Knotwork Purse

I've been trying to felt a knotwork trim to liven up a purse I've been making.

Its my first attempt at knotwork in any medium. Even the simpler designs are more complex than they look. I've made quite a few mistakes on this but altogether I still like this purse a lot.

I've found an artist who does web classes on knotwork and also offers a few free patterns. I'd love to take one of Cari Buziak's art courses but my computer won't open PDF's and I don't have an apple... Maybe in the future. In the meantime I'll keep practicing, the reward will be worth it :)

Climate Change

I made this felt picture today in response to Theme Thursday's Blog Action theme of Climate Change. You can't see it on this photo, but the picture is set inside a circle which in turn is inside a square. The circle and the square intertwine like knot work. The circle and square were made with wool that had been dyed in nettles. Assayya recently wrote:

The stinging nettle grows in places where the harmony and balance in the soil is disturbed. He purifies as it were the soil to which plants can grow again, who first disappeared. That makes the energy of the nettle in the emotional sphere. It purifies and makes the atmosphere back into balance from a give and take.

Using nettle dyed wool to encircle this picture seemed both symbolic that the earth is out of balance, but with acknowledging that we can each try to do our bit to restore that balance.

The heart of the picture depicts the earth, the sky and the sea. Each of which are effected by climate change. In the spirit of optimism I have also made a ship donning a Greenpeace flag :)

The above pictures are images from Greenpeace campaigns.

This picture was posted on Dot World.
It's not about Climate Change but it does say it all!

Nature of the Night

Dancing in shadow, rustling the leaves
Snapping of twigs
A quavering branch
Then, silence.

The forest of night
Frozen in time
A land of primal lore
Beyond mans miasmic clench.

Mother Nature, wildlife under wing
Her gliding grace
Branching antlers
Her translucent moonbeam face.

Blessed by cloaks of midnight
Hedgehogs, owls, hares
Brock's, vixen and doe
Lady Oak tracing each move as they come and go.

Lady of the night
Transcending circles
Osmotic to and fro
His will, her woe.

Felt

I got back from Wales on Thursday and have had family visiting from London this week end.

I showed them how to make felt. The top bark like pattern was made by my mother in law. The purse was made by my 13 year old niece using off cuts from the autumn berry bag.

1st attempts at making felt for both of them :)

Love

Love is talent, the world love's metaphor.
Aflame, Octobers leaves adore the wind,
its urgent breath, whirl to their own death.
Not here, you're everywhere.

The evening sky
worships the ground, bears down, the land.
Yearns back in darkening hills. The night
is empathy, stars in its eyes for tears. Not here,

you're where I stand, hearing the sea, crazy
for the shore, seeing the moon ache and fret
for the earth. When morning comes, the sun, ardent,
covers the trees in gold, you walk

towards me,
out of the season, out of the light love reasons.

Carol Ann Duffy - UK Poet Laureate since 1/5/2009
To read more about Carol Ann Duffy and to hear her read this poem please click HERE.

Today is National Poetry Day. I love poetry. I love the moon. Carol Ann Duffy has skillfully merged both of these loves.

Tomorrow NASA will send a 'bomb laden missile to the moon'. Really. To read more about this lease click HERE.

I will be thinking of The Moon

Theme Thursday - Collection

I love music. All kinds of music, except maybe some disco and contrived bands, Simon Cowell, Stock Aitken and Waterman style. I have a deep respect for poetic or meaningful lyrics. I love to hear a song sang well, an instrument mastered. I even like bands that are not that musically good but have a passionate feel good factor that prevents me from subduing a smile or tapping a foot.

Most of my friends are musicians.

I collect unusual instruments. Or rather, maybe I should say, I used to buy them as gifts for my dad and coveted them... I now buy them for my 3 year old daughter who is naturally drawn to anything capable of noise.

I have carried instruments that I don't know the names of from one continent to another. Instruments from Chang Mai that had crossed the borders from Laos. I would be stopped in the street by Thai folk beaming from ear to ear looking with a recognition and love of a rarity seldom seen.

These things I have bought for my dad. I once bought him a Cora. An African stringed/percussion instrument originating from an Island near Ghana. Plays like a harp and beats like drum. Its hard to explain.

My daughter has rain sticks, shaky things, nutshells on sticks, painted gourds, xylophones, recorders, harmonica's, and so much more. She has a drum kit, guitar, microphone, keyboard, steel drum... And yes, she loves and uses each one. She could even blow a hunting horn at 18 months.

On Monday, I went to see my grandfather sing in his Barbershop Band. He sings lead and at times Baritone. I had to blink back tears it was so beautiful. All of those men, tenor, lead, baritone and bass. Friends in Harmony. Complimenting each other beautifully. It made me think of my grandmother who died nigh on 20 years ago. She sang the songs that they sang, perfectly. The style may be dated but wow, we cant let this tradition fade. The group sang many semi-modern songs, such as Unchained Melody, a selection of Beatles, Lean on Me, Always look on the bright side of Life. But my favourite were the older nostalgic songs.

My granddad is the handsome chap in the centre

Tonight, we went to see some of the Barbershop members rehearse their Skiffle Band. A delight of folk songs sang and played with tea chest bass, kazoo's, tin whistles, guitar, harmonica and more. Old songs such as 'My old man's a dustman', 'Put a log on the fire', 'You are my sunshine'. There is something wonderful about seeing passionate people having fun and expressing themselves in a way that brings cheer to the hearts and ears of those they encounter.

There is always time for fun.

Made4Aid

Well, Christmas is only a few weeks away. This year I have decided to make as many presents as I can for my friends and family and will probably only buy presents for children.

For those of you that can not afford the time to make all of your presents, why not consider buying arts and crafts from your fellow bloggers. Or better still, why not buy gifts made by your fellow bloggers which have been donated to raise funds for the refugees of Darfur, the reforestation of Attika or the welfare of rescued animals.


The above felt painting is a piece of work that I made inspired by the vibrant hues of Parys Mountain in Wales. I intend to get it mounted and send it to Made4Aid by the end of the week. Made4Aid auction arts and crafts on line and the raised funds benefit the refugees of Darfur.


I have also made a piece of felt and donated it to Attika SOS. That piece will be auctioned at the Folklore Museum on the periphery of Athens. The raised funds will help with the reforestation of the fire damaged land of Attika.



Art for the Animals is another blog that encourages artists and crafts people to visit their local animal sanctuary and make a piece of art inspired by one of the rescued animals. The Art for Animals project is simple. Make a portrait of an animal in your local shelter, or of an animal who's a part of a rescue operation, and donate the painting to the shelter or the rescue group. That's it! The shelter or rescue group can do whatever it wants with the painting - or drawing or mixed media piece or whatever medium you choose.

Art for the Animals often displays the artwork of donated pieces explaining a little about the subject of the piece and providing a link for the ebay auction of the work. I am always amazed by how little the bidding price is for such beautiful creations. I know they would make great Christmas gifts!


If you are interested in buying from or donating to any of these causes please click the names of the projects to find out more or on the pictures.