Scorchio!

 The morning started with a strange low cloud lingering through the dale. Very odd but beautiful. The promise of another hot and sunny day. 

 So sunny that I had trouble to see my stitches whilst sweating away at my sewing machine in the attic.

It really was too beautiful a day to be up in the hot, hot, hot attic, but needs must. 

The leaves around these daisies needing finishing off ready to be taken to the picture framer. They're part of a much larger piece but I can't show you just yet. Can you see a few twitchy whiskers sneaking into the picture! lol.

Till next time

love Fi x

Art in the Pen

Good morning! Don't look so shocked! 

Yes, this is me blog posting in the morning! Goodness gracious! 

Yes I'm on the ball this morning, well sort of. I've been rather hit and miss with my blog posting this year, but then this year has been quite different from other years. This year has been a bit of a steep learning curve for me. I've never created quite so much art work as I have this year or been so busy - which is all good. I just need to learn how to manage my time more efficiently and get into the flow of making, framing, ordering, supplying, BLOGGING etc.

For instance, take the picture above. The felt picture is a commission for a lovely lady who contacted me waaaay back at the beginning of the year.(The roses are from the garden and smell wonderful!) Now she did say that I had until September to make it but really! I should have had it done way before now. But then...who knows? She may have benefited from the time lapsed, my work may have improved or evolved slightly. Who knows!

This is one of the reasons I've been so busy. Art in the Pen. This year was the first at Carlisle although the event is in its 9th year at Skipton which is August 16th & 17th. This was also my first time but what a lovely experience.

Here I am setting up on the Friday afternoon. Wonderful Man is pretending to be David Bailey. There were over 80 artists all doing their best to transform animal pens at the auction mart into mini art galleries.

Hey Presto! As if by magic! 

I'm just adding the finishing touches in time for Fridays preview evening. Would you like

 a closer look?

 Starting on the left hand side. Lots of felted flower brooches pinned onto my mannequin Ethel Maude. On the table are a couple of small felt pictures and my hand embroidered felted greetings cards.

 Little Robin Red Breast, this one was hand needle felted.

Here he is free from his frame so you can see him properly.

 This one is a big one measuring about a metre square and is called 'Cow Parsley Mouse'. This one is wet felted and then free motion machine and hand embroidered.

 Here he is before framing.

After him is...

'Beagle Pup'. No embroidery on this one just wet felted.

You've already seen the 'Nasturtium Hare' at the top of this post but here he is again, just because he's my favourite piece to date. Again all wet felted with free motion machine and hand embroidery.

 Lets pop over to the right hand side.

Starting on the left we have...  

'Apple Blossom' (wet felted)

'Smile' Wet felted and machine and hand embroidered.

So called because I thought it would be rather nice to get out of bed every morning and see this. Surely it would make you smile? lol.

And lastly another Hare. (wet felted)

Have you had enough? 

Or would you like a little wander around some of the other wonderful pens?

I thought so ;)

I'll keep it brief.

www.bridgetwilkinson.co.uk

Stig Art

www.viviiennecawsonart.co.uk

sorry not sure who this is.

Sue Lancaster

www.amanda-mercer.co.uk

Kate Durdy

David Singleton

www.sketchbuck.com

Julie Gibson

David Brightmore

And lastly the lovely Diana Morrison who also supplies the one of the same galleries as me, Cherrydidi in Keswick. 

There were many more that I didn't manage to photograph including wood carvings, jewellery and ceramics.

 I've had an idea!

 Why don't you come to Art in the Pen at Skipton in August and see for yourself!

I'll see you there ;)

Till next time

love Fi x