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All the latest news and creative projects from Cotton & Cogs

cotton_and_cogs

Artist - loves all things hand crafted.
Mixed media artwork. Ceramics. Embroidery, crochet & knitting.
Steampunk inspired jewellery and accessories.

This piece has taken 1 month and 10 days - and str

This piece has taken 1 month and 10 days - and strictly speaking isn’t completely finished as I need to cover the back and make a decision about hanging / framing. But I am SO pleased with how it has turned out and all the different textures. I can’t wait to get the sister piece back from the kiln and see them side by side!

Thank you @claygrovepark for all your support

(If you’re interested in nature inspired ceramics then check out my feed for details of a two part ceramic jewellery course we’re teaching next month!)

#ceramics #embroidery #felting #stagbeetle #hamdmade #ceramicart

I love building up layers of underglazes, and blen

I love building up layers of underglazes, and blending them like watercolours. This is the latest piece in my Woodland Textures series - I’m hoping the partner piece (with the stag beetle) will have come safely through the kiln ready for me to start adding the fabric elements this weekend.

I’ve also started on some mini wearable versions of these ceramic meets yarn craft works - my brain is positively fizzing with ideas and possibilities!

I’ve had a lovely afternoon with the door to the

I’ve had a lovely afternoon with the door to the back garden open, enjoying the sunshine and listening to the birds whilst working on the undercoat glazing on the next piece in my woodland textures series.

I love the freedom with mixing underglazes like watercolour paints.

When this comes back from its next firing I will be looking to see if I need to adjust any of the colours and whether I want to add any gloss highlights. Then I get to play with the textile additions - this piece will include felting, crochet, embroidery, weaving and beads!

#artistpractice #ceramics #mixedmediaartwork @claygrovepark #lewishamartists #workinprogress

New stock now live! I’m so excited to bring you

New stock now live!

I’m so excited to bring you my new series of wearable art (just in time for Mother’s Day!) - now live on my shop - link in bio.

Until the 31st of March you can also get a 10% discount on an order of a greetings card WITH any other type of item - so do check out my ceramics as well! Just use code GiftCard10 at checkout.

Shop update incoming! Here’s a sneaky peek of

Shop update incoming!

Here’s a sneaky peek of my new cards which will be added to my online shop (link in bio) tomorrow - Wednesday 19th March - along with my woodland inspired brooches and pendants.

Each card is an original ink and watercolour illustration.

There will even be a cheeky 10% discount for anyone purchasing a card and a gift item in the same transaction!

#supportindependentartists #buyhandmade

Putting one thing away before I start playing with

Putting one thing away before I start playing with another has never been my style (as my parents, and now my long suffering husband can confirm!) - I work in what might be called creative chaos, but it’s that which sparks my imagination and drive. I love building layers of texture through combining different crafts and techniques.

My current series combines ceramics, needle felting, crochet, embroidery, beadwork, illustration, and found objects.

I find I lose all sense of time surrounded by so many possibilities and combinations.

As with most of my work I predominantly use supplies which I have found or sourced secondhand - either used, or from other artists selling their stash of unused items (my ceramics work necessarily uses new clay - but as any scraps and failures can be reclaimed and reused I can keep waste to a minimum).

Charity shops have proved a treasure trove of inspiration and materials and I am very lucky to be working with @gracerefugeeaid on #LeeHighRoad breathing new life into items destined for the ragbag or rubbish bin- such as unsaleable fabrics, broken jewellery, damaged books and ephemera, as well as purchasing additional items from the shop floor. Supporting them and allowing me to maintain my commitment to pursuing a zero waste practice.

This piece includes beads and seeds, wool and felt all from @gracerefugeeaid

#mixedmediaartwork #natureart #fungi #lewishamartists

Having a lovely Sunday working on a new piece for

Having a lovely Sunday working on a new piece for my series of works inspired by woodland textures.

I found this glorious piece of bark whilst out on a walk and couldn’t wait to work with it - there is no glue involved in my work - it is all hand stitched and felted in place.

Working on the examples for the upcoming two part

Working on the examples for the upcoming two part course I’ll be teaching for @claygrovepark - we’ll be making ceramic jewellery and exploring imprinting natural objects and underglaze techniques.

Dates and booking details will be released soon!

@groveparkcommunitygroup #communityceramicsclass #lewishamartists #lewishammakers #grovepark

So lucky to be part of an amazing creative communi

So lucky to be part of an amazing creative community in #Lewisham

The wonderful @daisyingdesigns makes the most fabulous fabric pouches, earrings and brooches - we saw a makeup pouch in this fantastic otter fabric at one of her Christmas stalls - now Bookdragon ADORES otters but has zero interest in makeup and as much as she was tempted by the pouch couldn’t work out what she would use it for… so Daisy has made a beautiful pencil case for her plus a bonus badge for her blazer and a delightful pair of earrings for me 🥰

Seriously the attention to detail on the pencil case is outstanding, it is beautifully lined and finished. Definitely give her a follow.

