Webcam on Swallows Nest

Well John Mc Keown has just sent me a link to the webcam which he has on a swallows nest in his garden shed. What a lovely surprise to get on a friday evening! What beauty and thanks for sharing it John.  Click here to view the swallows nest.

Swallow Studios Evening Classes

We are just over half way into our spring series of evening craft classes at Swallow Studios and I must say I am really enjoying them. Colette teaches feltmaking on Tuesday, I teach tapestry weaving on Wednesday and Louise teaches silk-painting on Thursdays.  And that is what has spured me to get blogging about it tonight.

Being a weaver I generally work with ’straight lines’ on the loom which I do love,  but oh how participating in the classes is freeing and encouraging my creative juices in other directions. I just love the felting, still working with fibre but it is so different. And tonight I painted in a very loose and free way and that is just a great feeling, .  For me doing these classes is about having some fun in what is my daily work environment, and I think the other participants are enjoying it too.   And teaching the class in tapestry weaving has re-introduced me to a weaving technique that really lends itself to experimentation,  so once again I am enjoying it, the teaching as much as learning!

I must sign off now but next week I am planning to take some pics of what we have been up to here in the evenings at Swallow Studios so watch this space.

Nite nite

Liz

An Irish Woolly Jumper!

I recently decided to take my LizzyC Sheep Brooches a step further and develop them into a range of greeting cards which I could sell on the internet.  So yesterday I sat perched in the sun armed with my watercolours and brushes and set about designing my first card, aptly named “An Irish Woolly Jumper”.  Each card has a magical little sheep brooch attached.

So you can take a look  on the website and I’d love to hear what you think of it!

New Celtic Tweed Collection on Website

Hi, at long last I have  got around to getting my new ‘award winning’ collection of handweaves up onto my website today,  and you can take a look by clicking  on Celtic Tweed Collection.

Designed with the next Autumn Winter season in mind, somehow today seemed like the day to do the work!  It is mighty cold and blustery here, and May or not, I will be wrapping up when heading out into it

Celtic Tweed Wrap by Liz Christy

Celtic Tweed Collection

Sat Nav co-ordinates for Swallow Studios

To find Swallow Studios on your SAT NAV the GPS co-ordinates are as follows:

N 54* 09. 922′

W 006* 47.800′

Craft Classes at Swallow Studios

Swallow Studios

Craft Classes for Spring 2009

Annyalla, Castleblayney. 042 9746614

 

5 Week Course in Felting

Learn various felting techniques including

Japanese ‘Nuno’ felting.  Experiment with fusing fibres

and have something nice to bring home!

 

Starts Tuesday 5^th May. 7.30pm – 9.30pm for 5 weeks

 

Cost €120 – materials supplied.

 

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5 Week Course in Frame Weaving

Learn how to hand-weave a tapestry on a simple frame.

Make and have a finished piece with a spring theme.

 

Starts Wednesday 6^th May. 7.30pm – 9.30pm for 5 weeks

 

Cost €120 – materials supplied

 

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5 Week Course in The Art of Painting on Silk

Learn the techniques of painting on silk.

Develop your own individual painting style.

 

Starts Thursday 14^th May.7.30pm – 9.30pm for 5 weeks

 

Cost €120 – materials supplied

 

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Numbers limited and deposit required to guarantee place.

Please call to Swallow Studios

or phone Liz at 042 9746614 to book your place.

 

New Blog for Sulis Art and Craft Collective

Sulis Art & Craft Collective set up it’s very own blog site !

I choose to write in this lively colour today because it is the colour of Elaines hair, the first thing that struck me when I met her in the Sulis Design Center last year. Elaine is the manager of our project and we are all indebted to her for her vision and hard work in making the project a reality.

I do not calim to be an expert in blogging by any stretch of the imagination, but I offered to share my little bit of knowledge.  So off we went and set up the blog.  I am hoping that all ten artists will contribute and interact with eachother and the world wide web via our blog.  So to practice what I preached, I am going to add the Sulis Blog to my blogroll and get things moving!  And I am inviting all you Suliseens to get blogging and spread the word.

There are ten ‘crazy artisans’ in the group….and we say crazy ’cause of the economic times during which we choose to set up our collective gallery in Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan.  But hey we are creative people, why would be sit back and let the ecomonic woes of the world swamp us?

Louise Loughman Art on Silk

Louise Loughman launches her online shop with Etsy.com

Visit www.ArtonSilkbyLouise.etsy.com to see Louise’s new online store where she is showing her beautiful silk wallhangings.   She draws her inspiration from The Book of Kells and Celtic myth and legend. She also works to commission and has created beautiful artworks based on Irish Castles and heritage buildings.

Launching LizzyC Collection on www.lizchristy.com

“LizzyC” Collectibles are now launched on my website, www.lizchristy.com , check it out!

I have made a selection of fun  sheep brooches and keyrings based on those woolly little girls of the Irish landscape.  There are the very cute white ones. And of course,  as I love the colours of the rainbow, I didn’t stay making only white sheep for long!  So now we have multicoloured flocks roaming the drumlin countryside around Swallow Studios!

 

A flock of LizzyC girls in the daffodil forest!

 

LizzyC multicoloured flock!

LizzyC Sheep are available to buy directly from my website  using paypal, and I will mail worldwide. 

They are available in County Monaghan at Sulis Art & Craft Gallery in Carrickmacross and of course here at Swallow Studios in Annayalla, Castleblayney.

And around the country they are stocked at Joyce’s Crafts in Connemara, Adrigole Arts on the Beara Penninsula, Glengarriff Handcraft Center, Bunratty Weavers in the Folkpark, Bushmills Crafts in the center of Bushmills town,  An Tearmann in Kilcullen, Forget-me-Not in Donegal and the list of stockists is growing….

Meet The Maker at Louth Craftmark

Hi, I’d like to let you know about our ‘Meet the Maker Day’ which we are having on March 7th, at Louth Craftmark in the Highlanes Gallery in Drogheda.  The event will close the program for Enterprise Week 2009 in County Louth, and will take place from 10am to 6pm on Saturday March 7th.

Ask the makers about the processes involved in creating their work.

Find out information on learning a new skill.

Commission a special piece of Irish Craft.

Or avail of this opportunity to snap up a special, handcrafted bargain, directly from one of the makers, on the ONE DAY ONLY event!

This unique and interesting day will provide visitors with the opportunity to meet the enterprising designers and crafts people from Co Louth and the border counties, who not only showcase their work through Louth Craftmark, but who also make a living in a very creative and resourceful way, in the craft sector in Ireland. 

 I will be there along with many of the makers to chat about our craftwork and there will be plenty of specials on the day. Hope to see you there!

Liz 

 Handwoven By Liz Christy

Swallow Studios Art & Craft Gallery,

Annayalla, Castleblayney, Co. Monaghan, Ireland

Tel: +353 (0)42 9746614 Fax: +353 (0)42 9746619

E.mail: info@lizchristy.com www.lizchristy.com

Swallow Studios Open Mon-Fri 10am – 6pm

Weekends by Appointment 087 6821563