Silk, eco dyeing and wooden floors!

On our way up to our son and daughter-in-law's house, we stopped off at ART VAN GO
the studios
1 stevenage road
knebworth
hertfordshire sg3 6an 
art@artvango.co.uk
tel: +44 (0)1438 814946
fax: +44 (0)1438 816267 how to get to the studios

What an amazing place and such lovely people to shop with. They were very helpful and patient with me and even offered my long suffering husband a cup of coffee! I spent some money but l enjoyed every moment of it. They also have a great gallery and a good workshop area. If you live near, go visit and have fun. They also have a loyalty card, which is a great bonus.

Here is the silk l bought. I couldn't have the amount l wanted but they very kindly sold me half of what I wanted after explaining they have trouble getting silk supplies at the moment. Apparently, the principle source has been rural production in China where the village people are increasingly migrating into towns and cities lured by financial opportunities. Silk prices are going up 25% to reflect this supply situation... phew!!!

As many of you may remember, l am having trouble holding my gutta container because of some arthritis in my fingers. Look what l found...problem solved. (Well, it will be once l have learned to use it.)

I also needed some new silk paints...such gorgeous colours.

Also found these cute buttons for my wall hangings.

While we were up in Rutland, we also visited Gemma's Aunt, who lives near by and keeps chickens. She gave us some fresh eggs to take home with us. Yummy! Sadly, the hen that normally produces blue eggs is not laying at the moment.

Here are some of her chickens..aren't they gorgeous?

We also visited some old Dubai friends and look what l was given.....! My friend got a bundle of french lace and bits and pieces from ebay. Very kindly she gave me this bundle. Isn't it gorgeous?

When we got home l was greeted with this....silk having been left in a dye bath of Blood Orange. Beautiful blue isn't it?

These are the marks the mould left after it had been scaped off the silk.! Colour no good but hey you can't always get it right with Eco dyeing! That's half the fun in my books.

This is the first "unwrapping" of the Blood Orange dye. I am leaving the others for a bit longer until they are really dry. I am so impatient.

Here they are "resting" as they say!

I am experimenting with orange peel. I will let you know the results later.

Blueberries experiments. Some just blueberries, some with rusty can and one with an iron nail added.

My Art room is under seige! The carpet has been ripped up and we are laying down a wooden floor.

The rest of the flat is in chaos!

These are the boards and the underlay waiting to go down. If we survive..will see you all tomorrow!!! Ha

2 amazing Artist's give-away's.

Just two give-aways you maybe be in terested in. Am at son and daughter-in-laws for few days..will blog when l get homexxlynda
Sophia-Lala  blog giveaway.  http://sophia-lala.blogspot.com

http://sharnesbitsnbobs.blogspot.com/

New Silkpaintings.

My latest silkpainting. Summer and Winter.

This is a silkpainting of one of my many "Faces" images that l created when l lived in Papua New Guinea. This is not a very good image of this piece but next week l am have proffestional images taken.

Blood Oranges, dyeing, new silkpaintings and blue sky!

When Tony and l were out shopping today, Tony remembered l hasd been looking for Blood Oranges and found some for me. The reason l wanted some, was l had seen some being used for dyeing and so l wanted to try some too! They are such an amazing colour and l have to admit that Tony and l kept two back for ourselves. Would you believe l picked the only one of the whole bag, that was NOT a Blood Orange!

Here is a silk and Blood Orange bundle which l will steam later. I also bought some more blueberries to day and have put them in hot water and have added a rusty tin to one batch, one just the berries and the third one with an iron nail in the jar. I await the outcomes with interest.

I have also been Silkpainting today and yesterday to complete a project l am invoved in. This is one of the pieces, guttad and then painted. 

Colour isn't quite right, as it is in artifical light but it gives you an idea, The next silk is of  Fun Houses, guttad and then painted. I have a larger version of this painting but the background is red and l am told it looks as if the houses are on fire!

The next silk is one of many fishes l have completed. This one has been painted but l forgot to take an image of the finished piece.

The last one tonight is a large Noah's Ark painting, which has also already been painted. The reason l have not shown you the finish piece is because l don't have a big enough piece of white paper to put behind it, when l take an image. It needs white behind the silk, to show up the colours correctly. They are being photographed proffesionally next week, by my son and l will show you them all then.

Hope you all have had a nice enjoyable weekend and have had a good rest before Monday and work starts. One of the things that made today so great, was for the first time for nearly two weeks....drum roll...there was blue sky!

Blue skies always makes me smilex

Give-away and past art re-visited

I may be quiet for a while as l am "re-doing" my Art room. Laying new wooden floor ect...so wish me luck and see you soon!!xxlynda

This a great site, visit if you are interested in materials, tutorials and patterns. They also have a GREAT giveaway each week.

I have been looking through some of my unfinished or "need some more work" pieces. Here are a few of them. I think it is good sometimes to revise your past work.
This teddy just needed an exgra button on it's heart and now it is really finished.

I have just re-waxed this postcard and now am happy with it.

 This piece needed some touching up and a few new clips added to it. Think l am happy with this postcard.

This postcard has a way to go yet but it is getting there..but slowly!!

 This one is now finished and am pleased with it.

 All l need to do to this Noah's Ark cross stitch is frame it.

 One of my many silk painted cards..ready to be wrapped.

 Waiting to be wrapped!

A gift and a cake!

Once again l am a lucky lady...I just received this wonderful brooch in the post. The Artist is Sandy from Dangling by a Thread. She saw one of the small, padded and embroidered cushions,  l make for my wall hangings and asked to swop it for one of her brooches. Isn't gorgeous? Thanks Sandy.

I suppose some of you would not think of cooking as "Art" but l think this particular cake is pure Art!!!! It used to be a custom in our house, after mixing a cake the children licked the bowl and spoon. BUT as there are no children in the house today....l had the treat instead.

 Now you are thinking l baked this gorgeous cake but NO. My husband Tony did..isn't he clever?

AND WHAT A CAKE!!!!! Coffee and walnut cake from scatch, no cake mix in a box for this man.

I am sorry you are not around to share it......but l don't think we need to worry it will go to waste!!!!