Domesticali

Vanilla Stitching

Sewing is sometimes about the end product and sometimes about the process. Sitting with a little gentle stitching in hand allows for relaxation and conversation, whilst still retaining a sense of productivity.

And so it was that I gave in to temptation at The Shop at Number 57 recently and ordered a cross stitch kit. Because cross stitching is the ultimate in vanilla stitching. Repetitive following of instuctions. Sometimes decision making can be so over-rated.

And I like it so much in its hooped simplicity, that I have decided to mount it like that. Both to enjoy it as a finished object and as a subliminal reminder of the pleasures of keeping one's hands occupied. 

A little flat

There is a custom at the boys' school for taking in a little treat of the cake variety to share with your classmates on your birthday. Johnny's usually falls during half term, but rather than miss out, I thought they could be a cheering treat for back to school.

It was only as I was getting them out of the oven that I realized that taking cakes in on the first day of Lent probably isn't my finest hour, timing-wise. Oops.

They weren't my finest batch of cakes either. I'm blaming it on the February blahs. But it's nearly March. Spring is just round the corner, so I am attempting to chanel my negativity into getting ready for it. I've cleared out the cupboard under the sink, the airing cupboard and purged one wardrobe.

And during the purging, I was thinking about only surrounding yourself with things that make your heart glad. Life is too short to be confronted on a daily basis by things which make us feel grey. The spaces that make my heart lift are the ones full of tiny touches - where nothing is so insignificant that it cannot be sprinkled with a little care and cheer.

And so some of our wire coathangers got the joy treatment by covering them with fabric. It's so simple - just a little bit of double sided sticky tape and a torn strip of scrap fabric wound round and round. Is it a transformative change? Not a big one. But they do make me feel the tiniest bit brighter.

Busy hands

During periods of anxiety, it helps me to keep busy. Preferably small things, with instant gratification involved. Because when you are waiting on big things which are out of your control, it's good to go for a little contrast.

Mark is in the midst of entrance exams. I have made a dozen felt rings. Including the one that disintegrated when trimmed too much before it was properly felted and the one that has mysteriously disappeared (looks suspiciously at the cat).

I used to think I was quite good at handling pressure. Seems that's only true when I have some element of control over the outcome. I'm off to hunt down some more scraps of wool.

 

Pom pom plum pudding tutorial

Johnny has been more than a little obsessed with pom poms recently. His textiles teacher had the children making them old style - with little cardboard doughnuts, and he was so pleased with his. So a little project to make use of his poms seemed in order.

A little plum pudding pom pom.

To make one, you'll need a lovely brown pom pom - how you make it is up to you. Here's a tutorial for the 'wrapped round fingers' method and one for the 'classic cardboard doughnut' style. The latter is highly desireable if you want to keep small childen occupied for a good long while. Johnny's teacher clearly understands how best to achieve a quiet interlude in her schedule.

When you tie the wool around the centre of your pom pom, leave a good long tail. You will need this to make the rest of the plum pud.

We took a red button and a piece of white felt, cut freehand into a vaguely circular, wiggly edged shape. 

Using the long tail from your pom pom. sew up though the middle of your white felt shape and through the  holes of the button, making a couple of passes to secure them well. We also tied on a tiny scrap of green wool, to look like holly leaves. Done.

Our plum puddings are going to be tied on to bags of Christmas cookies as teacher presents this year. I know it seems early to think of these things, but my offspring break up on December 10th. Aaaaargh. We may well  require more than a cardboard doughnut or two to keep them calmly occupied between then and Christmas....

Follow your nose

Hacking away at the buddleia which will not die the other day, I sniffed something on the breeze. And following my nose, found my neighbour shearing her lavender bush. Straight into the compost bin. No no nooooo! She looked rather oddly at me as I begged for her garden waste, but handed it over all the same.

And so was born a little shoal of lavender fish. Thereby scratching my creative itch, justifying my Pinterest habit and breaking the sewing drought round these parts.

Plus my wardrobe could do with a little sprucing and pruning. And having a good smelling shoal to pop on the hangers might just inspire me to do something about it. The Changing Room helps too - a safe little corner of Flickr which encourages me to confront the reality of how I dress. In the anticipation that what we pay attention to, we tend to improve on.

