greasyming inc...

Window on Wednesday….”Vote solidly for Jeff Conteh”

2011-11-09T15:54:00.000Z

I love this window…this is the window to a little shop in the village behind the beach we visited on Monday. It is a meeting place for the villagers…painted very patriotically in the the national colours of Sierra Leone…blue, white and green….

Relaxing day at the beach

2011-11-08T11:03:00.001Z

Usually a visit to the beach is rewarded by this flock….

but yesterday there were only a few magic feathers…..

Window on Wednesday

2011-11-02T10:44:00.001Z

….a bit of cross hatching going on in this window….

My visit home…

2011-11-02T09:49:00.001Z

One of my favourite little birds …crested barbet…he matches the colours of the leaves so well…truly beautiful..
Arriving back in the country of my birth was such an emotional experience…smells, sounds, the familiar embraced me warmly. I observed many changes…mostly good…I was encouraged by what I saw…
Meeting up with friends and family listening to their views on the direction the country is heading was mostly positive…
It was good to be home…it was great to spend quality time with my Son and his lovely girlfriend…lovely memories have been stored in my treasure chest to be visited on the not so good days…
Looking forward to our next visit some time in the not too distant future…

thank you Grace for giving me the nudge….

home….i am going back to my birth country….

2011-08-01T22:29:00.001+01:00

Yes tomorrow i am winging my way back to the country of my birth…will this feel like home? who knows…home…where is it…?
it will be good to see my son and my friend family….and an Africa i know and love…

Window on Wednesday

2011-06-29T09:38:00.001+01:00

I’m very blue at the moment in more ways than one….I want to go home away from all of this…

Window on Wednesday

2011-06-22T11:03:00.000+01:00

…the very sad and sorry state of our kitchen at the moment…

the broken reflection of the window says it all…

…we may be cooking in our kitchen in August…one set of fingers crossed…

Oh happy day!!

2011-06-19T10:58:00.001+01:00

It’s here….it has arrived… at last……our “dirty” “basic” “fancy cat” or call it any other name…

a fast internet connection is up and running in living in my computer…

oh happy day…oh happy day

The Earths shadow…..

2011-06-16T15:07:00.001+01:00

…one of the many mango trees bearing witness to the passing of the shadow ….

…….the clouds parted and we were able to catch this fleeting glimpse of the of the earths shadow passing over the moon…

…a hot and steamy night Freetown Sierra Leone 15th June 2011 21:50…a moment in my life to be remembered…

Window on Wednesday

2011-06-07T22:52:00.001+01:00

Music in the air…window….

Window on Wednesday

2011-05-18T10:24:00.001+01:00

I was going to crop this picture …..but looking at it I thought that the cropping would make it meaningless….so today…it’s windows on Wednesday….

this picture was snatched while travelling through town in our car…traffic is always so bad that one has many picture opportunities…

an indigo heart

2011-04-27T12:12:00.001+01:00

this inspiration for this cloth came from Jude over at Spiritcloth …. I love hearts … I started this cloth it in heart month…when I was young and at boarding school, it was the month I dreaded the most…no Valentines for me…once I got one from my father…(bless him)…I scolded him for sending it …. that was not the done thing!!

Anyway this is my Valentine cloth to me….

the little indigo heart the inspiration for the name of the cloth….

…this cloth hangs on the wall in my work room where i can enjoy it….it warms my heart….

Quilt squares for Queensland….

2011-04-20T15:00:00.003+01:00

These squares are destined to be a quilt for someone in Queensland who lost everything….I have 35 squares…I took them with me to the UK to post but sadly they never made to the post office because of my own senility….now they are back Sierra Leone…but there may be a way to get them where they need to be…Kaite if you read this I hope it is not too late…

Window on Wednesday…

2011-04-20T09:44:00.001+01:00

greeting the morning…at the chimp sanctuary…

Window on Wednesday….reflections in Salisbury Cathedral

2011-04-13T19:36:00.001+01:00

We have had the most wonderful two weeks wondering around the UK….the weather has been sunny and warm…one of our stops was the Salisbury Cathedral…This water font in the centre of the cathedral caught my imagination….I love water in doors as well as out….I especially like the very stillness of this water creating a wonderful mirror reflection the stained glass window above….

Window on Wednesday

2011-04-06T09:12:00.002+01:00

More of the old University in Kline Town...

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

A change of heart….

2011-04-03T10:29:00.001+01:00

When I started this project way back in 2009 I had a sort of plan in my head of what I wanted the out come to be….but…not having enough room in our tiny flat to expand and see my project in its entirety…I guessed…then life got in the way, my project was folded neatly away to make room for the day to day…

Now i have plenty of room….with new inspirations from classes taken on like I am having a change of heart…mainly because I just can’t remember my thinking form way back when….

…bravely I started to weave in the new inspiration… but to my dismay have found that the new inspiration does not gel with my old inspiration…the old inspiration looks hard and far to regimented…

Window on Wednesday

2011-03-02T20:01:00.001Z

kisses…xxx….under open windows….

Window on Wednesday

2011-02-16T11:16:00.001Z

You have to love the patriotism of the Sierra Leoneans…..

Love does not alter….Indigo dyeing…

2011-02-16T10:52:00.001Z

I have had a rethink on my shirt to be a coat….last year when I started on this project I was in a very different place both in location and in mind…now I have been exposed to new techniques…new inspiration…new friends…things are in a bit if a jumble…but the mist will clear…new creations will emerge….

At long last I have braved the indigo dye….the results were wonderful…I’m game for more….

Window on Wednesday

2011-02-09T12:28:00.001Z

Remnants of an era gone by….

a weekend at the beach had me wondering through old skeletons of fine hotels…at one time…it has been told that long before the war here in Sierra Leone….people from Europe would flock to the beautiful beaches of Freetown…Tokeh beach was one of the most popular….sadly what remains are ruins…like this one, where one can see a window within a window…

Love does not alter…cont…

2011-02-04T06:48:00.001Z

I first posted my “love does not alter” in April 2009, if you click on “Love does not alter” in “Labels” in the side bar you will find all the postings there…I stopped working on this piece because I did not have enough room in our tiny UK flat to spread the work out thus having an overall picture of the piece. Now i have ample room I need to pick it up again. Jude’s CWB workshop is just the inspiration I need to get me in the mood again…I hope to finish this by April..I want to wear it when we go back for a short break then…

Window on Wednesday…

2011-02-02T10:02:00.001Z

Two eyes looking out at you from this window…

The Girls…aka the ugly sisters….

2011-01-31T10:52:00.001Z

These girls have made their way to the UK hopefully to hang around and look pretty…good luck Girls!!

