Talks, Titles and Exotic Aunts

Gina - I think everyone needs a Clive and I have a list of customers for when they get this cloning business sorted out. I really appreciate him for all things web wise of course, but also for the support when we do talks. We always work hard beforehand - checking the images on the computer and working out the video clips, with a full projector run through on the morning of the talk. But it is so good, when we get to the venue, to just leave all the setting up to Clive while I arrange the work I’m showing and chat to people before we start.


I have a talk titled ‘Visible, Invisible’ which has been very popular lately. I always give a good choice when folk make a booking but this one must be the 'most often chosen'.


It’s a good title because I can change and adapt it and it covers all kinds of topics. Everyone always loves this piece by Monica Morgan. It is zapped and painted felt with Model Magic and stitch as a resist. There is a lot of beading going on, too - it must have taken ages to do.



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Here is a detail.
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The lines of stitch act as a resist, too.

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The Visible, Invisible element comes from the zapping, of course.

Megan - interesting that you lived in Petersfield. They are a lovely branch - used to be part of the Guild but now they are the Phoenix stitchers. Clever name, eh!

On the way, we had coffee with my cousin, who lives in Petersfield. We have only got to know her in the last few years, since I started to be interested in the family tree. It brought home to me the fact that I knew nothing about my father’s side of the family and cousin Betty told me why.


Apparently his mother was an exceedingly devout Catholic, so he was brought up in that faith. My mother was a devout and determined agnostic, so he just didn’t tell her, causing a family rift.


They married during the war by Special Licence in his village church. The family story has it that Granny heard the bells and said, ‘How lovely - a wedding’. He was never reconciled to his mother although all his sisters used to visit us. Isn’t that sad? I found out from Betty that we have a great-great aunt who married a Moroccan prince. Books were written about her and I found one on Amazon. So exciting, but will tell you more another time.

Hi Carolyn - say hello to my friend Dodie - I miss her very much.

Well, since the last blog, I have given several talks - the most recent was last Friday. Terrible traffic and it was 100 miles away. Memo to self; don’t book a talk on a Bank Holiday Friday.


I have also had a visit to Michael for the last part of the Lynda and Carol book so that will be off to the designer next week. I am now trying to put away all the work that Michael photographed for my book. I had forgotten how much there was. The book is ready for printing now and he has done his usual lovely job on it. Here’s a quick flash of the couching section.
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I’m reworking my dissolvable class for Dale’s workshops in Australia and planning the demos for the Perth show. This is all great fun but I’m not going to show anything until I come home, or it will spoil it.

We gave ourselves a day off today and have been sitting in the garden as it is the most beautiful day. Clive can never sit still for more than an hour so he has now thrown me off so that he can paint the decking. I think I’d better go and catch Smudge or he will walk all over it and I still haven’t got the paint off the dining table from his last escapade.

The Creative Treadmill

This is going to be a world record for blog writing as we are soon to be off to give a talk in Petersfield and Clive is hovering behind me as we do the talks from this laptop and he wants to pack it up.

Thanks for all comments and I do agree about the Dublin girls - what a talented lot they were. I meant to blog in the week but all things bookish took over. We're also trying hard to get the two internet magazines out and, thank goodness, they are done now and look great. I do love everything I do - apart from the filing - but just lately it's a bit like being a hamster on a wheel. The timescale on the two new books (mine and the one by Lynda and Carol) has slipped a bit and will now be June. However, they will be well worth the wait as they look great. Mine is almost done and we are now working hard on 'the girls'. Michael's photos for their book are just wonderful. The pieces are so good that he wants to make every pic into a double page spread and there won't be room for the words!

I haven't given up on the catalogue and have made some changes. It is sitting on my thinking board so should feature here soon. This is the next one.

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It had some divine details, like these chevrons.

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I can see some little books in here.

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And it has an opening page, too.

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In a recent discussion on Spam I remembered this lovely little treasure by Cindy Hicock. She gave it me - aren't I lucky? She is at the K&S this year and what a treat that will be.

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Clive is about to pull my machine out from under me. back soon.

Back Home

I have had such a great time in Dublin, giving a lecture and teaching the most wonderful and clever set of people. They were so friendly and funny – we had a really good laugh. They also came up with some great work. We were mostly working with water soluble, both paper and film, combined with metal. There were a few side trips into zappy felt and embossing powder. Here are some gems. I haven’t attempted to name the makers as I’m sure to get it wrong. There was no selection involved in these pics, as all the work was great. These were

the first ones off the camera. This one looks like armour - hard to believe it is paper.

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This one reminds me of the enchanted forest - thorns and all.

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I do know that the one below is by Anne.

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This is going to be a little bag.

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A lovely zappy one.

