Friday 8 June 2012

Open Studios Two

I've been abroad with my camera again!


                                                                 Thank you Cathy.

 I have been awarded a Sunshine Blog Award by Cathy, from Potter Jotter, who really appreciated seeing my poorly toe in glorious technicolour! I now have to 'do my bit' which comprises telling you things you didn't know about me....hmmm not sure about that!!! And then nominating five other blogs which have brought sunshine into my life.

Well now. Here goes.

1) Despite now loving to stitch, as a schoolgirl I HATED anything to do with needlework. I was the Worst Girl in the Class, I really was, from the huckaback running stitch sampler we did in primary, then the shoe bag, to the apron and skirt in High School. I used to deliberately 'lose' my sewing on many occasions. 

2) I was a Girl Guide and loved it. When we came to live in Norfolk I was roped in to help with a local Brownie Pack and subsequently Guides, eventually I started the 4th Reffley Guide Company, which is still going strong, run by the daughter of a great Guiding friend of mine who reached much loftier heights than I ever did! Great fun, great memories!

3)As well as needlework, I was very very bad at maths, French, and Latin at school.Oh, and physics.

4) I was pretty good at English, Spanish, art and hockey. All other things were in between!

5) I hate getting started on housework. Especially ironing. (Unless it's quilting fabric!)


6) I have been known to appear in public dressed as a French Tart, with my face blacked up.This is often accompanied by dancing and folk music and visits to pubs.


There, I think that is more than enough! Now to whittle down my favourite logs to just five...oh dear that's a bit hard.So very difficult to whittle it down.


Claire at mynorfolklife
Gill at  dosierosie
Victoria at  tangledsweetpea
Annie at  knitsofacto
Elizabeth at welshhillsagain

There are so many more I love to read but had to pick just five, for their writing and colourful posts. I hope the links work, but you can find them in my blogroll if not.



Right, so, I have been off to visit another Open Studio, that of another Stitchin' Bitcher...oh dear that sounds awful, doesn't it? She's really not! A few clues:

                                Perhaps this will give the game away?

                                          You've seen this before....in preparation.
                                                               sign up for a great course!

Of course, it's Yvonne, you guessed when you saw Arfa, didn't you? And don't just take my word for it how talented this woman is.......her work has been included in several publications, including this one:


Not only does Yvonne make and teach rag rugs, she is also a silver smith, and makes silver rings and brooches, and bracelets and necklaces with semi-precious stones.



                                                  Love these articulated avian brooches.

Yvonne 'does' Open Studios each year, and also exhibits with West Norfolk Artists annually. Oh, and she quilts. In fact, Yvonne is an unofficial member of the 'slow cloth' sisterhood. I know for a fact she has a quilt she has been working on for over ten years...........I think she took one of my workshops to get on with it. Hmmmmm! Soon to be appearing on her own blog/website. I'll keep you posted.

Now, come on. Enough is enough. Drought? Ok, we needed the rain. But it is like bloomin' Siberia out there! I went out to do a 'from the back door' shot and was nearly blown off my feet. The plants are horizontal.

                          Sorry, could hardly get them to keep still long enough for a shot!

                                   And look, how long do you think these will survive?

My poor giant poppies, just two of them brave enough - or foolish enough - to unfurl themselves in this wind. They appear upright, but you can see from the foliage, and the sage flowers behind how the wind is tossing them about.

                 Rosemary, lovage, mint and some yet-to-blossom flowers, all windswept.

I'm now off to meditate on the wonders of nature  - not. Then a warming cuppa, I think. I hope you are all finding ways of warming and cheering yourselves up in this unseasonal weather. And you lot in warmer climes....THIS is why the British talk about the weather so much, we have so much of it to talk about! Bye for now.









22 comments:

  1. The weather is very weird isn't it? We have been out between heavy showers to stake and put upright some of the shrubs which have lost their battle with the wind - June?!

    The rag rug course sounds great pity it's too far to come.

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    Replies
    1. Too flippin' cold to be out there staking things up! I don't think there's anything desperate at the moment. Yes, this just isn't summer , is it?

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  2. Hi Lynne,
    Congrats on your award! It's hard to believe you ever didn't like to sew, you are so good at it! And I'm glad to know someone else was bad in math, and housekeeping is for the birds, far as I'm concerned! :)
    I love your poppies, I have not been able to grow these, but I keep trying..
    Have a great weekend,
    Dorothy

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    Replies
    1. Yeah, y'can, poppies grow everywhere! Even I can grow poppies! I got the seed direct from friends' flowers, perhaps that works better than seed packets.
      Oh, believe me, I was BAD, I really was. I still don't do zips, hems, alterations, curtains or frocks. In fact, nothing useful, really!! but I have other talents. ;)
      Lx

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  3. Noticed you where also from Norfolk, so thought I'd pop over and say Hi. Lovely to meet you lynne. Have a lovely weekend! xxxx

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    Replies
    1. Hello Katie, yes I'm getting quite a little collection together of us Norfolk bloggers - nice to meet you. Hope everyone can rescue something of the weekend ahead!

