Happy New Year

Happy New Year dear friends!!!

May 2019 be a blessed year for you. A year full of love and joy and interesting adventures. Do you have plans for the coming year? Or wishes or dreams or goals?

The inspiring coast of Cornwall

Cornwall had been on my wish list for a long time before we made it there. I grew up in a coastal town myself and really longed to visit the south west end of the UK. And I was not disappointed. Now I really long to go back there again and again.

It's that's feeling of really being on vacation, that I also always have when we drive to our local coast and pass the sand dunes. On these coasts the trees are lower than inland. There's more bushes than trees, really. You hear the seagulls and smell the salt of the sea in the refreshing breeze. And of course there's the sea. The waves splashing on the beach over and over again.

It's the hours spent beachcombing.

Finding treasures in shells, stones, sea glass and pottery pieces.

It's a place so inspiring, I take loads and loads of photos to bring back home some of the beauty and memories. At home I wish to capture it all, studying in threads, fabrics, paints, and so on.

And I don't mind the weather on coasts like this.

I want to stay outdoors for as long as possible. You really have to drag me home then.

The hills and cliffs, the beaches and sea, they inspired me to experiment with crochet. I used a version of the so called wave stitch, and varied with working in back loop, front loop and both loops, to add some depth to the piece. I also started adding some tiny flowers in embroidery. Where this will lead me, I have no idea, but I'm having a whole lot of fun anyway :)

And the colours also inspired me to get some paint going as well, as you can see.

I love paintings worked in detail and abstracts equally. It's just like nature. Nature paints in wild landscapes, flora and fauna, magical small worlds in details, and abstracts and patterns.

Here's an abstract painting by nature:

Isn't it just gorgeous? Plant life holding on to ancient coastal rocks, washed by the tidal waves. 

Waves that bring little treasures to the coast: sea glasses, pottery, shells.

Found in rock pools and harbours.

Here the ocean has withdrawn. But only for a little while. You have plenty of time to do some beachcombing, but make sure to keep an eye on the tide and go back to dry land in time. I didn't, and got wet feet. Luckily I was close enough to the beach. Others had gone a little further and had to swim back. They had fun though, and got back safely.

I can see why so many artists are inspired by the Cornish coast.

Here are some of my favourite Cornwall inspired artists (in alphabetic order):

Amanda Richardson

Carolyn Saxby

Hannah Cole

Kirsty Elson

Melanie McDonald

Serena

The only thing that I regret, is that I didn't shoot more video on this trip.

Oh well, next time!

Is there a particular coast you have fond memories of or which you would love to visit?

Do you love beachcombing?

xx Wen

Fabric collage Flowers and Cross

This gorgeous serene painting of Saint Margaret of Antioch,

painted by Guido Reni (1575 - 1642),

has quickly become one of my favourite paintings.

She was said to be a convert to Christianity and a martyr.

Her story (which is quite untrustworthy and probably all made up)

was very popular in the Middle Ages.

Here's how the legend goes:

When converted, her father (a pagan priest)

threw her out of the house. She became a shepherdess.

Olybrius, the prefect, was hopelessly captured by her beauty, but she was not interested.

Olybrius was not amused and Margaret was tortured and imprisoned.

Legend has it that in prison she was swallowed by the devil in the form of a dragon,

but the little cross she was carrying itched in his throat,

so she was spit out and saved.

The story goes on with more gruesome details,

but let's keep things a bit cheerful here :)

Anyway, I was captured by the beauty of this painting

and just HAD to make a fabric collage with it.

She'll probably be the star of more projects in the future.

For this one I used some pieces of fabric and lace that I painted and/or dyed myself.

Big hugs and sunny smiles to you!

xx Wen

Simply Neutrals #9

Hello dear friends,

Here is....

Simply Neutrals Tuesday #9!!

Gosh, number 9 already...

Thank you sweet friends for linking up so faithfully to the party and for visiting each other and leaving comments! It's really your sharing and mingling that makes the party being such a delightful gathering each week. So thank you so much!

I made a second page for my fabric book.

