Do you mind me mentioning....

Hope you don't think I am being a cheeky so and so, but just to let you know that Mrs B has a bit of a weekender going on in November at the wonderful Hope and Elvis!

On the Saturday we shall be playing with image transfers, collage, free style embroidery and paint.

You can make wooden block pictures, little stitched bits and bobs such as pictures or brooches, whatever takes your fancy really.

On the Sunday we will work in re-purposed journals and/ or concertina books and play with paint, print, stitch and other such fripperies!

No sewing or mixed media experience is necessary, this is a fun workshop for all creative folks.

Oh, and there will be lots of cake and goodies!

There are also lots of other amazing workshops listed too, but be warned, places go quickly in Hope and Elvis Land!

X

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Charity Ch-reasure Of The Month...

I have trained my apprentice well.

Mini-Goth spotted this little beauty in the charity shop.

O How I love thine crazy eyed countenance!

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A Very Painterly Day Indeed!

On Saturday I was lucky enough to teach a painting workshop at The Steel Rooms in the lovely market town of Brigg.

'From Simplification to Abstraction: The Mixed Media Landscape' was the focus for the day.

Look at the concentration on Karen's, Liz's and Isy's faces...

We began by painting thumbnail sketches, picking out the main elements from the reference points that we brought along.

 Dawn's action shot!

Look at Julie, Becky and Debs go!

The 'choons' were played and the paint was flung around!

What made the day even more special was that we were joined by two younger painters, Isy and Kate, and what I found amazing was their energy and commitment.

(In fact, as us ladies gossiped and laughed through our dinner time, Kate and Isy carried on working!)

Well done chucks!

After a gorgeous dinner, we explored mixed media.

Everyone's work was so varied, ranging from representational, to semi-abstraction to full-on abstraction.

Kate and Isy fully embraced the concepts of abstraction and were fearless painters!

I loved seeing the techniques that we explored in the morning being used in such experimental and individual ways.

'I did art!'

Well done ladies, I feel so proud of you all!

I couldn't believe how much work was produced in one day!

A note of apology to Liz, Kate and Isy:

Im so sorry but some of my photos were really blurred (I blame my general giddiness on the day,) and so I didn't have many pictures of your work.

I would love to include more examples of your work on this post, if you find the time to send me some photos on my Face Book page that would be lovely.

Please accept my sincere apologies.

And Breathe...

After the stresses of the SATs and the frantic end of term teaching, my head is spinning.

It's been a breath- taking ride, but can I get off the roller coaster now?

Let's take a road trip to the North York Moors.

And take a deep breath...

There, that's better.

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The Ladies' Man...

My mate Sam gave me a beautiful old photo of a brass band.

As soon as I saw it, I knew that there were stories a- plenty, all waiting to be told about that band and their adventures.

This chap caught my eye immediately.

I'm pretty sure his name was Frederick, and he was the heart breaker, the charmer, the ladies' man.

As I was stitching him he told me all about his shenanigans, and before I knew it, there it was....

The old blanket label he is sat on used to say

'Guaranteed All Wool'

and now it reads

'Guaranteed All Woo'.

He's a one, that Frederick...

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A Day Out In Whitby!

Hope you don't mind me harking back to my Easter holiday but there is so much to share.

Whitby is one of my favourite places ever, let's pootle...

Fancy a cuppa in Sherlock's Coffee House?

Perhaps just one slice?

Giant plastic ice cream alert!

We heard the gavel slam as we walked past!

Sold!

Looks like this ice cream is parked illegally!

Time for a spot of shopping...

Fortune's.

Probably the best kippers in the world.

We even had some sunshine!

Don't think they'll be winning any Oscars for this pretend argument!

And at the end of the day, it was off back to our lovely little cottage for a kip by the fire...

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