tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-191297862024-03-08T03:48:20.043+00:00From down the wellA record of an art quilter's life. The site name comes from Natalie Goldberg's phrase 'falling down the well' to describe the experience of becoming immersed in the trance of writing (or other creative activity.)Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06589254083891378425noreply@blogger.comBlogger826125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19129786.post-75454621780123956162014-02-01T21:22:00.002+00:002014-02-01T21:22:20.289+00:00I have moved!!After spending three and a half years renovating a new house and creating new studios I have decided it is now time to concentrate on updating my digital environment. So, this blog has now moved to<br />
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<a href="http://www.helenconwaydesign.com/">www.helenconwaydesign.com</a><br />
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I hope you will update your feed readers and favourites and will come and visit me over there. I'd hate to lose touch with you!<br />
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HelenAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06589254083891378425noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19129786.post-6064058403731692072013-08-05T21:33:00.001+01:002013-08-05T21:33:10.950+01:00Two special events at Festival of Quilts<p> I know I have been a slack blogger in recent months but I have to interupt my sloth to tell you about two very exciting things, both coming up later this week at Festival of Quilts. </p>
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<p>First, there is the <a href="http://www.africanfabric.co.uk/help_musas_clinic.php" target="_self" title="">Buy a Plank Challenge</a>. Anyone who went to the Uttoxeter show in April may recall the almost lifesized No I African Fabric Shop Shack I made in tribute to my good friend <a href="http://www.africanfabricshop.co.uk" target="_self" title="">Magie Relph</a> and of course <a href="http://www.alexandermccallsmith.co.uk" target="_self" title="">Alexander McCall Smith</a>, author of the referenced No 1 Ladies Detective Agency novels. It was fun to make and to get Magie's reaction, but what do you do with a 90 x 80 inch wallhanging?</p>
<p>Cut it up into pieces!</p>
<p>Yes, really! You can read all about it <a href="http://www.africanfabric.co.uk/help_musas_clinic.php" target="_self" title="">here</a>. Basically after Festival the quilt will be cut into a limited edition set of planks ( each having a variety of fabrics) and the buyer will commit to turning their plank into another art work which is then guaranteed a place in a special exhibition at Uttoxeter next year. Hopefully many new art works will be made available for auction. Proceeds from planks and art works go to aid a clinic where one of Magie's fabric dyers volunteers. <a href="http://www.africanfabric.co.uk/help_musas_clinic.php" target="_self" title="">Buy your plank here</a> before they sell out!!</p>
<p> Secondly, I am currently sitting in my lounge looking at a suitcase holding this exhibition</p>
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<p> I have been extremely priveleged to have been asked to hang this gallery for curator Brenda Gael Smith as it has meant I have been able to touch and closely examine all forty quilts. I can honestly say it is a stunning collection. There is a varied interpretation of the theme, literally ranging from Life to Death and a whole range of techniques as varied as weaving,shibori,discharge, dye painting, raw edged applique and felting. Brenda's shows her skills as curator in her choice of entries and the way she has arranged the flow of the gallery. (Although she made an unusual lapse in judgment by choosing the weakest quilt -mine!-for the above graphic.)</p>
<p>I am confident this gallery will be one of the highlights of the show, so don't miss it!</p>
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<p> </p><div style="text-align: right; font-size: small; clear: both;" id="blogsy_footer"><a href="http://blogsyapp.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://blogsyapp.com/images/blogsy_footer_icon.png" alt="Posted with Blogsy" style="vertical-align: middle; margin-right: 5px;" width="20" height="20" />Posted with Blogsy</a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06589254083891378425noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19129786.post-87726455891193649382013-05-26T19:49:00.001+01:002013-05-26T19:49:33.905+01:00Two new quilts!Today has been a productive day. First I finished the very delayed 20\12 quilt on the theme of Sweet for the Twelve by Twelve group. It was supposed to be revealed on 12/12/12. Ah well! You can read the story of it <a href="http://twelveby12.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/sweet-reveal-leave-my-land-alone.html">here</a><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leave my Land Alone</td></tr>
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.I also finished the next in my Maps series, a smaller version of my Joe Slovo Township quilt, this time with some people in it. these people are my old style simpified African Women and I think I would like now to make a quilt with some more detailed realistic township women in.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06589254083891378425noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19129786.post-38936438933704011252013-05-16T21:41:00.000+01:002013-05-16T21:41:00.903+01:00Breakdown<p> I fell out of the blogging tree again, didn't I? But I am back now, post my breakdown.</p>
<p>Not mental health breakdown you understand (although if you saw the cost of the online order for dyes and fabrics I just placed, you might think so!). No, the first thing I did in my brand new wet studio ( see the video over at <a href="http://www.teaandtalkfortwo.blogspot.com" target="_self" title="">Tea and Talk for Two</a>) was start to learn how to do breakdown printing with the aid of the <a href="http://www.committedtocloth.com/our-books/index.php?route=product/product&path=35&product_id=56" target="_self" title="">Committed to Cloth book.</a></p>
<p>I decided to aim for a result that would remind me of the African Batiks I love to buy from The African Fabric Shop and made some screens with made up symbols on them like this. If you have never done breakdown printing this is basically dye thickened with a product called Manutex and squeezed out of a ketchup bottle and left to dry for a long time. This screen was prepared <em>after </em>I learned that it really does have to be thick if it is not all to run and drip through.</p>
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<p>The next stage is to pull thickened dye and/ or plain print paste through the screen with a squeegy. at first the dried dye on the screen acts as a resist and you get negative shapes. then as it re-hydrayes it starts to breakdown and leave part of the symbols on the fabric. </p>
<p>My first set of fabrics were pleasing in terms of marks but I was suprised how pale they ended up.<br>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This one was a slightly different screen in that I cut symbols out of packing foam and pushed them into thickened dye.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-MNMdgz_tTQmBOLCuxbKymVwIFxCIuq0jjYK-6obBnTjU1n7AaL_jcIfjlXWLvTAdNwohYPUHqumLCBSKvRKRklTPtGxPcE0nNxMNWUJE-LhXSX0yyI1Ku9R6ihAkVdmcT3ZJ/s960/Photo%25252016%252520May%2525202013%25252020%25253A24.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-MNMdgz_tTQmBOLCuxbKymVwIFxCIuq0jjYK-6obBnTjU1n7AaL_jcIfjlXWLvTAdNwohYPUHqumLCBSKvRKRklTPtGxPcE0nNxMNWUJE-LhXSX0yyI1Ku9R6ihAkVdmcT3ZJ/s500/Photo%25252016%252520May%2525202013%25252020%25253A24.jpg" id="blogsy-1368736772649.7654" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="500" height="667"></a></div>
<p> I actually like the fragility of them but it was rather a suprise to have them end up so washed out. The solution was simple- a greater dye to print paste ratio.</p>
<p>This one was an early one which did come out marginally stronger. I like the frond like lines whch simply came from the creases that arose becuase I did not pin my fabric under very good tension. Therefore as I lifted the screen the wet fabric came with it and creased and I was too lazy to do anything about it. I may do that deliberately in the future.</p>
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<p> So I made up more screens and was braver with the dyes. Talking of brave, Dennis even had a go. He hates 'mess' so this was a big moment for him! The lack of gloves is not a function of his bravery but everything to do with my stock of gloves being in my size not his!</p>
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<p> He didn't stick around to do all the layers but this is how 'his fabric' turned out</p>
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<p> And another with the same colours but in very different proportions and a different screen. The symbols are much less evident but I like the randomness of the colour spread.</p>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I think this shot of them together on my print surface shows the contrast and colour better. I have a little plan for these...But that's for another post!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5VX6FEYlQukf3goTkzslTrPwSjCPzzqzBlfn_j53W39O6P2XfRMxoq6g0mvhKrJMr5xzsIPb9CNZ7nZjfdJLby3FNXAsKZqTHVktUJAJHiw6Ja3VvbzupK0ddGgCUjWQhyt7m/s960/Photo%25252016%252520May%2525202013%25252020%25253A31.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5VX6FEYlQukf3goTkzslTrPwSjCPzzqzBlfn_j53W39O6P2XfRMxoq6g0mvhKrJMr5xzsIPb9CNZ7nZjfdJLby3FNXAsKZqTHVktUJAJHiw6Ja3VvbzupK0ddGgCUjWQhyt7m/s500/Photo%25252016%252520May%2525202013%25252020%25253A31.jpg" id="blogsy-1368736772715.8447" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="500" height="375"></a></div>
