Sunday 27 September 2015

Painting and all things wool in 2009

'Huggy Mummies' - brooches by Jenny Stacy
Tidying the kitchen dresser!
A mention in Selvedge magazine!
My buttons - going off to an exhibition in the USA!
Not everything sold! These wooly necklaces were a complete failure. (Probably itchy!)
I love little things. The brooch was a 'Huggy girl' - I enjoyed painting those.
New limbless dolls (much quicker!) by Jenny Stacy
Knitted hairbands for Tricot Too - I also made knitted necklaces and knitted bracelets for them that year.
 I enjoy looking back - it gives me ideas for now! For example I think why did I make all those felt flowers into necklaces and bracelets? They'd be so much better completely covering the front of a cushion. 

It also reminds me to make more buttons - I never seem to get round to making buttons nowadays and they do sell.

 Do we make things because we know they will sell or do we make things because we love to make? Both I guess. Often there isn't the time to experiment enough. And experimenting with a new idea is the most fun I think.

 For example, today I want to try out ideas for Christmas decorations. I have a picture in my head of an unusual handmade decoration but will it work? Can it be achieved in a two hour workshop and will people love making it? And (secondary) is a variation of it saleable?

In 2009 there was a Textiles show at Petworth House (a National Trust property open to the public). It was good to have a stall there. I had run into the editor of Selvedge magazine at the Country Living magazine show and she said she'd like to feature my dolls. I never heard anything more and, being me, didn't push it.

I loved painting the Huggy Mummies. Several women told me they tucked one secretly into their daughter's suitcase when they went off to school or university.'So they could look at it and imagine me giving them a big hug'...

Ideas make way for other ideas. This week it's fairies - want to devise a quick way of making one for the top of the tree before next Thursday's workshop!



2 comments:

lindsey said...

Not sure if you have found my new blog yet Jenny, but, after reading this blog & how you like looking back, I thought you might like to see my artist case that I have reinvented. It has 3 of your collage embellishments, from cards I bought from you several years ago. Hope you don't mind, but I did mention in my blog that they were your work!!!

Anonymous said...

Still can't access your blog Lindsey as mentioned in email. Of course I don't mind if you use my collage images on an art case. Nice to know the cards have an alternative use!x Jenny