Three weeks since I last blogged.

Its been a very hectic three weeks and the sum total of my creativity has been one ATC, and that’s for a swap so I can’t put a photo of it here.

I did however manage a trip to London on Friday.

First stop was Falkiners Fine Papers in Southampton Row and I bought some book binding cloth.
The chocolate brown and burgundy ones are Japanese silk and have a gorgeous texture. Can’t wait to use them. I also bought some Japanese paper which is probably destined for a book cover.


The assistant in Falkiners was incredibly helpful. He even gave me a quick lesson on how to add the spacers to take the thickness of the photo when making a photo album and told me all about the different sort of glues that were used and their properties. I would recommend a visit there.

My friend Z and I had planned a trip to the V&A together but unfortunately she was ill. Hope you feel better soon Z. So I trotted along on my own and saw a number of exhibitions: Out of the Ordinary: Spectacular Craft, Booker Prize Special Book Bindings and Collaborators: UK Design for Performance (Theatre designs - sets, costumes and more). They were all quite fascinating and some particularly intriguing.

In Out of the Ordinary the spots of paint on a paint spattered table were actually mother of pearl inlaid, and the spots of paints on the dust sheets were stitched. Many visitors walked straight past them without looking closely. A little girl of about eight told me quite indignantly that she had seen five people walk past without looking. It did take her to point out to me, however, that the nails in the walls were actually studded with diamonds. How many of us just walk past something and take it at face value without looking closer?

In the evening I went to the lecture with Kaffee Fassett, well known for his riotous use of colours in knitwear.



He was a great speaker, charmed the audience and enthused about his work on the slides. Apparently, he came to the UK in 1964, as a painter, intending to stay for three months and is still here. A chance trip to Scotland with a friend changed his life. He was inspired by the colours of the landscape, and a trip to a mill saw him buying wools with such names as granite and lichen. At that time he didn’t even know how to knit but on the train home he encouraged a female passenger to give him a 20 minute lesson. Later a cleaning lady showed him how to knit patterns using lots of different colours and a new career was born. A number of women in the audience were wearing stunning knitted coats, obviously inspired by him. He continues to be heavily involved in patchwork quilts, needlepoint, mosaics and painting.

He sees inspiration everywhere. He recommends always finishing a project, even if you don't like it at the time. I should take heed of that. I am a great one for starting things.

On Saturday, I had a fabulous surprise. A knock on the door and there was a delivery man with a huge box … for me! I couldn’t wait to open it up and there inside was this gorgeous plant arrangement with thanks for help with The Dress.

I was absolutely stunned. I often take in flowers for neighbours, they are never for me. Even on my birthday, the huge bouquet in the arms of the delivery man was for next door!

Well its off to work now. I hope its not another three weeks before I have time to blog again. Looking forward to a two day course with Frances Pickering next week.