a frosty morning

pottering down the garden on Monday, well wrapped up for breakfast outside...a great way to start the day...and this is the beauty which met my eye...

we had a lovely halfterm holiday with friends and family, now it's piles of washing and mess everywhere...I just need to clone myself and catch up and get organised ready for workshops, getting artwork made and dare I say it, the C...word?? 

Even my Dad has made his Christmas cake, which is a wonderful thing, the first he has made since my Mum passed on so it's a real triumph...wish I could smell it warm from the oven! He cooked it the Mary Berry way in the bottom oven of his Aga so was up at midnight taking it out! Not bad for 85!

 

and on Sunday I had a stall at the Affordable Art Fair at Rheged..a lovely day meeting some really great people, a little selling and of course some buying as there were so many lovely artists and makers there...

 

think I'd better get out of my pj's now and get down to the studio...there's 'tidying' to be done ready for a textured textiles workshop on Saturday!

have a lovely day!

Emmaxx

life is simple

if you just let it be...

since we came back from the Isle of Mull my mantra has been 'do less'...why do we find it so hard to actually 'do' nothing? 

how can I ignore the jobs that just seem to be so essential and let go? even a little letting go makes life so much more pleasant...

Rather than waiting for the magic moment when everything will be finished and perfect (ha ha!)I am trying to just be in the moment and enjoy whatever that is, whether it's chopping carrots, doing paperwork, cleaning the sink or sorting the piles of washing...sometimes I can't help a little frustration that I would rather be in the studio...but by practising being in the 'just now moment' of mindfulness I feel so much happier and content! mind you 'practice' is the word...or maybe remembering as it's easy to get caught up in the nonsense of things we think we should do! 

I have been reading The Miracle of Mindfulness by Thich Nhat Hanh a small and simple book but full of wisdom and I've found it really helpful

so outdoors I simply try to appreciate the beauty around me, not striving to improve anything, not worrying about how the garden is really weedy and plants not always where I'd like them to be...I haven't gardened much this year and somehow the garden has managed to be beautiful without my intervention...by looking at the loveliness and not judging anything as good or bad, I am more peaceful

and I do get lots of time for being in my creative space...

which is just as well as it's C-art Affordable Art Fair this next weekend , Sunday 3rd November I'll be at Rheged near Penrith with lots of other fantastic arts and makers...do come and see us if you're around!

nature has shown her strength this week, and we must respect her...I do hope none of you out there has been affected by the storm in the south of the UK...I am thankful that so few were hurt, though it has been tragic for some and my heart goes out to them. A reminder again that life is precious and NOT to waste it on nonsense...

Have a peaceful week Emmaxx

the Art of surprise...

Spring Fling...was fantastic...and later in the week following a delicious lunch at Little Salkeld Watermill...a chance picking up of a leaflet...a stunning drive across the wild country from Cumbria to Northumberland via Alston ...and down a tiny country road going we are not sure where...

 

...and daughter mine and myself arrive...at a lovely house and garden with such a view, open the door and find ourselves in a clean white space...

full of colour and texture and a wealth of paintings and textiles...we have found an exhibition of art work by Kate Jackson, Rachel Phillimore and Jane Willis...whose house we are now in...

paintings, ceramics and glorious textiles, a chance to see rug making and to talk to Rachel, all in a beautiful space and in a relaxed way...serendipity has led us to a rich visual feast...

 

I loved Jane's paintings but... my heart is textile through and through...

Kate recycles fabrics to create stunning quilts, hours of patient work...

and Rachel likewise takes all manner of fabrics and slowly creates rich textural pieces of art...

can you see why I got rather exited?

we then went to the next village and found Kate's studio where she runs wonderful workshops, above a lovely village shop and cafe, she has a room full of textile treasure...here and you can see more of Jane's work here and Rachel's here...just wish you could have been there with me to see it too, hope you enjoy it second hand...

Emmaxx