Launch 2

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Books have been going in envelopes. This is not quite the spectacle I promised you. I dashed home and got my USB lead and still had trouble with photos. Never mind; here is a boring one of some boxes.

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And here is one of me signing books and looking very careworn! It's been a hard day.

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Anyway the big giveaway is almost complete and most of the goodies have been slipped in with the books. The two pieces of my work have gone to Sharne Gregory of Billericay, Essex - she gets the scroll - and PaTi McMahand who gets the weaving. I do know and love PaTi, but it wasn't a fix, honestly.

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Here are Fiona and Clive busily book stuffing.
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I'll be interested to hear who gets the lovely postcards from Lynda and Carol, so let me know. The two winners of the big prizes will receive them separately. Everything else will be in with the books. I hope you were lucky - more tomorrow.

Hooray! It's launch time - part 1

I am blogging on Fiona's machine and my camera won't talk to her PC so I shall have to paint you a word picture of the launch party.

Imagine a good-sized bungalow with a large sitting room, biggish dining room and enormous kitchen, plus Fee's office and a downstairs bedroom. Imagine them all stacked with envelopes and mailing packs containing the wonderful books all waiting for the magic 4pm moment when the goodies will be popped in them and then...off they go.

Now imagine a champagne bottle - still quite full, as we are trying to remain in full control until we've packed the giveaways. I shall be back very soon must stuff some more envelopes!

Prints and Pogos

I am so thrilled with your response to the new WoW and Quiltwow merge. It’s good to know we’re getting it right and we’ve had lots of new subscribers since I posted, so that is wonderful. Thanks for all the support and the lovely emails.

Diana you can look at the big free Taster before signing up – all on the site at www.workshopontheweb.com

Doreen – number of sleeps is going down quite scarily. I am planning my demos for the Perth show. I thought a pinch of water soluble technique, a smidgeon of vanishing muslin excitement, some carrier rod silks and a little Ink-Aid stirred in. This will be news to Dale, as I think this is totally different to the last info I gave her. Good thing that she stocks everything known to woman. No doubt she'll give me some new stuff to play with, too. So looking forward to it.

Textile Arty – good tip about composing posts. I’ll certainly look into it. It was so annoying with the last post as I like to think about what I write, not just dash it off. The whole lot went – pics and all and I had been saving as I went along, too. I won’t tell you what I said!

So glad you enjoyed the talk Frances – yours is a lovely branch and I had a good time, too. The Velcro was a bit of a giggle. It actually reminded me that I’d forgotten to turn my mobile off. It’s most embarrassing if the speaker’s phone rings.


Heather – thanks for the message, news on the baby printer below. It seems easy to get the specials papers Margaret, so I don’t think it can be going out of circulation.

Today we went for our holiday jabs – just boosters, as we were quite up to date. However, I think it must have mangled my brain as I gave Fiona a message to send out about the books in which I said I’d written Stitching the Textured Surface and Lynda and Carol had written Stitches, Straps and Layers! Good thing you lot know what’s what!

The books are on their way down to me from Tunbridge Wells and I’ve just had a call from Michael who is seeing them on their way. He is not given to great shows of emotion but he was so excited about the way the books looked. We have used a new printer and he seems to be very good.

So, tomorrow will be a mad day of stuffing books and distributing the goodies. I’ll blog in the afternoon, from Fiona’s house where the stuffing will take place.

Now, back to the Pogo printer. The new one arrived and is wonderful. It’s only a tiny pic but the resolution is really quite good, considering it is straight from the camera with no sharpening. I did a few sketchbook pages on last week’s Common walk and some pics of late rhodies.






That’s the pic, much blown up, of course. They are sticky backed and it is possible to hand stitch into them. Here’s a page – I just wet the page as a base and dabbed with Starburst Stains.

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Then covered the pics with skeleton leaves. They are a little shiny but not full gloss.

