Mangle Printing

Having a cuppa with Amanda a week or so ago, it was decided we would have a printing day - when family commitments and diaries allowed! So last Friday I lugged my newly acquired printing inks, rollers, cards and papers, and carved lino plates round to her's and after much nattering and coffee consuming we set to work. We compared the inks I had purchased with the oil-based ones Amanda uses, and I chose my turquoise initially, to which I added some cerise which made a more purply colour. Then I tried Amanda's black which was tackier to use and is actually better quality than mine - though once printing got under way my more liquid ink printed quite nicely.

        The work station! Amanda is indeed a Kitchen Table crafts-person. But it all works well.

                                                            THE MANGLE!

It's quite tough turning the handle as the block goes through the wringers, but I eventually got the hang of it. It must be quite exhausting to print a long run .

           
                 The Drying Room! What an ingenious piece of kit - I need one!

We stopped for a lovely lunch of home-made cheese scones  and ham rolls, and I took a cheese-cake which we FORCED ourselves to sample! Then on to more printing and nattering. (much of the latter.)

     A completely gratuitous shot of some of Amanda's herbs. Love the blue of the planter at the back.

It was a lovely day, the sun shone and we printed and chatted happily until it was time for Amanda to nip off on the School Run. I'm very pleased with my results, I can't show you Amanda's as she is working on something new. Thank you so much for a brilliant day, Amanda, coffee at mine next time! And now I really am on a roll with this link-cut printing lark; hopefully will be at Sue K's  having a go on our own very soon.

If any of you haven't already checked out Amanda's work here (hopefully) is the link!
http://mangleprints.blogspot.co.uk/

Next blog post about the Mollies at Welborne Arts Festival coming soon!

Carve, Stitch, Read

         
         This header photo is a shot of packs of notecards by Amanda Colville, of Mangle Prints.

Well to make up for my tardiness with the last post, I am leaping ahead to pop another one on-line for you.

These two little books arrived via Amazon the other week. The first I had read DECADES ago, when we began to get interested in self sufficiency, whole foods, and growing things. I desperately wished to be Elizabeth West in her Welsh hillside cottage, striking out from the tame mediocrity of suburbia (though I don't think I fancied her husband, he doesn't come across as a very encouraging or supportive type of chap!) I lost sight of the book until Pam  over at her blog "A good life in Tydd", mentioned it in a post and I was instantly transported. Onto Amazon and I find a source to buy from, and also found the other book with all the recipes in. Bonus. And they cost me about thruppence-h'appenny! Deep joy!

Some other books which have been claiming my attention at the moment! I'm really having a go at sketching, though I am beginning with copying to be more accurate; I have great difficulty drawing from life, so I am hoping that just getting that drawn line on the paper will exercise that 'drawing muscle' and it will over time get a bit easier. But I have been carving blocks -oh, I do love carving!

The top plate is the carving I did at Amanda's workshop last week; I have been tidying it up, carving away the extraneous lines, much happier with it now. The plate below I carved over the weekend. I stamped on the lino block with my trout stamp, and carved out the text - in reverse - and added the border. I've done a test print, using stamping ink, in order to see where it might need tidying up. Looking forward to printing this properly and making some cards.

This is a speedball rubber block which I'm currently carving. The design is one I made for a small stitched textile - you can see the appliqued flower and a few buttons . This was harder to get my head round which bits were to be carved away - it's quite plain to see now that I've done most of it, but before I started I had to work out which was background fabric and which was appliqued fabric, and the top and bottom borders threw me a curved ball! Such enjoyment to be had, just slicing away, bit by bit, SO addictive! If you haven't already read it the previous post shows lots of photos of the prints we made at the workshop. You can also see more on Facebook : Mangle Prints, hop across and check  out Amanda's work.

I haven't been neglecting my stitching. Here are the samples I am making for the sampler workshop at Bradfield's in Heacham, and the cushion cover, where the text is driving me to distraction!

I couldn't let the arrival of my new little chair go un-blogged! Here it is, just a little chair, nothing flash, but very comfortable, and already my back is aching less with NOT sitting with my legs underneath me.

