Spring concertina sketchbook.

 A few more blue tits for the spring concertina sketchbook.

Looking forward to seeing the spring blossom with all these dire warnings of snow and blizzards forecast for the end of the week.

Summer book finished.

 Summer book is now finished! Daisy chain fastening and all glued in place!

Making a few cards to sell now, handmade and photocards. They help make some money to balance the tremendous outlay of framing and other materials. Getting there now- labels and other paperwork this week! Setting up next Monday in the hope we are not snowed in but that is forecast for this week.
Keep warm everyone!

Summer concertina sketchbook.

 I am now filling the summer concertina sketchbook with birds and flowers. A robin,

 wren,

and coal tit so far.....................3 more pages to go...........2 weeks to lift off!
My stewarding dates will be Sunday 11th, 25th March, 8th and 15th April. 11-5 Newark Park, Ozleworth. National Trust admission fee applies. Do come along and say hello, please introduce yourself it is lovely to meet my blog followers.

Embroidered buttons.

 In bed last week with a virus of some kind, temperatures and tiredness. Still a bit weak and wobbly but I did manage a few embroidered buttons for the exhibition. The National Trust are following a suffragette theme this year to celebrate 1918 when some women were granted the vote.( you had to be over 30 and own property)We were asked to exhibit something to mark the occasion and so we are having a few things on the theme of suffrage. I looked at lapel brooches made at the time. The British women used the 3 colours- white for purity, green for hope, renewal and strength and purple for courage, dignity and loyalty to the cause. The blue button is one I made last year with stitchwort on. The new ones are daisies also a symbol of purity and a pansy which stands for thoughts in the language of flowers. I plan to make some more- a violet for purple and faithfulness and something green for strength- leaves perhaps or an acorn?

And here is Haggis who came to stay last week while his folks went skiing. We did have walks but he was a faithful bedside companion most of the time. Perhaps he should get a purple badge?

Exhibition postcard.

Three weeks to hanging day- don't panic! What will be, will be. After getting my work off to the framer I have felt so tired and been sleeping like a dormouse. The fuel tank feels empty but I know if I rest it will all get better. It feels like the old M.E. symptoms of tiredness and muscle aches. I think it is just the cycle of creative energy followed by a feeling of lethargy- like winter after summer maybe? Just quietly want to finish the summer book and make some photo cards if nothing else. Oh and sleep a lot. Do other artists experience these waves? 

Daisies blooming on the book cover.

Daisies have grown on the summer book cover!

Summer book cover- in progress.

Book cover in progress- first stage- machine embroidery to secure snippets of silk and cottons in garden colours.

Snowdrops and the summer book.

 Lovely snowdrops at Newark Park on Sunday. And it is cold here with a sprinkling of snow.

 Remember these little books for the four seasons? Well I am now working on the summer one. Yes in the cold I am remembering the robin that came and perched on the yellow daisies (Inula) while we were sketching. From coldest day to hottest day. How we can travel in the mind!

Today the robins in our garden are all fluffed up and fighting to get to the seeds first. Perhaps best to stay in my mind travel, back to the hot days- I am making the covers for the summer book.

A riot of colour in the summer border.

Finished! Photography difficult in this winter light, every time I have taken a photo the colours change. The top one better in the greens- close up has gone a little blue. It is the Newark Park garden border by the crinkle-crankle wall (yes that is a real thing!) by the lake. Yellow daisies, day lilies and orange dahlias with chocolate colour leaves.