Current Projects Blog

Come Over To My New Blog

2007-01-25T10:48:00.000Z

This Blog Has Now Retired!

2007-01-17T13:14:00.000Z

Hi All
This blog is now retired. I have decided to keep it here in case anyone stumbles across it in cyberspace. I will get round to changing the links over in all the blogrings in due course as well as adding in all the lovely textile blogs into my blogroll on the new blog. If you want to link to my blog please use this url and paste this code inside your link tags: "http://www.creativeforceonline.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogsection&id=1&Itemid=9"target="_blank"

Please go over to my new blog on my website.

Online Community Coming Soon

2006-12-20T10:02:00.000Z

As mentioned some time ago, I am going to offer some more features on my site to build an online community of creative people. Some of the features will be a creativity forum, ideas/techniques bank, group coaching and a chatroom... Online courses from myself and others are also a possibilty. If anyone out there has any online courses that are relevant then please get in touch as I would love to hear about what you are doing and discuss the possibilty of hosting the course on my site.

All of this is going to take time to build but I am hoping it's going to be really cool when it's all done and ready to go. The idea of the whole thing is to share ideas about all aspects of being a textile artist including marketing and promotion, creativity issues, and ideas on techniques. I'm aiming to have most of this up and running by the end of January on my revamped site which you can register on now.

This Blog Will Cease!

2006-12-20T09:55:00.000Z

Ok I have decided that due to lack of time and the impracticalities in running two blogs concurrently that I am going to retire this blog by the end of the year.
My new blog is here on my recently revamped website

I will be changing all the links and stuff over soon so I will publish some code you can use to update your blog if you are linked here...

Please visit my new blog! Thanks y'all...

The Sun Has Come Out!

2006-11-28T20:18:00.000Z

Oh wow! The sun has come out and I feel all warm and fuzzy! I just realised this afternoon that I had inadvertently set all the comments on this blog to be moderated and I couldn't understand until now why no comments were showing up. I kept thinking that no-one was reading this blog and that is why I hadn't had any comments for months. I kept thinking this blog isn't that boring is it? Or maybe it is?
Anyway, I wanted to thank all of you who have left comments and I hope to respond to them all when I get a chance. Thanks especially to all those who left comments of good will about the situation with my son. It's not an easy thing to deal with and having those good thoughts come my way is lovely...:-)) Big hugs to you all!
Here is a nice picture of a rainbow and our house my son painted - it's called The House of Happiness.

More Info on Beta Testing for Online Coaching

2006-11-27T14:38:00.000Z

Here is some more info about Online Coaching - it's the middle section of the page - sorry I forgot to post it earlier. Do let me know if you are interesting in being a guinea pig as I am sending out instructions to people this week and it starts on the 1st December. Remember this means a whole month's worth of free online coaching!! What have you got to lose?

Info >>

Great Opportunity!! Beta Testers Wanted!

2006-11-20T16:56:00.000Z

New Online Coaching System!
Well after last week I am trying to get back on track. I am still working on the major revamp of my site and it's going ok(ish). I have implemented a new Online Coaching System and it's ready for testing if anyone is up for it. You will need to be a registered member of the site. Basically I am offering free creativity coaching to anyone who wants to try this out for the next month or so. I appreciate it's probably not the best time of year for this with all the holidays and all that so I would really appreciate your help. The coaching system allows you to login to a secure area (no-one else can see your messages)where you can start a "coaching session". You post a message, I post a response and the dialogue continues on like that until the session closes. As it's just in its testing phase the sessions will remain open for this free month of coaching. After that they will be reviewed and for those who would like to carry on with coaching there will be a payment option set up (paypal subscription). I am planning to offer the online coaching at a much cheaper rate than my normal telephone coaching rate so it's really worth looking into especially if you are in a different time zone/can't invest in the telephone coaching option. If you want to find out more then post a comment or send me an email and I will send you some instructions. Thanks in advance!

Last Week

2006-11-20T16:51:00.000Z

Hi everyone!
I had a rather stressful week last week, including a car crash involving 4 vehicles driving back from London with my son trying to get to a firework display at his cousin's school. We are ok but I think we both have a bit of whiplash still. Then Sunday last week was horrible because the police were called out when my son refused to return to London with his dad. I don't really want to go into all the details but it was really heartbreaking. I have never got so close to being arrested.
Anyway, suffice to say that I haven't been able to concentrate on much let alone do anything creative. I have tried to do a bit to my new website but I felt so totally drained that to be honest it was an effort to even lift up the remote control. I hope this week will be better but last night was spent writing a letter in response to my ex's letter he sent me via his lawyer...why do I have to spend time on all this crap?

Glitterati Mark II: Showtime

2006-11-09T22:09:00.000Z

Showtime, originally uploaded by Nicky Perryman.

Well I went to the Hobbycraft show this afternoon after going to a meeting at the convention centre for work. It was totally unexpected and I was quite excited about the idea especially when I was hit by the sight of such glitter and colour when I went in. I realised though after a while that most it was for people who do cardmaking, stamping and scrapbooking. Nothing wrong with that but there wasn't as much as I had hoped for textiles. There were loads of bead suppliers though. The best bit for me was finding a place selling totally over the top Indian embroidered bits and bobs dripping with gold thread, pink jewels and crystals. Talk about Bollywood Bling! It was crazy! I bought this gorgeous piece of gaudy tat (see pic) which is just so rainbow coloured it reminds me of a row of little sweets. I just had to get it. I also got some orange and purple silk, some paisley patterned cotton and two folky patterned fat quarters. I would have liked to have gone mad buying glass beads but instead I bought tons of sequins because I needed them to finish the folkart wallhanging and they were much cheaper than anywhere I had found, well, that was my excuse anyway. I also found some good suppliers for other stuff too. But alas, what usually happens to me at these kind of shows happened: I got an aching back, sore feet, tired, thirsty and fed up with looking at all the cardmaking stuff. So after searching for black felt for ages (which no-one was selling I found out) I beat a quick exit. When I got home I found a package waiting for me which contained some samples of black felt! Wonderful because they do it by the metre in 5mm and 10mm thick which is just what I wanted and at a reasonable price too! So alls well that ends well... and oh the sequins!!!

More bits and pieces

2006-11-09T21:43:00.000Z

Here is the latest bit of the folkart wallhanging. I still have a hell of a lot to do on it. I tried the yellow flowers on it and I think they work out well. I like the acid yellow and green to balance the richness of the other colours.

Heart-felt

2006-11-06T08:31:00.000Z

I went hunting for more black felt on saturday...I didn't think it would be so hard. The shop I first went to apparently closed down years ago! Show's how observant I am then doesn't it?! Next it was the knitting shop and the only felt they had was some naff black acrylic stuff that's so thin you can see the light through it. So onto the market haberdashery stall. She also had the crappy thin stuff which she insisted was still "classed as a felt" when I protested about the quality - whatever that means. She also had two squares of dark blue of slightly better quality so I bought those and one square of the crappy stuff to try out. Then I went to Wilkinson's which had packets of rainbow felt - probably all of it crap but they looked nice! Does anyone sell decent felt - preferably with a high wool content these days? Anyone know a good supplier? I don't mind buying off the internet as long as I know it's good quality.

Glitterati

2006-11-03T08:11:00.000Z

Bird_on_field_of_gold, originally uploaded by Nicky Perryman.

I started doing this last night after doing a couple of sketches for the composition in my book at lunchtime. I still haven't quite decided on the layout and all the elements. It's a piece of salt and pepper tweed believe it or not with a layer of bondaweb and then a layer of gold foil. I then embroidered with fme all over the fabric to bring out the base texture. The foil and bondaweb made it feel kind of smooth and rubbery a bit like foam...then I remembered what it was - it reminded me exactly of the texture of those pink and green foam dishcloths we used to use in the 70's! Anyway, I like the cracked effect of the gold. Next I am going to lay the elements on top in several layers to build up the texture and embroider them down. Then I will probably use some trapunto to make them look even more 3-D ish. Everything will be in gold. I wanted to get the look of old gold used in eastern european icons with carved wood and gold leaf. I had been hunting through my old Bulgarian sketchbook and stuff for images and came across some birds that I had drawn in the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. They are all hiding among scrolly leaves and look very decorative - I want to take that idea but make them look a bit more folky. The bird is made of black felt with a layer of foil on top. It looks more like metal in this photo.

Little Flowers

2006-11-01T08:18:00.000Z

outline_on_print_red, originally uploaded by Nicky Perryman.

I knew this would attract more comments on flickr than the other plain background ones. It's closer to what I had invisioned for the final thing with the background print providing a more layered look than just something plain would do. I am going to do more of these outline stitchings - for once it didn't take that long from drawing to scanning to producing the stitch file. More on the way. I have taken to sitting in my car at lunch time and doing something in my sketchbook. Even if it's just for 10 or 15 minutes it's better than nothing. There just isn't enough time! Grrrrrr!

I Don't Understand

2006-10-24T10:29:00.000+01:00

I don't understand why? Why? Why? Yesterday was the Final Hearing for my court case for custody of my son. Everything seemed to be wrong about it. They didn't believe anything I said, they said my evidence was out of date, (it has taken two years to get to the final hearing - which is not my fault), they said I was "unconvincing". I had been told to keep calm, give short answers to the cross-examining barrister, don't give out too much information because they can pick up on it and it makes things worse, so I was trying to be calm and rational and not get emotionally overheated (which would have been really easy to do) - so now I am "flat and unconvincing". Oh, so they would have believed me more if I had screamed and shouted, stamped my feet,wept and broken down? Or would they then have said I was irrational, emotional, hysterical and not to be trusted? Apparently my Ex was a "most straightforward witness" when he was lying through his teeth and couldn't lie straight in bed if he tried. He flatly denied threatening my son, he denied hitting him, and he affirmed his completely false allegation that we had tried to bribe him with £20,000. Why is everyone so blind? Why can no-one see it but me, Danny and my family and his other ex-wife? Why is it that no-one wants to listen? Why is it that my son's voice wasn't listened to? My son had made a tape and wanted it to be played in court but they wouldn't listen to it. I thought naively that courts were places where truth was important, where the idea of finding out what is really going on was the object of the exercise so that a proper decision could be reached. But no. Courts are not places of truth, they are places of lies, they are places where the most accomplished liars can masquerade as truth-speakers and be celebrated for it. They are places where tragedy is overlooked. Where the wishes of the vulnerable and the sensitive are trodden on for the sake of appearing "reasonable". The judge didn't believe that my son said what he had said. I find that deeply offensive. To be called a liar when I spoke the truth. It offends my spirit that someone who lied is seen as truthful. Where is the justice for my son? Where is the champion for him? I tried, I tried to do what is right. To speak up, to say something that I thought could change the course of the future. To get a better future for my son. But no. It was all farcical. How many times must a person say something to be believed? What must I do to be believed? I started to doubt myself, perhaps there is something wrong with me? Perhaps I have some trait that has made me fail? What? Oh what? I am honest. I don't believe that is a bad thing. I spoke the truth. I said what really happened. Is there anyone out there to hear me? To hear my son? Now I have to tell him the outcome of the court case. Now I have to tell him that someone decided that he can't live with me. Now we have to learn to live with the idea that the next few years mean we are apart. What is the answer to my first question: why? Oh why? Can anyone tell me?

