The last few weeks have flown past with no time to post anything, but an early dawn chorus followed by the noise of howling gales has got me up early with time to spare!
Two weeks ago we had snow on the hills - a thick blanket of white making the landscape wonderful. It was followed by a few days of glorious sunshine that was definitely T-shirt weather and my workroom was like a sweat-shop with the sun streaming in the window. However, it did get us busy with producing more of our Moor & Machair designs for the family business, Anna Macneil - you can see examples of the new purses and cushions on our website.
Now we are back to snow again........ although the fall last night has melted away here at sea level, I suspect the hills are covered in white.
After a few days of spending time at the computer - designing and then putting information on the website, I decided that the time had come that I really did have to create a better work space for the computers. I work between two computers because I like using a Mac for all my design work, but I need to use a Windows platform to run the embroidery machines and laser cutting machine that allow me to translate my ideas into the pieces of art and fashion accessories that earn my living. So yesterday was spent clearing everything off the two make-shift desks, vacuuming in spaces that had not seen a hoover in a few too many years, cutting a board to size and shape for the space for my new desk and then working out again which wires went where to re-assemble the computers. They are now both up and running again and I have a nice continuous desktop that holds both computers plus scanner, graphics tablets, telephone, etc. The only problem is that there is a rather large pile of paperwork - un-opened credit card statements and the like - that needs to be sorted through! Which of course is why I am sitting here typing rather than doing what I ought to do!
Another thing that re-surfaced in the tidy-up was a book - GoLive Classroom in a Book. The intention is that I learn how to build a website myself rather than working from a template designed by my husband, He is very obliging, but of course, when you are getting something for nothing, you tend to go to the bottom of the pile compared with the paying customers. He has set up a holding page for me while I work out how to best present things - so you can visit and bookmark the site for future reference. http://www.ruth-black.co.uk
The aim of this new site is to give me space to show things that are one-off art pieces rather than the commercially orientated fashion accessories or my ecclesiastical work........... Things like my "Standing Stone" - a full size, free-standing interpretation of the Aldbar stone in Brechin Cathedral - an ancient Pictish sculptured stone with a lovely intricate knotwork and key pattern ringed cross. In this new website I hope to provide photographs of exhibtion work, down-loadable books that have accompanied my previous exhibitions, information about talks and classes and generally what I am up to in the way of textile art. So, watch this space......!
