The secret gallery’s blog

A while ago, I made two paper Poppy seed heads and put some of James’ Juniper berries inside of them, so when they are rotated they make a sound like pebbles being dragged by the tide. After several weeks in the west of Clare, the juniper berries had started to soften and the paper was not so crispy, so the rolling berries made little sound! It was time to be plunged into hot wax, minus berries. Now they hold their shape and are slightly transparent when the light shines through them. I put some of the wax in it’s bead form inside the heads, it makes a great sound!

Last night, I started stitching a new one, it was made with firmer brown paper and I reckoned that some stitching would work instead of wax. I died the white thread with some liquid blusher, another one has lipstick on it! (the nearest one in the photograph). Another Artist who uses stitching in her work is Kirsty Hall and I would really recommend you having a look at her inspiring and informative sight.

The holes that the needle make when I stitch look like little stars when You look through them towards the light! I like to be playful and experimental with my sewing. Before I started stitching I had just been outside and looked up at the stars and they were amazing! Then I looked down at the ground and the line of shells along the garden path had been scattered into a very star-like Milky Way!