Playing with printing blocks  Well, that was a month . . .  Apologies for the rather long gap between posts, I have sold and moved out of my house in Brighton. Oh my goodness - THREE skips full of STUFF!! Start de-cluttering right now if you are anything like me in keeping things - just in case you need them. You won't! This has made me re-think about how many clothes and shoes I actually need. As well as all the art and textiles media we buy and then look at and never use. We are buying time and opportunity, yet never use them!  Everything is now in storage until I move to Ireland. Since I last posted I have taught an ExTex 5 weekend and an ExTeXtra weekend. Here is a taster of what we covered . . . August 21st and 22nd saw the 3rd weekend of Experimental Textiles, ExTex for short. We are now on our 5th year at the IDC Studios and it is my last year teaching Experimental Textiles in this form - hopefully I will be teaching it onl ine by the end of next year. The 3

   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 . . . .  my goodness!!! W

A beautiful torn paper sample. I am nearly at the end of my three week teaching tour of the West Country. I have a day off today to tootle around Honiton and then drive to Nailsworth near Stroud for my last 2 day workshop tomorrow and Wednesday. Then it is home. Last week I taught for three days at the Beads for Beauty studio in Babbacombe run by Sylvia McCann and her daughter Alison.   www.fabbeads.co.uk A two day version of 'A New Starting Point' and a one day workshop - 'Now You See It' which I will write up when I get back home. I love teaching at Sylvia's, it is a well equipped workroom and everyone is always so well looked after. A New Starting Point is my newspaper based workshop. Great fun!   Who would have thought you could have such fun with  old newspapers and books. A good roomy and well equipped workroom. Getting down to decorating the newspaper samples. I love teaching this workshop, you never quite know what is going to