It's all go

Once again, not very much to show for the last week in tangible form.   However, we’ve been far from idle.    Last Monday and today, Liz and I were curating the SRGB photographic exhibition at Dobbies Garden Centre in Southport http://www.dobbies.com/find-a-garden-centre/southport/.    It is well worth a visit if you’re in the vicinity – approximately 200 photographic prints – the best of the 800 or so competition entries in the SRGB First Print Celebration – a national competition.   It was great to be able to actually look properly at the prints – previously we’d been so busy labelling, mounting and framing that we’d only had time to glance at each one.    The images are so varied, from stunning Creatures of the World, Environment, Human Race, As Shot (unmanipulated) to Step out of the Box (Creative).   It would be really hard to choose just one favourite – there really is something for everyone.   Next year, I think I’ll try to raise my game and enter some myself!

It was lovely and warm on Thursday, so  I spent all afternoon in the garden, , picking through some more alpaca fleece – I’ve actually finished the big bin bag full of black fleece - there’s a bag of brown and a bag of white to go (not to mention a couple of boxes from last year still in the loft!).   It’s a bit messy to card it inside so I’m hoping the weather will be warm and still for few weeks so that it can be done in the garden or we’ll have to do it in the garden shed.    

I did have time to make a needle felted leaf shaped brooch which I’m very pleased with and at last I've photographed the bow shaped one I made ages ago.     I’ve also  put together some cards using needle felted and wet-felted hearts and leaves.    When I think about it, I started a nuno scarf – it is wool squares on chiffon and I’m hoping to decorate it with embroidery or beads, or both, so I have actually achieved quite a lot in the time I've had.   

At the weekend, my husband and I went to visit our daughter in Holland so, as well as being away from Friday to Monday, I spent Tuesday trying to catch up with myself – it all takes time.  I’m looking forward to catching up with the other branch of the family - our eldest grandson will be home from College for the weekend so we’ll see him and we are also singing in a concert.   It’s all go!  



scarf - work in progress
 

 

This and that

Where did that week go?    Very little ‘crafty stuff’ achieved – I don’t really know where the time went.  Although, last Wednesday, we did spend the whole day with two very old friends from my husband’s university days.    We hadn’t seen them for a whole year so, understandably, there was lots to catch up on.   At the end of the day, we promised not to leave it as long before we meet up again – how many times have you said/heard that?

On Sunday, Liz and I went, for the first time, to sell our wares at Inglenook Farm on the Rainford Bypass.   There were lots of stalls selling everything from food to crafts and it was very well attended.    We met lots of interesting people and a couple of them asked for cards so that they could contact me to teach them how to make felt.   That will be a bit of a new departure – I have done it a couple of times before and found it great fun.

Monday was spent, with Liz, curating the SRGB Photography Exhibition at Dobbie’s Garden Centre, in Southport – although it was quiet, we met some very interesting people and it also gave us a chance to study the photos in detail.     With nearly 200 prints to see, it’s hardly surprising to find the odd one that you hadn’t spotted before.     

So, apart from some knitting, finishing off some bits and pieces, and sorting through a lot of photos to find something suitable to submit to some photo competitions, I have been most unproductive.   Must try harder!

 

Socialising

What have I been up to in the past week?   A lot of socialising and not too much work!   We did however, do a short stint blackberrying and then made them into jam - I had to scrounge some jars first though!.  

Wednesday was a lovely day, a couple of us met up with another old friend from City and Guilds days and had a lovely, long, gossipy lunch and I got home just in time to pick up my husband for a family barbecue.  Our eldest grandson would be leaving home to start a Sixth Form course at Chethams College of Music in Manchester so it was a little farewell to him with family and friends.      It was lovely to relax in the garden eating and drinking until well after the sun went down and we had to go inside.    

On Friday, Liz and I spent the whole day with Dianne Owen mounting and labelling the 200 or so successful prints for the SRGB Print First Print Celebration exhibition at Dobbies Garden Centre, Bentham Way, Southport, from 7^th – 21^st September.     Today, along with several other members of the group, we framed them up ready be hung before the opening on 7^th.   What a mammoth task!

 

background and painted bondaweb

 

bluebell wood

 At the weekend, I actually got time to ‘play’ so I made a picture of a bluebell wood using painted bondaweb and hand and machine embroidery - it's actually mounted and framed now.

  I also managed to finish a couple of fabric book covers.   On Monday, keeping up my efforts to use up some of the fabric scraps I collect (hoard), I painted some quilted fabric which I hope to use to make needle cases.   The fabric was left over from the ‘Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat’ I made for one of our granddaughters for Christmas 2011.