Beetles - sketches and stitched.

These are from 2010 but a friend asked for some pictures to show to a budding entomologist who is nearly 3. We were remembering AA. Milnes poem Alexander Beetle.I made lots of boxes some paper some stitched with wee beasties inside.

The real thing! A bloody nosed beetle.

Spots and summer garden.

I have finished the reverse applique spots and am adding to the design of summer greens. It is very different from my recent illustrative work and is strangely compelling. More about stitch textures but I still have a summer garden in mind in an abstract form.

Also painted the background for the summer garden. It feels imperative to get this started while the summer is still with us. Lots of rain has made the garden into a jungle with bright spots of colour.

A few more stitched cards.

 A few more stitched cards made for the exhibition. I had my plucky blackbird in mind. The one with feathers missing around his neck. A cat pounced maybe or magpies attacked? Last year I saw a pair of blackbirds fighting off magpies to protect a young chick. Very distressing because magpies and jackdaws are persistent. I know, they all have to eat and all have young to feed.

So yesterday it was back down the Fosse Way ( an old Roman Road) to Chipping Campden, a picturesque Cotswold town with yellow stone cottages, topiary, hollyhocks and tourists! The exhibition is small but very pretty and with tempting things to buy which I succumbed to straight away. I enjoyed my morning very much - new earrings and a new scarf! Well you can't have too many can you?

Judy Martins reverse applique dots.

I ground to a halt chasing ideas that didn't work out. So I tried Judy Martins reverse applique dots - peaceful mind restored- all is well. Sometimes things don't work especially when you try too hard. Now I have a slow piece to stitch and will see what develops with a calm mind.

Handmade embroidered cards.

Cards for the Summer Delights exhibition. The birds in the garden and feeding at the bird cafe are a delight. There have been many baby birds. The blackbirds have been successful this year. Old man blackbird is faithful to the garden and waits for me to go out with food. I know it is the same bird because he has been in the wars and lost a chunk of feathers at the back of his neck. I am still pondering and working on some ideas to produce a summer garden piece.

Chipping Camden- exhibition at the Court Barn Museum.

 We delivered my work for the exhibition in Chipping Camden yesterday.

 It is at the Court Barn Museum, I will steward there next Fri morning so will be able to see more then.

 We went to Hidcote for the rest of the day. A wonderful N.T. garden nearby. It is a garden divided into many rooms.

Tiles inside the summer house above.

Lots of colour again!

Sketches at Newark Park, Summer flower borders.

Going for colour! Nothing clashes in the garden but I was brought up on never mixing your oranges with your pinks. As for shovelling in pinks, yellows, purples, scarlets etc well! Sometimes you have to be brave. These aren't brilliant but they are joyous and they do record the day. ( Last Friday at Newark Park). Must add a few bees and butterflies - yes, will go and do that.