Spicy Apple Pie

The space in between

2011-04-26T23:00:00.002+01:00

Well it has been quite a change the last six months ending a ten year relationship, moving out and losing a home.

I think that it isn't until you lose everything that you can appreciate what you have.

Suddenly you can't invite people back, or have them stay overnight, you have to live by others rules imposed upon your life, it all seems to be loss, bleak.

But the reality is that there is still a lot left, skill, expression for talent, a time of reflection on the road ahead, not having a home means I am free to go in any direction I choose. For the first time I don't have to think about anyone else, just me.

I was lost in accumulation, getting more and more stuff filling the studio until it was overflowing, suddenly its time to stop, take stock and look at all the stuff and wonder what is it all for? What have I created?

What I discovered was a mountain of materials, fabric, paper, wood and wool, a project half completed here and there, I am ashamed at the way that it has all accumulated.

It is so easy to get stuck on the next project, the next big idea, the next item to buy.

I think today we are so bombarded with ideas and stimulation, that it all becomes a whirlwind, flitting from one project to the next, rushing because half way though we spotted our next project and we want to start that while the enthusiasm is still going. Flikr, blogs, books, magazines, websites, programmes, it all is whirring around until there is no productivity because there is no joy in the creation, it is all output.

I lost the joy of creation, the actual process of putting paint on canvas, that feel as the paint slowly slips streaks of strong vibrant colour across the virgin white square, while drowning out the inner critic who whispers it was a 'fluke' last time. It takes courage to begin again, to believe that it will all work out.

I like the quiet comfort of the wool round hook, creating a blanket.

Suddenly I find again the joy of creating out of necessity, to make my life more beautiful or comfortable because I need it.

It isn't so much that I need another granny square blanket, more the memory of a time when I was loved and safe, and cared for, with every stitch I am comforted. While I can create, I am still here, still have something to make the world a more beautiful place.

Then I forget that I have lost so much, I am in the present, creating anew, stitch by stitch, beauty comes from my fingers, and I know that it is just a gap, that space in between.

Uppark

2011-04-21T08:24:00.002+01:00

We visited Uppark a lovely house set just inside the West Sussex border. Travelling through the country lanes in Tiffany (my little red sports car) roof down and the sun shining it was a wonderful journey. The roads are very peaceful, quiet and the views stunning.

The entrance to the house is not very imposing, rather quiet, but the house itself is beautiful. They have restored it so well after the disastrous fire a few years ago. One rather interesting feature is the tunnels that link the diary and the servants quarters it meant that the servants could not be seen.

There are some gorgeous pieces of furniture, one in particular was a wooden desk with lots of cubby holes, I imagined being some great writer tapping away at an ancient typewriter on it. I love desks, they really do inspire me.

The tea and cakes were a delightful end to a great trip. I plan to do some painting from the photos I took.

Pineapple turrets!

2011-04-16T22:13:00.003+01:00

The South Parade has a pier, which is still in use, although sadly it is taken over by amusement arcades and doughnut stands. However, at the entrance to the pier stands two turrets with these beautiful pineapple tiled tops.

Walk along Southsea - Walking on Water

2011-04-16T22:02:00.004+01:00

These little boats are nestled ready for a days floating around. I love the duck!

I used to enjoy this when I was younger, spending summer days floating around and pedalling hard. It is nice to see children are still enjoying such a simple activity.

These wonderful balls will take adults, but I was too

shy to try!

It gives you the opportunity to walk on water, this little girl was having a fantastic time.

A walk along Southsea Parade - Mayors Monument

2011-04-16T21:20:00.004+01:00

Southsea is a lovely place, separate, by those who live there, as completely separate from Portsmouth.

The area itself is full of beautiful mansions created during the Victorian Era, and there are wonderful to see, as no two are alike!

Along by the boating lake you will find this beautiful fountain, (sadly not

currently working) which was dedicated to a previous Mayor. The angel is holding a dove, and is a beautiful bronze, however the sea winds has eroded her nose a little! What is simply beautiful is the gold and iron work above her, detailed in gold.

These objects are like hidden gems, they were created at a time that seemed to want to create not only something lasting but beautiful.

Tattoo

2010-10-05T22:40:00.005+01:00

My goodness how the time flies! I can't believe I last posted in May!

The summer has gone, the leaves are turning and Autumn is definitely in full glory, I am still running in the Forest a couple of times a week and it is such a pleasure to be in nature. I don't know how long I shall be able to do this as the nights are already drawing in.

Last Saturday was just one of those delightful days when the sun is shining I thought I would take picture of my latest project.

I have always wanted a tattoo, but sadly, I know that I am a bit of a wimp, so any tattoo I had would end up just a dot with a long long line as I ran out of the shop! I do like them, so I thought the next best thing would be to make a tattoo jacket.

It is fairly easy to do, just find a pack of those stick on transfers and then use some fabric medium to set them. The skill is getting them symmetrical, although you could cheat and try a non symmetrical design!

