knitting and stitching show

Hello...had a very inspirational trip to Alexander Palace to the Knitting and Stitching show with my mum and daughter.....some absolutely stunning work, noteably by design graduates exhibiting their degree work. The wealth of ideas and exquisite craftmanship was very humbling!

All the big names such as Selvedge, clothkits and Loop had a stand there where I noticed our Guru's lovely work!

If this show comes to your area you must go...I'm feeling very inspired to make!

more images on ragtale blog......

At "Home"

Hello All...

I am in Austin, Texas visiting my mother. Her house is really wonderful. I thought I'd show you a few of the rooms that are so inspiring to me....

First, though, meet this doll who sits in a bowl to greet visitors. She is made by my friend, Tricia, who made the whimsical ceramic things I posted a while back..I LOVE her!

When you first walk into the house, you are met with a wall of drawings that my father did. I like how Mom displays them.....

This is the wall opposite the wall of drawings. Mom's "pear" collection is housed in the desk on the left. I'll get some details later....
Here is the Dining Room, officially, but seems to be more of a "greeting" room. Mom uses the table to display lovely things, depending on the season....
..and in the kitchen..... my brothers and I had photos of our families done in black and white and my niece had them framed together for Mom's birthday. She has done this little "black & white" vignette" to display it.....nice.

Kisses Make it better

I have been working on this doll for a while, but wanted to make a box for it before I showed you all.  I was inspired by julie's "ointment" doll.  So all the parts are detachable using a popper.  It then went on to become a play toy for children, you know how they love to make dolls sick and want to make them better.  Then I thought of the song "head, shoulders, knees and toes" and have put that text around the box and also added my son's little picture of a body.  A friend of mine who is my age has had a hip replacement and has done a lot of work on pain.  She told me how lots of people don't know the names of the parts of their bodies and how this then makes it hard for doctors to help them get better.  So I also thought how good it would be for children to learn about the parts of their bodies.  This goes on.  Am now thinking of making one with using the french names and writing on the box "for the english middle class parent who wants their child to learn french".  Do you think there is a market for this idea, anyway once I have completed it Iwill keep you all posted.  Joanna

Christmas is coming

Walked into the supermarket this morning and it was filled with Christmas chocolate. Already!  Anyway it reminded me that I had promised Jone to show her my hand felted Christmas stockings.  THey are made in one piece and have no seams, it is a very clever process and then I have hand sewn the christmas motifs on to the front of them.  I made a few last year with the intention of selling them, but only sold two.  Chris was delighted as he didn't think I should sell them at all, so hope you all like them.  Joanna

Billie

Hello lovely violets, still reliving our Briancon time, I have finally framed the beautiful artworks of Billie Spille, the american artist very kindly introduced to us by our wonderful hostess Katie.....I could look at these two paintings for hours, and now wish that I could have spent more time talking to her and looking at her amazing studio. Hope you enjoy the pictures.....

Lovely Flowers

Hello Ladies!

A few days ago, Oolie called and said, "You need to get over to Hobby Lobby. They have single stem flowers on SALE!" So, I did. She and I had played around with small felt flowers with little stamen in the middle (gives you something to wind the felt around) I was so happy to find exactly the flowers she was talking about:

Aren't they pretty? Almost look real in a photograph.

I tore the petals off and ended up with the different little stamen in four colors.

Then, I put them all in a little glass and, honestly, that makes me sooo happy! 

.....simple joys, ladies.......simple joys!  xo

Fancy Pants

Just found this photo of Oolie, posing with a mannekin all dressed in beads and chiffon.....

Having the girls here was such a treat. I am trying to keep up with the energy and creativity that was started.......like getting home after being at Briancon!

October in France

First of all, happy birthday, birthday girls! Judging from our garden, this year October looks like a great month to have one. We continue to have an amazing warm and sunny Autumn here in S W France and the garden is still bursting with blooms (mostly lipstick pink it would seem), many of which we have never really seen before because the bad weather stops us from going outside to admire them. Anyway, below are a few of my favourties to brighten your day.

Seeing the three girls in Santa Fe and reading Jone's post made me very jealous. Loved the photos - you looked like you were having a fab time!

In between supervising builders (the barn conversion has finally started) and gardening I managed to make a necklace, with Julie-style cloth beads and ephemera, to cheer up a friend whose beloved dog has gone missing in the woods - it's hunting season round here and thechasse will shoot anything that moves. I forgot to take a photographs before handing it over so you will have to take my word that it was pretty darn good for a first try.

