Spectrum and a Summer Project

During August Spectrum doesn't meet as a group but Gina didn't want us to be lazy during the summer break so she set us all a summer project to be going on with. We were allowed to choose our subject and I chose Circles.

The only rule that I can remember Gina setting was that we had to start with a mind map and this is mine. The first page in my sketchbook .

This is the second, coloured using Kohi-Noor paints and some salt because I thought it might be fun but now I'm not so sure as it's left quite a rough surface but it is pretty. I have been busy taking and collecting pictures so I'm sure I can find something to stick on it.

There haven't been many creative posts lately but I have been busy. For a start I've been making wrist warmers, the pair on the left are for me and the others are for one of the girls to go in their xmas stocking. I've half made the second pair and then have one more pair to make.

The colour on this picture isn't very good they are much more purple than they look.

A cushion cover that's nearly finished.

A Lemon Drizzle cake for tomorrow.

I have also had a visit to the hospital for a Gastroscopy and the cause of all my problems is a Hiatus Hernia. I have a follow up appointment with the consultant in a few weeks to discuss the next step.

Modern Movement

Modern Movement were the group exhibiting at  the Minerva Quilt Centre in Llanidlloes. I promised to share the pictures with you, I only wish they had come out better.

This is the work of Atkins Zsofia.

This quilt was of particular interest to me as my summer project is all to do with circles.

The next two are by Szekely Katalin.

This one is by Bornemisza Eszter this was quite a dark quilt although it may noy have been hung in the best light.

 Another quilt of special  interest by Csaki Gyongyi.

This one really caught my eye first because of the colour but it really was quite spectacular. It is the work of Polyak Ildiko who describes herself as a passionate woman. I think she conveyed her feelings very well not just in the colour but also the movement of the figures.

The last four pictures are the work of Jennifer Hollingdale.

Montgomery

Last week Neil and I went to Wales for a mid-week break. We had a lovely time and did manage to get some R&R but I think we have may have left it too long since our last break. We were both so exhausted that we didn't really start to feel relaxed until the day we came home and could easily have stayed a little while longer.

We broke the trip there with a lunchtime stop at Montgomery. Montogomery is such a lovely little village, it's almost as if time stops there. We have done this before because it is nice, we had lunch in the little deli where the food is fresh and local. It's also a good place to stock up on supplies.

This time after lunch we went up to the castle ruins.

The valley below, you can just see the top of the church.

This looks like the road to no where it just seems to go on and on.

I had to take these pictures of the old footpath, so much texture.

Whilst we were there we went to the local arts centre to see the quilt exhibition. I did take pictures and will blog about it in my next post but I decided not to push my luck with blogger (which I must say is behaving very well at the moment) and try to load all the pictures on at once.

The Torch

On Tuesday evening we decided to go and watch the Olympic Flame pass by. Actually it was the kids that decided we were going to as we had decided not to bother but as they pointed out it is a piece of history in the making.

I was very surprised at the lack of people. We were on Oundle Road.

I'm not a sports person and I'm not really interested in the Olympics and one thing I really disagree with is the amount of money that this has cost. £98,000 for the event and a couple of months ago it was £98,000 for the practice. That's an awful lot of money especially when you take into account that in our area care homes are being closed, schools are suffering, our roads are terrible and don't get me started on our hospital and doctors, need I go on. That money could have been put to much better use.

I'm sure there must have been many more people at the embankment where the torch was heading for.

They were quite lucky with the weather.

I don't know who the torch bearer was but he was a happy chap.