Still here, still painting

Once again I am wondering whether this blog has run its course. Every time I write a post I think I must do this more regularly but then I forget all about it and it is no longer in my consciousness and another three weeks goes past. I used to write twice a week but its now more like twice a month... on a good month! But I'm hanging on in there!

To be honest, Painting is taking up most of my free time and these are a couple of my most recent attempts. I'm not sure how finished they are, whether there will be minor adjustments or whether I might even paint over whole areas. It doesn't matter because I am loving it. I am loving it so much that I have now signed up for an intensive three month course called CVP. It was a big decision because not only will it require a fair bit of time but it has also been quite a financial investment. But change never happened without taking risks and I am ready for change. I'm ready to try something new.

So maybe my blog is ready for change too! Originally I set it up with the idea of recording my textile art as I embarked on a degree in stitched textiles. Not many of my original followers from those days are still around. In the intervening years there has been so much more... knitting, reading, family life and cakes... lots of cakes, but I'm not sure that is what I want to write about any more. It's art and painting that is lighting my fire... or perhaps I should say, Fanning my Flame, at the moment. I have set up a new Facebook page to share my art, where you will be most welcome to come and visit and follow me. And I think the website is almost done... I'll let you know when I have finished tweaking!

But just so you know the blog hasn't changed completely or gone forever, I'll share will you my latest knits for the grandson who really doesn't want to arrive!

There is a little cardigan from a knitsofacto pattern, a hat that I invented, that has been made twice (since the due date I might add) because the first time it was huge (I have no plans to go into pattern writing fortunately)... and a little bunny in a matching sweater from Little Cotton Rabbits.

Now all we need is a baby!

Now if you excuse me I'm going out to my studio to paint, where I will ignore the rain and howling wind,  while I wait for that phone call with news!
And the blog... I'm not really ready to give it up because letting go is hard isn't it? So I expect I'll see you again in about three weeks! 

A Literary Festival

One of the best things about village life is the wonderful range of entertainment and activities that are on offer. There is everything from sport, live theatre and music to quizzes, films and social suppers. Last weekend saw the very first Literary Festival to be held in my now ex but neighbouring village which gave me the ideal excuse to escape the unpacking of boxes.

There was a fabulous programme of speakers and interviews, each with a local connection plus we were treated to a generous ploughman's lunch with wine.

The first speaker was Christine Adams who told the extraordinary story of her ex-husband's aunt, May Savidge, who following a demolition order, single handedly moved her medieval home, literally beam by beam, brick by brick and nail by nail, 100 miles from Ware in Hertfordshire , to rebuild it in Wells next to Sea in Norfolk. She worked on it for twenty three years but never completed the task. However she left the house to the family and Christine took on the task of finishing it. Christine's story is just as remarkable as May's and she is a natural story teller. I had been fortunate enough to meet Christine a few years ago and found her story so engaging I immediately bought her book "A Lifetime in the Building" (now renamed Miss Savidge Moves Her House) which I can thoroughly recommend.

After our excellent lunch we were treated to a recital of poetry by award winning poet Tom Weir who grew up in the village. (I remember him when he was a small boy.) In all honesty I don't really understand most poetry, it goes right over my head and especially I find it impossible to read. But listening to Tom explain the reasons for writing some of his verses, with his wry observation and gentle humour and then hearing his recitals from two of his collections, I feel I could be converted. It was powerful and at times emotional but made us laugh too.

    

Next followed a lively conversation between Sarah Harrison, Jenny Chapman and Jim Prothero. The festival was the brain child of Sarah Harrison, a successful local author. Jenny is an author and journalist and Jim has recently self published his first novel although he also has a children's book and several screenplays under his belt. He describes himself as an author in a bricklayer's body! They spoke about the trials and tribulations of getting published as well as the importance of setting aside regular and achievable chunks of time to write.

The day concluded with Sarah interviewing Sarah Shaw about her book. The Secret Diary of a 1970s Secretary. I have known Sarah a long time, as our sons were friends back in primary school and we were in the local Am Dram group together. When Sarah was packing up her house to move to Dorset she discovered a diary in her loft dating back to 1971 when she had started work for the BBC. She typed upthe diary and self published it as an ebook and although I had downloaded it to my Kindle I couldn't bring myself to read it immediately. What if I didn't like it... what would I say to Sarah? But after a lunch date Sarah asked me what I thought and  I decided that I really did need to bite the bullet and read it. I started that afternoon and two days later I'd finished it. I loved this book and by the time I got to the second half I couldn't put it down. Not only does it tell the story of 19 year old Sarah's time working as secretary for the BBC and living in a run down hostel in London, it also conveys the era perfectly giving a wonderful picture of the food we ate, the clothes we wore and the music we listened to at the time. But the book's success is largely down to the story woven against this backdrop, that of  the blossoming but unlikely romance between Sarah and the lift operator at the BBC's old Langham building. It is written with great humour and honesty, with a brilliant eye for detail that took me right back to 1971. And it is not only now available in hardback and paperback but there is due to be a dramatised TV programme too.

