Art in Action........

was wonderful.  We have talked about going for a long time but it will be a must for the future.  I took some photographs but none could capture the fullness of the experience.   This is the Welcome Gate.

and I would love these two prowling through my garden.

The best thing I can do is point you to the web site and let you work your way through the demonstrating artists. It was a mind whirling day, so many things to see(too many for one day) and so much admiration for the creativity and skill on show. Just a few memorables. Victoria Walker, watch the video and marvel, Amanda Wright  and Harriet Riddell, this young lady was machine embroidering portraits (very tempted) Many of the artists were young which is very heartening.
My weaving samples  are growing, slowly.

Wl 19

The phrase I have heard most in the last few days was "Where did April go?"  and now we are nearly half way through May.  So much to do. Documented Life prompt was to "Document a Random Act of Kindness from you" ?????????? I would hope that at some time I have been kind to someone but I certainly can't "document" it so I settled for some very random painting.

 
  Last week I also did a bit of catching up on my runner.

Recording cat sitting, boro exhibition and traffic jams..............Speaking of which we sat in a beauty on the way home from the  Creative Living Fair in  Eridge, Kent.  Despite the  weather(pouring rain and cold wind, lovely) we had a super time. Definitely on my calendar now, it was a fascinating fair.

Loads of vintage fabrics

china

and plants

 In fact everything you could think of.  It was lovely to meet Viv of Hen's Teeth and see her work for real. She has some great photos of the show on her blog.
I am working on the second page of the Sara Lechner challenge but my main sewing time has been to start what I hope will become my own take on a piece of boro.  Loads of stitching to do but the Giro D'Italia on TV for 3 weeks should help that along nicely, though I will miss being able to discuss the race with my brother.

Antique Road Slow...

not one of my usual mis-typings but a trip to the Antiques and Collectors Fair at Ardingly.  It was the day of the horrible and tragic accident on the M26 so a round  journey of  80 miles took five hours but it was worth every moment.  We were completely unprepared for the scale of the event.  This was first sight that greeted us.

This vast room filled with four rows of stalls. Where to start?  We wandered through one side and then decided to take a look outside as the sunshine was glorious. My photographs cannot capture the miles of stalls, the web site says there are up to 1700.

It was all too much for this couple.

 

I reluctantly left behind the wonderful set of drawers with their enamelled number which looked as though it had come from the glove department of The Paradise and settled for a brass thimble instead. I also left behind a piece of really antique fabric which will haunt me for ever, unless I find it next time I go. Great day out in spite of the traffic.

I see the weather is due to do its usual thing and pour down for the  Holiday but I hope you have a Happy Easter in spite of it.

Thursday......

there was a bit of an orgy.  This is the result.

This Gelli thing really has me hooked at he moment. So this morning was no different. At first I added more layers to some of the papers I made on Thursday.

Then I played with stencils

 

The last two above have metallic paint on them wich doesn't scan well.

Next I made a stamp, using the photograph of the house in Kotor which, at the moment, is my banner.

 Don't you just love ghost prints.

and finally I had to try fabric, both these are with slightly damp calico

I did try a moon on dry calico, it was OK but rather boring. Of course the question now, already asked by DH, is what am I going to do with all these papers?  No clear answers yet.
For the moment I will just keep creating.
If you want to see techniques and what others are doing look here at Carolyn Dube's "A Colourful Journey"
I forgot to post these little dears, made by me and The Girls last week...

Mine is the David Bowie one with different coloured eyes. .

 I am hoping to get to Textiles in Focus. next week.  Looking forward to catching up with  Lynda Monk  and seeing what Art Van Go have in the way of making marks.... go away snow

Where does it go?

59 years since these were taken, Coronation Day, June 2nd 1953.

Me and my little brother, the dress had was white with red and whie piping, I loved the collar. 

Happy Jubilee weekend to one and all.  (I told you I would play with those flags).

That's it......

I am addicted.... to the Olympic Flame Relay.  I never have the TV on in a morning but realised this morning they were showing the start of the relay.  Two hours later I'm still there.  Watching the mixture of nervousness, pride and happiness  in the faces as each bearer takes the flame.  Magic. I have found that the whole thing is on the old analogue channel, no annoyingly,  banal commentators, just watching it all happen. You can follow it's progress here.

I am loving the guy who unlocks the torches, the super fit discreet police escort but most of all the happy cheering crowds.  The politicians and the press tell us the future is grim and I feel it may very well be but for the moment let us revel in our British way of doing things and enjoy the Jubilee and the Olympics when it comes.  We can go back to being gloomy afterwards...

The Berlin Reunion

Thanks to Teesha for the links which led me to this amazing event in Berlin..  The background story and some wonderful pictures can be found  here