Back after a busy week.

Today I am feeling quite relaxed after a very hectic week.
Monday was spent preparing for a visit from two really close friends. We first met 40 years ago in September when we arrived at Strawberry Hill, St Mary's college. We had a fantastic three years there then spent another three years together teaching in the same area. One is now a head of an 'outstanding' school,(offstead!) and the other is a deputy and doing a heads course. I on the other hand am a complete failure in the world of education.
Friends like that do not stand on ceremony. We have years when we don't get in touch but then pick up where we left off.

Tuesday was the felt group day and on Wednesday my friends arrived and we talked ate and drank wine until very late, and I was sad to say goodbye on Thursday, but I couldn't have stood another night with that amount of wine!
Then I had to get ready for Friday, pictures below, a workshop with a great tutor, Linda Westerman.
Here we are all working

This is a pile of some of Linda's fabulous work.

Here are our efforts.

Bet you can't guess which is mine.

She was an excellent tutor and we all did different things.
I was asked to give the vote of thanks.
I wrote it down, I read it to my friend.
BUT IT STILL CAME OUT WRONG!!!! I managed to make a sincere compliment sound like an insult.
Its my special skill.
Or a syndrome.
Putting my foot in it syndrome.
I had done it on a blog comment only the day before, but I won't tell you where.
I am going to get a tattoo on my forehead saying 'please do not ask me to speak in public..I will muck it up'
I feel sick. I couldn't sleep.
Fortunately I have a very poor memory so the sting has faded almost away, its only writing about it here thats is giving me post traumatic stress.

Karen tagged me recently with a kreativ blogger award, where I have to write a few facts about myself. I already did it here so I'll pass on writing more facts but I must encourage you to visit her blog and look at the beautiful stiching there. I think I'll mention four here that I have been reading and enjoying.
Heather from Ragged Old Blogger who has done wonderful things with a dead catalogue!
Helen from Cocoa and Blankets who is currently showing lovely pictures of her trip to Venice
Another Helen who does lovely embroidery at Sea Strands and is making fibre flowers.
Do visit Cathy at Menopausal Musings who has a really interesting way with her blog pictures.
So ladies, if you would like to play, all you have to do is write 7 facts about yourself, link back to me here, and pass it on. You can use the picture if you like, its in my sidebar. Kreativ blogger.
There is no obligation.


On Saturday morning I remembered that I had generously volunteered to type out, mount, and cut all the labels or should I say 'tablets' for our exhibition.
When that was finished without too many rejects, I started this, a copy of a piece I did earlier in the year.

Its about a foot square. Its funny but whatever you do, you always learn something or find a bit you like. Do you find that?
I really like the little blue circle above the black 'star' and I made a very small brooch like it.
About one o' clock in the morning on Sunday.
I may do more.

I finished my two large 'moucharabia' pieces, which I have re-named 'Marrakech' because it may have more appeal to someone who has been there.
This is the completed piece on its calico background,

and here it is rather skew whiff on my wardrobe door.

Here's the second one I did.


They are about two feet by 18 inches approximately.
The detail below shows a bit of two needle embellisher work. I wanted to give the idea of light coming through the window, but I don't think I've made the lines vary in length enough. It was all done in a rush so I didn't have time to change it.

The next one shows the area where I made nuno felt on muslin and then worked from the back with the embellisher to push the felt through to the front. I finished it with hand stitching to convey the idea of the tiled courtyard outside.


I put the two small pieces in IKEA frames.

I stuck them on with sticky velcro, but by the time we delivered them, they had come adrift in the frames. I stuck them back but am worried.

The exhibition is in Lytham at the Heritage Centre on the corner of Dicconson Terrace.
We had a lovely walk along the sea front, the weather was amazing.
I haven't been out for an afternoon with my husband since last August Bank Holiday (Not counting Symi) so it was a real treat.

I am stewarding the exhibition on Friday, 10 till 4 so if you are in the area do call in and say hello.