Because left to my own devicies, I don't really pay much attention to the reality in the mirror. Or the mirror at all, really. One drunken student evening, my pals gave me some extra bushy eyebrows with a marker pen. They had to confess around 3pm the following day, because I still hadn't looked at my own reflection and noticed. I'd like to think that things would be different nowdays, but perhaps not.

So, what is your Autumn wardrobe crying out for? Do you think a spell in the changing room is in order?

Not pinning, but doing

Ah Pinterest, I do adore you. So neat and tidy, so full of inspiration. When I click that 'Pin It' button, there's a little thrill, like the one I'd imagine shopping addicts feel as they approach the cash register. I watch my boards fill up - Halloween, Christmas, things I might make someday.

Ah, there lies the rub - I'm pinning like crazy but not following through. And when Nancy looked at one of my pins and actually acted on the inspiration, I had an epiphany. There's not much point in pinning, if it doesn't lead to action. So I too, made customized tape (inspired by here).

In fact, once I got going, I made tape out of any interesting paper I could get my hands on - security envelopes, old road atlas maps, sheet music, even my redundant car tax disc. I made so much tape, I had plenty to share. Now I just need to use it. Because there's not much point in making, unless you make use of the finished article.

Here's to following through on our very best intentions.

Free plums and a dollop of art

The hedgerows behind our house are teeming with little wild plums at the moment.

They seem early this year. But made for a good crumble. Pretty much my only contribution in the kitchen this weekend, as I've been volunteering at Art in Action.

Beautiful, beautiful setting.

Some old favouries amongst the artists - Sarah Morpeth.

Roanna Wells (first encountered at the Knitting and Stitching Show last year).

 And the joy of watching people create.

But I'm tired out and in need of a nice cup of tea and perhaps, if I'm very lucky, there might be a bowlful of leftover crumble  in the fridge.

Loose ends

Amazing how knowing you have less than two weeks left of the children being in school focuses the mind.

So there has been progress on the UFO pile. Starting with some loose ends. These have been waiting for me since about Christmas, all because I couldn't put my hands on my yarn needle with the really big eye. Thankfully, it turned up this week.

So it was possible to sew in the ends of the seriously chunky yarn, made from recycled tshirts. I've been squirrelling away the worn out ones (with no side seams) for some time. To make yarn, you just cut a strip, spiralling your way round the body of the shirt, and pull on it which makes the sides curl in. Google will provide a tutorial if you need one, I'm sure.

I had plans for a bathmat, knowing the tshirt yarn would be super absorbant. What I didn't know is that one tshirt would yield only about 4 inches of knit bathmat. I had nowhere near enough yardage. Plus it is incredibly stiff stuff to knit with and hard on the hands. So serious design modifications were called for.

The finished bathmat has tshirt yarn either end, with the middle being Rowan Cotton Tape in two colours held double. Kristina gave me this yarn years ago - it became a table runner and a wrap which never worked out and was frogged for my bathmat. Which did work out. Even if it took me about 7 months to get around to weaving the ends in.

Not perfectly blocked, as you can see. But when it's raison d'être is to be stood on with wet little feet, there really didn't seem too much point in being pedantic about it.

Finished is good enough.

Felt necklaces

In Loop last week, Kristina pointed out the Alchemy Silken Straw. Not a yarn I would usually have bought, because in spite of the glorious shades it comes in, it is jaw droppingly expensive and I can't wear silk clothing because it makes me pong like a polecat. But a skein came home with me because I really wanted to have a go at making the felt ball necklace I had seen over at The Purl Bee.

With the addition of one batch of repurposed felt balls (made as part of a garland last Christmas), and a few minutes gentle stringing, a necklace was hatched.

And it was so much fun that I made a second one too in a different style.

The felt balls are held by simply passing the silk through the ball a number of times to lock it in postition.

Couldn't be simpler, and used considerably less than a skein of hellishly expensive yarn. I may have to consider going into mass production, if another use for it doesn't present itself soon.

Spring creativity

Oh that was a good Saturday. Even if it did mean leaping out of bed at normal midweek hour to scamper off to pick up Monica and then drive towards the big smoke. See, we had a special day at Kristina's organized. A day with Val and Tracy too, learning new crafty tricks from Emma of Silverpebble. 

