Seeped in history...

Hello lovelies...

Thank you for all your lovely comments following my last post.

It is so joyous for me to share my passion for my beautiful 

Fens with you all.

I know everyone favours the area they know best.... 

the area you were born into or the area you grew up in.

For me the ancient landscape known as The Cambs Fens

is deeply rooted within my bones.

My family history reaches back to a time when Fenmen waded 

through the boggy marshes on stilts; before there were dry fields and profitable farms.

Over time, man has forcibly sculptured every square patch of the land

for his own advantage despite Mother Nature putting up a big fight, resulting

in the flat land now famously known for the best arable land in the UK.

On a holiday in Cornwall a few years ago, a shopkeeper asked me if I had travelled far

on my hols...

When I replied I lived in Cambridgeshire,

 she quickly returned with "Oh....you live in the damp patch then..."

The damp patch?

Can't say I've ever been described as a damp patcher before!

A stubborn 'ol Fen bird yes.

A Fen tiger yes.

One of them odd fen folk yes.

But...never a damp patcher...no.

My Fens offer skylines that equal a winning National Lottery ticket.

Her sunsets are masterpieces fit for the Tate Gallery.

As a child I would sit for hours watching clouds, create characters

and building my own stories...

I loved writing stories and poems.

I take SO many photos of the Fens and her landscape you would think at my age I would be bored of doing so by now but no.

I especially love trees.

Fen trees have a special corner in my heart.

Any shape, any size...any age.

They are always full of silent energy that bring a smile or two

whenever I see them.

Prince Charles was famously ridiculed for talking to the plants and trees but

I have to say I'm with him on that one....

I'm a firm believer in trusting trees with their wisdom.

They know a thing or two about survival of the fittest.

The tough 'ol Fen winds whip up a Fen blow around 

their ankles that often cause distress to so many....

and yet they plod on like tired old soldiers to get to the winning post.

They hold their own.

They are like little treasure boxes holding secrets to our past.

If only they could talk back....

Off to grab a cuppa and do some slow stitching so

until our next chat folks...

Toodle- ooh for now!

Fenland Misty Mirrors

Hello lovelies...

November already?

Where does time go?

My poor neglected blog mirrors a very loyal friend who I return to when time allows and yet faithfully awaits my return for my next story...

As I am writing this post I am surrounded by the most beautiful Autumnal sunshine...

the sort that tricks you into thinking it may still be a little summery

out there but in reality it really is quite a shock to the system!

Spidery frost fronds decorate my garden with so many of Mother Nature's gems glistening in the sunlight.

Yes indeedy...Autumn has definitely set out her stall.

She is here to stay for a while so it is time to dig out those snuggly jumpers, tights 

and crocheted blankets. 

The array of colour, texture and smells delight my Virgo soul.

It really is MY time of year and for a couple of months I feel in vogue...

For me, Autumn has always been a reflective time of the year.

A time to start closing the door on life earlier in the day to snuggle under the warmth of home with my loved ones.

As usual I have a whole host of projects on the go to complete during the darker months which

will probably still be sitting there come Springtime but the intention is always good...

I have been working away from home alot this year doing various events and shows 

so it is extra special this year to be slowing down and putting my feet up a little more.

As much as I have absolutely loved doing all the events, exhibiting some of my work,

selling my kits, demonstrating various crafts and meeting so many beautiful people 

from all walks of life....

In truth, I am such a home bird...

My Fen roots are so strong that the feeling of nesting at home with my family whilst the

wild Fen winds blow all around me seep to the edge of every cell of my body.

I yearn for the simplicity of life.

Is that just a Fen thing or just an age related obsession?

So, with harvests all now in, flowers slowly fading, leaves finally falling 

and children already writing their Christmas lists it is time to wish everyone  

Happy Samhain

Samhain is a Gaelic festival marking the end of the harvest season

 and the beginning of winter or the "darker half" of the year.

Samhain allows my Fenland soul to rest her weary bones for a while and simply enjoy

the beauty around.

Don't get me wrong...

I don't enjoy the darker side of our year for so many reasons

but we must all embrace things in our lives that are often not our choice.

So with that in mind I welcome the dark into my life for a while

as best as I can...

As our rhythms of life begin to complete their full circle for this year we shall soon be moving on to the next circle.

Reflection...

2016 has been a very enlightening one for me.

I took a huge gamble at the beginning of the year to change direction slightly

and concentrate on projects I really wanted to do rather than was expected to do.

It was definitely a new direction to travel in, a scary one at times 

but none the less a very inspiring one! 

In allowing myself the freedom to explore through my much loved cloth and thread, my world of creativity has expanded immensely.

I've always enjoyed exploring and experimenting but lately

I've so enjoyed throwing loads into the mix of a textile collage, and just like watching a Victoria sponge being baked in an oven,

 watch it evolve right in front of my eyes.....

Capturing my ancient landscape with vintage cloth is just so beautiful to do.

I'm so pleased I haven't lost that 

well known dogged Fen determination deep in my genetic make-up to go against the grain... 

if anything I think it is getting stronger as I get older!

Either way it is making my soul so very happy.

"each new day is a path of wonder,

a different invitation..."

John O'Donohue

Until my next story...

Toodle-ooh for now 

Belated Birthday Wishes Bill!

Hello my lovelies!

Did you know that it would've been William Morris's 132nd Birthday recently?
William was an English textile designer, craftsman, poet, novelist and socialist.

I was lucky enough to visit The William Morris Gallery in Walthamstowe, London a couple of weekends ago....

such a real treat!

I have admired William's work since my school days when I took my 'A Level Needlework' (for those not having a clue what that was, it is the equivalent of today's exams at Sixth Form!)

