Going Viral?

I always thought that just appearing on YouTube means you were 'going viral', but what it actually means is becoming popular in a very short amount of time.
Not quite sure this will ever do that.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFNYPRIjI50

Oh dear. :))

DOUBLE ACT

I shall be ‘In Residence’ along with the lovely Sharon Osbourne this Friday March 8th at ArtVanGo.

I will be creating ‘fragment postcards’.

So if you fancy seeing what we are up to, joining in the chat, a bit of arty retail therapy or want to have a go at making your own fragment postcard then why not come along?

Hope to see you there!

Textiles in Focus

Before I bang on about how brilliant this show was I need to make an announcement to the students who attended my workshops on Saturday and Sunday.

I have given you the wrong CD. Well, not exactly the wrong CD but only half of the right CD. If you would like to email me at purplemissus@aol.com I will send you the rest of the files that I told you were on there. Apologies for the error.

Now back to Textiles in Focus. A really great show and very busy. Managed to catch up with lots of past students and friends.I was demonstrating and giving workshops as well as having some of my work in the Fen Edge Textiles exhibition. We were exhibiting and demonstrating in the Atrium which was a wonderful setting, very light and airy.

These are a very few shots of the exhibition. Don’t want to give too much away as it is moving on to other venues.

The exhibition has been well received with lots of lovely comments in the visitors book.

Wendy, an old friend from machine knitting days (who has an article in the next Stitch magazine), Julie, whom most of you know and Tina came to my workshop on the Sunday. It was great to catch up with them. Julie bought me a small gift:

A lovely covered notebook, with a little message in the front which makes me smile everytime I look at it. Thanks again Julie.

Colouricious were there and I couldn’t resist buying these blocks.

 They came in these lovely little bags:
I swore I wouldn’t purchase one of these in the next photo, but after seeing the fun Pat is having with this I just had to succumb.

Now I’ve just got to try and find the time to use it!

A camera crew from Just Hands On TV were filming at the show and asked if they could film me demonstrating. I had hoped for a fake tan and complete makeover first but they said there wasn’t enough time. :) I’ll let you know when the video is on the website – or maybe not if they haven’t cut me out.

There were also other demonstrations and exhibitions going on along with lots of traders. Two hour workshops take place on all three days plus a lecture on the Saturday afternoon with a well known textile celebrity. If you missed the show this year then make a note for February of next year. Check out the web page for Textiles in Focus and for Pauline Verrinder who organises the show, and is the mentor of the 

Fen Edge Textiles group. 

It was my birthday recently and this arrived – unplanned – on the day.

It was from Vintage Rock Chick Gill as a way of saying thank you for something I gave her. It’s made from vintage fabrics and I will treasure it. My needles are usually stored like this:

And the amount of times I stab my finger when rummaging through for my ‘favourite’ needle is unbelievable. Not any more though!

Writing this, I realise how much I miss blogging. Will be back again soon.

Spam

Many, many apologies if you are among all those who have received an email from me raving about an online shop for electronics.
I have been 'hacked'!
Have taken steps to make sure that, hopefully, it doesn't happen again.
Mind you, it could have been worse - might have been a porn site/sight. :)

Exploring Creative Surfaces

Signed copies available from here

I shall be at ArtVanGo on Saturday December 15th from 10 - 3 for a 'book signing event' and I believe there will be Christmas Fayre on offer too!

I will bring lots of samples and will demonstrate throughout the day.

Hope to see you there.

News

I shall be ‘in residence’ at ArtVanGo tomorrow (Friday 27th) and will be working on the technique I used for these:

and hoping to take it further. Will be taking lots of other samples with me, some from ‘Fabulous Surfaces’ and even more to browse through. Hope you can make it.

I’m back there again next Tuesday and Wednesday for a two day workshop – ‘Fabulous Surfaces’ which is going to be repeated later on if you didn’t manage to book a place.

Just had a great weekend demonstrating at Art in Action in Oxford. Fabulous show and it didn’t rain at all while I was there! Had two different sculptors and an artist who uses texture in her work very interested in the textures that I create which was good. And also met with Jean who last time I was there badgered me into selling her two of my vessels which she is still very pleased with. Now she has made me promise to put her name on the ‘Shrine to Grandad Ben’ – the one with the keys – once I am finished with it.

Will be teaching a summer school at Missenden Abbey on 5th – 10th August. It was full but the numbers have been extended from 10 to 12 so there are now 2 places available if anyone is interested.

Should have had another look before publishing this post - only 1 place left now.

And, great excitement for me, I will be demonstrating at the Festival of Quilts on Thursday 16th and Friday 17th on the ArtVanGo stand. Looking forward to it.

Also have a workshop on Saturday 25th August at Craft Arena at Barleylands – ‘Scrim, Screens and Scrappy Bits’.

And that’s me done for August – apart from two other workshops for private groups and a shopping trip to Cambridge with daughter and granddaughter - have to show willing sometimes.

Apologies for a bit of a boring blog but just wanted to make sure you haven’t forgotten me. :)

Usual title–Catching Up!

What a useless blogger I am these days – over six weeks ago since I last posted!

So what takes all my time these days?

Workshops, talks, demonstrations, shows – really busy but loving every minute of it.

Tomorrow, Thursday 21st, I am ‘In Residence’ at ArtVanGo.

Do hope you can come along and have a chat and take a look at what I am up to with Spunbond, Dressmaking Tissue Paper and various acrylic mediums.

Here’s a taster:

Next week I am back in St Issey, Cornwall with a two day workshop this time plus a chance to see the Cornwall Show. Really looking forward to it. So pleased the weather has picked up.

As everything is prepared and ready for St Issey I had a few spare minutes to play with this paper from ArtVanGo.

It’s a double sided wax paper, different colour on each side. Feels lovely and smooth.

I tried crumpling it up:

Then ironing it flat again:

These are the reverse sides of the above – not very exciting:

but held up to the light, what a difference – given me a few ideas here!

I then tried crumpling and ironing again and while it was still hot I rubbed a metallic wax crayon over the surface:

And on these ones I melted the metallic wax crayon between two sheets of baking parchment then ironed the waxed paper between the same two sheets:

Had to try Treasure Gold, of course, with Autumn Gold Creative Spray on top. Ironed again once dry.

And finally rubbed over a metallic white acrylic paint before ironing again.

Nothing ground breaking, still waxed paper, but ideal for adding stitch and lots of potential.

Next time I get a few spare minutes, she say’s hopefully, I will carry on playing with this.