A star so bright you blind me...

As promised, a post about our visit to foundling museum yesterday, to see the 'Threads of Feeling' Exhibition.
We travelled to London, we finally arrived at Russell Square and to my delight there is a 'Carluccio's Cafe', love that man and his coffee.

Around the corner ...

to The Foundling Museum.

I was expecting to be a little melancholy viewing the exhibits, but I must admit to becoming upset at times. One Registration paper, documenting the clothing of a child had 'meanly draped' written at the bottom and this really hit home. (Picture below).

Take a look at the online exhibition here it is very good.

As photography is not allowed, I bought the Exhibition Book. I so desperately wanted to pick the exhibit Ledgers up and leaf through there textural goodness. The hand written script, the wax seals, the crumpled, folded paper of the 1700's, I could tell that the feel of each book was a joy to behold. It fills me with sorrow though, that the contents hold stories of so many lives filled with sadness and loss.

Here, an image from the book, of linen or cotton printed with dots and flowers, with accompanying note : Foundling 8959 a girl, Florella Burney', 1758

Postcards...I also purchased two pieces of the fabric that has been produced for this exhib. (hand silk screen printed) from the fabric of Florella's small token textile piece. One of which is to keep and the other... I have made four brooches with the above fabric, as four 'Giveaways', along with the accompanying 'Florella' postcard. Just four small seperate tokens of my appreciation for all the support and wonderful comments, feedback and Followers I have been lucky enough to receive.

Just leave a comment and next Sunday I will pull four names from the hat.

I have applied to each of the brooches the text 'love, hope and happiness'.

Thanks for stopping by. x

You dance to the music like nobody does...

Hello,

I have been a making! I had a splurge of creative energy, probably because I had some great news and was accepted as a Maker with madebyhandonline The brainchild of two lovely ladies, Sarah James and Katie Honnor from Bovey Tracey, Devon... bringing together a community of makers, to promote the crafts industry and to sell directly online. There is a list of makers and I am on the third page if you fancy a butchers. There are some very fine wares, some of which are made by the wonderful jennifer collier

~O~

Bought this book from Oxfam Bookshop for £2 and it was the best £2 I have spent in a very long time...inspiration, inspiration, inspiration, pages of it...

This little book got me wanting to draw with my sewing machine, so I picked up where I had left off with my 'Prim' drawings....I pencilled these folks a good while ago, in a now, dog chewed sketch book. The male of the species being Peter Prim and the female, Pamela Prim.

From paper to fabric...Wip needlecases,

I'm really enjoying working on a new theme and there is lots of space with these characters to build and let things evolve.

~O~

Holly, our daughter has to visit an Exhibition at Alexandra Palace, London tomorrow (Sunday), so the current husband and I are using the opportunity to drop her off and then carry onto the foundling museum for the Threads of Feeling Exhibition. I will post asap.

~O~

Last but certainly not least, I had to show you Wonkey Donkey, who has recently come to stay! When wound up, his head nods and his tails spins, very fast....I adore him.

Thank you so much for stopping by. x

You keep saying you've got something for me...

Going quietly bonkers at home, (still not feeling too good), I persuaded the current husband that we should visit birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, as for the remainder of this year they have artefacts on exhibition from the staffordshire hoard. As this incredible find, dating back to 700bc was found just under 10 miles away from where we live, I thought it time we went and had a little look. Quite honestly, I was a little disappointed. In a small room were several cabinets displaying a few of the gold pieces..... shards, of mainly sword hilts, all of which were incredibly detailed and exquisitely worked. I suppose, I should have done my homework, as to what actually is on display. It is good news that the find is staying in the Midlands. The Exhibition is free and constantly changing.
We always enjoy visiting the Museum, as it holds a fine collection of Pre-Raphaelite paintings, see link for the Gallery's online resource.
Wandering and enjoying the paintings, we came across this cabinet, crammed with pairs of shoes from down the ages. I took quite a lot of photos which I wanted to share with you, as I am sure you will agree, the shapes, colours, textures and designs of the shoes are absolutely beautiful.

These in particular were stunning. I think they were made of a very fine linen, exquisitely embroidered.

Each time I look at these...a little song pops into my head... 'I'm the dandy highwayman who you're too scared to mention'. :-)

Every single pair were a delight.

Just managed to take these pics of ancient handpainted glassware.....love the Goldfinch.

I took all my drawing paraphernalia with me, but only managed one or two drawings.

Change of subject...A couple of 'makes' to show you...

This little needle case (free machine embroidered birds, coloured with water colour paint) is winging it's way to the old US of A.

Back...

I wonder if you remember this post about a late 1700's quilt I had treated myself to.

I thought you may like to see what we have done with it. The current husband attached one side of the quilt to a baton and hung it to a wall of our living room. I can now admire it's disintegrated, crumbled beauty from the comfort of my sofa.

Talking of 1700's textiles, I urge you to visit katies blog. She has posted about the 'Threads of Feeling' Exhibition at the Foundling Museum, Brunswick Square, London until 6th March. I won't go into detail here, but there is another very good review of the Exhibition here. I am looking forward to visiting very much.

Thank you for stopping by. x

Seasons Greetings

Seasons Greetings to you my friends.
I haven't really been getting out much just lately :-) a combination of feeling crappy and the harsh winter weather. So my blog has become a little samey and rather boring, I feel....apologies, I am hoping to do something about that over the next few weeks but in the meantime, I wanted to show you this week's makes...
Lovely, lovely old envelope dated, I think, 1968. The colour mix and serious portraits of the stamps alongside a 1960's illustrated trumpeting angel is just so pleasing ... I have added lots of ephemera and textured hand embroidery too.

Then onto this little sweetie. It is soooo tiny, 3" across and dated 1952. I have applied a silk picture of one of my vtg doggies and you know the rest.

In the mood for making heart shaped brooches too...just as a matter of interest, the silk flowery background is a copy of a piece of 1930's Liberty silk. I have added vtg map and French floral fabric for lots of textural goodness :-)

Quite honestly, all I want to do at the mo, is make these needlecases ... sad, I know!

Last Sunday, someone played a cruel trick and another birthday came around! The years are whizzing round at what seems to be top speed, scary, really scary.

Anyroadup, the current husband knows me well enough to know that buying me this abbottandellwood brooch would make me happy, and indeed it did. Check out their web site. Desirable, quirky and just damn fabulous work.

Thought I would throw in a few pics of the old decs...

Well, that's me for now... I would like to wish you the happiest of holidays, a beautifully peaceful and joyous Christmas and the best of new years.

Thank you so much to everyone for their support all through the year. Every single comment has been so very much appreciated. Thank you to lurkers for regularly reading and for all Followers too.

All my love

viv xxx