Travels

Two weeks ago I was on the road down to my other home; as my very best friend tells me. Yes, I was off to Bridport for a few days. It was wonderful to get away. I went to the Saturday market where there are lots of antique and vintage stalls as well as local produce and the usual market stalls. In The Arts Centre there was an exhibition by local artists including some very large canvases of collaged work which was interesting. Then to Eype where Stephen Bishop had an exhibition in the church, which is now used as an Arts Centre. I like his work, it is so vibrant and using oil pains he creates a lot of texture. Time spent watching the world go by at Burton Bradstock beach and doing some sketching. Lovely local crab and crayfish for supper. I got some lovely hand dyed Chilean wool that is slowly been knitted into another pair of socks, this time I have a better idea of the size.

Talking of wool I have been very lucky as my neighbours who have a few sheep asked me if I would like some fleece. I was expecting a small bag of wool but no I have been given a whole white and a whole black fleece. It has been good fun cleaning it all, takes me back to my childhood. I am going to try dying some of the white fleece, will let you know how that goes.

I had to go to Stroud last week, on the way I went to the Brewery Arts Centre in Cirencester. The exhibition Close to Nature was well worth going to. My favourite piece was done by Celia Smith, I believe that she is a farmers daughter. It was an amazing piece in very fine wire, a collection of birds in flight. I also spent some time talking to the bookbinder, Katherine O'Connell. I came home and just had to have a go at making a hardback notebook. It is quite a challenge to get everything just so. My first one is not true, but none the less I feel quite pleased that I managed to make one. This is notebook twenty-two, it is 3.5 x 2.75" with a fabric cover and plain paper inside.

I have since brought a book on making notebooks, lots of wonderful projects inside here.

Notebook twenty- three is another hard backed notebook, it is 6 x 4" the cover is paper and the inside pages are pale blue, pink and mauve.

I have another new book, Surface Treatment Workshop. It is packed full of information. Some of the processes I have tried before others are completely new to me. I am going to work my way through the book over the summer.

Hope you are all well. Have a good weekend.