Friday 15 March 2013

SIMPLY A MOMENT (MARCH)

I am smiling about tomorrow....  a book-binding course, booked months ago.  In a Fire Station turned Art Centre.

My mind skips back to my first visit.  Initially I wasn't going to go to the Book Fair....   then a phone call from my friend Jill who was already there.

"I don't know if you planned to come, but you might want to".... 

She said she'd wait for me.... we'd have a cup of coffee together.  And as these thoughts come, so does the excitement, remembering my stomach lurch as I opened the door and saw tables laid with hand made books.  Yes!  Hand made books!  Every simple and intricate design you can imagine.  And I remember too the ideas that flooded and filled me.  I already knew I love making books, but these just excited me even more.  I took photos, made notes, and spoke to every crafter.  Some I really connected with, we exchanged names. Interests.  Ideas.

And now I sit here wondering what kind of book I will make tomorrow? What kind of binding? The hum of the computer is loud.  Disturbing.  I like quiet.... it is an intrusion.  Now I pick up the TV in the other room too, left playing in the background.  I had been ironing.  Watching a film.... The Untouchable.  A film that made me laugh, feel moved, feel present.  Everything else locked out....

I get up to  check the candle, remembering I had left the oil burner alight.  Rosemary fills the room.  It soothed as I worked my way through the pile of clothes, the rhythmic motion of the iron unconscious.  And now a car drives up, parks outside my window.  Another interruption.  Time to gather my materials for the workshop, and to move again.



Simply a Moment is a monthly post prompted by Alexa over at trimmingthesails.  For more quiet reflections why not pop over and have a browse? 

BLOGGERS RESIDENTIAL WEEKEND

This time two weeks ago I was heading for Milton Keynes for a residential weekend with friends I had met in Blogland.  The camper was packed with contributions of food and a mountain of stash and materials. 

And it was excitement all round when we met, some of us for the first time.  We had travelled by coach, train, car and plane.  And what was wonderful, is that everyone turned out to be just as I lovely as I imagined! 

                                            We didn't take long to cover the workspace....


And it was lovely to see how other people actually work.  There were challenges and tutorials, and an invitation from Mel to make Twinchies.  Confession time... I had to do a Google search to find out what these were, but got quite excited by the idea as I love working small and I decided to put my new Silhouette Cameo to work again.  Any excuse to try it out and learn more! 

Mel asked us to make enough Twinchies for everyone and after collecting them all together she handed out sets from each person. We were given a 12" page and this formed the perfect maze book in which to display them.  I made some pages with a pocket for journaling, and I love this little keepsake. 
 

 
And after some re-arranging in the garden
 
 
We managed a group photo or two...  Blog Friends united.  And even the sun shone!
A great weekend, thank you to everyone who worked to pull this together.




 
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