more on DVDs

Someone asked for more info on the DVDs. I haven't had a chance to look further at Jean Littlejohn's yet because the stuff coming back from London finally arrived today. UK customs decided to hold it for a while... Anyway, all is unpacked and all the books are off to their new homes. It's always exciting to open up boxes even if you packed it yourself and you know what is in there. As well as that, a heap of parcels arrived so all good intentions of putting more books away have gone out the window. It was very hot and humid yesterday and looked to be the same today but the sea breeze seems to have arrived and cooled things down a little. Always crazy to think that one part of the world is getting to summer and the other part to winter but with global warming we may not notice any difference before too long.

In the parcels were some more of the lovely new silk threads I have been waiting for in 3 weights. I took a little time out to wind some out and package them - something special about silk thread. Once they all arrive we will get them on the web. As always there is a web backlog not to mention a newsletter I haven't done. Just keep reading here and you will discover it all....


Back to the DVD - Jean has been working on a series called 'Five Minutes from Home' and she has been exploring places we see every day but don't notice - footpaths and such like. I must say that when I went for my walk this morning, I spent most of the time looking down and saw the most interesting patterns. What she is doing, of course, is making us be observant. Then she talks about her sketchbooks - how she makes them in this instance and materials she uses. Then onto her work and her construction and workings etc. I haven't watched it all but I quickly flicked through each chapter and I am already inspired. Given me an idea or two and to me that is what a good book (well I have to see it as a talking book with visuals) should do - if you only get one idea which sends you on a spin it was worth it. If you go back to it then it really has worked. I put the pic here again because I do recall her talking about repetition and of course paths have plenty of that. The circles remind me of the marks they draw around things on the paths when they are about to do some work or another. The only thing on my walk was that a lot of what was beneath my feet was grey and that part didn't grab me. Somehow I would need to add my own stamp of colour.

Grant arrived this morning when we thought it was tonight - he's only here until Friday - back to Sydney for sailing but we are off to Melbourne on Thursday afternoon. We will have a family bbq tomorrow night. It's always good to see your kids and catch up. tonight we are off to our local - The Brisbane - with Eva and Malachy. They have been on a decent holiday to South America and Europe and it will be great to catch up and share stories