I've always loved the things Emma makes (especially this one), but I had no idea that she was such a jewellery making tutor extrordinaire. She allowed us to rifle through all her treasures (housed in the cutest little patty pan tins) and showed us how to bend wire and headpins and then let us run riot.

Having never tried beading before, I didn't know what to expect, but I think I might be investing in some teeny pliers and cutters. Because it was seriously good fun. The quirkier items called to me most.

The little bone bead reminds me of a tooth. And the twirly squirly wire pin just called to me.

Who could resist the teeniest of tiny silver keys and a bead with words (especially one which spells out 'very bad word')

And continuing along the key theme, a pendant with button, key and the most beautifully subtle Egyptian faience beads.

Difficult to remember when I was last so thrilled with the results of a morning's work. And there was more fun to be had as we headed off to lunch at Petersham.

Yummy food and much chatter and hooting laughter. It honestly doesn't really get any better. How lucky I am to count these women as friends.

Collage Talker Tutorial

Mark is a big fan of the Post-it note. I often find little messages scattered around the house, asking me not to turn off the DVD player (so he doesn't loose his place in a movie) or reminding himself to take something to school for a friend. But his bedroom door was becoming a war zone of sticky notes. Mainly banning his brother from doing various things in there.

Clearly, the door needed a more elegant solution. One using a simple collage of picture and speech bubble with a plastic coating, which means it can act as a write-on wipe-off message board. And it's a great project for kids to tackle all by themselves.

How d'you do it?

• Choose a picture (from a catalogue or magazine or a photograph) and trim it to an appropriate size.
  
  
• Cut a speech bubble from plain paper.
  
  
• Layer them together and either run them through a laminating machine, or place them in a clear contact paper sandwich.
  
  
• Trim the plastic, making sure you leave a border round the paper elements.
  
  
• You can now write on your Talker with a felt tip or a dry erase pen. And just wipe it off when you have something new to say.

Somehow, when the Queen's Corgi gives a reminder, it seems a little bit less like nagging.

Kids Crafternoon: Papercraft

Sometimes things don't seem real until you can see them. But seeing this cover has made me all excited all over again.

Kids Crafternoon: Papercraft is coming out at the beginning of July and I have a couple of projects in it. 

And it is just KILLING me not to have seen the book in the flesh as yet. Patience has never been my strongest point - perhaps that's why I like making things with paper. Speedy results.

Pitching ideas for the projects in the book was one of the most fun things I've done in ages. I came up with a big long list of possibilities - some of which didn't make the editorial cut. So I'm going to share a couple of those with you as tutorials instead - just in time to keep the kids busy over the Easter holidays. 

 

Back to black

Today was set aside for dyeing. I've been collecting fabric to make into scarves  - some jersey, some cotton voile. Lovely colours, but all very bright. I thought I might overdye some of each to tone down the colours a smidgen and give me a little scarf variety - I had plenty of yardage, after all. So last time I was in town, I picked up some Dylon. Read the instructions, weighed the fabric, popped it in the machine.

Waited with excitement. There is no after photo. I seem to have dyed the whole lot jet black. Along with the rubber seal on my washing machine. Not my finest crafting day.

Partying

Making merry with the six and seven-year-old crowd today. Johnny doesn't officially turn seven till next week, but he was sharing his celebrations with a friend and this weekend fell conveniently between their birthdays.

The whole shared party thing is not something we've ever done before. Mark enjoyed his own moment in the limelight far too much to ever consider it and I was always concerned that my own party control-freak tendencies would not allow me to play nicely in the planning of such an undertaking. But then Johnny is a very different kettle of fish.

Being the centre of attention is a form of torture for him and so I swallowed my own concerns and he and his pal cooked up a request for an indoor play centre party. Which I have to say, turned out to be a very fine thing indeed.

Not least because I got to do the invitations. Using a homemade rubber stamp - inspired by this tutorial.

And make them  cupcakes as well, with a little co-ordinating pennant set for each birthday boy, cut from the insides of the security envelopes I have been squirreling away.

And the other Mum smiled indulgently at my boy's wishes for moustache straws (which I made from instructions found here, taken from this brilliant book).

 
United in a hatred of party bag bin-fodder, we opted for brightly wrapped books instead, with a little sweetie treat tied on.

The boys and their friends all had a great time, with no tears or squabbles or misbehaviour from anybody.