Plant Spirit Medicine site

2006-10-14T12:07:00.000+01:00

Plant Spirit Medicine site, originally uploaded by Nicky Perryman.

What I have been working on recently. Just finished. You can see the site here.

Thistle Flower

2006-10-11T23:42:00.000+01:00

Thistle Flower, originally uploaded by Nicky Perryman.

Well I have added green into the mix now and I am not quite sure what is going on. This thing keeps changing and each time I add a bit to it - it's like all the other relationships between the elements change and I have to re-think the whole thing each time. I don't know whether the colours remind me more of some psychedelic folk art or a throwback to my 70's childhood when everything was "funky"....anyway what does it matter...I like what I am seeing even though sometimes I am not sure about the decisions I am making.. that is what this is about: taking risks and hoping that something interesting will result.

Have sequins: Will Sparkle!

Here's To You Val

2006-10-10T22:23:00.000+01:00

I learned today of the death of one of the greats in the textile world: Valerie Campbell-Harding. She died suddenly on the 5th October and she will be sorely missed by many as a great teacher and inspiration as well as all those who knew her personally of course. Val gave us the gift of inspiration, of good creative example, of encouragement to try something new. What precious and wonderful gifts to give to others! Reading her book of condolence got me thinking...what do I want to leave behind? What is my gift to others? What will I be remembered for? What do I hope to be remembered for? It is hard to write this post, I feel tears welling up. It's not only the sadness of someone dying who you know was a force for good and creativity in the world and the hole that that will leave behind. It's also the knowledge that we have to ask the questions - the ones that reach deep inside our souls - What are we here for? What is my purpose while I spend time in this reality? What is my legacy? What form will my love take? Perhaps most of all I hope to be remembered as someone who gave others a sight of a chink of light, a small firefly dancing ahead on a dark road...someone who helped others to open the lock in the door of their own psyche, to find greater freedom of expression in whatever form. To be an igniting spark, a catalyst, that is my destiny. So, look up my dears, look about you and see the beauty and wonder the world has to offer - your time is now!

Sunset...

2006-10-08T17:43:00.000+01:00

Sunset..., originally uploaded by Nicky Perryman.

My son's embroidery - unfinished as yet. It's lovely watching someone be inspired to create especially when it's your own child. I remember how I used to love making things when I was a kid. I just never stopped...and I hope he never does either. Creativity is the birthright of any age.

Bella Donna Design

2006-10-03T07:58:00.000+01:00

Discovered Beate's blog yesterday. It's mostly in English - she is from Germany. Another amazing talent! Interesting collages with words and pictures as well as fabrics.
Bella Donna Design - Beate's Fabric Art

The Final Countdown

2006-10-03T07:54:00.000+01:00

Only 20 days to go till the Final Hearing of my court case. When I think about it I feel slightly sick. I don't have much hope of winning. I am praying for a miracle...perhaps the gods will smile on me on that day. Either way I will be glad when it's over. I have waited 2 years for this.

A Bit More...

2006-10-02T23:08:00.000+01:00

Sick to death of computers apart from looking at lovely textiles of course and playing with Flickr. Thought I would give myself a break from web design tonight and do some much needed stitching...here are parts of the results. Got some more done but not much interesting to show. I need a few more rows of chain stitch to make the lines look less "rangy" on the spriggy bits. I am going to add some more spriggy bits on this flower and a stem to make it fit in with the rest. I used some beautiful dip-dyed silk thread for the outline. I had to split the thread in half though because it was just too thick as it was. Gorgeous colour and sheen... I think I need to buy more soon. Running out of my favourite purple and orange shades.

Okay

2006-09-22T14:28:00.000+01:00

Well, I am still here...although it doesn't look as if I am doing anything creative right now...I am just finishing off a web project which not only has used my web design skills but my photography ones too...all the plant photos on it are mine. It's nice to think that people like my photographs as well. Will post a link to it when its fully up and ready for the world.

Today is my son's birthday. He is 9!! I can't quite believe it's 9 years since that wonderful day. Happy Birthday my darling, sorry I can't be with you on your birthday. I hope you have a lovely day because you are the most dearest, sweetest boy I ever had the privilege to know and you deserve everything good. Love and big hugs...

A Handful of Beads

2006-09-05T23:01:00.000+01:00

A Handful of Beads, originally uploaded by Nicky Perryman.

I seem to be bead mad at the moment - I feel like I want to decorate every surface with beads. I am doing some embellishment on a bag for my mum at the moment - will post a pic when it's done. This image shows a mixture of a necklace I made the other day from green and brown beads and a necklace made by someone in Zululand. I love the mixture of bead shapes and sizes and the irregularity of them.

Gorgeous Glass!

2006-09-02T18:06:00.000+01:00

We went to a blown glass studio recently and there was so much beauty in there I could hardly digest it all. They had all these baubles hanging from the ceiling in all the colours of the rainbow and so fantastic glass pebbles as well as vases with what looked like gold foil merged with the glass. Amazing!!

Tweedy Wallhanging

2006-08-30T08:10:00.000+01:00

Just the start of a wallhanging - variegated threads on bogoak tweed. The painted poppies will go over the top then I will add a lot more stitching to build up the layers...there are lots of shades of the poppies, purples, greens, buff. I love the silk just on its own and when it's hanging up in the studio it looks so lovely I feel like I should make something just with that so that the fabric can be shown off.

Oh dear

2006-08-09T08:05:00.000+01:00

Again I realise that I haven't blogged about anything for over a month...well it's been another intense time...I have been getting my new website ready, it's nearly finished. Just a few more things to do. Quite big things but they probably won't take that long once I get down to them. I have a sort of love-hate relationship with web design. Its like I love the results but hate it when things go wrong or I don't know how to fix them. Sometimes the little idiosyncrasies of web design make me truly crazy. I also find it somewhat exhausting and as I am just recovering from some horrible virus I am feeling about as energetic as a damp dishrag.
I have been writing some more of my self-coaching thing which is bringing up all sorts of weird and wonderful trains of thought. I hope people like the results.
I am itching to get back to my textile work - its the only thing that really makes me feel calm and happy and excited at the same time. Apart from maybe writing and gardening. Once this web revamp is finsihed then I will feel much better I am sure.

Open Night

2006-07-06T10:01:00.000+01:00

Its the open night of the exhibition today. I will see if they allow photography and try to get a picture. It will be interesting to see if anyone else has done any textiles.

Next Steps

2006-07-06T09:06:00.000+01:00

I cut out some poppy seedhead shapes from the green and aubergine silks last night. I laid the aubergine ones on the tweed first as a sort of "shadow" layer and the paler green ones on next. They are looking really good. Next I will add some in a deeper green and in the pale cappuccino silk but I have got to make it all speckly first with some silk paint. I like the idea of blending them all together with stitching, so that the whole surface becomes kind of unified. I wanted to take a pic of it but it was just too dark last night, and too dark this morning as we awoke to clouds and a downpour. British summers! :-((

I've been saving all the little slivers of speckled silk so that I can bond them down to make a new surface for something else I want to do. I love the idea of building up textures gradually.

I searched out a few bits of metallic leather for the little gold and tweed sample, but there was only a bit of silver kid and not much else. I might try foiling onto felt or some other thickish fabrics to get something I can cut out and applique onto the tweed. I like the idea of it being all lumpy and speckled with gold/bronze beads. And I've still got loads of gold lame I can use.

Foil on bogoak tweed

2006-07-06T00:01:00.000+01:00

Foil on bogoak tweed, originally uploaded by Nicky Perryman.

Well, I was thinking that I might applique on some bits of old metallic leather I might still have a few here and there. I like the idea of stitching into this with something, or couching quite substantial gold threads onto it. I dunno. Not sure, anyway that doesn't matter its just a tiny sample. I do like the gold on the tweed though. Its something I want to explore a bit more.

Feeling Tweedified

2006-07-05T10:40:00.000+01:00

For some reason I felt the urge last night to use some gold foil and cut out a couple of shapes in bondaweb and fused the foil onto - a scrap of raspberry silk, just because its so gorgeous and the other onto bogoak tweed. I like the way the foil is all cracked and doesn't come out really smooth which is just as well really because I don't think I could get it smooth even if I tried. The texture of the tweed and the effect of the foil look really different. It reminds me something of old but I don't know what. I want to use some more of the foil shapes on the tweed and mix them in with cut-outs of the green speckled silk I painted the other day and more shapes in aubergine and cappucino silk dupion. I think I will spatter paint on the cappucino silk first though because I don't want it to look too stark. It's going to be interesting to see how it all turns out. Will post pics in a bit.

Letting Go Is The Best Feeling

2006-07-03T13:43:00.000+01:00

I have been doing a lot more clutter clearing lately. A LOT! No more filing, no more folders, as little paper as possible. It's a nice feeling letting go of things I thought I had to keep for whatever reason. I've realised that its not just things I want to get rid of it's actions taking up my time...projects, tasks...things I thought I ought to DO. I really want to tie up all the web design projects I have going and then settle down to really concentrating on my art. I've realised that I haven't been making time for it as much as I would like. I have made other things more important than my art. And my heart is not happy. I am going to make my heart happy and make something as often as possible. My studio looks frickin' pristine after all this clutter clearing so it's about time I really used it for juicy creative fun, fun, fun. I bought some cat litter trays - no I am not getting a moggy! They are just the right shape and size to hold projects and contain the mess without "hiding" stuff away in a deep box or folder. I can dump all my paper cutouts, tracing paper and bits of samples in there and put them out of sight if I want to do some painting.

BTW the Umbel Flower picture got rejected from the exhibition but the Poppy Seedhead one made it. I scanned down the list of exhibitors and most people had one or two pictures rejected. I suppose because it's an open exhibition they just want to give as many people as possible a chance to show their stuff. I hung up the Umbel Flower picture in our hallway so it's the first thing you see when you come in the door! Nice, because it reminds me of what's important to me as well as looking cute.

Stuff, Stuff and More Stuff!

2006-06-19T10:19:00.000+01:00

Yes, I am in clutter clear mode again. I seem to go through fervent bouts of this every now and then. Does anyone else do this? My son and I spent a few hours going through all his stuff that he has grown out of and deciding what he wants to keep. It made me realise how much he has grown up... he's not a baby anymore!
I am doing the same in the studio, the kitchen, the bedrooms, everywhere really. Because the studio is a large room it tends to get used as a dumping ground for things that are not art related and I am getting fed up of it. I find it hard to work in a space that is full of crap. It really gets on my nerves and I find it harder to work peacefully when it's like that. I decided to chuck out a lot of papers and folders of things that I kept just in case I ever got round to studying the pearls of wisdom they contained.. Yeah right, as if! Now I think the internet is easier, at probably more upto date especially with things like graphics and web tutorials. Yes, paper recycling is a wonderful thing. The paper collection truck will certainly see us coming this week, we've got bales of it. What a wonderful release. I am working towards a paperless office! Is there ever such a thing I wonder? There's also an old monitor and scanner going to the africa project that my brother has connections with. And I sold a fold-up chair bed this weekend to a nice lady with a disabled mother, who seemed very happy to have it. Its great knowing my junk is making someone else's day!

