Just a quick  post - Brenda, Keith and I drove to Granada today and had a wander around the city tonight. The Christmas street lights are fantastic  Here a two images for you . . .  . .  and one of a very pretty fountain . . . . The Alhambra Palace tomorrow - Yeehaa!!! x

I have been sorting images for my January newsletter and remembered that I had a ride on the Brighton Wheel last week with my Dad and thought I would share some of the images with you. Regular readers of this blog will know I love structures with strong simple shapes and I had great fun looking and composing shots. I took Dad out for the day while my sister looked after Mum, he wanted to go for a ride on the Brighton Wheel. It is a new feature to the seafront and right next to the Brighton Palace Pier. It was a bit of a dull day and very cold. The poor old West Pier viewed through the spokes of the wheel The view of the Palace Pier from the wheel How can you forget you are scared of heights? With all the palaver of organising Dad I totally forgot I HATE heights!!! This is the woman who can't go up the steel staircase in The Palm House at Kew - how sad is that? We got into our little gondola and started to move and I remembered. OOHHH!!!! Talk about hype

A collage of dyed newspaper, painted Bondaweb, transfer foil, net, machine stitch and a fab piece of squashed metal by Carolynn McMillan Christmas is a great time to make and receive cards. I thought I would share two that I received - I just love them. Carlolynn McMillan lives in Canada and we have been emailing for a while trying to sort out which of the Pellon products in Canada and the U.S.A.are similar to the ones I sell. We have swapped parcels of goodies and I think I prefer all the 'pelmet' Vilene interfacings that I sell as they are smooth. The ones that Carolynn sent me are bit rough and pock marked. However I am sure there must be a larger range available so I will investigate. Carolynn also sent me some 'Reemay' which looks very similar to a fine to medium weight Vilene Spunbond. I need a chance to play with it to see if it reacts in the same way. I am waiting to hear back from Carolynn to see what she thinks of all my samples . . . I posted mine a

Quilted Christmas tree 'thing' by Shirley Yule This very appropriate image was sent to me last night by Shirley Yule . The mat (or 'thing' as Shirley calls it) is 12" in diameter and was part of her group Christmas challenge. It is decorated with painted Bondaweb trees that have had glitter applied. Isn't it fabulous? I just had to share it with you all . Shirley and her friend Terri have been having fun with Hot Spots! and foil too -  Foiled Hot Spots! on a printed and dyed cotton   Foiled and glittered Hot Spots! on a printed cotton Shirley wrote that there were no complaints about glitter in supper but there's still plenty in her hall carpet!   Oh! how we suffer for our art!!! If any of you get a chance to play with any of my products over the holidays do send me some images and I will put them on the blog - it always good to see what you are up to. * I'm off to attack the spuds now - the turkey has been in fo

West Dean College grounds in January this year  * Happy Christmas to you all * It has been a very busy year. I have met some some fabulous people, had great fun on all my workshops and managed to catch up with most of my friends. I am very lucky to have created a working life I love so much, my own little textile world. My little textile world recently lost a good friend. Sarah Lawrence will be sadly missed. She was such an important part of mine and so many others lives. Whether you just use the paints and embellishments she developed, watched her on DVD's or the T.V or have been inspired by watching her at shows. Those of you who were lucky enough to be taught by her would know she was a great source of knowledge, good fun and very kind and patient. She also didn't suffer fool's gladly!!! Craftynotions is continuing to trade so we will still be able to play with all their wonderful products   www.craftynotions.com DO IT NOW! Seems to be a good motto

 Bondaweb painted with diluted Colourful Thoughts paint and then printed with the same paints at full strength. Never say never!  I have always said I will never sell paints or dyes - just products that will do something with heat. However - due to the encouraging growth in sales of my Play packs, particularly the Hot Spots! I am now gong to incorporate Colourful Thoughts Paints, Gilding Flake and Jewel Dots in two new Play packs that I will launch mid January ready for the new Creative Stitches Show at Bluewater at the beginning of February.   These multi surface paints are the best I have found for painting all my products but particularly for Bondaweb and Tyvek where you need to dilute the paint but you still need some colour. They have a high metallic content which is great as many of you know I like a bit of sparkle . . . Which  brings me to the Gilding Flake and Jewel Dots -  I just LOVE this stuff is makes my happiness complete when I am layering with

painted Bondaweb ironed onto black CS500 Spunbond decorated with strips of blue CS500, glitter and sequins Just a quick post to say I have just had confirmation that I have an extra show next year, I will be at Creative Stitches SECC Glasgow 8th - 11th March. It is a great show in a stunning venue and I am so excited to be going. If any of the Guilds that have been wanting me to deliver workshops and lectures in Scotland want to come and see me at the show I will be taking email addresses to plan a 2 week 'tour' of Scotland in 2013, probably September ish!!! I am still wading through the orders that are coming in thick and fast but I should get up to date today. . . . . . .   . . . altogether now - "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas - la, la la, la la!!!"   x