And even better, I was allowed to do all the fun bits which I love and someone else was hugely appreciative that I had done them. Turns out that it's really good to share!

And thanks for sharing your kindness with me on the last post - you guys were right - a glass of wine and a hot bath restored all sense of perspective. But sometimes we need to hear that sensible advice from friends. Thank you.

 

Paper pinecones

There seems no end to my love of things made from upcycled books -  can't resist the urge to chop them up. And also to read snippets of sentences as I use them, which is sometimes a truly bizarre experience. 

See, I just couldn't get the image of these out of my head. They were speaking to me of pinecones. So I punched a load of small circles out of a hapless book and used sewing pins to fasten them onto a polystyrene ball. And my paper pinecone itch was scratched. I may try a few more (right after I buy another tub of pins).

 

Emerging

Thankfully, today we find ourselves on in the far side of seven days spent at home with a poorly Johnny. He had a mystery virus with recurring fever which scuppered all kinds of plans round here - for him and for me. But I'm refusing to dwell on what we missed and focussing instead on the opportunities for making that house arrest presented.

Balls! Of the felt and wire variety, which Emma quite correctly guessed are destined for a festive garland.

And in other news, Nichola, you are the winner of the Edie Sloane giveaway, you lucky duck.

So many reasons to feel cheerful today. Anything gone well for you?

Old friends, new businesses

Once in a while, I need a recipe or details of something I have made and the easiest place to find them are my old blog archives. And often, while I am gathering the information, I take a moment to cast an eye over the comments from way back then. Like old friends, they make me smile and think of the people who were regulars in my in box at the time and wonder how they are getting on.

This week, I found out (at least for one of them)! Karen and I had blogs of around the same vintage and were both at home with small children. She regularly popped up with a comment in my in-box and we exchanged the odd parcel of goodies. But life has a habit of getting in the way and when she began to blog less regularly, we lost touch. But I was so delighted to hear from her this week - and with amazing news of her crafty business success too. I'd like you to meet an old friend...

Welcome, Karen - go ahead and introduce yourself!

I am a stay at home mum of two little boys - 5 and 7. My youngest has just started school and I now find myself with the longest thinking time I have had in over 7 years - frightening! We live in the leafy surburbs of Belfast with our 2 chickens, 1 hamster and goldfish - and despite news stories it is actually pretty great. Sea within 10 mins, mountains and forests within 10 minutes and great friends and family all around. What more could a family want?

How did you begin making stuff?

When I had Noah (my eldest) I gave up a pretty manic job in design and marketing to stay at home. When Seth came along, 2 years later, I found myself in the position most mums of young children find themselves in: completely without identity, other than "Mummy". Don't get me wrong - I  loved it and happily spent those first years in a playdough-brained fuzz of finger painting, sticking and playing trains, trains and more trains. However I actually could feel the right hand side of my brain screaming to become creative on another level again. 

My dad bought me a sewing machine a few years before I got married and I can honestly say that it didn't made it out of it's box for about 3 years. When my wedding came along I used it to make straight edged things. And then, as I nested for Noah arriving, I made blinds for the nursery, nappy hanger - making it all up as I went along - I have an innate fear of patterns!

But I'm rambling. I basically starting making things about  5 years ago. I made some train bunting for Noah's bedroom, then an apron for a birthday gift - making presents to save money, if I'm honest. Well, my friends were extremely flattering and thought I could sell what I made. I had a go. My first craft fair was a major disaster - I sold one thing - to my mum! I regrouped, stopped trying to sell what I thought people would like and decided just to make the things that made me happy and made me smile. 

At about the same time I started blogging, which of course was when we first met. Trying to iron while husband was out but actually spending the whole time online blogging. The blog was called Little Pink Toes and I, of course, documented not just family life but the things I was making. As I did more craft fairs the name Little Pink Toes stuck because I mostly made things for children. But as the years progressed I diversified and now make a full range for women, children and the home.

But to be honest I had never been completely comfortable with the name and when I was approached by the National Trust this year to supply, I decided it was a good time to address the name issue. I settled on the name Edie Sloane. Edie Sloane was my grandmother, who I'm told I am a lot like. My grandmother was real entrepreneur - which was virtually unheard off at the start of the 20th century. Also like me, she strongly relied on a very calm husband to carry out the 'dirty work' that needed to be done to realise her dreams. 

