Still early days

Yes! It's Friday and that means Friday art class!  It was slightly different this week though, I was on my own :( . Fellow art class people were taking advantage of the lovely window of sunshine that Gloucester was having and some having an afternoon off. So one room one person (me). This did not deter me, even if it did make me feel like I was in detention (not that I was in detention a lot at school, I'll have you know, just from time to time). 

My aim is to be able 'draw what I see' again - still love doing the abstract crazy stuff - but I really want to draw an object that actually looks like the object, a teabag looking like a teabag, for example.  



It's not going too badly - there's hope! Will definitely have to find something other than teabags and cake casings to draw. Any ideas?



What mum said

'Just make it up as you go along'. What a great phrase, it can be adhered to absolutely anything! My mum uses this when she bakes her perfect flapjacks - I've tried it too, but somehow it doesn't work as well with me; especially when cooking!

But I have found a way of using this 'just make it up as you go along' which, I think, suits me well. It does take a while to get going and also tricky to know when to stop - but I don't half love using this pliable technique to make my unique designs.

As I was talking about

Yes - after a superb afternoon at the Gloucestershire Arts and Crafts Centre, I am now thinking that what could be a better way to pass the time between 1.30pm and 4.30pm on a Friday? And I think the conclusion to that is - nothing! Well, unless the opportunity to have a cup of coffee with, let's say, Colin Firth arose then sorry - D'arcy wins hands down!
With a 3 hour session of drawing and/or painting, creating a masterpiece and being around lovely people (as well as having a smashing cup of tea and a great selection of homemade cakes) - who couldn't enjoy it? Eh? What a great chance to find your artistic 'skills' that you thought were lost all those years ago. For me, it's going to take a few more classes.....

......... but i'm sure I can find it again.

Have a look on http://www.gloucestershireartsandcraftscentre.co.uk/classes/artclub.htm or just pop in on a Friday. There is a small charge (about £1.25 per hour) - but it's well worth it - come and enjoy.

Trying to make

Alright, I know this isn’t literally making or creating something, but we want to ‘make a difference’. Tom (my lovely man) and I are off to Hadrian’s Wall in July to trek alongside this magnificent historical feature in aid of the charity Epilepsy Action (www.epilepsy.org.uk). It is National Epilepsy Week 2011 this week (15-21 May) and this is the time for us to call out to sponsors - you!

Our sponsorship page is http://www.justgiving.com/emandtomstrek please give what you can.

All of the money raised will be going to help people who have epilepsy and also to help educate people about the facts about epilepsy and improve their understanding of this condition. Do you know what to do when someone is having a seizure? If not, or if you are unsure, please have a look on http://www.epilepsy.org.uk/info/seizures/first-aid.

Come on Tom! Get your boots on! Let's prepare for some blisters!

............................xxxxxxxxxxxxx................................

With thanks to......

After a battle between the choice of beads or buttons, as well as with thin strips of coloured cotton material, here appears the 'stranded necklace'. There are the few wisps of cotton floating here and there, but with the sprinkling of a few beads there is a balance.

(p.s. the thanks goes to a couple of facebookers)

(p.p.s. thanks to Tom for the use of his cymbal)

I just made it because.....



This was once a 10 inch length of lovely black velvetyesque ribbon that was leftover from a previous creation. After sewing a running stitch along one side I pulled on the thread and scrunched it up into a flower shape. Slipped stitched the seams, placed a button in the middle and a finding to the back and now a bloomin' brooch.



Fingers-crossed Ta Da Skirt

Aaaarrrrgh. No smart skirts in Gloucester  - they are all floaty and flowery (lovely, but not what I need). From the simplest of sewing patterns and the most basic of materials (1.5m of cotton material, some bias binding and a zip) - and with my fingers crossed (well not literally - I had to work a sewing machine) - Ta da! it worked. Let's just hope it does it's job!

Bee House

I had a great time making this little home for some lovely bees. It's not perfect, but I think it's got character and hopefully they will find the dwellings quite comfortable and will move in soon. Give it a go yourself, check out the website below or, if you live near Gloucester, go to the market square and find the blue framed shop that looks empty (near River Island) and join in.

http://www.beeguardianfoundation.org/
http://www.btcv.org.uk/cgi-bin/office_opps_ind_task.cgi?region=sw&office=35&task=1303817972.76345&shared=&newoffice=&newregion=

This is it!

Hello
A beginner to blogging
bear with me
let me get to grip with this
and then let it flow..........
Emily