Collecting my thoughts

 Last year I wrote about the new library in Birmingham and the Library of Lost Books project. Through the project's  latest blog post I found out about an exhibition right on my doorstep. Taking place on campus in Carmarthen, it finishes tomorrow so I realised I needed to get going or else I'd miss my chance. As it was, it is reading week so the campus was empty and I had the venue all to myself to take it all in. My photos show all the enamel pieces by the students but there were altered books, artists books, jewellery and sketchbooks to enjoy too. I loved the scale of the enamel tags suspended en masse. They made a great impact and it was fascinating to look at the imagery selected. I enjoyed the enamel books too, particularly the beautiful marks made in them. It all made me think about the enamel work of my friend Sue, using enamel in contemporary art pieces. Lots of food for thought about the theme of collecting and hoarding. Intriguing stuff.

Having a stab at something new

 I ran the first of a new series of four book making workshops yesterday. Each is a few weeks apart and will take us up to Easter when we'll take a break probably until the autumn term again. Following requests we spent the day on Japanese stab bindings working through both soft and hard cover hinged options. Although I'd prepared samples and notes for all four of the key Japanese bindings it was really important to fix the process of stitching the basic binding into our minds and explore the materials to use. Everybody stitched samples on card at the beginning to understand the rhythm of the thread and then they got stuck into measuring, cutting and making. The picture above is one of Eileen's books, made using her own monoprinted papers. I loved that black and yellow combination and she offered me the book to take home but as much as I wanted it, I just couldn't. It just didn't seem right especially as she is doing what I love the most, using her own materials and playing with design. Here is a selection of everyone's work with the exception of Anne , who left us early. Her husband  who is stationed abroad was coming home after a month or so away. Not surprisingly she left us with half an hour to go so that she could see him. It's great to know that romance is alive and well!

 Here's is Margaret's patriotic red and green book

 Halina

 Maggie

 Cynthia

 Lilian

 Peter

 Maggie

Sheila

Next up in three weeks time is folded books which will include lotus books and blizzard books followed by a foray into link stitch bindings and finishing in April with a session on tunnel books. That's the one I'm really looking forward to, taking books from 2D to 3D. It will be a challenge but everyone who comes to the sessions are really keen to learn and try things so I can't wait!

Felt like a break for a few days.....

 We've just spent a few days away in Gloucestershire and Somerset, catching up with family, seeing a few exhibitions and running a workshop. We managed to see the Second Impressions printmaking exhibition at New Brewery Arts in Cirencester and catch the tour of the Sketchbook competition from Rabley Drawing School at Black Swan Arts in Frome. Both offered a visual feast, the one showcasing the finished works of a talented group of printmakers using various mediums to make their mark and the other giving a privileged opportunity to handle the sketchbooks of artists and see how ideas progress. We finished yesterday with an afternoon of feltmaking!

Through a conversation with my cousin's wife Emma, I learned that their eldest, Sarah, is in a textiles club at school and was interested in making handmade felt. Well, one thing led to another as they do and Emma organised a workshop for Sarah and a few friends with me dragging out all of my old feltmaking equipment and revisiting something I've not done for quite a while. In fact, I'd passed most of it on to friends and had to 'borrow' it back to take to Somerset - and I needed it all because these girls were keen and really got into the process. It was fascinating watching children work after years of running workshops for adults. They were far more productive. Not for them, long periods of deciding what to put where. They had their ideas quick as a flash and got stuck into the work! Bolstered by copious amounts of sandwiches and chocolate cake thoughtfully provided by Emma and helped by another couple of Mums this is what they produced :

 Making prefelts first, Lily then laid out a large amount of fibre, placed her pre-felts on top, added some mohair threads and felted a large rectangle which she may cut later and sew into a bag. We all agreed that it made a fabulous scarf but I think she has a plan and she's going to follow it through!

 This is Sarah's abstract first piece and I really love the painterly way she has used the threads. She went on to make another 2 or 3 pieces. In fact, I couldn't keep up with her rate of production with the camera. Her friend Veronica, cunningly concealed behind her second piece of felt, opted to make large pieces which she will later turn into something else. She and I found common ground because she loves to make books! You can imagine how much I enjoyed hearing that.She also learned that when you trim the felt you can roll the trimmings and make braids and bracelets so she took a few bits of potential jewellery home with her too.

