Ready for Easter

 Meet Violet.
Her body was dark blue fabric but I have stamped it and painted it with a variety of fabric and acrylic paints.Her hair is carded sheep's wool.

Sarah and I changed the window again today ready for Easter. We try to make it look as different as we can and this usually starts with a colour. Looking at some of the items in the shop which had not fitted in previous schemes  we decided on dark blue/purple. It is mainly the pottery and ceramics that have been featured with a few other items for interest.  including some glass work, my encaustic eggs and a wall hanging Geds steam punk jewellery and a felted rabbit.

                                                 

Daisy

         

Daisy was made to replace Liberty who sold last week. Each of these dolls take me three days to make and a lot of arm ache.  The hands are quite tricky but are so cute. Muscle power is needed to form the head and also it is amazing just how much stuffing goes  into each one.  I just love seeing how their characters develop. I have no idea when I start how they are going to look, its a bit like giving birth. The only thing I start with is a colour. The next one is going to be dark blue/purple so watch this space.        

Gallery 14 window

Yesterday Sarah and I did the window again. We were planning to do a pretty girly flowery window for Mothers day  but  didn't really have anything in the shop to suite the theme, except what was already in the window for Valentines.  Then thoughts of spring with yellows, again we struggled. The first thing to do is completely empty the window and give it a good clean. Members are informed of our intentions each month which gives them the opportunity to make something specific. We then look round for items in the gallery. Each item is then auditioned Its suitability soon becomes clear. A quick   check outside confirms our thought. Sarah and I work well together, we think the same way and have the same tastes this makes the job quite quick and easy. As you can see from the pictures it ended up predominantly green. A complete contrast to the last display which was pink. 

Woven scarf by Sarah Cross

Some of my encaustic eggs

Newest member Ged Draytons  needle felted fairy

                                         

My encaustic earrings and eggs

                                                                                                                                                                      

                              

What I am doing Now

My doll and earrings and Sarah s scarf

Have you guessed what the theme is?

I have joined a cooperative called 14 The Gallery in Torrington. I am very much enjoying it and it helps keep me focused. One of my rolls is window dressing along with fellow member Sarah. (She is a weaver and makes beautiful scarves). We are trying to keep the window fresh and interesting by having themes which are planned in advance.

My Textile work  in the background

My earrings

Yes it is Valentines day. We will change it again in a couple of weeks to cover Mothers Day, St Davids Day and Easter. Hopefully this will show case different artworks and also different over all colour scheme. We also hope it will encourage members to think about what they have got or could make for the chosen theme.

ARTIST OF THE MONTH

The other window is used to feature the artist of the month

As you will see in the side bar I have put some new earrings on my Etsy site, also on Folksy  http://folksy.com/shops/Rowlandoriginals  and my website.

About time I blogged!

Well I don't know where the time goes.
I have been trying to simplify my life and concentrating on the more important things like my business. it always ended up at the bottom of my list, and things needed to change.

                                                                                                                

Last year my son was married and I did quite a lot of work for that including the flowers, cake and at the last minute 120 cup cakes. The wedding should have been in September but had to be postponed until November because the bride was taken ill and ended up in the high dependency unit in Barnstaple. Although not quite back to normal she is on the mend.

Festival of Quilts

The quilt group I belong to, Upcott Valley Quilters got a Highly Commended for our group quilt!

My bit is on the far right and is wine bottles. It is double sided but was hung so that only one side could be seen. The blue fabric was hand dyed. Originally it was a quilting project, going back to its roots of using household objects as templates. I think the applique took over a bit on most of them. Mine is all hand quilted and the applique is minimal.

Dolton Horticultural Show

Yesterday I entered the Dolton Horticultural Show for the first time and got first for a dressed doll, a piece of patchwork, sweet peas and pansies. I was very pleased.

WILD WEST

1. Return to the Wild

Large wheels turning

Engines pumping

Ponies pulling

Stones crushing

Tall chimneys pointing

Like fingers

Into the dark, dirty skies

Birds now singing

Bees are buzzing

Rabbits grazing

Buds are shooting

Tranquility

Harmony

Peace

As earth reclaims the wilderness

Which is truly hers once more

This is the piece I made for the Quilters Guild A.G.M. Wild West Challenge.

It was a photograph I took of a derelict tin mine, which I covered with black chiffon and stitched.

I wrote the poem to describe how it made me feel being there.

NUTHATCH

This is another regular visitor at this time of year
I love the way it always eats upside down.

Colourful Visitor

I have been trying to get a picture of this visiting woodpecker for ages. It visits most days but is very nervous.

Next concert

I have just designed this poster for our next concert which is a fund raiser for the band. It should be a good night.

Christmas Concert Burrington

About time I blogged!

Hi all,
I got my first West Country Quilter magazine via email today and as it has my blogged listed I thought I had better do something. Firstly welcome to any quilters from Region 4 that may be taking a look.

Upcott Valley Quilters had a challenge. It is mentioned somewhere on here and I promised to keep you posted. We bought the fabric as a group when we all went to the Quilt festival. Basically the challenge was to cut a hole or holes in your fabric and give the bit that came out to the others and then fill the hole with something else. It was very scary!This challenge was set by Sarah. The quilt is fantastic,(I think). It will be going to Birmingham in August so if you are going to the festival look out for it. It will be in the group section. It was hung at West Point but it was almost impossible to take a picture. I could only get the edge. I will post a better picture when I get one.


Decisions- which bit to put where? It is 8 fat quarters and 4 of them were cut in half and worked as 2 pieces to create more interest.


The label is pinned to one of my two bits

New Work

CLEMATIS
At long last I have plucked up the courage to get the wax out! I have not done any for over a year now other than my earrings. I had done an abstract using paper covered with crumpled tissue paper some time ago and just thought I would enhance it with some encaustic work and got carried away. I have also embedded some skeletal leaves. I will leave the wax out now and maybe do some more over the weekend. We have had snow again today so I think staying in is a good plan.

Little Helpers

I volunteered to look after my grandchildren yesterday while there parents went shopping. They got a bit creative.

Christmas is Coming cont......

Here are the table decorations

Christmas is Coming

Well Christmas is coming a little too fast for me and I am running out of time. I have been quite productive in the last few days. I have made the door wreaths and table decorations, the cakes are marzipaned, did a bit of tidying putting the decoration boxes away. Nearly finished sending the Christmas cards and have managed to find spaces to hang the ones we have received. I have volunteered to look after Alfie and Sophie so that there parents can have a child free shop. Alfie loves sticking and gluing at the moment so we might have a creative day, (must save the toilet rolls) Today I need to make and finish two small quilts so I had better make a start!