Helen Cowans ~ Designing - Creating - Inspiring

Tomorrow I’m heading down to Darlington to give a (new) talk on Goddesses. 
First talk I’ve given for about 12 months – now here did I put the hanging display stand????

The sexy bikes

DH’s favourite.  I wish I could buy him one for Christmas.

The Horticultural Tent

There has to be jam!

The embroidery entries.  Maybe I should enter next year?  I used to, I got a First in the art competition a few years ago.

Palm tree pizza – can you see the sun, the beach, palm trees and sandcastle?

Gossip in the pens.

“….shall we tell her the secret?…..”

“…well you know that woolly tart over at Chillingham…..….”

“… eee…. she never did!…..”

“… she did!…….oh darn….shush, she’s listening……”

I have a thing for black sheep.

Gorgeous chap.

Look at those beautiful horns.

There were horses too….. but I have a thing about sheep, horses are too big and I am too small.

Today was show day – I love this day every year.  Apart from the fact that we get trapped at the end of a single track lane and couldn’t possibly try to leave and go the opposite way to the hundreds of cars coming to park in the morning and leave in the afternoon.

Today was sunny – what a change from yesterday when it was cold and lashing with rain.

Now, I’ve got 50 photos recording the spirit of the Glendale show in Wooler.  So this might be a long post!  (It might be two, or even three posts.)

Through the gates across the lane and into the field.

Look how dry the river is today, you can also see how unstable the area is – would you believe “Natural England” will not let “English Nature” (both government bodies) consolidate this stretch and move the stones and gravel?  Mad.  Thanks goodness we now have the flood defences fitted to doors.

The Glendale Show – the largest in north Northumberland, is a real mix of fun fair, agricultural interests and retail therapy.  Along with flowers, jam, very sexy bikes, washed and brushed sheep and various foods.

Start a sheep farm for £10.

Do you think they are?

Pretty things in the craft tent

Parachutists landing….

Agricultural machinery…

Posh people with picnics.

Men who look like their dogs.

Clothes I can’t fit into atm…

Chicken handbags (!)

More sweets…

Pink and purple wellies.

Or green wellies if you prefer.

To be continued…….

If you are a mum and are frustrated by not being able to create read this article at parentingexpress.com.  Feel as if it was written just for me.

The Divided Heart: Art and Motherhood by Rachel Power

I quote “As Susan Rubein Suleiman wrote, perhaps the greatest struggle for a woman artist who has or desires children is the struggle against herself. No amount of money, no amount of structural change, can entirely resolve the fundamental dilemma for the artist–mother: the seeming incompatibility of her two greatest passions. The effect is a divided heart; a split self; the fear that to succeed at one means to fail at the other.”

Not only did I unpack the haul yesterday I started cutting and stitching too. 
(DS was away playing at a friends so I had uninterrupted time and peace).

I am still mulling over creative art ideas and needed to be working with fabric but not thinking too much.

The Tilda fabrics were first.  I need another blue fabric for a border between the mustard and red.  Ordered that yesterday, hopefully here by Saturday. 
The colours aren’t right on the screen, looks much better in reality.

The remains of the fabrics were placed into a diamond formation. 
New for me – a practise for the Rowan fabrics.

Guess I should unpack the workshop bags soon and I think that will spark a round of arty collages….. maybe I should get these throws cut and stitched (if not quilted) first of all…..
otherwise they might not happen for a long time (ask me how I know that!)

The day after returning from FoQ I began to sort out the haul.

Would you like to see?

Some pieces from Sumatra from John Gillow’s stand
(there is a piece from Iran but it got wet and is drying out).

Fresh stocks of organza in the usual colours for Indian inspired work. 
You didn’t think I could stay away from purple and pink forever did you?

Rusted cloth – because I know I could do it but time constrains mean I won’t.

Australian fabrics – now completes the set I have been collecting for two years and I can start two pieces to give a reminder of our trip – brights for DS and the others for DH and myself.

Rowan fabrics for a bed throw (gasp).  Something to do whilst I mull over new creative ideas.

More pretty fabrics for another throw….
Well it is COLD up here in the winter all year.

Buttons….. I got carried away and forgot to add up the individual prices – they were the most expensive set of buttons I have every put in a bag!

Can a girl ever have too many printing blocks?

Pots and tubs restocked from AVG.

Just two threads from (C21st Yarns).  Cotton (below) and silk (top).

All I ACTUALLY needed was this…..£2.25 of fade away pen!

Thought you would like to hear the judges comments about my entry to FoQ.

Judge 1;
Lovely soft colours and fabrics.  I feel the dark machine embroidery of the birds contrasts too heavily with the soft big stitch work.

Judge 2;
Your machine drawn birds are charming – just a bit lost against your chosen background.

You can only laugh.

have been well behind uploading a photo a day.  I apologise.  I find I have not kept up with every day either.  Have decided not to stress, but promise to try harder.

Here is the collage summary for July – to see each post got to the blog here. 
I’ve been playing with the template.  I like this clean look.

It’s been quite a month – the studio finished, creating the French book, unusual activity in Rothbury and a pair of beautiful new slippers.