Saturday 21 June 2014

Hilary B has not been talking and very much apologises .. plus stuff


I fear I have been quiet for several weeks - a rare occurrence, some might even say a blessing. I have (as always) been very busy .. but I've also had a few health issues to deal with .. which have pre-occupied my mind a smidge. Theses culminated last week in an appointment with a very nice Cardiologist and an  ECG. This story does not have any pretty pictures to go with it .. so we will have to just add random ones in .. like this .. some beautiful Gerbera I treated myself to ... as therapy ...
so back to the ECG .. well it turns out I have cardiac arrhythmias caused by Premature Ventricular Contractions. For anyone who wants to know more about those .. here's the Wikipedia link!
For the rest of us - enough to know that these could have been caused by many factors .. probably too much work and adrenaline .. but are not deadly .. so I shall be sensible and look after myself a bit better ... job done.
Thank you for all messages of love - all much appreciated - I am truly blessed with my friends.
This has meant I have had to cut back quite a lot of my workload - including some workshops. I am now fully booked until mid 2016 as far as workshops go .. and will be looking at what to do in the future. I shall continue teaching at the Bramble Patch, where I have a two day silhouette workshop coming up in October, which still has some spaces.  I am also re-running the full years worth of Make it \personal workshops next year at the bramble patch too.. These will be two days every two months again and are suitable for new students and beginners as well as those who have already done a year with me and might wish to continue developing their work. These are now on the Bramble Patch website for booking - here is a link ...
Time for another picture I think .. here are Dixter and Sean helping out with some dyeing in the garden and some of the resultant cloth ..
 
 
I am still running the summer schools at Redditch .. the first one is full, but there are a couple of places  come free on the second one, 29/30 September and 1 October. All the details are in an earlier blog - or in the website shop, together with booking .. another link
I am also teaching two one day workshops using gelli plates at both the Ally Pally and Harrogate Knitting and Stitching shows. Wendy Gardiner was very good in allowing me to have whole days for these - so I hope you will come! I know I already have one student en-route from New Zealand .. that is what I call loyalty! These will coincide with the publication of my next book 'The Gentle Art of Gelliping' ... this is a working title, but I love it so much, I think it may stay. This will be in conjunction with Art van Go and will hopefully encourage you to use your gelli plate in some very different ways, to maximise its potential and achieve unique and personal results. You will hear more about this no doubt in the next couple of months. I am very excited .. but then again .. what's new!!
Make it Personal Book 2 will be on a theme of Coast and I really hope to have it done for the Harrogate Knitting and Stitching show .. I will report on progress.
Talking of beach - I have been a couple of times in the last weeks - no-where else revives in quite the way the sea does. And I have been collecting treasure (of course) ... these are in the utility sink

 
Got into trouble for that ... even when I am ILL .. so had to move them to a bucket

 
and I now intend to go and do some seaweed and shell gelliping .. both for the book and also for two other exhibitions I am preparing for ..
 
Art Textiles: Made in Britain are having their inaugural gallery at Festival of Quilts this year and our theme is 'Identity'. One of my pieces deals with how I have managed my long standing issue of chronic depression and worked out how to still live a full life alongside the beast. As the sea is so much part of this maintenance of health .. I want some small pieces and images for that. I am also preparing a large exhibition with Stephanie Redfern, which is called 'Sanctuary' and which will open at the Minerva gallery next summer. Again - the coast is an obvious tie in for me here .. so coastal gelliping is definitely in order.  Here are some previously printed cloths which will also be used - together with more treasures .. and you can bet some of them will also be getting involved too

 
Golly - I am rubbish at brief aren't I?? I do apologise of this seems a bit of a dull, serious post .. I just wanted to re-assure and bring up to date. I have let everybody know now, where I have had to cancel anything .. so if you haven't heard form me - don't worry, it is still happening!
I'm of to gellip in the sunshine now .. which will no doubt help restore my spirits .. and will be back soon with masses of student work and hopefully my usual bonhomie. Thank you for visiting - Hilary xx

19 comments:

  1. So pleased to hear that it is something contollable. just take the pills and carry on. Slowing down a bit as you are will also help. :-)

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    1. HI Dorothy .. sorry not to reply earlier .. been ousted from my own blog - no idea why .. any way here now .. yes - imminently controllable with just a bit if common sense .. hmmmm!! xx

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  2. So pleased to hear that you are fine health wise, though I must say that you don't sound as if you are slowing down very much! Look after yourselfxxxx

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    1. Hi Annie - as above .. sorry not to reply earlier .. been ousted from my own blog - no idea why .. any way here now .. I know I still have a lot on ... hence the need for my body to tell me firmly to drop the rest! A timely warning and I will heed it xx

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  3. That was a lovely post pictorially - but worrying about you health-wise. I hope you are okay. My daughter had cardiac problems at the end of her pregnancy and there is so much they know, and can do, these days. I am never one to say 'in the good old days' because I know that there is so much to be grateful for in these Sci Fi times we live in, and medicine is one of them. I look forward to seeing you at FoQ and this week I have been mostly listening to Cilla Black!!