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This page is more leaves and cut up pics. I am so pleased – I know I can come home and print off all my holiday pics, but I never do. I put them on a CD and there they stay. Now I shall do my sketchbooks on the move and I’m going to start in Scotland later this week.

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I'll be back tomorrow with the launch blog.

Greater Excitements

Still looking on target for next week for the books. More details of the launch and how the give-aways will work on http://www.d4daisy.com./
It feels like the longest ever gestation period - possibly similar to an elephant.

The books have both been printed, cut and folded so it is only the binding to go. Michael went to the printers today and he says they look like books already, even though the final sewing has yet to be done at the binder. He is going to send me one to look at.


I have another goody to report - some of you will know this already but we haven't told you the full excitement quota yet! We are going to merge Quiltwow into Workshop on the Web, which will grow large with lots of extra workshops and goodies. This is partly because there is such an overlap of interest and feedback from quilters indicated that they wanted innovative articles - much like the ones we love to offer on WoW. December will be the first bumper issue and we've got lots of people that both quilters and embroiderers love - such as Jan Beaney. This is a great scoop as she rarely does 'workshop' articles and I'm thrilled to have talked her into it. Add to that, articles by our own Gina Ferrari and Olga Norris (both great bloggers) and several other wonderful workshops. For the quilters, we have surface design with Ruth Issett, art into stitch with Sandra Meech and Greta Fitchett on piecing photos. That's just a few off the top of my head! If you don't know about WoW there's a super Taster at http://www.workshopontheweb.com/

The other reason for the merge is that we plan to build in video feeds - both teaching and interviews. We want to build the site into a huge combined rescource for embroiderers, quilters, paper artists and mixed media fans and all for £15.50 a year. Can't be bad.

Now I have to tell you about a disappointment. I've been lusting after a Polaroid Pogo - a diddy little handbag printer. See below.

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With this in mind I painted paper for my Oz trip sketchbook.
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Then I squished (technical term) some cast paper onto the page by wetting the edges.

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Here's a detail.

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And the disappoinment - I got one and it doesn't work. It won't talk to my camera and I know that the lead is OK as I often use Pictbridge to plug into my big printer. A very nice lady is sending a replacement on Friday but now I've heard a rumour that they are to be discontinued. Anyone know about that?

One final excitement is that I have been asked to teach a summer school in Italy for the Knitting and Stitching Show folk. I don't often do summer schools but I have been persuaded. It sounds fabulous - the outings, and the wine, the good food, and the wine, the good company - and the wine, of course. Details on http://www.twistedthread.com/pages/masseria/

Too much for one day and I've just had to re-do the entire post as blogger refused to publish it.

The big give-away draws near

Hi Folks



Really started something with the old money reminiscence! Not good to go there - especially the gasoline - we pay about double that Wabbit


Becky - we do seem to have finally made contact and it's exciting that you are going to write an article for us.



The launch for the books looks set for 30th June. My book is printed and at the binders and Lynda and Carol are being printed now. Here are the printers proofs, spread all over my dining table, with the dynamic duo's postcards for the giveaway.
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. I've got some postcards, too, as well as some small embroideries.

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Plus a couple of pieces of work. You've seen the scroll and here's a small weaving I'm fond of, which is also up for grabs.

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Then there are loads of materials from Colinette yarns to stitching silks. Also sheets of Lutradur, shrinky plastic and lots more.

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Further details later in the week.

Clarification

Just wanted to make it clear that the 'two for one' offer on the new books was for the mailing only - not the books. Wish we could afford to do that but I think we'd soon be broke! So it means that you only pay one lot of postage on any two books. It is still a generous offer as mailing overseas, especially, is very expensive. If you're already on the list Fiona will contact you anyway so no need to do the 'let us know' thing.

Back on the subject of mailing costs - do you realise, those who are of my vintage, that a first class stamp cost the equivalent of eight shillings in old money. Oh Lord - I'm turning into someone who remembers when beer was tuppence a pint! (I don't actually).

