn drove Jane up (my car was too full) and helped us set up. Thanks, Caro.

Everyone was so kind - they really appreciated the chance to see Val's work and wrote lovely things in the book, making Jane and I a little sniffy at times.

Everyone thought that theming the exhibition to Val's books was a great idea and lots of folk had tales to tell about how her ideas had got them started in embroidery. It also worked well in flowing the exhibits from the wall into the cabinets.. I think it is the last time her work will be seen all together, as it will be distributed among her family, who do appreciate it very much. Great to think it will all be loved by friends, children and grandchildren.

I met so many people who read and enjoy this silly blog. It seems such a self indulgence to ramble on about my obsessions, but I'm glad you all like it. The much maligned cat sends regards to all who wished to be remembered to her. She is glued to me like Velcro at the moment in case I disappear again.

I thought the show was good this year. Will put more pics up tomorrow when my brain is working again. I had fun with the embellisher, working mostly on organza with silk fibres applied from the back. I started a piece on Friday and it got longer and longer. I was aiming for the top of the staging but it became too unmanageable and kept attacking visitors and tripping them up. Clive called it Quatermass and thought it might take over the show (it wrapped itself around his laptop at one stage).

We developed a good game of stitch consequences with Margaret Beal. She gave me some interesting material to try - very fine synthetic fabric which worked a treat on the embellisher. I gave her a worked sample to show the effect.
This came back to me enhanced by Margaret's soldering iron - then Ruth Issett got involved. I'll show the pics tomorrow.

I'm off for a coffee break now, followed by the washing and shopping - back to the grindstone. More on the show tomorrow.

Here we go again

The car is packed for the Knitting & Stitching. Can't see out through the back window, so I will have to depend on the mirrors. I shall pootle along. Note the I word here, as I shall be venturing forth alone. We can't see that we can spare Clive - he has so much to do, with the new magazine coming along fast. It's manageable, but five days is a lot to lose and I will meet up with Jane and Carolyn Sinclair, who is driving her up. We'll have a nice girly time when we have got the exhibition together. It will, no doubt, involve the odd bottle of wine!

I'm looking forward to the exhibitions at the K&S, as it sounds like a great mix this year. I really liked the new NEC venue last year as there was lots of time to talk to people. Some of the traders did not do well, I know, but I think it will build up nicely. Loads of people have said they are coming so I'm looking forward to seeing everyone.

I was clearing the little camera - the one I use for web shots - when I found this image from the Festival of Quilts. It's a quilt of Gloria Loughman's called Kimberley Mystique.

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For me it really captures the feeling of that part of Australia and I'm glad Gloria said I could show the image. More in Workshop on the Web in December. We are looking forward to a trip to Oz early next year. This year has been very hard work and I'm longing for some time off. I am so lucky in that I really love almost everything I do (except the filing) but doing it from seven in the morning until eight or nine at night is over the top. Will be better after the show - might get a whole weekend off! Arti is right about the children growing up so fast. I need a freeze button.

I am suffering from guilt (again) because I only managed to put a couple of pieces in the Wessex Textiles exhibition at Upton House, Poole, which starts on Thursday. However there are so many talented folk in the group that I'm sure I won't be missed. Here is a detail from Brenda Weeks colourful work. I'll put some photos of this exhibition up when I get back.

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See you all at the show.

Eggs n' stuff

I was all set to blog on Saturday when I got hi-jacked by the Parley four - as one set of grandchildren are known. Playing on the guilt factor (I've been so frantic work-wise that I have failed as a granny lately) they talked us into a trip to the movies. They wanted to see something horrid but we did a deal and went to Harry Potter. It was good and now my conscience is eased a little.

Artibliss: query on gilding wax. I use one called Liberon gilt cream which seems to stay on better than most, as long as you allow a couple of days drying time. Comes from Axminster Tools http://www.axminster.co.uk/

Chrissy - glad you like the exhibition page. It certainly takes a lot of hits, which is good for our advertisers, who are also unrestricted. I think you have spotted a link in my offer to put Val photos up. After all that work I want lots of people to see them!

Yes Margaret, it was hard to choose a piece from Val's work and it was generous of them to offer her friends a keepsake - she had a big family and her work will be much loved by all her children and grandchildren.

I promised you another piece from the embellisher course and I think that this one from Sandy will be interesting. It's not finished yet but it is woven strips on an embellished background.