It's greener and pinker than it appears in the photo, and I'm looking forward to being able to ring the changes with perhaps recovering the seat and back cushions at a later date. On the subject of furniture, here a a few shots of our cd rack, which Jim made for me years ago, and I decoupaged.

It is actually full of cds we neither of us listen to very much - all my favourites are in my sewing room (or my car!) and Jim has his near his fly-tieing desk. But I do like to look at the rack, which harks back to  a time when our cottage was decorated with LOTS of colour. I decoupaged an old sideboard in similar fashion, but this now lives with Katy in her new home in France so I can't show it to you. However, if you stroll down the garden with me to the garage I can show you another piece I did.

It's an old cut down kitchen table we found in a junk shop, which we cleaned up and used for a coffee table for years. However, with the arrival of Jim's recliner, it was took up too much space so here it languishes, getting cold and dusty. I do have plans for it though, now that the living room is better arranged  - I may be able to sneak it back in; it will need to be sanded down and repainted . Come on summer - I need some sunshine and warmth to work outside!

Wild Garlic and Mangle Prints

Hi everyone, here I am, late again. However, I've been reading lately quite a few angst-ridden posts where the bloggers are struggling either with keeping up with the posting, or with content, or with the perceived originality of their work portrayed within. I've come to the conclusion that if you blog when you feel like blogging, about what ever you wish to write about, and you conduct yourself with integrity on the 'originality' front, then you can't go far wrong, and in the process give yourself a lot less anxiety over what is supposed to be a pleasurable activity! There, homily over!

Well, lots of photos for you, all about last week's activity. So let's get going.

On Sunday I went up to Onion Corner again to pick my last haul of Wild Garlic leaves. This time they were in flower, and joy of joys, so were the bluebells! Here you see them growing together, such a lovely sight. (I might add that my header photo contains wild garlic and dwarf hyacinth, NOT bluebells!)

I wanted them for Tuesday's supper, as my friend Sue K. was coming to stay and had positively DEMANDED wild garlic dolmas. I made so much steamed bulghur wheat (instead of rice, as in the original recipe) that I made a 'shape' as well in a pudding bowl.

And very nice they were too, full marks from Sue. I made smoked haddock fish cakes too - which, thinking about it, made a a meal a bit heavy on the carbs. But it was good, and I made some some homemade roast tomato sauce to go with it. Yummy! And to your relief, this is probably the last Wild Garlic post of the year!

The really exciting event of last week, and the reason for Sue's visit, was the lino print workshop at Grey Friars' Art Space, on Tuesday. Lovely Amanda Colville of Mangle Prints was giving the first workshop of the year and we were thrilled to get places as Amanda wanted to keep the classes small. It was a lovely day, Amanda's calm competence made for a relaxed atmosphere, despite the fact that we were working quite intensively and learning new skills as we went. We had all taken some design ideas, and after Amanda demonstrated the process we got down to transferring our designs to the lino blocks.

A lovely example of Amanda's prints. If you're not familiar with her work, check out her website and Facebook. I have blogged about Mangle Prints  earlier - last Autumn if I remember, you can read about it if you check my archive.

Here are some shots of our carved lino blocks. I learned some valuable lessons that day - not to be too ambitious and make a too-detailed block for my first attempt being the most important one! I had carved a rubber stamp fish image some years ago, and thought I might utilise it for my print. It was a good idea, but I made it too fussy with seaweed back-ground, and too many lino 'streaks' to indicate water movement. But it was a good learning curve.

Sue's design taken from a pattern book, of fruits in cross -section. I loved this design so I pinched the idea for my practice piece, below.

I didn't finish the carving on the day, but used it to experiment with some tissue paper later, as I felt my fishy design was too fussy, with too much detail.

I'd made this fish carving a few years ago when I was carving rubber stamps. I printed it onto the lino block and traced the middle one to reverse it. Too much sea-weed and 'waves' took me a long time to carve so  missed out on some experimenting time. But it taught me a valuable lesson about content.

