Connections...

is a new piece just listed in the shop It is a lutradur piece, which I stitched into and then added fibres using the embellisher machine, which felts fabrics into each other, as well as creating needlefelt using wool and other fibres. And then it lay about in my studio for ages, as it wasn't quite finished. Recently, however, I've discovered a latent passion for fuschia; I've always loved the plants, but not been so fond of the colour. However, I discovered it mixes wonderful strong orange colours when I bought a tube of acrylic paint that was on sale (I'm forever buying cheap paint...), and fished the solitary reel of fuschia thread out of my thread storage box. And it added the final connections the piece needed. Voila!

Hand Of Friendship

has been kicking around here for a while, a small art quilt, but I decided to list it on Etsy today. It was made for a challenge, but didn't get as far as the actual exhibit, I think I was having a bad patch, and when that happens, everything stops.

I've made a number of pieces using hands. For me they are the ultimate symbol of creativity. This particular piece, though, reflects all the different gifts that our friends bring us; sympathy, love, encouragement, care, help, comfort, understanding, joy, enthusiasm and companionship. And that, of course, is just the tip of a very large iceberg.

I am fortunate enough to have a lot of friends; this piece is dedicated to them. All of them. Those I have met, personally, and my virtual friends. All of them, very special people.