distractions – Dreaming In Stitches

Being Distracted…

Oh, you know how it is, the sun comes out, you get a good book to read, you buy a new dog…

Well, it’s been like that around here lately, which is why I’ve been away for a few days. Actually I’ve been going through the process of getting the house ready and then settling in the gorgeous new blond man in my life – what a sweetie he’s being too.

The sun has barely popped its head behind a cloud for at least a week now, which is of course wonderful, but a bit of a shock to the system. Although I should warn any of you living around here, that I went and stocked up on sun lotion yesterday, which is normally more effective at bringing a heat wave to a halt, than appointing Denis Howell as Minister for Drought.

As for the good read – I’m delighted to have found I’d Rather Be In The Studio, by Alyson B Stanfield. I tried VERY hard to find a hard copy – I am after all one of those dreadful scrawlers in books – but short of paying well over £30 and waiting for the vagaries of shipping from the US, there was no option but to buy the Kindle version.

Although I can’t cover the pages with pencil, I’ve found myself taking notes, which knowing the way my old brain works, might actually be more effective – time will tell.

It’s a book for artists who want to get serious about promoting their art. Being involved in the very slow art world of needlepoint and tapestry, it’s terribly easy to let things slide, putting off deadlines and thinking that everything will happen in the future by some strange turn of fate.

When I was living in the corporate world, I was really good at goals and deadlines – now I’m being motivated to set up those routines again and see what I can achieve.

So, hello again. And now it’s off to the studio (ok, sitting room) for me.

Enjoy what’s left of the weather!

A Bit Grumpy…

journal, slow stitching

Ever had one of those weeks?

I can’t really complain – but I will anyway.

The thing is, the tree is coming along very slowly, but I can’t say I’m all that happy with it. In my mind, it was going to have more contrast, more texture, more je ne sais quoi.

And it doesn’t.

And although I want to sit and slap some ideas around, I haven’t managed to do that yet – partly I suspect because I’m trying to solve the tree problem and I don’t want to leave it without feeling happier about it.

So, I’m feeling a bit grumpy and a bit out of sorts. And the best thing when I’m in this frame of mind is to get off and moan in private.

I’ll come back when I’ve got my happy face back (as my mother thankfully never said).

Have a good weekend.

Slow Stitching & Fast Nature

slow stitching

Slow progress on the canvas, but lots happening in the garden.

I don’t seem to have made much progress on the canvas this week, but I’ve been distracted. Mother Nature is performing her seasonal miracles in the garden and you’d have to be hard-hearted not to want to watch.

On March 1st, I took some pictures.

I’m no gardener, so everything that comes up in my little patch has well and truly got here on it’s own merits, but I’m always fascinated by the way that life springs up from the cold and dark winter soil.

Snowdrops appear every year. I’ve never planted any.

Ivy winds itself around the trees and over the fences. It’s welcome in my garden, the flowing leaves take off the sharp edges of the fences. A touch of ‘The Secret Garden’.

Today, daffodils have flowered.