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The Brighton Wheel

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I have been sorting images for my January newsletter and remembered that I had a ride on the Brighton Wheel last week with my Dad and thought I would share some of the images with you. Regular readers of this blog will know I love structures with strong simple shapes and I had great fun looking and composing shots. I took Dad out for the day while my sister looked after Mum, he wanted to go for a ride on the Brighton Wheel. It is a new feature to the seafront and right next to the Brighton Palace Pier. It was a bit of a dull day and very cold. The poor old West Pier viewed through the spokes of the wheel The view of the Palace Pier from the wheel How can you forget you are scared of heights? With all the palaver of organising Dad I totally forgot I HATE heights!!! This is the woman who can't go up the steel staircase in The Palm House at Kew - how sad is that? We got into our little gondola and started to move and I remembered. OOHHH!!!! Talk about hype

Creative, colourful cards . . .

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A collage of dyed newspaper, painted Bondaweb, transfer foil, net, machine stitch and a fab piece of squashed metal by Carolynn McMillan Christmas is a great time to make and receive cards. I thought I would share two that I received - I just love them. Carlolynn McMillan lives in Canada and we have been emailing for a while trying to sort out which of the Pellon products in Canada and the U.S.A.are similar to the ones I sell. We have swapped parcels of goodies and I think I prefer all the 'pelmet' Vilene interfacings that I sell as they are smooth. The ones that Carolynn sent me are bit rough and pock marked. However I am sure there must be a larger range available so I will investigate. Carolynn also sent me some 'Reemay' which looks very similar to a fine to medium weight Vilene Spunbond. I need a chance to play with it to see if it reacts in the same way. I am waiting to hear back from Carolynn to see what she thinks of all my samples . . . I posted mine a

Even more Happy Christmas . . !

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Quilted Christmas tree 'thing' by Shirley Yule This very appropriate image was sent to me last night by Shirley Yule . The mat (or 'thing' as Shirley calls it) is 12" in diameter and was part of her group Christmas challenge. It is decorated with painted Bondaweb trees that have had glitter applied. Isn't it fabulous? I just had to share it with you all . Shirley and her friend Terri have been having fun with Hot Spots! and foil too -  Foiled Hot Spots! on a printed and dyed cotton   Foiled and glittered Hot Spots! on a printed cotton Shirley wrote that there were no complaints about glitter in supper but there's still plenty in her hall carpet!   Oh! how we suffer for our art!!! If any of you get a chance to play with any of my products over the holidays do send me some images and I will put them on the blog - it always good to see what you are up to. * I'm off to attack the spuds now - the turkey has been in fo

Happy Christmas!

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West Dean College grounds in January this year  * Happy Christmas to you all * It has been a very busy year. I have met some some fabulous people, had great fun on all my workshops and managed to catch up with most of my friends. I am very lucky to have created a working life I love so much, my own little textile world. My little textile world recently lost a good friend. Sarah Lawrence will be sadly missed. She was such an important part of mine and so many others lives. Whether you just use the paints and embellishments she developed, watched her on DVD's or the T.V or have been inspired by watching her at shows. Those of you who were lucky enough to be taught by her would know she was a great source of knowledge, good fun and very kind and patient. She also didn't suffer fool's gladly!!! Craftynotions is continuing to trade so we will still be able to play with all their wonderful products   www.craftynotions.com DO IT NOW! Seems to be a good motto

Never say never . . . !

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 Bondaweb painted with diluted Colourful Thoughts paint and then printed with the same paints at full strength. Never say never!  I have always said I will never sell paints or dyes - just products that will do something with heat. However - due to the encouraging growth in sales of my Play packs, particularly the Hot Spots! I am now gong to incorporate Colourful Thoughts Paints, Gilding Flake and Jewel Dots in two new Play packs that I will launch mid January ready for the new Creative Stitches Show at Bluewater at the beginning of February.   These multi surface paints are the best I have found for painting all my products but particularly for Bondaweb and Tyvek where you need to dilute the paint but you still need some colour. They have a high metallic content which is great as many of you know I like a bit of sparkle . . . Which  brings me to the Gilding Flake and Jewel Dots -  I just LOVE this stuff is makes my happiness complete when I am layering with

Spring shows 2012!