<p> Finally, this was one from the first batch where I wrote english letters on the screen in turquoise and pulled the screen only with plain print paste to see how that worked. However, the overcomplication department of my brain decided it was necessary to do some Da Vinci like mirror writing. It is not! </p>
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<p> I shall be doing more of this. It's plain fun!!</p>
<p> </p><div style="text-align: right; font-size: small; clear: both;" id="blogsy_footer"><a href="http://blogsyapp.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://blogsyapp.com/images/blogsy_footer_icon.png" alt="Posted with Blogsy" style="vertical-align: middle; margin-right: 5px;" width="20" height="20" />Posted with Blogsy</a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06589254083891378425noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19129786.post-90906285574821267432013-04-06T10:47:00.001+01:002013-04-06T10:47:53.766+01:00Picking a horse<p> Today is Grand National Day. I have a colleague who is knowlegable about horse racing and I now know far more about it than I did a year ago. But not enough to stop me picking a horse by its name on the basis that this is the only race of the year I pay any attention to. Although many true fans probably wish I didnt because my horse has only ever once lasted past the second fence. Once it died.. The day BEFORE the race!! Still, you have to join in</p>
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<p>My husband handed me the paper.</p>
<p>"Oh," I say " I should have Teatforthree" making reference to my <a href="http://www.teaandtalkfortwo.blogspot.com" target="_self" title="">Tea and Talk for Two blog</a> with Diane and how she and he email each other too.</p>
<p>He peruses the list and shrugs,</p>
<p> " I'b better have On His Own then"</p>
<p>" Noooo! Thats sad, you can play with us... Three.. Get it?"</p>
<p>He grins. That man is such a pity junkie!!</p>
<p> </p><div style="text-align: right; font-size: small; clear: both;" id="blogsy_footer"><a href="http://blogsyapp.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://blogsyapp.com/images/blogsy_footer_icon.png" alt="Posted with Blogsy" style="vertical-align: middle; margin-right: 5px;" width="20" height="20" />Posted with Blogsy</a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06589254083891378425noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19129786.post-63127824531429350912013-04-01T18:13:00.001+01:002013-04-01T18:13:32.356+01:00Becoming an urban sketcher<p>Many of my quilting friends have been urging me to sketch. I understood their arguments: learn to observe, understand line and shadow and blah, blah. Sorry. I just simply could not summon the enthusiasm to draw a butternut squash. I tried but there was no love. </p>
<p>Then, I found <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Art-Urban-Sketching-Drawing-Location/dp/1592537251" target="_self" title="">this book</a>. And the <a href="http://www.urbansketchers.org/" target="_self" title="">blog</a> that goes with it. And the penny somehow dropped.</p>
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<p>Sketching travels, buildings, people, illustrated travel journals. Now that does interest me, because those things interest me much more than a butternut squash does. <a href="http://www.goingtopieces.blogspot.com" target="_self" title="">Diane</a> ( who was of the squash school of thinking and who paints them beautifully) came up with a perfect solution for me. Buy a squash, she told me, bring it to her kitchen half way across the world and sketch her eating it. Good plan. So I booked a flight to California ( Yes, really I did! Yipee!!) but that's not for a few months and I decided I really needed to try this sooner.</p>
<p>So, three weeks ago I collected together the art supplies that littered the house and gave myself a goal. I had two day trips to London and a fortnight in Bath. My intention was to be an urban sketcher for those sixteen days. Not to be a good one. Not to show anyone anything necessarily. Just to be one and see how it felt. </p>
<p>So I started on the train to London.</p>
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<p> And it did feel good even though I was not accomplished. So I kept going. </p>
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<p>The Urban Sketching book somehow showed me the startlingly obvious: that a sketch is a sketch. Not a polished work of perfection but a capturing of the essence of a moment. One sketchers tip was: don't spend too long on a sketch because otherwise it becomes a painting. I found that immensely freeing. I can sketch without my brain every going anywhere near all the myriad reasons I am resistant to trying to paint. </p>
<p> I have also brought <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Illustrated-Journey-Inspiration-Traveling-Illustrators/dp/144032025X" target="_self" title="">this book</a> with me to Bath and find it equally helpful and inspiring.</p>
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<p>I have had his previous books An Illustrated Life and Creative License for some time and enjoyed reading it yet it did not spark the same desire to join in. I think the difference is two fold. First, if I am going to find time in a hectic life to overcome fear and produce art work then the subject matter has to matter to me. Secondly, there is an attractive element of community to the Urban Sketching movement.. Which is how I came to be sitting in an Abbey choir stall this afternoon surrounded by Japanese waterbrushes, handbound sketchbooks and Staedtler Markers discussing ink brands with enthusiasm... But thats a story for tomorrow.....</p>
<p> </p><div style="text-align: right; font-size: small; clear: both;" id="blogsy_footer"><a href="http://blogsyapp.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://blogsyapp.com/images/blogsy_footer_icon.png" alt="Posted with Blogsy" style="vertical-align: middle; margin-right: 5px;" width="20" height="20" />Posted with Blogsy</a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06589254083891378425noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19129786.post-44031909212110908022013-03-26T09:34:00.001+00:002013-03-26T09:34:30.296+00:00There'll be days like this..<p> We are in Bath again and today was the day my husband got to use his Christmas voucher for a VIP up close and personal experience with a Marmoset at Longleat Safari Park. Up we got bright and early bundled up against the cold ( it might was well BE Christmas not Easter !) and out to the car. He opened the back passenger door put his coat on the seat, closed it and this happened.</p>
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<p> Right. So no monkeys today then. I rang Autoglass and did my best impression of a helpless female away from home in a dilemma and they are to come and fix it tomorrow. In the meantime the instruction was to wrap the hatchback in cling film to protect it from any rain ( more likley snow and sleet) that might arrive. Fine. The local convenience store stocks cling film. D went to get that and then left me to wrap while he went to call the Marmosets and see whether they might be free to recieve us another day soon.</p>
<p>But Cling film sticks to itself. Not at first to a car boot. So there I am in the whipping wind with this film whapping about and refusing to stay still long enough for me to achieve one complete wrap after which it would self-adhere.</p>
<p> Think. </p>
<p>Solution?</p>
<p> Filofax.</p>
<p>Ha. You didnt expect that did you? But, on the back seat was my Osterley which has inside it some fragments of washi tape and a few Paperchase stickers I ripped up and which served to hold it down long enough for me to mummify the car. </p>
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<p> Ah well, I think this video probably says it all...</p>
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<p> </p><div style="text-align: right; font-size: small; clear: both;" id="blogsy_footer"><a href="http://blogsyapp.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://blogsyapp.com/images/blogsy_footer_icon.png" alt="Posted with Blogsy" style="vertical-align: middle; margin-right: 5px;" width="20" height="20" />Posted with Blogsy</a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06589254083891378425noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19129786.post-37993573911057208652013-02-25T22:47:00.001+00:002013-02-25T22:47:53.665+00:00In progress, one wet studio area<p> The builder reckons the wet studio will be finished and ready for decoration on Wednesday. Hmmm. Would you put money on that?</p>
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<p> Mind you, finished or not its probably tidier now than when it will be when I am dyeing and printing in there</p>
<p> </p><div style="text-align: right; font-size: small; clear: both;" id="blogsy_footer"><a href="http://blogsyapp.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://blogsyapp.com/images/blogsy_footer_icon.png" alt="Posted with Blogsy" style="vertical-align: middle; margin-right: 5px;" width="20" height="20" />Posted with Blogsy</a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06589254083891378425noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19129786.post-43334927913946460722013-02-04T20:00:00.000+00:002013-02-04T20:00:02.574+00:00Psst! Wanna see my design book?<p>The problem with having more than one blog is deciding where to put things. Over on <a href="http://www.plancreatesucceed.com/?p=636" target="_self" title="">Plan•Create•Succeed</a> I just posted my Design Monthly video which might interest you if you want to see the design work I have( quite usually for me) been putting into my latest quilt.<br>