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    1. Hi Gierge .. as both above .. sorry not to reply earlier .. been ousted from my own blog - no idea why .. any way here now .. aaaah .. Cilla - another classic. I am fine now - and have taken note of the need to take on less - a useful lesson for me. Cant wait until FOQ and indeed next summers summer school .. and I have been mostly listening to 10,000 Maniacs!! xx

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  4. Listen to great granny again! So pleased to hear you are OK, but you are human & working like a textile goddess may not be wise. Glad to hear you are 'pacing' yourself, but still sounds like mountains to me. xxx

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    1. Hi JJ - as all above .. sorry not to reply earlier .. been ousted from my own blog - no idea why .. any way here now .. and I definitely cannot ignore words of wisdom for a Great Granny can I?? - I'll be good I promise xx

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  5. Please do take care of yourself.....it's difficult to admit...but overwork and stress are killers....... From somebody who too struggles with health issues and try to ignore them!!!

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    1. Hi Mary .. and again - as above .. sorry not to reply earlier .. been ousted from my own blog - no idea why .. we all do it I think when we are so driven with a passion for what we do. But yes stress is a killer and it is good to be reminded of that sometimes - and to take note, which I have! - thank, you for your thoughts xx

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  6. Beautiful lady .. health before everything ... we love you for who you are not just what you do! Hope you get some Mrs B time soon xx

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    1. Hi lovely Norah .. once more as above .. sorry not to reply earlier .. been ousted from my own blog - could only happen to me. Thank you for that, it means a lot .. have just had 2 hours pf Mrs B time in the garden .. I have so missed that and will be making time for it now xx

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  7. Great to know what you're dealing with, now go & listen to the nice doctor ;)

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    1. Hi Emma - as above .. sorry not to reply earlier .. blog banned me?? - anyway - I have reregistered myself and am here again .. Stephen tells me to do just that every night .. so I shall have no choice - worry not xx

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  8. Hi Hilary
    I am so sorry to hear of your health issues and how it is going to impact on your life - although I am staggered by your 'slowing down' list! I have often wondered how you cope with your depression and get through the quantity of work that you do, both in teaching and in your personal art.
    Just over a year ago I had an accident from which I have not recovered and has resulted in ME, so I truly know what it means to be stopped in my tracks and suddenly be unable to live my normal life. It takes time to adjust (I'm still working on it) but I wish you well in finding a slightly slower pace that works well for your body and soul.

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    1. Hi Hilary .. as above .. sorry not to reply earlier .. been ousted from my own blog - just typical. I am so sorry to hear about your ME - a very difficult illness to both treat and manage. Managin my depression is the king pin upon which my ability to do all else depends .. and it has taken me a lot of years to fine tune my life so I can do what I do now. One day we will sit down and I'll tell you all about it and vice versa. Truthfully - if my heart hadn't decided to stop me this time - the depression would have done if I hadn't slowed down and found some balance. I find what I do so exciting, it is hard to stop and take down time - but I am doing .. and I know will feel better for it. Hope to see you at FOQ? xx

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  9. Hi Hilary
    So pleased that the health issues are being resolved - waiting for results is always worrying - fear of the unknown I suppose.
    Looking forward to Ally Pally and Gelliping, 'loyalty is my middle name'.
    See you in October. In the meantime, keep well.
    Jean

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    1. HI Jean - as with everyone else .. sorry not to reply earlier .. been ousted from my own blog - no idea why .. any way here now .. I am SO delighted you are coming over to Ally Pally and to the workshop .. will make sure to bring an onion or two! Will make sure it is your best year ever xx

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  10. Hilary, I LOVE your studio, and I love that it spills out into the garden! I have purchased your 'Make it Personal book one' (love it too!) and can't wait for your next one, but would be happy to wait if it means you are relaxing a bit!!! Take good care Really wish I lived closer...that big ocean really gets in the way!

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