More work....

Well, the weather has been so atrocious this last week that I have battened down the hatches and got stuck in to work. I finally finished the Hare Wheel Quilt. I just need to find a suitable bony stick from which to hang it. I'll show you close ups next time. That is a Hare's head in the middle, by the way, not a tadpole, as my small son thought. He also commented that all the words go round and round in circles 'just like your words do when you talk, Mummy'. Hmmm, I'm not quite sure what to make of that!

Here are the fox and magpie, tricksters and lovers, spirits circling and dancing.

And some of the composition sketches, large ones by my standards, listed on Etsy, as I REALLY need to start paying the rent on the studio :)

Stook Deer

'Stook Deer' is finished! Apologies for the poor photograph - I want to mount it on a mustard coloured background, and then I will try and get some better pics.

Two stitched Hares

Half Term is nearing it's end, and sadly the children will have to return to school on Monday. It's been a busy week, with eldest daughter performing in the local pantomime. This is wonderful fun for her, but means that I have to sit up till late into the night in order to collect her after the performance has ended. As I am not a night owl, this is quite a chore! Still, it does mean that I have been working on 'Stook Deer', and it's very nearly finished. This one has two hares in it.

Middle daughter has spent the week getting to grips with her pony. We have finally found a replacement for Tishy, and are crossing our fingers that this is 'the one'! She is Squeak, a 12.1hh welsh pony, who is just the politest little mare I have ever handled. Unfortunately, I don't know much of her history, so we are taking things very slowly and getting to know her. Never-the-less, middle daughter is smitten!

Beetle and I took a stroll round the garden in the gaps between sleet showers this morning. My witch hazel is in full, glorious bloom, and I can see buds and new growth beginning to push through the ground. Spring is definately on it's way!

Edit: Squeak has a symbol clipped onto her quarters. It was suggested to me when I bought her that this was a warmblood brandmark that someone had decided to clip onto her, but it doesn't look like any I recognise. I thought it looked more like a japanese / kanji symbol, but if anyone recognises it , do let us know!

Celebratory Giveaway!

OK, it's celebration time! I thought that reaching over 1000 hearts at my Etsy shop was something of a milestone, and deserved a big blog giveaway to celebrate. Plus, it's been a rather testing start to the year and I really need to do something cheery and fun! So, I am going to hold a draw here on the blog. The winner gets to choose their prize from my Etsy shop - 1 large print ( A4/ 8 x 12) or 2 small prints (A5/ 6 x 8). In order to enter, you need to leave a comment after THIS post, stating which print, or pair of prints, that you would like to receive if you win. You don't have to be a blogger, but if not, you need to leave me a way of contacting you should you win. It's open to anyone, anywhere in the world. I will close the comments next Friday 12th of February at 9 o'clock UK time, and draw a name at random.

And here is a peek at the first stages of the third hare quilt.
"Stook Deer"

Race The Wind

Race The Wind is finished, bar the hanging rod. Not a machine stitch in the piece! I need some time to source / make hanging rods for both this piece and Long Lugs, as I have a pretty specific idea of how I want them to be hung.

In the photos, the greenish edge fringe contrasts very strongly with the piece, but in reality it works a lot better. What is tricky to see in the pictures is that a lot of the stitching over the blue and turquoise background is in gold thread, and this gives it a very greenish gold feel.

The next piece is already taking shape in my head. It will be simpler, and use some of my new found scraps. I'll show you soon!

Stitched words

Just a quick post to show you how 'Long Lugs' progresses. We are still snowed in, and I am happily sewing my fingers off!

stitched hare

A snow day means no painting, but instead work progresses on the hare embroidery. Here are a couple of details which I have been working on.

I have also finally got around to listing prints of all the paintings below in my Etsy store.
PLUS I have all ACEO prints on sale for the month of January. Lots of them have only one or two left in the edition, so now is the time to grab them!

No school today, but a three hour round trip with the toboggan to feed all the ponies! It's fun the first day - don't think we shall be looking forward to it so much tomorrow!