Last night I went to see Matthew Bourne's new ballet, Sleeping Beauty. It was utterly wonderful, if you get a chance go and see it. It was entrancing from start to finish, a really lovely re-telling of the story. I have a bit of a passion for fairy tales. And the dancing and costumes and set were just great. I particularly loved the fairies. I have come home really inspired and feeling lit up inside. 

Heres a link to an interview with Matthew Bourne from the bbc, which also has a little bit of footage from the ballet. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0113tqj 

All my uni project work handed in, so I'm chilling with some music. Thank you you tube and spotify. This little animated video lifted my heart, gentle and quiet, very, very lovely.

I've just handed in my written work for uni, and anticipating the need for a celebration of that, and my birthday a few weeks ago, I had bought tickets for myself and a friend to see Atelier Lefeuvre and Andre at the Garage. 

There were two pieces, mostly contained within in a small, square room, with a television as a major prop. They were performed by Didier Andre and Jean Paul Lefeuvre, who I think would be described as clowns. The first was this http://www.lefeuvre-andre.com/lefeuvre-andre/Chez_Moi_Circus_eng.html, a quietly told story about life, and love perhaps. And the second was this http://www.lefeuvre-andre.com/lefeuvre-andre/Ni_Omnibus_eng.html, a more athletic exploration of the world. 

It's too easy to stay home on wintry nights, if I had, I'd have missed these guys, and they were both brilliant from start to finish. 

This quote came from a book I'm reading for my research report for uni, it made me smile 

"Words are like living organisms, they evolve to match the expressive requirements of those using the language." 
Andrew Juniper  "Wabi Sabi the japanese art of impermanence"

I've been making little collagraph prints, and this is one of the print blocks, before rinsing the ink off.

A scratchy tune, and I'm not usually a fan of opera, but I heard this half an hour back and loved it. The animation on this little film is exquisite. And I think the rough sound at the beginning, kind of fits perfectly. 

My weaving is off the loom now, I think I have over a dozen 6 inch square samples using different yarns to inform my next weaving design. Today I plan to write up my notes on each sample and then I'll need to be brave and wash and finish them.

I began by looking at making loops and pile. Then I was observing how the colours changed and intensified as they crossed. And finally, trying out a satin, I got these rather nice stripes, which folks seem to like.