Sunday 13 April 2014

April

Isn't it strange that once my blog was the only thing on my mind? I thought about the next post all the time. I took my camera everywhere so I could document my life and then I wrote about it and then  checked to see how many people had read or commented. I read hundreds of other blogs and always left comments. I worked out how many years I had left as Google declared how many mb of space I'd used up.

Well..I enjoyed all that and all the friends I made and met via the blog.

Now it seems fb is my new 'blog'. However I want to continue the blog for myself, even if no-one reads it because as I've said before, its a nice chronicle to look back on. 
Its almost 6 years old now. I can hardly believe it.

I've recently had another, private,  blog on the go for my online course which I have recently finished. I enjoyed it so much and it put me in touch with a lot of lovely people. 

This is mainly a craft blog I suppose and I like to note the pieces I've made . Here's the latest.
 I thought I'd try something a bit pictorial so this is the outcome. 

 I used pre-felts and constructed a background, and then machined it and hand embroidered it.

 Its perhaps a bit insipid..I can't tell. 


 I put pictures on my fb page and got a lot of new likes because it was shared. I apologise of you've seen it.




I have an opportunity to exhibit in a flower related exhibition so it might go there.

In other news.....Hetty had an operation on her eye lids last week. Poor little sausage had lashes, tiny ones, growing inside. It took our veterinary practise almost two years to agree with the groomer that she did indeed have eyelashes growing inside her lids, hence the horrible brown staining and permanently damp cheek.

So she had the op last Thursday and seems to have made a good recovery but on Thursday evening she was in a stupor, swaying and trying not to sleep. 
All is well now though and she's back to harassing the poor cat when he comes between us!

Here she is on Mothers' day before the operation, carefully positioned by a human!

More doggy stuff..my brother..about to turn 60 and living on Costa del Sol, has just got himself and his wife a puppy.
Meet Stevie G. (He supports Liverpool FC) a Spanish Water dog.
I'm so sorry they're in Spain. I want a cuddle..but he already has a passport so maybe he'll visit. 
Whats Spanish for 'sit'?

He looks bigger than Hetty already and he's only 9 weeks old!
Finally..just for the record. My husband is in Ennis, Ireland, this weekend at a big music/concertina  gathering. I was going to go but decided against it. Not Ennis, but Venice was my desire.
So..very excited..we are having 6 days in Venice in May. 
Can't wait.

33 comments:

Irene Donovan said...

I love your work. Do you have an embellisher or just needle felt? I have also nearly finished an on line machine embroidery course and blogged my journey. I have really enjoyed both!

Heather said...

Your felt piece is definitely not insipid but beautiful and restful. I love all the subtle textures from the fibres and stitching. Poor Hetty - she must have been so uncomfortable. Glad she has recovered well. I bet she'd give Stevie G the runaround!
My son and his wife had a few days in Venice last year and loved it.

Anonymous said...

Oh I love Hettie, she looks so sweet! Sending big hugs to her after her operation and I'm glad to hear she's recovering well :) Stevie looks adorable too!

Josie said...

I don't think anyone would mind seeing it again, in fact I could stare at it for hours. It's beautiful!

Julie said...

I don't think it's insipid, I would call it delicate. It's very beautiful. I'm glad Hettie is getting over her op, poor thing. It's funny how Facebook is taking over somewhat from blogging, isn't it? I suppose it's because it's so instant.

Terri said...

I've enjoyed all your blog posts... belong to FB, but don't follow that so much.
Your piece is lovely. We are always more critical of our own work.
Glad Hetty is getting better.
Hugs

Carol Q said...

I think this is a gorgeous piece Jackie, very mellow. Poor Hettie. She must be very glad to have the problem finally sorted out though. Your brother's dog is a little cutie. I feel the same about my blog at the moment. Never thought I would lose interest in it. Life moves on I guess.

Maggi said...

I think the colours in your piece are beautiful, not at all insipid. Glad Hetty has finally got her eyelashes sorted, it must have been so uncomfortable for her.

Steve G is adorable and I'm glad you are continuing to blog, I'm not a huge fan of FB.

Els said...

Lovely piece, turned out so well !

Please Jackie, keep writing here ... there sure are a lot of people coming here to see what you've created I'm sure !

(Ha, I'm not on FB, and don't intend to go there either ;-) ....)

Susan E. J. White said...

I agree with other writers. Please keep posting here. I often don't bother with Facebook so I love to have your work delivered to my inbox.

I love this piece. I also loved your class even though I never posted. I have two small class samples in progress. Someday I will post them and a felted piece I did last fall.

V.E. (Wales) said...

Have to agree with Susan, Els and Maggi (above) - FB is not my thing either, but I love to see your work. Do you prefer pre-felt designed panels now, rather than the 'randomness' of some of your earlier felts where the final image emerged gradually as layers of stitching/embellishment built up?