Edie and I are definitely "ideas" people - but the actual reality of getting from A to B can be mind boggling without a very understanding husband. Edie loved to grow things, keep animals and of course make thing - in the kitchen and on the sewing machine. It's sad that she passed away when I was very young so we never got the chance to really enjoy each other. Naming my business after her seems an appropriate tribute to a strong women.

You slipped that 'supplying to the National Trust' thing in there - it sounds like a dream come true - how did it come about?

It is a dream - each year I do a spring craft fair at one of our local National Trust properties, Mount Stewart. The fair is always a lovely one and very good for me. This year I was approached by the NI Retail Manager who asked if I would be interested in supplying stuff. I tried to play it cool but almost bit his hand off. I could really think of no better brand match for me. National Trust are going through a process of changing their retail end. 

In the past you could go into any NT shop and buy virtually the same thing anywhere. Now they want to sell local crafts in each area - something which visitors can take home and know that it has been handmade in that area. Thankfully they liked my stuff and last Sunday I delivered my first order into Mount Stewart.

You must have to be very organized - where do you work? Do you have any tips for organizing your sewing?

Oh my goodness! You're asking the wrong person that question! I work on our kitchen/dining room table. My sewing machine occupies a little space at the end of the table, the ironing board is permanently behind it and when it comes to meal times everything is swept away to make space for family time. I am probably the messiest person in the world - tidying just stresses my brain - I really struggle with it - luckily Richard is a tidier and sorter extraordinaire! 

So when you ask if I have any ideas for organizing my sewing I absolutely have not - in fact if any one else has any ideas please pass them my way. I drool over blogland crafters who have these amazing and tidy craft rooms - I would love my own studio but the fear of not being able to keep if looking beautiful swamps me.

Your designs are very joyful. Where do you take your inspiration from?

I basically make things that I like - things that make me happy to look at them. I love, love, love colour - the right combination of colours at any particular time can lift a mood and make my heart skip a beat. I am basically quite a happy and optimistic person so I guess that combined with the fact that I hang out with under 7's pretty much all the time direct my work.

I think also the fact that I live in a male dominated household means that I search out the prettiness and pinkness in other areas.

Hope you enjoyed meeting Karen - she has very kindly offered one of you the chance to choose an item of hers for your very own. To enter, pop over to the Edie Sloane shop and leave a comment here about which item you'd like if your name gets selected.

And those of you who are dithering about selling your work (I'm talking to you, Val) be inspired!

Flight Commander P R Johnson

Trying to put my finger on my odd mood this morning. Then it struck me - the silence.

The boys were back at school today and the house was far too quiet yet filled with the evidence of their half term. A bad combination - all of the mayhem with none of the pleasure.

And the past fortnight really was a pleasure. As they grow older, I find I relish school holidays more and more and I know I was sadder than them about their return today. Because left to my own devices, I really have no excuse for turning CDs into spacecraft and you can't play Backgammon alone.

Which only leaves me with the mayhem to clear up and that, my friends, is the least fun bit about being a mother.

 

Fungi-fun

Felted mushrooms - not something I knew my life was lacking until I made one. But I have to confess to being smitten by them now. Even though when I brought my sample home after making it at felting class, I had no idea what to do with it. My little mushroom needed a habitat. perhaps a bowl of soft moss? Hmm, fine, but not quite right.

So I turned to the oracle that is google and stumbled across the beautiful specimen jars of Lil Fish Studios.  And when Sunday's walk in the woods turned up a pile of sweet chestnut husks, I knew just what they were calling me to do.

A fung-arium. I never knew my home needed one until now.

Gentle felting

In the midst of this crazy fortnight, there has been one sane stress-free crafting interlude. For a little while, I'd been keeping my eyes on the class lists at a new crafty shop in Oxford - Darn it & Stitch. Autumnal felting caught my eye. Well, if truth be told, felting for Christmas caught my eye, but was already full up. Such is the popularity of Jo's wonderful business venture.

But Autumnal felting turned out to be just perfect - Amanda, the lovely tutor, taught us how to make little felted acorns, and some flat felt which got turned into a beaded flower corsage. And then, a mushroom, which I have big plans for and promise to show you when it is done.

