Just to let you all know that I am doing the Pay It Forward freebie hand-made thing on my fibre blog http://www.woolgathering.org.uk I’m not restricting what I will make to fibre goods only but I want to keep things tidy and not make the offer on two different blogs… Fairhand is just pointing to Woolgathering [...]
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If
If I could have been my own Fairy Godmother, I think the gift that I would have bestowed upon me would have been a talent for drawing.
It is coming forward again – that frustrated urge. I feel yet one more post of the “I am going to knuckle down to Betty Edwards”/”I resolve to draw daily” coming on.
I know that I give up too easily. It’s difficult – I need to see progress that says to me that yes, one day, I’ll be content with the marks that I make. Progress is too slow.. I want to be good *now* and when my hand fails to mark what I see – I just go away dejected and try to find a different talent. Jill of all trades, mistress of none.
I do so want to be good at something creative! I don’t want to be rubbish, or even so-so. I need to be brilliant 
29 Days of Giveaways for you! « Art By Chrysti
Inspired by the 29 Gifts challenge (http://www.29gifts.org/) Chrysti is generously having 29 Days of Giveaways for you! « Art By Chrysti
It’s always better to give than to receive, but the odd little thing coming your own way is always nice to have too. Why not pop over and have a read and leave your own comment?
Barking and Twittering
Woke this morning to find my voice absent. Viruses normally run their course in five days – this is day four and I am still going downhill. Bum.
I have been playing with Twitter. You can follow me there as fairhand once I have something to say. I can see that it will be useful way of reporting incoming mailart etc and maybe quick reports from the studio, if I ever get in there. I’ll add tweets somewhere on this site shortly.
Speaking of studios, I had planned to be at an Open Studio event here on the island today. Alas, I feel it would be very impolite to drag my germs along and share them about. I’ll make an appointment to visit some time in the future.
The artist doesn’t seem to have her own website but some of her works can be seen on the web at the Turnstone Gallery (more here)
Swappsies
I have one ball of this handspun to swap. Use the Contact from to reach me if you would like to suggest a swap.
Spun from a Copperpot roving (Wranglers & Rustlers) as an erratic loosely spun single. Abused in the washing to felt it lightly.
The general idea was to emulate Manos del Uruguay. I think I got about 40% of the way there!
It knits up like this (this on 6mm/US 10)
Would be good for felting, needle felting, weaving, or any mixed media project in need of a little texture.
This ball has either 92 yards or 78 yards, sorry I am not sure which. I’m putting a value of $15 (£10) on this, for information only.
Time for some change
It has been too quiet around here of late. Concentrating on fibrous activities for so long means that little has been done with pen and paper. I spent a day last weekend making Christmas Cards and thoroughly enjoyed myself. I feel that the time is right to clear off my studio table and to start to dabble again.
I want to do some swapping of mailart items but have finally elected to kiss Swap-bot goodbye forever. I really do not want to be part of a group that feels it is OK to discriminate against people just because they are new. I am not going back on my decision this time. So, I plan to get busy on SendSomething and become active again on my Yahoo groups. I am also up for 1:1 swaps, so please feel free to contact me. No penpal requests, please. The old arm isn’t up to extended writing.
There is a long list of reciprocals needing attention. I’ll start with them and then start sending out some fresh stuff.
There are cards to blog this week…
RAK postcard received this week from SendSomething participant, dragondances. I love this card. I miss trees, a lot. On the back of this card is a text entitled “Happiness” by Carl Sandburg.
A postcard from my final Swap-bot swap, a group swap of Favourite Place postcards. This one is from “JennyJ”
And another surprise postcard from an earlier Swap-bot swap – this is the third card from flapperhoney. Thankyou!
Another change: I am testing out the Blog publishing feature in Word. Please excuse any strangeness while I get to grips with it.
Favourite Place
Three postcards for a Swap-bot group swap. Ready to hit the mailbox today.
All the same. I had wanted to do three different ones but life got in the way and I was in danger of running past the send date.
Just another web meme
I really cannot figure out how it came to this decision. I think the test may be broken, because I am *not* a fan of the Impressionist style in general – though I did select one, based on colour preference when faced with three images that did not speak to me otherwise.
Five minute coffee break fun, at least:
Your result for What Your Taste in Art Says About You Test…
Balanced, Secure, and Realistic.
9 Impressionist, 1 Islamic, 3 Ukiyo-e, -8 Cubist, -4 Abstract and -5 Renaissance!
Impressionism is a movement in French painting, sometimes called optical realism because of its almost scientific interest in the actual visual experience and effect of light and movement on appearance of objects. Impressionist paintings are balanced, use colored shadows, use pure color, broken brushstrokes, thick paint, and scenes from everyday life or nature.
People that like Impressionist paintings may not alway be what is deemed socially acceptable. They tend to move on their own path without always worrying that it may be offensive to others. They value friendships but because they also value honesty tend to have a few really good friends. They do not, however, like people that are rude and do not appreciate the ideas of others. They are secure enough in themselves that they can listen to the ideas of other people without it affecting their own final decisions. The world for them is not black and white but more in shades of grey and muted colors. They like things to be aestically pleasing, not stark and sharp. There are many ways to view things, and the impresssionist personality views the world from many different aspects. They enjoy life and try to keep a realistic viewpoint of things, but are not very open to new experiences. If they are content in their live they will be more than likely pleased to keep things just the way they are.
Take What Your Taste in Art Says About You Test at HelloQuizzy
Just a Note
Briefly, due to having been to town today and feeling wiped out now:
Today in the mail, a SendSomething RAK package from wiebelwuppie in Den Haag. I hope to document it later but will note now that it was a stunning package of hand painted papers. Lovely stamps on the envie, too.
Also a quick note that I am contemplating hosting a nice little swap. Possibly via SwapBot. Possibly independently. I have some nice little boxes that I want to recycle and put to use and they gave me a nice idea for a “green” swap. More of this when I have thought it through and done some photographs.
Same Day Postcard
For the Same Day Postcard swap on Swap-Bot – I actually remembered to capture this one before posting it
One of the layers contains a CC Licensed image, Falling With Grace” from Flickr user Memotions. The quote is from Josh Billings:
“It is not all bad, this getting old, ripening. After the fruit has got its growth it should juice up and mellow. God forbid I should live long enough to ferment and rot and fall to the ground in a squash”
Limited to one print – only this small low res image retained
PS3 Water ATCs
My first “Water” swap package has been received and feedback was left at Swap Bot. It seems to have been well received, thankfully. I really wish I had taken photographs before sealing up the packets as I really did like some of the pieces and was well pleased with my attempts at needle felting which I included.
To tell the truth, it hurt a bit to part with the felts – I was pleased as Punch with my efforts. That’s the best way, isn’t it? To give away the ones that we like the best and not keep them for ourselves. It leaves room and drive to make some more art.
Talking of making more art – I was keen to get some of my blue prints and Shibori done within the PS3 Water period. It ain’t going to happen, though. Logistics. Like the lack of sun and windless days in Orkney. Actually, my fist challenge will be to find a way of drying my prepared fabric in the dark. I’m not at all sure how I can make that happen.
I might try an ad in the local shops to see if anyone can loan me a UV sun lamp… that would take care of the exposures, but still leaves the dark drying problem to be solved.
Here’s a PS3 Water ATC that I completely forgot to send out. Digital, from an original photograph – prints available on request and I will limit to an edition of 4.
It’s called Sea Fever and that is Mr Plumbum in the shot. Comment below if you want one, or use the form on the Contact page.
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