Miao Book

One member of our Venture Group, who collects old items of embroidery, brought this original Miao thread book in for us all to enjoy.  It was beautiful and she had picked it up at the Manchester Textile Fair some years ago at a very reasonable price.  As we had recently had a workshop with Ruth Smith making a similar folded paper book it was very interesting to be able to look at an original example.

Secret Folded Star

It is a good job you cannot see the real colours on this book as it is a mess.  I think I am going to repaint the pockets under the top stars as I do not like them.  I wanted it to look faded and feel the stars are actually flowers.  They remind me of those old fashioned primulas 'Gold Lace'.  The book still needs a cover so that is a job for this next week if I get time.

Not happy ....  I had another go at this technique using Lokta paper and coloured it with watercolour pencils which I then wetted.  I think the real answer is to colour your paper on both sides first.

Had a day at Malvern Spring Flower Show on Saturday - dodging the rain showers - so what's new!!  Managed to meet a friend and go to the Living in the Middle exhibition in Ledbury at the Weavers Gallery on Friday.  The supporting sketchbooks were really inspirational and we both enjoyed the exhibition, plus coffee at the french cafe.

Folded Secrets

Had a fabulous workshop with Ruth Smith on Wednesday of this week in Worcester.  It was a two day workshop, however, as I have made the book before I decided just to do the one day.  It was just as well as the builder came on Thursday to finish off one or two jobs and the double glazing people also arrived.  We now have a lovely new front door and front window, plus we have frosted glass in the downstairs cloakroom ... so we might be able to use it now.

This is a selection of the work created on Day 1.  Two of us did the Starburst booklet and I have now coloured mine, but think it needs some more work as I am not happy with how it looks .... hence no photograph.  Once clever person had coloured her paper beforehand and another used coloured paper.

Today I hope to catch up with the 'Living in the Middle' exhibition at The Weavers Gallery in Ledbury.