The theme of my book is Mother and Child.

I've loved this sketch of Virgin and Child by Giuseppe Cades (of the late 1700s) for a long time now and had pinned it to my pinterest board of religious images ages ago. To use in a fabric book or collage one day.

If you'd like to use the sketch yourself as well,

then you can find it HERE.

I thought it suited the neutral tones and theme of this book so beautifully.

So finally I'm using this beloved image!

I love how this book is coming together. I'm grateful dear Suzy is so generous to share her talent with us and helps us creating our own fabric books through her wonderful workshop Peaceful and Pondering. I know my book resembles a bit the art style of Suzy, but I trust that in time I will find my own voice.

I'm linking my book page to Roses of Inspiration

*

On to this week's party!

Features of last week's party

IF YOU LIKE TO PIN SOME OF THESE FEATURED PHOTOS

THEN PLEASE DO SO FROM THE ORIGINAL BLOGS

OF WHICH YOU CAN FIND THE LINKS BELOW.

(Just click on the name of the blogs mentioned.)

Everyone has made a great effort in creating, photographing and writing blog posts

and I want all credit to go to the owners of these photos.

So please pin these photos from their blogs and not mine.

First feature is a stunning sacred heart by Dorthe of Den Lille Lade.

Which I thought was so fitting to the theme of my fabric book!

And I love the quote on the heart:

"Let your heart speak

to others hearts"

Which brings me to the heart in one of the photos in the beautiful photo collage

by Valerie-Jael of Bastelmania

I love this collage! It brings together several of my all time favourites:

neutrals (of course)

birds

and their feathers

collecting stones

photographing rusty bits

spending peaceful time at the beach

autumn with the long shadows

hearts, found or made

Which brings me to another of my all time favourites:

lace!!

Oh, and flowers too!!

This gorgeous shabby bag made out of beautiful laces and adorned

with a gorgeous and sweet flower was created by

Nancy of Sugar Lump Studios.

Thank you dear friends for sharing your beautiful creations and photos!

Simply Neutrals Tuesday #8

Hello dear friends,

It's Tuesday again, so it's time to give the start sign for this week's party!

First, some of you asked the name of the flowers that I shared with you last week. Well... honestly, I'm very bad in remembering names. So I will see if I can find out :)

This week I'd like to share with you the first page that I created for the fabric book for Suzy's workshop. I chose Mother and Child as the theme of my fabric book, referring to the Christmas Child, as I was inspired by the beautiful creations of last week's party.

The image comes from a beautiful painting called L'Innocence, by William Bouguereau. 

I learned a lot from both Suzy and Nellie about layering of a fabric collage,

for which I'm so grateful!

This will be a page on the right hand side, probably the first page of the book.

So there will be the inside of the front cover on the left of this page.

*

Features of last week's party

IF YOU LIKE TO PIN SOME OF THESE FEATURED PHOTOS

THEN PLEASE DO SO FROM THE ORIGINAL BLOGS

OF WHICH YOU CAN FIND THE LINKS BELOW.

(Just click on the name of the blogs mentioned.)

Everyone has made a great effort in creating, photographing and writing blog posts

and I want all credit to go to the owners of these photos.

So please pin these photos from their blogs and not mine.

*

This week all features happen to be handmade creations,

because there were several Christmas themed link ups last week,

and I really love to choose Christmas as the linking thread in this week's post.

(Of course you can choose whatever theme you like for your own link up,

please don't feel obliged to go with the Christmas theme as well!)

First feature is a beautiful pocket canvas hanger by Nancy of Sugar Lump Studios.

With a sweet image of a little girl.

Little Christmas trees and a snow flake as the perfect finishing touch

for Nancy's gorgeous Christmas hanger.

Next feature is a gorgeous Christmas card by Dorthe of Den Lille Lade.

I love the finishing touch with the autumnal leaves and cones,

to which she added some sparkly bits.

Beautiful!

Last but not least I chose yet another handmade creation,

a most beautiful fabric Christmas gift book

made by Marie of Lost Bird Studio.

