My favourite thinking place

This is my favourite place to sit and think, or sit and look at the trees, or just sit when I am at Barnsdale. I always try to make time to sit and listen to the birds when I visit, which I find so relaxing. Sometimes the things that are free in this life are the things we take so much for granted - to look at the sky, listen to the birds or notice the changing seasons.

Tulips

This was one of the small courtyard gardens at Barnsdale which I particularly liked. I do like formality in a garden to a certain extent, but the planting inside the formality needs to be 'floofy' (one of my technical terms meaning informal and exuberant).

This is a close up of the gorgeous tulips. The colour contrast of the tulips against the green topiary was striking.

The blue of the forget-me-nots seems to cool the tulips down, but this was in a shadier part of the gardens. The colour combination still works really well.

Five followers...

This is great because I now have five people following my blog. (I'll have to start making more of an effort to put things on here!) I have been really busy with work and my garden just recently and have lots of little seeds ready to be potted on - Zaluzianskya, Echium, Poached Egg plant, Oriental Poppy and Verbena Bonariensis, to name but a few.

I have been working on a couple of felt pieces which I want to embellish with some embroidery and I have also signed up to an initiative that partners you up with another Felter somewhere in the world. The idea is to promote and celebrate International Day of Peace on September 21st 2010 by having thousands of felt creations crossing the continents. I really like the thought of that - how exciting to have something sent to you and to send something you have made out to someone else. Who knows what will turn up in the post, but I'm looking forward to it. Please click on the link to find out more.

Blossom everywhere!

I went to Barnsdale again last weekend and it was fantastic. The sky was blue, the birds were singing and everywhere was covered in blossom.

I took lots of photos and some of them remind me of Van Gogh's or Monet's paintings of blossom against a blue sky. Beautiful!

I really liked the weeping apple tree and took photos from under the branches as well as peeping through them.

Magnolia and Lilac

I was in the garden yesterday morning, enjoying the sunshine and hanging the washing out when I noticed the colours of the magnolia (liliflora Susan) and lilac (old tree, unknown variety) against the blue sky. It really was beautiful. The magnolia has been flowering for a couple of weeks and has a lovely scent and the lilac is just coming into flower. I love this time of year.

Latest felt piece

Above is the latest of the circles series of pieces I have been working on. This is my favourite so far as I think the combination of blues works very well (as blue is my favourite colour, I may be a little biased!) I used Merino for this piece, which felted very well, in about 20 minutes. My next pieces will see a return to my primary source photos I think, as well as continuing the little hearts and stars. It's all fun!

More experiments

The above photos show my latest experiments with pre-felted wool circles using Merino for the background this time. It worked very well I think and I like the colour combinations. I shall continue with this idea and see where it takes me...

Easter Sunday visit to Barnsdale

I was lucky to be able to visit Barnsdale Gardens again yesterday (one of my favourite de-stress places) and the weather was very kind to me (www.barnsdalegardens.co.uk). I managed to escape the cold wind and find some sheltered spots to enjoy the sunshine in. Above are a couple of the photos I took - one showing a tracery of branches from the hazel tunnel against the blue sky, and the other showing hellebores and grape hyacinths. Although plants are about a month behind their usual flowering time, they are catching up quickly. Spring - I love it!

A new departure...

The above piece is an experiment using circles of already felted wool applied to the top surface of a separate piece then the whole thing is felted together. The natural colours come from the wool from my sister's sheep - (Texel cross Black Welsh) - and they do give some lovely shades. The wool takes a lot longer to card as I have to remove any bits of grasses and twigs as I go along. It also takes about 45 mins to felt, whereas Merino only takes 20 mins or so. It does feels wonderful when it is felted. I like the way that the felt decides how it will look in the end; the circles have moved slightly during the felting process, but this just proves it is hand crafted. I am very pleased with the end result and I think I shall make lots more of these - they would also work well using the Merino too.
The inspiration for this piece came from large circular straw and hay bales I saw last summer, but, of course, circles are everywhere.

Repeating pattern 2

This is the next stage to my repeating pattern where I repeated it four times to create a more complex image. I really like the shapes within the pattern and the way it has become more abstract. It has a feel of Art Nouveau with the flowing lines.

I have decided that I need to make at least one felt piece a week, which shouldn't be too onerous, and if I can make more, that's a bonus. I was making four pieces a day last summer so I can do it when I put my mind to it. I may try another craft fair this Spring/Summer, so need to make some more stock. I am also thinking about an exhibition in the future - maybe in a year or so, and at the moment, I don't have enough to fill one wall, let alone a whole gallery space!