I am hoping to put more of the Girls into my shop…opening soon…

Getting to grips with wisps…Linus

2011-01-21T21:12:00.002Z

s
This little chap started out his life from these humble beginnings…

…this inspiration came from the "Beasts” workshop given by Jude Hill over at Spirit cloth…

take a closer look…I have enjoyed putting him together…now he needs a resting place…perhaps he may connect with “waiting”….

Window on Wednesday

2011-01-19T09:26:00.001Z

…a winking eye…

Mail bag treasure….

2011-01-14T10:03:00.001Z

this little treasure was mailed to me from my mother….it belonged to my great Grandfather Pop…my mother did not tell me where he bought the card or when…but….

…I’m guessing he bought it in France sometime in the early 1900’s perhaps on a holiday or maybe even during the 1st World War….

…my great Grandfather Pop was very fond of his sister who lived in Ireland…this card was bought for her…and she was a very special lady because she looked after Pop’s 6 children when their mother…his wife…was committed to a mental institution….

He never posted this card…

Wisps…

2011-01-06T04:33:00.001Z

Waiting…

I started this cloth back in April while we were waiting to leave the UK for Sierra Leone…it is hanging on the wall in the “studio” now but I think it needs some more attention but what that is I am not sure….

…a pot of tea perhaps?

Then there is this….

something I started at the end of the year…inspiration gained from Jude Hill…I am hoping to create a window something…but will have to see what comes from the heart to the needle to the cloth…

It’s haematin (not sure of the spelling) season here in Freetown…this is when the winds blow down from the Sarah desert…mornings are much cooler… the days are breezy…there is a haze in the air…like a pollution haze you get in an industrial city…it feels like autumn…

Window on Wednesday…the 1st of 2011

2011-01-05T17:09:00.001Z

Although this window belongs to a derelict building, I find the open window very welcoming, happy almost awaiting any possibility….that is how I feel at the start of a new year….

Hope 2011 will be better than last year…

Window on Wednesday...the last one for 2010

2010-12-29T01:59:00.000Z

I really like this window...the soft sandy colour of the wood....the blue and white cloth used for a curtain adds a touch of serenity...

Remembering my New Granny - 23rd December 1913 - August 1990

2010-12-23T16:22:00.001Z

Christina - Smith - Mrs Mac

I met my New Granny for the first time at the age of four....she lived in Natal when we lived in Johannesburg...because of some family differences (there were always differences in our family at one time or another) our meeting was delayed. I remember my NG's house was filled with animals of none sort or another...her house always smelled of fresh lavender...my NG's favourite herb...when she died, my father and I found brown paper packets full of lavender, stuffed in amongst her underware, sheets and blankets.. I remember opening her fridge and smelling toffee...she gave me a houshold tip..."I always sprinkle a few drops of vanilla essence on the wipe down cloth after I have cleaned the fridge...that's what makes it smell like toffee!"

My NG always looked her best even when she was feeling her worst, she never grumbled about anything (though she had plenty to grumble about) and I never heard say anything bad about anyone. Her hands were always busy with something, be it knitting, sewing or gardening. When she wasn't doing any of that she was reading...she was never bored and I was never bored when I visited with her.

Happy Birthday Gran...in my heart always...

Window on Wednesday...

2010-12-15T19:27:00.000Z

Nearly did not make it this week...our internet connection has been really bad....

The Girls....aka " The Ugly Sisters"...

2010-12-15T18:53:00.000Z

These squares of fabric have been lounging in my fabric box sinice way back when...having gained some confidence drawing faces I thought I would give it a go here...sadly though I may have lost my way as I think I have created a collection of "Ugly Sisters"!

Window on Wednesday

2010-12-08T03:48:00.000Z

The Windmills of Your Mind

Words & Music by Alan & Marilyn Bergman & Michel Legrand

Like a circle in a spiral, like a wheel within a wheel,

Never ending or beginning on an ever spinning reel,

Like a snowball down a mountain or a carnival balloon

Like a carousel that's turning running rings around the moon,

Like a clock whose hands are sweeping past the minutes of its face,

And the world is like an apple whirling silently in space,

Like the circles that you find in the windmills of your mind.

Like a tunnel that you follow to a tunnel of its own,

Down a hollow to a cavern where the sun has never shone,

Like a door that keeps revolving in a half-forgotten dream,

Or the ripples from a pebble someone tosses in a stream,

Like a clock whose hands are sweeping past the minutes of its face,

And the world is like an apple whirling silently in space,

Like the circles that you find in the windmills of your mind.

Keys that jingle in your pocket, words that jangle in your head;

Why did summer go so quickly? Was it something that I said?

Lovers walk along a shore and leave their footprints in the sand;

Is the sound of distant drumming just the fingers of your hand?

Pictures hanging in a hallway and the fragments of a song,

Half-remembered names and faces, but to whom do they belong?

When you knew that it was over, were you suddenly aware

That the autumn leaves were turning to the color of her hair?

Like a circle in a spiral, like a wheel within a wheel,

Never ending or beginning on an ever spinning reel,

As the images unwind, like the circles that you find

In the windmills of your mind.

It's December....again!!

2010-12-01T01:23:00.000Z

There are many reasons why December is a great month....
I was born in this month...
My granny was born in this month..her birthday, when she was here on this earth, was the day after mine..
Then there's Christmas day...a very different kind of day for me now...
Another year is almost at an end...a sign of new beginnings...new things to come...new adventures to experience...

As the years pass I seem to spend more time thinking back to when I was really young..when we lived in a flat on Sunny Ridge....when we used to have a real Christmas tree with pine needles that pricked my hands when placing decorations on it....when my father left a glass of milk and a plate of biscuits under the tree on Christmas eve for Father Christmas...when I was so excited I could not sleep...when I waited impatiently for my old granny and grampa to arrive on Christmas morning....I can hear her now as she came into the kitchen from the car on the drive ...."come on chummy" that was her name for my grampa....he would be following her laden with bags filled with gifts and cake tins one of which had the Christmas cake in it...poor old grampa how he managed all the parcels is still a mystery...everything seemed to be so easy in those days...

This we will spend a very quiet Christmas together, my dearly beloved and I...it will be good for our souls...no mad rushing here and there getting caught up in the madness of the silly season...

Window on Wednesday

2010-12-01T00:53:00.000Z

These windows were taken in Leicester village...one of the oldest villages in Freetown....the EU(Eurpoean Union) have a farmers maket project in this area...some of the vegetables bought in Freetown come from this area...it is marginally cooler in this part of the peninsular as it is situated in the "mountains"....

It is 00:50 on my computer clock ...I have been at the sewing table all day and a good part of the weekend...pictures to follow...