</p>
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<p> </p><div style="text-align: right; font-size: small; clear: both;" id="blogsy_footer"><a href="http://blogsyapp.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://blogsyapp.com/images/blogsy_footer_icon.png" alt="Posted with Blogsy" style="vertical-align: middle; margin-right: 5px;" width="20" height="20" />Posted with Blogsy</a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06589254083891378425noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19129786.post-81115733570023595442013-01-31T11:15:00.001+00:002013-01-31T11:15:27.555+00:00Boy/ girl planners<p> My husband and I met up recently for lunch and had a little planning session.</p>
<p>Girl planner came out.</p>
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<p> Man planner came out.</p>
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<p> It makes my teeth hurt!</p>
<p>I waltzed him quick smart around to the stationers and showed him his choices : Leuchturm, Moleskine, mini Filofax, own brand knock off notebook. I could even live with a Silvine for goodness sake. </p>
<p>" But what would I write in it?"</p>
<p><em>All the stuff you put on crappy bits of crumpled paper!!</em></p>
<p> </p><div style="text-align: right; font-size: small; clear: both;" id="blogsy_footer"><a href="http://blogsyapp.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://blogsyapp.com/images/blogsy_footer_icon.png" alt="Posted with Blogsy" style="vertical-align: middle; margin-right: 5px;" width="20" height="20" />Posted with Blogsy</a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06589254083891378425noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19129786.post-43068030053451937992013-01-17T08:00:00.000+00:002013-01-17T08:00:13.445+00:00How to make a Franklin Covey Like Page Finder (and why)<p> A few days ago noodling about the Webfinds on <a href="http://www.philofaxy.blogspot.co.uk" target="_self" title="">Philofaxy</a> I came across the useful item that is the Frankin Covey Pouch Page Finder. Its a plastic pouch inside which you can slip an insert. ( If it was your blog please leave a link in the comments below as I forget who was writing about it now). </p>
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<p> Hmm. How hard can it be to make something like that? </p>
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<p>Not very. ( Although very hard to photograph! ) Here's how. You need two laminating pouches and a laminator.</p>
<p>1. Send a pouch through the laminator with nothing in it so you get a nice double strength plastic.</p>
<p>2. Cut out a piece the height you want and double the width. Dont forget that the rings mean you need it a little wider than the width of paper you want to put inside it.</p>
<p>3. Fold the cut out piece to form the pouch shape. It will be springy and not want to stay flat so send it through the laminator again in its folded state. The heat effectively presses it flat.</p>
<p>4. We now need to seal the bottom to form a pouch. To do this send another pouch through the laminator with the open edge of the pouch going through last. Insert the bottom end of your page finder into the open edge of the empty pouch just as it goes through the machine. You want to catch about a centimeter or so of the page finder between the empty pouch to seal it. </p>
<p>5. Trim, punch holes and cut tiny bits from between the inside edge and the holes as on a Filofax ruler and Voila! Pouch page finder.</p>
<p>If you want a tab you can either make the pouch longer and trim a tab from the plastic itself, or you can put the tab on your insert. I used a magnetic bookmark on mine. You can see mine still has blank paper stuck nt grey card in it. This does obscure the pages below but it occurs to me that you could print or write a list on an OHP transparency and stick it in the pagefinder to get a sort of overlay effect.</p>
<p> Having made it to prove I could, I now find myself considering how to use it. My initial thought before I am starting was that it was perfect for recurring tasks and goals. </p>
<p>But now it occurs to me that it would also be useful for planning ahead gym training sessions if you need to remember target heart rates for interval training or which weights exercises you are to do that session. Insert the training plan ahead of time and when you get to the gym, snap it out, lock the filofax in the locker and take the pouch in with you.</p>
<p>Or I know several people are on diets and have separate health filos. This could be a food diary in your daily planner. Ditto for people recording their daily spending and running a finance filofax.</p>
<p>Or it could have motivational quotes, a prayer list, a shopping list.. Anything really. What would you use it for?</p>
<p> </p><div style="text-align: right; font-size: small; clear: both;" id="blogsy_footer"><a href="http://blogsyapp.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://blogsyapp.com/images/blogsy_footer_icon.png" alt="Posted with Blogsy" style="vertical-align: middle; margin-right: 5px;" width="20" height="20" />Posted with Blogsy</a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06589254083891378425noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19129786.post-28655805629337200522013-01-14T08:00:00.000+00:002013-01-16T22:15:35.053+00:00Miss Malden dresses in style.<p> I am not someone who personifies inanimate objects. I do not name my filofaxes. Not least because I probably couldn't remember the list. ( Which reminds me of one mother I represented when her eighth child was being taken into care. I checked the child's name with her as it seemed there was a typo in my case papers because the name of this child was the same as her first. But no. She said that she "Had just forgotten that she had already used that name.") </p>
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<p> But, there is an exception to every rule and I noticed that my newly acquired Crimson Malden was definately a Miss Malden and had to be set up accordingly. From the outside she is Miss Malden in the way that barristers are always called Miss by their clerks. She is neat and discrete and professional.</p>
<p><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">But, inside she is a Miss as in Driving Miss Daisy. She is vintage. Not vintage as in what used to be second hand. Vintage as in having old style grace and elegance. She is a lady still living in an antebellum manision in the Carolinas and wearing gloves to lunch. Don't ask me why. She just is. She belongs to an age gone by. And so, on the inside I dressed her accordingly with trimmed down postcards from www.zazzle.com glued o grey card.</span></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.plancreatesucceed.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-13-Jan-2013-1703.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; "><img src="http://www.plancreatesucceed.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-13-Jan-2013-1703.jpg" id="blogsy-1358374535210.7512" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="500" height="375"></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I chose this domestic one because we often holiday in Bath. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.plancreatesucceed.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-13-Jan-2013-17031.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="http://www.plancreatesucceed.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-13-Jan-2013-17031.jpg" id="blogsy-1358374535182.438" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="500" height="375"></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.plancreatesucceed.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-13-Jan-2013-17032.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="http://www.plancreatesucceed.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-13-Jan-2013-17032.jpg" id="blogsy-1358374535245.4604" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="500" height="375"></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.plancreatesucceed.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-13-Jan-2013-17033.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="http://www.plancreatesucceed.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-13-Jan-2013-17033.jpg" id="blogsy-1358374535194.3374" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="500" height="375"></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.plancreatesucceed.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-13-Jan-2013-17035.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="http://www.plancreatesucceed.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-13-Jan-2013-17035.jpg" id="blogsy-1358374535245.8416" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="500" height="375"></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">Despite being a little less staid this one had to go in because my great friend lives near San Fran and even Miss Malden lets her hair down a little when with her girlfriends. Mint Julep anyone?</div>
<p><a href="http://www.plancreatesucceed.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-13-Jan-2013-1704.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="http://www.plancreatesucceed.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-13-Jan-2013-1704.jpg" id="blogsy-1358374535257.872" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="500" height="375"></a></p>
