Hello all

No you're not imagining things, I'm still in Italy and I have the use of a laptop, hurrah. I've taken lots of photos of lovely trees, surprise, surprise, stones, rocks and pillars. No I'm not uploading them yet, you'll have to wait until I get home.

We've sketched details from all of the above using pencil and Aquarel crayons (water and dry). We've painted our observations in Co in Noor paints (water colour dyes). Oh and yes we've stitched some of our pieces, they are all small samples using different techniques and this afternoon we all sat needle-felting 'stones'. It was so funny seeing everyones hands going up and down felting the wool to get it firm enough. Tonight we started stitching into the stones but I got tired so came out to 'talk' to you.

Speak again soon.

Italy

Italy here I come. I travel to Stansted this morning to travel over to Italy tomorrow morning, bright and early - 7.30 flight that means 5.30 at the airport. I know I'm an early riser but that's early even for me. Then on to Masseria della Zingara in Pyglia. I'll be there for 6 nights and doing a course with Jan Beaney and Jean Littlejohn. 'From sketch to stitch' Now if anyone has seen my sketching then this is the biggest laugh - I'm useless, but I'll have a go after all it will be great back-up work for my course.

I'm quite nervous though as I've never flown before on my own, always had DH's hand to hold on to. I'll just have to grip the seat hard on landing and take-off. I've got the new copy of Somerset Studio to read, one hour to Stansted and two hours to Italy, seems strange that it's so long just to get to the other end of the country.

Well, bye for now as I'm about to turn the 'puter off and I'll tell you all about it when I get back.

October

Sorry I haven't been around much. College work and reorganisation of workroom has got in the way.

First here is a picture of my October TUSAL. I'm just pushing things further and further down and there's still room for lots more.

Then college well, I've completed my study of Italian Embroidery, that was very interesting and I think you saw the pictures of the withdrawn threadwork I did. For my three country studies I just have to do a sample for the African one. I've also completed my eight backgrounds for stitch, some are stitched and others not.

There are lots of other pieces in another file but I had to choose the best eight and I've included a couple more on the front cover of the fabric book containing the main eight samples.

























Finally here's a picture of my before shelves and one of the cupboards that are being built. A long way to go yet! Sorry about the poor quality but they were taken with my phone.