Window on Wednesday

2010-11-24T07:42:00.000Z

Today my impression of a "bod os" window.....

A weekend spent camping at the beach.....

2010-11-23T08:50:00.000Z

Life here in Freetown is not the easiest and at the moment it is particularly bad as the roads are being upgraded and everywhere is mess, traffic congestion, people congestion and construction work...when the roads are completed it is going to be a pleasure but until then it is awful beyond words...so when a friend suggested a weekend out of town camping on the beach the dearly beloved and I jumped at the opportunity....

...our home for the weekend....with a sea view...

Almost a full moon....

...peeking through the rocks...

...this one is a bit grainy as they were far out to sea....

...this little chap sat on this rock with one leg hiding almost all day...

...this is the "little egret"...such poise...

...what a wonderful way to forget the hustle and bustle of Freetown.....

Oniond skins....Sierra Leone sun bake onion skins

2010-11-22T08:32:00.001Z

A few weeks ago after having collected enough "clean" and "dry" onion skins I gave the onion dye another go. The first attempt here in SL was very wishy washy and dissapointing after the rich colours I had experienced when i dyed with o/s in the UK. This attempt was a little better but the only bit of cloth to pick up the "yellow" colour was the silk velvet, actually this picture does not do it justice at all, the colour is rich with the highlighted bits looking like gold....anyway....the other bits of cloth dyed all came out a pinky colour...no there were no hangovers from the avo dye in the pot....so the explanation for this colour? only Mother Nature knows....

Window on Wedneaday

2010-11-17T07:52:00.001Z

Wednesday window taken at Leicester village...Freetown SL...

My Ghana bead stash…

2010-11-16T11:41:00.001Z

Before I left for Ghana a friend told me about the huge bead market that assembles outside a town called Koforidua…upon my arrival in Ghana I started making enquiries about this market…some people did not know what I was talking about ….some people said yes they had heard of this market but did not know how to get there and then there was the information from the High Commission driver who informed me that to take a taxi to this market was going to cost a lot of money…he said I could take the buss but in view of the fact that I was new to Ghana and did not know where I was going he was not sure I should venture out on my own…so sadly the bead market will have to wait for another visit…maybe….
But with beads on my mind I did venture into town where I found some beads being sold by vendors on the pavements…I also visited the craft village somewhere near the hotel we were staying in and have to say that I was ripped off totally…the long string of blue “disc” shaped beads set me back £30 where as the selection of other beads picture here cost me less than £10….but I am happy with my little stash and the mind is racing with ideas of what to do with them….

Farewell Accra….

2010-11-14T09:07:00.002Z

So time marches on and our time in Accra has come to an end…here we are sitting in the lobby of the hotel waiting for our transfer to the airport….I have enjoyed this sojourn. I have been really impressed with the crafts I have seen…progress is evident everywhere here…most encouraging…unfortunately i did not make it to one of the bead markets i have heard so much about…but who knows maybe next time if there will be a next time…

The beasts taking shape…

2010-11-10T07:39:00.003Z

Some time ago I took Jude’s Beast on line class here are some of my creations….

Windows on Wednesday

2010-11-09T21:06:00.003Z

Windows are the eyes of a house...the bod os windows here in SL have captured my imagination.... It is my intention to post a window (Internet permitting) each Wednesday...sometimes they will be my artistic impression and at others they will be photographs taken by me...

Here is the first wow...

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:wow

Accra Ghana…..

2010-11-07T17:02:00.003Z

Today we were retracing foot steps….my dearly beloved’s foot steps…we visited the Aburi Botanical gardens…where as a very young boy, he and his parents would visit for a day out….now nearly fifty years later…nothing is familiar and yet everything is familiar….

Red and green... beautiful African colours....

Survival of the fittest or in this case the persistant....

A wonderful morning spent wandering around the gardens...

......only in Africa!

Clothtocloth - Coconut ice and some sugar plum faries

2010-10-31T03:55:00.000Z

...the star....

the shift...visited by a couple of sugar plum faries

coconut ice detail

....and then some more....

this little piece of card weave desperately wants to be part of this cloth.....

Clothtocloth - coconut - ice

2010-10-19T23:33:00.000+01:00

I have been working quietly on my cloth some new ideas and some distractions….

…and then there have been more experiments with the avo…….

I added bicarbonate of soda to the boiling pot and this is the result….:-)

the dark pink is satin velvet the other pieces are bits of cotton cloth…..

Holiday flowers

2010-10-03T19:23:00.000+01:00

This picture of a new sunflower makes me think of hope…helps me to get through the day here…hope… that is….this is a hard country to live in…Sierra Leone..that is…

These are hydrangeas' taken at Stour Head church…near Warminster in the UK….this picture reminds me of a wedding gown….love…something I feel everyday…how lucky can this person be?

Packing….I hate packing…

2010-09-18T12:11:00.003+01:00

…..it means the holiday is over …. it also means that my dearly beloved and I have some very serious discussions about how the cases should be packed…when I was a one this was very easy and even if I say so myself I do believe that I am a very good steve-a-dore (sp) (one who can pack large amounts into tiny spaces without damages). My dearly beloved, though he may think he can pack, he can’t and will not admit that he can’t…so the dilemma…I have retreated to the computer to keep the peace…and to say a silent prayer that all our possessions will arrive in Sierra Leone on Monday evening in one piece !

Test post from windows live

2010-09-18T07:18:00.000+01:00

Everyday I learn something new…

Avocado leaves and peels

2010-08-17T10:46:00.000+01:00

Hi Kaite this post is in reply to your comment. On the left is silk velvet, cotton and some silky see through fabric ( need to study up on types of material) the background fabric is a canvas type fabric which we in South Africa, call bull denim. These peices were dyed with leaves picked from an avocado tree on the compound. The lilac peices on the right were dyed using avo peels, now I don't know if this happened because the avo was well passed it's sell by date or there was something in the material I just don't know. Perhaps your elderberry witch was sitting on the side of the pot. The stippling effect on the background fabric happened when I placed the cloth on the top of the washing maching to dry, there must have been some washing powder crumbs on the top that I did not notice...anyway I quite like the result...

Sierra Leone Brewery....Star Beer

2010-08-15T16:42:00.000+01:00

Sierra Leone Brewery

When I was told that we had been signed up for a tour of the local brewery I have to say that my first thoughts were "I'd rather be home sewing!" But then I was told that we would be travelling through a part of Freetown we had not visited before (a post for another day). Interested in what is happening in and around I was in for the journey. Upon our arrival at SLB we were ushered into the company pub where we savoured the delights of the product of the brewery....BEER!

