Play time

I have been playing around with patterns and following some of the tutorials on my course The art and business of surface pattern design (see link on my side-bar) and attempting repeat patterns. I have always respected how designers can place together patterns and colours and now find myself admiring them even more. Learning Illustrator is an ongoing process for me; as yet nothing comes naturally and I have to keep reverting back to the course notes. But I will persist, because the satisfaction when it all goes well, is immense. Here is a sample of some of my latest efforts.

If I tell you that I have fallen in love with gingham, would you be surprised? I have made it up in every colourway possible. There is something so 'fresh' about its appeal whatever fashion dictates. I am going to play around with it a bit more, maybe place it behind some of my flower drawings. I was a sucker for seersucker when I was young. I wonder if I can replicate that in Illustrator? Watch this space!


Back to the drawing board for me. Enjoy your day. 

Birthday Time

Today is my son-in-law's 36th birthday. He is the husband of my eldest daughter and the father of my two gorgeous grandchildren.

I am most fortunate to have him in my life. He really is a family man. He loves my daughter (what more could I ask) and is a terrific daddy to my two grandchildren. He is a very hands-on dad, a 21st century one. Cooking is one of his great loves and, over the years, I have been the happy recipient of some amazing meals. My daughter met him at University in their first term and they have been together ever since. There is not a day goes by that I am not thankful that he is part of our family.

My lovely daughter and son-in-law are expecting their third child in November, another happy event. There is much to celebrate today. 

A very happy birthday to you!

Time to be Bold

Last month, I didn't manage to join Storytelling Sunday. If you pop over to Sian's blog, From High in the Sky, settle yourself down with a cuppa or maybe something stronger (!) and enjoy a jolly good read. You might even think about adding a story or two of your own? You will be very welcome I am sure.


This week, as I have adjusted to my younger daughter's departure to her own home (she is doing really well, in case you are wondering), and getting back into full granny mode, my thoughts have turned to a story for this Sunday. It is about myself.

I have a confession. At the age of 66, I have decided to become a surface pattern designer. I joined an e-course The Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design run by two wonderfully talented ladies, Rachael Taylor and Beth Nicholls. I cannot begin to tell you what a fantastic experience it has been. I have always loved patterns; from those I first stitched as a small girl, the shape of letters, book covers, those drawn by nature, all the incredible bolts of fabric lined up on the shelves, especially those used for quilting, all stationery. You get the picture. But the course is about so much more. The nuts and bolts of the surface pattern industry are fully explained, lots of insight into designers and their studios, links to more than I could possibly have imagined when the course began. Rachael and Beth are so sharing. Each week, there have been bonus technical workshops that have blown my mind. I have previously only worked with Photoshop and had no experience of Illustrator. These flowers represent my first attempts at using the pen tool. I have lots of drawings too that I am learning to trace and use as surface designs and will be sharing those at a later date.

Now here's the nitty gritty of the confession. For some reason, I have not felt able to share any of my designs and drawings here on my blog. I think it is about time I did. If I am to get anywhere with my designs, I must overcome the fear of feeling inadequate, an impostor among my peers. This isn't the first time in my life I have felt such incompetence even when people have told me that they love things I have made. So, I have reasoned that there is no better time than when among this friendly blogging community to make a start and and sort out those gremlins for good.


What do you think?


  

The Road to Recovery

It's that time of the month again - Julie's Months in Numbers. I missed participating in March, and very nearly didn't make it this month having been away. Here's the reason why...

My younger daughter has now returned to her home in Kent. She has been with me in West Sussex for 1 year and 3 months. She is still quite a way from a full recovery of the Sarcoidosis; she may not be able to go back to work for at least another year. However, the Consultant feels confident that with her husband's help and outside caring facilities, they will be able to manage all her present difficulties and she can have some semblance of normality again.


This is an immense step for both of us but a very necessary one. Of course I miss her hugely but I am so happy that she and her husband are able to be together, and we have Skype! I am so grateful that I was able to help them through this difficult time. 


If you haven't checked out Julie's blog, head on over. There are always some fascinating numbers to be read.


I am looking forward to catching up on some blog reads and hopefully blogging more in May. In the meantime, thanks for dropping by.


x

If you go down to the woods...

They are here! I love bluebells, their small fragile heads pushing through the earth to create a forest of pure delight. I can remember so many times during my life when they have taken my breath away. Once, in my teens, coming across an old churchyard where they had taken over and performed a magic spell on those old gravestones. For the past twenty years, I have looked upon them in awe in the woods near Kingley Vale, one of my favourite walks. 


While I was thinking about a way to place them in a lay-out, along came Alexa with another FREE download of dotted frames and instructions. Perfect! You can download the frames here and be amazed at her creativity. I know she would love you to visit and leave a comment.

Click on image to enlarge

This year, because of the drought, I have read that their season will be a short one. If you get the opportunity, seek out a bluebell wood near you. I hope your heart is as uplifted as mine.

Have a wonderful day.

Time for a Celebration

Sometimes we take things for granted. Like driving. Most of us drive and own a car. My younger daughter has driven and had a car since she was eighteen. When she met her future husband at University he didn't drive and as she did, they always had their own transport. It was only later that I found out he had tried a few driving lessons but hadn't felt confident in the driving seat. Over the years, he had a few more attempts at driving but never continued. That is, until his wife, my younger daughter became ill. Oh, how he wished that he could drive her car each weekend when he came to visit her. Regular readers will be aware that I have been looking after her for over a year in my home because she couldn't manage the stairs in her own.


After many long and expensive train rides every weekend between Kent and Sussex, earlier this year he decided it was time to get behind the wheel again. He tried some lessons at home in Kent, but then switched to having them in Sussex where he felt more familiar with the roads. He booked his test to take place while here during the Easter holiday. 


It was a very grey morning on the day of the test but as the hour approached, the weather improved and out came the sun. Was it an omen or more likely his determination to succeed and put his driving demons behind him? He passed. First time. We are all so proud of him. 

We are all still smiling.


Enjoy the rest of your weekend. And take care on the roads.

Just cruising along

Enjoying browsing around some of my favourite blogs, I came across a free download and challenge by Alexa of trimming the sails. I used a digital download of Alexa's here. I admire her clean designs. 

This is the page that inspired Alexa to create the template. You can obtain the free download, and see what she did with it here. So clever.

Sometimes you just have the perfect photographs for such a project. I had taken the ones close to home before I became ill in early March, and the Spinnaker Tower photographs were taken by my son-in-law and younger daughter later in the month. Those long thin strips are just tailor made to show off the height of the tower and the masts of the yachts in Portsmouth Harbour.  

Click on image for a better view

I have used digital paper and a stitched tag from Carina Gardner's Sweet Nothings kit to complete the page and am really happy with the outcome. It's good to be challenged sometimes. Why don't you have a go? I am sure Alexa will be delighted to see her template put to good use.


Have a good day!