The strips at the top have trapped pipe cleaners and the bottom strip will work in a similar way but with tassels. Hope Sandy will show us the finished piece. Everyone did super work but my photos were not good - too much in a rush at the end. Otherwise they'd all have been shown here.

A quick Val pic as it won't be easy to see this in a cabinet at the show. It is Val's 'Book of Eggs' that she produced for a photographic distance learning course. I think her tutor was quite blown away. Imagine having Val as a student.

The books shows everything possible to do with eggs, plus quite a few things that no one else would think of!

Pics of Val's work

This is something of a holding exercise. I'll be back in full blog mode tomorrow. Just wanted to say that a lot of people are asking if there will be a CDROM of photos of the Val exhibition. I have tried to arrange something but it poses a very difficult problem: if we pay someone to take photos we won't be able to let folk take their own pics at the exhibition. Otherwise we won't get our photography money back. Val would hate this restriction. There is also the problem of how we sell it etc. So I think it is best if I take photos of as much of the work as possible and put it on the exhibition pages of Workshop on the Web. Will add some pics of the exhibition as well. This is unrestricted so everyone can get at them. What do you all think?

Here is a quick pic to get you drooling. I have always loved Val's scrolls and when her family asked me to choose a piece of her work I selected this one. It is from our Stitch Dissolve Distort book.

Had to do a mini class yesterday afternoon and this morning, now back to printing out the captions for the exhibition and checking my article for the Quilting Arts special. It's all go.

Thanks for all the comments folks. Françoise (note the accent, took me ages!) thanks for the mention in your blog about my demos at the FoQ. I'm blushing.

Artibliss (Susan). Your exhibition stuff looks great. What a lovely gallery. Those cats are so cute that I can feel another catblog coming on, so I'd better sign off.

The Val Holmes trip sounds great, Gina, and your girls are very much looking forward to it. They both did good work on the course - here's a photo of a piece from Dorothy - not too well cropped by me!. Sandy's work was lovely too - will put it up tomorrow.

Sarah - glad you're home safely and not bearing a grudge about the excessive stairs. No spider crunching cats or incontinent kitties today - we will get back on topic - but I do hope that you find a home for the kits, Artibliss.

I am a bit shattered after the two intensive days but at least it resolved my insomnia. Slept like a log last night. I have some photos of the work from the course - not brilliant pics as the light was poor. Everyone produced exceptional work, which is amazing considering we only had two days and we sampled lots of techniques. We had a relaxing start yesterday morning when the brief was a landscape study using natural wools with just a little silk and nylon for accents. I like Annette's Floating Landscape.

The wools were from all makes of sheep - we loved the wool from the seaweed eating flock in Ronaldsay. (Think that's correct, doubtless someone will know.) Here is Jane's landscape. Lovely delicate tree.

Kay made a fabulous bag. We were layering up embellished surfaces, putting organza on top and then stitching. Cutting between the stitching and embellishing again gave us all good results. This technique forms the borders of this bag.

Yvonne's zapped lace piece was so delicate. This pic doesn't do it justice.





You can see what a great class they were. We also had a lot of laughs - and broke a few needles. I'll show you some more tomorrow. Right now, I need coffee - lots of coffee.

Cats and Courses

Well, halfway through my two day embellisher course and still can't resist the urge to blog. More about the course later. Janet - good luck with your blog - I'll keep an eye on it. Other Maggie - look forward to seeing you next week. May have more time for a chat - hope so.
Thanks, Gina for kind words on Workshop on the Web. Judging from the response we've had it seems to have pleased a lot of people. Much as I love hearing how much folk like it, I don't put all the nice things people say on the letters page. I find some of the mags which have whole pages taken up with this seem a bit smug. What do others think? On another topic, I think I have a couple of your students on my E&S course. I'll check names today.
Star - anyone who has ever had a cat will connect with your rug problem. My last cat lived to a great age and had a few 'accidents' in later life. The final indignity was when I really lashed out and bought an expensive rug The first day, she not only peed on it but scratched it madly to cover it up! You should get together wtth Artbliss for the cat trading (I think you are on the same continent) and save on shipping costs.