The local brew "Star Beer"

Beer bottle soldiers..

I have to be honest and say that upon reflection.... a really entertaining afternoon was had, thanks to the warm welcome from the staff at SLB and the great company of our colleagues.... this visit will be a fond souvenir of our time here in Sierra Leone.....

SLB's "greening" contribution...

The Face Challenge

2010-07-31T11:54:00.000+01:00

I have entered a face challenge set by Susan ......this face was found on one of the footpaths on our compound....I had to do a little primping and preening to get it alltogether as she was a little dishevelled having weathered a storm in the night...I hoped that passers by would see her before the gardeners swept her away....

My face for the Face Challenge

While out looking for the face, I came across these little chaps waiting for a new life and now they have it...in a beautiful little bowl on my desk.....a lovely greeting everytime I sit down to sew at my desk.....

Little faces found in the undergrowth

West African Rainbow Lizard

2010-07-23T07:10:00.000+01:00

At the moment I am partaking in a class given by Jude Hill of Spirit Cloth called Patchwork Beasts....one of the beasts featured lately is the lizard...much chatter has been going on about lizards in parts of the world so I thought I would add my bit about the lizard species we have here in Sierra Leone.....Here he is in his not so colourful but interesting suit.......

This is him in his mating suit....unfortunately this picture does not show the blue colour on his torso very clearly

rain watching.....waiting....

2010-07-13T11:55:00.001+01:00

We are well and truly into the rainy season...day by day the rain lingers longer...wreaking havoc on the roads...there are no true drainage systems here, so when it rains, roads become rivers.....homes are being washed away.....no respite in sight.....this is just the beginning.....three more very wet months...

Rain drop on the tiles......

rain watching.....

I started this piece when we were waitng for the ash to lift from the unpronouncable volcano in Iceland....it is still in slow progress.....

waiting.......

Gift in the mail....

2010-07-07T10:24:00.000+01:00

"Truly great friends are hard to find difficult to leave and impossible to forget" .....a couple of weeks ago I received a parcel from my dearest friend in New Zealand, the quotation above was written on the face of the card...I am really lucky....thanks my friend you are always in my thoughts.....

Special gift from a special person.....

6am...waiting again....

2010-05-28T06:58:00.001+01:00

This time it is for our heavy baggage....at the moment we are rattling around in our almost empty house. Outside the neighbourhood chickens are greeting the new day....no storm last night...the morning is still and warm....it is Friday the start od a four day weekend. Tomorrow we are attending a ground breaking ceremony for a new community school.....I hope it doesn't rain.....

A day on the beach.....Tokeh

2010-05-22T21:35:00.003+01:00

A view from Tokeh beach to No2 Beach

Fishing boats

The hired "Launch"

Lobster & Baracuda for lunch

Coconut palm

A wonderful day in the sun on a secluded beach....lobster and baracuda for lunch...we avoided the bumpy road by taking the hired "launch"!

Looking forward to more days like this......

Sierra Leone....first impressions..

2010-05-10T11:06:00.000+01:00

On the 15th of April we were all packed up and ready to go when we heard the news flash about the eruption in Iceland, our hearts sank as we were due to fly out on 19th, as the days went by we were beginning to think that we were never going to board the plain for Sierra Leone....Daily we listend to reports about the ash in the air, when we left the house we looked up at the sky and willed the ash to go away. Finally on Wednes 21st April we heard that the airspace had been opened over the UK and that flights were getting back to normal...a week later we were on the plane!

The plane journey went without a hitch no delays or incodents. Touch down at Lunghi airport was smooth prompting great cheers from passengers returning home. We entered the airport building were immediately confronted by a whirlwind, the airport was just a hustle and bustle of bodies, arms and voices from the crowd. We were met by the "BHC fixer" (the term used for the little man who 'does' for you) who shuffled us through passport control and out to the baggage carousel. After what seemed like absolute ages our bags were identified and dragged from the carousel unserimoniously, thank goodness we did not spend a lot of money when we bought suitcases. We drifted passed the customs officials with our fixer who waved them off as if they were nagging flies. He then ushered us into a large room empty but for the square barlike desk in the middle. This bar was crowded by fixers both men and women; the women were the most interesting, looking like ladies of the night in all their finery and with the sharpest of tongues. They seemd to get the most attention from the "officials" behind the bar. It soon became evident that this was the booking office for the helicopter. We were told to sit on the raggerty chairs just to the right of the entrance. We did as we were told, David paid the $160 dollars demamded by the fixer; soon we were handed two tickets and told that we would be on the next helicopter.....we waited and when we saw our bags leaving with a porter we knew that we might be leaving soon and sure enough not a minute later we were bundled into a waiting "taxi van" which transported us to the helicopter. Once aboard the helicopter we were shown a brief vidoe on safety aboard the helicopter, all I could catch was that the journey was going to 7minutes. As soon as we were in the air I took my camera out of the bag to take pictures, but because of the heat the lens fogged up and my pictures look like they were taken in the mist.

In the Helicopter

First glimpseof Freetown from the Helicopter

View from our house

Seven minutes later we landed in Freetown where we were greeted by the Deputy High Commissioner. The heat was wonderful, both dave and I were drenched, but it felt wonderful, but I digress, the drive to the compound from the helicopter pad took about an hour and that was not because it was far it was because the roads were bad and heavily congested with people, taxies, motorbike and more people and dogs who believe they have right of way no matter what! I have to say that Malawi is almost first world compared to SL, but there is business happening everywhere.

We arrived on the compound at about 7pm which according to the DHC was a record. (Usually the whole process takes some hours like nearly 5. We were just very lucky.) We were then taken to our house, which I have to say is enormous, the kitchen could house two caterham flats, we have two lounges (why? but we are not complaining) a dining room three bedrooms two on suite. The rooms are comfortable but not as big as the rooms in Malawi, but I am not complaining. The furniture in the house is very tired but we have been given a small budget to get new curtains and to have the sofas recovered. I went today to one of the many Lebanese fabric shops to choose some fabrics, fortunately I was able to find something very plain. The next hurdle is to get the tailor to come and give a quote and then to cover everything. I am told that this will be done very soon.....mmmmm....I can hear the African mantra "hurry up and wait!" Anyway that is all part of living in a new place and I keep reminding myself that this is a country trying to pick up pieces.

Everything on the compound looks hot and tired, the ground looks good but is as hard as a rock. In the skies outside our house kites glide on the theremals looking out for the careless chicken or unsuspecting rainbow lizard. There is a wonderful pool on compound which we have made use of everyday since we have been here, there is also a gym not sure we will use this too much but we will see.

