Cards in Londonfelt Etsy Shop

I have started stocking some greetings cards using prints of watercolours I have done in my sketchbooks over the years. The first batch are from my travels in Asia a few years ago...but I hope this will get me back in the habit of carrying my paints with me wherever I go. Here's a selection...

Jerwood Gallery in Hastings

Got to visit the new Jerwood Gallery over the Easter and I have to say that, whilst I know there has been much controversy about it - in particular its siting on the fantastic Stade alongside the fishing boats - I was really impressed. The building, by HAT Projects, seems to work really well, fitting in beautifully with its wonderful irridescent black tiled facades. The picture windows inside frame the stunning location making works of art of each view too. I read a good article about it in the Guardian afterwards which pretty much sums it up for me - although I liked the stairs, chunky or otherwise.

The work in the permanent collection - mostly British 20th Century - was really interesting and there is a charming video of Rose Wylie talking about her work which is currently on show on the ground floor.

Furniture dressed in felt...

...whatever next?

Interesting range by Kamkam

New colours...

I made up some felt beads with beautiful turquoise and gold sari silk. They look so good with glassy beads - not sure how its going to work yet but I want to use all these materials in my next piece.

Frida Kahlo inspiration

It can be a bit grey living in London and I am a bit prone to wear fairly plain grey clothes - can't help myself - I do love the colour grey! BUT...I also have a bit of a thing about wild clashing vibrant colours and with merino felt they are all easily available and just crying out to clash. I have been making some wild headpieces inspired by images of the wonderful Frida Kahlo and using a cacophony of oranges ,cerises and reds...

Courtesy to the kahloists' journal for Frida Kahlo image above.

Experiments with Nuno felting

I have been using my range of Tibetan colours - as I think of them - to combine with silky fabrics in a technique new to me where you end up with a lovely quilted effect.

Even though the merino colours I have used are realy vibrant it acheives quite a subtle effect. I just used it to make a gently curved scarf....

Sari silk needlecases finished

So at last I have finished the three wet felted needlecases...

It, of course, involved yet another trip to my favourite haberdashers for exactly the right coloured pre-felt leaves for the insides and some fine wine coloured ribbon as ties. Needless to say I left the shop with a whole load more stuff for a couple new ideas. One of them will require some sewing with my recently refurbished Featherweight Singer - not my strong point - so we'll have to see how that goes!