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.plancreatesucceed.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-13-Jan-2013-17043.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="http://www.plancreatesucceed.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-13-Jan-2013-17043.jpg" id="blogsy-1358374535214.7498" class="aligncenter" width="500" height="375" alt=""></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.plancreatesucceed.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-13-Jan-2013-17041.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="http://www.plancreatesucceed.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-13-Jan-2013-17041.jpg" id="blogsy-1358374535256.034" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="500" height="375"></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">This next one makes me laugh because Blackpool these days is the last place a glamourous lady like this would go.</div>
<p><a href="http://www.plancreatesucceed.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-13-Jan-2013-17042.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="http://www.plancreatesucceed.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-13-Jan-2013-17042.jpg" id="blogsy-1358374535176.9873" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="500" height="375"></a></p>
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.plancreatesucceed.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-13-Jan-2013-17044.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="http://www.plancreatesucceed.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-13-Jan-2013-17044.jpg" id="blogsy-1358374535238.2183" class="aligncenter" width="500" height="375" alt=""></a></div>
<p> </p><div style="text-align: right; font-size: small; clear: both;" id="blogsy_footer"><a href="http://blogsyapp.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://blogsyapp.com/images/blogsy_footer_icon.png" alt="Posted with Blogsy" style="vertical-align: middle; margin-right: 5px;" width="20" height="20" />Posted with Blogsy</a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06589254083891378425noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19129786.post-35768029405810933772013-01-13T12:15:00.000+00:002013-01-13T12:15:00.018+00:00I need a wet studio!!!<p> Fortunately work has started. The roof work to change a flat roof over garage and porch to a less ugly pitched one comes first before the garage is converted</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.plancreatesucceed.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-11-Jan-2013-0848.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="http://www.plancreatesucceed.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-11-Jan-2013-0848.jpg" id="blogsy-1358078421786.3586" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="500" height="375"></a></div>
<p> However, having started it stalled again on Friday with one builder off because he pulled his back the day before ( probably, to be fair because he was working hard in freezing conditions) and the other went home after the tile delivery because his budgie was dying!!</p>
<p>But fabric design waits for no budgie and <a href="http://teaandtalkfortwo.blogspot.com/2013/01/working-on-brick-lane.html" target="_self" title="">over on Tea and Talk for Two I</a> have posted photos of the surface design work I did last night in the so called 'dry studio'. I do have a bathroom up there but the sink is made for looking pretty and allowing you to clean your teeth not for washing up inky screens. I have to fill plastic boxes of water, take them to my worksurface and washup in that until the water gets dirtier than the utensils. Then I lug it back and pour it down the toilet.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.plancreatesucceed.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-12-Jan-2013-2345.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="http://www.plancreatesucceed.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-12-Jan-2013-2345.jpg" id="blogsy-1358078421745.716" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="500" height="375"></a></div>
<p>It works fine despite the midden in which I end up when I am in in a creative maelstrom. Or usually it does...</p>
<p>I was in the studio until the early hours yesterday so I was prettty tired for the final pouring away. Which is the excuse I gave when I confessed to Dennis that I saw, a tad too late, a plastic tablespoon vanishing down the Ubend! I am a bit worried as the plumbing in the loft only just has the required fallaway degree to make a macerator unit not necessary but I have flushed a lot and all seems to be well.</p>
<p> But the sooner I get my steel double sink and spray tap fitted the better!</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p><div style="text-align: right; font-size: small; clear: both;" id="blogsy_footer"><a href="http://blogsyapp.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://blogsyapp.com/images/blogsy_footer_icon.png" alt="Posted with Blogsy" style="vertical-align: middle; margin-right: 5px;" width="20" height="20" />Posted with Blogsy</a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06589254083891378425noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19129786.post-66260318071311938832013-01-10T03:00:00.000+00:002013-01-10T03:00:00.068+00:00New Year Graffiti (Non) Filofax set up In good new year <a href="http://www.philofaxy.blogspot.com" target="_self" title="">Philofaxy</a> tradition I am going to show you the set up for one of the three filofaxes I will be rotating this year as my daily planner. This is the Cannot-Be-Traced Golunski brand planner. Found in TK Maxx. The others are a personal crimson Malden and a compact Regency and posts on those will follow. I hope that my quilting readers will not be put off coming here by the fact that there will be more filofax posts in 2013 ... There will be plenty of art as well to keep everyone happy. But I want the blog to reflect my whole life.<br/><br/><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.plancreatesucceed.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-8-Jan-2013-1011.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="http://www.plancreatesucceed.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-8-Jan-2013-1011.jpg" id="blogsy-1357649469059.157" class="aligncenter" width="500" height="375" alt=""></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">My setup up might be a bit bland and lacking in stickers and stuff, compared to many I have seen but I like it like that. Uncluttered filo means uncluttered brain in my life! The left side is my stationery store and I love that I can clip a good few pens to the first verticle pocket flap and not have them interfere with the functioning of the filo. Also here I have sticky notes, the circular stickers you will see later in use and some Cavellini Ephemera Stickers. Just sticking out from the back pocket you can see a hint of my wash tape wall.. Just strips stuck to a fly leaf so I always have some. In the past I have not decorated my filo at all but late last year I sourced some products that I thought were elegant and grown up and I like how they make the diary creative and personal but not cluttered. The front sheet is, well, plain! That was temporary but actually it provides a good foil to how busy the actual filofax design is so it may well stay. Already it has been a good place to put stickies with info which require immediate Red Flag attention as soon as I open up. Immediately behind it is a Brain Dump Page where I jot down thoughts as they fly into my head to be dealt with later. Some will relate to the filos I keep for special projects and will get transferred.</div>
<a href="http://www.plancreatesucceed.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-8-Jan-2013-1012.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="http://www.plancreatesucceed.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-8-Jan-2013-1012.jpg" id="blogsy-1357649469009.0762" class="aligncenter" width="500" height="375" alt=""></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">Then I have Filofax brand month in two pages tabbed as an overview. This is mostly for achieving balance between work travel and art. The green circle stickies indicate 'studio days' or days dedicated to art activities. I actually try to have studio time everyday but these show the days when I plan to dedicate a good stretch of hours to art.</div>
<a href="http://www.plancreatesucceed.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-8-Jan-2013-1013.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="http://www.plancreatesucceed.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-8-Jan-2013-1013.jpg" id="blogsy-1357649469057.4956" class="aligncenter" width="500" height="375" alt=""></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">Then week on a page with notes. Life is quiet this week! I use Sticky notes for tasks that need doing but not necessarily that week and which I know may well get carried over. When they become urgent they get written in properly and done. I use the notes page for travel bookings, weekly goals etc. As I say, an unusually quite week!</div>
