Hilary B has not been talking and very much apologises .. plus stuff

I fear I have been quiet for several weeks - a rare occurrence, some might even say a blessing. I have (as always) been very busy .. but I've also had a few health issues to deal with .. which have pre-occupied my mind a smidge. Theses culminated last week in an appointment with a very nice Cardiologist and an  ECG. This story does not have any pretty pictures to go with it .. so we will have to just add random ones in .. like this .. some beautiful Gerbera I treated myself to ... as therapy ...

so back to the ECG .. well it turns out I have cardiac arrhythmias caused by Premature Ventricular Contractions. For anyone who wants to know more about those .. here's the Wikipedia link!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Premature_ventricular_contraction

For the rest of us - enough to know that these could have been caused by many factors .. probably too much work and adrenaline .. but are not deadly .. so I shall be sensible and look after myself a bit better ... job done.

Thank you for all messages of love - all much appreciated - I am truly blessed with my friends.

This has meant I have had to cut back quite a lot of my workload - including some workshops. I am now fully booked until mid 2016 as far as workshops go .. and will be looking at what to do in the future. I shall continue teaching at the Bramble Patch, where I have a two day silhouette workshop coming up in October, which still has some spaces.  I am also re-running the full years worth of Make it \personal workshops next year at the bramble patch too.. These will be two days every two months again and are suitable for new students and beginners as well as those who have already done a year with me and might wish to continue developing their work. These are now on the Bramble Patch website for booking - here is a link ...

https://thebramblepatch.co.uk/BramblePatchClasses.aspx

Time for another picture I think .. here are Dixter and Sean helping out with some dyeing in the garden and some of the resultant cloth ..

 

 

I am still running the summer schools at Redditch .. the first one is full, but there are a couple of places  come free on the second one, 29/30 September and 1 October. All the details are in an earlier blog - or in the website shop, together with booking .. another link

http://www.mrsite.co.uk/usersitesv35/118878.mrsite.com/wwwroot/userimages/procart2.htm

I am also teaching two one day workshops using gelli plates at both the Ally Pally and Harrogate Knitting and Stitching shows. Wendy Gardiner was very good in allowing me to have whole days for these - so I hope you will come! I know I already have one student en-route from New Zealand .. that is what I call loyalty! These will coincide with the publication of my next book 'The Gentle Art of Gelliping' ... this is a working title, but I love it so much, I think it may stay. This will be in conjunction with Art van Go and will hopefully encourage you to use your gelli plate in some very different ways, to maximise its potential and achieve unique and personal results. You will hear more about this no doubt in the next couple of months. I am very excited .. but then again .. what's new!!

Make it Personal Book 2 will be on a theme of Coast and I really hope to have it done for the Harrogate Knitting and Stitching show .. I will report on progress.

Talking of beach - I have been a couple of times in the last weeks - no-where else revives in quite the way the sea does. And I have been collecting treasure (of course) ... these are in the utility sink

 

Got into trouble for that ... even when I am ILL .. so had to move them to a bucket

 

and I now intend to go and do some seaweed and shell gelliping .. both for the book and also for two other exhibitions I am preparing for ..

 

Art Textiles: Made in Britain are having their inaugural gallery at Festival of Quilts this year and our theme is 'Identity'. One of my pieces deals with how I have managed my long standing issue of chronic depression and worked out how to still live a full life alongside the beast. As the sea is so much part of this maintenance of health .. I want some small pieces and images for that. I am also preparing a large exhibition with Stephanie Redfern, which is called 'Sanctuary' and which will open at the Minerva gallery next summer. Again - the coast is an obvious tie in for me here .. so coastal gelliping is definitely in order.  Here are some previously printed cloths which will also be used - together with more treasures .. and you can bet some of them will also be getting involved too

 

Golly - I am rubbish at brief aren't I?? I do apologise of this seems a bit of a dull, serious post .. I just wanted to re-assure and bring up to date. I have let everybody know now, where I have had to cancel anything .. so if you haven't heard form me - don't worry, it is still happening!

I'm of to gellip in the sunshine now .. which will no doubt help restore my spirits .. and will be back soon with masses of student work and hopefully my usual bonhomie. Thank you for visiting - Hilary xx