You only have until the 6th April (and they are not open on Good Friday or Easter Monday) but if you are anywhere near the Bramble Patch then you should pop along to the 'Orientation' exhibition by Six and Friends. 

Like me, you might have seen this work at Redditch, but there is new and additional work on display, plus some work by other artists who also visit the Bramble Patch, so it is really worth a visit.

Floating Gardens (Stephanie Redfern)

Irises (Linda Kemshall)

Gallery space at the Bramble Patch

Still Life - Shall I be Mother (Annabel Rainbow)

The Messenger (Linda Kemshall)

Work by Marie Roper

Li Carpet (Stepahnie Redfern)

Autumn Moon (Stephanie Redfern)

Pieces by Hilary Beatie

And Hilary also had left a sample of delicious fabrics and papers - she is running some classes next year, but they have not been posted on the BP site yet.

And afterwards, I treated myself to tea!

This is gradually taking shape.

I made another print block, I do love a print block, this one with an old pizza base rather than with play foam   to create a bit of texture.


This was so simple to make.  Just roughly cut with a pair of scissors and stuck onto a bit of random card with PVA glue.

Then I mixed a bit of black acrylic paint with some green paint.

And I printed some samples.


Very pleased with the result - the texture of the pizza base is just what I was after.

So I went ahead and printed the image onto the 'horizons' pieces I am working on.



Really please with the results.

If you have just dropped in, you might want to see the other entries on the developments of these pieces here and here and here.

And, I am going to link this to Nina-Marie's lovely blog.  As well as her own work, she has a nifty link up and you can find other inspiration there as well.  Or just wander around her lovely blog.

I am sure that most people are familiar with Morris Dancing (well at least most people in England).

But I suspect that most people are not so familiar with a form of dancing originating in the North East of England which to the uninitiated is similar to, but clearly distinct from, Morris Dancing - Rapper Dancing.

You can read a full account of the history of Rapper Dancing here or you can just enjoy this little film.

It can get very frantic and is always inside, which can make the tumbles quite interesting!

And, dear reader, I was there.  A couple of Saturdays ago I was to be found squished into the corner of a cosy pub in Burton on Trent enjoying DERT 2013 (Dancing England Rapper Tournament).

If you like folk music then you will probably enjoy this.  Although the tradition comes from the North East there are now teams from all over.

And while it might be a male tradition it is not solely their preserve.

These ladies are called Star and Shadow.  And they won DERT this year.

And if you are wondering about the persons doing the talking then traditionally you should know that the teams had a Tommy and, sometimes, a Betty.  Their job was to whip up the crowd, and in DERT there is still an award for the best Character.  Neither of these teams sported a Betty this year, but other teams did.  If you are interested have a little google and see if you can find other teams with their Bettys running amok!

Truly eccentric and good fun.

Normal service will be resumed!

A spurt of creativity last night and this morning.

First off, a new print block.


This is part of an ongoing project based on the theme of Horizons.  I have been using the the Medina al-Zahra is Southern Spain as my inspiration for this.

This print block is made with my favourite technique - using childrens play foam sheets which you can get from places like The Works or Hobbycraft.  I literally blew up a photograph from my Medina collection, used a soft pencil to  mark/draw on the the photograph the lines I wanted to transfer, then turned it over and pressed again onto the foam.  The lines transferred enough to give me the template to cut out.

I just stick the cut foam onto a piece of stiff card.  Then I marked the detail using a soldering tool.  Now, dear reader, this does give off pungent fumes so if you use this technique you do need to do this is a very well ventilated space (it certainly isn't a technique to take to a workshop!) so WhippetX and I had the back door open - on a very chilly March evening!

And here is the first print off this block - in one of my sketch books.


I was happy with this, and felt no more tinkering with the block was needed to went staight on to try it out some more (by the way I am using a fairly fluid acylic paint here - again one from Hobbycraft - it's like a Golden Acrylic I think - but it isn't that brand).




These are printed onto papers prepared from that old recipe book. I described the process here.

Now, my thinking is to work on these paper backgrounds a bit more and then use a service such as Fingerprint to get the papers printed up digitally onto a single piece of cloth and then quilt/embroider.  The top piece I feel has more potential.  I was thinking about entering this into a Contemporary Quilter's Guild Challenge, but I don't think the orientation of the piece will be right.  I need to go with my gut instinct here, and while I love the idea of entering a piece don't feel I can compromise to fit the brief (or at least not with this design).  But this is a WIP so we'll see.

Here is a brilliant review of an exhibition currently running at Tate Britain - Looking at the View: ‘take the small voyage out to the horizon and back again’ | That's How The Light Gets In:

This isn't a blog I follow but I found this useful as I am considering a Horizon quilt. And it reminds me that I haven't been to a gallery for a while.  I need to absorb a bit of culture.

Talking of Horizons, my house guests will all be gone tomorrow so I will hopefully have some space to work on some more of the background designs tomorrow evening after the day job (assuming this hasn't been too taxing - for I am finding it a bit of a slog at the moment).

One thing I have achieved this week - I have managed to get a few pictures up into the Sketchbook page on the blog.  I will try to get some more together.

Even when the day job encroaches there is still inspiration to be found.

Recently, tucked away in the City of London I came across this.

This blog is supposed to be about finding the work/life balance, with a textile theme.  But there's not much balance at the moment so the textile and art work has been a bit thin on the ground.

That said, I have enjoyed other distractions from the day job - Rapper Dancing at Burton on Trent.

Rapper dancing mostly seems to happen in pubs - which was fine by me last weekend as winter has returned with a vengeance - and is rather frantic and vigorous.


A great day - and completely and eccentrically English!!

Meanwhile I did manage to get the binding on the quilt I recently quilted on the beast.  Not a prize winner but I don't really do traditional quilts and am pleased with the result.




Oh, and at last I have started to add some images to the Sketch Book page - so not all bad!

The week has rolled by so quickly.

Today is not so much a day of lists (last week's was hugely ambitious) but nevertheless I did manage to achieve.

Today, I have to focus on a few non crafty chores - bother that - but before I do a few things to share with you.

I am working on a Horizons idea and in my last post shared with you the beginnings of some design ideas.

So, I thought I would create a couple more images, again using that old recipe book and  good dollop of gesso.




Again I used Brusho inks - the turquoise and the yellow with a dash of brown.


Ready for printing.

I think this has real potential (I said that before didn't I?) but the issue will then be how on earth I transfer a satisfactory image to fabric (if I go with fabric) to quilt.

Right.  Things to do!  Must dash.