Work

I finish work soon for the summer, next Tuesday to be precise (not that I'm counting!) I can hardly wait. This is where I work at Stafford College of Art. We have had a very stressful couple of weeks with End of Year Show, Fashion Show and final assessments. Please forgive my lack of blogging just of late but my mojo has abandoned me. So as from next week.....a Viv full of vigour will be hitting the internet big styley. Can't wait to get going on some ideas and catch up with family, friends and blogging/flickr friends x

Ma and Pa's garden

I have posted a few pics, which I took today, of my parent's garden. They have always been very keen gardeners and this time of year is very special, as they truly have a beautiful garden. It is dripping in all colours, particularly the climbing roses. You step out there and the perfume is divine. My poor little snaps do not do it justice ~ my excuse being that my camera does not have a view finder and the lcd screen is glass and thus reflects sunshine, so on a sunny day I can't see a bloody thing through my camera. So I just pointed the camera at the garden and hoped for the best with these!!!!

Flowers

I have a Fair next week at www.light-house.co.uk Flair ~ the designer maker fair that they hold twice a year. It's a great Fair for me, so I have been busy working towards that. Hence the photos above of greetings cards I have been making from an old table cloth I purchased very cheaply. I have found it very relaxing chopping and sewing and then selecting a button to add. The reflection is because I have the cards now bagged up in cello bags ~ lovely window reflection, I thought.
I had finished for the day just a little while ago and was just passing the outside door where I have a huge Hosta, this flower was staring straight up at me and I thought the design of it was incredible, so I took a quick photo and hey presto and quick post about a chopped up table cloth and a Hosta flower , how odd :-)

Rambling

It's been ages since my last post, tiredness seems to have consumed me just of late!

I have not been idle though and here's the latest of my envelopes.

I fortunately found that two of the oldest envelopes that were in my stash were exactly the same size, so I sewed them together. I like the shape the the two envelopes make. The writing is just exquisite and the dates are 1864 and 1868. I have added a hook and eye inspired by karen's use of hooks and eyes.

I could embroider these all day everyday, but somehow feel that I should be shoving the boat out a bit further and trying something new on the envelope front.

I think what is happening in my head, is that I know I am finishing work in three weeks and mentally I am telling myself I will be able to do that when I finish for the summer and it seems my system has closed on me. Also the garden calls to me, I am obsessed with plants and buying/planting them. Then in late summer the obsessive phase leaves and I am content to just potter. I think it's something to do with spring fever. Apologies for my strange rambling. I will close now and go and take a pill x

From Rose to Elsie

My husband and I (oohh that's sounds posh) visited Stockton Bury Gardens just outside Leominster, Herefordshire yesterday. It was a beautiful day, so headed out to this plant wonderland. Tea Room first port of call ... which is a Tithe Barn set in an Apple Orchard!!! Then on and around the gardens which includes a perfect Peter Rabbit veg garden and shall I say 'rooms' of various planting, ending in a sunken bog/pool area. Just heavenly. Sat and did a bit of drawing. It's really interesting how people react to someone sitting drawing/painting. Some folks sneak up behind and peer. Others just ask, others pretend they are not looking when they clearly are. Listening to snippets of conversation is fun too....I overheard this whilst drawing........a very old lady with her waistband of her skirt tucked under her bossom ..... in a very posh, loud haughty voice "it's been a very good year for the buttercups, has'nt it"?
Anyway, this blissfull couple of hours inspired me to get the old needle and thread going and this is the result. I dug this old Income Tax Receipt out, as I thought it would make a strong contrast to a decorative garden themed collage/embroidery. But I adore the little bit I've added at the bottom which says 'From Rose to Elsie' Taken from an old Christmas card. Just lovely. Available on Etsy ~ please see profile