And as soon as a little pocket of time appears at the end of this week, I'm planning to get going on some ideas of my own that have been simmering away on the mental back burner.  So often what we would like to do gets trampled in the scrum of what we must get done. More so when your own projects lack an external deadline and end up being leapfrogged by things which seem more essential.

But making for pure pleasure is one of life's joys (my life, anyway) and that is worth prioritizing. Even if it is just one acorn at a time.

 

 

The story within the pages

Last post, I was slightly circumspect about the tale behind my paper leaves - I wasn't too sure that writing about it was okay with the people involved, but now the 'thumbs up' have been given, I can share their backstory properly with you all. These leaves are part of a commission. A paper installation for the Lancaster Literature Festival.

The brief was to create something three dimensional using upcycled books for a truly vast space in the beautiful building where the festival is based. I could hardly contain my joy at being asked. How often is one given carte blanche to let the imagination run riot?

But I needed to rein myself in somewhat, because the deadline? Tight, tight, tight. And it needed to be easy to install and transportable too. Leaves seemed somehow appropriate - from trees through paper to books and back again, the journeys that the published word takes and all kinds of other, semi-articulated reasons.

And so this week has been buried under a sea of book pages, where I wield my scalpel and conjure up leaf shapes to sew into the long chains which will twirl from the roof space. And in a teeny tiny way, take their place alongside people like Carol Ann Duffy, Anne Fine, Kate Clanchy, Ali Shaw, Amy Sackville, Ian Rankin and Betsy Tobin. Not to mention the work of Charles Dickens and Edgar Allan Poe, though they will not be making personal appearances. Bit like me - clearly I am in the very best of company.

But I so wish I could be there. For the incredible line up of speakers, of course, but partly to give a giant hug to the fairy blog-mother whose kind words put my name out there and allowed me to take part in what is going to be an incredible festival. She's shy, but the sharp eyed readers amongst you, who read both our blogs (and there are many, I think) might well have made out the link between us. You really have no idea how much of my confidence you've given back to me. And I am ridiculously grateful.

Leaves

Plenty of leafiness here today. First, on a hand printed muslin lavender sachet which arrived in the post from Constança - muito obrigada - ele é lindo

And a seasonal project. Involving an awful lot of hand-cut leaves. I have scalpel wielder's finger, but high hopes that it will be worth it.

 

 

Hidden connections

Thank you for the thumbs up you gave to continuing with my Origin series. Listening to you enjoying my posts about it is the next best thing to having you along with me there. Oh so much you would have loved. Want a little more?

Abigail Brown was already a familiar name to me - she has a blog of her own and was much featured a while back on the circles I tend to read in. I'd even seen her work in person before as she had little birds in matchboxes for sale at Liberty (was that shopping with you, Kristina?). Her display at Origin featured larger birds which were exquisitely varied and detailed.

Maxine Sutton was another name I had heard but couldn't quite place. A quick search of my Reader archives had her popping up on Tiel's sidebar and Gina had seen one of her exhibitions in the past. And then up popped a tour of her house over on Design Sponge. Our world is truly very small.

Sometimes though, I was looking at the work of people I was unfamiliar with, but I knew that some of you might particularly be drawn to. There were some beautiful ceramics on show, and I know that Monica has a bit of a thing about white jugs. There was a lovely display of 3 - a Daddy, Mummy and Baby jug and I'm irritated, because I cannot recall who they belonged to. Though possibly Monica's bank balance would thank me for forgetting.

In the case of Val, it was a toadstool motif. I would have got them for you, Val, but I didn't have the right change.

Even the pets were haunting me via the amazing tin sculptures of Lauren van Helmond. Those animals have such personality!

But had we all been visiting Origin together, I have a feeling there is one stall where we would all have hung out, laughed and taken photos - Kealwork.

Here's what Barbara's artist bio says - I defy you not to smile. 

Big furry ears make me happy. It might work for you too.
Can you imagine the winter high street bustling with creatures? Foxes, badgers, the odd Minotaur, not to mention all the beasts you can't name.
Could hats change the world?

It seemed to be working at Origin!

[Once again, product photos are the artist's own]

Within the pages

Continuing on in my series of themes from Origin, I wanted to focus on paper in 3D. There was quite a lot of this in evidence on Saturday - deconstructed books, paper sculpture and suchlike.

