28 Aug 2012

more tapestry sampler


I think this is probably a little out of focus because it's making my eyes go funny! I've nearly finished with this sampler; I've used lots of different techniques with no real feel for a proper design so I'll finish up the weft bundles I have and call it a day and get on to something a little more structured and with more defined colour. All the weft bundles in this sampler are a mix of colours and I think it's made it look over busy. The eye isn't led through the design at all.  And my sudden decision at the bottom to put in another colour was too much too sudden. When I started it the whole thing was going to be in neutrals and then I had a 'red moment' (similar to a 'chocolate moment'!) and got too carried away.

But it's been a great learning curve for me and hopefully the next one will be more thought out! I've loved doing it.

25 Aug 2012

Cherry Gallette


Just made this. Think I need a course in food photography. It honestly looks better than this and I can't wait to try it. Recipe courtesy of Waitrose magazine. Pitted cherries courtesy of husband (whose hands are still a nice shade of red!).

13 Aug 2012

roses


This is one of my favourite roses in the garden. It has the most amazing scent and grows in a pot near my back door. This year it's grown one long stalk to a huge height which makes it difficult to support and it's very vulnerable. I don't think it's going to survive my husband's hedge cutting exercise this weekend!

I held back from posting this until today - the rose did survive!!

10 Aug 2012

spider's web


Taken first thing this morning when the sun was just coming up and the night dew was still clinging to the spiders' webs. They looked like lots of tiny fairy hammocks!

6 Aug 2012

heathland colours


I picked these few heathers and grasses on the Ashdown Forest at the weekend. The colours are soft golds and greens mixed with vivid heathers and as I wandered along I thought how I could translate these into a tapestry piece.

So today I translated this into paint in my sketchbook so I can start finding yarns and thinking about composition. Unfortunately the photograph of the grass and heather doesn't show up the vibrance of some of the colours properly. Put that down to lack of photographic ability!!

3 Aug 2012

montbretia


I love these. They don't last long and they're quite invasive but those flame coloured flowers are just gorgeous.