After all the excitement of the exhibition.

 I sold 6 pictures and a concertina Sketchbook at the exhibition so I have put their labels on this post so hopefully if you bought a piece you can track its story on the blog. This isn't always possible as I have only recently started to document all my work. That is my intention for all future work.

 A quiet corner of the studio with my new square sketchbook purchased over the weekend, made by Ursula Jeakins and my new 'Swallows' painted glass piece by Annie Rie. Life getting back to normal after all the excitement! Managed a walk to take in the Autumnal countryside.

And a few more pictures at the exhibition!

A few more pictures because I know about not getting out and about at times and for my overseas friends. Going up the stairs.

 Same frames - one piece from each artist.

 Too many reflections but you get the idea.

 Detail from Carla Mines hanging about the bees waggle dance.

 Claire Passmore quilt.

 In the corner yellow quilt by Colin Brandi and right of that Autumn by Liz Brooke Ward.

 Woven sea plastic -Debbie pawle.

 Witness Tree Liz Brooke-Ward.

Sea pieces- Liz Hewitt. All the artists took the title Transformations: Earth Matters and choose their own interpretation. Artists statements on the walls explained their own themes. All beautiful work that you want to study closely.

Lizzie Godden.

Cycle of the seasons- finished!

Finished at last- a lot of stitching in this and the texture of the whole piece quilted through is interesting and pleasing to me. Whew! I have the frame to put this into and some cards that need finishing, then all ready for hanging on Tuesday.

Spring is in flower.

 With the warm weather I seem to have gone quite mad stitching in loads of flowers around the winter trees.

I have snowdrops, a primrose, forget-me-nots, bluebell and daisy that wreath around to the summer rose and daisies in the lawn. I didn't mean to put in so much detail or spend so long on it but sometimes the inspiration takes over. Outside the garden is in bloom with flowers, birds and bees making the most of the sunshine. This morning has begun misty but the plum tree is in blossom.

Transformations : cycle of the seasons.

 I began work on this piece last week- my final piece for transformations. It will go on the stairwell at the exhibition, where we all have a 40cm frame to fill, a piece of work from each artist to welcome visitors up the stairs. It is a patchwork of each season. I made the print of a skeletal autumn leaf first in gold then drew in the winter trees and machine embroidered those filling in with running stitches to quilt the whole thing and blend it together..

 The winter trees are growing some first spring leaves on the right.

 Summer and spring flowers are now sprouting around the bottom of the piece to complete the cycle. You can't work one patch to completion, you have to dot around a little to see the whole thing emerging and find a harmony.

This photo is about finding the correct thread to match the colour of a primrose. It is quite a greeny yellow. Easier to mix the colour in a paint box, harder to find the right shade thread. I have drawers of threads sorted into colours and then rummage around finding the one I want. Which might explain why they are a complete tangle!

Transformations flyer.

Getting ready for this exhibition in Bristol, Meet the Artists is on the first Saturday 28th April 11-3. There are 13 artists exhibiting in different media. It is right at the top of the building, expect stairs! There is a cafe within the Guild.

Lichen and a new little book.

 No news from Newark Park yet about the exhibition. So getting on with work for Transformations. I am looking at textures for this set of work and these lichens have instant appeal for an embroiderer.

 Oh the colours and textures of the different liverworts, mosses and lichens.

 Some of these found at Westonbirt aboretum and some are local to me. I think it is a sign of good clean air. They don't grow in polluted air.

 I took a little twig home to draw and embroider.

 Started a new book to show at the Transformations exhibition, this time in fabfic rather than on paper. I stiffened the fabric with gesso first for a stiffer, papery quality.

 French knots, eyelets, beads and tufted stitches.

on the final page is a Bewick swan flying home. They leave Slimbridge wwt this time of year to make the journey back to the Russian tundra.

More news and new work.

 News update  about the postponed exhibition - there was a burst pipe inside as well as water from the roof. The damage is extensive on the tudor side of the house but the exhibition room is untouched. However to get to that room on the top floor you have to get through the house which remains closed at the moment. The National Trust are hoping to open the grounds and tea room as soon as possible. They are still assessing the damage to the house and it remains closed until further notice. We were due to put up the exhibition on Monday and all the damage because of the thaw happened on the Sunday, the day before, so thank you kind folks but no damage to our work. Terrible thing for the house, the National Trust and all the wonderful workers and volunteers there. We wish you all the best in this very trying time. Will keep you posted kind readers, thanks for all your good wishes.

 Meanwhile I have been finishing sedimentary layers for the Transformations exhibition in April at the Bristol Guild.

And I started a new piece on Tuesday for that exhibition. I took a picture of it yesterday in the sunshine as I worked on it. I liked the shadows so much I have put in more tufted stitching to retain that texture. This piece is based on a local footpath that is ancient and seen years of traveling. It is layers of textures again like the rock strata. Time passing is the big theme here. This footpath was completely blocked by drifts of snow. Even with all the thawing I didn't get along it on Tuesday- still piles of snow.