A fabulous contrast between light and dark       The clocks have changed - it is getting darker earlier. It's the time of year when  you want to start snuggling in, getting cosy. There is a definitely nip in the air. Time to get out the thick jumpers. The light is changing, getting more dramatic as the days are getting shorter. Because we have so much rain in Ireland, and of course on Loop Head where I live, we have the most wonderful displays of light and colour. The day can be dark with glowering grey clouds, then the clouds part and a shaft of sunlight hits the green fields, Wow!! I love it. 'The Last One' - Mixed media and collage This is one of my latest canvases interpreting the local cows ambling up the low incline on the way to milking. It is one of my favourite sights. I find the rhythm of rural life here very comforting. Another great sky And my interpretation in painted fusible web and newspaper The huge skies and ever changing light will be inspiring me forever

  2 new pieces of textile art work       Phew!! Well, that was a whirlwind of a month or so. What with visitors staying and getting my new work ready to hang, it has been none stop.  It has been wonderful to finally have visitors to stay now that Shannon, my local airport, is opening up. More flights are being added every month, it is very encouraging. However, there was the added irritation of the studio door coming off it's rail and smashing that really didn't help.  I really didn't need this . . . Groan! It is very handy having large sheets of farm plastic stored in my big shed. The boarded and secure door. It can be locked. A local builder has kindly boarded the door so I can still use it, but is does make the studio very dark. Which is an issue when I am filming or doing a live stream. Any of you that watched the live stream I did for Vlieseline on Saturday will have seen what I mean. If you haven't seen it yet - hop over to the Vlieseline Freudenberg UK facebook p

A fabulous sample by Lynda  The group that were on my first Zoom workshop, A New Starting Point, 2 weeks ago, had their 2 hour Show and Tell yesterday. Again on Zoom. Wow!! what a great group. Such enthusiasm. Whilst Zoom isn't the best thing for a workshop, at the moment, it is the only choice we have. For the Show and Tell it was perfect. 12 students from the UK and Ireland, having a chat over coffee and talking about their work for 2 hours. What a treat it was, for all of us. I wanted to have some  sort of catch up after the Zoom workshops. I always wondered if the students had developed any work from any of my workshops when I used to teach pre covid. Some students were kind enough to send me images, but you never really knew.  With a dedicated catch up, 2 weeks after the workshop, it gives the group a chance to develop their samples, or do more, have a play . .  and have a date to work towards.  Just look at this collection of gorgeousness!!! A New Starting Point encourages st

A splendid sample. It is amazing to think that last weekend I was teaching this workshop in Christchurch, New Zealand. I am now snuggled in at home, in front of the fire, with my dogs. Isn't life amazing? A New Starting Point is my favourite workshop. By layering up old newspapers, maps and book pages with painted and unpainted Bondaweb, you can create some fabulous effects. If you add a little gilding flake and transfer foil, you can create something rather special. Christchurch Quilters are a great grouo to work with, such fun. They are very experienced which made things very easy for me. We had 2 days of play with all manner of papers and sparkle. First we painted the Bondaweb, or Vliesofix as it is known in NZ and Australia.   Nicky and Catherine painting Bondaweb. Then we began the 'backgrounds and prettys'. This technique involves layering paper with Bondaweb and building, tearing and building new layers. It's great fun and you never quite know