I thought I would add some happy home photos today!!  I love my little house and can't believe we've been here over three years....how time flies.  I've also given my little art hut a makeover, so its feeling very spruced up....  its amazing what can be done in a small space! This week has been busy but I have managed to get some creative time...art journalling and  weaving.   This is the beginnings of a new jacket (already been spoken for!) and I am using my new larger loom.  Today I have been spinning at the Smallholders Show here in Sussex - and, although I wasn't selling, there was a lot of interest in the woven jacket that I was wearing....maybe I should keep it on all the time and be a walking advertisement!

I thought I would share these photos of two days of fibre workshops that I ran this week.  We all had such a good time, and it was great to see people learning new skills, and indeed, to make new like-minded friends.  As you can see, afternoon tea (served in bone china cups!), with home made cake was an extremely important part of our day.  These were 'taster' days and students were given the opportunity, first of all to have a go at art journalling, and then to look at raw fleece (alpacas were leaping around the grounds!), do dyeing, spinning, weaving and felting.  I think I sent some people away with swirling brains....but no one was bored that's for sure!! By the way I have now , finally, got my larger loom .  It was obviously meant to be - not only did I receive a totally unexpected cheque in the post for the exact amount - but an hour after ordering it, my friend posted that she had exactly what I wanted for sale at greatly reduced price.  I hastily cancelled my original order and am now the proud owner of loom no. 2. I have just started a new jacket and will post pictures next week.  x

It seems ages since I last posted on my blog....but I have been travelling!  Had a good week in Italy, although sadly very little sun.  But it was really good to be with friends and chill out.  In fact I did very little except laze, eat and drink!!  Now back to the beach and home.  I have just finished this woven piece which has in fact been bought as a wallhanging.....(I take this as a compliment...)  I am now almost ready for the Creative Fibre workshops which start this week.  My loom is being warped up for students to have a go on - so I am loomsless.  Not for long however....I have finally persuaded myself that I need a second (slightly larger) loom which can live in my art hut for a lot of the time.  I am ordering it tomorrow....yipee!>  I have decided to save for a new, larger shed next year.  It means finding new home for bikes etc. but where there's a will, there's a way! By the way, I heard this week that one of my woven coats has been selected to go into a National weaving exhibition....can't believe it..... very excited!!

Summer seems to have arrived at last, so a lot of outside spinning....I haven't yet taken my loom into the garden.....see how the weather goes!!  My plan is, to save for a new, larger art shed.  I could then get a second (larger) loom and leave it in said workshop.  At the moment it is upstairs and rather an effort to keep on moving it.  As you can see, I am still weaving (another scarf) but my thoughts are on planning the next jacket.  Yesterday I went in to Brighton and bought some indian cotton fabric for the lining (and I haven't even started weaving yet!!) Talking about the weather, I am jetting off to Italy this week to stay with my friend  (we have been close for nearly 40 years and shared many ups and down in life!!) and the temp. is forecast to be 30 degrees.......yaayy!!! By the way, the other pics are of a workshop that I led during the week.  An enjoyable time was had by all x

I can't believe another week has flown by....its now Monday evening, and I really try to write this blog every Sunday.....oh well, better late than never!  I am coasting along at the moment.  I was half way through weaving a scarf when my warp got knotted - so I had to cut the weaving off the loom.  I'm still trying to work out what to do with 2/3 of a scarf length....I am hoping inspiration will strike one day.  In the meantime I shall take it on a teaching day later on in the week and hope it may inspire someone!  I have been doodling in my sketch book quite a lot.  I find it works better for me if I leave the book open and add bits every now and then.  It saves having to feel creative.  As with most things I do - I simply grab the moment without too much planning!!  Having said that, I have begun to plan another jacket, this time with a view to selling.....so watch this space.  Mind you in the next month I have other things in the pipeline....leading four workshops and having a week in Italy...yaaaaay!!!!

Now that the jacket is finished I have enjoyed playing.......dyeing, making felt, painting, patch working my woven scraps to name but a few.  Also this weekend I have spent a lot of time in our local countryside.  I have put in a couple of pictures of a fabulous farm/tea shop which is sadly closing next week.......this is the end of an era for us but I guess life moves on.  Have a good week everyone x

I finished the jacket today so couldn't resist writing an early blog to show it off!!  I'm really pleased with it.  I have made it loose and roomy on purpose.  A lot of my friends tried it on earlier, and it seems to fit and suit most people - so I have decided that I shall definitely make more of this style with a view to plucking up courage and selling!!  You will notice that two other photos have found their way into this blog.  First of all - just to show you how I spend summer days dog walking on the beach, and secondly, I have been following the progress of our local swan family.  She's a clever girl and this year has produced 9 signets - an increase  of 50% on last year!