Monday, October 13, 2008

Too busy to blog

Sorry for the absence - I've been busy, though...

Bead Journal Project(BJP)

I started the month by doing some thinking and sketching for the BJP, having decided that the theme was to be "vendange" or grape-picking as it's that time of year here.

In the village newsletter, the local association had organised a morning to show how to collect the grapes, a picnic lunch, then a demonstration of how the grapes are pressed to produce juice and eventually wine. When I called up to inscribe, I was embarassed to learn it was meant for kids only - o well. Still, I got out and took some photos and did some sketching using watercolour pencils and a study using acrylics.

We were very lucky that our neighbour offered that we could pick some of his "lucques" olives from his trees, and they are now curing in a couple of buckets in the back kitchen. I also thought of doing a piece based on the olive trees, but I think I've convinced myself that it's to be the grapes. However, I put aside BJP work because I finally decided about the ...

October TIF

This month's theme is our artist's workspaces. My studio is the guest bedroom, so I have to concede space for the pull-out bed, upon which I pile things.

But thinking about it, I only work in here on the computer or the sewing machine. For hand work and painting, I use the dining room table.

This made me think that the studio is really a storage space, which led me to decide that I want to make up one of these sewing boxes that were all the rage about 10 years ago. In the pix, you can see my old one which is falling apart as it was only ever glued together, along with the pieces for the one I am making, and this long piece of fabric from which I am cutting the sides.


One pic shows the background fabric with the snippets of threads and the other shows it with the organza top and stitched down. The inside of the box will be a dark turquoise silk dupion.

I also had a birthday in there and a couple of unproductive days due to depression as a result, but I'm over that now.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

The olives will be delicious. I think the grape tour would have been very interesting - pity it was only for kids. I dont have a spare room studio but if i did it would just be storage becuase i think Id still do everything in the dining room! I like these workboxes - i like the embellished fabric you are using.

Jacquie said...

As I read your posts all I could say was Holy @#!. You are very talented. I can see why you haven't had time for the bjp. Beautiful and stunning work.

KV said...

Or you could just take complete command of your dining room (as I did) and make it into a studio. Makes for some interesting moments when any of our six kids and their families turn up :).

Those olives look so inviting . . .


Kathy V in NM

Robin said...

You did such a beautiful piece with the sunflowers for September, I'm sure October will be beautiful too... either way... olive trees or grapes! Your sewing basket will be so rich and lovely with the saturated color of the silk!

heidibeads said...

Your art is absolutely wonderful. I've enjoyed looking through your blog and seeing your progress. Wow!

Timaree said...

Okay, first I hope you told the people that adults would like an outing like the kid's! Why does everyone think we all have already experienced everything?
Next, you came up with a super idea for your TIF. How appropriate that your room is like your box, full of sewing supplies. You couldn't have picked better.

And last, your birthday made you depressed? On the one hand, I can understand that as we only get so many and every passing one means fewer to go but heck, at least we are still having them! I hope you have a wonderful year with lots of happy little things to chase away any wisps of depression.

Anonymous said...

Gorgeous work! You've been such as busy bee! And when you have a minute to blog, you've been tagged :) http://beadcircleblog.com/?p=161