Here's my inner dialogue just for a laugh:

Excited about spending the chair money voice:"Now what shall I do with the money? Hmmm.....what about all those textile books I'd like?!!"
Sensible voice:"No, no, stop it! No more books until I get rid of some."
Excited about spending the chair money voice:"Yes, but I would like that book about paisley shawls."
Sensible voice:"Yes, I know you would but you can't have it until you have got rid of some more books. The shelves are bending under the weight."
Excited about spending the chair money voice:"OK lets do a deal, if I get rid of some books (and I know which ones they are), please can I have that shawl book, can I, can I, can I?"
Sensible voice:"OK yes, you can have the shawl book but only if you SELL the books we need to get rid of, now calm down you are making me cringe."
Excited about spending the chair money voice:"Yipee!! I have wanted that book for ages, and she is actually going to buy a nice textile book for once instead of all those bloody self-improvement books... phew I am glad we got in there before she spent the money!"
Sensible voice:"Shut-up! There's nothing wrong with those self-improvement books they are all very interesting. Sniff."
Excited about spending the chair money voice:"Yeah, very interesting (yawn), all I like doing is looking at nice pictures and there are LOADS of them in that shawl book just you wait and see! Bubble, bubble, froth, froth, drool."
Sensible voice:"Oh lord! Calm down will you! You are embarrassing!"
Excited about spending the chair money voice:"Like I care?"

Exhibition Submission Time

2006-06-19T09:38:00.000+01:00

Well its time to submit my little pics for the exhibition. Yesterday I spent time mounting and framing them. In the end I coloured the mounts with some satin matt black spray paint, having to contend with flies, dust and the prevailing wind but they looked great when they were done. I would have preferred a very dark green for the mounts but the black looks good and with the wood of the frames it really sets off the embroideries. I hung one of them up in the kitchen and it looked great there. If they get accepted and then sold I shall be a little bit sad to part with them. I wanted to do a larger piece to go with them but I just haven't got it together in time. I didn't want to start something and rush it just so it could go in the show. Each picture must have its own life, and bringing an idea to fruition takes time. Some of it is thinking time, some of it is working out what is going to happen next, choosing the right colours, fabrics or techniques. Sometimes I need time away from the artwork so that when I return to it I can see immediately what needs to be done...spending too much time up close can make it hard to see what's going on.

I have sketched out the larger piece and I will probably start it by doing some more splashy, speckled silk dupion in dark greens and burnt oranges. Then layer some other silks on top and fuse them down and add the de rigeur free motion stitching. I need to paint some dark green silk for cutting out shapes of leaves and stuff. I want to use a lot of the shapes of flowers in my garden borders; poppies and small white daisy like shapes, and some other pointy purples sprays of flowers with whorls of dark green leaves.

Once this one is done I want to go back to my sketchbook and do a few more little pieces, now that I have managed to produce two, I am getting a taste for them! Its actually more fun than I thought it would be. I think the problem I had before was that I was trying to fit too much into a small space and it all looked cramped and measly. Now I've managed to "get" the idea of just putting one thing in a small space which is more than enough and it can be fun just letting that one little thing find expression, it doesn't have to be a whole great big wall-hanging. Duh!

Community Circle at My Site

2006-06-16T11:29:00.000+01:00

I have been thinking for a while now about the idea of making a community site for textile artists to help them promote themselves and find support and share ideas. After fiddling about with a couple of content management systems I have decided to overhaul my own personal site and build a community section into that rather than having a completely separate site. That way, it means I don't have to run two websites in parallel and also it means I can integrate all parts of my site and my business at once. Unfortunately it means a major site overhaul!!! Groan!!
I am planning on moving the blog over to this too and setting up an integrated section for articles, a forum and probably some kind of classifieds thing for trading/swapping services (just an idea at the moment). The emphasis will be on sharing ideas and getting support on marketing, promotion, and creativity issues. This will be where I will place the self-coaching course and maybe some other courses too. Its in the testing stages at the moment, I am trying out all the various modules and hope to have something to show fairly soon. I'm quite excited about the idea of having a dynamic articles content section - it will make it more interactive as people will be able to comment on things too - a bit like in the blog. I'm not sure when it will be ready so watch this space!

Utter Nonsense!

2006-06-09T23:48:00.000+01:00

I just had to post this because I find it so ridiculous and stupid! I was looking at one of my sketchbooks and came across a little drawing I had done of a bird with some paisley patterns on its tail. I thought it might be nice to do something with silks using the colours I have been working with lately... so then I had a look on the internet for some inspiration for more details for the paisley patterns as there are some really ornate and beautiful shawls out there. Anyway, here is the first site I came across:

demonbuster
I was especially amused about the part that says
"In DELIVERANCE, you should stay away from many things because of the ORIGIN. In the PAISLEY PRINT PATTERN, you have a connection with

CATHOLICS

THE COUNTRY OF INDIA (WITH ALL THEIR GODS)

GOAT HAIR (GOAT IS THE SYMBOL FOR THE DEVIL)

MUSLIMS

PRAYER RUGS

JESUITS

CULTS

SEERS

MAGICIANS

OCCULT"

Oh Heaven Forbid!! I wonder who made goats then with all their hair? Was it the devil or was it God???? There are so many things wrong with this way of thinking I can't even be bothered to start articulating them....I wonder what they would make of tartan, polka dots and 60s popart are they all the devil's work too?

Umbel Flowerhead

2006-06-08T22:53:00.000+01:00

umbel, originally uploaded by Nicky Perryman.

Here's the other little one to go with the poppy seedhead for the exhibition. I think they both need dark mounts around them to bring out the rich colours. The scan has made the silk colours go a bit weird here, it looks better in real life!
I want to do a larger piece as my third entry for the exhibition but I am not sure I will be able to finish it in time, but I am going to start it anyway and see how it goes...

2006-06-05T23:15:00.000+01:00

Here is my little offering for the exhibition. Hey! I managed to do something small for once! It pretty much turned out the way I wanted it to...after finishing it I want to do something larger though to develop the theme more...thank god for bondaweb, free motion embroidery and silk paints, that is what I say...

Ah! Aubergine!

2006-05-24T08:58:00.000+01:00

Yes, pictures of this little gem are on their way. Flickr is now banned at the office so no posting during my lunch hour. I have sussed that the aubergine silk really looks good against that speckly orange, so I am going to go with that. I like the moodiness of the dark purple and the richness of the speckly orange with bits of deep green. The brown silk I have just isn't dark enough. Next problem is, the mount for the frame I have is very pale and doesn't look good against these dark rich colours. Does anyone know a good way of colouring card mounts without them warping? I thought about using watercolour but am worried it will warp the card because its well, water colour. Another idea I had was to paint some really fine silk and then bond that onto the mount. That could work. Anyone got any other tried and tested methods?

Colours, Colours Everywhere...but which one to choose?

2006-05-23T08:53:00.000+01:00

The exhibition deadline is looming and although I already have two small pieces of old work that I could submit I would like to do something new. I cut out the "trudge" fabric that I stitched in orange and green, making a poppy seedhead shape. It just hasn't worked; it just looks too busy, the stitching giving it an almost chequered effect. (mental note to self - could be useful if I ever do a picture with snakeshead frittileries!). I will keep that bit of silk for something else, a larger shape that can carry the heavily patterned look. Who knows what it will end up being used for.
So back to the drawing board, I had a play around with some old silk that I had painted and splattered in a sort of burnt orange which is the colour I wanted as the background anyway. I think I will try a few different variants for the seedhead shape; maybe just a plain dark brown silk, or black or maybe even aubergine...that could be interesting. Yes, that is what I will do then do some outline stitching and maybe some free motion. Not forgetting the sequins either....spingle, spangle, sparkle.

Trudge

2006-04-23T22:45:00.000+01:00

Brown silk, originally uploaded by Nicky Perryman.

In this quiet house, I felt like doing something practical so I thought maybe a bit of stitching would make me feel better. Just rows and rows of stitching, up and down, up and down. Like ploughing a field. Filling the bobbins and more stitching, up and down, up and down. The thread looks yellow here but its actually a nice orange colour. I like blending in the green especially as its variegated and it looks rich against the brown background. The colours seem to have been subconsciously inspired by some web templates I saw recently. I am going to use this as the background for one of those little pictures for the botanical gardens exhibition. I want it to look rich so inevitably some beading and sequinning will ensue...you can't beat a good bit of embellishment.

Little House

2006-04-23T21:09:00.000+01:00

Little House, originally uploaded by Nicky Perryman.

My son went back to his dad's house today...it was heartbreaking for us both...the house seems so empty without him here. Here's a picture of his first machine embroidery in progress. He is planning to stitch "bricks" on the house and a tree with sequin leaves...Its so nice to see him doing creative stuff, it reminds me of the wonder of childhood: creativity for the fun of it, for its own reward. Its beautiful how the heart opens in the flow of creativity.

I'm still here

2006-04-20T20:26:00.000+01:00

Its been tough finding the time for anything textile related recently. I've have about 4 web projects on the go which are taking up a lot of my spare time. Its been a great learning experience, and I am sure I will use the knowledge I am gaining on other projects. After a while though I start to yearn for something less cyberish and more stitchified. There is something about textiles that is so grounding. It brings me back to reality. I recently had an email about a small exhibition which I usually enter at our local Botanical Gardens. They always have some really lovely exhibitions on there, not just of botanical art but all kinds of stuff and its in such a beautiful setting. I have always sold something when I have exhibited there before. This time I intend to do something small, using some little box frames I bought ages ago but have done nothing with until now. I want to keep the folk art theme going so I will try out a few motifs with birds and flowers I've got in my sketchbook. I'm kind of excited about the idea of doing something with those frames and making something cute to go in them. Now I am off to photograph my son's Action Men collection with a view to selling it (he's trying to raise money to buy computer games). Dr X anyone?

Exhaustion

2006-03-29T23:13:00.000+01:00

I have just realised that I haven't posted anything for nearly a month!! Sad!
I started a new job in the last couple of weeks and its been rather a steep learning curve to get used to as well as having several web projects on the go... I am so K-N-A-C-K-E-R-E-D

I just heard from my lawyer yesterday, apparently the welfare officer can't make the new court date in September either! WHAT ????????????????
Didn't anyone bother to check her diary while they were still in the court room???? Or would that make life just too damn simple? Is it me or am I the only one thinking about actually getting this thing to happen??? Why oh why is the world filled with such mediocrity?

Now I am going to bed...and hope that it won't feel like the night has been too short when I wake up. Night night.

