Iolanthes veil

At last Iolanthes' veil is ready for the exhibition at Lydiard House. After the show I just wanted to add a few more details to it like more weeds and the dragon flies.
The opera Iolanthe was written by Gilbert and Sullivan. It tells the story of a Fairy, Iolanthe who has been banished by the Fairy Queen for marrying a mortal. She has gone to live at the bottom of a stream to be near her son Strephon (half mortal half fairy!). The fairies ask the Queen to pardon her and she comes out of the water covered in a veil of weeds. I designed this veil for the swindon Gilbert and Sullivans production. I used scrim which I dyed then embellished fleece and silk onto it using my embellishing machine. I then machine embroidered it  adding the weeds as I went. I used fantasy film for the dragon fly wings.

Dainty little Fairies.

Well it doesn't seem like just over  a week ago that we were performing Iolanthe. The show was brilliant and we all had a great time especially the 'dainty little fairies'. I was over the moon to get my first proper solo role as Celia. As a friend said, 'not bad for someone who is aged 6****' Cheeky of her but true. What next? well Swindon Choral Society will be singing Elijah in Marlborough College Chapel on Saturday and I am really looking forward to it as it has to be an all time favourite of mine. Just hope we get a good audience.
Still waiting for Daughter Sarah to produce  our second grandchild, Due any day now.

Iolanthe!!!

Can not believe that it is show week already. Seems to have come round awefully quickly. At least I have remembered my lines. Always a worry at my age!!! Of course things could all kick off this week if our second grandchild decides to put in a early appearance. we are on red allert ready to go at any time night or day to look after Fraser.
I have been making a veil for Iolanthe when she comes up from the pond. It had to look like weeds and I think that I have succeeded. I will post a picture once the show is over. It will be going into the GWE exhibition at Lydiard House Swindon at the end of the month.
Once the show is over also we will get on with planning our Australian holiday for August.

Spanish Holiday January 2012

Well back to reality and the cold! Geoff and I had a lovely restful two weeks in Spain on the Costa del Sol. Unusual for us as we normally dash here there and everywhere. I read three books a luxuary for me to be able to do. Having seen the film I read the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larsson, The Man from St Petersburg by Ken Follett and The Last Templar by Raymond Khoury. I had never even heard of the last author but I shall now be looking out for other books by him. We ate in all the local fish restaurants and had some lovely walks along the sea front. Although it was sunny and warm there was a cool breeze and it was cold in the evenings but apparently we were lucky as the last few years the weather there has been aweful in January. We liked the place so much we have boked to go again in April and take our Grandson so he can have a plane ride again. Today I have a lady coming to cliam her birthday present from her sister, a day working with me. I am teaching her how to make my embroidered silk bowls. I shall also make a start on the embroidery on Iolathes veil. Rehearsals are going well for that. I still find it hard to believe that I am a 'principle!' and not a chorus member. Our producer keeps telling me to stay in the middle of the stage and not scuttle back to the chorus when I deliver lines!

Indian Holiday and Christmas eve 2011

For those of you who follow my blog and are artists you will appreciate the few photos that I have shown here. I took many of the wonderful stone carvings seen in the many Indian palaces that we visited during my holiday in November. To see more then visit my Facebook page and look at the Albumn there. I took too many photos to show them all. This last one of the Sunrise was taken this morning Christmas eve 2011 from my kitchen window. I had yet to open the cutains and would have missed it had the cat not been eating her food by the back door. Her white bits looked strangely pink and when I went to the door this was the sight that greeted me. I know they say Red sky in the morning shepherds warning but somehow I can not see the warning here it was magic. Wishing you all a wondeful Christmas Holiday.

steam trains,workshops and talks

 September 25th we all went to the East Somerset railway for Geoffs train driving day that the family  had bought him for his 65th Birthday. Those overalls took 10 washings before they were clean enough to go in my washing machine.

 october 20th saw me teaching the South Cheshire Branch of the Embroiderers Guild to make silk bowls. They all did really well and the bowls were well on the way to be finished. 

 This set of bowls were made by the East Surrey Branch of the Embroiderers Guild. Another lovely set well on the way to completion. It is a shame that I seldom see the finished pieces. Please send me your photos so I can publish them.

I made this necklace using pieces of goldstone that I bought the last time we went to Arizona. Having mastered Pyote stitch I gave it a go round the stones and am really pleased with the result. The month ended with me performing with Cirencester Operatic Society in their production of the Sorcerer. It was a great show and I had a brilliant time with some lovely people.

Sorrento Holiday 2011

Hot Chillis, Cool Beer and beautiful scenery. That just about sums up our holiday in Sorrento. We had a brilliant time visiting Herculanium. Pompeii, the Amalfi Coast, Naples museum, Vesuvius and Capri. The weather was a bit too hot, hotter than usual for Septemeber but we are getting used to that this year. Seems that everywhere is hotter than usual. We stayed at a lovely hotel right in the heart of Sorrento so we were able to get to my favourite haunt of the Foreigners club for drinkies!!!! Also found some nice little bars.I took the usual extreme number of photos but have come home with lots of inspiration for a set of textiles based on the murals and mosaics we saw in Herculanium and the museum.