The great thing about this idea is that you will have a completely unique item of clothing, with very little effort!

It is a start

2010-05-09T20:53:00.001+01:00

I have a little confession to make, C bought all singing all dancing scales and I was terrified to discover that I am heavier now than ever!
My summer clothes have been brought down from the loft, and my favourite linen trousers are rather tight! so time to take action.

So today I bought some new running trainers, a sports bra and went off for a lovely run in the Forest. Hopefully soon I shall be running regularly again.

I am going to create vision board based on being a regular runner hopefully that will do the trick!

Looking through this blog, I realise there has been a lack of sewing going on lately, mainly because I have been focusing on painting. However, I am now signed up for Burlesque classes so the machine will have to be dusted off for a corset or two.

This gorgeous chap was just wandering round the tropical gardens back in September.

GRRRR!

2010-05-05T20:42:00.003+01:00

there is a certain account called SAM but it is prefixed with Chinese characters who uses comments to post a load of writing which is a link... I have reported the account to blogger.

What a shame someone has to be so silly as to hack accounts in this way! So sadly I am going to have to authenticate comments now, which is a pain!

On the other hand this picture is from the flower festival in August last year, I thought it might brighten up a moany post!!!

Ahh now just relax

2010-05-04T23:05:00.001+01:00

I love our little caravan, it is surprising how much freedom and pleasure you can gain from the little box on wheels! We spent the bank holiday weekend at the Cookoo Fair at Downton. After so many weeks of beautiful sunshine it was such a shame it did not hold for the fair! There were so many beautiful craft stalls and talented people around, it is always a pleasure to wander round, even if we needed our brollies!

Later that afternoon we simply relaxed listening as the rain pattered on the roof, while our little heater kept us very cosy!

The only question is where are we off to next?

Sliding Doors

2010-04-28T22:43:00.001+01:00

It saddens me that as we get older we lose our ability to see the wonder that surrounds us, yet children marvel at everything because they see everything anew.

I was struck by this while exiting my supermarket today, the doors were a little slow, so I had to stop a moment and wait. As they slid back smoothly, I was transported back to my childhood in the 70's.

I must have been around six, every Tuesday evening we were glued to the TV screen to see the latest episode of Star trek, the original with Captain Kirk, Spock etc. What I really loved about the show was the sliding doors! Wow, I thought, what an amazing thing, imagine having doors that slid open like that!

So I spent the rest of the day marvelling at every sliding door I stepped through, what wonderful technology that is so every day now, we don't give it a second thought. (I did wish they made that lovely whooshing sound though!) It makes me think of all the things that are impossible right now, but give it a few years and it will become the norm!

....
I am currently enjoying painting with glitter! this is a butterfly, around 1m by 1.5m on canvass. The round shapes are actually little mirrors.

A new notebook!

2010-04-24T14:20:00.001+01:00

I just love notebooks! I have lots of them everywhere, I enjoy the newness of a blank book, it reminds me of when I was at school and you are given your new exercise books at the beginning of term! Oh how I used to sweat the first few weeks because the new book was an opportunity to up my game, to write neatly etc! After a few weeks I would make a mistake and then all my good intentions would be forgotten.

I have been looking at art journals for a while on You Tube, wanting to do one of my own, so imagine my delight when at Asda of all places I found a delightful journal for only £3.00! It has the most gorgeous thick cream paper strong enough to take paints etc! So Yippee!

The next hurdle I had to overcome is the fact that I don't like messy art, the type of art journals on YouTube, seem to involve making a huge mess! Don't get me wrong, if you could see my studio right now, you would not agree with my statement, (not to mention the whole decking sparkles with blue glitter! very nice I think, but Clive is not so sure!) What I mean by messy is all the painting, over painting, scratching etc!

I remember doing anti - colouring at the Art House's Creativity Booster, and found the small five colour pack of crayons delightful to work with... so alongside my gorgeous journal I bought a 64 pack of crayons! It must be the cheapest art materials I ever bought 64 crayons for a £1.00! A bargain!

Well, lets just say I am sending everyone crayon crazy, Karen was over last night and she is hooked! You can get so many delightful results with them and they are so easy to use.

I went back to Asda today and bought a notebook for Clive and Mel (it is her birthday!) .

As you can see from the picture above, you really can get delightful results with them!

So bring out your inner child and have a go! you will be delighted I guarantee it!

Poppy Painting 2

2010-04-20T19:30:00.002+01:00

I realise it looks similar to one of my previous paintings, but that is intentional! Sally and Tony are always eyeing up my poppy picture, so I thought I would paint them one of their own! (it also means I don't have to keep my eye on mine while they are visiting!) They are getting married in September, so it is a sort of wedding / new home gift. (Now I sound a little stingy!) It looks a little strange here, as I have taken the picture at an angle! I love acrylics, and have to admit, I did struggle to let this picture go!

