Fabulous Workshop to Kick Start the Creative Juices

I went to a fabulous workshop lead by Mandy Pattullo at Hope and Elvis on Saturday.  I set off on a very misty, murky morning and for those of you who know me, this is a big thing, driving somewhere I haven't been before.  I'm not the world's most confident driver but I was determined to go but so glad I hadn't realised that visibility was so dire.  It was only just over an hour away, I could do it, I would do it because the lure of her work and the wonderfulness of Hope and Elvis was the biggest 'carrot'.  So, so glad I did, it more than lived up to expectations.

The wonderful stag above just had to come home with me.  It was love at first sight, from the delightfully worn piece of quilt it's stitched on, to the wonderful mix of colours and textures in the embroidery.

Mandy was such a good tutor it wasn't long before we were up and running.  Having chosen my template - a cheeky squirrel it was off to rummage for fabric pieces in the heaven of a pile of fabrics!

The whole place was just so inspirational but a bench, covered in fabric to rummage through was just so inspiring, so many fabrics and textures.   Wish I could show you more of the studio but guess who forgot to charge her camera, arghhhhh!

So then it was back to my bench to begin assembling my fabrics so as to try to resemble a squirrel.

Here was my work at the end of the day, still a ways to go but determined to finish it. I had such fun, it had been so long since I'd played and created.  But it won't be as long again.

The house move is out of the way, most of the boxes are unpacked so it won't be long before I'm back making again.  Incidently Mandy Pattullo very kindly brought along some of her sketchbooks and I was so happy to see the works she'd done around a cemetery - cos we all know how much I love cemeteries right?  When I was in a local cemetery recently, doing some rubbings, ideas were flitting across my mind......watch this space folks.  I also don't think it will be long before I'm on another course at Hope and Elvis, it really is a very special space.