I had a wonderful time at the Warner Textile Archive on Friday with Alison Stockmarr making memory textile postcards. I learnt a few new techniques including how to apply gold leaf to image transfers, crush velvet with beautiful patterns and using heat transfer images onto gauzy materials. It was lovely to be working amongst other arty crafty folks too. Here’s the result- not bad!

Craft classes should be back to normal this week- Applique, Tunisian Crochet and Crochet. I’ll also be getting ready for the Bishop’s Stortford Farmers and Crafts Market on Saturday (9am to 1.30pm).Pop in and say hello- it’s British Food Festival too- yummy!

Spent a large part of the weekend in Ivan Daggett’s studio carrying on with some sculpture work. Making one of the textiles below helped me think of some ideas on how to finish another project. Some inspiration for the sewing came from Art in Action and the piece may turn out to be one of a small series..

Back from a very inspiring visit to Art In Action near Oxford and got loads of inspiration for more projects as well as catching up with my talented arty friend Juliette from www.julietteodesigns.co.uk.

Trudie Timlin Brown

Chiashan Lee

I got a lot more done this week in the studio- including giving the sewing machine a good clean! An important job if you want to keep it ticking over nicely!

I finished a couple of fish brooches and another small tea cozy. Some of my students finished their brooches too and look rather pleased with themselves! Gold stars all round!

There’s no craft class this Friday as I’ll be coming back from Art in Action. (www.artinaction.org.uk)

Haven’t as busy in the studio this week as I’d like to – too hot! Popped out and bought a fan which has helped a lot though. Thanks to the crafters who came and coped with the heat on the hottest day of the year!

Bought some of the beautiful roses from our garden inside- it’s a shame you can’t smell them too!!

Pleased with my Time For Tea cozy and have now made a couple of additional cozies. They’re all  made from vintage material and up-cycled scarves and tablecloths. Mmm- must go and put the kettle on!

The first of the Wednesday evening Needle Felting classes got underway this week and we started making some decorative fish brooches. All agreed that it’s very therapeutic stabbing the felt! We’ll be tackling the same project in Friday’s needle felting too!

Meanwhile my moths and butterfly felted brooches are coming on well and I’ve made a couple of tea-cozies too!  AND I’ve made some snuffly hedgehogs for school!! Guess I’ve a lot in common with butterflies- always flitting from one project to another!

This Friday, Tuftydawn Designs studio and vintage shop will be open 11 to 4. Pop in for a browse and a chat!