Bubble Bubble

2006-03-09T17:09:00.000Z

I just exchanged emails with Allison about Bubble Jet Set after seeing her use of it on her lovely quilt. As well as others on Flickr who have used a similar technique to great effect such as Gypsy Blue. Its something that I have heard of before ages ago but never really got into using it as in the past I have used transfer sheets with a photocopier. Only prob with those is they make the fabric look too plasticy and it comes off on the machine needles too.

So I have decided to give BJS a go. Here are a few of my ideas: I want to try and do some collage type things using my favourite poems and make them look like they are on old paper - this is just for pure fun. Another idea might help my search for a solution to find something small I can make which is more saleable and I have tons of doodles which are all tiny. I have started collecting them and I thought it might be fun to try to scan them and then print them out in different colours and then try to embroider/decorate them. It could turn into something really interesting. Another idea I have is to scan in some cut outs like the folk art shapes I have been working with and then mess about with them in Illustrator and then print those off. Again it could be wildly interesting... maybe combine them with some digitizing...oh bubble bubble with Bubble Jet Set!

Berry and Leaf Scarf

2006-03-09T16:57:00.000Z

Berry and Leaf Scarf, originally uploaded by Nicky Perryman.

This is the other scarf I was commissioned to do which I said I was going to post a pic of. I like the colours but I didn't spend as much time as I could have with the shading on the leaves.

An old watercolour detail

2006-03-09T16:54:00.000Z

An old watercolour detail, originally uploaded by Nicky Perryman.

Something I want to develop into textile. This is part of it. I like the whimsical feeling to it and I think it would lovely on silk with some embroidery...

And so it goes on

2006-03-08T21:31:00.000Z

Well, I just heard today that the final hearing for my court case is cancelled for tomorrow. Good job I didn't buy a train ticket isn't it? This is because the Cafcass officer couldn't make that date. The next available listing at the court, is wait for it, 13th September! It will be nearly 2 years to the day that I first went to my lawyer about re-applying for custody. I could never have dreamt it would take so long. What a drag.

Oh well, at least I gave it my best shot. I couldn't do more than that.

Teazel Stitched

2006-03-07T17:12:00.000Z

Teazel Stitched, originally uploaded by Nicky Perryman.

It looks like a stencil. Not really what I had in mind.More about this later.

Later: I bought some embroidery software not that long back and it does "automatic digitizing". Note the parentheses. The idea is that you edit the artwork the embroidery is based on in CorelDraw and then flip over to "stitch" mode and it reads the image file (vector graphic) and translates that into embroidery. It uses a kind of artificial intelligence to do that. The only trouble is its not as intelligent as a human digitizer. The software was quite expensive and promised that it would revolutionise digitizing and that anyone can produce embroidery without any training. That is precisely what worries me. They say its easy and it is easy. Its actually too easy. Meaning that its easy to make stitching but too easy to make bad embroidery.
There are some fundamental problems with the system. One is that vector graphics have layers - sometimes hundreds of them. You can't just change that into embroidery with the layers still in place, otherwise you'd have loads of layers of stitching on top of each other which would break the needle, waste thread, damage the fabric etc etc. Just a real no no. NOWHERE in the help files does it mention this fundamental issue. There is a way in the graphics system to simplify all the layers and get rid of the overlapping parts in the image before turning them into embroidery but if there are hundreds of them it makes the program freeze and not only that it can make some of the shapes disappear altogether!
The help files are pretty much nigh on useless. There isn't even a proper manual that comes with the graphic part of the program let alone the embroidery part. I had high hopes for this software but it really should be used with caution. For example, the process of actually obtaining an image that is suitable in the first place is difficult and tedious. There is just as much effort needed to prepare the artwork; scanning, tracing, cleaning up, editing etc before you actually translate into stitching as there would be when digitizing an image from scratch. I am wondering which is the better method in the long run? With this software, unless the image is very clean and simple it can come up with some really bizarre choices when translated into stitching. For example to make shapes into satin stitch, a human digitizer makes a choice about the start and end points of the satin stitching columns. In this auto software, the satin stitching can start and end in some really weird places, overlapping and looking a real mess. The main problem here is that it is reading the vector graphic and choosing every tiny little "object" and making that into a separate stitch area, whereas a human digitizer would ignore some of the areas and make one smooth rationalized stitch area. It makes me realise that a human makes many more subtle decisions than a software program is capable of making right now. And although manual digitizing is tedious, and time consuming, it also gives absolute control (within the constraints of your softwares stitch types and functions etc) to choose the best type of stitching and placement of stitching. I think I will persevere with both methods and hope they bring out a new and improved version of this software soon...maybe I should write them a long letter.

Cornflower

2006-03-07T17:06:00.000Z

Cornflower, originally uploaded by Nicky Perryman.

Another little experiment using the watercolour. It turned out quite well. Had a problem getting all the holes in the right place. I am not quite convinced that my embroidery software is as good as the manufacturers make it out to be.... too tired now to say what I mean right now. I am hungry and need to cook some dinner. I missed out on lunch because I was engrossed in this stitching. More later...

Basic Grass Seedhead

2006-03-07T17:04:00.000Z

Basic Grass Seedhead, originally uploaded by Nicky Perryman.

This is the first of some little experiments using one the watercolours that was returned to me on Friday as a starting point. This is meant to be a grass seedhead but at present it has no stalk. I digitized the main shape then once that was stitched out added some more textured stitching using one of the pre-formatted machine stitches. I think its quite nice the way the colours change across the shape. Its old my fave; variegated thread!

Coming Home

2006-03-05T13:49:00.000Z

There seems to be a general theme developing here: that of coming home. "Home" is a word that is used often without giving much thought to its real meaning, but to me it holds enormous significance and gives me simultaneously a warm, secure, safe feeling, mixed with grief, regret and longing. Wanting my son home with me, bringing him home is a longing that I experience everyday. We have created a lovely home; "the House of Happiness" which is filled with love, laughter, warmth, creativity. I am so happy that I am blessed to have such a lovely home.

Anyway, to explain the theme of this post a little further. On Friday when I went down to London to pick up my son, I was given some old work of mine that I had thought had been lost during the breakup of my marriage several years ago, including one of my most favourite paintings which I am now going to get framed. They were recovered from an old wheelie bin in a small garage belonging to my ex. I have to give him due for holding onto the artwork. I was stunned that they were there and even more stunned to see that although some of the paintings were bent they were mainly in really good condition. It was awesome to see my previous self unfolding before my eyes, including paintings I had done at school. It was a tremendous feeling being able to bring these old parts of myself back home. Weirdly I felt inspired by my previous self. It felt like a celebration of my own talent seeing it all laid out like that. Yeah, like I had done some pretty cool stuff and here is proof of it!

One of the best bits was finding some of the drawings I had done in Bulgaria in 1989 which is wonderful because a) they brought back such happy memories, and b) I will be able to refer to them in some further work I was already planning to do with my Bulgarian experiences.

Another wonderful thing is that there are a lot of half-finished bits and pieces, for example a watercolour sketch of a bird with some grasses and cornflowers. I can now see how this could be translated into embroidery and silk painting etc. There are quite a few of these artworks that got me thinking "that would look great in textile". Some of them are small and would be fun little projects to do while I am continuing with the large folk-art wallhanging.

Amongst the artwork was also tons of good quality cartridge paper, watercolour sheets, pastel paper, card, foils, tracing paper, plastic film and transfer paper. That's a great boost to my stash. I might even return to doing some watercolours just for fun.

The theme continues...on the way back from London with my son we stopped off at my Mother's house and my son was doing a wonderful drawing of a dragon. Somehow, it got so that my mum suggested he look at all the old drawings we had done as kids that she has in a scrapbook. Again, I was staring at the self-expression of my previous self and there was even a little book of poems I had written when I was 8 (the same age as my son) which I brought home with me. I know it sounds funny but I thought that the poems weren't half bad for an 8 year old. It feels nice having all these "lost parts" brought back home where they belong. I went out on Saturday and bought a nice new portfolio (purple of course) to house them in. Wow! I feel inspired!

Yesterday at Court

2006-02-28T09:15:00.000Z

Aaarrrrgggghhhhh!!! Waiting, waiting, waiting, in a sterile room devoid of any sign of beauty or imagination. Some bored person had even climbed up and drawn their initials in the thick greasy dust on the air vent. That was the most decorative thing in the room.
And then to it eventually.
The judge surprisingly had a gold nose stud! A nose stud? I thought courts were the height of formality, after all they are where people use words like "madam" and "your honour" and "my learned friend" and all the rest of the bollocks. And yet she wears a nose stud. Not that I have anything against nose studs, I think they can look rather pretty. It just seemed rather incongruous.

They couldn't find the paperwork for the judge (why? why?), so something had to be cobbled together quickly. Then the judgement from the previous case wasn't available after it had been requested by my solicitor months ago, apparently the papers they need are somewhere in the building but couldn't be accessed - why? why?
Then there was some discussion of whether the welfare officer who had written the report would be present at the final hearing next week as she had told me that she couldn't make that date even though she had been ordered by the judge to be there. Why is nothing clear?

Once again my ex has shown his true colours: he wants to ban me from making any further applications for residency of my son in the future. He also wants me to pay all of his legal costs even though he knows I am not working. Apparently he has told his barrister I am working even though I told him that I had a job interview the other day and that I had been made redundant. Just another one of his lies.
Whether his applications will be granted remains to be seen. Either way I hope not. But doesn't it just go to show that if you really cared about your child and they want to live with the other parent then you would let them do it because you love them. If he is successful in banning me from any further residency applications then it cuts off any chance of me ever getting my son back which is what he is aiming for. How can anyone be so mean? I can't comprehend it.

They have also called all the witnesses for the final hearing next week which includes my mother. I am sure she will do a sterling job in court as she is an intelligent woman.

I am not looking forward to the final hearing, as his barrister is one of those pompous sounding middle class little bitches who pick on every little thing and make the most of everything negative. I can't understand how anyone could be a barrister; to spend all day criticising people and picking up on their weaknesses and trying to make them fall. What a horrible, horrible job. It must take a certain kind of person to do it. She was doing some serious bum-licking to the judge it was really cringeworthy.
All in all a real fun day out in London. NOT!

Big Day

2006-02-26T23:08:00.000Z

Tomorrow is the directions hearing for the custody of my son. Its not the final hearing, that is on March 9th. However, I am not looking forward to it, it has the inevitable feeling of approaching a waterfall with no friendly branch in sight to reach out for safety. I have received the report from the Welfare Officer the contents of which I cannot disclose as I would be in contempt of court. Lets just say I didn't agree with most of it, including some out and out untruths. It feels very harsh to have someone report officially that what they think of you is one thing and you know that what they are saying is absolutely not true. Its a bitter feeling knowing that this report is an official document to be used in a court of law and the judge will decide the future of my son and I based on it. Oh how I curse all people of officialdom who are without heart and perception to see the real truth. How easily people are led astray by sweet words from the charmingly deceitful! How easy it is to twist things according to a certain belief. Someone once said, you see what you want to see and disregard the rest. How true that is. At least in a few years time when my son is old enough to understand, he will know that I tried my best however hopeless the chance of success. A mother loves her son. No-one can take that away despite the miles between us. I celebrate and cherish every moment with my beautiful darling boy. I love you more than words can express...

