India! Wonderful India!

2019 is going to be the year of India for me!

I was invited by Colouricious to host and teach on one of their fabulous Textile Holidays to Jaipur. 

I was beyond excited and spent the year before the holiday developing a course 'The Jaipur Journal' to teach whilst on the trip.

These textile holidays celebrate the art of Block Printing using traditional wooden blocks , hand carved in sustainable hardwood.  It is a joy to be able to observe and experience the continuation of this heritage craftsmanship.

In addition to visiting  the breathtaking cultural sights of the area and the workshops of a  range of traditional local crafts people we have hands on workshops with some amazing printers.

Being shown the techniques of Block Printing by the artisans themselves is such an honour! We watch them print many metres of fabric by hand. Their speed and accuracy is astonishing to behold. Some fabric prints are made up of 4 or more different hand carved blocks, each with a different colour, to make one pattern.

For me, what a joy to be able to also teach in the beautiful gardens of  our hotels with birds singing and chipmunks running in the trees and monkey's on the rooftops!
We spent 4 happy mornings together painting onto fabric and handmade paper. And we shopped for and experimented with adding beautiful embroidered braids and embellishments to add to our journals.

This is a little You Tube video link of some of the pages in my journal.

Colouricious Jaipur Journal

And here they are working in the beautiful garden. These photos are from 2 trips to Jaipur.

How lucky that in all I visited India 4 times in the last year with Colouricious. Each trip was very different, each time getting to know such wonderful travelling companions. India is the most extraordinary place that I don't think I will ever tire of visiting.

Time to update this blog!

Goodness me! I just can't believe how long it has taken me to update this little blog of mine! Thank you so much if you have been a follower and have hung on, I appreciate it more than I can say.

I have been very busy and I have got lots of new ideas to share for keeping us all doing arty things together so grab a cuppa and join me for some news. I'd love some happy comments on what you are up to too and any ideas for things I can tell you more about.

Because I need to catch up (with everything in my life haha) I am going to write a few posts to share what I've been up to. 

I hope, when our world settles down, that there will be more adventures that we can share together on here and in real life. 

We do live in the most beautiful world. We just need kindness and tolerance to carry us through the tough times. Keep safe and well please dear friends. And make Art!

I know Art keeps me happy and positive. Whether I'm teaching, exhibiting or just making things for myself Art helps me to relax by focusing on the little things while my mind gets on with sorting the bigger things.

Autumn Winter 2018 Workshops

I have had the most amazing Summer with lots of art adventures, teaching and exhibiting at home in the UK  and away in other lovely places. 

I have been feeling so bad about neglecting my blog while I have been away but I am back to start a new term and a new Autumn season of workshops.

I have got lots of exciting news about things that are happening in the next year. I'd love it if you'd join me on some of the adventures and travels that are coming up soon.

For now here is my new poster for workshops in Chesham in Bucks at Workaid. They are booking now. If you would like to join me in learning all kinds of wonderful art techniques let me know.

I have updated the Workshop poster.

This hopefully easier to read now that I've taken off some of the workshops that have been completed. Some are full, and some just have one or two spaces. Let me know as soon as you can if you'd like to book. We'd love you to join us.

A new RUST! Workshop added.

I have just added a new date to my workshop schedule at Workaid in Chesham. 10am till 3.30. 10th March 2018. £65.

RUST! is such an exciting day of creating pattern and colour onto vintage fabrics and lace and then piecing it all together to make beautiful vintage stitcheries.

We will be making our own dye bundles to take home, learning and experimenting with the techniques along the way. 

We will then be using my precious pre dyed fabrics to make little stitched books which will showcase the beauty of rust.

I will have a fantastic array of rusty things for you to use and keep for future rusting adventures.

Come and Play and Learn! 

New Year, New Workshops!

Happy New Year 2018!

For all of us this year I hope we are blessed with love, friendship and good health! 

I hope that this year will allow you and your dreams to fly! To the stars! 

We have some amazing life and art adventures waiting for us. Share mine with me. Happy New Year to you all.