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

 Torn music and newspaper . . OK, enough with the relaxing and the pure enjoyment of being back home.  I am a tad late posting this last workshop from my New Zealand trip.  I had a fabulous time with this group - some of them were VERY naughty - you all know who you are!! This was the second of 2 x 2 day workshops in Taranaki and most of the group did both workshops. This has become one of most popular workshops. I think it is so loved because what you are making doesn't have to look like anything. Also recycling old papers, maps and magazines is very enjoyable.      Painting the Bondaweb/Vliesofix  Scones and cookies are the thing in New Zealand -  and I am NOT complaining. Once we had painted the Bondaweb/Vliesofix we got to making the first small samples - you learn just as much from making a small sample as a larger one, and you use much less product. I have named the process 'Backgrounds and Prettys'. It is a repeated tearing process that gives

 Painted Bondaweb decorated with gilding flake, dried rose petals and dot jewels.  We had a fast moving workshop on the Hot Textiles taster day at Denman College. www.denman.org.uk The main workshop is next month. We worked through painting, decorating and foiling Bondaweb and zapping Vilene Spunbond and cutting it with a soldering iron. We also worked with Tyvek and Hot Spots!     The Textile Studio at Denman is light and airy and very well equipped.     Three of the group machine stitching the Vilene Spunbond layers together - ready to zap!      Painted Bondaweb decorated with dried rose petals, transfer foil and 'blingy bitz'.      Unpainted Bondaweb cut to shape and decorated with gold transfer foil.    Six different coloured layers of CS500 Vilene Spunbond, machine stitched together and then zapped with a heat gun.      Green, yellow and orange CS500 Vilene Spunbond machine stitched together and then zapped with a heat gun.   . .