A busy month....

Well it's been sometime since my last confession :) I really don't know where the weeks are going, and the last month or so really has flown. This month we were having a play with painted bondaweb techniques and here is a shot of one of my sample pieces - I've just cut the bondaweb out like a 'snowflake' - forgive the somewhat garish colours, but I just grabbed what was near to hand!

I've been revisiting Poland & Krakow for my latest design inspirations lately ( a theme I tend to revisit from time to time), and continue to be fascinated by Russian Dolls (which they also make in Poland!). I've loved these dolls since I can remember - my Mum has always had some in her ornament cupboard and I very much identify them with my Polish family origins. I also love the notion of things hidden inside things inside things! Here's one of my sketchbook pages where I have been 'noodling' around:

In this next sample I applied painted bondaweb cut into naive doll shapes on a scrap of hand dyed fabric, and then transfoil shapes ironed over the top of the 'dolls'. I quite like where this is going - the figures look a bit ghostly and mysterious, a bit like standing stones - my ancestors maybe! I may well develop this idea to  use for a piece of work.

 And here is a piece of hand dyed fabric I've stencilled onto - I'll use this as a background fabric which will probably evolve into a book cover..........eventually (i.e. don't hold your breath waiting!!), knowing me!!!!

For those of you who were wanting to know where to purchase transfoils and other 'hot stuff', see the link to Nid Noi in the places of interest lit to the right.

This week some of us went to the first of 2 fab workshops taught by Robi Thomas of Itchy Fingers. For those who don't know, Robi makes beautiful fabric journals, and this was the topic of the 2 part 'course'. I'll endeavour to  keep you posted re  my 'noodlings' with the journal I've now started.

As well as being an excellent tutor, Robi is a wonderfully creative textile artist and you can see some of her work, along with pieces by the other talented members of Itchy Fingers, at their latest exhibition at the Grand Theatre at Swansea. This has it's private view tomorrow, and then runs for 3 weeks until 2 November - definitely worth a visit.