Dear readers, (who may or may not exist, though I generally feel that that doesn't matter, as it's quite enjoyable for me to see quite how busy I've been recently), I have been promising you a proper catch up for a while, and tonight I find myself at a loose end and this willing to provide it. Of course I *shouldn't* be at a loose end as I could be doing any number of things, but this is more fun than any of my available options just now:-)
Anyway, jibbering aside, I am still trying to wake my brain up from it's Christmas-holiday-induced torpor. The holidays were great but secretly I have been looking forward to the enforced routine of uni. Also I have been sorely missing seeing other people's work and the ideas I get from being around so many other creative people. Everyone is seeming a bit slow but in general things are getting back to normal. We have the critique for our 'Process' project on Monday, and although I was feeling that I had little in the way of ideas/work done for it, I know have an idea I am very pleased with. It involves lots of playing with wood and nails and paint, which can only be a good thing. There will be pictures when it's done:-)
I have also been working on/procrastinating with a lino entry for Rachael Dadd's
'Moth In The Motor' project which I must say I am well pleased with. Just for you, a sneaky print of my first proof print...

What do you think? Bearing in mind that this is the first proof, and I have quite a lot of small improvements to make, I am still thrilled with the idea, composition and general awesomeness of it. Phew! Lino is one of those things that can't be majorly changed once you've started, so it's always scary until you see the result. Also trying to visualise everything backwards is a bugger, but I am getting better at it. I'm going to the printmaking department on Thursday to get a proper print of this and 'Crone Self' done in the press there. Fingers crossed for good results please!
So what else? I cut a lovely stencil the other day and did a big ol' batch of screen prints with it. I might do another tonight actually, I'm in that sort of mood. Anyway, the stencil in question was of the word 'alive', which is an extreme distillation of one of my favourite quotes: "Do not ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive. The world needs more people who have come alive" (Howard Thurman). Also what with the grim depression hanging over me, sometimes I need reminding.
I did four prints of it; two t-shirts, one random bit of cloth (it was too pretty a stencil not to print it muchly while it was there) and a paper version. These pictures are terrible, but in lieu of me taking decent ones they will have to do.
First t-shirt

Second t-shirt

Random cloth

Paper

I like this idea with the pictures in the lettering and suspect I may end up doing it again:-)
Right, what's next?
This is the wallet I made for Sven from inner tubes. It still has some improvements than can be made, but I'm definitely getting there - which is a good thing as I have two to make in the next week! This one has a change pocket inside, but I think I'll experiment with putting it on the outside next time.


For Christmas Joe got a joint present from Lloyd and I, in the form of a tablet woven hat band for his top hat. Lloyd designed the band on the computer and we took it in turns to weave. It was a bugger to warp but I think it came out brilliantly and Joe loves it:-)

I (rather egotistically) made a stencil for a Left To Bees t-shirt as well, and it ended up being so popular that Lloyd and I printed four: one for me (on purple), one for Joe (on white), one for Sven (on camo green, what a surprise!) and one on this reddy orange t-shirt for Todd as a Christmas present. Running before we can walk? Us? Surely not!

The brain's not been too bad recently which is a relief. A bit wobbly over Christmas but nothing major. I think making things genuinely helps, with the added bonus that recently very few of my projects have been abjectly failing. Hang on, I can't believe I just said that! Silly, silly British girl... (By the way, does anyone know where that quote comes from? I swear I didn't make it up!).
Anyway, now that I am well and truly caught up I can get on with researching taxidermy for my forthcoming essay on the subject and/or drawing a plan for my woodworking mission. I hope you have such an interesting choice of things to do before you sleep!
xxx