Finnabair Road Trip - 25th/26th Feb

Well, as Finnabair couldn't get to the Midlands this year I just had to travel south to get to her!

No hardship, of course

Three nights in a gorgeous guest house

(which turned out to be absolutely perfect for us)

and meeting an FB friend for the first time and becoming instant friends on the spot
(thanks for your company and the laughter Debbie Hawke-Wareham)

then spending two full days doing four projects with Finnabair - the truly inspiring and just plain delightful Anna Dabrowska

First project Saturday morning was 

LAYERS OF DREAMS

Layers and layers of papers and lace, gauze and fabric with the odd metal accent 

Just wish I had not used pink

I do struggle with pink 

but was determined NOT to fall back on my over-used colours of browns, greens & blues

Second project on Saturday afternoon was

BEAUTY AND THE BEADS

have done this workshop twice before but always keen to learn more

wasn't overly happy with this one and the crooked piece of lace at the top is annoying me greatly

but (and here's progress folks! ...)

IT IS WHAT IT IS!!!!!!

and I can live with it

The friend I met for the first time gave me a bunch of old keys

so as a reminder of our wonderful weekend and the forging of a new friendship

I used one on this piece

(it is sticking out towards the lower left hand side)

Back to my favourite colours ... was never going to use pink on this one

Sunday morning saw me doing another workshop I have done before

BOOK OF RUST

but, being totally addicted to Finnabair's rust paste

I had no hesitation doing it again

All of Finn's projects have a back-story to them

this one is that you come across an old abandoned book in the loft or the cellar 

and it has been attacked by the damp and nibbled by bugs and looks very much the worse for wear

 Needless to say, that really appeals to me

being a bit weather-worn and battered myself

Final project on Sunday afternoon (and into the evening!) was

DAYDREAMER

We were supposed to take along a photograph

but we were not told this and being 133 miles from home there was little I could do to get one

but am really quite pleased

as it meant I got to use one of Finn herself

far happier having her beautiful face on my wall than my ugly mug

Asked for advice from her as to the composition - as it was very different to her sample and demo piece

I loved the new-to-me techniques of this one and will definitely use them on future projects

So, another fabulous four workshops, a super road-trip to Christchurch stopping off in Ludgershall on the way home for cuddles & coffee with my dear friend Julia

Just wish I could do it all over again ...

and again ...

and again!