Thistle with Swirl stitching added

2006-02-26T00:48:00.000Z

Thistle with Swirl stitching added, originally uploaded by Nicky Perryman.

I undid all the stitching around the top edge that I'd started because it wasn't right and ended up with this instead. Its getting harder and harder to scan this textile because of its bulk as you can see the fabric is all scrunched in the corner. I broke a good needle on it tonight too. Its just so damn tough trying to get it through that thick fabric. Oh why did I use tearaway? Oh why?

Here's another bit of detail from the piece. Still in progress as is the whole thing really. I am a bit concerned that its all turning out to look a bit "circusish" but I think it will all be balanced out overall when there is more variety of stitching on the rest of the flowers which is still yet to be done. This piece is like walking up a damn mountain. It feels never-ending.

Blue Lagoon

2006-02-25T12:16:00.000Z

This is one of a couple of silk scarves I made as a little commission for a relative who is seriously ill at present. I hope it brings her some joy. The other scarf has leaves and berries. Will post a pic when I get round to it. Its been fun using my silk paints as I haven't done anything with them for a while as I have been concentrating on loads of stitching.

An Ending and A New Beginning

2006-02-21T21:08:00.000Z

Well, its the end of my coaching course today and I have a final exam to submit for next week so I will be busy with that in the next few days. Coaching is such a wonderful medium for making progress with life and I am very excited about being a coach and helping people towards positive change.

I have made a commitment to spending some time every day in writing the self-coaching course so please do send in any suggestions and ideas you have about that. What are the issues you deal with daily as creative person? What are the ways that you have dealt with these issues? Drop me an email or post a comment.

Again I would like to offer a complimentary sample session to anyone who wants to be touched by the magic of coaching. Please email me to set-up a time to suit you.

Oh What Bliss!

2006-02-09T12:12:00.000Z

After spending days on a bumpy ride through the peaks and troughs (mainly troughs) of learning SQL, I decided I needed a little light relief and spent the evening adding some more stitching to my folk art wallhanging. What with all the coaching, web design and learning SQL, not to mention the court case and job hunting, things have been a bit barren on the stitching front lately and I am missing it badly.

I might unpick the blanket type stitching round the inside of the shape as its not quite how I want it yet and I am not sure about the colour either. I am pretty happy with the rest of it though. Still a long ways to go.

Danny has come to my aid once again and provided me with a most ingenious tool to pull the needle through where the fabric is particularly thick. He got it from an army surplus store. Apparently its something you would normally use for clamping an artery. You can't really see from the pic but its got a ridge of little teeth on each "blade". Well, my needles are well and truly clamped! Amazing! It really does work! Love ya, Danny my darling.

More On Self-Coaching

2006-02-07T23:14:00.000Z

Charley is happy to get attention, originally uploaded by atomicbartbeans.

Photo provided by Chris with kind permission. Thanks very much Chris. You can see his other photos here.

Hi Everyone!
Wow! What a great load of comments people have posted with some really interesting and valid issues that I am sure we have all touched upon at some point in our creative lives. I will definitely use all of these valuable comments to feed into this self-coaching set of modules. My next question is: what kind of format suits you best? I was thinking of delivering it as an interactive website experience; for example: you can type answers to coaching questions into boxes and then it brings up a report for you to keep at the end. Another way might be to have a downloadable workbook that could be printed out for people who prefer paper based systems. Another way might be to provide a teleseminar or group coaching via internet phone or chat. What ways would suit you best? How would you like to be coached? Please keep your thoughts and comments coming as I really appreciate them and I want to make this as good as I possibly can.

What's Your Thing?

2006-02-01T22:57:00.000Z

OK my little guinea pigs and anyone else out there who wants to join in, what topics would you like coaching on? I have a whole list of ideas for interactive self-coaching modules but I would like to hear what YOUR issues are. They could be to do with art, they could be to do with business or creativity or any aspect of life that you feel affects your creativity. You can either post them as a comment here or send me a private email (confidentiality will be respected of course).

Here are a few of the topics on my list so far among many:

Honouring Your Creativity
Exploring and Resolving Creative Blocks
Creating Boundaries That Set You Free
Creativity For Life Not Just For Art
Your Definition Of Success

Can't wait to hear what your issues are...squeak squeak.

My Virtual Reality

2006-01-28T10:33:00.000Z

I've been working on a couple of new web projects which I hope to launch this year in the not too distant future, so nothing much on the visual side to report. Watch this space for more info later.

The coaching thing is hotting up too and there are lots of ideas for growth. I am writing a self-coaching tool for textile artists which again I plan to launch this year. The idea is to have something affordable for those who can't afford one on one coaching fees but who want to benefit from coaching. I'm pretty excited about the idea, its going to be really interesting to see what the results are. If anyone is interested in trialling it then please let me know.

New Year - New Life?

2006-01-10T23:54:00.000Z

So, its 2006. Arrrgggh? Or Hello World? How do you feel about the new year? How did you feel about the close of 2005? Did you feel a sense of accomplishment? Or did you feel like there were things you wish you had done but hadn't? Or both?

I love this time of year. The dying of the old year is such a great time for contemplation and introspection. For thinking about what has been done and for the incubation of ideas to be brought to fruition in the new year. I love the concept of reviewing the old year and taking the best from it and making new plans and goals for the coming year. Here are some of the things I made a note of when looking over the old year:

How would I sum up this year in a few words?
A year of struggle and stress but also beauty and love.
A year of yearning for a deeper connection to spirit.

What were my main achievements this year?
Started life coaching
Made a commitment to produce authentic art as close to my heart and vision as possible

What were my main influences this year? Books, films, music, people...
Crazy Horse & Custer
The Snow Falcon
The Smoke Jumper
Tania Kugai
Karel Franta
Russian Art
The Unredeemed Captive
Mystic Writer
Mary Webb
Cara Dillon

Best Garden Plants
Violas
Foxgloves
Rudbekias
Evening Primrose
Globe Thistle
Lobelia
Helenium

Best Nature Moments
Seeing waxwings for the first time
Viewing glorious sunsets over the hills
Seeing a robin building its nest in the ivy
Seeing a seal close-up in Ireland
Going on a Barn Owl expedition

What were the main events of this year?
These could be actual events or emotional, spiritual personal events.

Miscarriage Feb
Friends Weddings April & Aug
Trip to Donegal Aug
Redundancy Sept
Court Hearing Oct
Cycle Trips Nov & Dec
Christmas with my son Dec

What have I learned this year? What were my most important insights, turning points, aha moments?
The deep realisation that I want to practise my art as a spiritual creative exploration and that this has nothing to do with money.
That being a part of a community and a team is better than working in isolation. Its ok to ask for help.
I don't want to struggle but to learn how to surrender to my spiritual path and follow it.
That movement creates release, inspiration, energy, connection.

What would I have done differently?
Taken my insights more seriously, taken myself more lightly. Given thanks more often.

What do I want less of in the new year?
Paperwork
Watching TV
Staying up too late
Bureaucratic nonsense

What do I want more of in the new year?
Growing pretty flowers
Being outside enjoying nature
Travel abroad
Enjoying every single moment
Being with my son and all those I love

Well that was my 2005 - how was yours? What do you want less of in the new year? What do you want more of? I would love to hear your goals, plans, dreams, insights.

Spam Attack

2006-01-05T23:52:00.000Z

Oh help!! I had about 400 emails today all spam false requests to join my mailing list. I don't know how but it seems that the person spamming my mailing list request form on my website seems to be sending the emails out to other people at the same time as if they are coming from me. I keep getting responses back from these unfortunate people saying please remove me from the list but not in such polite language!!

Anyone got any ideas how I can stop this madness? I have done a virus scan and it all seems clear.
What next??

Prayer for the New Year

2006-01-02T10:46:00.000Z

I went to Shropshire yesterday and had a wonderful time up on Clee Hill (see picture) it was glorious. And so to celebrate Shropshire's most talented writer and my favourite authoress here is a quote from Mary Webb to usher in a momentously beautiful, creative and peaceful 2006 for everybody!

"...let us create
The one thing we were meant to be,
And make our own appointed journeying."

Mary Webb from 'Sallow Catkins'.

My prayer is for everyone to find and celebrate their true selves and follow their own creative path with joy in 2006.

I have been doing more to my Folk Art wallhanging, now that I have treated myself to a new daylight lamp its easier to see what I am doing in the lounge. I used some of the money Danny gave me for use in the post-Christmas sales for clothes. Well, I can't wear the lamp but I knew he would understand; the urge was too strong when I saw it 20% off in the sale! Its amazing the difference it makes to the accuracy of choosing the colours of thread. I have been doing more outlines on the shapes so there isn't much to show at the moment so I have posted a picture of a quick stitch sketch I did of the umbelliforms I saw down by the river. I have sharpened the edges of the image in Photoshop just for fun and it looks interesting. I would like to experiment a bit more with the type of stitching and add some matt sequins or somesuch to express the texture of the seeds still clinging on even in the winter wind.

Everyone's Creative Force

2005-12-23T10:30:00.000Z

I have added a new section on life coaching to my website including articles. Here is the first article I have written about Everyone's Creative Force. I invite you all to read it and would love to hear comments back. Its my first article so please be gentle...but honest.

I really do enjoy writing so writing articles is something that I want to do more of. When I was 7 I wrote a book about eggs. If only I had kept it, I could have been as rich as J.K. Rowling now....sigh.

Partridge in a Pear Tree etc etc

2005-12-22T00:23:00.000Z

Hi Everyone,
Things are a bit crazy here. I have lego coming out of every orifice...or at least thats how it looks. I keep telling myself we are going to be tidy...and then thinking what the hell was that I just stepped on? Anyway, here is a pic of the latest commission I mentioned before. Not great pics but better than nothing. As its so appropriate for this time of year I would like to wish everyone a very merry Christmas and a wonderfully creative and exciting 2006! Thanks to everyone who has read and commented on this blog. Love you all.

I have now got my website back up and running. Oh the relief!! I can now finally add new stuff to my online shop. Shame its not in time for Christmas but there you go. Better luck next time. Grrrrrrrrrr.

I have also done a bit of a revamp of the website in the last couple of hours - still a way to go with it but I got quite a lot done. I have added a whole new section on life coaching. May I take this opportunity to remind you or invite you for the first time if you are new to reading this that I am offering free sample sessions to anyone who is interested in trying out the magic of life coaching for themselves. Give it a go! Its a lot of fun! Find out more on the website. Remember it will soon be 2006. Don't let time go by - invest in your creative life (in the words of a famous cosmetic manufacturer - "You're worth it!") and make 2006 your best year ever!