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painted Bondaweb ironed onto black CS500 Spunbond decorated with strips of blue CS500, glitter and sequins Just a quick post to say I have just had confirmation that I have an extra show next year, I will be at Creative Stitches SECC Glasgow 8th - 11th March. It is a great show in a stunning venue and I am so excited to be going. If any of the Guilds that have been wanting me to deliver workshops and lectures in Scotland want to come and see me at the show I will be taking email addresses to plan a 2 week 'tour' of Scotland in 2013, probably September ish!!! I am still wading through the orders that are coming in thick and fast but I should get up to date today. . . . . . .   . . . altogether now - "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas - la, la la, la la!!!"   x

Slowly getting sorted . . . !

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' Blue Cross ' Painted Bondaweb ironed onto newspaper, decorated with torn pieces of newspaper and gilding flake, tissue paper and stitch. Based on the crossed steels supporting the West Pier in Brighton It's a 'sorting out' and posting week this week. I am slowly putting the house back together after the the Open House last week-end. We had a brilliant final two days, very busy - which always amazes me as I live SO far off the beaten track. I sold two of my 'criss cross' wall pieces so am very chuffed!!! nid-noi.com www.nid-noi.com has gone slightly mad in the last 4 weeks, I suspect it is to do with the Creative Bondaweb DVD coming out. I am nearly up to date with orders. I am posting a load today up to and including order no 544. All others will be posted on Thursday 15th. I am about to leave for Derbyshire to stay with my friend Tallulah so I can get to a very sad occasion in Newark tomorrow morning. I wouldn't normally go away at suc

More layered newspaper brooches . . .

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  While I was waiting for the Creative Bondaweb DVD's to arrive I made some brooches for my Open House this weekend. These are dyed and painted newspaper layered with painted Bondaweb and gilding flake - Craftynotions has a wonderful selection of colours gilding flake . You can watch me demonstrate this process on my new DVD. Have I mentioned I have a new DVD out?????? There are two video clips on the left of this blog. Having seen the clips and you are still interested - you can buy the Creative Bondaweb DVD here - www.nid-noi.com I have watched the DVD all the way through twice now and it is hysterical., I was obviously very relaxed and happy.. Jamie Malden of Colouricious who produced the film is  brilliant. Very well organinsed, calming and great fun. She made the entire experience very enjoyable and the film reflects this.  I'm off to buy some earring and brooch backs now and start putting the house back together for the Open House.  www.one2six.me.uk Hav

The Creative Bondaweb DVD's have arrived!!!

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Thanks to not so Express TNT the DVD's arrived today rather than yesterday - aarGGHH!!! All envelopes have been stuffed and posted so you should be receiving them anytime from tomorrow to the middle of next week. Thank you all for your patience. My customers in Australia, Canada and the U.S.A will have to wait a wee bit longer - but they have been posted. I do hope you all enjoy the DVD, try not to laugh too much.   x I am making more newspaper brooches for my final Open House this week-end, I am expecting to be very busy. All the cakes are made, I just need to get on with the cheese scones now . . . . I do like a cheese scone - hot - with lots of butter . . . . mmmmm!!!! x x x

Devastating news . .

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  Sarah at Festival of Quilts this year doing one of things she did best, enthusing everyone around her I have just heard of the very sad and sudden death of Sarah Lawrence of Craftynotions. What a devastating blow for David and the family. Sarah would hate any fuss being made so I will just say that she was very important to so very of us in so many ways, on a personal as well as a business level. go to Sarah's blog for more details http://sarah-lawrence.com/blog/ x

My new Creative Bondaweb DVD is arriving on the 7th December - Hurrah!

