phew

Where to start. I got lost in a book making swamp for a while there. Every night going up to my studio instead of sitting about downstairs... it's not a pace I could keep up I don't think, not at the same time as a full time job at least (and I have a cold and vague feeling of brain loss to show for it) but it's good to know it's there, waiting for me.


I suppose its a while since I've really concentrated on making work. On developing an idea and sustaining it to a finished thing, a finished thing I'm happy with at least. It took a few weeks to stop feeling stressed out; to stop jumping from one idea to another and to feel comfortable with what I'm working on. I sometimes forget that it takes time to quiet that voice in my ear... its not worth it... its rubbish...it'll never work... Sometimes that feeling is right, but if instead of stopping working I can just keep going, keep folding and cutting and drawing and making, then sometimes the answer comes in a flash. Things occasionally fit together. And that's when I can be happy with something I've made. When every element is in it's place and right.


It doesn't happen very often :)


There are some pictures of our stall at the book fair on Caroline's blog (and whilst you're there you can admire some of her beautiful prints patterns). When I'm at home in the day light (not long now surely, Spring) I'll take some pictures of the books I made :)

a bit of digging

This weekend me and my dad made a start on the tangled mess that is my garden. An overgrown hedge ran down the side of the house and it seemed like a bit of a waste of space. It surrounded a patio (another patio! There's a theme emerging here. hmmm) Anyway, we clipped back the hedge, dug it out, dug up the patio, tuned over the soil. I have plans for vegetables...

before


and during (my dad is ace)...

and 5 hours later, after!


Now I just need to go seed shopping...