Anyway, this is a chance to show you one of my offerings for the launch give-away. It's a scroll, based on an actual Will and is called 'Where there's a Will'. I do really like it but I work on the principle that a gift should always be something that you would like to keep yourself. This is a good precept as it means that when you buy someone something special you can get yourself one, too.

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Talking of which, I'm going to have to ask Lynda and Carol to make me a postcard each or I won't be able to bear to give theirs away. You've seen one from Lynda - how about this delight from Carol? Good innit?

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There will be lots of other goodies - yarns, carrier rods, fabrics, nonsense and all sorts of excitements for those who order on launch day and we will be making it a 24 hour thing to allow for the time difference. The goodies will be evenly divided through the time period and slipped at random in with the books.

We are, hopefully, on track - my book is being printed as I write and L&C's is down for the end of next week.

We had a really great evening with Oxford EG on Wednesday- it was such a lot of fun - thank you, Amanda (and fellow chair) for making it so good. It was also lovely to meet up with you again, although not much time to talk.

All work and some play

It's been another hectic week - is there any other kind? Spent the whole of yesterday (6.30am to 8pm) on Lynda and Carol's book. Michael Wicks was in London working on the file - madly slotting in pics, adding captions and polishing up, while I was on the other end of the phone making helpful suggestions!

It has now gone back to Liz for a final check (it's alarmingly easy to fall into traps and overlap text with pics, etc). Liz and Drew, our Oz designers, are wonderful. Liz used to set my Batsford books sometimes and she was always streets ahead of the rest, so we are lucky to have them for d4daisy.

Here's a close up of the cover to tease you - love that zapped Lutradur!

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So we are on course for launch later this month and have super give-aways for launch day. We'll also have a 'two for the price of one' mailing offer for a very short time so do let Fiona know - fiona@d4daisy.com -if you want to be told the exact date of the launch. No need to do this if you've told her before. I've finally managed to update the book pics (on the sidebar of the blog) at last.

I have been doing lots of talks lately - we were in Chichester on Monday and that was such a happy reunion. Loads of people we knew but hadn't seen for ages. I so enjoyed myself. Later today I am going to Oxford EG to do my Old Walls talk. I needed an extra piece of work for a section of the talk on Portmerion, the Italianate village in Wales, so I started this piece. It will be the top of a long thin hanging and I shall add more Old Walls images as I go along.

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Apart from the views of the village, I loved this piece of rough stonework. Good change of scale in the circles. I may do it as a repeat image with flower stitch circles.

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Thanks for the comments - I'll answer them here if I may but I have visited the catalogue killing sites. Heather's is stunning - so unusual. Gill's is really great and Chrissy - loved yours.

I've been so pleased with the reaction to the free classes that came with the last book. We are doing them again and I've persuaded Lynda and Carol to do some too. I've already seen Lynda's and you are just going to love them! We'll probably have a new Yahoo group for all the d4d classes - such fun.

Chrissy, those are good choices for a book. I'll make a note. We hope to publish three more later this year - Jae, Jean Draper and Sue Rangeley.

Jane - I don't mind the little shrews quite so much. Stevens brings those in but they are all suitably despatched. Smudge believes in live prey and runs around with frogs hanging out of his mouth while not letting us catch him. Frogs scream - it's quite horrible. He is staying with Claire until the 'easy prey' season is over.
I do miss him, though, and have to have access visits.

Glad to hear that other folks have photo climbing problems too. Thought it was just me!

Hey, Gill - I'll join you in the wine on launch day!

Christine - it would be great if we were long lost great-somethings. I'm stopping off on one of my trips to do some Sunderland research - I'll let you know.

It wasn't all work this week as it was time for the annual barbecue on a bucket. Actually the bucket is for Clive to sit on while the GCs giggle. They have sophisticated gas things and we have three diposable supermarket barbies. We have the last laugh when cleaning up though.

