School's out.....

All of my classes for Class have now come to an end. The girls are all frantically finishing off their last bits for their City & Guilds machine embroidery. I’ve had a lovely group of ladies once again who have made it a pleasure to teach and I’m very proud of the work that they have produced.

I’ve also had my last week end class of felt making which was really good fun. I’m always amazed at how hard the girls work and how much they produce as its only a 2 day course. We made flat felt, nuno felt, felt bowls and beads for necklaces all in that short amount of time! Here's some pictures from the course.......

 

One of the girls pointed out Alexander Palace from the window.....

View from another window.....

 In action.....

Some of the finished pieces.....

We’re already talking about next year’s classes and I’m doing a 5 week fabric book class; a five week silk paper and fabric paper with hand and machine embroidery class; patchwork; and felt making for starters so watch this space for other classes coming along.

I also went away for Easter to Northamptonshire to the Flame Off show. Last year my husband and I did a glass making course learning how to make glass beads at Barleylands. We got a bit addicted and for Christmas my husband got a kiln and all the equipment to start making the beads. We heard about the Flame Off show and off we went to see the wonders of glass bead making. They even had tents with demonstrations where my husband learnt a few new techniques. So with more equipment bought and filled with inspiration he’s taken over my spare room and turned it into a little workshop. We’ve all put our orders in and now have some lovely beads that I’m looking forward to turning into a necklace.

Sharon

London Pride at Valentines Mansion......

This week end I was lucky enough to get a last minute table as part of the designer makers craft fair at the London Pride design festival in Ilford. It was a really great event that saw a host of donated art and design items exhibited around the Mansion and garden marquees. The Tate and Saatchi Gallery had donated a host of work from all the leading and great artists including Damien Hirst (dotty mini seen below), Lucien Freud, Francis Bacon, Barbara Hepworth (my favourite), Anthony Caro, Chris Ofili, Sarah Lucas and many more. It's not everyday you get to see great art and design on your local doorstep! The event was set up as part of the Queen's Jubilee tour, so was showcasing art and design from the past 60 years, and the artists in the studios at the house were in full spirits from her visit on Thursday.

The amazing sculptures below are Tom Hiscocks Queen's Beasts which really came to life in the sunshine.






There was a music stage playing live music all week end, really lovely in the sunshine on Sunday!


Here was our stall......
And some of the other amazing talent......


A London bus, one of my favourite iconic designs, celebrating the queens diamond jubilee....



There was also a local graduate artist showcasing her work in the gardens, she harvested the silk worms to produce this amazing piece.....



There was also a kids tent.... one half was from a knitting and felting collective, Materialistics from South Shields, who create childrens scenes all from knitted and felted objects. It's a group of 40 ladies who meet up and get crafting to create amazing pieces including this ginger bread house to inspire little minds into a love of literature...


Everything the eye can see was knitted, there was so much to take in that every time I went back to have a look you found something else.....
The other half of the tent was the Big Book Bubble, a children's grotto where little people could live out any fantasy from literature......


Story telling......



And to top it off the most deluxe portaloos I have ever seen : )


It's a small world as I bumped into artist Amanda Seljubac, whom I met at the Forest Gate Art Trail. She has a studio at the mansions, such a great place to have a studio at the top of the house overlooking the park and grounds! Make sure to check out their next open studio day and see a whole host of talent up there and a lovely visit around the garden and park.

Kirsten x