Thank you Daisy!

Happy FriYAY!

#lewishamart #supporthandmadeartists #shoplocal #otters #otterlove

I love flowers in the house - I think it is someth

I love flowers in the house - I think it is something inherited from our Grandma who always had flowers in a vase in the lounge and a small bud vase on the windowsill above the kitchen sink.

There’s something wonderful about being given flowers that arrive half closed or in bud, and then watching them open up over the subsequent days.

I was blown away by my birthday bouquet from my big sister - sometimes we feel terribly far apart (a minimum of 5 hours by train) but right now looking at her flowers and remembering our pink and white grandma I know we’re close really. (Helped along by the fact we actually got to grab a cup of tea together next to the train station as she passed through London!)

Very excited to try my new sculpting tools from @s

Very excited to try my new sculpting tools from @scarvapotterysupplies #xiemtoolsusa - a birthday present from my sister 🥰 she sent me a voucher so I could choose exactly what I wanted and I went for these lovely fine loop tools.

Looking forward to using them for the first time tomorrow at @claygrovepark

I couldn’t be without my tablets, but sometimes

I couldn’t be without my tablets, but sometimes nature really is the best medicine.

My head was a little bit squirly today and I could feel my mood plummeting as the afternoon wore on, so once Bookdragon was home from school we decided that a walk in the last of the sunshine was in order. I feel incredibly lucky to have this on our doorstep.

The ponds in our local park were glorious in the sunset and we saw some friendly faces as several of our neighbours had the same plan.

There’s something magical about about coming home to the warm, with tingling cold cheeks after a walk.

Just home from the breathtaking #Soil exhibition a

Just home from the breathtaking #Soil exhibition at @somersethouse - the perfect birthday gift from Bookdragon & Frog! It was beautiful, mesmerising, informative and thought provoking. I could happily have stayed even longer but they were getting ready to close for the evening. Definitely warrants a second visit.

What is this life if full of care we have no time

What is this life if full of care we have no time to sit and stare

Walking isn’t easy today (cramps and pins and needles in my feet) but luckily sleepy dog is great encouragement to get out and about, and he is happy to sit at every bench to watch the world go by and listen to the birds.

(Don’t worry his main humans take him for long energetic runs twice a day - I’m the bonus company and gentle wander human)

It’s amazing. Yesterday I was all anxious, today

It’s amazing. Yesterday I was all anxious, today I woke up perfectly calm, knowing exactly where my towel is.

Spring has stung! I love my nettle patch in the b

Spring has stung!

I love my nettle patch in the back garden (and yes I DID plant them!) - this is my second harvest of the year for pasta - nettle pesto is a firm favourite here and I try to always have some in the freezer (I make a big batch and then Freeze in individual portions in cupcake cases) - tonight though we’re thinking of going a tad more saucy than pesto. Thinking nettle,basil, pea and cream cheese with some crispy bacon.

And as an added bonus the tingling of the stings to my hands is completely distracting me from the normal fibro aches 🤣

I am no Man! Bring on the Nazgûl 🤣 Happy Wor

I am no Man!

Bring on the Nazgûl 🤣

Happy World Book Day!

We definitely weren’t still tweaking the costume at bedtime last night (!)

❤️📚❤️

This is your friendly reminder to get outside! I

This is your friendly reminder to get outside!

I’ve seen a massive spike in some of my symptoms (cramps, pins and needles, exhaustion) which didn’t feel / respond / resolve like my usual fibro flares so eventually I went to my doctor. Had bloods taken yesterday and results are already back showing a severe vitamin D deficiency.

I thought I get outside a fair bit - but the truth is that when my health conditions play up, I get out less, so vit D drops further, so symptoms worsen - a perfect vicious cycle!

There are other factors involved as well, and us folk on the northern hemisphere would do well to take supplements during the winter months.

I’m off to pick up my prescription supplements and then will be back to crocheting in the garden.

Fellow Fibro / CFS warriors - trust your instincts, not everything can be explained by existing diagnosis. If something feels different then go to your GP. I waited too long as kept saying “just a fibro flare” and have had pretty negative interactions in past. I was fully expecting to be told that all results were “normal” but they weren’t this time. So hopefully a few days on supplements and will see an improvement in symptoms and then will be able to get out more - determined to cycle the other way!

Happy Tuesday! Sleepy Dog and I are making the mo

Happy Tuesday!

Sleepy Dog and I are making the most of the sunshine 😊 despite the heavy frost this morning it is most definitely Spring in the park!

It’s far too glorious a day to be inside - so I

It’s far too glorious a day to be inside - so I am out enjoying the spring sunshine in our back garden working on some ink sketches for some greetings cards.

I have to keep moving my chair as at this time of year our garden gets shady pretty quickly but it’s worth it.

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