Summer Red

This Summer I've mostly kept colours soft, using white, green, turquoise and mauve. But no Summer should be without just a little red [my favourite colour!]. This year I have combined with 'fossil' coloured spots and beads.

My Summer Garden

Toby likes to pose in all garden pictures. This one is the path to the Summer house

For the past few weeks I've been putting in a fair amount of effort to get my garden up together in readiness for Open Studios at the end of July. Usually I work around the garden at a slower pace. The problem with this is that as the weather gets drier, the ground get harder, making weeds more difficult to get out and newly planted shrubs difficult to establish. So although I'm still losing the battle with weeds, the overall impression I think looks quite good.

This shows some excavation work in readiness for  the raising of the path, to save me paddling in wet weather.

One of mum's lilies

I thought now would be a good time to take some photos, while everything is looking lush.

Pots waiting to find their Summer resting place.

A peony on the patio [and a purple sedum I rather like].

The next three pictures show the side path in Winter, Spring and now in Summer.

Winter pots

Spring pots [and another posing Toby!]

And the same pots in June

Open Studio Yearbooks Have Arrived!

I know that Summer is here when the Isle of Wight Arts Open Studios Yearbooks arrive isleofwightarts.com. I feel a tiny tingle of excitement when I open one up for the first time and find my entry in it. It also means that it's only six weeks to go and I really have to step up my preparations.

My daughter, Ellen won't be able to join me this year with her weaving, as she's rather busy with work in Whitstable. I am pleased to say I won't be on my own however, as for the second year running, Jude Allman  judeallman.com will be sharing open studios with me. Jude makes fabulous stoneware pots, bowls and ceramics.

I enjoy open studios, as it is a great opportunity to demonstrate how I make my glass beads. It's also super to chat to old and new visitors in my garden workshop.

Forthcoming Events - 2015

Open Studio Weekend 2013

Handmade Stall at West Quay Shopping Centre, Southampton
 - Saturday 21st March 2015
-9am -6pm
- First chance to see me and showcase my latest Spring 2015 collection in all its glory!

Isle of Arts Affordable Arts Fair at Ventnor Winter Gardens, Isle of Wight- artsisle.org
 - Monday 4th May 2015
 - 11am - 4pm
- Looking forward to this event in a beautiful location.

Isle of Wight Arts Open Studios - isleofwightarts.com
- Friday 17th July - Monday 20th July 2015
- 10am - 5pm daily
- I love this event because its a great opportunity to demonstrate exactly how my beads are created and made into my unique jewellery.

Mauve Bracelet Spring 2015

Open Studios Weekend 2014

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