Most people think of his Orange Blossom designs and not a lot else if I'm honest but he was SO much more!!!!

So why DO I admire him?

Well, he was a quiet rebel of his time, an advocate for preserving traditional textile and needlework skills and a pioneer in the textile industry.

He was also a firm believer in empowering people with knowledge and information.

All of the above reasons totally sum up my philosophy in life I have to say and I know that if I ever I met him we would have been good buddies!

~~~~~~~~~~

When he married his wife Jane and moved into their first home, he taught himself embroidery to 

make some linen panels to decorate the walls which I love the idea of.
He wanted to know how a design worked, how the stitches rested on the fabric and how the design worked with the rest of his home.

His love of embroidery and weaving extended into the textile industry and today his designs are considered some of the finest...
For me he had such a wonderful philosophy of life which I love...

I have always been inspired by his designs.

 I especially love the fact that he wasn't bothered his designs were only an interpretation of a plant, flower or tree etc rather than the actual botanical drawing... something very much frowned upon by many of his day.

He had his own style and own thoughts and again I totally agree with that philosophy.

His free flowing form of design provided the foundation for The Arts & Craft Movement.

Have you ever thought about that question, if you held a dinner party and could invite a guest of your choice from present or past... who would you invite?

Well, Bill (I'm sure he wouldn't mind me calling him Bill) would definitely be on my list...

At school I was forever being told I didn't conform to the usual rules of art...

I struggled to sit for hours attempting to sketch an orange or a vase of flowers and yet these days

I don't give it a second thought and quite honestly don't give a noodle if my drawings are not up to The Royal School Of Art Society standard.

I simply sketch what I see in a way I can interpret my view.

At school I thought I was a failure at Art simply because I couldn't get my proportions and perspective 100% right!

Would love to meet that Art teacher today and tell him my thoughts that's for sure!

Art in whatever form is only beautiful in the eye of the beholder.

There are no rules.

For any design student or anyone with a love of design and art I strongly recommend a visit to The William Morris Gallery.

I know you will be inspired...

Even his garden has a little of Bill's inspiration about it as you wander along the paths...

Explore the internationally-renowned collections of the William Morris Gallery and learn more about the life and work of this remarkable individual and his artistic collaborators by simply clicking on the link 

  William Morris Gallery

I try to sketch a doodle here and there every day as I go about my daily life...sometimes nothing special and yet sometimes something so very special... simple snippets of everyday life that

we all take for granted in our hurried lives

have you ever doodled?

Why not give it a go...

just remember there are never any rules in life especially when it comes to art.

Happy doodling my lovelies....

Tilly

x x x

A Moody Landscape....

Morning my lovelies...

I have had great fun playing with a new camera over the weekend capturing

some fab Fenland sights to be used in my new exhibition pieces.

Driving through the Fen roads of the shadowy Cambridgeshire lands watching the ever-changing skies

always makes my soul sing despite the weather.

The Fens can be isolating and quite daunting if you are not familiar with them.

If you are expecting a big welcome all gooey-eyed and filled with scrummy deliciousness then you 

will be disappointed.

They don't greet you with their arms open wide for a snuggly hug; instead what they do do, is allow you to see them as they are...warts and all and if you enjoy them all well and good and if you don't, well they take the view (very much like many Fenland folk) and that is simply to say then keep on driving through...

"you either take us as you find us or skidavel out of here!"

You can travel for miles and not meet a soul at times.

For me that's what I really love.

Whittlesey Mere Washes

Pollarded Willow at Whittlesey Wash

Silence can be so beautiful in our fast pace of everyday living.

Many people are often put off visiting the Fens saying that there is nothing to look at...

I have to disagree!

If you want chocolate box cottages with beautiful roses around the door, pretty windy lanes filled full of charm or even neatly cut village greens I have to say sadly you probably will be let down

BUT

if you are after atmospheric landscapes, moody skies, miles of peace

and beautiful rugged beauty then you will definitely be overwhelmed by wonderful

delights that await.....

Moody Skies over Fen fields

The Fens have evolved over many centuries from a very harsh landscape that only the toughest survived to what we see today; the long uneven roads surrounded by the billowing Fen reeds that shelter their neighbours, the drains. 

Families, over time have learned to live with each season, the black clods of  mud constantly traipsed into their cottages and the wild Fen winds alongside the extreme poverty that constantly surrounded them and yet their homes were always filled with such cosiness and warmth for family

in the best way they could offer.

Fenland workers 

My exhibition pieces will focus on the connection of woman and cloth throughout time and how they survived with very little, living out in the middle of this vast landscape that chilled them to the bone in more ways than one.

Often Fen women were the strong threads running through a family line that held everything and everyone together.

Personally I don't think much has changed on that side of things.

Did their embroideries help their well being?

Did they see cloth as just a chore of constant repairs?

Would sewing have meant something very different to them instead of how we see it today?

What did they think when they looked out of their windows whilst stitching?

I'm often told the Fens hold nothing but dreary gloomy colours that dull the spirit but

when I look, all I can see is the vibrant colour of life.

My ancestors originate from the Fens.

They are in my blood and I'm very proud to call myself a Fen woman.

I would love to hear from anyone who lives(ed) in the Fens or who has a connection to them and would like to contribute to the stories and memories

I shall be collecting towards my exhibition

If you want to leave a message at the end of this post or get in touch I would love to hear from you!

info@tilly-rose.co.uk

I will be posting a questionnaire on here soon that you may want to fill in also...

In the meantime I will leave you with a few snippets of Fen life that I will be using in my textile pieces...

Toodle-ooh for now!

Tilly

x x x