I can't believe it is so long since I posted, having trouble remembering how to do it.
Have just been involved with a group of artist doing a show about Sunflowers, Sunflowers are the emblem for Epilepsy action, there was some great work.

I grew a lot of sunflower seedlings,they were laid out in a pattern

Guerrilla Sunflowers

Make a donation for a seedling

Then chose a picture from the basket…. Write your name, a message……..

Then take a seedling replacing it with your flower.

 Take your seedling home…. nurture it,

Plant it where it will be seen and give pleasure.

In waste land, by a car park, next to a foot path or the river, your front door, give it to someone as a gift.

Photograph it and email the results to

annesfelt@btopenworld.com

I will post them on the web site

http://www.facebook.com/events/351385628215627/

The pictures they used, this raised lots of money for a good cause, now I am trying to plan a piece of art, a quilt/wall hanging, there were some lovely messages they all need to be used. I also made sunflowers that hung above the seedlings

Some of the other work



Collages

Spent Saturday life draing, we spent most of the day doing 5 min drawings about 30, a fabulous mode, she was really good, I came home exhausted, pleased with a few of my drawings

I would have liked a long time on this pose, to get it finished and the hand right.

l

                                   I was given this wonderful Blue face wenslydale fleece

                                   
                            It makes wonderful felt, i revamped an old coat by making it a collar and cuffs
                            quite pleased with the result and the coat has taken on a new lease of life.

DAY OUT

Yesterday I went and saw the Degas exhibition at the Royal Academy, I love some of his painting, especially the pastels, ballerinas are certainly different these days, they were bigger, well better covered not like the tall lean girls of today.

There were a lot of sketches he did for this bronze, and she had real hair, shoes and bodice before she was cast

He as also interested in photography, and many of these and people who inspired him, I just did not realise how early photography started, especially moving film.

In the afternoon I met my niece and her husband at Portcullis House (the building where MPs offices are) The security was amazing to get in, but once in it is an amazing and interesting building.

Paul has a selection of photographs of  MPs on show, which is what we went to see. You can see his work on  http://www.paulheartfield.com/

I went back with my niece and had wonderful Cauliflower soup for supper.

Though I put the link, I thought I would add a couple of pictures, ever seen a pumpkin used as a gold fish bowl, it's the right colour.

or butternut squash in dress

Had a really busy day at Farmers' Market, it was pumpkin day, lots of folk came, it did not rain so great sucsess, here is a link to the face book page http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hildenborough-Farmers-Market/143989122313648#!/pages/Hildenborough-Farmers-Market/143989122313648

Back from woolfest, had a good time Saw old friends, wonderful wools some great work. Bought some wonderful Gotland, I just love the colour have plans for a winter coat. I also got some Teaswater, will be interseted to see how it felts also some wonderful Black/grey/brown wensley daale. I really wanted a Blue faced leister fleece but there was't any, I shall have to try else where.

Coat, merino, silk, antique lace beads and stitch, pleased with it, a friend has taken it back to Vancouver.

HAd a really good Open studio, thank you evry one who came, thank you every one who purchased

I am off to wool fest, lets hope it stops raining, hoping to get some lovely wool or the odd fleece.

Open Studio

Just started Open Studio am sharing with three friends who are painters, we are using a wonderful georgian house with a court yard, so lots of space to show the work, though In say it myself it looks good.

We had a really good party for our private view and sold a bit, be good to see lots of people coming to see what we do, I will be demonstrating some of the days.





Love this Gotland fleece, have made cushions, hat and bag with it so far a lovely soft grey colour.

Have not added anything for so long, the snow has gone as had christmas and the new year. Have had a bad dose of the POMS (poor old me) I can't se why,I have so much good inmy life, but I got myself in a bad place, feeling better now, taking pictures working on ideas, walked in Knole Park in the drizzle yesterday the light was amazing, the colours on the tree trunks, maybe?














Also photographed a scarf, to put in the Open Studio Book, I am sharing a studio with painting friends in Chatham Dock yard, a fascinating place so worth a visit without Open Studio, but that will add to the visit, starts June 4th, I know how quickly that will be here.

Snow Snow Snow! about a foot of it,the poor dog found it very hard work, she used to love it when young and fit.







