Hia all

Hia all, I just wanted to say I am so sorry for not being around lately, I have been so so busy in the real world. I hate this time of year and feel a little like I am going to be puled limb from limb lately. I have the school show on at the mo, I am planning a day course which I am giving for my local group, more on that later in another post. I also have college work to complete, not to mention marking and all the other teacher and family things! I have then to sit down occasionally and take a few deep breaths as living life at 500 miles per hour is hard going. Ah well - what do they say about idle hands and the devil!!!!!

I thought I would show you my proudest achievement for the show. We have two absolute diamonds in the show, Brandon is Joseph and secretly one of my favourite kids in school! (I know I am not supposed to have any but some just worm their way into your heart and this one is a smasher and was in my form!) and Corey is in year 8 and so tiny I can model and fit on Ellie, he is the Elvis Pharaoh! (Spelling) :)

So here are their headdresses. Boy these have given me some headaches! I made them off two alice bands, and I think they have come out well. I am going to edge Brandon's, the gold, with buttons to weight it a little.I am so proud of the tutun Karmun one, it was really hard with all that lame!

Don't you love my improvised head, a mixing bowl and a bottle of orange squash!!!!

Anyway enough drivel, I have to remind you all about my group Textile challenges new year sign up - it is going to be a by-monthly swap of house fronts and the girls are fast coming up with amazing themes for their houses to swap. We will then in each non swapping complete a challenge which could be a house front of your own to keep and make as part of your final book, display, whatever you have planned! I think it is going to a lot of fun. The link to the group is in my sidebar so if your not a member come join us and have some fun!

Chat soon, love Carol T

Christine Benson day school

What a lovely day I had today. I went on a course with Christine Benson, and if you ever get the chance GO!!! She is so lovely, one of the most supportive tutors i have ever had I think. I was so chuffed she remembered me from an hour long class at the NEC last year, and was very complimentary about my work. I am not going to give too much away but the course utilised all those precious things we hoard, labels, packaging etc. I decided to use the lovely thank you cards I got from my lovely class last year when they left. Every year I hold on to them re-read them to hold me through har days when kids are mental, but eventually as time moves on I end up throwing them away. I was so glad to make them into just gorgeous reminders of such special children. The first includes a Vogue postcard one gave me as a thank you card, and the word thank you at the bottom, bled unfortunately, but I wil stitch to bring it back.

This one was a thank you card and some bits of writting from a girl called bethan, it reads - Thanks for the advice i did not always want to hear, but sometimes needed to hear. Such a lovely course and I can't wait to get these finished to put in class. Others in the class made some amazing things with such wonderful heirlooms, a mothers glove, a mothers diary page, allsorts of lovelyness! Agreat day -I am enthused about sewing again!

New Folksy shop

I have decided to open a folksy shop, the idea being that I might make some dosh to fund my art. I decided to start with some collage/paintngs. So here are Darling Dove 1 and 2. If you want to take a look try here. Thanks for looking. PS, you won't get a hard sell here from me!