I am back...

... back from Thailand, back from Europe and back stitching (a bit)!!

My annual trip to Thailand was back in June, but (other than a few bits and bobs of facebook) I have not posted anything, not a tiny, teeny bit since May...(yikes)!

This was my 5th trip and such a wonderful opportunity to catch up with friends and students who have attended in the past. It is like coming home to my Thai family. As always, it was super busy. 8 days of teaching, four very, very different classes two of which were new design that had to be written, prepared and kitted up before I left. All four projects are now in the Etsy shop.

Rosehips (Introduction to Crewel embroidery), Persian Bounty (Stumpwork),
Sonnet (goldwork) and Over the Pond (silk shading)

Coming back I had a little over month before heading off to Europe.
1 week of spending time in Denmark with my family, while getting gently over my jet-lag. Living on opposite sides of the planet we don't get to spend an awful lot of time together, but when we do - we make sure to bake the most of it. Lots of talking, laughing, walking along the water, in the forest and meandering through the old streets of Copenhagen.

The highlight would have to be a trip to Tivoli Gardens. It used to be an annual event when I was a child but I have not been for over 20 years, so it was amazing to spend a day there there and having some good old fun, not least with my darling niece and nephew.

From there it was on to the French Alps, to The Alpine Experience...What an experience that was!!!
Driving up from Geneva Airport it is only about an hours drive (almost) at the top of a mountain... Spectacular views, fabulous hosts, a stunning workroom/studio with large windows to take in those before mentioned spectacular views, the most delicious food (diet starts next week)...If you need to add something to your bucket-list I cannot recommend this retreat highly enough. As we all know, what really makes a place perfect is the people! The hosts, Nadine and Mark along with their team were outstanding. As for the women joining me for the week...
What a group! I could not have wished for a better group of like-minded stitch nuts to spend a week with! We (they) stitched their hearts out, talked, stitched, laughed, stitched, walked, stitched and laughed some more. Thanks so much to everyone for making this Experience so fabulously amazing.

 

Mountain Oak kits will be in the shop next week.

One thing I get really about is when stitchers make my designs their own by changing and adding their own twist to my designs. By the end of the week, everyone had made such an amazing progress, with one project (Persian Bounty) almost finished! One thing I get really excited about is when stitchers make a project their own by making changes. Two of the goats changed colour with one of them changed completely and turned into to native Chamois goat.

 

 

Thank you so much everyone for the most fabulous time.

Class over, next stop Bath Textile Summer School and three days in company of Stumpwork Brother Rabbit and a new group of eager embroiderers. We had three lovely days in the Gardeners Lodge at the Holburn Museum. 

There is a lot to do in this project - wires, slips, beads, padding, more wires, needle lace....   so even though we had three intensive days of stitches, it was super busy to get through everything. With hard work, concentration and dedication, everyone was well underway at the end of the course and I was so impressed at how much you all got done. 

 

 Before heading back, I had a day to just enjoy being in Bath. It is such a beautiful town and I can easily spend hours just walking around, taking it all in. This time I spent half a day in the Fashion Museum.. wow, if you are ever in the neighbourhood, make sure you make time for a visit. It is jaw-dropping! Hard to photograph but below are a few (the best I could manage) of a few of my favourites.

Exhausted, happy and heading home...

I have 'hit the ground running'. With Beating Around the Bush only a few weeks away, I am going to be busy (again) getting ready for more classes, but I do really, really want to find (make) time for stitching, something I haven't done a lot of lately.
I do have something to show you...
... but it will have to wait. 1 because this post is getting extremely long and 2... I am off to work.

Until next time
Best Stitches,
Anna