At the moment we have two resident rainbow lizards (Agama agama) and copious females viaing for positions in various places on the verandah. The males are quite cheeky and run at you but a quick stamp of the foot soon sees them off. Also in our garden is Henriette with her three chicks, a black one, a tan one and a white one. Henriette is very careful to keep her small brood under thick foliage cover away from the hawk eyes hovering overhead. Everyday I check to see that the little family is still intact.

On Sunday we went to no2 beach, which begs the question, where is no1 beach? Fantastic beach, for less that a £1 we hired 4 chairs a table and umbrella and for £2 we had Baracuda kebabs and rice with relish for lunch. We got quite burnt after having told everyone there to keep themselves well covered with suntan protection cream. We have to make what we can of the sunshine now because when the rains come we will be house and compound bound.

Shopping here, as in Malawi, is quite a challenge and again I have to look on Freetown as a huge shopping mall accessing shops by car rather than by foot. There are various Lebanese shops selling a variety of gawdy products at a large sum of money. Wine is in very limited supply and really very expensive for plonk! So guess we wont be having much wine while we are here. The local beer is Star, Dave has tried it but is yet to accquire the taste for it; they do sell a mild cider called Savannah, I remember this from South Africa and it is not too bad.

Vegetable shopping is a real challenge as this has to be done at roadside vendors. I am sure that every time we go to one we pay way more than we should and the reason for this is because items are placed into plastic bags one on top of the other making it very difficult to keep track of the running tab. Eventually after some haggling the purchaser and the seller come to an agreement on price with the purchaser taking the raw end of the deal...it is all good fun....

Freetown is very broken down but behind the battered facade business is booming, little restaurants are everywhere crowded with people. While In the fabric shop, shopping for curtains, I noticed a steady stream of patrons spending money. When we were at the beach it was comfortably crowded and people were spending money there too...so it is all good.

Starting at the end & finishing at the beginning...

2010-02-25T10:12:00.004Z

I had an idea .......this is the result. There is more to come .....the head is a mishmash of ideas all over the place....the wisp pile is growing higher and higher...

Sunflower Seeds

2010-02-11T16:49:00.004Z

My mother has been writng a book for as long as I can remember, it is the life story of a friend who escaped the Nazi's in Poland. My Mum has told me that the book is alomst finished and will soon be needing a cover.

I have been sent many variations of what was in their minds and a passage to read from the book to inspire me for my input.....

This is my interpretation...

in the mist......

2010-02-10T07:42:00.001Z

So many things happening at the moment....can't focus on anything...

...capturing quick steps in slow stitches....

2010-01-18T08:28:00.003Z

Making space......

2010-01-11T07:50:00.001Z

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Snow in the night.....

2010-01-06T05:51:00.002Z

It started to snow again on our neck of the woods.....

Stitching Fingers....Another Birthday Swap.....My Birthday Cards

2010-01-03T11:24:00.004Z

From Sheila

From Robbue

From Judy

From Pauline

From Marja

From Cate

Ladies thanks so much I have really been spoilt and I must just add that my DB really enjoyed receiving the cards too...he thinks it is a great idea.

Autumn Sonata at Craftwerk.ee

2009-11-30T19:46:00.006Z

Information here regarding this challenge.

Having just completed the finishing touches to my bag of squares, now named "Autumn Sonata", I came upon the abovementioned challenge while browsing Sharon B's Pintangle blog.

I used fabric from Interior Design sample books, a bit of creative recycling. The pattern I saw in a craft magazine, right now I can't remember which one.

I really had fun piecing the squares together, adding the embelishments, finally to end up with a useful gift for someone.

Stars....

2009-11-16T10:37:00.002Z

I have had stars in my eyes this weekend. Some time ago I soaked a piece of calico in the coffee pot before getting rid of the granuals...the result was the background cloth in this piece. After I had rinsed it and hung it over the radiator to dry it found it's way back onto the pile of cloth I have under my work table....every now and then I take it off the pile and look at it trying to get inspired....This weekend the inspiration came and this is the work in progress.....

Postcard Swapping......

2009-11-10T15:10:00.019Z

Last month was a very busy sewing month for me..it all started over here. I was interested in the birthday swap Gina E started but was too late to join in the swap so I decided to start Another birthday swap. What fun it has been. Next month it is my turn to receive cards...my first one arrived today... thanks Allyson.

But one swap was not enough so I joined another...started by Barbara Lockwood , I have been looking on in envy at the cards being received by the other ladies in the group but last week I received the pumkin one from Barbara and today I received two two more one from Dakotah and the other from Allyson, thanks again ladies.

We each made 9 cards for this swap...I really enjoyed making each card (see below)...now I am at a loss as to what to do next....

I did see over at SharonB blog, a bag challenge is being organised details here I think that will have to be my next project.

In the mean time I am getting to grips with a new sewing machine I purchased and attending to the interruptions to my life such as house work and ironing!

Distractions......

2009-09-30T08:40:00.010+01:00

My blue coat has taken a back seat for the moment, progress is very slow.....

Right now my attention has been concentrated on the making of fabric post cards. I started a birthday swap over at http://stitchinfingers.ning.com/group/fabricpostcards . This is proving to be most enjoyable 'meeting ' like minded people in cyberspace. There was a time in my life when I was very solitary. This interaction would have been just great at that time but I have moved on now and my life is very full, I'm really lucky.

The other day I passed an Interior Decorating shop in our high street and noticed that they had put out a few sampler booklets for sale on the pavement. One of the booklets with plain fabrics in a rainbow of colours caught my eye and started the imagination cogs rolling. I snatched this up in a minute and could not wait to get home to do something with the fabric........Later.... a trip to the local treasure trove called Thread Bears I saw a piece of canvas work that I thought I would try out.......this is the result.

Then there have been other distractions such as candle lit dinners, spider watching, long walks in the Surrey countryside, housework, travels on the train and visiting with family.

Kew

2009-09-02T09:20:00.003+01:00

Just recently, when the weather was glorious, DB and I spent a day meandering around Kew gardens....definately a do over....

Disguising the big blue......

2009-08-24T07:39:00.004+01:00

...and so the disguise begins....

After I added the blue petals I noticed that the white ones disappeared...... to counter act this I added more white stitches and it worked quite well....I'm not sure that I have completed the motif yet, for the moment I am going to live with what I have done and move on to the other pocket.....clear my mind with a new task.

Big blue pockets...

2009-07-30T08:42:00.007+01:00

Oh my just look at those blue pockets...... that aren't.... now the task is to disguise these blue patches...at the moment all I can see is two huge blue spots.....

the alteration continues....

