Most of my photos look better enlarged - just click on the photo to do this



Wednesday 29 September 2010

Country Living Inspiration

Browsing through this month's CL magazine I loved this article about seasonal inspiration.

I loved the colours - not an orange or a brown in sight so not what you might expect for an autumn source of inspiration at all.

I particularly liked this linocut and thought how lovely it would be as a textile - embroidery or applique or both plus machine embroidery perhaps....? You can see how my mind works!


I noticed how many of the pictures were of umbelliferous plants - I love their shape and form


and how easily they might transform into textile creations.


I was reminded of these wonderful tapestries which I saw a few years ago in France - forgive me if I have shown you these before.



I was, for want of a better word, gobsmacked when I entered the exhibition and saw these amazing creations. The colours were stunning and the sharpness of the designs.....


I was with the patchwork group that I belonged to at that time and many of the ladies didn't like them at all but for me they were wonderful.


See how the designer Dom Robert has also used umbelliferous plants in his designs. Click on the link to see more of his amazing works and for more information about the man himeslf see here although it is in French!


Don't you just love the expressions on the faces of these sheep?!


I leave you with a couple of photos of the last sweepeas. These were picked yesterday when we were able once again to make use of our little table in the garden but only for the main course of our lunch since the clouds came over and the temperature dropped - dessert was taken in the conservatory! Today it's raining.

26 comments:

  1. I've been looking at that article, and then at all the umbels in our garden with new eyes, too! We also have some lotus seed heads following our visit to the gardens this weekend - I see one in your photo there! I like those incredible tapestries too. Thanks for the last sweet peas! We do try with them in France, but they hate our weather...

    ReplyDelete
  2. I am always inspired by Country Living mag too, I keep all my copies like a treasure trove! The tapestries are wonderful - such lively and dynamic design and I do love the sheep! Thank you for the last sweet peas...sigh! Enjoy your days away.
    Helen x

    ReplyDelete
  3. I must get that copy of Country Living. I love the tapestries. It all has a rather 50's design feel, I think. Have sent your lace/ beading so let me know if it doesn't arrive.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Sadly I think I had my least meal al fresco last week too.
    I'm glad I managed a spot of gardening yesterday as it is pouring down here aswell today.
    The fabrics are beautiful aren't they,I whizzed through the pages of my CL to get to the article, I love the retro feel of those cow parsley fabrics.
    x

    ReplyDelete
  5. Sadly, the outdoor garden furniture is being wrapped up in its winter wear.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Oh yes I love them too. I can see what you mean about the lino cut. Do you do that sort of thing? (embroidery etc I mean ) Wish I was clever enough to do stuff like that!
    I love the deep window ledges you have in the UK. They are such a pretty place to put your flowers and other pretty things.
    Sounds like the cold, rainy weather is quickly overtaking you.
    Cheers
    Helen

    ReplyDelete
  7. Lots of lovely images today Jane. I really like the first photo from CL magazine, the colours are gorgeous. The tapestries are very beautiful.
    Lucky you still with some sweetpea, mine is long gone!
    Vivienne x

    ReplyDelete
  8. What's not to like about those fabulous tapestries/embroideries? They are absolutely beautiful.

    Whilst I take Violet to Rhythm Time this afternoon, I'm gonna send the other half to the shops to get me a copy of the CL magazine - it looks right up my street.

    BTW - those images remind me of a blogspot I visit. Perhaps you'd like it to:
    allthingsconsidered.co.uk

    Jill x

    ReplyDelete
  9. I thought the same when I read it Jane. Thank you so mcuh for my beautiful knitted heart and seeds - I am so thrilled with them. The heart is already hanging by my bed! x

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hi Jane, CL is one of my favourite magazines, and like you they are a source of inspiration to me.

    I just love the umbels, and have a garden full of them. They are wonderful to photograph, as they make a very clean statement.

    Tapestries are beautiful.......I can't imagine who could dislike them.

    ReplyDelete
  11. The tapestries are beautiful - very full of different things and colours.
    Your Sweetpeas have been lovely this year. I took your lovely needlecase to school today to show my friends ... they were very jealous!
    Lucy xxxxxx

    ReplyDelete
  12. oohh that is certainly inspiration - thanks. Sweetpeas - mine have all gone and I miss them already :-(

    ReplyDelete
  13. Hi Jane
    I noticed that linocut in particular in Country Living too. I have an allium seedhead ready to spray silver as a Christmas decoration, a suggestion I got from Sarah Raven's catalogue, which you also pointed me in the direction of in a previous post. Shame I didn't read it a couple of weeks previously when our next door neighbours dead-headed all of theirs!
    Dan
    -x-

    ReplyDelete
  14. Those tapestries are so vibrant Jane. I really like their vivid colour and strong graphic design. Like Helen, I've subscribed to CL for nearly 10 years now and still have every copy. For some reason I just can't bear to get rid of them. At least once a year on a rainy day I get them all out on the floor and spend hours poring over the pages.... bliss! Lesley xx

    ReplyDelete
  15. Sorry Jane, I meant to ask when the tapestries were made? I love them, especially the sheep!!!

    ReplyDelete
  16. How lovely that you still have sweetpeas in the garden!
    Those tapestries are quite amazing, I would have enjoyed seeing them in real life as well.

    ReplyDelete
  17. I'm constantly inspired by what C&L has to offer and the curtain fabric in that first photo is my favourite. Love those tapestries too, especially the roosters with the poppies.

    ReplyDelete
  18. I recognise Angie Lewin's work in your second pic. She was was an inspiration for my little ATC give-aways and some needle-felts last January. Looks like you've sold me a copy of this month's CL.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Another lovely post. I was suprised and delighted to find my curtains, Dandelion Clocks, in the magazine article, I love them and they cheer me up everyday. My garden seems to be full of fennel and has lovely seed heads, had a few angelica and alliums as well but the rain seems to have finished those off. Those seedhead designs make me itch to embroider!

    ReplyDelete
  20. Thank you for my knitted heart and the other gifts, so very beautifully crafted and appreciated when I got in from work tired and frazzled! Lovely Country Living article by the looks of things. I would have loved to have seen those tapestries in real life if the photos are anything to go by. Enjoy your days away...

    ReplyDelete
  21. Oh I do so love Sweetpeas! I can almost smell their sweet perfume. The colours are always so dreamy.
    Lovely Tapestries.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Everything stops on the day CL is delivered! I'm a huge Angie Lewin fan and this issue was bliss for me. Unlike Lesley, I restrict myself to keeping just two or three years worth! I just love those sheep in the bottom postcard photo.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Great inspiration in CL. I love umbel type flowers too, they look so delicate and pretty!

    Your sweetpeas are gorgeous too! :) x

    ReplyDelete
  24. What a wonderful collection of inspiration and beautiful sweet peas!

    ReplyDelete
  25. Just stopping by to say 'hello'. Hope you're keeping well.

    ReplyDelete
  26. What an inspiring blog post Jane.....such beautiful images.
    Like many others here, I also have a huge collection of CL magazines. They seem to provide inspiration for artists as much as for country lovers!

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for visiting and I hope you have found what you read of interest. Do please leave a comment as I love to hear what you think.