Busy weekend

What a busy weekend! Friday night we went to Derbyshire to Roberts sisters surprise 50th birthday party. I think she was surprised and enjoyed it, it was a good night. It was back to work Saturday and was late home after shopping.

It was an early start Sunday as it was off to Oxton for a work shop with the Future concepts group which I am member. We meet 5 times a year and it usually a work shop but we also have demonstration. This weekend our tutor was Marie-Francoise DEPREZ from France http://www.jeuxdefleurs.org/ jeuxdefleurs@wanadoo.fr We received the requirements list the week before and it was very interesting.Typha leaves (the leaves from the bull rush) chicken wire and a pin holder. the second design was for zea mais leaves (leaves from the corn on the cob).

When we arrived all the designs she had done for us were all secretly under tissue paper making it very mysterious. When you get the things together you try to imagine what you are going to make my image was nothing like the designs Marie had come to teach us. The long Typha leaves were layed on a sheet of cardboard and shredded with the pin holder from the root end leaving two inches unshredded. this end was used to weave through the chicken wire. We cut out the desired shape from the chicken wire and wove the shredded grass in and out under and over covering the wire. We were asked to bring a modern container, I took my rusty tall vase shape container one of my favourites. After playing with my shapes I had made I finished my design with two lovely orange Gerbera.

It is always amazing how we all design such different styles not one was the same. I never got time to use the corn leaves but will try to make time at home to have a go. below are some of the designs from Marie.

This design was made with the corn leaves. Using double sided tape on a cardboard shape the leaves were layered closely on top of one another to give a ripple appearance. Then rolling the leaves the rose shape were made with just a touch of colour using two Gerber's
This design made use of the long leaves by pining them together vertically and forming a shape on the top. Held up by the pin holder with just three sun flowers finished off with a circle of the reed grass simple but stylish. We had a great day and Maire was a great teacher very helpful and patent's and very inspirational. Her new book has unique great designs. The class was over to quickly and after lining up all our work she took time to look at each one and give her opinion and with some changes we could see what a difference she could make.