6.30 am. Sometimes it's worth getting up early . . . This photo says it all. Sunshine and showers . .  Well I think we had all had some decent weather over the bank holiday weekend. Here on Loop Head we had the annual Oyster and Trad Music Festival. There are some fabulous photos and videos on the Carrigaholt Facebook page - do have a look. www.facebook.com/CarrigaholtCoClare  Fabulous music outside The Long Dock. There was also music at the lighthouse this weekend. It has been great fun. The warmer weather is encouraging all our wild flowers to show their lovely heads. The Sea Thrift is looking glorious and the Gorse is starting to get to it's full technicolour yellow. In another coupe of months the hedge rows will be a riot of colour with Montbretia, Purple Loosestrife and the beautiful white, fluffy Meadow Sweet. The first arrivals in my field. I am learning which flowers are growing in my field. Clockwise they are - Lady...

 Beautiful inspiration for design . . and colour. This is a quick post to keep you all up to date with what is happening teaching wise.  I have now finished teaching Experimental Textiles at IDC and will be offering modules from it online from January 2018. They are likely to be 6 week modules, but I will see how everything goes this year. I am going to start online teaching at the end of May this year, but they will short courses. More technique based. As my first book Hot Textiles had been withdrawn from print - I thought I might start with that!  I have so enjoyed teaching my course Experimental Textiles in various forms over the past twenty years or so, and of course, there is also the book of the same name. It is time for me to cut down on my teaching and get on with my own work. All the time I am teaching, I can't concentrate on my own work. And it is time . . . *** It was the last weekend of ExTex as it is called in short form. It was odd - seeing th...

   A fab print on the inside of an envelope.  The second session of ExTex 5 saw the group making printing blocks from the designs they generated on the first session.  Transferring the designs onto foam board and self adhesive foam.  Once the design is transferred onto the self adhesive foam, it is cut out with a scalpel, carefully! From one design you will get two printing blocks, one positive, one negative. Starting to cut the block. Then the fun begins with the printing. . . . I can't wait to see what they do for homework. Next session will be looking at colour theory and the group will be painting a colour wheel. *** I am currently in Llanidloes, Wales teaching a 3 day workshop - Layered, Jewelled Surfaces at the Quilt Association, Minerva Arts Centre. What an a amazing place. Wonderful exhibitions and a very spacious workshop with plenty of power sockets. And the food . . . ....