drawing – The Speculating Rook

twelve days

December 29, 2014December 29, 2014 anna osborne1 Comment

Twelve marvelous days to relax, catch up, drink martinis and speculate about the possibilities.

chrismas cushions — last orders of 2014 being delivered

The Rook has been busy keeping lovely shops supplied with cushions and there has been little time for Christmas prep at home. However, in the last few hours stuff happened and we did it!

The Nativity complete with purple cow, dragons and a penguin, dusted down and in place.

nativity
A blue whale on the tree which makes me sing

More glass, this is one of several made by Fred with Sarah Hunt at The Stained Glass Museum, Ely Cathedral.

And presents wrapped!

There is no cake, iced or otherwise, and I don’t think any mince pies or sherry were left for FC due to the late late wrapping event in which extra nourishment was required. The whole greenery situation is rather meagre and no cards have been sent (sorry people). But there are satsumas, the pudding was flaming and the bread sauce unsurpassed.

Now there is time to doodle and plan new designs.

Thank you for stopping by, for your feedback and encouragement. Love and best wishes for a joyful, peaceful and prosperous new year.

notes from the A14

May 13, 2014May 13, 2014 anna osborne2 Comments

A trip to Craftco to top up their supplies. We plugged in the ipod, turned on the windscreen wipers and headed east. Whilst driving I reflected on how bad we are at time management; this journey was only necessary because I had missed successive last posts. Osborne Central has been intense of late (I am not the only one with deadlines to meet), sleep patterns disrupted, late late nights, early mornings, extra journeys, odd food and not enough dog walking. I am an eight hours a night person and the strain was starting to show…

In Southwold the sun was shining and the people were smiley, Sue Ryder had two woolly blankets, crayfish sandwiches were being served in The Lord Nelson and there is nowhere better to drink Adnams Spindrift. Order has been restored.

I am working on new designs.

Rather than wait for the UK’s supply of blankets to dry up I have started looking at other background fabrics. Dustsheets are still in mind but between me and the hardware shop are two fabric shops… and this beautiful, beautiful linen.

I am imagining French seams, covered buttons and hand stitched button holes…

From Life In An English Village: by Edward Bawden

I may outsource the button holes.

a safe place

March 5, 2014April 2, 2014 anna osborne2 Comments

I have a new phone. It wasn’t a smooth transition. Thinking I could buy such a thing on a whim was a big mistake. After 48 hours I decided to cut my losses, return my impulsive purchase and start again. But having explained my mistake to the salesperson, attempting to make a hasty retreat and pretend the whole debacle hadn’t happened, I picked up my purse and left my bag behind.

I don’t have a huge number of possessions to which I am emotionally attached but after 25 years this bag, small, impractical and beautifully made, is one of them. When I walked through the front door of number 24 carrying my purse and emergency chocolate I realised what was missing.

Driving at high speed (ahem) I careered into the car park and ran up the stairs to the customer service desk and gasped breathlessly ‘has anyone handed in a bag…?’ I felt an enormous wave of relief when the (very) young member of staff said ‘yes!’ she then asked me what was in it and without hesitation I replied ‘my husbands tie from our wedding day 18 years ago’. The (very) young member of staff was speechless, I don’t think she was born on 17 August 1996.

After a few moments she smiled and said ‘that’s lovely’.

Life drawing tonight, first time for at least 25 years! Nervous and excited.

half term

February 23, 2014April 1, 2014 anna osborne2 Comments

It has been a busy week with blue skies, coursework deadlines, days out, tea and cake and kittens.

Two days drawing and photographing with students at SOURCE run by the education dept at The Fitzwilliam Museum.

DSCF2600

This is a superb resource available to all GCSE and A Level students (and enthusiastic younger siblings) who are preparing for exams.

Museum staff and visiting artists on hand with a supply of art materials to discuss ideas, offer advice and show how to

~~copy~~ work in the style of Gerhard Richter…

A visit to Textiles In Focus at Cottenham Village College where I found more Crazy Zauberball at the Twist Yarns stand. Socks for birthday nephew in the pipeline.

And a laptop sleeve with an elephant for a daughter – maybe even including some gold thread.

Oh yes, and kittens. Otis and Perry, after 24 hours, are very much at home.

update

January 26, 2014April 2, 2014 anna osborne1 Comment

I updated my Etsy shop today

In and out between showers taking photographs.

There are a selection of cushions embroidered with some of my favorite beasts, all made from recycled woolen blankets that have been washed at 90 degrees. I will be adding some more work over the next fortnight.

And now all orders will now be sent out with my new rubber stamped label!

Meles meles

January 13, 2014April 2, 2014 anna osborne1 Comment

I am thinking about Badgers on cushions.

I can’t remember the exact year but around 1982 I stayed with my mum, brother, cousin, uncle and aunt in a house on the South Downs in East Sussex. On top of the Seven Sisters over looking the English Channel, surrounded by beautiful countryside and a short walk from Belle Tout lighthouse we spent a week house sitting and looking after the resident cats. I think it was eight cats in total but there may have been more, all with different personalities and needs to match. But the best thing, the most exciting and unusual thing, happened after dark when a family of Badgers would visit the garden, eat some peanuts, drink some water, play and then leave. Up to five or six badgers, every evening without fail would drop by at around 10pm while we sat in the kitchen with the lights off and watched through the French Doors as they rolled around the lawn playing with each other, for up to an hour and then leave.