<a href="http://www.plancreatesucceed.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-8-Jan-2013-10131.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="http://www.plancreatesucceed.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-8-Jan-2013-10131.jpg" id="blogsy-1357649468998.2566" class="aligncenter" width="500" height="375" alt=""></a><div style="text-align: left;">Next the new to me pages. For the last six months of 2013 I used self printed day on two pages from Philofaxy which Steve helped me to modify a bit. I hated them. Oh, the design was great but my ability to print them right and get them trimmed without bits sticking out was non existent. It annoyed the heck out of me. So I invested quite a bit of cash in these pages from Filofax France as they were the nearest to what I wanted. And interestingly the format has dictated some new functions which I find beneficial.</div>
<p style="text-align: left;"> </p>
<p style="text-align: left;">As you can see the appointments page is divided by a gap into two columns. I don't have that many appointments in my personal planner so I have been using the right column each night to do a resume of the day. This is great for spotting where time is wasted and recognising where nice but unplanned things happened. I tend to focus on what I did not get done rather than my achievements so this also encourages me to look at my day with more balance.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"> </p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Having numbered to do boxes helps me not plan to do more than is reasonable. And I find that I now do as we do at work when a day is full of appointments, i.e drawing a line through the remainder of the space ( or adding a line of washi tape. No more tasks today!</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"> </p>
<p style="text-align: left;">The notes section I am using for my new Focus practice. I have written all about that <a href="http://how-to-do-and-have-it-all-just-not-at-the-same-time" target="_self" title="">here</a> on my <a href="http://www.plancreatesucceed.com" target="_self" title="">Plan • Create • Succeed</a> blog so I will not repeat myself here save to say it is working wonderfully.</p>
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.plancreatesucceed.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-8-Jan-2013-1014.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="http://www.plancreatesucceed.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-8-Jan-2013-1014.jpg" id="blogsy-1357649469052.5417" class="aligncenter" width="500" height="375" alt=""></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">I then have a section labeled Life which has To do lists separated out by topic. If something is vital, is day senstive or just a chore it goes on the daily pages. Otherwise I choose what to do next from these options. I am deleberately viewing them as options not tasks to reduce pressure on me from feeling I MUST do all these things. They are options for how I get to spend my free time. Here is my New Year Set Up All My Filos list.</div>
<p style="text-align: left;">I use two magnetic bookmarks from City Organiser here. I bought them in a whim last week becuase I broke the London Skyline ruler that came with the Lineburst Filo and I missed that design from the Olympics. They work great to tab the list I am focusing on this week and move around easily.</p>
<a href="http://www.plancreatesucceed.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-8-Jan-2013-1149.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="http://www.plancreatesucceed.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-8-Jan-2013-1149.jpg" id="blogsy-1357649469004.484" class="aligncenter" width="500" height="667" alt=""></a><div style="text-align: left;">The inal section is labelled Reminders and is bits of informational notes. nothing interesting for public consumption! </div>
<p style="text-align: left;"> </p>
<p style="text-align: left;">This Non-Filofax has pockets galore. For now I have used the backslots for my RAC breakdown card and European Health insurance card but also to write down on cards my overarching goals for the year any my focus words etc. Behind that is a tube map and behind that you can see the spine of a Moleskine Volante notebook I am using as a sketchbook. More on that in another post. There is a full width pocket behind the rings too which is empty at the moment. For a personal this is the best design for quanity and capacity of pockets. I love it but I am glad I have others I love that I can rotate with it because I dread it wearing out! i am sure I will add stuff as the year goes on.</p>
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.plancreatesucceed.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-8-Jan-2013-1143.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="http://www.plancreatesucceed.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-8-Jan-2013-1143.jpg" id="blogsy-1357649469015.2908" class="aligncenter" width="500" height="375" alt=""></a></div>
Oh and finally the pen. The pen loop on this requires a very slim pen. I was recommended on Philofaxy to look at the Cross Centrury pens so I went to Rymans to see if they had one. They did and it was the same size as these white pens but far more expensive. These are I confess I little tacky with their swarovski crystal on the top but only a little, and the barrel is really nice. Besides, as they take Cross refils but the whole pen costs less than the cross refills I overcame my snobbery and bought several! No bleed though=happy writer!<br/><br/>Thanks for sticking with a long post. More filos to come another day....<br/><br/> <br/><br/> <br/><br/><div style="text-align: right; font-size: small; clear: both;" id="blogsy_footer"><a href="http://blogsyapp.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://blogsyapp.com/images/blogsy_footer_icon.png" alt="Posted with Blogsy" style="vertical-align: middle; margin-right: 5px;" width="20" height="20" />Posted with Blogsy</a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06589254083891378425noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19129786.post-54006880118595864642012-12-25T15:01:00.001+00:002012-12-25T15:01:46.422+00:00Following on from the fridge.... Girl turkey carving knife..<br/><br/><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.plancreatesucceed.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/wpid-Photo-25-Dec-2012-1341.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="http://www.plancreatesucceed.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/wpid-Photo-25-Dec-2012-1341.jpg" id="blogsy-1356447705673.0193" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="500" height="329"></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: none;"> Man turkey carving knife...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.plancreatesucceed.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/wpid-Photo-25-Dec-2012-1339.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="http://www.plancreatesucceed.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/wpid-Photo-25-Dec-2012-1339.jpg" id="blogsy-1356447705697.7468" class="aligncenter" width="500" height="667" alt=""></a></div>
<br/><br/> <br/><br/><div style="text-align: right; font-size: small; clear: both;" id="blogsy_footer"><a href="http://blogsyapp.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://blogsyapp.com/images/blogsy_footer_icon.png" alt="Posted with Blogsy" style="vertical-align: middle; margin-right: 5px;" width="20" height="20" />Posted with Blogsy</a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06589254083891378425noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19129786.post-6012053530982021992012-12-23T10:09:00.001+00:002012-12-23T10:09:10.531+00:00Christmas fridge Please understand, I am in no way complaining that, while I was at the gym, my husband braved the traffic to go and collect the Tesco click and collect order. I appreciated that. What I am saying is, on my return:<br/><br/><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.plancreatesucceed.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/wpid-Photo-22-Dec-2012-1351.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="http://www.plancreatesucceed.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/wpid-Photo-22-Dec-2012-1351.jpg" id="blogsy-1356257350218.8591" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="500" height="667"></a></div>
Man fridge unpacking: " There's a problem. There's no room for the Turkey and wine."<br/><br/><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.plancreatesucceed.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/wpid-Photo-22-Dec-2012-1400.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="http://www.plancreatesucceed.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/wpid-Photo-22-Dec-2012-1400.jpg" id="blogsy-1356257350220.9883" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="500" height="667"></a></div>
Girl fridge re-packing<br/><br/><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.plancreatesucceed.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/wpid-Photo-22-Dec-2012-1405.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="http://www.plancreatesucceed.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/wpid-Photo-22-Dec-2012-1405.jpg" id="blogsy-1356257350183.664" class="aligncenter" width="500" height="667" alt=""></a></div>
