This afternoon I felted a couple of samples to bring with me on my upcoming trip to the US and it made me realise how funny it is the way things sometimes pan out. Initially I had a total blank in relation to an exhibition vessel I'd been planning for ever and intended starting today, being at my studio in Duckett's grove for the day I knew that I needed to stop over analyzing and begin to make something regardless of what, otherwise I would never get anything done and would finish up feeling cross and totally frustrated. I decided to felt a couple of balls to get a feel for the wool (my hands were cold!), moved on to a tube and suddenly realised I could utilize both the finished tube and balls in a couple of samples I needed to make anyway to bring with me on my travels. Now that these are felted I've had a more realistic idea for the vessel, all is well now and I'll start laying it out on Tuesday. I'm not sure about everyone else but I find that if I'm totally overwhelmed and my brain is swimming with ideas I never get anything done, the act of laying out wool and just starting to felt is one of the only ways I know to get past this hurdle!
I'll leave you this evening with some botanical inspiration, beautiful purple flushed white violets and ferns with penny royal. Both these images of botanical inspiration were photographed whilst walking with Rex (and his visiting companion Penny!) up the lane on Friday, spring may finally be arriving!
Posted by Nicola Brown – I feel, I find, I felt
Nicola Brown Fine Art Textiles 
I absolutely agree that laying out wool is the best way to focus both the mind and the creative energies!
Love the spring images…we just finished with a blizzard late last week. I’m not even sure I remember what green looks like.
Anne Fischer
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I get just the same Nicola.. it’s like creative constipation. Very frustrating. I’m glad you have gotten past it x
Ditto! It seems to be an occupational hazard, and we all know that if we can just get on with SOMETHING it might lead to the something we’ve been agonizing over for hours, days or even weeks. We still put ourselves through the torture though, every time!! Glad we’re all in the same boat.