Wednesday 31 March 2010

Mimu's ATC

Look at what arrived in the post today from Mimu in America.
This is Mimu's first ever ATC, so I feel really priveledged,
Thank you Mimu!
It is called Pond and Garden, there is a Koi in the Pond.
It is really embellished and wonderfully textured.
I have sent Mimu a blue embellished ATC so hopes she likes it, along with one of my bluemoon postcards.
See more of the ATC's I have made and recieved on my website

Tuesday 30 March 2010

Detail of Pat's Card

Thought you would like to see the detail of Pat's layering.
It is just wonderful!
Pat, is really enjoying using all the techniques and expressing them in her own artwork.
The results speak for themselves!
See more mixed media on this,Quilters Cottage blog and on my website
If you would like to book in on a Tuesday Art Session contact myself or The Gallery

Pat's Card

This one of Pat's mixed media cards which she has made for a friend's birthday.
Pat is really enjoying the freedom of layering so many medias and her work shows it.
This card also contains a piece of French Courture sequined fabric. Pat was kind enough to bring in the fabric so we could admire it, we oo'd an ah'd and then Pat cut Judy and me some, so I have a bit to stroke and think of what to do, embellished heaven!
Thank you Pat.

Pat's Practise Angel

Pat's Mixed Media Angel. A sample to see how the pieces go together and colours.

Pat Working Hard

Pat, working hard on her multi media background for her Angel.
Pat's husband made the comment to her as she was about to leave,
" Are you going to your sticking and glueing morning".
"No" said Pat," My Art Class!"
Pat came to The Gallery Sessions to build up her skills in art and I don't think Pat's husband has really quite got the hang of what Pat and the rest of us get up to. Pat makes and collects her papers,printing, painting,embossing,layering and all manner of skills just to form the base for her work before she has even started with the image she wants to work with.
We all had a giggle, we all know people who can't understand the pleasure of what we do and the sheer delight when we create things that didn't exist before.
See more mixed media throughout Quilters Cottage Blog and

Carol's Quillo

Look at how far Carol has come in one month!
This looks even better in real life.
The purple floral border is Japanese Anemones, beautiful!
Some of the fabrics especially the border fabric was brought from, Sew Simple, at Taverham, near Norwich in Norfolk. This is one of Carol's favourite places to shop and I don't blame her it is a Crafters Heaven!
By next week all the borders will be sewn on and all the three layers of quilt put together ready for Machine Quilting.
As you can see the art media within our sessions are pretty mixed due to my varied interest and input.
See more of my work at

Gallery Day 30th March 2010



As promised a picture of Carol piecing her final strips together for her Quillo.

This is Carol's first ever Quilt. She chose some Japanese Brocade Silks which really pushed the cutting and sewing machine skills to the maximum for a beginner but wow! look at what she has achieved.

Carol has come every Tuesday for the last month either in a morning or afternoon session and has worked hard at home cutting and piecing when she could.

Check out The Gallery for the other artists available,

http://www.thegallerydereham.co.uk/

Diana's ATC

Look what was in the post when I got home! a Cream on Cream ATC from Diana in New Zealand.
Vintage Japanese silk, cotton and paper. This is then stitched with Antique thread.
A real treasure!
Thank you Diana.

Craft Tidy's

Spent Monday morning making some more Craft Tidy's, so I can take them to the Gallery. In the end I hope each place will have there own. This will cut down the trips to the bin, hopefully and be really nifty!
In the afternoon Jo came over to see if we could work her laptop and my projector so that she could give a powerpoint presentation to Alveva Quilt Group next month. A little pushing of buttons and hey presto it worked. Looks like we are in for an interesting evening.
It was nice to catch up.

Saturday 27 March 2010

The Scissor Cases



The pattern for the Scissor Case looks very Japanese, I just had to photograph them in a fan shape.

All they need now are their buttons to secure the tab and keep the scissors and Rotary Cutter in place. I love the triple pockets!

