Sketchbook Pages

Snow fatigue

I know it was only a week ago but the snow feels like it's been here forever. I am an unfortunate individual who lives within walking distance of her place of employment, hence no snow days, not one. I have trudged in and schlepped home and spent 30 minutes everyday trying to get my wellies off. It's just so draining. There's a smidgen of the January blues in there somewhere but, today, I feel them lifting.

I have been having the most fabulous time making class samples on how to build up texture and use different materials for collage, not with the purpose of painting some image on top, but just to play, for itself. I found myself, at 11pm last night, elbow deep in mod roc, plaster, acrylic paint, PVA and bits of lace. It was great. I think (tentatively) that they may become pieces of "proper" work as class samples often do.

I have also started thinking about what this year will bring, particularly in terms of where I will be living in a few months. I have started checking the paper for that roomy period apartment that just happens to be in my price range. It might sound silly, but I am so excited at the prospect of buying my own sofa.

I hope you all had a fabulous Christmas and New Year. Hopefully I'll post regularly now, and not just about food, but, y'know, actual art n stuff.

Aunty Jenny! Look at this!

This is Fig and Blue Cheese Tart. Isn't it pretty? I will make it in May when when you come back. The best thing is, it looks just like it does on the front of the magazine. It has a wholemeal walnut pastry which is just lovely.

Right. I'm putting myself back to bed now. I have a streaming cold and can barely talk, so it's under the covers I go.

Whispers of Snow

The promise of snow is always a little bit exciting; the whispers started circulating 'round the building earlier in the week (perpetuated mainly by me).

This morning was tad disappointing as I was expecting drifts galore and another day housebound trying to get over a very poorly throat but all we had was a light dusting. However, by the time I got out of the shower it was throwing it down and has only just stopped. I am staring out of my office window at the peaceful winter scene by the canal and I actually don't mind being in Banbury at the moment. God knows I've whinged all summer about wanting to be elsewhere but, right now, this is OK. I've got a shaft of weak, wintry sunlight hitting my desk as I type and everything feels sort of still.


Yesterday I managed to get all of my Christmas presents wrapped, I'll pop them under the tree tonight. With that little job out of the way I can focus on what is, for me, the main point of Christmas- food.

I plan to make blue cheese and fig tart for tomorrow night's dinner, this comes in at a whopping 81 grams of fat per slice. A convenient way to ingest as many calories as possible in one go. The Sloe Gin has been strained and is settling nicely in the cupboard, it should be drinkable by Monday. I tried a little bit last week and very good it is too, though shockingly sweet.

What i've been up to this week (Part 1)

I keep meaning to write a post about the wonderful work being created in some of my classes and how talented my students are, and I will, eventually, but apparently I'm just too self obsessed.

This is a stack of hand dyed and handmade papers just waiting to be made into little books. I'm trying to break free of the old muted colours that seem to dominate my handmade books at the moment.


I've also been having some fun with the free machine setting on the sewing machine. I've been a bit wary of this ever since the machine blew up the first time I tried it (apparently the peddle had needed servicing, it was on it's way out..) Said machine was as good as gold this time though. I've been experimenting with Indian imagery, it seemed to lend itself to the colours and gold glaze I covered everything in. Though I am feeling a bit unsure about pillaging symbols and motifs from random cultures and religions all in the name of a pretty piece of craft. Spiritually, is this right?

As you can see below, these papers start life as pieces of muslin, napkins, kitchen towel, random pieces of old material, then I just go mad with the drawing inks (these are lovely and transparent, plus I can get quite cheap wholesale 1 litre bottles from the educational suppliers we use at work, so it's not as costly as it sounds, these were done as a class demo, though, any work bods reading). Morrison's kitchen paper works great. The little green pattern shows through.

Right, that's it. Hopefully back tomorrow with some images of the book covers I've been making for the craft fayre and some of the handmade Scroogey Xmas cards. The craft fayre is next Sunday so it's going to be a busy week ;-)

Blenheim Craft Fayre

So, this morning Mum and I got up and went to Living Crafts at Blenheim Palace. A fayre of talented craftmakers and artisans. I have to say, I didn't find much to inspire, only quite a bit to be a depressed about.

There was little genuine talent on display but a lot of very savvy business people. Poeple great at self promotion, people who can produce work to sell very quickly and sell it at a fairly high price. It was a fayre aimed directly at people of a certain age and class with a nice wodge of expendable income. Bitter? Moi? No, I think one has to trawl thorugh the local craft markets organised on a much smaller scale to find the real talent. Or Etsy. The pitches at these national craft fayres cost so much money, how could anyone trying to work outisde of a full time job, with a family etc either a) afford it or b)produce enough work to sell??? The setting was great though.




Anyway- enough of that. I'm meeting up with a group of old work colleagues from my days at Ottakars as an idealistic graduate. I'm not sure whether it depresses me or cheers me that the friends I made whilst working there remain some of my most favourite people in the entire world. I am, however, sworn not to drink too much tonight as I am teaching a mixed media handmade Xmas cards workshop tomorrow. Hence I have spent the last week making little cards, trying to feel a little bit Christmassy in this most windy and wet of Novembers. And I do, a little bit...

Friday afternoon lull

Sat here at my desk in the Box Office at the Mill and i'm feeling quite relaxed for a change. Occasionally you get a quite afternoon, usually towards the end of the week, where the cafe quietens down, the music's off and the building just feels sort of soft and benevolent.

Above is the ongoing disaster that is my second clematis painting. I'm wondering if it's because i'm painting summery imagery in Autumn. Perhaps i'm just not feeling it.