Thursday 15 April 2010

The Ebbs and the Flows

Well, it seems like I'm far from the being the only one whose finding their stitching motivation a bit slack at the moment. In fact, quite a number of bloggers I follow have been quiet of late or are finding that life is getting in the way of their arts and aren't producing much to blog. I've only done the outlining on two of the blackberries since I last posted. Sometimes it's lack of time, sometimes lack of umph and sometimes that I'd just plain rather watch a YouTube film!!!

School is quite a lot of work trying to keep up with everything and keep head above water with the tests that are fired at us on a three times fortnightly basis - two sentence dictations (quite a challenge in Chinese characters at times as it's so easy to forget how to write them, even though you can read them fine) and a written paper. Still, they make one learn and, with someone like me, that really is needed, so on the whole I don't mind. However, it does leave one a bit drained at times - mentally, if nothing else. So, not a very productive time creatively just now. Having said that, I did manage to get the next issue of 'Creative Embroidery and Cross Stitch' at the Eslite bookstore nearest to school (they're great for foreign magazines - including titles I can't get at home, so that's something I really like here!), and so I now have full instructions for that fantastic little house you saw on the cover of the last mag show.=) I don't think I'd make it exactly as it is in there, but the idea is great and I hope to do one one day. Perhaps a timbered house. You know, those white ones with the black timbers on, Elizabethan styling. I want to have a go at an embroidered garden one day too, so that super book, 'Embroidered Knot Gardens' is going to the top of my wish list.

We've decided to get a place with an extra room when we go home. Said extra room will be my studio, which will double as the guest room (i.e. the sofa bed will be put in there and we'll get a new suite for the living room). So, guess who's all excited and has the whole thing almost all planned out in her head? Just what I've been wanting for years, I'm so pleased about it. All I need now is for it to come to fruition.=) Look out for more on that early next year...

So, I think things will be fairly slow stitch and arts wise during the rest of our time out here, but I will be keeping up as best I can, so please don't give up and unsubscribe/delete your RSSs or links etc. In fact, the more readers there are, the more I feel duty bound to entertain you, so don't leave, but join up en masse instead, and let me know you're there.

Here are a few nice photos of places we've been in Taiwan for you to enjoy in the meantime. Some of the hundreds of pix I've accumulated so far will no doubt end up as inspiration for later work. (The photo above is an 'old' stumpwork piece I enjoyed doing 5 years ago.)

11 comments:

NEEDLEWINGS said...

Awesome stitching! Love the wonderful scenery too! Makes me want to visit!

Sparklyjools said...

That rose is super!
Good for you, glad you have decided to sort out a proper studio space for yourself in your new home. Nice to see some pics with the sun shining, I hope the weather in Taiwan's a bit more stable at the moment! x

Unknown said...

Beautiful pictures! Thanks for sharing!

DIAN said...

Elizabeth, I am sure you will be so happy to have your own space - it is so much easier to be creative. Space & time. Time is my difficulty but I do have a lovely office/studio to work in.

Rachel said...

We all know how sometimes life can get ahead of us.
I'm longing to be stitching today, but instead I'll be painting the bathroom!

Radka said...

Love the rose in your embroidery!
Snap: The Embroiderer's Garden is a book sitting on my bookshelf, one day I'll get to it!
As for your own work space- of course you must have one, I treasure mine. I don't know about being more creative, but nobody can complain about my chaos!

Front Range Stitcher said...

Lovely rose. Looking forward to hearing about your weekend and how you're doing. :)

Radka said...

I didn't mean I have the same book, just the idea. I have found your book on Amazon, I think it is better then mine, it looks very nice.
The rose, is it a pincushion? I think I have the same kit, waiting to be done. Very pretty.

Radka said...

Yes, that's the one. Shame you can't show the whole pin cushion. I was just looking at mine yesterday for something to start, sitting in the garden. But I am off to a stumpwork flowers workshop tomorrow, so I'll wait with this one.

Karen said...

Hi Elizabeth. I don't sell as much as a lot of people online, that is my goal! It has happened for me though through relentless posting and promotion and I mean relentless, daily. and you are right, you don't get a fair price no matter what you do, people just won't pay for the hours it takes.

Wanda said...

Oh I was waiting for pictures of your surroundings!! How absolutely wonderful...so different for our world. It's so exciting that you will be getting a studio. Yeah, okay, it doubles as a guest room...who cares?! To have everything all in one room! Wow. It's great to have something to look forward to! Oh, and by the way...I'm not going anywhere! So post when you can!

 
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