All in. But yeah, I might have bought a turkey that is a smidgen too big for six people....<br/><br/> <br/><br/><div style="text-align: right; font-size: small; clear: both;" id="blogsy_footer"><a href="http://blogsyapp.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://blogsyapp.com/images/blogsy_footer_icon.png" alt="Posted with Blogsy" style="vertical-align: middle; margin-right: 5px;" width="20" height="20" />Posted with Blogsy</a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06589254083891378425noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19129786.post-72426122126242883202012-12-17T21:59:00.001+00:002012-12-17T21:59:07.714+00:00Filofax Frenzy My friend Linda on her blog recently dubbed me Filofax Queen. I am happy to have that title but I think I might deserve to be an Empress after today. In my family it is a standing joke thay my sister gets bargain after bargain and everything I want to buy goes up in price the day before I go shopping. Well not today. <br/><br/>Little Sis, read and weep.<br/><br/>First, Personal Malden Filofax now unavailable save through Filofax France for €99, on ebay, grand total of £20.<br/><br/><em>And</em> it comes with a filofax pen and sticky note insert.<br/><br/><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.plancreatesucceed.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/wpid-Photo-17-Dec-2012-21451.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="http://www.plancreatesucceed.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/wpid-Photo-17-Dec-2012-21451.jpg" id="blogsy-1355781547681.7185" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="500" height="602"></a>Then, later, late night shopping in Liverpool, I stumbled on a TK Maxx and remembered that the Philofaxy community mention it as a place for bargains. So we enter with me saying, "Of course, there won't be any now I am in here." Wrong.</div>
Long unavailable A5 red Amazonia, RRP £125. Mine for £39.99. Its a beautiful deep yet still slightlu orangy red. Like an african sunset. <br/><br/><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.plancreatesucceed.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/wpid-Photo-17-Dec-2012-18251.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="http://www.plancreatesucceed.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/wpid-Photo-17-Dec-2012-18251.jpg" id="blogsy-1355781547651.5413" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="500" height="375"></a></div>
And better, this piece of gorgeousness not made by Filofax themselves but with compatible rings and tshe softest of softest leather for £14.99. I put the ruler in to check the ring spacing. Is this not the happiest filofax ever seen?<br/><br/><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.plancreatesucceed.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/wpid-Photo-17-Dec-2012-18252.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="http://www.plancreatesucceed.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/wpid-Photo-17-Dec-2012-18252.jpg" id="blogsy-1355781547717.2688" class="aligncenter" width="500" height="375" alt=""></a></div>
There will be a video about this on <a href="http://www.philofaxy.blogspot.com" target="_self" title="">Philofaxy's</a> next webfinds in a hope more information about its provenance can be found. (ie.... Are there more?!) <br/><br/>Oh happy, happy day!<br/><br/> <br/><br/><div style="text-align: right; font-size: small; clear: both;" id="blogsy_footer"><a href="http://blogsyapp.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://blogsyapp.com/images/blogsy_footer_icon.png" alt="Posted with Blogsy" style="vertical-align: middle; margin-right: 5px;" width="20" height="20" />Posted with Blogsy</a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06589254083891378425noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19129786.post-85238585602796084032012-12-04T20:46:00.001+00:002012-12-04T20:46:38.227+00:00What I use the Filofax tower for... To answer the questions left in commentS in my previous posts, this is what I currently use my filofaxes for, although of course the delight of them is their flexibility so who knows when this might change. Working up from the bottom of the big pile of A5 models first we have...<br/><br/><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.plancreatesucceed.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/wpid-Photo-2-Dec-2012-17171.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="http://www.plancreatesucceed.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/wpid-Photo-2-Dec-2012-17171.jpg" id="blogsy-1354653997250.8762" class="aligncenter" width="500" height="667" alt=""></a></div>
1. Chocolate Classic. Usually lives at work and houses notes on new law and procedural rules.<br/><br/>2. Pink Classic. Still being set up in its new use as a wet studio Filo containing dyeing and printing instructions and swatches of fabrics I dyed with notes of how I did it. I am taking my time setting this up as the true wet studio ( as opposed to the ramshackle temporary arrangements of buckets of water in the dry studio) is not going to be built until next month!<br/><br/>3. Saddle brown Cuban. Ah, actually after I took this photo I had a swap around, which is why I had all these together in the first place. It was holding sketchbook pages. It is now empty but about to go to work to hold case notes.<br/><br/>4. Chilli red Cuban. Currently holding a test set up for work which, as it is working, will be rolled out soon across three filos. This has a diary, case notes, protocol checklists, telephone lists, meeting minutes and the like. Now I know my system works it will expand as extra items in those categories are added. So the two Cubans will probably contain case notes in two categories ( excuse me being vague but I cannot discuss the detail of my work online) project notes such as material relating to a new book contract I am about to sign, and the other items will go into the wine Holborn. My colleague at work calls me a Filofax nerd. He is right so I take no offence!<br/><br/>5. Ochre Malden. My studio planner for my textile art life. Time recording, project planning, calls for entry, expenditure, inspirational cuttings, article ideas etc.<br/><br/>6. Grey Malden. My blog and website planner and journal.<br/><br/>7. Purple Malden. This also had a swap around. I had set it up to contain art materials and sketchbook pages but it wasnt pleasing me so I took the art stuff out and combined the pages with the sketchbook pages that had been in the thinner Cuban.<br/><br/>8. Mustard Finchley. Contains notes and website references, clippings, gallery leaftlets etc on contemporary african art which is an interest of mine. It may well expand to non african artists in due course.<br/><br/>9. Caramel Finchley. Currently my upgraded health filo. This was in the small and cheap lineburst but as I put myself on a serious training and weight watching programme I gave myself the reward of more space and more leather! It has a training diary, notes on exercise routines and general health research, yoga, psychology of health, a goals and reward section and a food section for listing health benefits of certain foods, their weightwatcher points and health characteristics.<br/><br/>10. Jade Finchley. Home Filo. Lives in the kitchen. Contains shopping lists, lists of recipes I want to try from my book collection, a bread making journal, and sections with to do lists, shopping research, plans and designs etc for the areas of the house still awaiting rennovation. I maintain this needs a list of all 79 different lightbulb models we seem to require in this house and which one fits which light fitting and how many spares we have on hand/ need buying. My husband says this is a step too far and we can just take the blown bulb to the shop. This is why I am going up and down the studio step using a torch at the moment.<br/><br/>11. Wine Holborn. Awaiting 2013 to come into fruition when it will go to work. Currently already full with a page on a day cream diary hacked from a bound Letts version.<br/><br/>12. Plum Osterley. This is where it kind of gets funny. Or super organised, depending on your view point. This is basically now my 'transit filo'. With so many filos if I have a few spare moments to say update my blog ideas list or to read about african art I often don' t have the right filo with me if I am not at home but I like to use them in cafes between home and work say or in the odd lunch time moment. So, this week I altered the set up of this slightly as it was underused with a commonplace journal, reading and Love Film lists and a bound journal tucked in the back pocket for general web browsing and magazine reading notes. Things I want to follow up on. It also now has a 'capture section' which is basically blank paper for mind dump notes and a transit section which is a space for me to insert pages taken from any number of other filos if I want to work on them but not carry the whole filo. I then have a section with five sheets of every type of paper I use in all my filos ( and an index list to remind me what I use for each section) and copies of all my homemade inserts. So yes, this is my filofax to organise my filofaxes! I also added a financial section this week and now its pretty full. I drive to the backdoor of my office so there is no problem carting an A5 with me. ( the driving to the backdoor explains the need fr a setious training and weightwatching programme!)<br/><br/>Turning now to the small pile, again bottom up.<br/><br/>13. London Line burst. This was so cheap online I bought it for the inserts and it was my health filo. Now storeing spare personal papers and likely to be used to archive this years diary.<br/><br/>14. Mushroom aston. This is my planner with monthly weekly and daily pages, to do lists and notes. It did have finances but I moved those to the Osterley in anticipation of a 2012 downsize to the Regency for daily use. It will probably get used to hold used 2013 pages as I go through the year.