We're having fun on the course - overworking our embellishers and getting through a few needles. Here's a pic of one of Val's samples. Just strips of embellished fabric, cut up and applied to black felt with some figured net over the top. Very effective and, of course you could stitch your own pattern on the net.

Another thing I love about the machine is that you can just embellish the sides of a long strip together and you have a bag. This one is decorated with Tyvek and cut up carrier rods. It's waiting for a handle.

At the end of the day, yesterday, the class took off to see Yvonne Morton's wonderful exhibition. She is so good and came to talk us through the work and show her sketch books. There is a very encouraging rash of red spots. Then we went to an Italian restaurant for a god meal. Great Fun.
On with the day. Will take some photos of the results for you today.

Sunday, sweet Sunday with nothing to do. I wish.

I hope you find the book, Leanne. It does seem to be on Amazon. Talking of books I've had a few emails commenting on how many great books there are about at the moment. We reviewed so many on Workshop on the Web and several of the really good ones were self published. Once upon a time these were the poor relation but, if they're done well, they can be better in many ways than the big publishers. I think the 'bulge' is due to the success of The Festival of Quilts. Everyone used to aim for Ally Pally in October but it's all moved forward now.
Hey, Shelagh - I can't believe we have still not met. We've been corresponding for so long. So sorry about your NEC visit. Glad you are keeping City & Guilds alive. There are so few centres now, due to the funding crisis. Are people going to want to come to tutors like me and set fire to their work if they haven't learned the proper way to do things!
We try not to work on Sunday but decided that the Val exhibition was love, not money, so yesterday we got all the boards and pieces out to see what we still had to do. Here is a corner of my sitting room - the rest of the room was just as packed. Plus all the cabinet material. Plenty to see. Still some labels to do but we're nearly there. Clive made the new boards - they involved cutting holes and took ages. I made him lay down in a darkened room to get over it.

Later we were sitting out having a cuppa when this chap appeared, hovered over the pond and then formed an attachment to a pot of house leeks. Isn't he lovely?

The Cat (of enema fame) came out to eat cobwebs - a nasty habit it has. It was then sick. Other cats eat grass - why do I always get the nutty ones? This time it was sick half-way through the cat-flap. ON THE WAY IN!





I am off to Beyond Stitch today. This is a group that formed from two groups I used to teach. When they were doing better work than me I decided to stop teaching them! So we all meet once a month - supposedly to work, but mostly to chat. Today I plan to do some more work to prepare for my two day embellisher course which starts tomorrow.

Unmanageable Time

Sorry. I forgot to thank Marjorie and Chrissy for the helpful ideas about Quiltwow. I'll follow up on those. I've spoken to Anne Scott by email (can't remember why) and I've seen the mag. You're right, it's good. Will contact Judy, Chrissie. Again, I have a sneaky feeling she might be the Judy I know.
Susan - your blog is coming on well. I also find it sometimes does funny things to me when I load photos but they usually turn out to be my fault. What annoys me is when it won't move photos down, no matter how many carriage returns you use. I wind up adding a full stop, which works but makes the page look a little as though it has measles.


Tissue paper. I neglected to mention that the tissue gets ripped off when the design is transferred, so the type isn't crucial at all.

Doreen, I don't think I manage time well at all. I don't leave myself any.

Well, I wasn't going to blog today but here I am again. Will have to join bloggers anonymous soon. Back to my meeting with Jane yesterday to finish sorting the Val CH exhibition. We thought we had finished the mounting and then we found another box. How one woman could produce so much wonderful stuff in one lifetime is amazing. The thought of making another two boards was too horrifying so I've bought them home for Clive to do. He doesn't know it yet! To add insult to injury I got stuck in the traffic at Ringwood for half an hour on the way home. Grrrr.

Clive is checking the text on my book and I will be able to print it out and put the photos in the file tonight. Nearly there with the first two sections. Here's a pic that didn't get in. It's water soluble paper, printed with Xpandaprint and then dissolved. This is layered over wrapped pipe-cleaners and hand stitched. I am trying not to have WS paper in this book, but it so wants to get in and I keep having to weed it out.

Here's the detail.

Then there was the September WoW to launch. It looks good - I got some really exciting people, I think. It is always so hard to get a balance. You try to cover all the bases when commissioning and then, for all sorts of valid reasons, some articles don't come in. People seem pleased with September - thanks for all the emails.
Day of rest, tomorrow. See you on Monday.