Wanderings

Last Saturday I allowed myself out of the workshop on 'day release'. A chance to stretch my legs, practice the art of conversation and to rub shoulders with like minded stitching folk. I thought I'd earnt it, for good behaviour. Selvedge Magazine is a more than a magazine. Its a 'read it from cover to cover, snuggled up in bed with a massive hot chocolate' kind of magazine. From the beautiful photography and enthraling features to the fact that it looks and feels like porno for the textile fanantic.   So, when I heard through the grapevine that they were hosting...

Planning a day out in the Yorkshire Dales where walking, picnicing, poking about in rivers and disused barns is involved, takes a strong nerve. Chances are, the weather forecast looks perfect one minute but then the moment the tartan picnic rug is thrown down, the first drop of rain will fall. Well, for once the weather Gods were kind to us. I'd been planning this trip with care. Muker Hay Meadows are at their absolute peak in the third week in May and a sight to behold. A protected hay meadow with 'special scientific interest'. Music to my ears and...

On my drive home the other night I got to thinking about energy. Its true to say that some of us have more of it than others but its what we do with it that matters. Some people manage to sap every last drop of positive energy you have, others seem to leave you brimming right to the top with excitement and happiness without you even exchanging more than a few words. Some people have it in bucket loads. I was lucky enough to spend a whole weekend with one of these people. Marna Lunt, mum of two little beauties,...

Here in the Yorkshire Dales we've been bombarded with all kinds of weather. One morning my little girl is pulling on her summer school dress the next we're wrapping up in gloves and scarves and laughing in the snow. That's April for you. However this morning the sun was out again and the spring flowers were looking pretty stunning, trying their hardest to make my garden look less unkempt and more deliberately 'casual' in its design.  I have a sloping bank of gorgeous purple bluebells under a huge copper beech tree and as soon as they appear I love to...

A good half of my year is spent frantically stitching away to meet orders or stocking up for the various events that I show at whilst all the time adding to my 'One Day' list that I keep in my head. This is a long list of other things to do with my business that I either ignore or pretend that I don't have the time for. This year I've decided to really grab the deer (?) by the antlers, ignore the nonsense in my head and take a little time to be creative in another way. My website was...