She had not linked these exact photos to last week's party,

but she did link up another photo of the book,

when it was not finished yet.

And I so much loved the finished book

that I decided to feature the photos of it instead.

I hope you don't mind.

Even the back of the book is so gorgeous!

A lazy beach day and a work in progress

It was a lazy day at the beach today.

Waves coming and going.

We gathered more shells,

washed ashore.

A picture I took became the starting point

of a new fabric collage.

A work in progress still.

Embroidery and beads need to be added.

Holes need to be drilled in the shells.

But I'm not in a hurry.

This fellow was begging for a piece of my sandwich.

I gave in. For another photo opportunity.

Hey, you ain't getting it for nothing Mr. Gull.

More shells being washed ashore.

The sea leaving bubbles behind.

And so you can join me today at this lazy beach day,

here's a little video I took while standing in the short break.

Wishing you a peaceful week.

xx Wen

Fabric collage Autumn Hues

Last night I finally finished my fabric collage

of which I showed you a work in progress months ago!

Can you believe it?

Of course I should be making Christmas goodies instead.
Being it so that it is only a month away and I have made...

uhm...

one
yes, one
thingie.

Well,
almost one.

And ah yes, said Christmas goodie and its friends have to be sent elsewhere
long before that fast approaching day.

But alas, it cannot be helped. The fabric collage begged me with her droopy eyes
to please be finished now and forever so it can be hung and seen.

Well,
there you are.
One happy collage.

In dreadfully dark weather,
but we'll have to be content with that.

A little bit information on the making of:

I painted the lace flowers with acrylic paint.

The beads and black curly thingies are hand-embroidered.

And there's a little bit of gold paint on the feather.

***

Ah, and before I leave, let me thank you dearly for the sweet well-wishes I received. A big big thank you dears!! I'm feeling much better now. Oh yes, and I shouldn't forget. Happy Thanksgiving to my wonderful American friends!! Have a beautiful day!

xx Wen

Spring is here! Meanwhile on my worktable...

Hello dears,

Europe here.

Anyone fancy some spring?

Let me send some sun rays your way,

because here the weather is so mild and sunny.

(WOYWW'ers: Second half of the post,

after my ramblings about flowers and yah... more flowers,

you can find more on the worktable part.)

Most of the times when I'm out and about I forget to bring my camera.

But luckely my cellphone has a camera too!

I have to say I'm getting quite addicted to Instagram at the moment.

Click, quick edit, and send.

Voilá.

These square shaped photos are all taken with my phone.

The tree above is my favourite one in our neighbourhood.

I love how the big petals of the blossoms make a soft tapestry on the ground.

Of course I forgot to take a picture of that.

But I also love how the sun shines through those beautiful petals.

And also through the petals of the tree above.

I love the effect of the light when a photo is taken against the sun.

In a forgotten corner are these sweet little blue ones...

"Forget-us-not!"

Meanwhile, whenever I get the chance when it is not so sunny,

I try to finish a fabric wall hanger I'm working on.

Yes, well, it's taking a while.

So, here's what's on my worktable at the moment.

If you work your way through the bushes, you'll find this...

I'm still deciding on the hanging part

and on some other things.

But who cares really when there is sun to be enjoyed!

Who else is on my worktable?

Bambino!

An adorable little plant who found it's way to my table today.

Who could resist such a little one? Surely I can not.

I have a weak spot for wee plants.

I hope he'll enjoy his little place.

He got the best view, so I don't think he'll complain.

He had his own little name badge.

In case I couldn't understand him when he was introducing himself.

(And in case you didn't know, "Bambino" is little child in Italian).

Isn't that cute?

Oh, and yes, you're right,

months ago there was not a single plant to be seen on my worktable.

But there's an invasion going on now. They seem to take over my work space.

As long as they don't quarrel, they're most welcome to stay.

No room for mess anymore on this table.

Space is becoming increasingly scarce!

***

So, here's my WOYWW for this week.

(WOYWW = What's on your workdesk Wednesday)

Thank you Julia for hosting!

Wishing you all a sunny day!

xx Wen