Fibrecraft Week 3.

I'm now on week 3 of my course and looking forward to class tomorrow. These posts are my visual diary.

We played at blending coloured Merino Fibres to create more variety.

It's so good to learn a new technique and I'm already starting to see some directions I would like to explore.

It's wonderful to work with 'resists' and create a small piece of work. This was part of the work in last weeks class.

This week we are playing with dyes, should be interesting and 'colourful'.............

xox Angela.

and so to felt!!

I love to learn new skills and have always admired the beautiful Nuno Felt scarves that I see in galleries and boutiques.
On a visit to a Creative Crafts show recently I came across a course to learn the art of Felting. I was so inspired by the students work and also by the tutor  Gill Burbidge that I decided to enrol.

 Last Tuesday was my first session and I really enjoyed it. How nice to spend an afternoon feeling lots of different fibres...
 and learning about !!!Sheep!!!

There were sheep in the fields as I drove down the motorway some with tiny new lambs, so now I'll be soon able to identify them..

We don't see these in Somerset but aren't they beautiful....

I'm starting work on my portfolio...I've bought some Olive oil soap and wool tops so I'm ready for my next class.

More to follow soon....

xox Angela.

Rachel, my Pilgrim Doll

"The Pilgrim Fathers set sail from Plymouth in Devon for the New World in 1620. They arrived at what is now known as Cape Cod on 9th of November.
They didn't land for another month, embarking eventually in New Plymouth."

                                               Rachel was one of those early settlers.

 

I have visited Plymouth here in Devon many times, it is a thrivng city with lots of history.

 

I also love prim dolls and like them to have there own story.

 

I made Rachel and I'm so pleased with her.

 

Her face has been drawn in and she peeks from under her bonnet.

 

She works hard to care for her family and

 

 she always carries her bible in her bag.

 

 

I've loved making her, she's another from Mouse House Prims,

now I'm thinking about another doll and another story!!

 

xox Angela.

 

 

 

The space is filled.

If you visit me on my English Romantic  blog you will have seen my booth as it is now. I've been painting and refurbishing and I'm really pleased with how it looks.

It's been a busy week as I'm preparing all my kits for my classes at Festival of Quilts.

this is the sample for the kits, yet another version...

I do so love this image and loved working in just shades of white.

I used two shades of thread, white and cream and some white silk ribbon.

The kits are all finished now and ready to go.


Have a great week.
xox Angela.

Sneak preview.

It's just a small space but it's all mine!!

  I'm opening my very own booth in this fabulous space.

It's in ''The Old Salerooms'' In Wellington which has recently been given a new life as an Antiques, Interiors and Coffee Shop.

I have a very small corner to sell my wares,

I'm going to have the space marked by the book. It's near the entrance/exit so I shouldn't be missed and I'll be sharing with lots of other interesting people.

I'll keep you posted with my progress from empty space to pretty booth.

                                                                     xox Angela.

Morning walks and a Ha Ha.

I try to walk for at least 30 minutes every morning but with all the rain we've been having lately it's not always easy.
However this morning, the skies are blue and the sun is shining so I'm making the most of it.

Today I walked around Wellington Park, a beautiful Grade II listed green space in the town.

Spring is a little late this year due to all the bad weather so these trees are just coming into leaf.

                                                 I love the old iron work, some stand free ....

 

others are covered in Ivy.

 This house sits at one end, maybe it was originally the park keepers house.

Here's a close up of the plaque on the front.

Fox Bros &Co were wool manufacturers in Wellington and still have a site today.

On past the pond ....

and past the wonderful period shelter.

I expect you are wondering about the Ha Ha.

These were made by the gentry to show where the garden ended and the grounds began and were designed to give an unobstructed view  over there estate.

Hope you enjoy your walks too.

xox Angela.

Piano update

Friday was such a beautiful day, it had a hint of spring, sunny, mild and with the birds singing I walked again around The Dartington Estate.
The crocus lawns are looking beautiful with their blooms in all shades of purple.

