Printing elephants; napkins for Tova, a bolster and a bed cover for the feet.
I go to Tova a lot. Like really a lot! And this last time she commissioned a table cloth (plain purple rectangle) and 6 white napkins with a purple elephant or two. Always delighted to have another project I set about completing this one. I did offer Tova a choice. She could have had a flowery blue and white cloth and napkins or purple as she chose. At the same time I used my hand carved elephant block from India for a bolster (found a feather one on the street) and a cover for the end of my bed that I had sewn with the kantha stitch whilst at Limoges with my good friends Fran and Phil in July 2024.
What are the contents of these purple storage bottles?
When I was preparing for my exhibition from the items I had made on my sabbatical in India (a year late because of Covid) I brought home some bottles that are used to store expressed breast milk from work. They had purple lids and purple writing and I placed a wooden purple star or flower on top. There were 19 and they contained the following items all painted purple; cotton wool make-up remover pads, collapsed balloons, treasury tags, string, silk cocoons, thread, feathers, tubular support bandage (Tubigrip), gauze elasticated bandage, cotton buds, strapping, chenille yarn, Indian embroidery embellishments, a single blown up balloon (still has air in 3 years later), blood collection tube, enteral feeding syringe, nail varnish and acrylic nails. They were shipped to Israel when I immigrated here and live in a wooden brief case with fabric bowls I made in London.
Jewellery hanging for Tsipi using an old Bedouin embroidery
I went with Eliot around the Shuk in the old city of Jerusalem to his favourite fabric/carpet supplier. I bought 5 different pieces of handmade Bedouin embroidery that are part of the front top of the dress traditionally worn by Bedouin women. I had already adapted a piece of driftwood that Talulah my dog had found on the beach as a way of Tsipi being able to hang her necklaces. This was for earrings. I bought a stiff mesh so she could see the earrings but was strong enough to hold them. In the end she used a stick and 2 nails to hold it up and we removed the ribbon which could make it twizzle.
Purple cars go ape
Purple cars go ape was made to fill this space. It was a beautiful cabinet to hold pathology specimens. But as always the powers that be said it was not to remain for health and safety. Grrrrr. So I designed this project where purple cars could use various means to go about their business of climbing between the shelves. It was a take on the Go-Ape Out Bound adventure places I had been to many times with my children. There were some monkeys too hanging off the shelves. I used the box frames for the cars and painted the trees with purple nail varnish that only dried using UV light – shame it never did dry!
For once a proper dreamcatcher (this time for Lucy)
I have wanted to get back into dreamcatchers for a while. Lucy continues to give me her parrot (Paulo’s) feathers. I used beads that Nita and others in Jaffa have given me to decorate it. The hoop is covered in alpaca yarn from the Farm in Mitzpe Ramon.
Spiralizing a cushion with purple paint.
I decided one day to go mad and take out all my purple acrylic paints and pour and them on this old grey cushion cover. I then directed the paint into spirals on the cover. It is really hard and uncomfortable!
Changing a small tray. To purple of course!
Using the same paint as the cushion I repurposed this ceramic dish. So much nicer. I used PVA glue to “varnish” it. Good job!
A purple mosaic tray.
I had a spare afternoon and had access to a Brompton (scooters aren’t allowed on TFL) and anyway it was raining. I cycled from High Barnet station to Cockfosters to find I was the only one doing a Bubbly Mosaics Evening at Little Crafters. But that was fine. I loved the piece I made and it should hold the 2 candle holders I made in Hook on a glass fusing course.
My fused glass candle holders
I went to Hook in Hampshire with my parents and made these fused glass candle holders. In Ikea I found 2 different types of candles – enormous tea-lights and church candles. Both look lovely. My favourite photo is one of Moses with the candle holders on their mosaic tray! Always curious. Especially if it involves food. Sorry Moses – it doesn’t!
Making a bag out of much loved but frumpy jacket.
Dee gave me a jacket that was too big for her and I loved both the fabric and the pattern. When I was in Limoges, July 2024, I set about making it into a bag for me to take on my walks around Jaffa with Talulah. I sewed on a border and put in the tassels at the corners and Phil suggested I put on a circular patch around the shoulder which works well. I even put in a key holder and 2 internal pockets. A good repurpose!
I had some spare purple fabric and needed to wash the table cloth I usually have on this circular outside table. I used the paints I had brought a while ago in Ra’anana and had fun using my favourite flower stamp. See my feet!
I went to a very strange art exhibition in a hotel (the rather tired and dated Imperial Hotel). It is now in it’s 3rd iteration but I only went to the first one with Rebecca. Here I am in a furry purple room with my purple scarf. See how taking the photo with and without flash makes such a difference!