Thank you again Pat! and everyone who made our workshop day such a success.

My Sewing Tidy and Case

I am so pleased with my Tidy and Case it's already in use.
Thank you Pat for such a lovely day.

Finished Sewing Tidy's



These are our finished Sewing Tidy's and Scissor Cases.

It made us all feel very happy seeing all of them lined up. They are all so different!

Thank you Pat for being such a wonderful teacher.

Workshop Day with Pat

Today we had a wonderful Alveva workshop day with Pat and were joined by some of Rainbow Quilters too! We made a sewing tidy in the morning and in the afternoon we made a scissor case.
Sewing, chatting and lots of giggles especially from Beryl!

Wednesday 24 March 2010

Through The Arches

This is looking through the archway, from what I call my 'Monks Secret Garden' to the top of the vegetable garden. Secret because it is enclosed and there is a seat in a rose arbour where I like to hide and read! Monks because it is full of herbs, a wooden lecturn and a pew seat. I based it on the herb and vegetable gardens on the terraces of St Mount Michelle in France.
In the vegetable garden beyond this gate there are onions,celery,peas,cabbages and early potatoes. As you are starting to see Quilters Cottage Garden is split up into smaller gardens. This encourages us to try different garden ideas and it's easier to garden!
I love the Spring as everything wakes up and we can get outside.
I have also managed an hour of freemotion quilting on the Red Quilt today and had a lovely lunch with the family.
Out tonight at The Embroidery Guild.

Out in the Garden

This is near the top of Quilters Cottage garden. The greenhouse, polytunnel and working area is beyond this. Today we weeded and prepared the soil for late potatoes and red onions. The long bed is asphagus and will be starting to come up soon. I just love asphagus! there is also a raspberry bed, trimmed and tied up in hopeful expectation!
The metal sculpture in the foreground is one of mine and based on Crewel Embroidery and Border patterns. The paths are all gravel now to stop weeds and to make the areas easier to look after.

Tuesday 23 March 2010

A Page from Pat's Altered Book.



These are the first pages inside Pat's altered book. As you can see she has used many creative mixed media techniques. Pat's page on the left are inspired by Japenese Silks and Brocades.

Just beautiful.

For more details about the sessions at The Gallery visit http://www.thegallerydereham.co.uk/

and for more inspiration of the work I share and teach visit my website

http://www.art2inspire.co.uk/

Pat's Altered Book Cover

Pat had begun her altered book ideas with Marion, the artist who takes the evening session on a Tuesday evening at The Gallery. During a morning session Pat discussed ways in which to finish the front of her book cover and how she could use ribbon and organzer. We looked at some of the inspiration I had brought with me and Pat then went away and attached her front cover,making and attaching the flowers, which as you can see are just beautiful. This book is now complete and the pages are all creative and inspirational inside. This is Pat's second altered book.
See more journals and sketchbooks on my website http://www.art2inspire.co.uk/

Pat Embellished Brooch

Pat had a go on the Embellisher last week and took her sample home, embroidered and beaded it. She then added a backing and a brooch pin. It's fantastic so well done Pat!
See more embellishing on my website http://www.art2inspire.co.uk/

Carol Machine Piecing

Carol is working hard machine piecing her Quilt. She has learnt so much about cutting using a rotary cutter,ruler and mat. Cutting squares, triangles, measuring and piecing. Carol has gone away each week and diligently done homework so the quilt strips can grow. Next week the centre panel will come together and borders pieced. Well done Carol!
To also see more of the workshops click on the label ' workshops' below this post.
See what else is happening at The Gallery http://www.thegallerydereham.co.uk/

Gallery Day 22nd March 2010

Jeannie had an Embellisher taster session last week with me at The Gallery and today she returned to start to embellish landscapes for cards. This is the start of one and there will be a running hare and further embellishment added later.
Jeannie has been making puppets with The Splat Art Club which meets at The Gallery on a Saturday.