Jackie said...

Thank you all. VE I think I like both techniques..one for the softness and the pre-felts for the potential accuracy

sharon young said...

I think your piece is really beautiful, the textures are amazing and the colours are far from insipid, more gently harmonious.
So glad Hetty is on the mend, it sounds like a horrible thing to happen, it must have been very uncomfortable for her.

Shepherdess said...

I am just stopping by to say you piece is very nice and that I usually read your blog in a blog reader so I don't think you know I follow and enjoy your posts. It is also the reason I don't leave comments anywhere very often.

Robin Mac said...

I love reading your blog Jackie - as you already know - so please don't abandon it. The felt piece is lovely, just different from your previous work! Poor Hettie, I can sympathise as I have had problems with ingrown eyelashes and they are painful. Thank goodness she has had them fixed now. Cheers.

Ann said...

I love your work and look forward to reading your blog. FB just isn't the same. Your latest work is fabulous.
Annya

Miriam Weaver said...

Poor Hetty, Betsy sends her love and hopes she's feeling better soon. One of Betsy's eyes weeps a little but not as bad as Hetty! Stevie G is a little cutie love his eyes.
As always Jackie your new piece of work is beautiful and insipid NO it isn't it's just different from your other work. Venice sounds lovely, and I'm sure we'll read lots about your time there on this blog. Don't forget to take your camera we'll need lots of photos.

StaroftheEast said...

Your work is wonderful! I hope that you keep up with your blog. FB depresses me.
Glad that Hetty is better, those vets!

Rachel said...

No, it isn't insipid. It looks a bit watercolour-y.

Lyn said...

I know what you mean about blogs Jackie, I am determined to carry on with my own as I find is is a good diary of my life, something to look back on. I hope Hetty is well on the mend now and her eye problem is sort once and for all. X

Wendy said...

that's beautiful, not insipid at all. At my quilt guild meeting on Saturday we were talking about blogging and several people said they'd gone over to instagram as it's quicker and easier. I completely disagree. Apart from the fact typing on a touch screen phone is very hard, it's so much less personal. There's no room for the story behind it, the bits of chat, the snippet of information, the links...

Zdolność-tworzenia said...

Piękne kwiaty a psina doskonała.
Pozdrawiam.

Magpie's Mumblings said...

Oh, poor Hetty! Please give her special scritches and loving from me. As for even the thought of any of your work possibly being insipid - perish the thought! Afraid facebook and I don't get along, so it's not a place I lurk about in so hopefully you'll continue to post here too.

sweetypie said...

ooh lucky you, and its not insipid its delicate and gentle looking and some of us still read blogs so please continue to blog best wishs from tina.

Unknown said...

Please keep going with the blog - prefer it to facebook. Love to see your work featured.

Thimble Fingers said...

I look forward to your blog posts and your witty take on life, and not forgetting seeing little peeks of Hetty. How cute does she look on that sofa, so funny. Hope she's doing okay after her op. Love the felted piece, quite different from your usual stuff, but just as stunning as always.

FeltersJourney said...

I'm reading it Jackie :) I don't really 'do' facebook.
I think your latest piece is lovely! And I sooo want to cuddle that puppy, he looks adorable! Poor Hetty, hope that's the end of the eye troubles for her now.
Have a wonderful time in Venice - I am green with envy :)
xx

Virginia said...

Oooh... Venice! Lucky you! Do please keep blogging - I'd missed you, and Hetty. I'm sorry she's been in pain - I've had an ingrown eyelashes a few times (the optician yanked them out!!) and they are so uncomfortable, poor girl!

I love hearing about your work, and what it's like living on the other side of the world. Very jealous about your Venetian trip!!

Unknown said...

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Sarah said...

Lovely piece of stitched felt. Beautiful colours. Enjoy Venice!

CJ STITCHING AND BLOOMS said...

Hello Jackie, Your art pieces are absolutely stunning and beautiful. Lovely Art work indeed. Happy Easter to you and your family. Hugs Judy

Acornmoon said...

Yes, it is strange how FB has taken over but I do enjoy a good blog and yours is one of those. FB is more quick fix but I think you get to know a person more through their blog, more like a pen pal. I feel the need to kidnap Hetty, if she goes missing look no further. We lost our dog recently after a short illness and although I don't intend to have another I have to suppress the urge to kidnap other peoples!

WendyCarole said...

I love the shades of your felted piece. Hope Hetty is much happier after her op. Stevie G is cute. I support Liverpool too :).

Your blog is in my rss feed so if you blog I will read. I don't always get around to commenting.a as I am usually playing catch up. (too much FB time)



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