miner bird

Just finished making this, inspired by an ink and stick drawing made in Vietnam. You can find it and others in my shop. Please visit if you would like a peek ! My shop

the red geranium

There is this red geranium and every Friday I walk up the stairs to the 2nd floor, I have watched this geranium grow from a little seedling into a plant that for some reason continually flowers. This red geranium has become my measure of time in a place where for many time stopped at a moment, when they became locked- in. Locked- in through some kind of brain stem injury. At a moment they got stuck in a body that doesn't move where nobody is certain how much a person can see, hear, feel, or understand. The process is slow and painful. Life becomes all about the details a blink of an eye for yes and no to start with. For me it has been about learning to communicate in a different way and watching closely for answers, trying to find out as much as I can about their life before to see who they loved, what made pissed them off, what made them laugh so many millions of things that make us who we are. 

So 7 years ago the journey started every Friday I started working with this lady I knew nothing about at all, just her name that she used to paint and had loads of horses. So Friday was our time to share music, colour, paint and laughter. To begin with her head was strapped in one of those mechanisms around her forehead as her neck was not strong enough to hold itself up, no movement anywhere, her face expressionless and her eyes moved slightly but it was hit and miss as to whether it was a blink for a no or yes. The journey has been slow after 4 years that brain started to switch back on I was sitting down drawing with her, barely able to hold the pencil and move it a cm I was recounting my weeks stories, when I told her  about me reversing back into a stationery police car her mouth turned upwards and she smiled and smiled and smiled.

 We listen to jazz, I waffle rubbish, we draw I draw her, she laughs with me and I know at me. She can now move her hands her arms a little and has all the expressions in her face. I long to hear her voice. I say to her I hope it will be to tell me to bloody shut up. I am waiting as I know it will happen one day.

 I can't imagine a world where you are just as you were, but your bloody body has become locked in and nobody knows what the key is. But what I do know is, that art for some people is and integral part of their care and I know Fridays have been important for her and beyond words for me. And this drawing has taken nearly 5 weeks but it is a massive leap and the red geranium keeps on growing.

bugs

Just finished these little bug cushions as part of a series I have been working on. They are hand stitched on top of my grannies 70 year old embroideries. A meeting of stitches, I love weaving in and out of her work. The backs of the cushion have been crotched in the round in a dusky pink with beautiful vintage buttons that have been hand picked especially for each piece. You can find them in my shop patchworkbutterfly

maps

Ok here we go! This is going to be difficult, only in that I am very badly organized. My plan is 40 journey's in my 40th year the only drawback is trying to make a living in between. There are many places I dream of and this doodle has steadily been growing over the last few weeks of places, reasons and people. Its a big plan and I am beyond excited, 7 journeys are already planned and 3 flights booked. So mum I have booked our magic carpet and we are away.................................. 

Just what the Dr ordered!

They arrived on Christmas day as a treasured gift, a boot shaped box, could it be? Yes it was a pair of the most beautiful red Dr Martens complete with red satin laces, flowery insides and they are heavenly and I love them ! 

Dr Martens have always had cult status and with each new youth culture their allegiance has changed and fitted into that particular way of thinking.

I love that you can wear them with jeans, combats, flowery dresses, pin striped suits or on site with your work gear. There is always the great debate over form verses fashion but here they meet in equal measure, perfectly integrated a modern design classic recognized all over the world.

Some may say who know me well, that my feet are rarely touching the ground but now I have the perfect excuse in my Dr Martens air walkers

Home

This is always the time of year to reflect on the year’s happenings and all I can say it has been full to bursting with family, friends, laughter, inspiration, opportunities, journey’s, people, stories, nonsense, sad bits and without doubt a year full of love. My home is my haven from an ever crazy world, to share, to garden, to clutter, to make, to inspire and most importantly to just be! This is a snapshot of my home over the last year through my images, Salvo Toscano's and Bs. To see my gallery of home. patchworkbutterflys home

silky things

I have just taken delivery of a parcel full of the most beautiful Cambodian raw silk in the most wonderful jewel like colours. The whole process from start to finish is like a wonderful load of magic, and whilst I was out there this year I was lucky enough to be invited to have a go. I am legendary for my granny knots which if in doubt, about the knots security tie another one, so the thought of been in charge of a loom was off the scale. Nevertheless I had a go and wove enough silk to make a belt for a fairy. It was so difficult and your co-ordination needs to be second to none. The Cambodian women were so generous with their time and sharing their skills. I am afraid I will just use the silk at the end of their process which becomes the start of my design process. The making of silk is fascinating and I spent a day working and learning with them form the start to the end. I have long been using Cambodian silk, I love the texture of it, colour and am fascinated by lying textures next to one another, like the silk and wool or with loosely woven tweed, makes my heart skip a beat! Hope you enjoy the images from silk worms munching on mulberry leaves to my finished work using the silk