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  4. Oh Lynne thank you so much for nominating me for an award - it's my first!! I will do a little post about it tomorrow :) beautiful rugs and jewellery.
    Enjoy your weekend! Victoria xx

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    Replies
    1. Hi Victoria, yes it was my first too, and I'm having trouble getting the image into my side bar-hope you fare better!
      Lx.

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  5. Congratulations on winning the award. My central heating has automatically switched itself on as it's so cold - June!! But it is lovely to be warm and cosy inside looking at the tress fighting a battle with the wind xx

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    Replies
    1. Yes, we popped ours on around 6pm, it was ridiculous. There was such a gust half an hour ago I thought the roof was coming off - but it's been there a couple of hundred years so I daresay it can bear up to it!

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  6. Hi Lynne
    Nice to visit your blog again and catch up on your news.
    My parents were both English and were the only people I knew who made rag rugs.
    Our weather is freezing cold here in Tasmania Australia.
    Long weekend here and I'm off to the beach.
    Chris

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Now listen here, Chris. In your part of the world it is WINTER. Winter is cold. We know that. Stop complaining! Here it is supposed to be SUMMER! And it is (very rude word) FREEZING! And the winds are so high it would be positively dangerous to venture onto the beach up on the coast, sandstorms are not good for the skin!
      Rag rugs never really died out completely, as quilting so neasrly did in this country, but it was a close thing. Now of course loads of people are into making them. Yvonne is pretty good, and she's a good teacher too.
      I'll be popping across to renew my acquaintence with your blog. Enjoy the beach! Lx.

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  7. Thanks for coming to visit my little blog, I'm so glad you like it! It's so nice to hear from someone new and come and see what you've been up to too. Talking of which, rag rugs - ummm, I like the idea of that!

    S x

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  8. Hi Sandra, hope I've planted the seed for a new venture, perhaps? I keep having a go at rag rugs but never get round to finishing them, and I do love them. I thought when I retired I would have so much spare time - right, well that hasn't happened! Nice to meet you.

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  9. Hi, Lynne! Congrats on your award! Love your choce! And what a beautiful rag rugs you`ve got there! Thanks for sharing. Yvonne is so talanted! Love her silver creations. Your giant poppies are so brave and beautiful. One of my favorites.
    Have a sweet weekend
    love
    Natasha

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  10. Natasha, hello again. The poppies have survived about 24 hours high winds and rain- rain has dropeed back this morning - and another bloom has ventured out, so I'm hopeful of a good show. Yes, I love poppies too, I keep meaning to sow some of the lovely yellow icelandic poppies, they're beautiful.
    Lx.

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  11. Hi,
    Thank you for visiting. I do not like drawing things like bowls of fruit or a building, but drawing small items such as shells or poppy seed heads is much more manageable. It is actually having some guidance, basically being taught by someone even if it is through online videos. I may b a teacher but I do like to be taught and learn as well.
    You are coming up as a noreply blogger so I have had to leave a reply here. Hope that is ok.

    Best wishes
    Andrea

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    Replies
    1. Ooh, Andrea, I wonder why that happened, it seems to work on other blogs....but than you for coming across and leaving a comment here. Yes, I'm sure you're right, smaller items are probably easier. I can copy a drawing easily enough, because the original artist has already 'found' the edge for me, I just can't seem to do 3-dimensional stuff. Mind you - regular practice would help, I'm sure!

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  12. Hello, your garden pictures are always lovely, I have chosen this year to try and grow veg! It's not put me off though, ever the optimist! I've never been to any open studios but would love to have a peek into others work space, we ought to have have open craft rooms! I could get excited then by other peoples button jars! :)

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  13. I suppose that's wy publications such as Quilting arts 'Studio' and Somerset Studios "where women creat' magazines are so popular. I'm sure there will be an Open Studio scheme near you, keep an eye out and pop along to the ones you fancy, it's a nice thing to do with a friend or two.

    Good luck with your gardening, I'm afraid I'm strictly a herbie girl, I have a man to do the other stuff! (Reader, I married him!)

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  14. Thanks for visiting & posting such super pics. Although O. Studios have finished I'm still clearing up. Arfa's delighted that his cushion featured so strongly but is VERY underwhelmed with the weather & having to wear one of his winter coats on a walk.Here's to our angels!

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  15. Hi Yvonne, well, there seems to be a good response to your work, doesn't there? And yes, I know you are still clearing up - I have seen it! Hope you are on schedule with ST Michael!
    Lx

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I'd love you to comment, maybe join in the conversation - I always try and reply if I can.Anonymous spammers take note: you will not be published. Genuine posters having difficulty will be accepted. Thanks so much for visiting!