Practice Run

As I've been struggling artistically for a few weeks, I decided to revert to some tried and tested creative activities. I decided to spend a morning printing up some of the cotton bags mentioned in an earlier post. Well, that was my intention. I couldn't find my most crucial linocut. So two hours later after clearing out the lean-to and my particular shelf in in the kitchen where it was most likely to be, I decided to have a go at printing a woodcut image instead to herald Spring's approach.

It's OK, but not really me. Just as I'd finished doing a couple and deciding I didn't want too many of them, the heavens opened and emptied bucket loads of snow on us. Do you ever feel that someone much more important than you is laughing at you? Not to be daunted, I finished off the socks I had been cheering myself up with in spring-like colours:

They're an experiment in 100% cotton dk from Lidl at 50p a ball. I've not knitted socks in anything other than wool before, so hope they're OK - not quite as much give but they are lovely and soft.

I haven't been able to shake ideas for jewellery out of my head and I'm itching to use my bits of silver that I bought last week ( I wish I'd bought more now, but need to earn some money first!). A book from the library sensibly suggested experimenting with cheaper metals first, so I started to play with some floristry wire and my friends round- nose pliers:

Yes, I love spirals.

Next, a headpin and turquoise bead:

Then a headpin that I hammered flat:

I really like the hammered effect. I then tried out the floristry wire with some ring designs I drew whilst in bed last night:

Let me know which you prefer & I might tempt the powers that be by trying out my silver.