Monday 22 March 2010

Spring Weeding!

This is half of the long flower bed and a small section of the lawn which we weeded and mulched today.The lawn was trimmed and cut today too! I will shown you more of Quilters Cottage garden as we move round the areas in our Spring cleaning over the next couple of weeks. I like the planting and the lounging but really hate weeding but it's got to be done!
We live next to a field and you can see the open Norfolk Sky!

Springs Here!

Well, Springs here and Stewart and I just had to get out in the garden with the sunshine. We've got three quarters of an acre to garden! This seat area is opposite my studio and part of the large lawned area with a large long and I mean long! flower bed. We weeded it and mulched this area before lunch today.

Sunday 21 March 2010

Logs Split and Stored

We started cutting and splitting this morning and as you can see the logs are now all stored away under the tree house, drying out ready for Autumn when I will need the logburner going again. Hopefully there will only be the odd day for a fire now with the weather changing.
The studio patio is clear and ready for BBQ's!
Right back to the ART!

Logs on the Studio Patio

I thought I'd show you what I do when I am not creating art!
We've been collecting over the last week ready to saw and split.
The studio logburner needs feeding wood all winter for me to be able to work in my garden log cabin. So we have the task of cutting, collecting and splitting to have a wood pile to keep the cabin fires burning!

Saturday 20 March 2010

Quilting Saturday

This morning I started what I thought was going to the back of the Red Quilt but Stewart came into the studio and looked at my piecing and said" that' too good to be a back!". This then set the mind whirling 'but I haven't got a modern red fabric to put on two quilts!'. Only one thing for it go fabric shopping! This entails a 62mile round trip to Sian's Scouthut at Hunstanton, Norfolk. A lovely country drive to the seaside and an Alladins cave of fabrics 30-40% cheaper than regular stores. Stewart laughed as we walked through the door as Sian must have at least 15 red fabrics which I could choose from. She has new Japenese fabrics and Beach inspired ones too! which are really inspirational!
Lola the dog was happy to see us and really fussed over Stewart!
So red marble dyed backing fabric, we made our way home with a stop off at a watering hole called "The Crown" at Gayton.

Friday 19 March 2010

Pattern Day

Yesterday had a Pattern day with Mum. We both want to make some Summer Jackets. So this entailed working out the what pattern pieces went with which jacket and how we needed to fold and lay the pattern pieces out. We both haven't made clothes for a while so it was a bit like learning a new language all over again. All went well and the toille jackets are now cut out ready to sew together and taylor. We take them to pieces and cut out on our real fabric! Fun!
Mum, Jenn and I all had a lovely 'ladies that lunch' in the conservatory. Baked Butternut Squash with Morrocan Coucous and Roasted Vegetables. Bluebery juice for our drink. Lovely!
Mum and I then went for a walk round the woods opposite us. Two deer were out and the snowdrops are still in full flower.
A really lovely day, Thank you Mum!

Wednesday 17 March 2010

Start of The Red Quillo

As promised the photo of the Red Quillo before it is layered together and freemotion quilted.
Most of the fabrics in this quillo were the same as the ones used in 'The Toxic Stack', which is now in permanent collection at The Gallery,Dereham. This piece will be for their sales area. So I hope to get it finished within the next week or so. If you really like the colour red and want to see how I use it, visit my websites and see my other embellished work and exhibitions.
see The Gallery at

Sandi's ATC

Look what arrived in the post! an ATC package from Sandi at Puddleducks in Australia.
Blue is'nt her favourite colour but she was inspired by the Blue Moon. It's just beautiful and so is her card and the wrappng paper is divine!
Thank you Sandi.