 Sophie laid out two large pieces of felt and my photo does not do justice to the beautiful colour blends that came through once this piece was dry. Sophie has already tried needlefelting so has the means at home to embellish her felt pieces with more details, something that her 9 year old sister Megan did from the outset. She had a clear idea her mind for this lovely flower piece and she diligently made every piece of pre-felt needed to make it happen. I love the design and sheer joyous colour of it all.

Finally, I couldn't leave out the piece made by Lucy, our youngest participant. I'm not sure if she's 6 or 7. All I know is that she too had very clear ideas about what she wanted to make and went at it with gusto. Her pink pig grazing in the green fields is a triumph and a beautiful fine - hole free- piece of handmade felt. She tried to make some beads later and I hope they all sustain the enthusiasm for creating and making that I saw yesterday afternoon. It was infectious and I remembered why I used to love feltmaking so much...... until this morning when my old bones creaked and my shoulders ached. A fantastic day though and one I'd love to do again....... when I've recovered!

Saluting the flags.....

 We had a great workshop today making origami pockets and flag books with either various flags or one assembled image in them. I thought the single image book would be a straightforward way to start but I was proved wrong. Trying to work out the maths for folding and layout proved a bit of an initial struggle for everyone - well it was a Friday morning! - but we all got there in the end. At last I took some photos that can be shared. Hallelujah...  except I don't have one for the work that Sheila and Deborah produced. Sorry girls but anyone reading this can take my word for it that everyone excelled today. The top photo is of a mini origami pocket book that Lilian made from gift wrap and a seed catalogue. I love it when items are recycled into books!

 Halina made this wonderfully 'clean' butterfly book and we all agreed that it's simplicity worked. Covers are to follow for a lot of these books but today was all about cementing the process in their minds and practicing ideas. One of my workshop samples included some old postage stamps that I'd glued into some slide transparency frames I've had for a lifetime or two. I had hundreds so took some along and Halina selected some  plus some stamps I also took along  to make another example below.

 Here are Eileen's two samples, one tiny one of a single image and another small book using the slides. Eileen works very neatly and brought along some exquisite books to show us that she had made since the last workshop. I was incredibly envious of one with a monoprinted cover. Gave me ideas.....

 ....as did this book by Kathryn who utilised the slide frames with some alphabet gift wrap. She painstakingly cut out the small images and hidden in this flag book is both her own name and that of her husband. She added a lovely cover to it and I think it's going to be a gift for him. Lovely idea.

 Both Ann (above) and Cynthia (below) worked in miniature. Hopefully the bottle gives some scale and highlights these small but beautifully formed books. They are both precise, neat workers  and I love those flowers. Made me think that the flag book would be a great vehicle for packets of seeds, either bought from the shop or homegrown offerings packaged up as gifts for people.

 Finally, here are two examples from Margaret (above) and Maggie, who used a Paul Klee postcard image. Maggie had also made lots of samples of flag books to share and also brought along a home made nipping press, made yesterday by her husband and herself. I should have photographed it but she might be going into production so I must not spoil it but suffice to say you can do some very professional things with some carriage bolts and a couple of solid wood chopping boards from Tesco.

They have been a great group to work with and I know they kindly look in on these pages so thank you again to everyone for throwing yourself into these workshops and making some stunning books. Get your diaries out for the next ones. Dates to follow!

Flagging ...... in more ways than one!

 I've been preparing lots of samples for my next bookmaking workshop on Friday. We're going to cover off flag books and all the variations that are open to experimentation. It provides me with the perfect post title as 'flagging' has been an apt description of my appetite for blogging in recent months.

I still love following the blogs of people I've always followed and I will always comment if I can think of something to say that doesn't make me sound too dull witted but, I took a look at my statistics recently and noticed that year on year, I have posted less and less. I don't know why that is because I'm still doing lots of things and finding many things I find fascinating but I think  I've lost sight of why I started a blog in the first place.  I don't think I'll do anything drastic like stop altogether but I am rethinking what I'll post about in future and how often. With my infrequent attempts I'm surprised anyone is still out in the ether following - but thank you if you are!

