is open! We celebrated the opening on Thursday night last week , many many thanks to all of you who made it out to join us.

Ned and I headed over to the big city on Wednesday morning to help out with the set-up, he makes a terrific back-seat ( way back!) driver.

We had a little fun, hammered a few nails …. and took loads of photo’s of the set-up! But it always looks better with the labels up, a bit of a clean up and some flowers on the table tops.

Just beside the front entrance….front and back….and along the window wall ….

it’s a smallish space but we managed to get a lot in! Anni’s and Julie’s pieces are on the plinths and Kaija, Michelle and I covered the walls.

Kaija’s beautiful piece hanging above some of Anni’s ethereal nests.

Michelle’s stunning work  and Julie’s delicate knitted pieces.

and my wall-hanging with one of Anni’s nests and 2 of Julie’s amazing woven baskets.

The show is on at Circle Craft Gallery 1666 Johnston Street, Granville Island Vancouver through June 4th. Hope you can see it in person!

Bye for now, Catherine

It’s been great to work with this diverse group of talented artists! I can’t wait to see everyone’s work.

Hope you can make it!

Bye for now, Catherine

Last blog post ( oh, so long ago!) I mentioned I wasn’t sure where January had gone- now I’m looking for February and a bit of March as well. Maybe it’s a function of aging that time goes by quicker? or maybe it’s just getting happily lost in “making”.

Either way, all of a sudden it’s opening night tomorrow ..

Hope you can make it!

Bye for now, Catherine

 

I’m not quite sure where January disappeared to..last time I looked it was New Years and I had all month in front of me to hibernate. I feel like I’m waking up from a long winters nap.

I have been doing a few things…the latest quilt in my bird series is done. It’s puffins this time and they have already made the flight to the UK in preparation for their debut in April at the Bramble Patch.

I had a lot of fun with this one,  I usually just feature one bird in a piece but couldn’t resist an “improbability of puffins”.

I’ve done a little ice dyeing  and had some interesting results. There was more than enough frozen “supplies” in the early part of the month! I like some of them…some not so much.

 

and I’ve been getting samples and information ready for the Mettler Play Days coming in the spring ..this year we are Branching Out and working with loads of colour .

 

I’ve been walking on the beach..a lot!  in all kinds of weather – the next 2 images are taken at the same spot on two very different days, both beautiful in their own way.

Those shiny grey blobs in the image below are otters! they didn’t get much closer to Ned and I so it’s not the best picture  but it’s so nice to see them rolling around in the surf. I end up sitting on the rocks and watching for ages.

I’ve been finding some wonderful sea glass treasures as well.

and of course we’ve been doing some hibernating, all that walking on the beach can be exhausting.

Bye for now, Catherine ( and Ned)

So much has happened this year….some good and some not so much, some exciting and some just plain scary.

I’m looking ahead, setting out my “intentions” and hopes for the next year with my fingers crossed for a peaceful and creative  2017.

Wishing you a safe and happy New Year, Catherine and Ned

Wishing you a peaceful holiday.

Catherine and Ned

whew! that took a bit….actually, it didn’t take that long time wise but I’ve been like a kid waiting for Christmas …it just couldn’t  happen fast enough.

My new studio is finished! we’ve gone from this…..

to this….

then this….

and a little of this…

and now it looks like this!!!

I’ve had the most amazing help getting all this together and thankfully there’s been lots of this along the way.

It’s good to be home.

Bye for now, Catherine ( and Ned)

Well to be honest, moved!

I’ve been a very quiet blogger, but there has been loads going on. I’ve moved! Yup, Ned and I have left the city and headed for a bit of country living…can you hear the theme of that old TV show Green Acres in your head ? (now that’s showing my age!)

I’ve left behind what was almost the perfect studio in the city and am now in the midst of creating the perfect studio, or as close as I can get. This one will be a bit smaller but a whole lot warmer in winter and cooler in summer…which will be wonderful!

The old studio sure looked bigger when it was empty, which beats the back of the car, it hasn’t been empty for a month or more.

There isn’t much to show of the new studio yet, but I will send along updates as things progress. Inside the house there’s a generalised state of chaos …walls being painted, doors being replaced and countertops being changed. When things get a bit too crazy inside, Ned and I sneak off to our new favourite walk.

Or stop to chat with one of the frequent visitors that drop by our new home.

I have been getting a bit of work done, perched on a stool at the kitchen island. It’s a great way to cook dinner and stitch at the same time but not so good for the “sitting bones”. Note the plaster filler beside the stove, I’m not sure if it’s food safe!?

The piece I was working on was juried into a show called “A Gathering” which opened at FibreWorks Gallery in Madeira Park on the 10th of October and runs till the end of the month. I’ll be at the  “Meet the artists” reception this Saturday, October 15 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. if you’re in the neighbourhood.

The garden here is one of the big reasons for moving, a chance to really get my hands dirty …or dirtier. There is some established garden that needs a little love and attention (actually, a lot of love and attention!)  and there are the most amazing raspberry canes. Still producing berries in October, not many mind you, but delicious.

Hope that all is well with you, wherever you are! I know Ive been an intermitent blogger at best, but if you would like to keep closer tabs on me I’m on Instagram …ravensthread is where you’ll find me. And there’s a few pics of Ned as well- of course!

Bye for now, Catherine

…seems to be the way things go for me. I get on a roll for a while and then take a break. I  wonder if it might be a “normal” thing to need to be quiet sometimes. I think it must be for me so no apologies for being “away” for awhile…my new goal is intermittent blogging!

But all that said, here I am again, with a bit of news and a bit of new work.

It’s been busy (as ever!) Edwina came for a visit and we got the potassium permanganate and indigo pots on the go and created some really lovely pieces. My favourite is this very simple folded double dip…I think the marks are really lovely. Now I just need to figure out what to do with it!

I’ve been doing some mixed media work in my sketchbook as well, it’s prep work and exploration for some work I can’t share with you yet.

These are done with pastel, acrylic paint and graphite…I’m really liking the depth I can get. Now the challenge is to translate these into fabric.

Things are busy on the home front as well. The garden is in overdrive!

and there’s been a bit of jam making. It’s cherry jam -which I have never done before- and the results are pretty yummy, if I do say so myself.

I’m working on a piece for the upcoming Fungi and Fibre Symposium coming to the Coast this October. It’s an international event and should be loads of fun to have close to home. I can’t show you the whole thing-yet- but here’s a sneak peek…hopefully the jury will like it!

There’s lots more work to do but I’m liking the effect I’m getting so far. I’m really enjoying the handwork and it’s portable, perfect for summertime. While I’m stitching out-of-doors Ned has been busy “floating” in the river …he’s getting his float style down to a fine art, with nose just barely out of the water and eyes following the stick!

Edwina is putting us both to shame! She is preparing for a 10k run!! on the 17th of July and Fundraising for Cancer Research, UK. Here’s a link to her Just Giving page ….run Edwina run!

Bye for now, Catherine

We had a perfect Sunshine Coast welcome this past weekend to help celebrate the opening of whisperings at FibreWorks Gallery, thanks so much to everyone who visited and celebrated with us.

Reg and Yvonne hung our work beautifully and many thanks to Connie and her team of textile talent for supplying the goodies! It was a really lovely day.

My images have ladders in them …

and dogs….

or no exhibition cards yet.

But thankfully Connie had her camera out at the opening and took some great shots…

Thanks to all who made it to celebrate with us…

Bye for now, Catherine and Ned