Workshop Follow-Up

We had great fun making felt beads at our workshop on Saturday. I decided that I must do something with them so I have been busy adding embroidery and beads and making them in to necklaces. These are now for sale on my Etsy shop.

School House Arts Workshop

On Saturday we had one of our workshops at School House Arts- this one was a Dabble Day and we tried out various forms of felting. We started off wet felting beads which the ladies have taken home to decorate and make into necklaces when they have dried. After that we did some dry felting with felting needles and they made pebbles or fruit. Lastly they had the chance to try using embellishers. Nickie, Sharne, Debs and I all took our machines along for those ladies who didn't have one to try. Pictured below is some of the work that the ladies did- didn't they do well!

Embroiderer's Guild

Last night at Embroiderer's Guild Myfanwy Hart came to give us a talk about using items from the kitchen to produce items such as paper and dyes to use in textile arts. It was a very informative evening which was well attended dispite the heavy thunderstorms we were experiencing.

I have met Myfanwy at Cottenham and we are both "etsy buddies" and it was good to meet up with her again. I am looking forward to her returning to Chelmsford next month to do a workshop about rust dyeing which I am participating in.

Cornwall

I have just returned home from my holiday in Cornwall. The weather has been perfect- long sunny warm days. We have been on lots of walks and visited several National Trust Gardens. This is the lighthouse at Gwithian.


Here is the view looking across the bay to St Ives from Godrevy.

My dog Libby enjoyed the walks and the view! She is seen here taking in the air.

The Penrose Estate which belongs to the National Trust has acres of natural parkland. We had a long walk around the lake and did some bird watching. We saw lots of water birds including a heron.

I am now busy planning my next break and can't wait to get away again!

Silk Paper Workshop

I have been really bad about keeping my blog recently so I must make amends.

Yesterday I had a really enjoyable day teaching a group of lovely ladies how to make silk paper.

I first used silk cocoon strippings when I did a workshop with Cherillyn Tyler. I also met Sarah Lawrence of Crafty Notions at Alexandra Palace last year. She has written a book about silk paper. Now I'm hooked!!!

I love making jewellery with silk paper (see my previous blog) and I wanted to show other people how I make it, so we organised a workshop at School House Arts. I am really looking forward to seeing the ladies finished work.

Chilford Quilt Exhibition

Yesterday Debbie, Nicola and I visited the quilt exhibition at Chilford. We had a great day looking at the quilts and doing a bit of shopping. I bought some buttons and embroidery threads and two books, one of which was about silk paper. I am really enjoying the possibilities of silk paper and I came home with renewed enthusiasm and last night I completed my latest jewellery.

Silk Paper

I have spent the last few days experimenting with silk paper. I bonded it onto fabric, coloured it with paints and dyes then used hand and machine embroidery to decorate the surface. It's great for making jewellery, vessels and bags.