One Month On

2005-12-12T16:44:00.000Z

Well, its been a month since my last post I am ashamed to say but its not like I've been doing nothing. I have finished a commission for a client. A partridge in a pear tree embroidered on a black silk background with little twinkling stars as a backdrop. I hope she likes it. I haven't heard back yet. Anyway, it was a rather appropriate work for this time of year. I will post a picture when I get feedback from the client.

More news. I have decided to get up off my embroiderer's bum and start doing some form of movement. So I have been cycling every day except the odd day when I at least managed to go for a countryside walk. It has been a wonderful experience so far for many reasons, not the least of which is that being out there in the countryside has given me a wealth of inspiration and reference photos aplenty to use for future embroideries. I have started doing more sketching which again will feed into my future work and its looking really positive.

There is more website work to be done along with the textile work and the life coaching so things are pretty busy right now. My own website is still not up properly yet... you know when you feel like strangling someone??? I can only hope that someone sorts out the mess soon before I sue for loss of earnings and a damaged reputation.

Toodlepip. Stuff to do.

What next?

2005-11-12T17:40:00.000Z

I am recovering from a nasty bout of food poisoning so I am feeling a bit weak and pathetic. The website still isn't up and my lawyer thinks I am being too negative about my ex in my court statement. (Personally I didn't think that was possible!).
I just can't think about any of it right now. Time to lie down.

One Foot In Front Of The Other

2005-11-08T23:34:00.000Z

Thank you to the second anonymous person who left the comment on my last post. It really was so heart-warming to receive such a lovely comment and such a great compliment about my work. I really appreciate what you have said.

I am just taking one day at a time at the moment. Not very successfully at times but the sun keeps rising so I hope things will get better day after day. I seem to be spending a lot of time doing not much, feeling uneasy and on edge. Restless at the task in hand: writing the court statement trying to find the right words, knowing that they will affect the rest of mine and my son's life, that someone somewhere will read and pronounce judgement on them and that the judgment will resonate ever after.

So I haven't done much practical work recently but I have been trying to get organised with my admin and other stuff as well as dealing with the court case and my life coach training. So here is a little bit more of the Folk Art thang goin' on. I have been doing some stitching in front of the TV and it really isn't good for my eyes in the unnatural light so I have put a nice natural light floor lamp on my Christmas list. Well I got a digital camera last year so you never know what Santa will bring!

I have been using some really gorgeous metallic magenta seedbeads on this piece, until I realised that the dye was coming off them. The supplier I bought them from informed me that this is a problem with all metallic seed beads and kindly replaced them with some bright pink glass ones. Not quite as nice but I don't think it will really make that much difference in the long run. Has anyone else had the same problem with metallic beads?

More Frustration

2005-11-06T13:26:00.000Z

Well it looks like all my websites are down right now. No emails coming through and no websites. Great eh? It seems to be a problem with the hosts servers on all 3 counts. I suppose I just have to be patient for them to get their acts together.

I would like to thank the person who left that message in the last post - whoever you are - thank you for your great compliments - how wonderful to make you feel that way - I am glad you felt it when you looked at my work. Many thanks to you and to everyone else who has posted messages of encouragement - I need it!!

AARGGHHH!

2005-11-03T11:50:00.000Z

Website is down. I mean really down. The files are on a server which has been "deleted"...because somebody forgot to renew the domain name for the server's site. I don't really understand how all this could happen but anyway it has which means that my errant webhoster must transfer all the files over to a new server elsewhere meaning my site will be down for several days. What a drag. I hope people who can't see it right now will come back later. There is no point worrying about something that I can't do anything about though.

On a happier note, I had a great dream last night about an embroidery. I love it when this happens. I dreamt about cutting out a bird shape from pink fabric and then appliqueing it onto a purple felt background so that it appeared as a sort of undulating purple horizon. In the hollow curve of the bird's back was a flower with many different orange and pink petals all outlined in pink and orange threads. It was so clear it was as if I was really doing it. You never know I just might. I have done a sketch of the idea just so I remember it.

I Want to Scream

2005-11-02T12:38:00.000Z

Isn't it funny that when you need help that its only those who have real courage who step forward. It seems that my main witness for the court case has decided to back out because of fear of reprisals. I can't say I blame the person because I know what its like to live under such a cloud of fear but it feels very lonely being deserted in my hour of need. Its just another confirmation that he always gets what he wants by fear and intimidation. Trying to sew while crying is not recommended. I don't know what will happen but all I can say is that in the future the truth will out. Danny says truth has its own resonance and cannot be denied forever. Lies and fear cannot conquer forever. One day people will know the truth and Hani will live free.

Walk a Mile in These

2005-11-01T11:39:00.000Z

Beautiful mocassins, originally uploaded by Nicky Perryman.

I managed to sneak a few minutes in the British Museum yesterday before the court case. I had brought my sketchbook but in the end there wasn't enough time so I just took a few photos. See flickr for more. I love this fine work on these mocassins. Are these meant to be a pair? If they are then its interesting how they have different patterns and I am sure the patterns have some significance. Seeing these exhibits behind huge glass cases lit up with harsh spotlights, made me feel a mixture of awe (for the craftsmanship and the fact that they once belonged to someone and I have the honour of actually being allowed to see their personal belongings) and sadness that these beautiful objects were parted from their owner's families and that they were deemed something that should be exhibited as a "curiosity" in a museum, taken out of their natural context. Seen in their original setting they would have looked so different, with the sunlight shining off the beadwork and the rain dripping off the fringes of the buckskin. The movement and impression of the patterns when worn by their original owners would have been quite different I am sure. Sadness is the main emotion, for such peoples who have experienced such devasting loss on all levels of their existence.

Red October

2005-11-01T10:57:00.000Z

October Tweed, originally uploaded by Nicky Perryman.

I don't really want to talk about it but I feel like I have to mention it. Yesterday I went to London for my second court hearing. It went terribly and it seems like the odds are stacked against me. Yesterday was indeed a black day. I have called this post Red October because I felt my lifeblood dripping out of me when I sat in that courtroom. Why is it only me who seems to be able to see what the child's father is really like? Perhaps one has to be married to the person to really understand fully the nature of psychological abuse and manipulation. It is hard to prove it away from the closed doors it happens behind. So, I implore the spirits of nature, for all the birds, beasts and people of heart, to come to my aid, to rescue my son from his father and to restore him to his mother where he belongs. I call upon the powers of good that exist in this world, the powers of justice, the powers of righteousness to prevail. I pray to all the gods and goddesses that exist to look down upon me and my son and to smile upon us. I pray to all the good things, to the sunbeams, the starshine, to the singing birds, the silver fish and the ripening fruits. I pray to all the glimpses of majesty that catch us unawares when we step into nature, to the shushing grasses, the weeping willows bowing to the water, the cries of wild birds looking for a place to rest. I pray to all these things, and to the hearts of the people who will decide our fates, that they will see the light, they will see the truth and they will do the right thing for once.

So far so good

2005-10-28T13:36:00.000+01:00

Folk art so far, originally uploaded by Nicky Perryman.

Just a quick post to update the blog - sorry I have been neglectful of late. This is the folk-art thing going on and on and on. The photo doesn't really do it justice coz you can't see the details of all the little beads and stuff and the triple lines of chain stitch. Anyway, it will do for now. Got to dash and get my application in for the Made In the Middle exhibtion.

Yesterday

2005-10-14T12:38:00.000+01:00

Ok well I did say the Knitting and Stitching Show would be great... and it was in many ways. There were some wonderful exhibits, including a retrospective by Erian Short an embroiderer of immense talent. There were also quilts and knitting displays and some recent graduates stands who's work was very interesting. There was also some stunning japanese embroidery with gold thread on some gold/silver fabric with a black silk weft that was absolutely sumptuous. I managed to get the thread I wanted (see some of it above on top of the bag) and some more beads and sequins and I bought a thimble!! Yes, a gold one! Well not real gold but its gold coloured and its magnetic (I have yet to test out that quality) and its xtra small! So my fingers must be dainty after all.

After a while though things got a bit tiring. I am not one for crowds and there were so many people, it was hard to see the exhibits at times. I realised after a passing the same stalls several times that I was going round in circles. To be honest I found it a bit too much. Too many people all pushing and shoving, too much to see, too much noise. It all got really overwhelming especially as I was dressed up to the nines ready for the court case later. I know I said I would post pictures of it all, but I really couldn't be bothered with the hassle of taking any apart from two. See above. I discovered in amongst all the plethora of batik patchwork fabrics, bead and knitting yarn suppliers, who all seemed to be selling the same thing, an oasis of calm. This is Loaf Lifestyle run by Faisal. He sells quilts made by the Saami gypsies of Pakistan. Apparently the men are beggars and snake charmers and the women are embroiderers and quilters. Faisal said that he had never seen people so poor yet so happy and connected as families. The quilts are stunning. They use1970's printed floral fabrics with gaudy bright pinks, oranges, yellows, purples, greens and reds, next to duller browns, greys and slate blues. It is such an interesting mixture of colours especially the way they had placed the fragments of cloth together to make up the whole quilt. The quilts are all stitched with running stitch travelling in rows up the quilts ignoring the printed patterns completely but making the texure quite delicious to the touch. I bought a bag made of the same fabric (I needed it by that time to put all my stuff in) and when I got a better chance to look at it I saw that the quilting is in fact made up of about 7 layers of fabric, there is no wadding at all. If I had had the money I certainly would have bought one of the quilts as they were so beautiful, they really lifted my spirits in the hubbub of that place.

About the court: Like I told you, a complete waste of time. We were in there for about 7 minutes and I have to go back at the end of October for another meeting for "concilliation". Well, if I could concilliate in the first place I wouldn't be going to court would I? Duh! The next meeting is on Halloween. How appropriate!

Jekyll and Hyde Day

2005-10-12T17:14:00.000+01:00

I can't remember which was which, whether it was Jekyll who was the nasty weirdo or Hyde, but anyway, tomorrow is going to be a great day in the morning because I am going to Alexandra Palace to the Knitting and Stitching Show! Wow! Its going to be great! And yes, I am prepared with rucksack and all to keep all the goodies I am sure to buy after resisting, er, not at all.. seriously I do need some more space-dyed thread. Well that is my excuse anyway! I can already feel my saliva glands beginning to drool...I will probably need a bib to stop me from spoiling my new bushels of thread.

And the afternoon, will be much less drool-worthy: I am going to court to have yet another hearing in the custody battle over my darling son. No drooling advisable in court. Enter nasty weirdo. i.e. my ex's barrister. It will probably be a complete waste of time as they will just decide that a report needs to be written and that will take another 3 months and then there will be another hearing. I could have told them that a year ago. Why oh why can't they just do that anyway and save my time and my money? Wish me luck!

P.s. I will report back on the stitching show with photos if I am allowed to take any.