Then a brisk walk up to the top of the garden and a visit to one of 'Henry Moores' famous reclining ladies.

          She has her back to this wonderful vista.

My brother is working on a grand piano belonging to the estate that will be used in this years Summer Music School.
He is spending a lot of time restoring the veneer on the case which was  covered with black paint.

After stripping it back he is mixing different colour pigments into French Polish and is able to recreate the original look.

 You can see the leg at the back with the black paint that still has to be stripped.

The lid can give the idea of how it should look.

               Then all these have to go back.!!!!

It should be finished by the end of March, then I'll show you the final result.

Hope you are having a peaceful weekend
xox Angela.

An English Mouse.

Meet Minnie, she lives below stairs at Downton Abbey. As a ladies maid she loves all the finery that her mistress wears so, on Sunday, her day off, she dresses in her own best outfit to go to the village church.

She hopes to see her young man, the blacksmiths son, and spend the afternoon sitting by the river with a picnic.

I've made this young lady especially for Patti, I hope she is as you hoped.

She is the first of my English Mice and I've loved making her and telling you a bit about her life.

Look out for more and meanwhile pop over to The English Romantic to see the progress on
Ediths House.

Have a great week.
xox Angela.

A new life for a piano.

I paid a visit to my brother who is working restoring a grand piano for Dartington Hall.

He is a true master craftsman who can totally transform both the case and the sound of these beautiful instruments.

This piano was completely covered in black paint. He has taken the whole action out and stripped back the wood to reveal this glorious veneer.

The metalwork get a new layer of gold paint and each string is painstakingly replaced.

This is the felt being woven through to stop any unwanted sound.

I'm going to follow the progress of this piano and I'll be showing you more in later posts.

The workshop is part of the beautiful Dartington Estate.

It is my favourite place for winter walks.

As I went into the garden there was the beautiful scent of Myrtle, famous for being part of Queen Victorias wedding bouquet and which has also been part if every Royal brides wedding flowers ever since.

 Here's some more of the flowers that were out today...

                                                Snowdrops....

                                              Primroses.............

Camellias.....

.......with huge buds

and over head with the winter sunshine sparkling through.

then my favourite winter flower, Witch hazel.

A really lovely day out.

Hope you enjoy your winter walks.

xox Angela.

Bed room turnaround so Sleep tight.

I'm showing you some more of my cottage today as I have finally got round to giving my bedroom a new look. I can't show you before as I forgot to take pictures, but here it is now.

My bed sits between these two tables, remember my cottage is 500 years old so all the floors are sloping in different directions, I'm lucky that these are almost level.
This is the quilt that I always use in winter. It has organic cotton wadding, so is a lovely weight.

I love needle turn applique and designed this cushion a few years ago. I finished quilting it sitting in the garden of a holiday villa in Crete, it always reminds me of  sitting under a lemon tree.

This little picture is a left over pansy from the cushion.

I love heart shaped cushions, this one is scented with French Lavender from Provence.

This is one of a series of '' Nine of Hearts '' quilts that I made several years ago, each embroidered heart has it's own quote.

Every girl needs a space to make herself ready to face the day.

This is mine!!

I found this pretty bowl for a £1 at a garage sale and filled it with Lavender and Roses. It smells divine.

Next to it is a picture of my Mum when she was in the Wrens in WW2.

Aren't these colours so pretty, Point shoes, roses and gorgeous scarves.

My pretty little chest, covered in roses, ( you realise now, I love anything with roses, ) above it a picture that was my Mothers favourite.

and finally the window seat with its view over my neighbours lovely garden.

Well thats my bedroom, my sanctuary at the end of the day, I can snuggle under my quilt with a good book and dream of tomorrows creations.

I'm working on a Christmas quilt so pop over to my other blog for a peak at my progress.

xox Angela.