Architectural Elements

Visiting St Petersburg is like walking into an enchantment. The architecture is in a grand style with ornate Baroque carvings, soft and vibrant colours, unusual ornaments, all manner of statues erected on the rooftops and embellished on the walls. 

The skyline is rife with guilded domes and spires. There are pillars and columned arches, wide streets criss crossed by the many bridges, large and small. The rippling water everywhere providing the perfect contrast to the still stone. 

Spectacularly stunning,  piercingly beautiful. A textile artist could not fail to be inspired. Words fail, so I will let the pictures talk.

Emily, Kanako san and Gadzhi Kadiev

JUKI Corporation brings together Emily and Martha from England, Kanako san from Japan and Gadzhi Kadiev from Russia to promote the new JUKI QVP2200 long arm quilting machine in St Petersburg.

Blossom

Source: polarbearstale.blogspot.co.uk via Martha on Pinterest

After the longest winter in 50 years, the warmer weather is a balm to my soul. Now there is blossom everywhere. It's almost as if after all the weeks of waiting everything decided to come out all at once.

Peter's pear tree blossom

Ellie's ornamental cherry blossom

Rosie's apple tree blossom

the view over the fields from Ellie's window

 After all the waiting, spring seems in such a hurry to run into summer. All we need is one gusty storm and all the lovely blossom will blow away. The photos capture the fleeting moment, holding the image still enough to re-create in textiles. My blossom pinterest board will keep the images fresh the year long.