Pockets

Cloth paper studio have a pocket swap.  Eventually we will have four different pockets to turn into a pocket book.  This is the front of one of mine

and this is the back.  It was made on a base of felt, with scraps of fabric machine stitched into place, then embroidered and lastly I added the buttons and beads.  It is lined with orange fabric.

this is the front of the second one, the fabric scraps were stitched onto the felt in a more haphazard way, and I embroidered around the buttons. 

and the back.  

I have been making other stuff but that was more of things you have already seen, I won't bore you with a photo of 6 more baggies or even the 5 little birds I made from truly scrumptious moda Kasuri fabric

I went to K&S at Harrogate.  We went on the Friday and it was comfortable with less pushing and crowding and more being able to see.  Apart from my little sidestep to Oliver Twists stand, I stuck to my list but I seemed to have spent a small fortune.  Fabric isn't cheap these days!  I enjoyed being able to see the exhibitions, loved the artists open studio.  Was disapointed that Linda Monk's new book wasn't available.  Anne Small and Sue Walton's Jabberwocky stand was packed and no wonder, I especially loved the Queen's Army pieces.  The Tales of the Unfinishable was excellent.  Lots of pieces of work with stories behind them, many of the sad.  I wish I had bought the accompanying book now. 

Teaching

I had a visitor this week and he decided he wanted to do some painting so we went out and bought a couple of canvas blanks.

He used a very limited palatte, paynes grey, ultramarine blue, yellow ochre, burnt umber and white, using heavy body acrylics.


I thought torn paper stencils would make a good start and he did enjoy ripping the sheets of paper to make mountains.  A little lecture on how the things furthest away are always paler and then I stood back and let him do the rest.

Drying each layer with a hair dryer is good practice for impatient people, I guess he gets that from me :)

Lecture two was that nature isn't even, so his trees and shrubs are a subtle mix of colours and he did a good job of adding texture.  The beach and rocks were great fun to do, stabbing the paper with the brush to add different colours at the same time.  I think he did a fantastic job and he loves it.

Day two and he was ready to make another.  He found a landscape picture on the net and used that as a reference.  I was very impressed with his brushwork - he had definately been listening to my lectures.  We had a practice piece of paper so that he could get the hang of using the different brushes before he moved to his canvas.  He used torn up sponge to form the trees and the grass. 
For this landscape he used the same palette as before with the addition of apple green. 


There is a third picture, but I forgot to take a photo.  I am very impressed a the progress made in just three days, I must be a very good teacher ;)  My g-son is quite a forthright young man and he told me he wouldn't like me as his regular teacher because I nag too much!!!