2009-07-13T18:29:00.010+01:00

I don't seem to be able to stay focused on anything at the moment. I really don't have an excuse because I have loads of time.

Anyway enough....

I have been busy here and there with the denim shirt I started to alter, slow progress and perhaps big dreams..

Some sketches of where I want this project to go but I think I might be getting myself into a spot of bother.....prehaps a bit ambitious...we'll see.

Putting my drawnings into reality has not been that difficult and Iam finding that having the drawing as reference quite useful...new ground for me as I always keep the picture of my intended project in my minds eye. The end result is never anything like the picture in my mind as I always have such grand designs .......

Well here is the start of the alteration of my beloved denim shirt. The design has been inspired by work done by Jude Hill over at spirit cloth.

Good News

2009-06-12T12:22:00.005+01:00

1. My dearest friend and her husband have been granted work permits enabling them to work in NZ......

2. Her duaghter told us that we are going to be grannies again.....a brother or sister for James.....

What a week this has been.

I am slowly making friends with my computer again.....it died on me a few weeks ago since then I have just not had any inclination to be friends with it....

From now on everything will be saved on my external hard drive....a really painful lesson learned....

"Love does not alter where it alteration finds...." Shakespear

2009-04-28T10:14:00.009+01:00

I certainly hope that this will be the case by the time I have altered this denim shirt. I have had this shirt for so many years, it holds so many memories for me, it was so comfortable to wear.....so why would I want to alter it? In an effort to reinvent myself, to give myself a more feminine look, I decided that I did not want to part with this denim shirt which is a bit manly, I would try to feminize it.

I started by removing the collar, then the pockets, the cuffs, preparing the "canvas".

As I am now living in a colder climate I thought I might line it to ward off the chills of the UK weather.

Going through my stash I found this piece of shweshwe fabric that I have had almost as long as I have had this shirt so perhaps it would be good for them to come together.

I also have some fabric from a shirt I bought at the clothes market in Malawi.

Some ideas I have been trying out..... MDB is not keen on the square where it is......anything is possible.....

PTC Spring Swap

2009-04-16T12:33:00.001+01:00

Laurie organised a PTC Spring Swap, here is the card I received from Laurie:

Spring PTC Swap

2009-04-16T11:41:00.012+01:00

Laurie organised a "Spring PTC Swap" I received this card from Laurie

And I sent my card to Cindy

Sharon's challenge this month - Assisi Work

2009-04-13T16:06:00.003+01:00

I'm not mad about Assisi work...for me it is too restricting....however I think that I have really stretched (for me anyway) Assisi work to the very limit.

Not knowing quite how I was going to tackle this challenge, I decided to delve deep into my stash and found a photo copy of a design I came upon in a library book so long ago......it was saved at a time when I was looking for inspiration for designs I could put onto pots I was making at pottery classes.....my word that was eons ago....

I transfered the design on to this pink piece of material I bought last year. As I started to sew trees started to appear in the design, so this month I will call my piece "Assisi Trees".

Again I have had so much fun doing this piece, because I have just let it evolve....

Trellis Stitch

2009-03-11T07:27:00.013Z

This month Sharon's challenge is the trellis stitch. Looking at examples around the Blogs I thought I could give this a try, I like textures, this stitch looked like one which would do just that. Finding a practice cloth and thread I started to practice the stitch.....mmmm.....not as easy as it looks, I found it difficult to get an even tension, try as I might it was just not working for me. To avoid frustration and throwing the cloth to the back of the cupboard to die an uncertain death, I decided to go with the flow......

Here are examples of my some of my practice stitches.

I then put these away, so as not to be influenced by them, because I have to say that I did not feel confident about the end results.

A few days later, having browsed the community, seeing what other gifted ladies were turning out, my confidence began to wain even more....not to be put off completely, I took myself out...out of the sewing room, out of the house, out of our little village and away to clear out all the cobwebs.

This was the result, I just went with the imperfections and had fun.

Trellis Stitch

2009-03-04T14:38:00.003Z

Another month another stitch here is my attempte at the trellis stitch details can be found here

Snow..heaps of snow...

2009-02-03T19:51:00.011Z

For this African the recent snowfall in the South East England, Caterham, where we live, has been truly awesome....yes I know that in some parts of the world this is but a mere dusting, for me it has been amazing! For our dog it has been an experience in "feel the fear and do it anyway", poor baby (an African too).

Having to go out with a coat on nog al!! What decent African dog goes out in a coat...tsk ...tsk "Only in England!!"

Here the DB and I braving the snowflakes....awesome!!

It has been a magical experience for me, one I will never forget. I believe I have seen snow before when I was a very little girl back in South Africa (the land of my birth). My father even built a snow man for me...but that was a long time ago and the memory is not mine, just a story I have been told....Now I have my own memory and wow what a memory!

Chicken Scratch Stitch

2009-01-30T07:29:00.007Z

Since having landed in the UK in July last year, I have had a stitchers block. I have worked and a few things but have not been able to stick to one thing at a time resulting in many WIPS. I did not complete Sharon Boggins Take it Further Challenge last year, although I did do some sewing on a theme of this challenge but when looking at what I had done did not think that the finished project was worthy of a posting.

However I think that my stitching block is over and I am on my way to completeing the now WISPS and ready to take on new tasks. Over the months I have been sitting at the computer looking at many blogs but one I keep coming back to is this one http://spiritcloth.typepad.com/. I have to say that I have been so inspired by the work being created here.

This month for the stitch challenge on Sharon Boggins blog http://www.pintangle.com/ I have used an inspiration found on Spirit Cloth blog http://spiritcloth.typepad.com/spirit_cloth/2009/01/undoing-pattern.html. My thanks go to Ms Hill for the inspiration for my challenge this month.

Cyber Fyber Peoples Choice

2009-01-19T07:43:00.007Z

Last year when I received Susan Lenz' request to send a post card and an ATC for the Cyber Fyber Exhibition in January this year I was quite surprised, but not nearly as surprised to receive the Peoples Choice for my ATC. That is the crooked little one on the left. I was'nt going to send this little ATC because the border was crooked and it looked imperfect, but then I was living in Malawi at the time and nothing in Malawi is perfect, so after much umming and ahing and advice from Carol's sewing group I decided to put it in the envelope and send it to Susan.

I thought I would post the picture I took of my post card too, since I took them together I feel that they belong together.

For a clearer picture you can go http://cyberfyberexhibition.blogspot.com/to and read all about the exhibition see other PC and ATC made by heaps of talented people.

Many thanks to the ladies who left comments and especially to you Susan Lenz for giving me the opportunity to exhibit for the very first time ever!

