Thursday 1 January 2009

Happy New Year

Thank you all so much for the good wishes. It felt so good to receive them all. From the things that were said about the church, it seems such a shame that congregations aren't as warm as blogging communities. There is so much conflict in the name of religion.

Loved the Akita pic, but the cats have decided on a 'no dogs' rule so I won't get one yet.

Jackie - I'll nudge Elli about blogging but not sure that she'll get back to it.

I do hope that you all have a wonderful year. I think it will be a testing one for all of us and we'll all have to watch the pennies a bit more. My next book was going to be called 'What to make with what you've got' - all about using the stash and not buying more. Jane Wild suggested just calling it 'Stuff' - a great idea but perhaps not immediately understandable. I've settled for a working title of Slips and Patches - The Essential Guide to Stuff. Not too sure that that is any more comprehensible.

Anyway - to catch you up with happenings chez grey: the pagan lunch was huge fun with lovely food, Christmas was great and the panto was hysterical. Smudge's role was replaced by a guest appearance from Jake's hamster which was a more reliable presence but a worry that it might become the cat's Christmas dinner.

A very happy event was a post Christmas visit to the vet when it transpired that cat Stevens has doubled her body weight and is doing well. The vet was delighted with her. Smudge was a deliquent with the decorations and we had to give up on the tree the day after Boxing Day.

We had an onslaught of grandchildren today (collective noun) and they had a good play with the cats. Clive came into the sitting room this afternoon and found me fast asleep with cats at my head and feet, also asleep. He said it should be turned into one of those greeting cards with a black and white photo - the caption to be, 'The visit from the children had taken it's toll on the household'.

Been busy since Christmas working on my piece for Dale's embellisher challenge (now in the post, Dale) and the six small textiles for the Salisbury Exhibition. here are some of the results.

The timeline begins, of course, with fossils.





And cast paper - can't decide whether to add liming wax to these.

.





.






.


Also a mini scroll.


.





,And the beginnings of a piece on chained libraries - the newspaper was very interesting.

.







.I'll explain more in a later blog but Clive has got my tea ready. Back soon.

16 comments:

Julie said...

Good to see you again Maggie. Happy New Year! Your panto sounds great and I love the image of you asleep with the cats. The "Stuff" book sounds good, we could all do with help in using up what we've got before we buy more (says she who picked up 10 metres of voile at 50p a metre this week!)

Gina said...

Happy New Year Maggie!

Genie said...

Happy New Year Maggie

hippopip said...

I like the thought of a book on "Stuff", I buy stuff because I cant live without it and then forget what I am supposed to do with it.Have you been to the chained library at Hereford cathedral,very impressive

Heather said...

Glad to hear cat Stevens is so much better. He (?) will be able to discipline Smudge for you when he's made a full recovery. Your fossil paper casts are lovely - maybe a tiny amount of liming wax? I love the scroll too, and the chained library idea sounds very interesting. Sorry you had to give up on your Christmas tree. My daughter has postponed Twelfth Night until Twentieth Night as they were so busy right up to Christmas and she wants to enjoy it a bit longer! I have managed to get some Moon Shadow Mists at last, aren't they gorgeous? Still no luck with walnut ink crystals.

Unknown said...

Happy New Year - I had a similiar idea re stash/stuff busting and not purchasing anything new in 2009 back in November - what a co-incidence!! Great minds and all that!! Looking forward to the exhibition in Salisbury!!

Judy said...

Hi! Maggie,

Happy 2009 from far south in Tassie!

I like your pieces for Salisbury they are yum, glad the Hamster survived and the panto was fun. How good that Stevens is well again and putting on weight a good result. We by-pass the tree at Christmas as our Siamese won't leave it alone, hopefully Smudge will grow out of it.

textile-alchemist said...

Hi Maggie, Happy New Year. "Stuff" you can never have too much "stuff" !! I often find that l am drawn to stuff (and buy it) without knowing what l'll use it for. To date this has worked well as l have "needed" it a short time later. Although hubby still suggests a one in, one out policy !A suggestion for the new book could be "Don't buy more....this time" .... Looking forward to Salisbury Exhib.

vintagerockchick said...

Happy New Year Maggie and Clive! Have justposted on my blog - first for three weeks - well, it's been Christmas!
My resolution is to spend less, and to make more arty stuff - but your books will definitely be an exception, whatever title you decide on! x

gilby said...

Hi Maggie,
Happy New Year.
Love the fossil paper casts,keep meaning to try it ,the "Stuff" book sounds interesting i have plenty of stuff things i have bought just in case it might be useful.
Suggest "Stash and Stuff" (How to Create with what you have)
Pleased to hear that Stevens is improving.

Olga Norris said...

A 'Slips and patches' book sounds like a great idea - in my mind I can see a kind of Ready, Steady, Stitch of a programme!
Wouldn't it be wonderful if there was some easy way of swapping excess in our stashes? I have only been buying exactly what I need for projects for some years now, and have given away a great deal of stuff, and yet my attic still groans with boxes which I hope to empty gradually before decrepitude.

Wabbit said...

The Essential Guide to Using Your Stuff? I hope it comes with an online group! It's great to have good news of Ms. Stevens. I think Smudge has taken advantage of her sad health situation to try to take over Chez Grey. It's time for some feline disciplinary action, isn't it? Happy New Year!

Digitalgran said...

A very happy new year to you both.
I love the name you thought of originally, but "Stuff" is also a great name for the new book. We all have so much of it.
I know I keep asking you this, but I'll ask again. Where do you get all that energy and creativity from?

Kate said...

Happy New Year Maggie & Clive.
Sounds like you had a perfect Christmas.
So pleased to hear Stevens is bulking up again, that is good news.
'Stuff' book sounds great! I have loads of stuff, not all of it bought. Lots of recycling stuff, polystyrene, foam, packaging stuff, stuff that might melt or bubble. I just need to channel my stuff into some beautiful works of art (if I'm lucky). A nice book would probably help me do that! I'll be looking out for it!

Aussie Jo said...

Hmm I think the reason I have so much stuff is organisation. I have so much fabric and every time I try to organise it I can never find categories to fit neatly. Perhaps you could include a section on how to find what we are looking for in amongst all our stuff!!!

Becky Mairi Farrell said...

Looking forward to hearing more about the chained libraries project, what a fascinating theme.