It really was a brilliant day and I love that it was called the first Steeple Morden Literary Festival with promise of more to come in future. Of course that remains to be seen as village events such as these rely so much on the hard work and good will of many volunteers and without support they cannot go ahead. And if there is a single negative comment to be made it was the lack of local support for this amazing Litfest. I didn't count the numbers in the audience but sadly it felt sparse, with several of those attending coming from afar. I'm not sure why more local people didn't turn up and give their support, maybe they thought it wasn't for them but all I can say is they missed a treat because it was a wonderful programme of speakers and conversations that was entertaining, uplifting and inspiring.

At the end, a friend asked if I ever think I would like to write, which I dismissed with a the comment that I don't think I have any stories in me. But when she suggested that my Instagram feed makes interesting reading it occurred to me that I have actually been writing for twelve years in this blog! Mostly stories with pictures, sometimes diary, sometimes general observations about life with a large dose of cake thrown in for good measure, but writing nonetheless. And that prompted me to write this post!

All I Need is Time!

What a splendid time I've had in Harrogate!

I'd like to tell you I had plenty of time to see the beautiful town, visit its many attractions and that I'd had tea and cake in Betty's (there was a big queue outside) but it wouldn't be true... that will have to be a treat for another time.  For most of the time I was sat behind a table on Art Van Go's "Artists in Action" stand at the Knitting and Stitching show.

 

 

I arrived Wednesday afternoon in time to set up my table (it has a calm before the storm feeling, don't you think) and met some of my fellow artists... Clare Bullock, a wonderful feltmaker (without a website unfortunately) Alison Hulme and myself had a lot of laughs over the days we were there... many that seemed to involve the security guards but that would be telling!

 

The time whizzed by as we demonstrated, worked on projects and even did some collaborative work... Clare made felt, Alison printed on it and then I stitched it... and of course we chatted to the public, who were all so friendly and interested. I met several ladies who said they read this blog... HELLO!!! That's a big wave to you all, it was lovely to meet you!

 

It was so much fun I ended up staying an extra day  (which involved having to find an M & S to buy clean knickers but that's probably too much information) and didn't get home until Saturday evening... absolutely exhausted! Yesterday and today, I've pottered about, putting things away and tidying up but feeling very inspired to finish off work with plenty of ideas for new things as well. All I need now is more time... If only M & S sold that too!

 

Before I went away, I had a fabulous day in London where I met with two fellow bloggers - Frances, who had come all the way from New York and Celia, a friend from not so far afield. We had a lovely day that included a visit to the Constable exhibition at the V & A and a leisurely lunch. Celia has written so eloquently about the exhibition here that I'm not even going to try, but I do need to share the lovely gifts I received. A set of Celia's beautiful Christmas cards together with buttons that she had covered with Grayson Perry fabric... I think I may have squealed just a little at these. And Frances had hand knitted this dear little fairisle sweater. Mine is already pinned up on my notice board and will not be relegated to the Christmas decoration box, that's for sure.

 

So that's my busy week... although there are commissions to finish and teaching to do in the coming days so it will be back to work for me in the morning. If it's true that there's no rest for the wicked then I reckon I must have been pretty bad as some point! Catch up with you soon!

Anyone There?

I might be back... but is anyone else there?

It's strange but when I started blogging a little over six years ago, to have had seven comments in 24 hours would have left me elated. In fact it was something of an occasion to have had even three or four comments.... it felt like fame! But now, although I haven't reached the dizzy heights of having hundreds of comments, to have anything less than a dozen or so leaves me feeling as though there is no-one there. Ridiculous I know!

 

 

But the nature of blogging has changed over the past six years. Back then there were a lot less people doing it...  Facebook and Twitter were still in their infancy and other platforms such as instagram and Pinterest were not even heard of. Blogging still felt new and fun. But now, many of the people I connected with when I first started blogging are no longer doing it. Times have changed.

 

But even if blogging is being abandoned in favour of more instant communication, I still like it. I don't own a smart phone or similar device so Twitter isn't really something I've got the hang of. I quite like Facebook but I think it reaches a different audience. But I like blogging best of all. I like the fact I need to think about my photographs and words. It feels more considered somehow and so I'm sticking with it for now. What about you? What do you think?

 

And today's photographs have nothing to do with my words because this wasn't what I set out to write! I was going to say that after the luxury of a week away and being served three meals a day, it felt equally luxurious to be back home in my own kitchen cooking yesterday. A creamy leek and goat's cheese tart with chilli coleslaw and a banana and walnut loaf... to use up the black bananas. Just in case you were interested!