The work of Sarah Morpeth  (which I am kicking myself for failing to buy an example of), is often delivered in book format, but it derives from books she has made herself. 

Which seems less contentious somehow, because I know a lot of people find deconstucting books distasteful. I am not one of them. For me, the sacred element of books is the power of the words and ideas which they contain and not the physical nature of the books themselves. 

I had to explain this attitude to another exhibitor Anya Keeley, who I was chatting to, whilst looking at her work. As I uttered the words 'I used to be a bookseller', I saw the look of horror pass across her face.

She has evidently run up against the 'how dare you desecrate a book' attitude in the past. I say, hack with abandon!

Though I think  Alice had a slight shock when she looked closely at the birds made by Claire Brewster. She cuts her birds from maps and atlases. Alice works in a Geography department.  The subversive side of me wonders if they have a budget for art, though the academics would possibly have a heart attack at the sight of one of these on their walls.

All that chopping and manipulating of paper got me terribly fired up. I have ideas. But a simple piece to begin with. Just to warm up the hand that wields the scalpel, so to speak.

[Once again, all photos are the artist's own]

Hopefully you are not bored senseless by the continuing babble about Origin - I'm afraid there's still more I feel the need to capture. Blogs are good for that, no? Reminding yourself of ephemeral thoughts which otherwise slip through the cracks. What are you in danger of loosing today?

Repetition

There is undeniable beauty in repetition. The eye seems to seek out patterns and be drawn to the charms of regularity -  something that struck me strongly at Origin. How a simple motif or form, when multiplied, can take on an amazing beauty.

Joanne Tinker's work used foil sweet wrappers (now there's a fun material to source). Not that you would guess - from afar, her pieces have a sculptural quality and not all of them immediately hint at their more humble roots. 

 But the one which made me smile was this one.

My mother used to make these foil goblets out of after dinner chocolate wrappers - still does, in fact. But somehow ranked like this, they tell a whole different story.

Rebecca J Coles makes cut paper pieces, which while comprising of relatively straightforward elements, gain immeasureably from repetition on a grand scale. Not to mention painstaking attention to detail. Can you imagine the dedication of cutting each one of these butterflies by hand?

As I was standing looking at her work I also caught a lovely moment. A well dressed couple had been standing deep in conversation in front of her booth. I have to admit to being a teensy bit irritated by them as they were blocking my view (the booths are quite tiny and there was already a big crowd, because the next door booth had incredible felted animal headpieces, which people were busy trying on - and yes, I have pictures...). The couple then approached Rebecca and said 'We'll take that one'. 'Pardon?' she said. 'That piece, we'd like to buy it'. She was clearly flustered 'I'm sorry, I'm so used to people just browsing'. It was a lovely moment - her manner was so self effacing and I was surprised to find my eyes fill with tears for her.

A repetitive element was also a strong lure in Wycliffe Stutchbury's pieces. That and the fact that they are made from wood and have a backstory.

His artists bio says "My compositions from fallen and forgotten timber are studies in the narrative beauty of wood". Oh how that resonates with me, only I couldn't have expressed it with clarity. Johnny and I seldom return home from the bark chipped area he likes to play on, without a pocket full of wood fragments. And now they are calling to me to make something of them. To tell their story.

[All photographs are the artist's own, apart from that last one, which is mine. But somehow I feel you might have figured that out]

 

Origin

origin  /ˈɒrɪdʒɪn/ noun     the place where something begins

When I set out this Saturday morning, I was looking forward to my day in London. A mooch around, lunch with Alice (don't judge me by the venue), a visit to a craft fair. All good things, but I seem to have returned with more than I expected (and I am not just referring to shopping!)

Origin was incredible - I have so much to share with you. But I am still trying to assimilate all that I saw into coherent thoughts. Perhaps this coming week, a series of posts featuring some things which caught my eye. And what they might inspire me to get on with.

Because visiting also made me remember the roots of my blog. It all began with craft and there seems to have been less and less of it here of late. So perhaps it is time to restart my making dynamic.

No pressure there then! There's nothing like going public with one's goals to provide incentive.

 

 

 

Monday show and tell

Jumping on the Domestic Novice's bandwagon and indulging in a little show and tell today.

There's plenty of both, because Monica and I made it to the Festival of Quilts at the NEC yesterday. Which meant much eye candy, even if I was too lazy to record any of it. I've learned from bitter experience that the lighting is SO bad in those huge exhibition halls, that I'd rather just soak in the visual treats than try to photograph them.

