Liz Cooksey at Creative Thread Workshops

Examples - Liz Cooksey

The most recent workshop I attended was taken by Liz Cooksey as part of the Creative Thread Workshops programme organised by Linda Robinson in Garstang, Lancashire.  Liz is a textile artist producing mixed media framed and 3D pieces inspired by the natural environment.  Working with wire, crochet, paper, textiles and stitch, Liz creates beautiful natural forms.

Examples of Liz Cooksey's work

Liz Cooksey

Liz Cooksey - 3D Flowers & Leaves

Liz Cooksey - Detail with Hare

Liz Cooksey - detail

To start, we were given a pack of wire forms and could choose fabric, paper and threads from Liz's stash...

Starting point

Fabrics & threads to choose from

Liz had lots of examples of her work and the elements that they were made from for us to look at.  Her instructions were clear and we were soon busy making our own elements.

Examples - Liz Cooksey

Examples - Liz Cooksey

Examples - Liz Cooksey

We spent the morning and some of the afternoon making these elements.  Here's what I came up with...

My elements

It was then time to select the elements we wanted to use in our final piece.  Linda provided some excellent cake for us to munch while deciding and Liz gave us various options for putting them together.  Here's mine...

My Finished Piece

It was great to see everyone's pieces at the end of the day.  They all turned out to be wonderful...

Workshop participants work

Workshop participants work

Thanks to Liz for a great workshop and Linda for the fab cake!

Wyre Aqueduct & Lancaster Canal

Garstang is a pretty little place with some pleasant walks along the River Wyre and the Lancaster Canal.  Being a bit of a bridge fanatic I wandered along to have a look at the aqueduct.  Altogether it was a lovely day!

Miniature Magic Gardens & More at Bloom! York - Part 3

Carr Junior School

The recent Bloom! festival in York, from the 5-8 July 2018, celebrated the 250th anniversary of the Ancient Society of York Florists - who have held an annual horticultural show since 1768. As part of the festival, local primary schools exhibited miniature magic gardens that they had created in wheelbarrows.  Thirty schools entered.  The miniature gardens were very colourful and great fun.  Here are a some of the entrants...

Elvington Primary School

Carr Infant School

Yearsley Grove Primary School

Our Lady, Queen of Martyrs RC Primary School

Bootham Junior School

Clifton Green Primary School

St Aelred's RC Primary School

Fishergate Fairy Fun - Forest School

The Ancient Society of York Florists held their summer show in Parliament Street. 

Prizewining arrangements

There were some fabulous floral arrangements and vegetables too (sorry, no veg pics).

Vase Arrangements

The Society commissioned Emily Sutton to design a commemorative mug to mark their 250th anniversary.  What could be better than Yorkshire tea in such a fab mug!

Yorkshire Tea in an Ancient Society of York Florists Mug

Bloom! has been a great festival - a big thank you to all the organisers and all the contributors!


 

More about Bloom! York 2018 - Part 2

Sitting in the flower seat outside Bill's in York

Bloom! from 5-8 July 2018 was a great success.  To celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Ancient Society of York Florists there was  a floral explosion in the city with flowers and gardens appearing everywhere.  Here are some pics to give you a flavour...

Grand Hotel display

Detail from Grand Hotel display

Exhibition Square

Elizabethan Garden at the Rose Theatre

Betty's window

Detail from Betty's window

Davygate

One of Crabtree & Evelyn's windows

Coppergate

Pop-up tipi bar SÓL ÁST in Dean's Park

Fancy Dance Studio window

Browns window

Dean Court Hotel window boxes

The Ivy

Lotte Inch's window

St Helen's Square

St Martin Le Grand

Theatre Royal

Treasurer's House

Upside Down Design

The Yorkshire Soap Co.

The Mansion House

Pyramid Gallery

Flowers in the Minster

St Helens Church Flowers

And of course it wasn't just going on in the city centre.  Take a look at Bishopthorpe Road...

Bloomin' Lovely Bishy Road

  
You have till Monday 16 July at midday to vote for your favourite in the Bloom! Window Dressing Competition!  Click here to vote. 

Thanks to everyone involved with Bloom! - it's been bloomin' marvellous!  And the final installment of my Bloom! blogs is coming soon - Miniature Magic Gardens & More.