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Just a quick post to say my new Creative Bondaweb DVD will be arriving by courier tomorrow the 7th December and I hope to be able to post out all orders for said DVD the same day -  Hurrah and lashings of ginger beer!!!! x

There's a lot of me about . . . !

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This is 'Myra', a needle felted monkey by Lady Lazarus aka Jayne Routley, one of  the first acquisitions of the day. We had a FAB week-end at the Open House with lots of friends and new faces arriving to have a look at our latest gorgeous display of wonderful work and buy their Christmas presents. Although I don't know just how many of the lovely things that were bought this week-end will actually be given away in the end . . . .  I suspect that many of the scarves, brooches and bowls will be kept by my visitors. Don't you find that? You go out looking for presents for other people and end up buying for yourself - OOhhh!!! We are SO bad! Some of Ember's beautiful Raku vases These hand knitted hats and scarves were flying out Mary Moox's 'Bonkers Boxes' full of her recycled crazy creatures have caused much hilarity The collection of brooches and earrings that I had made has almost sold out. I thought there would be p

. . . on being late

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I HATE being late for anything, and things being late, like buses and DVD's!!!!! It looks as though my Creative Bondaweb DVD will not be arriving until the 8th December at the very latest, it may be here sooner, It is in the queue to be finished and packed and of course the replication company is slightly busy this time of year. We are nearly there. As soon as they arrive I will put them in the post. All the envelopes are stamped and ready to go. (it has taken me all week to get them ready). For customers who have DVD's included in a mixed order of products - I will be posting your other products tomorrow and post the DVD's as soon as I get them. I know it will cost me more on postage but I am worried your parcels will get caught up in the Christmas post, particularly the orders from the U.S.A. and Australia. AARRGGHHhhhhhhh!!!! Watch this space! x

Bondaweb . . and Cake!

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It's all happening this week - and it's all Bondaweb!!! I have written an article on painting and decorating Bondaweb for Stitch Magazine which is out NOW!!     Painted Bondaweb - simple and stunning Painted  Bondaweb decorated with heat transfer foils, sequins, glitter and artichoke heart seeds. Finished off with my usual very delicate hand stitch - not! If you enjoy reading the article in Stitch and want to learn more, then my new DVD Creative Bondaweb will be out on the 1st December (hopefully). Click on this link for a sneaky preview -  Creative Bondaweb Preview BUY NOW If you order before the 1st December you can buy the DVD for £18 including worldwide postage. After the 1st December it will be £22 including worldwide postage. (Please note, if you order any other products from www.nid-noi.com then postage will be applied) and - not only but also . . . I have a workshop on printed Bondaweb in the December issue of Workshop on the W

Christmasmix@one2six

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My Open House starts this weekend - aarrrGHH!!!!! Some how I WILL be ready. We have a wonderful mix of colour and texture - if you want to know more or fancy coming along for tea and cake - go to www.one2six.me.uk  Syvia Lynton  Mary Moox   Lyn Brooks    Jose Heasman  Ember Vincent Gary Smith    Jayne Routely  Kim Thittichai  Mary's Lamb Tideline Finds I'm off to clean windows, display some wonderful work, make some mince pies, hoover, display more work, stick brooch backs to brooches and FINISH SOME WORK to hang!!! x

LBD's at the D & T Show November 17th - 19th

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You may remember a few posts back that I was talking about the LBD collection from Portsmouth College. I was so impressed with what Sarah Patterson and her students had achieved using amongst other things, black bin liners, bubble pack and polyester organza that I asked ICHF if we could display them at the Design & Technology Show. The organisers said Yes! and we had a display at the front of the hall. It looked fantastic.   Not only were the dresses at the D & T Show but Sarah and her clever students, along with their work will be exhibiting at the Fashion, Embroidery & Stitch Show at the NEC Birmingham in March next year. I am hoping that some of the garments will be featured in the daily fashion shows. Dedicated teachers like Sarah deserve a round of applause now and then. Well Done Sarah!!!! I had a lovely big stand to play on. I am very lucky to be a part of this show. It is only for educational professionals and it is my job to inspire teachers to