March Crazywork Round Robin

As some of you know I am doing a Crazywork Round Robin and this is my square for this month.
Jenny's box is a Christmas Crazy Quilt block and every square has to contain the red and white stripe with the holly on it. I enjoyed doing this one even if it is March. We swap boxes tonight at Alveva Quilt Group. Wonder what is in the next box? We've got three more boxes to go before we get our own ones back in June and then the big reveal!
See more crazywork on my website http://www.art2inspire.co.uk/

Tuesday 16 March 2010

Jeannie's Embellishment

Jeannie really enjoyed her morning Embellisher session and I love the texture she has embellished in her piece. I think we will see more of Jeannie's work!
Carol is really doing well cutting out all her pieces for her Quillo. Next week, hopefully a photo of the blocks being pieced together.
I am also making a Quillo in passionate reds, for The Gallery sales area. I've pieced the front so just need to sandwhich the layers together and quilt. I'll post a photo tomorrow.

For more information about my residency see

Gallery Day 16th of March

Jeannie had a taster session today on the Embellisher.
Jeannie is another Gallery artist and she is making wizard puppets with the Saturday Splat Art Club.

March Coven Quilters

Last night was another wonderful evening with the girls.Sharing,looking, talking and laughing. Kate is working on a large bed quilt for her son, in Persian Rug colours and pattern and needed encouragement which way to go with all the blocks she had made.
Here in this picture Bessy, (Kate's cat) decided that Jane's blocks were certainly comfortable but needed some re-arranging. We're refering to a quilting book on how it could be put together.
We all had news to share and lots of show and tell.
I just made it in before Cinderella!

Saturday 13 March 2010

Chilford Quilt Show

Mum and I went off to Chilford Quilt Show yesterday. As usual there was so much inspiration and things to spark off new projects. The Quilts on display were a mixture of traditional and contemporary. Mum and I admired the vast amount of group quilts from The Beckenham Quilters,30 years worth! http://www.beckenhamquilters.com/ and the quilts of 'World Inspiration' by Pamela Archibald http://www.patarchibald.com/ were so inspiring. Roy Dickinsons 'Engineering Quilts' were very clever and you found different characters every time you looked.

Each and every stall and demonstrator had treasures for you to admire but I was drawn to 'The Rich Picking' bags of courturier fabrics and work of Jennifer Trollope.
Visit her website for some luxurious inspiration.
Thank you to the organisers and participants for making it such a wonderful event to visit.

Wednesday 10 March 2010

Dottee in the Post

This Dottee doll arrived from Lisa in America. Is'nt she just wonderful? I am still working on a design of my own. I am not normally a doll maker so have had to do research. Out of my creative area but this is good! Makes me try different things and ways of making. I'll show you my doll hopefully at the end of tomorrow!!!
See http://www.art2inspire.co.uk/ for the other unusual doll I have made recently.

Linda's Now Blogging

Linda's telling me all the things she would like to put on her blog and the articles she's written for magazines. She showed me some of her work and her sewing room, we are in for a treat. Visit her first blog and give her encouragement.

Tuesday 9 March 2010

Babel Exhibition

Last night I was invited to attend a Private View by one of my private students to 'The Babel Exhibition', at Greyfriars Gallery, Kings Lynn. It is an exhibition of Year 2 Fine Art Degree
Students from The College of West Anglia. Their mixed media work is a response by the artists to the story of 'The Tower of Babel'.
The Exhibition is a polished and really worth a visit. It is on until 20th of March 2010.

The Toxic Stack Arrives At The Gallery

The Toxic Stack arrives at The Galley http://www.thegallerydereham.co.uk/ for the idea of permanent collection.
The Vanitas Canvas, on the wall shows the artist medias on show for this body of work.
for the Red Art.

Margaret's Embellished Postcard Art



Margaret added more embellishment to the postcard she started last week, a few more stitches and finished. I think there will be more postcard size work in the future combining medias.

