November 2017

November has been a frustrating month. I injured myself doing the hedge which is over 10 metres long and had grown almost twice my height! I'm really regretting thinking I could do it as I'm not suffering - suffering with tingling, burning and numbness in my arms but particularly in my hands. I've been enforced to limit my activities as a result and this has been very frustrating creatively-speaking but it's also been distressing and had me in tears of anguish.

RICKY-TIME: Teaching/Encouraging

Ricky's glazed garlic pots, ready for firing.

Ricky said he enjoyed making them and often asks me when we are next going to do pottery.

We made up box-frames for concrete tiles (his mum needed them for the fireplace)

At the request of Ricky's Mum, we also attempted to make a mitred-cornered picture frame for a tapestry his sister had done. As I didn't have the proper tools I had to ask his Mum to get someone else to cut the mitred corners, which she did. 

I've done my best at gluing/stapling but then learned the backing board Ricky and I had stretched the tapestry around was too think once glass put into the frame so I've had to cut a second, thinner board up-cycled from an unwanted picture frame and re-stretch the tapestry.

PLANNING/ORGANISING

TLC Programme Support, Dane Devine has been helping me over the months to plan my week and then record my creative activities. I did have a Weekly Organiser pad but haven't been able to find it in my messy system so I went online and found some weekly organisers that are free and printable. My daughter Sarah who is at home studying too, offered to help me sort out my "Creative Spaces" - there is still much to do but she has helped me sort two areas. It's great to be able to find things again!

POTTERY

I haven't been able to do much pottery but did manage to make some plant makers. I thought they might sell well at The Bach Gallery. They are yet to be fired and glazed.

HARVESTING/FORAGING

With the longer days I've been making the effort to spend time outside in my garden again. I harvested more calendula for soap and salve making, along with comfrey and borage

The flax bush that I'd cut up for paper-making and had in water in the outdoors bath with starting to smell pretty bad! My daughter reluctantly, but graciously helped me get it out and lay it on the lawn for processing. I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to cut it up mow though - what I really need is some sort of big munching machine that can cope with the fibrous nature of flax!


TAPESTRY WEAVING/COMMUNITY PROJECT:

Naoko and I discussed how we were going to work and weave the "water" - she suggested hatching and I suggested colour blending the yarns by splitting them in half and then re-plying them. We compromised by doing both. The process of doviding the 8 ply wool was a it tedious but over time I've adapted my technique and cut the dividing time in half. Nothing like a challenge to make one look for solutions!

SOAP-MAKING/SALVE-LABELING

I spent several days over the month having to make soap so I didn't run out of stock over Christmas/January. I had great plans of selling soaps and balms at The Artisan's Market but with my tingling and burning issue in my arms I just had to let that go. I'd even organised another marketeer to sell on behalf for me. Fortunately with putting my prices up and having some ceramic soap dishes for sale I did ok over December sales-wise.