This is Lizzy's design; I'm sorry Lizzy I didn't get a photo of your other plate for some reason.

Kathy's sunflower and tea-pot, a beautiful plate which took on an almost oriental feel when she printed onto red tissue.

                         And this is the lovely floral plate which another Sue produced.

Here are some of the finished prints - you can marry them up with the lino blocks above.

          This little fellow is SueK's practice piece - I love him!

And here you can see some of the finished prints. I don't seem to have one of yours, Lizzy I'm so sorry.

What an incredible day. We all thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and learned a heck of a lot. And tired ourselves out! If you ever get the chance to take on of Amanda's workshops - jump to it! Sue and I were positively buzzing as we drove home, and spent all evening perusing on-line print supply sites! Amanda you have started something here! After breakfast next morning we went through my textile and design books, making plans for future printing sessions. Sue was so excited about my books I had to frisk her on her way out to go home ............

Come on, Amanda, when is YOUR book coming out???? Well I spent most of Sunday carving; first I tidied up my fishes block, and am much happier with it now with the extraneous carving marks removed. Then I stamped and free-hand drew a plate with one fish, a border, and some words. This is going to be a card for Jim, but I'll show you more when I have printed the plate. Such fun! TOTALLY addictive. And I developed arthritis in my right forefinger overnight, with guiding the gouge through the lino. I'm sure I will learn to relax more as I go along.

So a HUGE thank you to Amanda for a super workshop, and for introducing me to this wonderful craft. Now I just have to learn to draw so I can make original designs. A quiet retirement? I think not!

PS I'm afraid Blogger's imp of mischief crept in here and cut off my post half way through, so I have had to try and remember what I originaly wrote and do it all over again. Such a pain. But I hope I have remembered enough to convey the delight and enthusiasm this day produced in me.

Spring Flowers and Frugal Food.

With more snow apparently heading our way, it's good to have this colourful reminder that Spring has actually Sprung! These brave little blooms survived the last cold snap so I hope they come through the next one!

I am keeping a weather eye (no pun intended, but hope you noticed my little link there? Eh?) on my meal planning, and am already noticing I'm neither shopping nor spending so much. Quality is not being sacrificed and we are eating well. Here's me about to get cracking on last Sunday's Chicken Pot Roast.

Ooooops, missed out the garlic! Now that would NEVER do! This is the veggies  after sautéing.

And finally with chicken in situ, about to go into a nice slow oven. I do hanker after a gas hob but you can't beat my Rayburn for oven cooking, especially long slow cooking.

This lasted us three days in various guises. I didn't re-use the bones for stock but I do at times, and will be thinking ahead in future. A one pot meal, how economical and time saving is that? Also it meant that as Jim was out coaching all day I didn't have to worry about what time he was getting in. No spoilt dinners in our house!

I've also been bread-making regularly too and really, once you have got into your stride it doesn't take an age. Well, it does, but you work round the various stages. Obviously not a thing to embark on at the last minute when you have run out! I also love putting different bits and bobs in my mix; sometimes it will be very basic, other times I want to experiment. Here I've used spelt again, olive oil to soften, honey to sweeten, and a good handful of the seed mix for extra nutrient content. Tastes yummy!

Yes, I did add yeast and salt, not pictured here, and no, I don't usually use my precious - and pricey - Manuka honey in bread, but had run out of the bog standard variety.

And this is the result. And very nice too, if I say so myself! Oh! I must show you my kitchen freezer whiteboard in situ..........

Scrawly writing I'm afraid, done in a hurry. And still some sorting out between what goes in the garage freezer and what goes in this one. But it is all coming together, and makes it so much easier to meal plan. Even Jim is getting in on the act, and has bought me a large whiteboard to go on the kitchen wall by the door for  the garage freezer contents (as he said, having it in the garage defeats the object, I need it where I can see it here.) and also for jotting down things we've run out of, a rough shopping list.

