St. Ives Textiles show

a week to go and much to do ...

9 - 16 September 2017
St. Ives Textiles - Kernow Inspirations
Porthmeor Studios, Back Road West, St. Ives

I will be there on the 11th and 16th September - hope to see you there

simple pleasures

today we have a gorgeous day filled with blue sky and the promise of spring

my love and I are heading over to the beach at Long Rock and Marazion

to look for heart shaped pebbles, seaweed and beach string

I hope your day brings you simple pleasures x

a spring moment

sewing a miniature landscape

 

 

and watching a blackbird through the window

very busy amongst the primroses

days at the seaside

a bit of a seaside post today

sharing some recent photos ...

 

 

in St. Ives with my mum at the end of February

 

quite a warm morning for February

the sun made everything even more beautiful ... if that's possible

the sea was calm and very green, light reflecting off the sand

we watched the seagulls coming in to land

they were quite bothersome that day ... there was much pasty stealing!

I was down in St. Ives again at the beginning of March for St. Ives Textiles

at Porthmeor Studios

 

a view of the island from Porthmeor Studios

 we were given a tour of the fishermen's cellars

at Porthmeor Studios, Back Road West

 

it was a rare opportunity to take lots of photos for St. Ives Textiles

and I will be updating the website very soon

with new work and inspiring photos from the cellars

you can sign up here to receive updates if you are interested ...

 

St. Ives Textiles

 

 

with thanks to Marilyn Weston for arranging the tour

 

it was fascinating to meet one of the last remaining net menders in Cornwall

and learn some of the history of the cellars, still in use

also to see the maritime art installation created by Mark Dion

 

even the walls tell a painterly story or two ...

 

 

vintage art materials in Mark Dion's maritime art installation

 

 the fishermen's cellars ...

 

 

 also at Porthmeor Studios ... admiring the Gyotaku prints

prints made using real fish, squid and squid ink

something I want to have a go at myself!

you can see more fishy prints on the facebook page of Porthmeor Studios here

 

back in Mousehole ...

 

Mousehole harbour

and all last week we had friends staying with us

it was nice to have company on my walks and beachcombing

 

 I took these photos of the "baulks" in Mousehole harbour

during the winter months the baulks are positioned by crane
 to bridge the gap between the two piers
offering shelter for the harbour from winter storms and the like
 

I would really love to make a largish quilted piece some time

inspired by the colours lines numbers and rings in these photos 

I'm glad I managed to get these photos as it's ...

 

"baulks up, boats down" on March 21st

that means the "baulks" will be lifted by crane so that the Mousehole "gap"

(between the two piers) will be open again for boats to go in and out

 

 

friend Sue was very patient ... I took rather a lot of photos as usual

most of the time my camera was down in one particular bit of beach

 

there I found so many things to inspire that had a textile "feel" to them ...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

looking closely at nature is such a joy

 

 

 

I never imagined I would find all this on a rocky bit of beach!

 

 

(and all the while my house is in sight)

 

this time a week ago I had a brilliant crow day gelli printing with friend Jo

I think you will agree these are quite "grungy" for me!

 

 

 

I also printed with leaves (and feathers)

 

 

 

then ...

on Friday (the 13th) we were back in St. Ives

it was a beautiful bright day ... but very very bitterly cold

 

 

and blustery ...

 

 

 spray was washing right over the pier ... an awesome sight

 

I couldn't quite capture it for having to dodge it!

 

 

but, thankfully, the other side the harbour was sheltered by the pier wall

(love that ladder)

 

  St. Ives was at it's most beautiful ...

I was inspired to stitch ... 

a long sunlit day of swimming

a St. Ives cottage with rock pool details inspired by St. Ives colours

with stitches that match patterns and colours on the mussel shell

 

 

and a little Mousehole rock pool on silk
a sunny rock pool with bright green sea water
it will have gold on it ... reflections of skies and shimmer

with the bluest shells gathered from the beach at Godrevy

the hearts are almost finished ... I have several others I am working on too
but I cannot rush at the moment ... some days I prefer to collage or paint
some days I prefer to gather things and have sketchbook days

some days are wonderful and other days my heart is heavy

(there is a lot going on in my little world that I choose not to mention)

so I shall end here with a happy photo

and send you all lots of love from Cornwall ♥
(thank you so much for visiting me!)