But it doesn't stop me from showing you the goodies which came home with me.

These were impulse purchases, though I do have ideas in mind for the wire. Which is a good thing as I got carried away and bought quite a lot.

In fact, string-like substances made up the majority of my haul. This is becoming a slight obsession.

The wool is ear-marked for some felted bowls, which is quite a co-incidence, as I came across the first felted bowl I ever made at the show. I had dropped by unannounced to the Cotton Patch stand, hoping to say hi to Lisa and snag myself a copy of her new book (more on which, another time).  There, holding her business cards on the desk, was a little felted bowl I had sent her two years ago. It sounds silly, but I was ridiculously touched. Somehow in this wide world, there are little connections which bind us together as a community. And sometimes, as Lisa put it, we even get the chance to hug someone we've read.

I felt the same way chatting to Janet  and seeing her beautiful work, a small sample of which looks down on me from the shelves in my office. There's something about blogs which sticks us together, leading me on (in true show-and-tell linking style) to the washi tape, bought from the Selvedge stand.

So, that's the end of my show and tell. Any questions?

***that was a lot more fun than supervising my offspring's show and tell selections. Explaining why their teacher will probably not want them to bring in a gigantic Lego construction, or one of the cats, or their Granny...***

Card Sharks

It is so nice over the holidays to have time to play. In the melee that is term-time, we can go from week to week never opening the toy cupboard. Between school, sport, homework, work and household essentials (like cooking, eating and bathing) the time just get chewed up. But we have been re-acquainting ourselves with their contents (leading to a massive clear out and sorting session).

Oh the guilt borne of seeing the amount of kiddy bits we have accumulated over the past decade. I never saw myself as a rampant consumer, but the box-load after box-load of stuff seems to tell otherwise. Luckily, the boys have been excellent about parting with the things they have outgrown and we are planning a selling trip to the car boot sale on Sunday. I have never done this before, so any advice from veterans would be most welcome.

Thankfully, as the boys grow, their toys and games seem to be reducing (in their bulk, at least). The new craze round these parts is playing cards. Endless games of seven-of-diamonds-begins. Endless. We have to play until everyone has won at least once. And then a couple more hands. Don't get me wrong - I am very pleased about this (not least because my win rate is good) because it means they are not itching to stare at a screen (the eternal holiday temptation).

But arranging and re-arranging their cards for them so they could hold them in a fan and see what they had was driving me nuts. A little Heath-Robinson-esque card holder for each of them was called for.

It's two CDs held together around roughly half their circumference with little strips of masking tape. Not particularly classy,  but it works a treat! 

Hugless Douglas

Bear arms? I'm happy to oblige. For David Melling, whose new book is Hugless Douglas.

And who was in need of a pair of bear arms. 

Feeling decidedly hugless myself - but I know just where to find one...

There's nothing like a hug to improve one's day.

Making my Saturday

This past weekend has been a long anticipated one. There's something almost painful about waiting for the day to arrive, planning and preparing.

For me this meant a visit to the cheese shop and getting busy with the glue to make an altered book scrapbook - my secret santa style gift for a bloggers' get together.

And then, on the day, the glorious coming together of friends, bit by bit - Monica on the train, Karen in a shop in the neighbourhood, Tracy just inside the front door and Val moments later. We had converged for a Make Lounge course  - Extraordinary Embroidery.

See, lots of new stitches. But really? Well, for me it was mostly about the joy of meeting up, chatting, laughing, a little gentle creating. And missing our chums who couldn't make it.

I have to say that I would thouroughly recommend the Make Lounge as a venue for a get together. The lovely Jennifer let us bring a picnic lunch and laid it all out beautifully for us while we embroidered so we could take a break and have something to eat. And the surroundings are very bright and cheery and spacious.

But it's always good to learn something new. And I'm looking forward to finishing off my tea towel. When I get 5 minutes. That's the other great thing about workshops - you DO make the time to do something you want to, rather than finding weeks have disappeared in doing things you have to.

There was gift exchanging (see my beautiful Moleskine cover from Karen?) and yarn shopping (at Loop - conveniently just round the corner).

And home again. One happy (though slightly footsore) bunny.