Seize the Day! (Or night)

2005-10-02T11:15:00.000+01:00

I did another stint on the folk-art hanging last night while sitting in front of the TV and watching The Shoreshank Redemption. Its nice to be entertained while stitching, it feeds my imagination. The Shoreshank Redemption is one of my favourite films because the main character Andy (who is put in prison for a crime he didn't commit - in case you haven't seen it) manages to take hold of life in whatever situation he finds himself in. He still retains his joy, his vision, his determination, his desire for change despite the circumstances. He manages to make his life a success as a prisoner. He never gives up. I admire his character immensely and aim to emulate its qualities. Watching the film again reminded me that the words "Carpe Diem" really hit home - its time to wake up to our dreams and take some action no matter how small day after day.

Rudbeckia Glory

2005-10-01T11:59:00.000+01:00

We have some lovely rudbeckias in the garden at the moment. They are one of this years successes - having survived the onslaught of killer slugs that even the sunflowers succumbed to. They look gorgeously bright and cheerful and so I took a few and stuck them in an old blue and orange 70's style tin my mum was throwing out. I don't usually sketch with colours preferring to concentrate on the form and pattern. The colours come later with fabric, thread, paint and beads. I will probably make this the starting point for a small wallhanging. Smaller than the ambitious folk-art one and hope to finish it fairly quickly. I need something to keep me going in between doing stints on the folk-art hanging as that is going to take a l-o-o-o-n-n-n-n-g time to finish... my artistic vision seems to get me onto all kinds of rockfaces that I don't realise I am on until its too late. Can't look down now!

Folk Art Slog

2005-09-29T17:40:00.000+01:00

zinnia2, originally uploaded by Nicky Perryman.

This thing is taking forever... here is just one flower that isn't finished yet but I am enjoying it even though the progress is so slow. I did a load of hand stitching on it but unpicked most of it as it wasn't really working. I think its shaping up ok now...there is just a hell of a lot more to go. Its a bit like running a marathon (I imagine!). So I think I will start some smaller projects to bring light relief in between bouts of doing this.

Oh the Bliss!

2005-09-28T22:49:00.000+01:00

Of being at home in my studio for most of the day....thinking of all the lovely uses for some beautiful beads I bought which has given me an idea for a new wallhanging (see above for a little sample). And working on my folk art wallhanging...except for the constant thread breaks...why oh why? Very frustrating. Sigh.
However, the wondrous Danny has come up with a solution to better my elastic band around the springer foot on my old work-horse machine. The tip of the bar on it had sheared off to a sharp point that was catching on the screw holding the needle in. So I had put an elastic band around it to hold it out of the way. Danny fitted the top of a squeezy bottle nib (the kind I use for silk painting) over it and melted it on over the gas cooker! It worked a treat. Isn't it great to have a clever man about the house? The thread did keep breaking a bit so he then filed the hole in the needle plate smooth and that seemed to help. Taking advantage of the "usefulness mode" it was off to the market in the pouring rain and wind to buy some better thread and pick-up my new laundry box from the shop...of course he had to carry it home and it weighed an absolute tonne...the wind kept blowing it like a sail and making his shoulders ache. Oh well I did make him a nice cup of tea when we got in!
Domestic Goddess that's me.

Free Wheeling!

2005-09-26T21:29:00.000+01:00

Well today was my first day as an unemployed office worker... oh I mean fully-self-employed textile artist and life coach...yeah, that is what I am. I'm an artist for God's sake!! So from now on, be I in some lousy, boring, life-sapping office or not I am going to act like an artist...right? Right!(They'll probably think I am weird) but who cares? All that matters is being authentic so that is what I want to be. Although I officially finish my office job at the end of the month we have this week off because they are moving to a new office (without us). And I am officially paid up until the end of December so I guess I could manage without further supposedly "proper" work before the get-a-real-job-or-we'll-have-a-nervous-breakdown-syndrome rears its ugly head amongst immediate family members. Although perhaps it already has - I can tell Danny is getting worried, even though this was just my first day at home. Maybe its the pleading tone of "how many job websites have you looked at today?" as I gaily go about sorting out my studio. The answer by the way was NONE! Quelle suprise!

Authenticity

2005-09-20T09:59:00.000+01:00

I have decided that although I want to sell my textile work - and who doesn't???? I don't want it to be "commercial". By that I mean, I don't want to change the work into something I think might sell instead of allowing the work to achieve its potential.
I am the type of person who, when there is just the merest whiff of commercialism about my work, I start to lose heart in it fast. I find it really hard to do things because I think they might sell; because somebody somewhere out there might like it. It feels like its kind of pandering to some unknown boss, being dictated to by "them" - whoever "they" are. It feels like nonsense trying to please someone that I haven't even met and don't even know what they want! Rather if I forget that someone might actually want to buy the work then I can concentrate on the creation, the trial and error, the exploration of what the work is trying to say with complete freedom. I want to reach the core, of what I want to express with textile art. I want to push myself, challenge my own abilities and assumptions about what my work should be like. For me the work is more important than selling it, although having said that I get a real buzz out of someone actually buying a piece of work. I suppose this comes from the fact that they like my work enough to pay for it, it shows they have faith in me, they feel inspired and that's really nice.

I will leave you with a lovely quote I found about authenticity:

"The public doesn't want the canned version of a good idea - they want your good idea, the one that can only come from your particular set of DNA"

Suzanne Falter-Barns from "How Much Joy Can You Stand".

For My Transatlantic and Transpacific Friends

2005-09-15T21:42:00.000+01:00

If you have seen the previous posts about the complimentary life coaching sessions I am offering, you may have thought it would be a good idea but are worried about the cost of the phone calls especially if you are in the States, Canada or Australia. I would like to mention that I will make the call to you for the sample session so it is totally free. If you then decide to engage me as your life coach then either I can continue to make the calls if it proves the cheapest option - for example I can make an hour long call to the States for about $2.40 and then charge you for the calls in with my coaching fees.

Another alternative would be to make calls through Skype which is a totally free call service via the internet to anyone who has a Skype ID anywhere in the world. A headset is needed that plugs into the computer to make Skype calls which you can buy from their website.

If you are interested in a complimentary coaching session and would like to find out more then please contact me.

More on Life Coaching

2005-09-14T12:30:00.000+01:00

Oh so nobody wants any life coaching eh? Ok, did I mention its FREE????
The only comment I got was someone offering "phonesex" - oh well, thanks for sharing whoever you are but no thanks. Not what I was hoping for at all.

Please consider this: How many of us artists and anyone else who happens to be reading this (apart from the spammy messengers), wouldn't benefit from having a caring person listen and facilitate the process of re-awakening our creative powers, uncover the blocks and help our life blossom like we deserve?

Oh and did I mention its free?

P.s. when I did the spell check on this post it suggested that I swap the phrase "phonesex" for "pansies" ... well, if they had wanted to give me some pansies I would have been more than happy to give them some free life coaching...ha ha, if only!

Zinnia

2005-09-12T23:55:00.000+01:00

Zinnia, originally uploaded by Nicky Perryman.

Did a bit more to my folk art wallhanging tonight. Managed to get the machine to play with me for a little while but it was temperamental and kept breaking the threads every minute or so which was so frustrating. I got two flowers sewn down onto the black silk background - I like the way they kind of smerge (is that an actual word?)into the base fabric with rough edges around the shapes. I hope to make them intermarry even more by stitching more threads onto and around the flowers - maybe even some glossy black rayon and stitching over and around it so it kind of blends in especially when looking at it from a distance. Its progressing slowly. I couldn't resist adding the little cogs just for fun. It will look nice when the rest of the embroidery makes it look stronger especially in the centres of the flowers. Now its time for bed! Nighty night.

Get Life Coaching for Free!

2005-09-12T10:48:00.000+01:00

As you know if you have been reading this blog, that I have just started training as a life coach. I am offering free sample sessions - they will be on the phone and usually take around 40 minutes for coaching with about 10 minutes for questions and answers relating to scheduling and fees too.
As your personal Life Coach I will help you to:

Clarify your vision and help you set goals and work actively towards them.
Create more of what you want in your life and less of what you don't want.
Improve your creative flow.
Pinpoint emotional blocks and help resolve them leaving you feeling free to follow your dreams.
Be there to listen to you, act as a sounding board, give you encouragement and guide you towards your achievements.
Act as an accountability buddy, with regular check-ins on your progress.

If this sounds like what you are looking for then please email me in the strictest confidence and we can arrange a sample session. I look forward to hearing from you!

Peacock Feather Commission!

2005-09-02T10:01:00.000+01:00

Hey everyone! I've landed a small commission to produce an embroidered antimacassar. Its to be made of green linen with irridescent peacock feathers all over it! Its to decorate a red leather armchair. Sounds lovely doesn't it? I am really looking forward to doing it. Peacock feathers are always a joy to embroider because they are so beautiful and it is fun trying to imitate the glorious subtle shades of green, khaki, pink and brown mixed in with the intense deep blues, turquoise and purple...slather, slather, my creative juices are secreting already thinking of all the sumptuous threads I am going to use.

Here's one I made earlier, but I think I might applique some scraps of bright turquoise silk for this commission and then go to town with the free motion thing. Oh and possibly throw in a bit of foil just for good measure. The client did say he wanted them to be as "irridescent as possible" - so there's the flag for me to go full-out with the sparklies as far as I am concerned. Wahey! Its gonna be so much fun!

Good News

2005-08-29T23:59:00.000+01:00

Rudbeckia, originally uploaded by Nicky Perryman.

I am posting this picture of bright flowers in my garden to go with it because they capture the mood.

Good News Item 1:
I got a new thimble!
Well, its not as good as the old one because it doesn't fit like the old one but at least its a, er, well a thimble! A badly fitting thimble is better than no thimble at all...my fingers would agree with that. Is it me or are thimbles made for LARGE fingers these days? I mean I always thought my fingers were kind of chunky but this was the smallest thimble they had...??? Perhaps I am more dainty than I thought...

Good News Item 2:
I start my life coaching course tomorrow. My first teleclass is tomorrow night! Kinda scary, not sure what is gonna happen but it should be VERY interesting...

New Career Move

2005-08-26T14:49:00.000+01:00

Well, here goes: I am training to become a life coach! This definitely doesn't mean I am giving up on textile art. I am planning to do both. I have always wanted to be an artist and a healer and I think that time is fast approaching. Its a little different to textile art but in essence I see that they come from the same source. I try in my art to bring something spiritual and mysterious into being in the physical and life coaching is a way of helping other people to do the same thing - to find and focus what they want in their lives and help them bring it into being. Its all still very new and yet it feels like I have been doing it for a long time. It feels scary and yet exhilirating. It feels like I don't have all the answers but I am learning lots of new things to help me be a good coach. I don't really know exactly what kind of coaching I will focus on yet. I think its still too soon to say. But I am looking forward to honing in on it gradually. Perhaps it will be focussed on creativity - empowering others to wield their creative forces and help them get rid of the blocks to their own creative power. Or maybe it will be something else? All, in all though I am pretty excited about it and I can feel myself growing in the process. I feel like I should pat myself on the back for taking this step forward and doing something positive to move towards my own goals. Way to go Miss Nicky!