Repeating pattern

Above is a completely new repeating pattern that I created using a segment from a photo I took of some grasses and with a little added Photoshop magic! It is something I learnt to do on my art course and once I'd created the patterns, I translated them into textiles. I really enjoyed creating a brand new pattern and the finished result is always interesting. It makes me look at objects in a different way. The above was a practise to make sure that I hadn't forgotten how to do it.
The original photo is one I would like to use for a new felt piece...

Finished!

Here is the stone wall piece finally completed! Although this is the fourth stone wall I have made, each one is different - this originality is one of the reasons I enjoy working with felt so much.

The embroidery really does bring the individual stones into focus. I hope the customer is pleased with this piece, which she is going to frame herself.

Visit to Hodsock

Above are some of the photos I took at Hodsock Priory (www.snowdrops.co.uk) last Monday. The weather was awful to start with, sleet, snow and hail, then torrential rain! However, once we ventured out, the rain cleared away and we had a reasonable afternoon. Due to the really cold winter, the snowdrops weren't as far on as in previous years, and the hellebores had only just started growing, but I still thoroughly enjoyed the trip. The woodland walk is always very peaceful and there is a bonfire to warm up by which is welcome. Well worth a visit, and open until the end of February.

Snowdrops are one of my favourite flowers as they are beautiful, simple and seem so delicate yet can withstand the worst weather of the year. Their appearance is a reminder that Spring is not too far away.

Stone Wall Felt and Tulips

I am in the process of hand embroidering the stone wall felt and it is amazing how the addition of the stitching really brings the individual stones 'to life'. It is time consuming, but worth it!

I was given these beautiful tulips as a gift the other day and I just love the combination of colours! They are so bright and cheerful and a reminder of the colours of Spring.

Another Treat!

I have just been treated to the above book (thanks to my lovely husband!) which was recommended in an embroidery magazine I happened to be looking at. Apparently, it looks at textiles, costume, fashion and social history including portraits and letters. It has rave reviews on Amazon as well so I am really looking forward to receiving it!
On a completely different note, next week sees the beginning of the garden visiting season for me as I am visiting Hodsock Priory (near Blyth in Notts)(http://www.snowdrops.co.uk/) to look at the snowdrops for which they are famous. I have been there many times, but there is always something new to look at and it is a great day out. Hopefully, photos to follow...

A Treat!

Recently, I treated myself to some Shetland wool in the gorgeous natural colours seen above, from 'World of Wool'. (http://www.worldofwool.co.uk) While browsing, I also bought the shades of blue merino with silk fibres added into the blend. No, I haven't decide what I shall use it for yet, but no doubt inspiration will come at some point.

I haven't used Shetland wool before, so it will be interesting to compare felting times with the Black Welsh cross Texel wool from my sister's sheep. Now, what shall I use this wool for...?

Another commission

The stone wall felt has proved to be the most popular, with the number of commissions at three so far. Of course, it is the one that takes the most time to make because the blending of colours to create the individual stones is a time consuming process in itself. However, it is very enjoyable and quite therapeutic to do. The above photo shows the piece finished, prior to felting, with the 'stones' laid on to the top layer of wool. I like the 'fluffy' appearance, which is lost once the felting process is complete. Some of the blends I created are around the edge of the work and the original piece is above it, to give me a guide. It felted well and I am now ready to begin the hand embroidery to delineate each stone. A few hours in front of the television should see that done!

Getting organised!

Having received this hobby box from Mum at Christmas, I have finally got all my embroidery threads, art silks and ribbons sorted and easily accessible. Before this, they were shoved in a box, in a bit of a mess. Now I can find what I need with no problems! Aren't Mums great?

Poplars at Sunset

I tokk this photo as I was intrigued by the colour contrast of the dark grey (and snow laden) clouds with the brilliant orange of the setting sun on the trees. I saw this over the Christmas week and it really grabbed my attention. Whether I shall use it in a felt landscape, I don't know, but it will be added to my stock of photos. (Or 'primary source material' to give it the proper name!)

Dramatic Sunset - framed

I haven't made any new landscape inspired felt pieces for a while (this is my job for the new year!) but I do have this piece framed, so thought I would add the photo of it to my blog. Again, the choice of frame and mounting board took us quite some time, but the end result does justify all the indecision!
Incidentally, my mum-in-law really liked the framed stone wall felt we gave her for Christmas. This year, I am also going to make a four piece picture to hang above our fireplace, using the natural coloured wools from my sister's sheep. This should complement the colours in the room and add a focal point to a rather bare wall. Watch this space...