The year has started in 'busy, busy' mode with lots happening. After a lifetime of dreading going near water in a bathing suit, I am finally learning to swim properly and actually did a few glides under the surface on my own yesterday. I'm a long way from swimming the channel but it feels pretty good to conquer some of those long held demons. There's lots of decorating going on here too and even though I'd prefer to have a different sort of paintbrush in my hand it feels good to be making changes in the house as well. Despite the horrendous weather I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a better Spring and Summer ahead so there are lots of orders for seeds going in the post and lots of garden changes in the pipeline too. I feel very 'in control' of the direction of life and enormously energised by the New Year.

 The group of ladies that have been with me for all four of the book making workshops to date have all contributed to a group book idea. I have made this origami pocket book and they have each contributed a decorated tag to slot inside each pocket. The idea is that everyone who has produced a tag will get their name in the hat on Friday, and somebody will be lucky enough to take home a sample of everyone's work in a book format. They have been a fabulous bunch of people to work with and there are more workshops planned at this venue, plus ideas afoot for running some printing/mark making classes too which will translate into work for artist books. I'm hoping 2014 will be a very creative year for all concerned.

I'm still playing with ideas for Friday including double sided accordions with lots and lots of flags as well working out how to nestle one flag inside another when using circular or different page frames. It's such a wonderful structure that I feel certain the group will come up with some great ideas of their own which I hope to share in a later post. I've been playing with flag books that will make a single image when opened flat and repetitive images that, if changed slightly on each set of flags alter the perception of the image. It involves a bit of maths and only works with certain images, mainly those involving movement or action. Similarly, I've been playing with materials, currently making a book from pieces of chopped up inkjet transparencies encased in laminated plastic. The imagery isn't quite working on that one yet, but it makes a fabulous clacking sound when opened quickly. Somehow that seems to give me a lot of pleasure! Lots still to do and handout notes to write. Onwards and upwards.

Merry Christmas

The Man Who Planted Trees from MrGreatShortFilms on Vimeo.

I came across this beautiful version of the Jean Giono story only a few months ago and decided to save it as a special post one day. Even though it is not seasonal it is a wonderful story and a perfect gift. Enjoy everyone. See you in 2014!

I've started...... so I'll finish

 My books workshop was good fun last week and I did take some photos but when I looked at them they were pretty blurred and useless. I need to take them through the day rather than run round like a mad thing at the end of the workshop I think. There is another in two weeks time and THIS TIME I will do better. I think it has a lot to do with this time of year. All of a sudden everything cranks up a gear and I seem to be in headless chicken mode.... or maybe it's more about my inability to say no to something or restrain myself from starting one thing before finishing another?

Firstly, I agreed to co-ordinate a project for my old employers, the National Trust, just on a voluntary basis, but the time commitment and workload is more detailed than expected and I'm not so great at detail any more. Plus I also joined the hundred or so people who took a piece of barkcloth to decorate for the charity Hands Up for Uganda. Run with passion and commitment by textile artist Bobby Britnell, the charity is being partnered by Star- Child Shoes to turn this barkcloth from Uganda into baby boots ready for exhibition next year. I gave a piece each to my two friends Vickie and Joan as a sort of mini autumn challenge. They've delivered theirs back to me so guess who was dragging her feet? On Monday I finally bit the bullet and printed on mine before stitching on it yesterday. After lots of ideas I used two hand carved eraser stamps for the hands and painted on the stripes before machine stitching the circular motifs.  I have limited ability in machine embroidery but what I do know has been learned from a dvd by the lovely Gina. I did the stitching in ordinary cotton  and the back looks much worse than the front. It really does not bear close scrutiny but at least I have finished.... I think ..... (Please Gina, do not enlarge this photo for a closer look....I beg you...)

 I also promised my friend's daughter that I'd do a craft fair with her next week. The idea was to sell some of my books but then I saw all these origami ideas on different blogs and thought I'd make some Christmas decorations. That was a mistake. Not only was it time consuming, it was obsessive! I couldn't stop folding and creasing, using up mountains of old music. I found the tutorial for these here if you want to have a go.

 I also made these five pointed origami stars using some free gift wrap from a magazine but it's only patterned on one side so the reverse is white in the centre and I wasn't happy with that until I realised they'd make a quick Christmas card, something I've not given any thought to this year unusually. Finally, I've been playing around in Photoshop to make some tags for the craft event and the demented dogs and cats below are what I am printing out later. I'm not sure whether they're the product of an overactive imagination or a sign that I'm running close to the edge..... I think it could be the latter......