Thanks also to Mary my trusty post lady who made sure that my parcel made it way from Malawi to the USA almost by hand all the way.....

Cleaning up but not clearing out....

2008-12-17T15:45:00.005Z

In preparation for the New Year I have been bringing in the new and getting rid of the old.

The New Year ahead will bring many changes for me, milestones to chalk up and challenges to face....

Looking forward to the road ahead...............

My London dayout WORDLE

2008-10-01T07:54:00.003+01:00

My day out in London yesterday

Feeling a little frustrated......

2008-09-04T15:05:00.003+01:00

I feel like my hands are tied at the moment. I have a room full of works in progress, no work surface and no proper light, I know that things have to happen slowly but this is just a bit too slowly.

On the otherhand I have to look to what I have a chieved:
I have managed to get most of our posessions unpacked,
I have accomplished the disposal of all the unwanted packaging,
I have managed to do some sightseeing,
I have made contact with my best friends daughter and even had the time to show her how to crochet,
I have registered with several employment agencies,
Today I opened a banking account,
I have ventured to neighbouring villages and ventured on trains and busses alone,
I have explored my village and surrounding areas looking for walks to take our dog on,

So looking at this list I have managed quite a lot, but not my real passion.....embroidery....well it will come in time hopefully this weekend.

It is raining again....... Oh Rain rain go away come again another day.....

The Fog is beginning to clear

2008-08-28T08:29:00.008+01:00

At last we have moved inot our new home and have our internet connection. The study cubby hole is a dumping ground at the moment (will I ever get it the way I want it?). Patience is the keyword this week. Everything is on hold until after the weekend as we are off to Somerset to see our dog. This will be our second visit to her since we arrived in the UK. Fortunately she has been visited every weekend by MDB's brother and sister-in-law.

Here are a few pictures of her ......poor baby.....I don't think she looks too unhappy...

In Limbo at the moment.....

2008-07-28T16:14:00.004+01:00

I have been absent due to a move from one continent to another.....living out of suitcases is not fun at all....no sewing has been done.....things are just a tad upsidedown right now.....looking forward to new beginnings in a new home.......a new country.......more when I am settled and I can think straight.......

Packing, Lunches and a travel kennel

2008-06-24T17:48:00.002+01:00

The last couple of weeks have been so hectic......what with packing, farewell lunches and arranging a dog kennel for our baby. The packing is a little testing as MDB is finding it very hard to part with items that clearly he has not used since his arrival here four years ago. I on the otherhand have been there and done that so the precious few items I have left I am holding on to. All in all it has not been too bad, some heated moments have been smoothed over with a glass or two of red wine, much discussion and compromises galore.

In and amongst the packing there have been the lunches, absolutely wonderful to be with friends making memories that will be visited often in the months to come. Sadly though the waistline is really suffering.....

The most stressful thing has been locating and getting an IATA kennel for our Greatdane cross ridgeback. After much nail biting and stern telephone converstions our freight agent came to the rescue and located a perfect match for our girl. Now the stress levels are rising even higher as we are not able to get her to go in the kennel. Last night MDB and I took turns sitting (that is how big the kennel is) in the kennel with her while she tentativley ate her dinner stretched full length with back paws placed firmly at the door of the kennel. In addition to this the question to tranquilise or not......??

It will all come to pass and in a couple of days she will be in the UK in a snug Quarantine kennel dreaming of her next meal.....

May TIF

2008-06-02T13:27:00.006+01:00

What do I call what I do and why…….

I really don’t know how to answer this one come to think of it I can’t recall ever having been asked. Well the question is posed now and I’m stumped.

Having visited many of the embroidery sites, I consider that what I see is art; comparing what I do with these sites, I would have to say that what I do is art, yet I am very uncomfortable using this label for myself. I prefer to think that I am creative and am developing towards being artistic…..

MDB says that what I am doing is not art because fundamentally art is not functional but he considers what I do is functional with creative decoration.

I have chosen to use the palette colours for my piece this month, I also tried to use different stitches, not very successfully though. The colour palette was quite a challenge and at times I found that I was having to unpick work as I had not varied the colours enough.

May TIF - What do I call what I do and why

2008-05-16T10:48:00.004+01:00

Sharon B's challenge for May

"I hate that what do you do question as I have often wondered how to describe my various creative activities.
How do you describe yourself as an artist? One moment I am doing one thing that could be described easily as Art and the next I am doing something else that is craft! One moment my curiosity has lead me to to look at something quite strange as beautiful like the mould that grows on food in the fridge and the next I am looking at something most people would find familiar and boring and finding it fascinating like the bubbles in the washing up water.
Have you noticed that the term maker is being used to describe the activity of various people who may in the past be referred to as crafts person, or applied artist? For instance the British Crafts Council provides some interesting and thoughtful reading but in the Makers in Focus which looks at the working environment of West Midlands people producing crafts, the term ‘maker’ is used to encompass practitioners who variously describe themselves as craftspeople, or applied artists.
One of the ways I try and make sense of what I do is by defining what ever it is, as clearly as I possibly can. I think most people do that. The way I see it is if you can’t talk about what you do, or haven’t taken care in how you think about what you do, how do you expect others to respect the way you spend your time? Or how do expect people to respect what you make?
OK there is a few questions in the passage above but this month the challenge question is what do you call yourself and why?
Hopefully this will have everyone scratching their head but if you don’t like the challenge question you can elect to use the colour scheme instead. "

April TIF

2008-05-09T08:19:00.010+01:00

Change – I really don’t have a problem with change, in fact I look forward to change for me it is an opportunity to reinvent myself. My mother once said to me that I am like a chameleon because I adapt to change very easily almost blending in with my surroundings, hence the chameleon in this piece.

There are three parts to this piece, the changing of the seasons, the chameleon and the change from day to night.

The changing seasons - Having lived most of my life in a coastal town the changes of the seasons were always so subtle that one season melted into the next barely noticeable. A few years ago I moved inland where the changes of the seasons were so outstanding. In spring I noticed blossoms on trees everywhere, the grass started to turn from brown to green, summer with long hot days clear skies, then autumn when the leaves on the trees turned to yellow, then red suddenly it was winter with crisp chilly mornings, fires, hot bowls of soup.

The chameleon – blending in with surroundings, for protection, for me a chance to do different things meet new people see new places.

The change from day to night – every new day brings with it new beginnings, new adventures changes and challenges making like interesting.

What's happening in the studio.....

2008-05-01T11:36:00.009+01:00

I was inspired by a picture I saw in a frinds house, the picture in her house was in colour and the pots were filled with flowers.

This piece I started some time ago, I pick it up when I have nothing better to do.

