my charcoal drawing of a section of the still life Drawing is the backbone of all creative work - and something I do very rarely unless I am made to. I never find the time to do something that is so important and should really be practiced weekly if not daily!!!!! I am very ashamed to say I only draw once a year - at the Textile Study Group summer school. textilestudygroup.co.uk I always promise my self I will do more, I have all the kit I could ever need, I just don't make the time. Projects like The Sketchbook Challenge (see link on the left of this blog) are very helpful in addressing this. Do any of you get together to make yourselves draw? There were three tutors teaching on the five day summer school. Rosemary Campbell, Alison King and Bobby Britnell. I was on Alison King's course. The title of our course was Meaningful Territory. Alison had set up a stunning black and white still life down the room and our first exercise was to take a section and draw it in char...

Shoreham Gallery, 27 Brunswick Road, Shoreham - by - Sea gallery website   I am now part of a co-operative! oooeerrr!!!! There are 20 or so artists in the group and we all take turns in manning the gallery and taking on extra jobs to help things run smoothly. The gallery is just by Shoreham railway station so we are busy all day with passing trade and regulars popping in for a chat. The area is full of lovely small independent shops, it has a small village feel - quite intimate. I love being in the gallery, it makes such a wonderful change to dashing all over the country. The gallery was previously a few streets away from it's present location and we moved 3 weeks ago to these lovely new premises. There is a small garden at the back and a room upstairs I will able to use for workshops - Yeehaa!!! Somewhere to teach near me. The room is on the small side so I think it would take 8 students, that's enough to have some fun! The re launch party was from 4 pm - 7pm, all the arti...

 Extreme Surfaces for Stitch - Denman College  7th - 9th December layers of Vilene Spunbond, Tyvek and polyester organza  machine stitched to pelmet Vilene and zapped with a heat gun I have finally had word that my new book, Layered Textiles, will be delivered the first week of August. Much later than it was promised but at least I have a date. AARRGHHHH!!!! I do so hope it is worth the wait - I am still a bit concerned about what they have done with the cover. The anticipation is killing me  . . . .  * There have been a few changes with my Denman College www.denmancollege.org.uk workshops. Firstly the July workshop next year , Hot Textiles part 2, has been brought forward to January 9th - 11th. I have also added an extra workshop for Denman this year - December 7th - 9th Extreme Surfaces for Stitch. My courses are always fully booked at Denman with waiting lists - me teaching at the W.I. who would have thought??? It is a great place to teach and wonderfully...

AARRRRGGGGGHHH!!!!!! I STILL haven't heard when my book is arriving from the printers in the Far East. It was due to be delivered last week!!! I am so SO fed up - and I am sure those of you who have pre-ordered from me are also getting a bit peeved. Needless to say as soon as the delivery arrives I will send the orders out along with their special Hot & Sticky packs.  I am off to attend the Textile Study Group Summer School textilestudygroup.co.uk on Sunday so I am praying the books arrive before then. If not, I will have to try to get some of the books delivered to the Summer School and post them from there. They shouldn't be MUCH longer . . . . . . .   x

Phew! it's 34 degrees centigrade here in the Charente Maritime - too warm for the this English Rose! I am ensconced in Sue and John's lovely cool house. Teaching here September and October seems to be a very good idea - it should still be warm but not baking!!!  There are fields upon fields of sunflowers and grapevines in this area of France, it is stunning and so peaceful, 3 cars have driven past the house today. There are plenty of places to walk - around the hamlet or out into the fields. The sloes are about to ripen and the walnuts are on their way. There is inspirational colour and texture every where you look from flowers to old distressed doorways and brick work - gorgeous. The light through the grapevines is beautiful the Campsis in Sue's colourful courtyard garden is fabulous this year Hollyhocks self seed every where - it is SO frustrating, when I try to grow them they get rust!!! So to the workshops and the main reason I nipped down here to see Sue. That an...

As most of you will have noted - I have a dreadful life travelling miles to teach and torture unsuspecting students the joys of using heat to distress all manner of wonderful materials. Monday night saw me deliver a lecture, on time I am happy to say, for the Bourne Quilters. www.bournequilters.org.uk They are a large group with a dynamic mix of ladies and are very organised. It is always intersting when visiting groups to see how they are run. I was bit concerend that my samples and talk might be a bit 'out there' for quilters - not a bit of it!!!! They were all really interested, asking lots of questions, always a good sign.  I was put up by Lis and Steve Dawson while I teaching the workshops. I do so wish I could have stayed longer, I had such a good time with them, they are great fun - I was very well looked after. my students having to tuck into Magnums so we could melt the wrappers, the things we do for our art!!!!!!   The following two days were spent playing with Tyv...

75gm (heavy) Tyvek ironed lightly between baking parchment I am off to Emsworth later today to deliver a lecture this evening and two one day workshops - Tinkering with Tyvek. I had been booked for just one workshop but the waiting list was so long we had enough for another day. I am excited about spending two days playing with Tyvek. I have taught so many 'Hot Textiles' based workshop recently it will be a welcome change.  layered decreasing shapes of 75gm Tyvek (Heavy) stitched in the middle and gentle heated 75 gm Tyvek (heavy) layered with polyester organza, machine stitched together then zapped with a heat gun to reveal different layers of colour I will update the blog with all our exploits at the end of the week, I shall be a bit tight for time as I drive to France the day after I get back from Emsworth to see my friends Sue and John to sort out our teaching programme next year. I'm looking forward to driving down to the Charente Maritime district where they live,...