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One of the girls was disappointed that I didn’t say on the blog that I was going to Dublin but I have heard horror stories of people being burgled when they announce holidays, etc. So I tend to keep quiet until I am home again, especially when Clive comes too. These are not 'our' arty people, obviously.

We had a day and a bit to revisit some favourite haunts in Dublin and discovered the Chester Beatty library – quite breathtaking and very inspiring. I found evidence of the first killed catalogue known to man – a papyrus from the second century AD. Awful photo but it was a bit of a sneaky one. It did look just like our catalogues.
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Thanks for the comments:
Heather – I think you are right about the origins of the tree decorating custom. The cloutie wells, with their cloths, always remind me of the prayer flags that other countries have. I love things like that, where textiles are changed and evolve due to weather and exposure. I think that is why I like the catalogues.

They are very hard, Becky – like boards but they can be carved into and have decoration applied. The pages weld together but have often blown into wonderful shapes before fusing. I find it best to leave them on the patio as they are less likely to be visited by cats. Look at the way the pages form chevrons in this one.

Julie, interesting about the other coin tree – I wonder if they are widespread – I’ve never come across one before.

Genie you are right – time is the greatest luxury and I really don’t know how I’d cope without Fiona who does all the admin for Wow and Quiltwow and so much more besides.

Hi Margaret – you are so right about time. Better start getting ready for Christmas.

Gill – your work is great and always welcome on my blog.

We shall watch out for your composted catalogue, Jan. I think I might try one in our compost bin – safe from cats there, too.

The icon straps are made from paper, Becky – right up your street. I think you are right when you say textile art is touchy-feely and this is why I like to keep my pieces unframed. There is no doubt that they sell better when placed behind glass so I do sometimes glaze exhibition pieces. However paper is great, too and the combination of both is best!

Due to a diary collision I am doing a workshop at Urchfont tomorrow. It’s for one of my favourite groups so I know I will have a good time. Planning to take some time out today as we flew back from Ireland quite late last night.

More Catalogues

I had a good laugh at your dog, Wabbit. Not sure if I've told you this story but, when I was a kid, we had an elderly aunt who used to crochet little bowls - stiffened with sugar water to make them stay bowl shaped - she'd have loved water soluble film. We also had a dog with a sweet tooth so we were always finding soggy, sucked bits of flat crochet around the house.

I don't know how or why the tree was decorated with coins. It was on a National Trust reserve called Airy Force (or something) - near Penrith. The Force (local name for waterfall) was actually more of a trickle but it provided endless opportunuities for us to ask each other if the force was with us.....

The garden spray table does actually look quite good, due to the asymetric flagstone, which looks quite Japanese.

Glad you didn't mind the catalogue pics appearing, Jen. The killers are going great guns - more below from Gill B. This one even has a design theme - it is based on an old church. I'm very impressed.

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The ones below are waiting to be decorated by Gill. They look pretty good as they are.

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I had an unexpected bonus of some extra pages in the Stitches, Straps and Layers book so I had a lovely play with paper beads and weaving. In the end I didn't use this piece (detail below) but I so enjoyed doing it.

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One of the new panels I made for the book is an icon panel with a frame made from decorated straps. I enjoyed doing this so much that I have decided to use my last catalogue as an icon frame. Hope to do this soon and also finish the coloured one. Just need an extra month or two to fit it all in.

The week that got away

Where did that week go? Had a great time doing the Regional Day in Penrith and good to meet some blog followers. They all asked about Smudge and were told to look at Clive's shoes for his latest exploit. They were his respectable black leather shoes, only worn on posh occasions. They are now his 'very scratched by a certain bad cat' shoes. He'd obviously been in the wardrobe.

Had a chance to go for a lovely walk around Ullswater and found this tree trunk, decorated by coins - great texture.

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It has been all work since I got home - on the mags and on the books. All coming on well. As I haven't had time to attack my catalogue here are three from the Catalogue Killers group. this is by Genie.

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This one is from Jen.

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Before and after.

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Finally this is from the Wabbit - you may remember her horrible neighbour did away with her catalogue. This one has been in her dishwasher but she doesn't recommend this - she is still dealing with the pulp that got away!

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To finish - this pic below is from an asylum seeker from next door. They have a newish cat who is a nasty piece of work and all their cats hide in our garden. This one is taking refuge from the rain under my spraying table (two bricks and a paving slab that is great for using spray cans of paint).

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catalogue 3 -one step forward

Hi folks

Had a bit of a giggle about all your catalogue tales - especially the new form of composting. Glad you are enjoying the ride and thanks to those who put their name down to be told when the great book launch give away is happening. That is getting even more exciting, as Lynda and Carol are joining in the give away.

Excuse me not doing individual comments but I have just grabbed five minutes for a catalogue update. I can't tell you how frantic it is getting both WoW and Quiltwow ready at the same time as editing two books. I am running on caffiene and not much sleep - I will pay later.

