Friday 20 February 2015

February 2015.


Have just checked and it's a month since last visiting this blog. It seems 2015 has been turbo charged to race on regardless of whether we can keep up with it's pace! The last month has been filled with long days spent in the Studio, both of us feverishly creating and putting our trusty press through it's paces.


All this means the garden has been left to it's own devices, thankfully it doesn't need us to help it wake up from it's winter slumbers. Signs of Spring are starting to show with fat furry buds decorating the Magnolia tree and the green speared tips of Narcissus planted last Autumn breaking through the soil. We must set aside a couple of days to tidy up out there. The greenhouse still hasn't been cleared and there are trays of young perennials bought last year as plug plants and potted up which are now bursting their pots and really need introducing to their permanent home in the flower beds.



Signs of Spring
Magnolia buds - Soft as a kitten's ear


In the kitchen, I have had renewed success with Sourdough bread. All last summer I tried with the same 'chef' starter, the bread it produced was very hit and miss and in the end I gave up on it. But missing the flavour of Sourdough I decided at the beginning of the year to make another starter. In the past I have managed to keep them going for years, the longest lasted 5 years and only ceased because we moved Countries! So far we've enjoyed 3 large loaves of bread from this new batch and it's flavour develops more with every new bake. It's especially good toasted and topped with a couple of poached eggs from our local farm shop.



Fresh from the oven


In the Studio I have been working on more floral ideas, taking inspiration from what grows in our garden. The latest addition should really come with a scent too!



Inking the plate


'Sweet Violets' - limited edition print



Gary has been working on a countryside piece which has taken up all his time. So far it has visited the press 6 times which means 6 different inks and there's still more to be added. He's using the reduction method so all these pressings are from just one linoplate which is slowly being carved away to almost just a couple of strands left on the plate. Hopefully it will be ready for it's big reveal in the next week.


We decided that this year we would get out and about more with our work and so we are over the moon to find we have been selected to show some of our prints at the Saltaire Inspired Art Trail and Makers Fair. We will be part of the Open Houses event where home owners in the World Heritage site village open up their own homes as temporary art galleries, showcasing various artists work. The event covers three days at the end of May so we are busy getting organised and need to start thinking about framing the chosen prints. Once we know where we will be appearing we'll let you know, it's all very exciting!




Yay, it's Friday, time to chase your tail!


Enjoy your weekend.


'With freedom, books, flowers and the moon, who could not be happy?'
Oscar Wilde.




4 comments:

  1. There is so much to love in this photo -- most of all, a welcome back! Your sweet kitty looks so comfy and cozy! It will be a long time until we see buds on anything. I'm so glad you are getting signs of spring.

    And your violet print is just beautiful. I love the purple and green -- it's the true expression of spring. I know it will be a huge hit!

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  2. Beautiful colours in your violet print (I wish I'd been called Violet I love that name!)
    I've never tried sourdough bread but your loaf looks delicious so I'm off to look up the recipe now....

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  3. Lovely to hear what you are up to. The violet print is lovely...great colours. 'Fresh from the Oven' is looking great, I can almost smell it.

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  4. Heather, you must be terribly busy -- but not, thank goodness, too busy to visit my blog and leave a lovely comment. PBS is airing Wolf Hall in April -- I'm very excited (reading "Bring Up the Bodies" now). I do appreciate Mark Rylance and many in the wonderful cast including Damien Lewis. I do hope you are easing through spring. I know that first year or so after the loss of a parent (or more) can be so very difficult, at times melancholy and unpredictable. Know that I am thinking of you.

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