BBC Wiltshire Radio and my studio

My studio is progressing very fast now, water is plumbed in and the storage units are going in. Do not think it will be long before I move in...... however today I took a day off and went to my daughters. As you know often in the holidays I work with the grandchildren on arty crafty stuff. Today it was pouring with rain, so a good day to stay in and enjoy ourselves.

Yesterday was grandsons 7th birthday ( where has the time gone?) and we had to finish off the cake as well!!

However we had a very entertaining guest come and visit us at lunchtime, Mark O'Donnell, one of the presenters on Radio Wiltshire.
He talked to us about the fact we create things together, in fact 3 generations of us and have some real family fun as well.
He happily posed with 2 of the grandchildren and a friend who came round for the day for this photo. He is also clutching a pencil case we made for him. This was today's activity. Mark is clutching one of the pencil cases we made as a present for him. He was thrilled as he has somewhere to keep the spare batteries for his radio microphone now.


First of all the drawing on plain paper, using transfer crayons and paints. We filled a whole A4 sheet of paper with art work. Every ones was different and so were very individual.

Then the designs were ironed onto synthetic velvet, and the colours shone beautiful and backed with plain calico for strength.

Then to keep the layers together, we stitched using the Willcox and Gibbs chains stitch sewing machine, and even 3 year old took a turn at stitching. Look at the speed the handle was turning.... the photo is blurred!

Then 7 year old birthday boy had a go, supervised by older sister, total concentration. I forgot to take a photo of the finished pencil cases..... sorry!

Have to say I stitched the zips in for them.

I will let you know when the interviews are broadcast... then you can listen in to hear what the children had to say.