Peer Pressure

Well, not really peer pressure, just the pressure to have something to be doing when friends get together for a creative day.
So I searched for hours yesterday, trying to remember where I had seen the various bits and pieces I wanted, where I had put them when we packed up for the start of the renovations.
I eventually found as much as I needed (I hoped) and packed the car.
I had some photos I took recently, of a spectacular sunset nearby.

I had lots of them, the sky just kept on being beautiful and changing quite quickly. It was hard to choose which one to focus on. In the end, I chose a couple and will try to work out how to use them as inspiration.

I had decided to have a go at a piece similar to one I did at the Alison Holt workshop. Except it is not the same sort of image and I will have to make some of it up as I go.

So I got out the silk and paints and the gutta and had a go today.

What did I learn?
That I probably should have used a thinner nib for the gutta, the outlines of the buildings on the skyline are much too thick and the dye doesn't extend enough.
That maybe I should not have used the gutta in the sky.
But it was a day for experimenting and I may be able to change some of it when I get around to sewing it. I will have to look up my notes and see if they were helpful. The last workshop was for reflections in water and the amount of painted silk that you do not sew on is clearly there. I'm not too sure what I will sew and what I will leave as just painted silk, if any.
There are lots of examples on Alison's website, it the gallery, so I will have a closer look before I start playing around.

It doesn't really matter how it turns out, at least I did some creative work today. And I hope to do some more in the near future.
But there is still a fair bit of tidying up that needs to be doing. And sorting and throwing out. I'll try to fit in some creating as well.