This piece was finished (at least the embroidery was completed) some time ago. I thought I might make a bag but unfortunately I did not measure carefully, so now it is just a piece of denim with embroidery on it. Perhaps some day I will find a use for it.......

April TIF - Change

2008-05-01T11:22:00.003+01:00

Change and what it means to me.....I love change........ someone once said to me that the only constant is change. How true this is; my life has been one big change; I have with every change grown and been able to reinvent myself. My mother once referred to me as being like a chameleon, because I have always managed to blend into the surroundings I find myself in.

I am about to experience yet another change in my life, in July I will be moving to the UK with MDB, starting from scratch with a clean canvas. We have just purchased a flat, I will be looking for work in a new country, I will be shopping in different stores, I will brave weather I am not accustomed to. Commuting will be a new an adventure (or misadventure, as I have been told taking the train into London at peak times is a nightmare!). Well what ever it will be new and exciting.

My April TIF is not finished yet but soon will be......

Visitors to my Blog

2008-04-02T08:01:00.003+01:00

Dear Ladies

Many thanks for visiting my blog and leaving comments here and on the TIFC blog. I have visited your blogs and feel privileged that you have taken the time to read and leave comments.

Please accept my apologies for not having returnd the favour when I have visited your blogs, but our connection at home is really awful and most frustrating. At the moment I am writing this from a smelly internet cafe....not my favourite place, but I just wanted you to know that I appreciate your time and attention.

Many thanks
Leslie

March TIF -A warm embrace

2008-04-02T07:50:00.004+01:00

An embrace is a small thing but when you are the one receiving it ......... phew!

After an inspirational surf search on the internet some time ago I came across this sketch by Klimpt (one of my favourites). I was really moved by it's sensitivity so I painted it and today it is on the wall in my studio. I always feel good when I look at it. At the time I painted it I was going through a very dark period in my life so I used this picture to remind me that there would come a time when I would receive a warm embrace from someone special.

February TIF - Sharon's colour palette

2008-03-11T09:12:00.004Z

After much deliberation I decided to use the colour palette Sharon B set. However the other part of the challenge took be back in time to visit almost forgotten memories.

I remember when with R1 my mother would put 50c petrol in the car, which gave her a weeks worth of travelling backwards and forwards from home to school to work and back again. After we had filled the petrol tank we would drive around the corner to the Café where I would go in and buy a loaf of white bread, a loaf of whole wheat bread (this was for the dogs as we did not eat brown bread then), two packets of crisps and pa packet of beeches peppermint. I would come away with change in my hand.

I remember getting a record player for my 13th birthday, 1972, I had three vinyl records, Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake, and two seven singles; one by Elton John, one side played Candle in the wind and the other Bennie and the Jets. The other single was Cher, with Dark Lady on side one and I can’t remember what the song was on side two because I only played Dark Lady. When I hear any of the above played now I am taken immediately back to my room in our house in Wendywood.

I remember spending the summer weekends in the pool from early morning to early evening. I was never told to stay out of the pool at midday, I never once used sun protection cream….what was that? Sometimes at night I would have milky vision from the chlorine my Dad used to put in the pool water, but that was nothing a good night sleep couldn’t cure.

As both my parents worked I used to go to an aftercare centre when school finished in the early afternoon. I used to walk the 6 blocks from the school to the aftercare centre, sometimes alone and sometimes in a group. Sometimes when there was a group and mulberries were in season we would stop at a house en rout to the aftercare centre and feast on the mulberries from the branches hanging over the wall on to the pavement. We would be late getting to the aftercare centre; we would not be scolded for our tardiness, but we would be severely reprimanded about the mulberry stains on our clothes.

I remember the sad day when it was announced at the assembly that the church was going to be locked because the previous night it had been vandalised. This was unheard of; I remember one of the nuns crying at this ghastly incident and the outcome.
Memories have come to the forefront of my mind, some are wonderful, some have made me sad, especially because some of the people who helped to make the memories are no longer here…..some memories are just too painful to visit….some memories have made me smile and left me with a warm feeling.

I managed to complete my project on time but due to circumstances beyond my control I have not been able to post before now. Yet another challenge for me, I’ve tried where possible to stay within the palette set.

On my piece - going through my fabric and threads I came across a WISP and noticed that the colours in Sharon's palette, so I was very lucky not too much preparation was required. I had intended for this piece to be a bag and now I have managed to complete this WISP.

January TIF - Women of Malawi

2008-01-30T16:57:00.002Z

My January Challenge is done, I have to say that for me it was quite a challenge, the colours, staying in the lines, fun, lots of fun!!

February starts on Friday looking forward to the next challenge!

Take it Further Challenge - the beginning.....

2008-01-15T15:47:00.001Z

At last the dial up is connected and I am able to just be in touch with the internet world. Malawi has many advantages, but there are some very small disadvantages – one of them being dial up internet connection – but enough of this on to more important matters.

The challenge for this month; I have decided to use both options for my January challenge, which I am going to call “Women of Malawi”. The reason for using the colours is because I saw this as an even bigger challenge for me, why? Because I can’t say that I am excited by these colours, however, when sitting on the veranda of our house looking out into the garden there before me are all the colours.

Now I am going to digress slightly to a conversation I remember having with my Granny when I was about thirteen when matching just the right colours was very important to me. I remember this as if it was yesterday; my Granny had just put a vase on the dining room table where I was sitting drawing; she said to me – “Isn’t nature wonderful, she can put colours together making them look as though they were meant to be together…….in the vase was a mixture of colours, golden yellow marigolds, soft lilac cornflowers, deep red roses, bright yellow daisies, yellow and purple pansies with their smiling faces. As I sit here on the veranda, I am faced with a similar bouquet; only this bouquet is not in a vase on the table but in the garden before me. How lucky I am!

Back to the present – I have chosen the Women of Malawi, because they work so hard and have to endure many hardships. Driving through rural Malawi it is not uncommon to see the women working the fields; usually she will have a baby on her back and two or three playing around her feet. When she returns home from the field she will have to go to the pump with a bucket to get water, then she will have to see to the children, make a fire, if there is no fire wood she will have to collect this first. Then there is the evening meal to prepare. In the morning she will stamp the corn, lay it out on a mat to dry in the sun, then it will be off to the fields again. Some young girls become women at a very early age, being left at home to look after her siblings. It’s a hard life for Women in Malawi – I know that Malawi is not the only place where a Woman’s lot is difficult, but I am here and I see it almost everyday.

Despite their hardship when greeted they reward you with the warmest of smiles.

I have also decide that in my challenge the piece of work I make will be incorporated in an article to be used, this month I will put my work on to a tote I have been crocheting.

My mind map.