Rain and more rain...then some more

I am aware that this was a blog about art and embroidery and I will get around to that side but the weather here is the dominant event at the moment! I have been back here for 9 days and it has rained for 7 of those. If anyone is thinking of some winter sunshine, don't come to Cyprus!

When it rains here, it rains. This is the water heading it's way into our studio:

We had to stop work at lunchtime to bail out! Some bright spark decided it would be a good idea to concrete up the drain and now the water flows over it, down the step and through the studio like a stream. This is a picture of Clare and I trying to empty the puddle before it made it into the studio. It worked but it has now been raining for the last 4 hours non stop so I imagine it is full again. I'm not going out again, I have only just dried off from the first time!

I spoke to soon, water is over the step again...back outside we go....

A bad nights sleep...

We had an earthquake last night! Everyone here was asleep and said it must have been thunder I heard, but the links below are proof I am not going mad!

http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=28461

http://www.emsc-csem.org/index.php?page=home

We had a pretty major thunderstorm afterwards and I have to admit to be a little nervous. I could feel a rumbling through the floor that got louder and louder, vibrating the walls of my room and shaking the window. I counted 7 separate occaisions within half an hour so I guess they were aftershocks.

I hope the plates have settled now for a few months...

Cute cats

Haven't had a cute cat picture for a while, thought it was time for another one...



This is scraggy, our kitchen cat, with our new stray, Little Kitty. So cute!

New term

Well, I'm back in cyprus after a fairly easy journey. The weather is warm but a strong wind all through the night bought some rain this morning. Although not good if you are a tourist, it is welcome for the inhabitants of Cyprus as the reserviors are extremely low and many villages have their water cut off every other day.

Cyprus is looking very green and different plants are starting to come out. Can't wait for the spring when the island will look very different with orchids and Syclamen appearing. We stayed in a villa on the beach at Christmas and there was the most amazing banana tree right outside the front door:

I have sorted out my studio space ready to start some more work which I will do after I have been to the supermarket and stocked up on supplies! Everyone seems refreshed after their break and ready to get stuck in again.

Also managed over Chistmas to resurect the bicycle that has been hanging around in pieces at the accomodation (with a little help, thank you Ian!) so I will spend a day getting it cleaned and oiled and put some new tyres on it, then hopefully I will have some transport! Before:

After picture coming soon!

Hope everyone is being creative in the new year!

More soon....

Happy New Year

Ok, I know it's a bit late but happy new year to you all and thankyou for your christmas and new year messages! My family came out for Christmas and it was great to show them around the college and where I live. Here they are sitting on the wall:

My sister Caroline, my mum Pauline and me.

I came back to England for the new year with a few business things to catch up on but I'm packing my suitcase once again and heading back to warmer climes in the next few days (having just acclimatised to the English weather!).

I've got lots of ideas planned and am looking forward to putting them into action. I have been doing a lot of thinking over the holiday season and I have decided I'm going to concentrate on my embroidery again (that is after all, what I'm trained in) but I will try to include some painting and drawing with it. I'm interested in life drawing and thought instead of drawing with pen and pencil I will draw with the needle. Not sure how this will work practically yet and whether I can sit in a life drawing session with a piece of calico and a needle but it might be interesting to try! I know one thing, there won't be time to unpick...

If anyone is interested in improving their drawing skills quickly, there is no better way than to take a few life drawing sessions. My drawing has improved no end since I started doing it. Don't be precious about it, put pencil to paper and just keep drawing. It takes time to learn to draw just like it takes time to learn how to embroider. It isn't something mystical and I believe everyone can do it (as I'm sure my students are sick of hearing me say!).

Pen drawing of the sculpture wall at the Cyprus College of Art

I'm also taking a small sewing machine with me (£18 from Dunelm, and it is tiny!) to help me work on a larger scale but will use hand embroidery to embellish my work. And of course, beads, sequins and shisha mirrors are being packed also!

Keep an eye on this space to see my creations

Happy embroidering for 2009