....cool winter light.....

When you can stop shivering for a moment, this cold weather definitely has it's charms.  Here are some photographs to lift your spirits and few suggestions on how to fill your time indoors.

Spend time tucked away sewing beautiful paper clothes.  These were made by 

Micheline of Betty and Bing.  And here is what she says.....

"I grew up loving paper, antiques and pretty things. I love paper because it carries ideas. Ideas about anything and everything shared through pictures or words or, in the best case scenario, both. Antiques because they hold stories. Without uttering a single word they talk of different times and different ways of thinking. And pretty things because I believe life is lived in the details. Surrounding yourself with things that appeal to your senses seems to be the easiest way to bring joy into your everyday life."

Paper and textiles, combined with stitched calligraphy, are also an integral part of our Rosalind Wyatt's, magic.    "My recent work is exploring ‘writing with a needle’ copying the handwriting of a letter into stitch onto a garment; handwritten letters reveal the personality of the letter writer in a most immediate manner, and often that document reveals part of a more complex ‘story’ of that person. By combining the lettering, stitch and garment, that story can be brought to life."  

We have a few places left on Rosalind's September Workshop with us which offers an opportunity to work intensively alongside this award-winning artist, sharing her unique creativity and learning how to combine the written and printed word using a playful approach whilst you progress from ideas towards stitch.  You'' be encouraged to think outside the box, developing a greater depth of individuality that will open up new creative opportunities.

  

Of course, it's never too cold to read a good book......   Our favourite writer at the moment is Ron Carlson.  Well, he would be wouldn't he as we've read everything he has in print and invited him to lead a workshop, The Inside Story, here at the end of July.  Carlson was born in Logan, Utah, and grew up in Salt Lake City. He received a masters degree in English from the University of Utah  and became professor of English at Arizona State University, and then director of its Creative Writing Programme. Carlson currently teaches at the University of California, Irvine. His last two novels, Five Skies and TheSignal have won international praise and we greatly look forward to hosting the first European workshop of this gentle artist of the written word.  

 You could go for a bicycle ride (not for the faint-hearted)....

Or simply have forty winks somewhere warm.

And talking of warmth, I personally like to snuggle up in front of a roaring fire and knit. I've just finished one of these shawls in a beautiful grey cashmere - I cannot for the life of me remember where I found the pattern, but it's incredibly simple to knit, had oodles of compliments since completion and if anyone is interested I would be happy to send them a pdf of the instructions (or maybe you know where the pattern is from??).

Katie