It has been an interesting and salutary investigation of myriad frugal foods and organising blogs and youtube videos; I have been humbled by the hardship and adversity and sheer guts of some people who have dragged themselves out of debt by very careful frugal living, amazed at some of the wonderful meals created with a handful of cheap ingredients, embarrassed by how much I have in the way of resources compared with many, encouraged by the great ideas I've found to help me organise myself and my home, and frankly astonished and perturbed by some of the sites I visited describing extreme survival 'prepping'. These are the Doomsday Preppers who stock-pile for 20 or so years - food, water, and worryingly, guns and ammunition. I'm not talking about a couple of side-by-side shot-guns either!
But heigh-ho, that is their lives and philosophy, not mine. I'll make do with my freezers and a slim larder cupboard! One of the more daft ideas I came across - this in  a blog about saving money and the planet : crock-pot liners! Yep, it's true. Now you don't even have to wash up! Heaven only knows what cooking your food for 8 hours or so wrapped in clingfilm or similar does to you, but I wouldn't want to be using it near any food which gets heated! And how ecological is that, eh?

Anyway, ending on a high note ....Amanda from Mangle Prints inboxed me about her upcoming Lino Print Workshops so I am first on the list!! Whoo-hoo! More anon.

So, to continue the conversation, what's your best organising tip, and is there a favourite frugal recipe you and your family enjoy? Look forward to hearing from you.

Lino prints and feeling felty.

Tapping away at my lap-top in rhythm to the pattering of the rain on the conservatory roof. Actually, I have a sneaking feeling of comfort and cosyness, despite the awful weather; I don't have to go out again today, Jim's away so no big meal to cook, chores done this morning so rest of the day to myself. Off to Norwich with friend Sue K tomorrow- we have booked lunch at Jamie Oliver's new (ish) restaurant, and we will be having a wander round the shops, no doubt. Then on to my melodeon lesson, always a high spot in the week. Thursday again, a take-it-easy kinda day , Friday quick whizz round the shops for mum then back home to pack...I am off for a weekend at Witney, Oxfordshire with a load of other melodeonistas for 2 days of workshops! Yay! And guess who is one of the tutors....yessssss! ANDY CUTTING! Phew, calm down Lynne. Anyway, I wil fill you in about that when I get back...blogging will be a little behind I'm afraid. I am thoroughly enjoying my low-key, kicking-back, sybaritic week.

A photo of the finished wool/felt cushion, I rather like the little 'tongues' round the edge, don't you?

And this is just a glimpse of a felty heart which has been winging its way to a bloggy friend.

And this is a glimpse of the dining room table which is going to stay like this for the next couple of days -  but I will tidy up before I go, promise!

Now though these next photos are not textile related, I want to talk about them for a couple of reasons. The first is that I love graphic prints, and these lino cuts are brilliant. And secondly I love to give a heads up to local Norfolk artists and crafters.

 I adore the work of  Angie Lewin, and pore over her book Plants and Places often; and a book by printmaker Mark Hearld is hopefully going to find its way into my Christmas stocking. I noticed these lovely lino cuts on Pinterest - sorry I can't remember whose - and clicked on through to read all about Amanda Colville, and immediately remembered reading about her as a winner in Country Living's Kitchen Table Talent Awards 2012 - the September issue. Amanda did a printmaking course at the College of West Anglia and went on to create these fabulous lino prints, using of all things, an old mangle! She has a blog  mangleprints.blogspot.co.uk and a website. Her prints are available on-line and at some interesting shops around the UK.....our nearest is at  Dalegate Market, Burnham Deepdale on the north Norfolk coast. A really good excuse for a trip out if you ask me!

I have contacted Amanda and have her permission to include her photos here. My post-header is of course one of her prints, too. I'd just like to wish her luck in her enterprise and hope she gets lots of lovely orders for Christmas!


Well that's it for now folks, just like to say I was a trifle overwhelmed by the response to my '50 shades of gery' hair colour! I hope you will be as fulsome in your praise for Amanda's work. See you after the weekend, I'm now going to settle down to more stitching whilst listening to Michael Jayston reading aloud to me from a PD James thriller - what's not to love?