More Blogging Thoughts

2005-08-24T08:59:00.000+01:00

Danny told me last night he has started reading my blog! Phew! Oh good job I didn't post that picture of him wearing my dressing gown! (Only joking). Instead I would like to say thank you Danny if you are reading this - for the wondrous hook that doesn't look like a toilet roll holder which is now proudly displaying my embroidery hoops. Man! The studio has never been so organised except for the piles of paperwork that seem to breed frantically all over my table. Apart from that its all perfecto so that means I better do some work...now if I could only find that damned thimble...or maybe I'll just go and buy a whole packet of them so that if I lose one I've got a squillion in reserve.

What an Evening!

2005-08-23T09:08:00.000+01:00

So, last night I had a whole evening to myself to work...so I thought "Great!", I will go and do a sample for the folk art wallhanging I am doing to try out a few textures and techniques. I used a flower that I had rejected from the wallhanging because it was a deep reddish plum and it just looked too dark against a black background, so instead I fused it onto some deep purple dupion. I then decided to fuse interlining against the purple silk. What possessed me to do that I don't know but anyway it ended up being the consistency of thin card. Then I decided that having some wadding underneath the stitching might give it a bit more body so I got out a scrap of really dense wadding and separated the layers a bit and put some under the silk and then added another layer of interfacing to cover the fluffy wadding. The result: forget Kevlar just get an embroidered sample by Nicky Perryman and stuff that in your shirt and you won't need a bullet proof vest! The effect was so stiff I broke two machine needles! Two! That was on the all-singing-all-dancing machine - which does free motion embroidery but in a rather genteel way. It obviously didn't want to play with me so I decided to use the work-horse machine - an old 1960's Pfaff semi-industrial - once I had got it set up with the thread I wanted and fixed the broken foot in place - (it needs an elastic band to stop it from catching!), then I was ready - so it stitched ok, but what about the clouds of smoke that started pouring out of the base of the machine?! Well, actually it wasn't technically smoke more vaporised machine oil that had somehow got into the motor and when it got hot it started producing tons of fumes. After wafting them away a few times I thought, maybe I should do some hand-stitching instead, so I just managed to do a reasonable amount of free motion embroidery and then got my embroidery strands together...and my needle case, and my thimble...er, where is my thimble? Where oh where oh where is my thimble? I can't sew without it, I feel naked. I feel like part of me is missing if I don't have my dear little thimble. Could I find it anywhere? What do you think? AAAAARRRRGGGGHHHH!!! So, by then I thought the TV beckons...maybe the thimble is downstairs in my basket of weaving yarns - it could have fallen in there once...
Nope! Damn! I really need that thimble especially with the kevlar-cardboard-how-the-hell-am-i-gonna-stitch-through-that-fabric-sample. DAMN!!!!!!
I then tried to invent something else to use and found a little bottle top from a sports drink and wrapped tissue around my finger and fitted the plastic top on - it worked after a fashion but kept slipping off. So progress was very slow. Anyway, enough of this whingeing. I feel ok about this sample so far, but I regret using the pale lilac thread all over it as its made it look grey because of the contrast between that and the dark purple silk. I also wished that I hadn't stitched the lilac thread onto the flower and the background but done a pinky red on the flower and a deeper purple on the silk - oh well I suppose I can always stitch over it again and break a few more needles in the process but I don't think I will bother, I will just log the idea for the actual wallhanging. I also felt like I didn't have exactly the right colour threads for the hand-stitching; I wanted a sort of olive green to contrast with the purple but had none left and a brighter pink because the ones I have look a little bit too soft. I am going to try a few other stitches and sequins on it for different effects, once I have got the thread colours I need. Oh well, that's what sampling is all about trial and error and where is my damn thimble?

Wedding Finery

2005-08-20T19:41:00.000+01:00

Here are some pics of my friend Bushra's wedding reception. She asked me not to show her face so here's some other bits of her!!!! Ain't they gorgeous?!! The headscarf she was wearing was red chiffon with beautiful roundels of embroidered gold wire dotted all over it. The whole outfit was richly encrusted with gold embroidery. Absolutely stunning! I love the richness of asian design - the philosophy of more is never enough really works in this context.... I feel inspired to get my sequin box out...

Ta Da!!

2005-08-19T23:48:00.000+01:00

My Design Board, originally uploaded by Nicky Perryman.

This is how the finished design board looks but the textile work on it is unfinished (as usual!). On the right is the mockup done with cutouts of magazine paper. There is a long way to go to finish this wallhanging but it will look a lot less harsh red/black when its done.

2005-08-19T09:51:00.000+01:00

This is more of the wallhanging I am working on. It doesn't look like much right now. The photo doesn't do it justice either, you can't see the subtle differences in the colours. The white bits you can see are the backing papers of bondaweb that have come loose from each shape. These shapes are just pinned on for now - I still have a few more to do then I am going to applique them down and stitch over, around and between to pull the whole thing together with stalks and leaves and quilting, then its embellish, embellish, embellish. Don't you just love the word embellish? I've got some pretty little sequins - cogs and wheels and flowers in reds, pinks, purples and greens that I want to use, just because they are fun and very very pretty. I like pretty things - so there. I have found this piece a bit tedious so far because I have had to prepare the fabric with stitching first instead of painting the design on which is what I normally do and it feels like a long time coming to a point where it actually looks like anything. I think I will feel happier when I actually get to applique the shapes and they start to blend into the background a bit more.

Its finally arrived!!

2005-08-19T09:10:00.000+01:00

When I came home the day before yesterday there was this and this in my studio... along with footprints of sawdust, piles of sandpaper, architrave, general mess and an overwhelming stench of wood stain and paint. After months of nagging, pleading and whining (by me) my darling wondrously creative and talented hubby has finally gotten round to putting up my design board. Yippeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

It will make it so much easier to layout large pieces of work and step back and see what they look like. No excuses now!! This is how it looked unpainted.

Thank you Danny! Thank you Danny! Thank you Danny! Thank you Danny! Thank you Danny!
Kiss kiss, hug hug, squeeze, squeeze! xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I will post a picture of the finished thing - now that its been painted white and the frame stained to looked a warm golden brown - it looks wonderful! There is even a little shelf to balance frames on when I am doing a silk painting or somewhere to place a box of pins, scissors or pens etc when I am in the throws of creative passion. Its great and I love it. I really feel like my studio is coming together now. Danny has also kindly fixed my under computer shelf for about the 4th time after it kept falling down at the most inopportune moment i.e. while I was using my graphics tablet. Now there is just one more little job to do...to fix up a large hook to put all my embroidery frames on near my sewing machines. I have already got a brass one with two hooks on it that is suitable. Danny also put up a new cabinet, shelving, towel rail and toilet roll holder in the bathroom yesterday - is there no end to the man's talents? The toilet roll holder is the type that has got one side open so you just slide the roll onto it. (There is a reason I am telling you this, honest!). Anyway, this morning Danny woke-up and the first thing he said to me was "Do you want me to fit a toilet roll holder in your studio for your embroidery frames?" I was rather taken aback by this as I hadn't really imagined it that way, but then I thought about it and it seems like a good idea... but then it means they would stick out quite a way from the wall and might get in the way when I am moving the sewing machines around, so in the end I rejected this new design development in favour of the traditional brass coat hook... Danny had been dreaming about the toilet roll holder in his sleep and it seemed like a fabulous idea so he felt compelled to tell me about it when he woke up. I didn't realise that DIY would have such an effect on his mind. I am wondering what else I can get him to do now that the DIY floodgates seem to be wide open?!! Better make the most of it quick before they shut! Perhaps an under table storage unit to hold more tweed???????

Now I am off to buy some fancy push pins to use on my new design board, you know the ones that are metallic pink and purple... or should I get the ones that look like ladybirds?

Embroidery Fun!

2005-08-18T23:24:00.000+01:00

more detail, originally uploaded by bushra.

Here is a detail of my friend Bushra's wedding dress - she is having her wedding reception this Saturday - can't wait to see her wearing it! :-)) I just wanted to show you all how faberooni the embroidery is - I love all that full-on sparkly, spangly, encrusted stuff! It makes my heart sing. Gorgeous! Gorgeous! Gorgeous! Er, you wouldn't consider selling me the dress when you are done with it would you Bushra????

Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum

2005-08-08T17:26:00.000+01:00

Aren't they gorgeous?! I love 'em. So what am I going to make....?

Thoughts on Blogging etc

2005-08-08T10:34:00.000+01:00

Hi All !!
Sorry, I haven't posted anything for so long on this blog. I have felt like I needed a break from it for a while, so I apologise to anyone who was waiting for something new. I have been away to Ireland, to Donegal and have come back refreshed having had a great time of walks looking at wild flowers and prancing about on sand dunes. The wild flowers have given me many ideas for new embroideries and the beaches were full of wonderful textures and subtle colours. See my flickr photos for a snapshot. It was lovely!

I even managed to get hold of some more tweed!! Ha ha! Yes, of course I couldn't go to Donegal without getting some tweed. This time I bought some off the roll at Magees in Donegal Town and had a nice chat with the weaver there. The tweed I bought is called "Bogoak" - two lovely shades of brown with blue and yellow flecks in it. Its wonderfully warm and earthy, so reminiscent of the Donegal landscape. I also bought a bag of tweed scraps mainly in shades of blue and purple from Triona Designs near Ardara. Danny reckons I must be in heaven to get tweed that is also purple.... my favourite colour in case you haven't guessed! So, here I am back to reality and realising that the year is more than halfway gone, and I want to get on and do something to show for it. So its back to the list of WIPs to bring something to conclusion. More on that later...

London Bombings and Art

2005-07-14T10:25:00.000+01:00

I try to keep this blog textile related but today there will be a 2 minute silence at 12 noon for all those killed and injured in the recent London bombings. Please take time to send your good thoughts and prayers to the grieving families. A couple of days ago the London bombings, then a bomb in Netanya (Israel) - I went to the beach there a few years back, then a car bomb in Iraq killed about 27 kids yesterday and in the paper this morning I read about 50 kids and adults being massacred by raiders in an African country (can't remember which one), many of whom died wearing their school uniforms. Life is so damn sad sometimes it makes so much seem trivial. Sometimes I feel like making some pretty textiles is kind of frivolous when there is all this death and tragedy around. Perhaps I should be out there trying to do my bit to save the world? Or perhaps my textiles should become more political?
But then I think that the people who were killed recently, if they had half a chance, they would be doing seemingly "trivial" things too, like sucking a lollipop, lying on the beach, listening to the radio, telling a joke, or doodling on the back of an envelope. Life is made up of tiny moments...I pledge to make mine full of beauty, love and hope and to spread that wherever I can. What else can I do?

What Would You Sacrifice?

2005-07-05T14:27:00.000+01:00

I just read this great blog and found a post related to textiles. This one is about dyeing with Woad - sounds like one of the worst jobs in history! God forbid! I don't think I could go to such lengths for textile art...
Smelly Woad Dyers