Getting down to it!

I have spent most of the week getting things ready to take with me to the beaches course. We have to take enough stuff to be able to plan a project, make images etc.. So I've been collecting fabric, threads, sketch books, pencils, paints and all manner of things but what I seem to be unable to collect are ideas about what I actually want to do. So devoid of ideas, here is the little goody bag I've put together to exchange with one of the other ladies on the course.

My public aim is to use the time on the course to design a quilt that I can put into the competitions at the Festival of Quilts and I'd intended it to be inspired by the sea since we are living so close to it and can even see it from our bedroom window! But in private, I'm just hoping that I can have a good time playing with my toys because as far as the actual design is concerned, well that is still someway off!

Yesterday we managed to have a walk down to the beach after the rain had stopped. The sun came out and it was quite warm, but very windy and the waves were most impressive. Trying to capture the waves with the camera proved to be more difficult than I thought especially since the sun was shining directly on the camera screen making it impossible to see what I was taking. This is where I thought I should have taken my sketchbook, but what with the camera, binoculars, water bottle etc, etc I was already quite laden!

These children were really having fun surfing the waves on their body boards. I wonder if they do a wet suit in my size!

 These patterns in the sand may be useful for my design and I'm thinking of using this to make a printing block.

Today I spent the morning dyeing some silk fibres which I can use to make silk paper and also some handspun yarn to use in the project. Here they are sitting in their bags for the time until I can see what lovely colours (or not) I've got. Next I will get out some fabric and dye that too.

My mind is also buzzing with anticipation because I was asked if I would like to join a local textile art group. I was invited to go to their meeting and take some of my work so that they could see what sort of work I could do. Not really an audition as such, but they were keen to know what sort of standard of work they could expect. Apparently they thought my work was good enough! They are an exhibiting group and are planning an exhibition in 2015 and I am very honoured to be invited to join them.

The work for the exhibition is to be based on the china clay industry, especially the museum at Carthew near St Austell. Yet another project to start planning but there is quite a bit of time and it may be that if I manage to get something made that might go the FOQ.

Then there is the Contemporary Quilt Suitcase challenge for which the theme is "all in a days work" and I'm planning something inspired by watching a swarm of bees feasting on ivy pollen. So I'm in the process of making stamps, silk paper leaves and oh yes, getting some fabric dyed.

Here are the beginnings of the stamps and also a close up of the worker going about his daily business!

Busy times are ahead and at last I feel I'm beginning to get back to work!