But I am now in the warm watching a flock of Long tailed Tits on the bird table,they are little,pink/grey and fluffy , a Sparrow Hawk took a Tit the other day, sad but that is nature. We get a good selection of birds




Have been making hats using raw fleece look very Russian, can't take a picture as I sent them to a gallery,I wish I could make more time to work with raw fleece but life takes over, This Friday is HOPS Christmas lunch so must shop and cook for 70-80 folk.

Today was cold, with an early morning start,it was Apple Day at the Farmers' Market, and a lot of children from the local schools coming to learn about apples, tast different varieties, try some juice and apple cake, I think they enjoyed themselves and hopefully learnt a little about where and how they grow and of course had time out of school.


Apples waiting to be eaten, hands free



waiting to tast different apples.

Helped set up The IFA stand, it looked good, I put Decopodastica up, was pleased with how it looked. Thursday was not as manic as last year, but we were busy, lots of demonstrating. I took some raw fleece with me and felted them in to merino, I just wish there was time to experiment,I have lots of ideas but no time.
Thursday evening had a phone call because my Mother had had a fall, so that was the end of knitting and stitching and come home to help Vanessa. Realised I had missed things I wanted to see, never mind there is always another year.

Knitting and Stitching

Next week I am of to Alexander Palace for the Knitting and Stiching show, The International Felt Association have a stand which I help man, spend hours demonsrating. There are lots of stalls selling wonderful goodies and great exhibitions. The best of the textile students degree work is shown which is wonderful, i alsways love it, may see some of you there.

Seem to be busy, not much felt making. Good times with HOPS, lovely outing to river, See HOPS blog. Celebrated my Birthday, one daughter came and cooked dinner, really lovely. Son phoned, eldest daughter did send email, Alison and Oskar! their web sight is on my blog list, if you want a yoga holiday in Cambodia.

Proxy grand daughter made me a really rummy cake.



Have played with raw fleece, just got some lovely Gotland and Wenslydale, so no excuses.



Quite like dead animal look.

Just made a cushion for a friend's daughter, who was married recently in Greece.Always hard to do gifts for people who already have a home that you have not seen, and they will have to take back to Greece.




Very envious of all who went to MFS, especially those who did Vilte's raw wool workshop,have tried won piece my self, must do more this bit is still wet so shall see what like when dry and I can fluff it up a bit.

My 3 day summer school at Adult education was cancelled because there were not enough students, five signed up but 3 were concessions so finances did not add up, I was looking forward to it despite other commitments, i always enjoy a three day class as students really get a lot done.I went to Goddington Gardens to hang Decopodastica it looks good in an alcove in the Italian Garden.



Friday I took HOPS,(the club I run ) to watch Polo, my niece and her husband demonstrated the skills needed, then a group of children they teach played a match, See it all on HOPS blog.

Bag by Student



A student who attended my bag class sent pictures of her finished bag and the purse she made from her sample piece.It is so nice to see the finished piece of work made my your students. It was the first bit of felt this lady had made, a great effort on her part.

Having read about Suzann's pod she hung in the garden and a bird started nesting in it, I thought I would post about a piece of my felt.




CHAIN MALE, When new in an exhibition


I put it in our garden, in the shelter we call the bus stop for some obscure reason,






The first year a robin nested in it's head but got disturbed, may be the Magpies, since then birds have taken wool from it, slowly it is disintegrating but interesting to watch.










I intend to put Decopodastica in the garden and photograph it over the next two or three years

I have just spent a couple of days in Somerset, was very blessed with lovely weather, had a morning in Wells, and the cathedral, it is such a beautiful building.



The scissor arches are amazing, well worth a visit. The altar frontal are displayed round the walls some amazing work,designed by Jane Lemon and Maurice Strike.



I really loved this



A boat
Home of a fish a man
that once rode a stormy sea
and from which nets were cast on the
the right side
now lies
abandoned

Broken and holed

Empty and silent

The shell of a past
from which
on white steps,
life went forth

it was made by Anna Sikorska

After Lurch in a great pub in Mells we visited the walled garden, what an unexpected delight, it used to belong to the rectory and is medieval, a jumble of wonderful cottage garden plants.














of course I came home with some plants, unfortunately not the beautiful "Black Lace Elder"

I also went to Stour Head and walked round the lake, very grand but prefer the charm of the walled garden, where you could eat a cream tea sitting on a bale of hay covered with a rug under an old apple tree with a rose climbing through it, just perfect in the afternoon sun.






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