Busy, busy, bee.

I was given this lovely book for my 60th birthday 

by a very generous friend and after reading and

 inwardly digesting it, I decided it was time

to have a play.

   

Collage-Stitch-Print-Collagraphy-Val Holmes

Wednesday found me, 'Home Alone'.  

After completing all the boring tasks, I assembled all 

the relative bits and pieces and began,

(having made my printing plates the previous day).

Print plates dry in the sun.

I have never done anything like it before. I had lots of

fun and got very messy.

 The resulting prints were mixed but I am sure they will

be a starting point for some new work.

As I was sat out on the bench reflecting on the day's labours I 

happened on this.

I was not the only busy bee at work that day.

Busy Week

It's been a very busy week.

Monday saw us travelling to the West Midlands to collect more

stock for 'Ethel's Haberdashery'. Then came the sorting ......

The result you can see below, proudly displayed.

love the 'Home Sweet Home' tapestry.

 Lots of lace, buttons, ribbons and many more fripperies.

Ethel is delighted

Tuesday I had my monthly get together with my friends. 

We meet up in each others' studios for a catch up and exchange of ideas. 

 It's so stimulating and after I always feel filled with renewed creativity.

Then it's back to being to being gallery girl again for another week.

A time to catch up with Ethel and share the latest goings on

in my world.

Endings and Beginnings

My Lichen textile is finally complete and has gone 

to the gallery to be exhibited.

Lichen - Rag Rugging with Machine Knitting

As one thing has ended ......

 I start the ritual tidying of my studio in

preparation for .....

 beginning a new piece.

studio views

Tidy studio, tidy mind.  

Can't wait for my next session in there.

Lots of ideas.

Time to play !

Ogham .... the Celtic alphabet of trees.

I have just completed a small but intricate textile.

I have mounted it on Silver Birch bark. 

I love using natural backgrounds for presenting my creations.

Hessian is my preferred medium for stitching on. 

It is so flexible and suits my style of  work.

I have used a variety of threads, in bronzes and gold,

 abaca tissue, tyvek, silk rods, beads, buttons and

 a small portion of a vintage doilly, dyed in greens and gold.

I love the technique of needle weaving, 

which I have used to emphasise the delicate structure.

The bark was then mounted on a portion of a branch of wood.

Thus complete, it required a title.

After some research, I decided on

Beith

which is Birch, in the Celtic Language of trees.

Perfect............