October Birthday Girls

FYI.... there are a few of us "violets" who have birthdays this month. Happy Happy to you ALL!

Becky's special day is the 9th. Isn't this photo reminiscent of our lingering vision of the wonderful photographer with the glorious imagination?

Oolie! The girl of the 12th! Can't you hear the laughter that is so infectious?

And Madame Danielle.....the 28th.....Look! She is dressed for the celebration! GoRgEoUs!!!

Love to all of you!!!!    May the years bring wisdom and giggles!   xoxo  Jone

an "Oolie" treasure

Oolie left today and I talked to Sue at least three times - we ALL miss one another! I guess I am feeling pretty lonely, even though there are plenty of things to do and people to watch out for here. We had a wonderful time and I hope that we can do it again really soon!

Oolie made this beautiful little "jar top" for me and I will treasure it forever. It is less than two inches in diameter - just my size! I think that it is exquisite...thank you so much, Oolie! 

By the way, her birthday is October 12, in case anyone is interested....  xoxo

It's feeling brisk here in Kansas City. I have been squeezing the living daylights out of creativity at work without feeling terribly successful, & so I painted the hallway bright green to compensate.
Here is Cooper picking apples this last saturday...


Hugs!

Together Again

Well, ladies, I hope all your ears have been burning because you have been talked about over and over again! As far as we are concerned, you are all here with us! Here are just a few photos from last Thursday and the fun we had....

DOODLET's is a shop that is so much fun! I worked here when I first moved to Santa Fe and still do the ads. We thought these hats were pretty special!

"Princess Julie" at "Poem" which is another really wonderful shop that I like to visit often.

And Sue, in the same shop with a very cool little green felt hat on - darn cute!

We had to stop for lunch at San Francisco Street Bar & Grill to maintain our energy level....

....and then Sue realized it was time for bed....or something!

It is Sunday night, now, and Julie and I are missing Sue, who left on Friday. We did work on some pretty neat things today, after breakfast at the Teahouse. Tomorrow, I will post some of our "Retail Therapy" finds and some of the things we have made.....xoxo

a "must-see" video

So, this is the table set for dinner tonight with the last of the flowers from the garden before the anticipated freeze tonight....brrrrrr...... Doesn't it look festive?

I got an email from my friend Melissa today with a link to a talk by the author of the book, "Eat, Pray, Love." It is "IT".... exactly what we, as artists, go through. She is so articulate and "right on"...and so clear in her "voice"...so inspiring.

This is well worth the 20+/- minutes it takes to listen to it. I recommend taking the time.

Ole ole ole! (you'll understand that after you hear the talk)  xoxo

http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/elizabeth gilbert on genius.html

necklaces

Saturday, Sue and I went to the Farmer's Market and we found these lovely necklaces at the Artists' Market across the street! The jeweler's name is Naomi and she sells through Sundance Catalog under the name "herndon heald"....wow.....this photo does NOT do these justice - at ALL! Beautiful little beads - peridot, pearl and ruby - tied on silk thread...wow, again.....

We are buzzing around like mosquitoes (!) just like we did in France. We are pretty happy.....

Children

As Taylor and Danielle have set a precedent by putting their kids stuff on the blog, I thought I would share with you the "pod of killer whales" my son made out of lego, that greeted me yesterday.  How clever is that.

Thought I would also share the fish tank too.  Beinn asked for a fish, (I am not partial to the responsibility of animals, my children are enough as far as I am concerned) so  made him one out of felt and put a interesting lid on the top.  He was happy, sort of!

Joanna

Sewing frenzy

Here's an apron I have almost finished. I just have to figure out how to do the buttons in the back. It was looking very plain so I tried out these new flowers on it. Maybe too mish mash. Becky, do you see the one dedicated to you? Still thinking of what to add to it. Any ideas? Then I have another apron pattern to make and a cute dress that looks like a challenge to sew.

Guess who made this little pin cushion? Can you believe the little Miss made this on my sewing machine- and didn't even jam the machine AND it was her idea to make it? They have just started using the sewing machine in her fashion class. Who would think? Hmm maybe by December she can sew up that challenging dress for me.

Hope everyone is doing well. Miss the chit chat around the big table.

Farmer's Market

BREAD!!! At the Farmer's Market...looks like a drawing....

YUMMY radishes....what a color!
very cool eggplants.....
and the weather was perfect! More later!!!  xo