House hunting

Just to say I will not be posting for a few weeks. All my energy and time is going into house hunting.
Thanks to everyone who has commented and folks who visit. Will be back soon.

BYE  BYE

Endings and Beginnings

Beautiful day, clear blue skies, very cold but sunshine at long last.

Last 2 patches finished. Words added and patches waxed. Ready to be attached to background.

I have painted the background edges, I am not mean with paint but have found just painting the edges allows the top layer to have a better seal.

 Thought I would be able to source locally, the size of canvas artist boards, needed to mount the patches in batches of 3. No luck so will have to buy on line. So much for supporting ones local art shop.
Folks have been asking, " what is faggoting?"
This is the correct way to work the various stitches.

 Nothing like my way. I am working a sample to show treatment of edges, will show you next week.
My piece will use sticks or wrapped cords.

I like to make a rough mock up of my ideas. It helps me to work out proportions and placements etc. The finished piece often has little resemblance to the paper work.
This Coastline piece began with a scrappy doddle in my workbook.

 
Still tent stitching. 

Almost at the end of the " Findings" and at the beginning of as yet untitled piece.

Look in next week to see if I make it to the beach with my sketchbook. Weather has just been so terrible here.

BYE   BYE

 

Seek and yea shall find

It is found. So happy. I was doubting I could reproduce it.

When I am painting backgrounds, it is all done on instinct. What looks right to my eye what speaks to me. No notes on colours used etc. just grabbing the material which jumps out of the drawer. So very happy to have found it safe and well at Grandchildrens.
These 9 patches began life - if you remember- on a A3 sheet of drawing paper so they had a connection.

Happy, very happy to have it home.

 .
Attach some shells and add writing. 2 patches still to be waxed and they are ready to be mounted.

 New inspiration wall.

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This is the last of my seaweed wrapped fabric. It was left in a rock pool.
This will be a long narrow piece of work using an old embroidery technique. Faggoting. If you have used this technique you will realize I am using it My Way. Does that sound like a song?
I have gone  back to looking at fences again. Plan to use sticks to join fabric. Perhaps photos behind.
Lots to think about. At very early stages but next piece of work in the planning.

Plan for next week

1    Source Artist Boards to mount patches.

2    Get to a beach with my sketchbook.

3   Get more paper work done for new piece

4   Oh, and finish off the patches.

Look in next week to view how much I achieve.

BYE     BYE     so happy to have patch returned.   

  

I year on

I opened the door to blogland and tentatively stepped through, 1 year ago.
I have had fun and the discipline of posting each week got me through some difficult times. The responsibility to post has made me work and keep to deadlines for exhibitions.
I am the first to admit I blog with the minimum of computing expertise. Will 2016 be the year I take on board I need better computing skills. We will see.
In the meantime, Thank you to everyone who has looked in to view what I have been up to. 
There is a number of exhibitions in 2016 I would like to have work accepted for so I better keep working.

Spent yesterday with an art group I attend once a month. We divided our paper into 5/6 pieces, using tape. The idea was to draw with different tools, starting at the same place for each drawing. Interesting timed exercise. Good to try an exercise which takes one out of your comfort zone. Drawing flowers is so not my thing.

Back to the 9 patches. 1 missing trying to locate it at my grandchildren`s home.

3 more finished. Have had a rethink and plan to mount the patches in set of 3, rather than keep together and then try to sell separately.

Now have to find canvas backing in the correct size.

 A day of slight snow in the midst of the wind and rain.

I love the bird patterns and the tractor tyre marks

3rd book in the Field series is still hovering around in the background. 
No birds on the bird table or waiting on the bush. Looked up and this bird was in the tree watching the bird table.

Not large enough to be a buzzard. Sparrow Hawk?
Tried to photograph it in profile.

Look at that beak. Asked it to go and kill field mice and leave my little birds alone. Felt guilty as field mice deserve to live as does the Hawk. Nature sorting itself out.

Plan for next week

1 Find that missing patchwork piece.
2 Finish last one.
3 Source correct size canvas panels.

Please look in next week as I will be starting my 2nd year of blogging.

BYE  BYE.