Comments

Part of the appeal of blogging is the feedback from fellow bloggers in the form of comments. After hitting the "Publish Post" button I have to resist the urge to keep checking whether anyone has commented yet... I'm not the only one am I? The excitment of getting comments, of seeing what people have to say is all part of the pleasure of blogging. And I firmly believe that if we are putting ourselves and our work out there to be viewed by the public then we have to be prepared for all sorts of reactions... good or bad, positive or negative. Of course we all love to be told what we've done is wonderful but it can be quite refreshing to have a different opinion too. After my last post the feedback was very positive and encouraging... and fortunately for me my tutor's reaction was much the same. But there was one commenter who didn't like what I had done. I replied to her and she came back worried she had upset me... but nothing could be further from the truth. She made me laugh and made me realise how important it is to keep my feet firmly on the ground.... and let's face it... she had a point!

So, GreedyNan... please don't stop commenting. And those of you who tell me everything's wonderful... you can carry on too, because without you all I'd just be talking to myself!!!

If it wasn't for meeting fellow bloggers through comments there wouldn't be lovely surprises in the post like these latest batch of wiggly bags from Andrea. Once again Andrea got her year 10 textile group to make me wiggly bags. Thank you so much... it was very thoughtful of you and I know they will be much appreciated.

Three Hundred!

Unbelievably this is my 300th post... how did I ever find time to write so many words? I wasn't sure what it would turn out to be when I first started this blog almost two years ago. I had a vague notion it would be a journal of my progress through my degree but as many of you will know there is comparatively little about the degree or my embroidery but an awful lot of baking, family life and teaching... which is probably a far more accurate representation of my life! It is self indulgent, allowing me to look back over events of the past couple of years (have I really made that many cakes???), it has made me several new friends, some of you still "imaginery" but others very real and most of all it has felt like a happy place. Lately though it has felt like a bit of a chore at times and I feel this is a good time for a break. I've a busy couple of weeks ahead with teaching, I start a new degree module on Monday and feel I need to devote more time to developing my own work.

But first of all a thank you and a giveaway... Huge thanks must go to Michaela for making fifteen wonderful wiggly bags all in fabulous cheery fabrics that I know will be much appreciated by their recipients. If you would like to know more about wiggly bags then follow the link. Please feel free to email me for instructions if you would like to make some.

I couldn't go without some baking... Apple and cinnamon muffins made this morning with a jar of Bramley Apple sauce that was lurking in the back of the fridge on the wrong side of its sell by date!

And the giveaway... I have made some more felt chocolates and thought these might be fun to give as a prize.

But then perhaps I should give something with a bit of machine embroidery so thought about this lutradur and felt covered notebook...

But I can't decide which...

So I have decided to give them both away...

If you would like a chance of winning either the chocolates or the notebook leave me a comment telling me which one you would like by 7th June... regular readers or new visitors I don't mind. I will then perform the customary draw and announce the winners on the 8th June. I'll be gone at least until then... and maybe a bit longer until my blogging mojo returns. The last time I took a break it only lasted 10 days so I doubt I'll stay away very long. And I'll still be visiting to see what you are all up to....

This and That!

First of all thank you to everyone who left such wonderful comments for Sam on my last post. They were passed on to him and very much appreciated. I've not been very good at replying to comments lately as I've been so busy but they are always read and appreciated so please don't stop!

***

As I'd mentioned more surprises in the mail and some more great work from students I thought I'd better show you. Toffeeapple, who won my last giveaway, had offered to send me some doll hair, so what a lovely surprise to receive these fabulous auburn curls and also some rather swish buttons and sequins. Not only that but she also sent me some seeds to grow some yellow chillis... if I'm successful in growing them I'll show you! Thank you Toffeeapple!


Last week I also received this very well made Wiggly Bag

accompanied by this super post card. Now this is a bit embarrassing as I don't know who sent it. The signature on the card says Pat but I know quite a few Pats and I don't know which one you are... if you are reading please comment or email me so I can say thank you properly. It was very kind of you, especially as it was sent before Christmas and got returned before being sent again.

My Tuesday students have also been busy over the past few weeks. We did stitching on Kunin felt a few weeks ago. Kunin felt melts and distorts when you heat it, but the stitching resists the heat and these are one or two of the results. A bag....

a glasses case...

and a little box.

The same class also made books with me the following week and these are the results - all very different but all beautiful.

And finally, although we didn't make these in class, Jan used the techniques learned when we were stitching on metal to make these two fabulous caskets.

In the City & Guilds class I teach, this term the students have been working hard on various samples and design work based on colour, but there is nothing finished to show yet so these are a couple of pieces based on texture from Pam O. Wonderful textures!

I've been working too... getting ready for Jersey which is just a week away and also for the exhibition next week. But more about that next time!

Tired!

I'm tired, I need to go to bed but I've a pudding to finish which I'm taking to our Zigzag Christmas lunch tomorrow, stuff to get ready because I'm teaching in the morning, a present to wrap... so I'm blogging instead. Sound familiar? Well I've some overdue thank yous and I had to show you my paper tree made from folded magazine pages. First seen demonstrated by Moogsmum... (I think) but I'm too tired to find the link. Then I had lunch with a friend last week (lovely lunch thank you Pat!) and she had made one too which inspired me to give it a try.