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Here's the gang playing 'What's the time Mr Wolf ("Mrs Wolf, if you don't mind", said Lozzie). They have all crept up on little Toby and he will have a fright when he turns round.

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Back soon. Nothing booked for a while so I'll be back more quickly than usual.

Nearly time for the books

It's been a while but the book factory is in full swing. Mine has gone to be printed. It took a long time because it grew another sixteen pages one night when no-one was looking. It was the straps section, which was supposed to be small, but I made too many and the designer made it look so good.

So it's all my fault that it costs another £2. Sorry! The cost of printing has gone up amazingly since last time around - they say it is the paper, but they always say that.

Lynda and Carol's is well under way and I'm hoping for a launch later this month. Theirs looks amazing - even the designer, who is used to seeing wonderful stuff, was drooling over the images.

Other good news is that Jae Maries book has arrived and MW has nearly finished the photos. It is so very good. I always know when a book is really special as I keep wanting to leap up and try things when I'm editing it. So many books. so little time.

I've been to Urchfont Manor with the text21 group. We didn't have a tutor so we did our own thing. The weekend was supposed to be concentrating on the word 'Reflections' so I made this piece. Title 'Leaf Reflections'. It is part of a series on fractured pattern that I play with every now and again. I took it to the Beyond Stitch group on Monday and my friend Monica bought it.

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Jane Wild was doing some great stuff at Urchfont. Here's her water-colour take on Modigliani.

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Then she produced this amazing charcoal drawing.

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And started working into this water-colour based on it.

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Your comments were, as usual, very welcome.

Heather - I don't think I can slow down but I don't seem to have as much energy as I used to.

Doreen - been doing some more planning for the workshop. I am teachine this workshop at Art Van Go next month, so I'll have had some practice. They always get some lovely talented ladies.

Thank you Diana - so glad you enjoyed the talk.

You should try the family history Margaret. The princess thing was a bit of a fluke but I was also fascinated by my grandfather's history. He came from a long line of ship builders from Sunderland. His father was a ship's carpenter and moved to London around the time they stopped building wooden ships. He is then shown on the census returns as a joiner, so I guess he re-invented himself. When we go to Scotland in September we plan to break the journey in Tyneside and investigate. I find the social history quite fascinating.

Beverly - stamp on the catalogue a bit - like treading grapes. I am dying to get back to mine, but can't see it happening before we go to Oz.

Thanks Heather - I've never had so many lovely comments about WoW so I think it must be an especially good issue.

Becky - I'll take a photo for the next blog but the pawprints are a bit blobby where I tried to rub them off. TWWSIL (the wood working son-in-law) is bringing some solvent so I'll have to take it before he attacks. Did you get my email about writing an article? If not, email me on maggie@workshopontheweb.com.

I have to tell you that Smudge has been so horrid that he has gone back to boot camp (my daughter, who bred him) to be sorted out. A form of respite care, as we nearly strangled him. For a cat who's had the chop, he seems to have an excess of testosterone and last Friday he completely terrorised poor Stevens, caught two frogs and four baby birds (we rescued two which seemed OK), bit Clive and was generally obnoxious. Hopefully being with his parents and aunties will teach him a lesson.

Went for a great walk, quite early today in my new Fit-flops. They are supposed to give a full work-out to the legs and bum - just by walking. They were obtained, at a very good price, by Fiona who is now my personal shopper. I'll let you know how they work.

It has been very hot for almost a week but the common, close to our house, was cool and shady. The rhododendrons look lovely. They have pulled a lot up but left a few deep banks. Lovely colours.

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The sun is on the trees across the pond - making it all hazy. They have done a lot of work on our common and manicured it a bit too much but the pond is a good idea.

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The flag irises look as though they have been here forever but were only planted last year.

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Does anyone else have to put full stops in to stop the pics climbing up each other? I find it so annoying.