But somebody has to do it.

Today started with an early wake up call at 5.30am, a quick cup of coffee and check of e-mails before heading off to Inverness in Mungo.  I drove down on my own today, leaving Stevan behind in peace and quiet for the day. It really wouldn't have been his type of fun today, and those who know him know he'd rather "stab himself in the leg with a fork"  than sit through the presentations I was lucky enough to be invited to attend.

But before I reached Inverness I couldn't resist stopping alongside Loch Glascarnoch just as the sun was coming up to take a couple of photographs:





Then it was on over the Kessock Bridge and then on to a hotel just on the outskirts to this:












A trend and design workshop being run by Anne Ritchie.   I attended her workshop last year, and found it very helpful.  As I think I said last year, those who know me know I am not a slave to fashion (by any stretch of the imagination) but it is helpful exploring the trends for the following year just to see if I can incorporate the colour trends into my own work.  And it seems I already do.   This sock yarn:



is right on trend for Spring 2012!  However I'll have to change the name as I had called it "Spring into 2011" but I'm a year ahead of myself, or rather of the trends.

This afternoon we had a go at creating our own mood boards according to the colour stories for 2012.  I found this quite difficult.  I've never done any kind of art or design course where this sort of thing is fairly standard, and I found it quite hard to mobilise my thoughts into any kind of rational order, but perhaps that is the point.  And it certainly got me looking at colour in a different way and gave me lots of ideas to bring home and try out.   The workshop was organised and sponsored by Upper Quartile.

IMPORTANT NEWS:

All the way to Inverness this morning, and then all the way home again, the news was full of the dreadful earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand.  And by sheer coincidence when I arrived home I found a parcel waiting for me containing a beautiful hand knitted shawl knitted by Jill who lives in New Zealand.  She had very kindly sent it to me to use as a display item at shows.   However I couldn't stop thinking about the happenings in Christchurch in the last 24 hours, and so after talking to Jill and getting her agreement I have decided to get together a package of goodies, including the beautiful Brandywine shawl knitted by Jill and then either auctioning the package or having a raffle to raise money for the Red Cross in New Zealand.

Perhaps you could leave a comment saying which you think is a better idea - an auction or a raffle.   I will work on putting together a package and tomorrow I will photograph Jill's beautiful work to show you.