<br/><br/>15. Orchid Aston. Had a brief spell as a gratitude journal by my bed but that never really worked. Now housing most of the 2012 day on two pages I got from France. You cannot fit a whole year of these in a personal so some are loose inside and not on the rings and some are already in the ...<br/><br/>16 Compact Regency. All set up and ready to go as my 2013 planner. I can't wait for New Year to get to this new set up.<br/><br/>17 Pocket Chameleon. Used as my purse with extra credit / loyalty card holders, finance pages for noting spending and plain paper for shopping lists and general mind dump notes.<br/><br/>So, as I say, all used and justified ( if a little weakly in the case of the personals!) When I meet the first of my health goals my reward will be a grey Osterley. I have a little time to work out what to use that for... <br/><br/>Any more questions?!<br/><br/> <br/><br/><div style="text-align: right; font-size: small; clear: both;" id="blogsy_footer"><a href="http://blogsyapp.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://blogsyapp.com/images/blogsy_footer_icon.png" alt="Posted with Blogsy" style="vertical-align: middle; margin-right: 5px;" width="20" height="20" />Posted with Blogsy</a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06589254083891378425noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19129786.post-27514641901720139032012-12-02T17:20:00.002+00:002012-12-03T15:20:07.064+00:00Filofax confessionSo far, I have hidden my <strike>out of control obsession</strike> passion for using filofaxes by keeping all my blogging about it as guest posts on the <a href="http://www.philofaxy.blogspot.co.uk" target="_self" title="">Philofaxy</a> blog. But maybe, it is time to come clean.....The great thing about the Philofaxy blog is that it makes having an <strike>out of control desire</strike> requirement for owning multiple leather binders normal. The good folks over there are very social and like from time to time to meet up to discuss their <strike>Addiction</strike> organisational skills. The tradition is that the attendees on such a meet up bring a filofax or two and a pile is made...<br/><br/><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Like this<a href="http://www.plancreatesucceed.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/wpid-Photo-2-Dec-2012-1717.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="http://www.plancreatesucceed.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/wpid-Photo-2-Dec-2012-1717.jpg" id="blogsy-1354547978989.1223" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="500" height="667"></a></div>
Except there was no meet up. They are all mine. Ooops. (And the A4 was still at work!) <br/><br/>Two are set up for pending 2013 use which means that two current ones will be retired as storeage binders, otherwise they are all in full use and so perfectly justifiable :)<br/><br/>I would name all the models except the only people who would care are the Philofaxy people who can do it themselves!<br/><br/> <br/><br/><div style="text-align: right; font-size: small; clear: both;" id="blogsy_footer"><a href="http://blogsyapp.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://blogsyapp.com/images/blogsy_footer_icon.png" alt="Posted with Blogsy" style="vertical-align: middle; margin-right: 5px;" width="20" height="20" />Posted with Blogsy</a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06589254083891378425noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19129786.post-26234322680007017392012-11-11T09:23:00.000+00:002012-11-11T09:23:11.396+00:00Joe Slovo TownshipMy latest map quilt is finished. It is called Joe Slovo Township. it <span style="background-color: yellow;">is</span> 39 x 50 inches.<br />
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Some time ago I visited this informal settlement which is on the edge of Llanga Township in Cape Town. There we met a small boy , about three years old, in a sunny yellow T shirt who kept grabbing at my camera. Unlike all the other children who loved to have their photos taken in comical poses and then look at the result on the digital camera screen, this child wanted to be behind the lens. I showed him how to do it and he happily took photos of all his neighbours' houses. Good ones at that! I always remember the child we know only as Joe Slovo Boy.<br />
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So when I was thinking of what the next quilt in my maps series would be, Joe Slovo came to mind. I began to read up on the history of it both before and after our visit. These shacks lie along side the Settler's Way, the main road in from the city to the airport and in the run up to the FIFA Word Cup attempts were made to improve housing for the residents. Cynics would say to make the road less unattractive for passing tourists.<br />
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Of course, to build better housing on a densely populated area of shacks means people have to be moved out so building can begin. The plan was to remove the residents to transitory accommodation in Delft some 30km away. This was strenuously opposed as there was no transport or jobs in Delft and a High Court case ensued. When some building work was completed there was controversy about who was being allocated the housing. I often wonder what, in all of this, happened to Joe Slovo Boy.<br />
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The details of this story are written on the city blocks part of the quilt which was then darkened with Neocolour Crayon and stitched over with freemotion quiting in the shapes of shacks. The writing is therefore a little more obscured than in my previous map quilts but still readable close up. The background is stamped and scraped with screen inks, the road painted with textile paint. Most of the fabrics for the shacks are either my monoprints of fabrics from the <a href="http://www.africanfabricshop.co.uk/">African Fabric Shop.</a> The fence is paint and abacca tissue. The rail road and river is couched embroidery thread.<br />
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Of course, now it is finished, all I can see in it is its faults...!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06589254083891378425noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19129786.post-55822450537671844212012-11-01T02:30:00.000+00:002012-11-01T02:30:00.989+00:00Endings and BeginningsSometime ago I decided I needed a challenge. Having had some very nice comments on my guest post on the <a href="http://www.philofaxy.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_self" title="">Philofaxy</a> blog, I decided it was time I went beyond the fall-off-a-log type of blogging that Blogger enables and work out how to self host a site on Wordpress with all the associated anayltical and tracking bells and whistles one can add on. I had great fun researching and applying and figuring out how best to run my new project into the future and some days ago scheduled the resultant blog <strong><a href="http://www.plancreatesucceed.com" target="_self" title="">Plan•Create•Succeed</a> </strong> to launch today. Today <a href="http://www.philofaxy.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_self" title="">Philofaxy</a> is hosting a post on the process I went through setting it up.<br/><br/>With <strong><a href="http://www.plancreatesucceed.com" target="_self" title="">Plan•Create•Succeed</a> </strong> I hope to introduce my art quilting friends and readers to the people who share my love of filofaxes because although you have different passions I think you all have a lot in common. On <strong><a href="http://www.plancreatesucceed.com" target="_self" title="">Plan•Create•Succeed</a> </strong>I will be writing regularly, to a fixed schedule ( I said I wanted to challenge myself, remember!) about some of the things I love; art,creativity, goal setting, confidence building, personal development, creating food, journalling, planning and organisation, design and generally living life to the best. <br>
<br/><br/>As I say, I always planned for the first post to go live today. I did not plan for yesterday to be the day of the funeral of my beloved Granny. She died at the age of 91, strong in her faith and content to go to the arms of her Maker. Endings are always sad but it can be comforting to think not of a cessation so much as a handing on of a baton. It amused me and heartened me to learn that Gran had planned her own funeral in detail, having had several consulations with my cousin's husband who was the minister she asked to lead the service. Apparently, she went through several drafts of her order of service, right down to specifying the version of the Bible I was to read from. She will never see <strong><a href="http://www.plancreatesucceed.com" target="_self" title="">Plan•Create•Succeed</a> </strong>but I think she would approve of the planning and organisational elements of it!<br/><br/> ( Certainly when I went back just now to get the link to my <a href="http://philofaxy.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/reader-under-spotlight-helen.html" target="_self" title="">guest post</a>, I see there is a certain irony to my opening line!) <br/><br/>Of course, planning is a good thing, but so is spontaneity and being open to new things. Given that Gran's claim to fame was that as a child in Edinburgh she knew Sean Connery when he was still known as Tommy, I think she would been happy that we creatively embellished her plans with a bagpiper at the end!<br/><br/>I hope you will pop over and subscribe to <strong><a href="http://www.plancreatesucceed.com" target="_self" title="">Plan•Create•Succeed</a>. </strong>I very much want it to be a community site so if you have opinions on what you would like on the site let me know. After all, it seems there is a family history of revising plans until they are perfect!<br/><br/> <br/><br/><div style="text-align: right; font-size: small; clear: both;" id="blogsy_footer"><a href="http://blogsyapp.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://blogsyapp.com/images/blogsy_footer_icon.png" alt="Posted with Blogsy" style="vertical-align: middle; margin-right: 5px;" width="20" height="20" />Posted with Blogsy</a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06589254083891378425noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19129786.post-13532391257052042892012-10-21T15:13:00.000+01:002012-10-21T15:13:10.133+01:00Broad Changes - Camila BA little while ago I was invited to submit a quilt for the next collection from Fibre Artists for Hope. As I would be their first international member I was honoured to be asked. The title is a play on words, with 'Broad' referring to the US vernacular for woman as well as the theme which was women who were or are active in social justice.<br />
