Over the past year, the members of Studio Inspirations have continued our weekly meetings focusing on inspiring each other through challenges, discussions, critiques and good cheer. Most of these meetings consist of a brief business meeting, followed by a show and discussion of current works-in-progress. Drawing or design exercises have long been included in the days' proceedings.

This year the exercises have been taken from the books Spirit of Color and The Artist Muse. We've been encouraging one another to take these designs and drawings from paper to stitch and many interesting pieces have resulted.

On a fairly regular basis, Penni Caffery presents the group with a challenge. These may be small pieces - postcard size is the norm, but there are no size restrictions. Members take part as their time and interest allow. Past challenges have included a mystery picture as inspiration and the use of our least favourite colour. For our latest challenge, we were given a package of 20 novelty yarns which are the only threads we can use in our piece.

We also include outings in our programme, and in the past some of these have included a visit to the Museum of Nature where we saw some fantastic moth photographs, a visit to the War Museum for an exhibit on the "Art of Camouflage", and a walking tour of Lower Town with cameras in hand. Many of the pictures that were taken may appear later in our work. Several individuals are taking classes in painting, photography, fabric dying and calligraphy from which the group has also benefited.

Studio Inspirations held a group show, "TNT", in May/June of 2010 at Art Mad in Stittsville. Thirty pieces were on display. We also held informal workshops at the gallery on the Sunday afternoons. Three pieces were sold as a result of this show.

Three of our members Heather Moore, Helen Gordon and Susan Bicket were invited to show some of their works at the Stittsville Public Library in October 2010. A total of 15 pieces were displayed there.

Cindy Jackson was one of the Featured Textile Artists interviewed by the World of Threads Festival. She participated with Merydie Fjarlie in a show titled "Vessel, more than just a bowl for cherries" at the Mary E. Black Gallery in Halifax at the Nova Scotia Centre for Crafts and Design, March 4 to April 17, 2011.

Cindy currently has a solo show "Inherit, Inform, Inspire" at the Mississippi Valley Textile Museum in Almonte, May 4 to July 10.

Pat Caffery taught "Wonder of the Deep" in Sault Ste Marie in April 2011. This is a piece that combines traditional embroidery techniques including Stumpwork with silk paper making, fabric dyeing and constructing a textural background.

More shows are being planned for 2012 and beyond and we are working on ONN's "Water" pieces for 2013.