See more mixed media on

http://www.art2inspire.co.uk/

Pat's Embellishment


Pat heard all the talk about the Felt Embellisher Machine, so today she had a go. This is her first go an she wants to do more and can now see some of the possibilities for new work in the future.
See more Embellishments on

Gallery Workshop 9th March 2010

At The Gallery, workshops are well under way now. Artwork to suit the artist. Real mixed medias available for beginners to the experienced. Morning session 10am-12.30. afternoon session 12.30-2.30. Evening session 7.30pm-9.30pm.
Lots of inspiration available in The Gallery setting.

Monday 8 March 2010

Myself in A Chinese Skirt

This beautifully embroidered, dyed and pieced skirt was amazingly heavy. This would be a 'best' overskirt and there would be two underneath this one. Embroidered Skirt panels would be on the top of this. Costume pieces would be passed down through the family and often recyled into another textile depending on it's owner. Judith's collection had so many beautiful pieces I will post some of them and how I have developed the stitches and layers in the future. So watch this blog! I felt very priveledged wearing it.
Thank you, Judith for such an inspiring experience.
If you would like to have more inspiration visit
there is a translation button, click on the main page and then click on costumes.
This shows you a selection of Chinese Textile Costumes.

Judith wearing a Chinese Neckpiece

Southern Chinese costumes are worn in many layers. Each piece is made in sections and assembled into elaborate textile pieces. Judith is showing me how this collar piece is worn. The more decorative beaded and embroidered section is at the back not the front!
Every piece of textile is covered in an extroidinary amount of stitches and folded patchwork.
Breath taking.
Judith is a very creative lady herself and she showed me some of her pieces she has made and her sewing room which is being re-designed at the moment.
It was a lovely afternoon,
Thank you Judith.

Map of China

Went to visit Judith today and her collection of Southern Chinese textiles.I first met Judith when she came to give a talk about tese textiles to The Kings Lynn Embroidery Guild. She has visited China five times, incuding a tour of the Silk Route. Her photographs and stories of her visits are wonderful with the accompaning textiles.
Thank you for sharing, Judith.

Thursday 4 March 2010

Lady Jane

Look what arrived
"Lady Jane"
Made and sent by Judy Ferguson, a fibre artist from America.
I feel a very special recipient.
Thank you Judy!

Wednesday 3 March 2010

Inside the front Cover

Inside my newly covered sketchbook for March 2010. It feels pristine at the moment so I will show you what it looks like in the future with my creativity of 'sticking and glueing'.
See other sketchbook inspiration of mine at http://www.art2inspire.co.uk/

Embellished Sketchbook Finished Cover



Today I spent hours at the sewing machine doing the embellishing stitch patterns. This has given the embellished felt a hard wearing surface, ideal for the work I put my notebooks through. It feels all new and pristine at the moment! I'll show you what it looks like at regular intervals so you can spot the differences.

See other sketchbook inspiration of mine on my site http://www.art2inspire.co.uk/

Allyson's ATC

Allyson from Africa sent me this unusual ATC. It arrived this morning.
Allyson has been very clever, it's called 'Snake Skin 2'
See other ATC's that I have made and received on my site

Tuesday 2 March 2010

At The Gallery 2nd March

Today everyone got started on their new projects that they wanted to do.
Pat was making book pages around the theme of Spring, combing mixed media techniques she hadn't used before.
Carol wanted to learn how to do patchwork and is starting a Quillo,
(a quilt that folds into a cushion)
Margaret is making mixed media postcards to learn the layering of medias.
All in all everyone had a lovely morning with visitors and customers of The Gallery looking on and asking questions.
visit The Gallery at

Monday 1 March 2010

New Sketchbook Cover



This is the base of my cover for my new sketchbook. Yes! I am onto another sketchbook so I want it's cover to be inspirational rather than the hard black one it has at the moment.

I've got more machine stitching to do, the hand stitching and then the attaching to the sketchbook. Do you like the gilding foil?

For more of my sketchbooks and inspiration look at my website

http://www.art2inspire.co.uk/

Linda's ATC

Linda's ATC was inside her card. Very clever and on the back it has her details and is colourwashed dyed, beautiful!