SAL #4 ~ Portsea Cliff

I am a little late in getting this post out, but I have just picked up my computer.

I did a very silly thing. A friend supposedly sent me a message, via Messenger, about a video I was in. I am usually very wary about clicking links and I am far more likely to delete a message/email/link than click on it. The message didn’t seem my friend’s style, and I couldn’t image that she would have a video I would be in, but instead of the warning bells going off, I thought “Oh well, let’s see what it is”. Click!

Of course, her Facebook account had been hacked and the message sent to everyone. So, caution finally kicked in, and I took my laptop to the computer shop…just to be safe. Everything is okay. Phew! I am a couple of days older, much wiser and far more cautious, and a little bit poorer, as peace of mind costs money.

So, I haven’t had the computer for a few days and this Stitch-a-long post is a day or two late.

I have been working. My wild, freeform work is progressing well.

As you can see I have worked on the bushes in the foreground. (The photo I am basing it on is the feature photo at the top of the post.) I used the same yarn, a variegated merino wool, as I used for the tree canopy. The stitches are random cross stitches. I wanted to keep them small to look like the small leafed foliage, and to make them different to the canopy. I enjoy the challenge of working the tones with the variegated yarn. Often the effects are quite serendipitous.

I left parts around the trunk. I can fill them in after I work on the trunk, as then I will be able to tell where the tones need to be.

I am moving on to the sand and cliff face next, and am really looking forward to working all those nooks and crannies in the face.

Thanks to everyone for your very encouraging comments on the last couple of SAL posts. I am part of a supportive group of embroiderers who regularly post about their personal stitching work. Do have a look at the others involved in the group, hosted by Avis, and be prepared to be amazed by their beautiful work! A welcome back to Connie.

Avis, Claire, Gun, Carole, Sue, Constanze, Christina, Kathy, Margaret, Cindy, Linda, Heidi, Jackie,Sunny, Hayley, Megan, Deborah, Mary Margaret, Renee, Jenny, Carmela, Jocelyn, Sharon, Daisy,Anne, Connie

(Apologies to those of you who blog at Blogger. I would love to leave a comment about your work, and I have tried, but I can’t. Is it something between Blogger and WordPress?)

SAL#2 ~ Portsea cliff

Well, I am now officially part of the Stitch-A-Long group. Thank you Avis for hosting it. There are a quite a few people who show their personal stitching, so do have a look at their lovely work. The links are at the end of the post.

Last time I was mulling over the cloud in my tapestry.

I was happy with how it turned out. Time to work out the next section, the bushes on the cliff in the background.

Using the photo as a guide ~ that’s the feature photo at the top of this post ~ my stitching interpretation needed to include:

• the dark mass behind the tree. The tree is the focal point needs the dark tones to make it stand out. However, the mass is not a uniform darkness, it has different tones within in it.
• some of the sky showing between the bushes, especially at the top of the cliff.
• a suggestion of individual trees and bushes, without too much detail.
• a density

These were the yarns I selected from my stash. The big browny/green ball is the main colour. My notes tell me I got it from Swish Yarns, but nothing more than that. It is quite a wiry yarn, which may be linen, and I think it works well.

The others I used as highlights and extra tonal contrast, which you can sort of see in this photo.

The stitching is very random, although I tried to show the direction of some of the canopy; trying to give the impression of individual trees rather than stitching each individual one.

This is where I am at the moment.

And the overall view

I think it works. I know from my other art works that a work in progress is very hard to judge. Although I can compare what I see in my mind and how I want it to look, in reality this section can only be compared to the sky. How will it blend in with the other elements, especially the focal tree? If it doesn’t work I will remove it and try something different.

Many of the yarns I use, like the sky and the shadow area, are merino wool from Fibreworks. They are a delight to stitch with. However I have found that the moths find them delightful too, munching holes in the balls. Fortunately I use shorter lengths, rather than needing the continuous yarn for knitting or crocheting. Any thoughts on how to keep the critters away?

More stitching adventures can be found below. We post on the 22nd of the month, so, depending on your time zone, some posts may not be up. Drop back later.

Avis, Claire, Gun, Carole, Sue, Constanze, Christina, Kathy, Margaret, Cindy, Helen, Linda, Heidi, Jackie, Sunny, Hayley, Megan, Deborah, Clare, Mary Margaret, Renee, Jenny, Carmela, Jocelyn, Sharon, Susan, Anne

In My Studio November 2016

I started this series a year ago, almost to the day. But ‘series’ quickly became too grand a word ~ two posts don’t really make a series! So, I am starting it up again. I began with this intention:

So….I am inviting you to let us have a peek into your creative space. You will notice that I am not saying “studio” except in the title. I like the sound of it there! Creative space is much wider ~ I’m thinking studio, kitchen table, sketchbook, computer, note book, anywhere you create. And I am not limiting it to painters. Writers and quilters, printers and poets, everyone is welcome.

And it doesn’t have to be a final, well rounded piece. It can be, but it might also be a look at what you are working on, a tip, a technique, a new piece of equipment. It might be a photo of your work space or your inspiration board. Or even an inspirational quote!

How will it work? Many of you join in with Celia’s In My Kitchen feature and you will know that I have taken that idea and given it my own slant. Each month I will put up an In My Studio post. I would encourage you to post one on your blog and then link to it in the comments of my my blog. Clear? As mud! Maybe this will help:

1. Each month you write about something happening in your creative space. It doesn’t have to be a special “In My Studio” post. I know lots of you do monthly roundups of your creativity.

2. Come to my blog and find my In My Studio post.

3. Leave a link to your post in my comments section. Then others can follow the link to have a peek into your space. [Sorry, I am not as clever as Celia, and it may take me some time to get the blog roll down the side.]

4. You don’t have a blog? Put something on Facebook or Twitter or wherever and give us a link to that.

Hopefully the monthly routine will stand up this time! If not, well, it will happen when it can. 🙂

So, In My Studio this last month……

….has been a timid effort at cleaning up my work space. When I came back from the trip it looked like this

Now it looks like this…..

My work table

Not a lot of difference, but I know that most many things still around me are things I need.

My clean up also included my palette. Again, it might not seem clean to you…..

Paint palette

While pottering around in Spotlight (one of those super craft/art/material/homewares type of store) I found this LED lamp. It was marked down to $15 but at the till I only paid $10! It is battery which means I don’t have to link up leads and power points. The head tilts too.

In My Studio is an inspirational book, on loan from my friend Liz. Every page makes my finger itch to sew and experiment. It is where the idea for my samplers came from.

Stitch magic: ideas and interpretation by Jan Beaney and Jean Littlejohn

Work by Jean Littlejohn

Here are a couple of my latest samplers, done in the caravan. The first was inspired by the colours and textures of the arid area around Menindee. The second was in response to all the water we saw on the trip.

Sampler inspired by the arid areas of inland Australia

Sampler inspired by all the water we saw on our trip

In My Studio are two works in progress….

The first is Cullen cinereum that I have been working on for quite a while!

Cullen cinereum (Image and photo copyright: Anne Lawson, 2016)

It is close to completion, but quite a few more hours yet. There is a lot of fine detail to go, and I am working with a brush so small it is ranked as 000.

The other work is my embroidery. This is an evening project, and I love the problem solving that it requires. More on it at a later date.

So, what’s been happening in your creative space? Remember to put a link into the comments.