Turned out nice again

For a change.

We woke to a gloomy, cold, windy day – so no surprises there, it’s what we have come to expect in July.

We had planned an outing today but nearly didn’t go because the weather looked so unpromising. But as we were going to be indoors most of the time we took a chance – packing sweaters, macs etc. just in case.

It turned out to be a beautiful warm sunny day. The sort we used to have in the summer. [Of course it’s clouding over now.]

We went first  to the Dorset Arts and Crafts Association show at Bovington Middle School. We had been a couple of years ago and been impressed by the range of crafts on display and the quality of much of it. This time we found it less impressive – definitely too many kits in the embroidery section – and why do people do absolutely beautiful lace knitting in nasty tacky cheapo acrylic yarn?

However there was some atmospheric and original photography, some beautiful  Japanese embroidery and a fascinating display of wood turning. The latter included small samples made from a variety of woods, including lilac, which turns out [pun intended – sorry] to be a beautiful wood. We have quite a lot of it stacked up in the garden, if anyone is interested …

And I did manage a bit of shopping. Four second-hand embroidery books, towards my aim to own every Batsford embroidery book ever printed, [or maybe not] and four Markal paint sticks which cost nearly as much as the books.

After a picnic we went on here – which is just up the road. 

Not our dream cottage – I would prefer one with a loo – but Clouds Hill, former home of TE Lawrence. Four sparsely furnished rooms, no kitchen, a bath but no loo – and bags of history, although it was a bit busy to be atmospheric.

My final texture photo [I’m changing topic  – sort of – tomorrow] is a collection of some of my beach-combings – shells, pebbles, and bits of sea -worn brick. I heard once that Henry Moore got inspiration from pebbles and I can see a Moore in the one top right.

And finally – more progress on the embroidered book cover. [The vertical lines are tacking, showing where it will be folded.]

I think it will get some more stitch and possibly a few beads and sequins, before it meets the pages which have been waiting for it patiently for a while now.