Saturday 13 March 2010

Giveaways, Mice and Particle Accelerators

Well I've got all the give-aways ready to post but I need some more addresses. Some of you have emailed me in great excitement to have won but without giving a snail mail addy. Do check or you won't get! I shall be posting on Monday.
It's finally a little warmer here and the cold wind has dropped. My daffs are a disaster. I do prefer the miniature ones but these are only one inch high. I think they popped up and then changed their minds.
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Amanda said in a comment a couple of posts ago how fantastic the Twisted Thread courses in Italy are and I'm certainly looking forward to teaching at the Masseria in May. There are some really cheap flights, too, at the moment and you don't need to take much stuff - it's all provided. Click the pic on the left for my pics or go to (http://www.masseriadellazingara.com/pages/Textileholidays.html).
I've been working on some ideas for the course and here is a little piece built up from lots of layers. I love the fragile effect of the layering, showing text and a 'floating' village. It looks fantastic in a window. I have yet to add stitch - this needs thought as it must be very light and ethereal.
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Here is a detail of the background before I added the houses.



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It's been huge fun to do and I have lots of new techniques to show, as I haven't been teaching lately and I really miss it I am so looking forward to it. Very few places left so jump in quickly for an exciting time.
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I haven't had a cat blog for ages so her is a recent excitement. Stevens is quite frail now but somehow she managed to catch a small mouse last night. I think it walked into her mouth. She let it go free in the dining room where it hid behind a bookcase. Enter Smudge - the Gladiator. One wrecked dining room later, he wore it out, caught it and ran out into the garden. I have been trying to get it away from him ever since. An on-going saga but mercifully it has now expired.
A final thought - heard on the news that the Cerne Particle Accelerator is to be rebooted. Just what we bloggers always say - if it doesn't work, turn it off and on again!

14 comments:

Heather said...

I love your 'floating village' Maggie - it's like a lovely dream. We have no daffs out yet, lots of leaves and buds so I live in hope. Never a dull moment with a cat - ours used to bring live mice in, or leave a half-chewed one under my husband's chair! Lovely!!

JP said...

I just love this piece of work Maggie - how many layers - it will be lovely to stitch

diane.ca said...

Beautiful work as always Maggie, I do wish I could join you in Italy.
Someday (sigh)

Virginia said...

Glad to hear the cats are doing cattely things Maggie! I had your blog photo of Smudge poking out of your big embroidered tube for months - those blue eyes full of mischief brightened my day! We can't have another cat because of b-o-r-ing allergies so I enjoy hearing about yours. We are proud Grand-Puppy-Parents of a six month old Golden Retriever. Every time she comes here she hoovers the floor and steals whatever she can find. She shredded a whole spool of gold thread with a two second chew. Sigh. But we love her anyway.
I wish I could join your trip - just too far away in the Antipodes. Between WOW and your blog I get heaps of inspiration . . . Thank you

bitchinatstitchin said...

mmmn love the daffs even if they are a bit on the shy side LOL
I miss spring bulbs now I have moved to the tropics but there are compensations and my fluffy gal Miss Jazzy and I are rather fond of our new orchids.
fortunately my 'garden' abounds with other inspirations being five acres of remnant rain forest full of critters of all kinds some nice others not so :-)

Carol Wiebe said...

The Italy workshop looks like a dream. I have it in my sights, and will use my best intentions to join you somewhere, somehow, someday (That sounds like a song from a musical. Can you hear me singing?).

Your inventiveness and sense of artsy adventure are hard to top. Every time I stop by, I am so inspired I gallop over to my design tables, as frisky as a colt. This time, I am leaving an actual comment.

I'm sure you'll WOW them in Italy, Maggie (pun intended).

artymess said...

The village is gorgeous the layers work really well and i love your collagraphs.........what a genius idea using a pasta maker.....he he
Lorna

Amelia said...

absolutely stunning work, I would love to come on your art course in May . . . . . Not sure if it will fit in, but I will be back here!

Amelia.x

Stitcher said...

Maggie, just a quick note to say thank you for my give-away. The colours are fantastic!

Christine said...

Latest Stitch magazine just arrived - enjoyed your Favourite Things, and greatly taken by using the local earth as a colouring medium -don't think it will be the same with our plain Scottish soil but going to give it a try (doubtful whether husband will accept this as reason for exotic travel) Thank you for yet another idea!

Linda’s Textiles said...

My goodies arrived in OZ yesterday - thanks so much Maggie - a lovely selection.
Your Italian W/S sounds blissful. Wish I could go but I do enjoy seeing your work & samples - also the cat stories!

... Paige said...

congrats again to all the winners; don't know if you pick these up or not, but you have been mentioned at my place

Happy Spring!

I am inspired said...

My parcel of goodies have arrived thank you Maggie, what a lovely selection. you are very generous

kim said...

Parcel arrived in the Pacific Northwest today. I was excited to see a few items I have read about but not yet tried, and one I had never seen before!(the thick water soluble film)Thank you! This was so fun!