So looking forward to the Regional Day and to meeting up with Jackie. It will be like a holiday and I am not going to collect emails while we are away. We are going on Friday and plan to call in to the embroidery exhibition at Ramster Gardens in Surrey on the way home on Sunday. If you haven't been, do try it - not just lots of lovely stitch to look at, but a wonderful garden and the cakes in the tea-room...... I have two pieces in the show which is a bit of an accident as they are my new Celtic pieces and that is what my talk is based on next weekend. Whoops. I have loads of other stuff to show so don't think they will be missed. The web address is http://www.ramsterweddings.co.uk/events/

Now to catalogue 3, which I thought was nearly finished. I sneaked away from the desk last week and met up with three of my bestest friends, Jane, Ellie and Sue. We had a lovely lunch and then they looked at the catalogues. I don't usually inflict my work on my friends, but Jane had asked to see them and, as she is a great paper person with a good eye, she sorted out the latest one. This is what I planned.
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Much the same as when you last saw it but more colour on the top - I sprayed it with Starburst Stains and added two beady bits that I made with Val.

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The bottom bit had two Celtic knotty bits (ooh good, I can take it to the talk) made from Hearty type clay. Here's a detail.

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I love the way this has worked and plan to do more of this combining Hearty with WS paper.

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However, the gang (designing by committee) didn't like the bottom bit and Jane thought it would be better if the top was rotated - as above. I think she is right and I proposed a cruciform shape with this as the top. I shall cut up my last catalogue to make the upright - see below. It's great to have a second opinion - at the last Beyond Stitch meeting Sue transformed the piece I was working on - it was much better when she'd finished. Hope she's not going to demand a share of the book royalties! I'll buy you lunch instead, Sue!

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Back as soon as possible, hopefully with a completed Cat 3.

Catalogue 3- The Bumps

The next catalogue tutorial is so big that I’ve had to do it in two parts. I have invented a new technique of catalogue carving. The first part is coming along below.

But I must tell you that the first glimpse of the new books - Stitching the Textured Surface by Lynda Monk and Carol Mcfee and my Stitches, Straps and Layers – can be seen on the d4daisy site. http://www.d4daisy.com/

For those who have requested it there is also a ‘Tell me when they’re ready’ button so we can email you when the books are available. I’d advise you to get on the list as I’m planning lots of prizes for those ordering on the first day – goody bags of materials, ATCs and postcards plus some pieces of work. Such excitement.

First the comments:

Thanks for the Easter wishes, Scissors

Heather – this catalogue is a bit like yours so might add inspiration

The leaves were actually printed on the cellophane Aussie Jo. They did a bit of a disappearing act when I zapped it with a heat gun, so I’m trying an iron.

Love the photos Genie

Becky –glad you like our bits of nonsense. Yes, we buried our catalogues in the autumn and there have been some hilarious incidents with them. More details on the d4daisy site – follow the links through to the free classes – you don’t need the passwords for the catalogue info.


A Bendy Catalogue

Perhaps undulating is a better description. Here is what it looked like at the beginning. It has been disinfected, dried and brushed. It has two interesting little dips for treasures. I want to work to a Celtic theme so I shall have to make them jewelled spirals, I think.
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Using a craft knife I carved the bottom into points that hung over the lower page.

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At this point it was discovered that shaving into the curves produced an interesting surface, resembling rock strata.

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Then it was out with the Hearty clay - papery stuff aka Model Soft or Model Magic. I flattened a walnut sized piece and pressed rubber stamps into it, using suitable swirly patterns and a Sherrill Kahn droopy bit that I'm fond of.

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This piece was pushed onto the left top corner of the catalogue. I used a little Golden Matte gel on the page to make it stick and then pressed the edges of the clay to mould it around the corner. The stamp was pressed into the edges where the pattern had been disturbed. This method is easier than sticking it first and then stamping but that is an option on awkward surfaces.

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Now off to the experiments box to find something to take the lower part down. Just the thing -a piece of water soluble paper reinforced with kozo fibres.

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I painted the Hearty at the top with acrylic paint in dark turquoise and black. When it was dry I used gold metallic wax. I will probably paint the papery areas like this too, but I'm keeping my options open at present.

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The bottom section already had some motifs but I added two Celtic ones by squashing a stencil into Hearty clay..

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This was applied to the papery surface by pressing the edges into the base and, when quite dry, doing some stitching. I left it a little flaky and lifting in some areas. It will be painted with acrylics to match the base.

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So that's where we are at the moment. the next blog, in a few days should see the finished piece.

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Hope you are enjoying these catalogue tales. They have been a bit of a marathon to write, but I'm learning lots. Can't see me teaching workshops on it though - the students would need 6 months notice.

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