Tea and jam!

Primmy Chorley: Teatime in the Garden of Love

Primmy Chorley: The Garden of Love

Primmy Chorley is a very private artist from North Wales. There aren't many people whose lives are kept private in the Age of the Internet.  I particularly love the application of her work to functional objects.  These tea cosies are from a series:

".....Chorley will describe the subject of the 'Paradise Gardens' tea cosies as 'family memories' and affectionate goodbyes to those who were close but are gone - in 'Flowers for Tinker' to one of her much loved dogs, in 'The Garden of Love - for Lin' to her best friend.  Chorley's life has clearly been difficult and tragic at times, but it has also contained much happiness.  The naivity of the slightly whimsical houses and gardens depicted on the tea cosies, and their ubiquitous guardian angels, somehow express this sense of comfort and reassurance - things will be 'alright'.  In this way, these deeply personal expressions of joy and grief have a universal resonance.  They are about nothing less than human relationships, life and death."

Jennifer Harris 2001 

I've been enjoying the ritual of tea, made in my favourite stripey tea pot.  This week I've been up to my eyeballs in fruit from the allotment and making jar after jar of jam.  It's always a well received gift and seems to be entrenched in everyones' lives with a ritualistic element, not found in a mass produced jar.  It finds it's way onto the table for a Sunday tea, or served with warm croissants on a Saturday morning.  It captures summer ready to be freed in the depths of winter.

With tea and jam on my mind I thought I would join the Folksy Friday revolution and feature the best related products from Folksy.

                                        

Cherry Loco I love tea
She Draws pendant
Cuppa tea and cake print

Rescued and Revived vicars tea cosy
Bebe Boutique alien jam bandana 
Handmade by Auntie Junie pink tea cosy 

Hats and More cakes tea cosy

Nickynackynoo traffic jam bunting
Woolly Duck felted scone

Excited

I'm really excited to have found a publisher who wants to publish my work as art prints.  They described my work as 'modern and progressive' which I love!  I feel very proud of myself so I'm going to have a cup of tea and a custard cream to celebrate!

Wishing and Hoping

SOLD!

I'm wishing and hoping that these will sell at the craft fair on Saturday.  Felicity will be taking our work to Lincoln for a craft fair at Birchwood Leisure Centre.  It'll be on from 10 until 4 if you fancy a day out!

The life of paper

Isabelle de Borchgrave

"Paper is a magical material.  It's thousand faces have the power to attract and enchant us, to direct our lives and change their course, to teach us, to influence our opinion, and to mark our daily existence.

From our youngest years, paper helps us to create our individual versions of beauty - small, clumsy fingers transform sheets of coloured paper into trees, misshapen pieces of fruit or fantastical beasts.  And by making paper into new shapes and covering its many surfaces with colours, drawings, numbers, letters and symbols, we finally learn how to master it.

Notepaper, newspaper, wallpaper, rice-paper, and papier-mache.......Paper, born thousands of years ago of papyrus plant, does not shy from pseudonyms, hiding behind such noms de plume as vellum, Holland, Indian, peau de cygne and parchment.  Tucked into envelopes, it is paper that holds our most tender thoughts and fiery messages.  It has taken the place of our ancestors' silver; paper stokes the greed of forgers, misers and conquerors of every stripe.

And while paper is pleasing to the eye, and proud of being useful, it is just as charming to the ear. 

Paper crackles and trembles.  It whispers and rustles.  When you brush against it, it swishes like and ingenue's silk dress.  And when flames lick around it, it snaps and sizzles and dies with a nearly inaudible whisper."

I love the language in this description of paper.  It's an extract from a book about the work of Isabelle de Borchgrave, featured in the May/June edition of Selvedge magazine.  It perfectly evokes our entwinement with paper and it's journey with us through life.  My studio is swimming with paper off cuts, stretched paper on boards, piles of long overdue filing and offerings from the small people in my life, like this from Rosemary who drew me a picture of Wilma and Shaggy getting married (hence Wilma has removed her glasses).  Thanks Rosemary. x

By Rosemary

Cluck, cluck!

Offering

Today's offering featuring my favourite quote...... "Every blade of grass has it's angel that bends over it and whispers grow, grow."  Hoping your angel is watching over you today.

Tattoo

I still love everything that comes from St.Judes gallery, especially the work of Jonny Hannah who they represent.  I love the idea of a Jonny Hannah tattoo, and a Tunnock's caramel wafer and coffee......all of which can be had if you can get to Itteringham in Norfolk on Saturday.