I think I may have cancelled out all the good of recycling the magazine though by then taking a spray can of gold paint to it!

Anyway... those thank yous. First to Maria for this gorgeously wrapped surprise which turned up at the weekend.

Inside were these two beautiful hearts which will hang on my tree if it ever gets put up. Thank you Maria.

And the second parcel contained these fabulous wiggly bags from Angela... who really must get a blog!

Not only that she included some emergency chocolate too! Thank you Angela.

Angela has recently opened a wonderful shop in Peterborough selling all sorts of fabric and art supplies so if you are in the area do pay her a visit. There will be an official opening in January so I'm sure I'll tell you all about it again as I'm going to be involved.

And to finish... some good news! I have a working oven which has meant the first batch of Christmas baking this week!

I'm now going to bed... the other jobs can wait until the morning!

A Christmas Giveaway....

I thought it would be a fun idea to have a Christmas giveaway... a little present for my bloggy friends. But more about that later...

For the past ten weeks I've been teaching a machine embroidery class in Letchworth on Tuesdays. A lovely group of thirteen ladies who get together each week to practise their machine embroidery, possibly learn one or two new techniques and hopefully have a bit of fun. This was the result of learning to stitch down lots of scraps to make new decorative fabrics which were then made into some lovely festive items.

And yesterday we made flowers and seed pods using tyvek (the material used to make the suits that "Scene of Crime Officers" wear.) I thought they did a fabulous job.

When I got home there were two parcels waiting for me. The first was a giveaway prize from Karen and although I already knew how beautiful her work is, nothing prepared me for what she had made for me.

Inside my parcel was this exquisite piece of embroidery, pieced from silk and covered with the most beautiful hand embroidery. Karen often bemoans the lack of light this time of year when trying to photograph her work and I fully appreciate what she means because my photograph comes nowhere near doing this work justice.

I tried to get lots of lovely close ups but this was the only one that came out.

Karen also sent these fun little embroidered "puffs", again silk with beautiful embroidery. Thank you so much Karen - I was quite overwhelmed. If you're not familiar with Karens work do go and take a look over at Contemporary Embroidery.

My second parcel was another consignment of wonderful wiggly bags - gorgeous colours and fun fabrics from Susan. Beautifully made by Susan and the fabrics and velcro supplied by Susan's Mum, so thank you both very much - these will definitely help to brighten up the lives of some sick children.

Was there something else...? Ah yes ... a giveaway. Last night at the Wishing Eel book launch I managed to get a signed copy of the book - signed by John Wiltshire and Gillian McClure, the artists involved with the project. But as I don't have any small children to buy presents for this year I thought maybe one of you bloggy readers might like a copy? If you would like to be entered for this draw just leave a comment with the name of the child who might like to receive this in their Christmas stocking (they don't have to be real names... "blog" names will be fine) before Sunday 7th December and the book will be sent to the winner in time for Christmas. A little present from me to you to say thank you for being such lovely bloggy friends all year.

I will also include a set of postcards of some of the illustrations from the book... and possibly some other bits and bobs too!

Busy, busy, busy!

First of all some thanks... To Julia for this wonderful parcel full of wiggly bags, thank you so much Julia! Lovely fabrics and beautifully made.


And I don't think I showed you my fabulous gifts from my bloggy meet up last week... Thank you to Lesley for this beautifully stitched festive mini quilt.

and to Lucy for this super little mini quilt, again beautifully stitched. (I think I'm going to have to start my own quilt wall.)

Lucy also gave me this fabulous zipped pouch ( PIF gift I think?) which I'm going to use for my drawing pens... do you think that is me walking Barley?... maybe not.

And Trashy painted this lovely ornament which will hang on my Christmas tree this year! Thank you all so much!

Back in the Fan my Flame household there has been a frenzy of activity for the past couple of days as I try to remedy the lack of stock... I've a Christmas Open Studio and sale tomorrow which it seeemed like a good idea when I arranged it in June... now I'm not so sure! Amongst many other things there has been brooch production ... just need to find where I've hidden the brooch pins!

And the mass production of Christmas cards!

But at least it has given Stewart the chance to practise his risotto skills... just as well it's cooked on the hob as my oven has completely packed up and seems to randomly decide what temperature it will cook at! No baking here this week!

I'm off to look for some brooch pins... have a good weekend!

Distractions

More lovely wiggly bags in great fabrics today - this time from Julie. Thank you so much!

Thank you too for this little added present for me - some fabrics and lace, including some of Julie's shibori dyed fabric, which was very much appreciated . I love the stripey looking one!

Which reminds me of another gift I forgot to mention... Maria sent this little plaque for me yesterday with her package of wiggly bags. Thank you Maria!

As for me... I should have spent yesterday and this morning on my latest degree assignment which is all about language, looking at a piece of textile that expresses a particular idea or meaning... but my mind is a complete blank and so to distract myself I've been making Christmas decorations. Featured in the December Good Housekeeping magazine... Christmas fairies made from dolly pegs.

The instructions can be found here. All in the interest of research of course, for my next Young Embroiderer's meeting.

But this afternoon I really must get back to my assignment because tomorrow I'm out all day for a very exciting blogging meet-up!