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I have chosen a portrait of charity worker and media pundit Camila Batmangheldigh who is the founder of the charity Kids Company, whih was a bit scary as this is the first portrait I have ever done. The quilt falls with in my new series using maps and handwriting as background and shows Camila, who is of Persian origin, in her trademark colourful flowing robes against a map of South London where her various facilities are located. The handwriting tells the story of Camila herself, of her chairty and what it does and gives information about child poverty in London. The quilt is 35 x 45 inches.<br />
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You can read more ( much more!) about how I came to this series over on the <a href="http://teaandtalkfortwo.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/learning-to-work-in-series.html">Tea and Talk For Two blog.</a><br />
Fibre Artists for Hope currently have a collection about racisim which is touring South Africa and a show touring the US called American Spring which responds to the shooting of Traynor Martin. I am honoured to be asked to participate in this show.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06589254083891378425noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19129786.post-23846423545761234592012-09-20T08:13:00.000+01:002012-09-20T08:13:09.728+01:00Do not sew like an Egyptian<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="480" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/a5N7RNQUKts" width="640"></iframe>
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I do not mean, do not aim to have the skills of the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHzWRui7Kjk">Tentmakers of Cairo</a><br />
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I mean, do not machine quilt whilst <br />
(a) pressing down hard on a heavy quilt because you cannot be bothered to walk downstairs to the laundry room and get your <a href="http://www.daystyledesigns.com/machingers.htm">Mashingers</a> and<br />
(b) moving your neck in imitation of the tortoise necked dance that went with the Bangle's song Walk Like An Egyptian.<br />
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If you do this you will shear the C5 and C6 vertebrae in your cervical spine.<br />
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This will trap the median nerve. This will cause neck and shoulder aching, stiffness down the outside of your arm ( not unlike when the muscles go stuff after a travel inoculation) and tingling in your ring and middle fingers and thumb. You may also get a bit of tingling in the pads of your palm as the ulnar nerve has compensatory damage.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCF_RouZN8yXndHawLqX5-AivKYioLHuolrXDUbCflJZLhiEGv7GzbAdqi7R89NPbtUslPCjpMalF27yfsex7zXrAy2_hk-OtmvsJz2MXQzuKqu4jL7YNr1L2y9Wx9vcq8hPj3/s1600/Arm_with_Median_Nerve.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCF_RouZN8yXndHawLqX5-AivKYioLHuolrXDUbCflJZLhiEGv7GzbAdqi7R89NPbtUslPCjpMalF27yfsex7zXrAy2_hk-OtmvsJz2MXQzuKqu4jL7YNr1L2y9Wx9vcq8hPj3/s400/Arm_with_Median_Nerve.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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You will then be forced to give some of your quilting money to a nice physiotherapist who will stick acupuncture needles in your arm to desensitise the nerve (you will not feel a thing but do not try it with your machine needles at home) and she will then manipulate your neck very gently and give you some exercises to do.<br />
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You will just be thinking what a nice lady she is when she will tell you not to go near your sewing machine for three weeks. Yes. Three.<br />
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Ask me how I know all this.<br />
Sigh.<br />
Actually, I knew it before but I did it anyway.<br />
Idiot.<br />
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Looking on the bright side of life, at least we are going away for a while anyway and this is now an opportune time to get the machine serviced!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06589254083891378425noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19129786.post-90583257708004745632012-09-07T15:23:00.000+01:002012-09-07T15:23:00.127+01:00I am working on: A Happy mess<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I cannot show you the quilt I am machine quilting at the moment because it is to be a suprise for a freind who reads this. Albeit she is not going to see it until April, but I want it off my To Do List.</div>
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I can show you that I have ben doing why my Husband calls Making a Mess.</div>
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I will let him off as he refers to the process not the end result. </div>
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I have been scraping and stamping with screen inks again to make a background for naother map quilt. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglJrShv1OdBJV-hwF-Lk5CzRE6CkgND-lZjgMUAvLHGXKE1sgF2j6hxfSQh7E6bHrFbiIVYsKuHBkEWbL3Uw8nGbPm2EQt-KNhDK0l2GmWBfrnomUQ-8QzWtXYIBc67RT00coG/s1600/2012-09-04+19.45.14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglJrShv1OdBJV-hwF-Lk5CzRE6CkgND-lZjgMUAvLHGXKE1sgF2j6hxfSQh7E6bHrFbiIVYsKuHBkEWbL3Uw8nGbPm2EQt-KNhDK0l2GmWBfrnomUQ-8QzWtXYIBc67RT00coG/s400/2012-09-04+19.45.14.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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Mess it might be, but it is a happy mess.</div>
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I cannot wait to start work on my wet studio though.. current wash up facilties are less than ideal.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ocs7cIICIoePe28-GMWSRD0_Sio_neah0nMT0AcirNWUqs_syJD3Ae0GdEKjUQwiBR9WvN15gvB-12CGdhNqraP791HuWzukrXj1Sg5AhrcA_PGNUJf-E_H7_HgT_0urBjiL/s1600/2012-09-04+19.48.50.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ocs7cIICIoePe28-GMWSRD0_Sio_neah0nMT0AcirNWUqs_syJD3Ae0GdEKjUQwiBR9WvN15gvB-12CGdhNqraP791HuWzukrXj1Sg5AhrcA_PGNUJf-E_H7_HgT_0urBjiL/s400/2012-09-04+19.48.50.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06589254083891378425noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19129786.post-83122028009690128052012-09-05T15:18:00.000+01:002012-09-05T15:18:08.724+01:00Musical tribute to Thomas Woodcock <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2voqu8N1XFNzR90BwiQbXtC-8KCj7XQWeIohpLG3UhhyphenhyphenVMa-gRa3ur7GZ9ZezR1cgcoY2dVrushnlylf-IYPy7y77Vi6z4I4z88iDmjfnzQ9_Kfb5QxkjlC8ULL2KN0VAQsiJ/s1600/2012-08-26+22.34.35.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2voqu8N1XFNzR90BwiQbXtC-8KCj7XQWeIohpLG3UhhyphenhyphenVMa-gRa3ur7GZ9ZezR1cgcoY2dVrushnlylf-IYPy7y77Vi6z4I4z88iDmjfnzQ9_Kfb5QxkjlC8ULL2KN0VAQsiJ/s320/2012-08-26+22.34.35.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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Sadly my Father in law Tommy Woodcock passed away peascefully on 22nd August at the age of 87. he was from Ballymena in N. Ireland and was a great musician. He taught many children and was a conductor and trombonist with teh Curragh Silver band for 62 years. I encouraged my husband to arrange for members of the band to play around the graveside which they agreed to do. they played Tommy's own arrangement of near to the Cross and faded out leaving only the Trombone playing. </div>
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Poignant to say the least.</div>
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The weekend after his death was Black Saturday, the traditional marching day of the Royal Black Instrituion a senior Lodge to the Orange Lodge. The lodge near to my parents- in law would normally do a short local march before heading off to the main event but this year they chose, entirely off their own bat not to play in the locality but to march only with a single drum tap as a mark of respect.</div>
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I appreciated that but Tommy's life was about music not silence. So I asked the Pride of the Maine flute band to come and play directly outside the door as a tribute. The result is in the video below. I apologise for the breath sounds... the arranging involved some running up and down the hill to ensure my MIL and husband were at the door to see it!</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="480" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/PWeRTEhiDzo" width="853"></iframe>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06589254083891378425noreply@blogger.com2