A lost art

2010-04-12T21:00:00.000+01:00

Since I moved my Grandmother's writing bureau into my bedroom, I have started to write more letters! It feels fabulous to sit at my little desk with all my envelopes, notelets and pens just waiting for me to pen a word or two. It feels wonderful! Not only does it give me the opportunity to unleash my passion for stationery, but it delights my artist, especially when I use a proper seal!

There is a delight in writing, especially when you take your time and let the writing develop slowly. This advice came from the Artist's Way, when we slow down to write it actually calms our thinking too!

I have a lovely pen pal, it is such a pleasure to see her writing sticking out among the junk mail, it gives me a little tingle of pleasure. So much so I am thinking of finding one or two more!

I have started to write all sorts of things, to friends I don't see that often and who live far away, a thank you note here and there. It gives me so much pleasure, and in an age of text or email, it gives the opportunity to savour the words, re-read them if necessary. Texting invites us to be succinct, to the point, but will we have a record of our lives as previous generations did?

Alongside my writing desk, I have my noticeboard, (painted on a previous post) and I have letters and cards I received from friends, it is the first thing I see in the morning, and it makes me feel loved and appreciated.

I often feel very busy and there are times when there doesn't seem to be a spare moment, but since I have stopped watching TV so much it is surprising just how much time I have! (Thank goodness for sky plus I say! I don't waste any time on drivel!)

So keep the art alive, write a letter today!

What a great holiday weekend

2010-04-05T22:14:00.001+01:00

Clive had been working really hard on the kitchen over the weekend, so he announced today his day of rest! I got to work painting the kitchen, but managed to get most of it on the floor and my hair! It is now at the stage where it looks worse than it did before and we have worked so hard on it!

After knocking over a whole cup of tea, I downed my tools and agreed with Clive today was just to lovely to waste! We headed up to Lepe beach, just a ten minute drive away and sat looking across a wonderfully choppy Solent to the lovely Isle of Wight. After eating a creamy Whippy Ice cream we promptly both put the seats back and fell asleep! What seemed like a ten minute nap was actually an hour! Sea air has a way of doing that to me!

We stayed a little longer, I took a stroll down to the water's edge discovering my wellie boots have a leak! We supped our tea, chatting about this and that while people watching. The gulls circled above, quiet for once, and the boats and windsurfers were interesting to watch.

I took this picture of the little light house up on the road to Exbury, I love the way all the trees are leaning away from the wind! There is a long line of cottages that look out over the water, I like to imagine they are smugglers houses. What a wonderful place to live, i would never tire of the view.

Such a great way to end a wonderful Easter weekend, hope yours was good too.

Happy Easter

2010-04-04T23:30:00.004+01:00

At last the sun is out, the chooks are happy and on the whole peaceful sand bathing in their new box! (I am still sneaking out to the shed trying to get past them, as they make a terrible noise if I don't feed them!) They are fat enough already!

I was looking at the great items on You tube about vision boards , so I have been cutting up magazines and pictures most of the morning! It is surprisingly relaxing, the difficulty is trying to choose what I want to focus on!

Anyhow, it was a lovely way to spend the morning, happily ignoring the objects and items scattered all around me that needed to be put away. I am really going to have to do a complete re-organisation of the shed, as it is getting totally unruly and not the relaxing space it once was! (painting is sooooo messy, I can't seem to do it without getting paint on yet another pair of trousers, my arms and even my hair!) I spotted some great storage in Ikea, which I have my beady eye on!

I was also taking refuge in the shed, because Clive is revamping the kitchen. I was wandering round Fordingbridge and came across a delightful shop called the butler tray. There was the most gorgeous, (my favourite word) plate rack, which sent me in a bit of a spin for revamping the kitchen over the Easter Break!

Clive is one of those wonderful people, who does things properly and it is a good job too, as I am a very slap dash sort of person! He has spent the last three days, re tiling the kitchen, as a stage one of the revamp! He is having tomorrow off and so it is my turn to paint!

We spent a lovely afternoon having tea with Sally and Tony, we went to visit their new home, can't believe they have been there now for nine months! We are so tardy! Where does the time go!

Sorted!

2010-03-30T20:55:00.002+01:00

I injured my foot when I was a child, most of the time my foot doesn’t hurt, but sometimes, if I am not careful, or there is alot of rain it really hurts for a while.

Just because I am in my forties, my foot doesn’t miraculously heal, I still have to be careful with it, and not aggrivate it too much. When it hurts, i take care of myself, do things that ease the pain, knowing that in time, the pain will cease and I will be free again.

So what does my foot have to do with being forty and resolving my problems?

We all have human parents, some of us suffer in our childhoods. I sometimes get to thinking Shouldn’t I be over my childhood by now? Shouldn’t I be a strong, loving woman with high self esteem after all my therapy, self help reading and hard work? After all that I should have “sorted” things or “got over it now”

Sometimes my gremlin tells me “told you it did not work, you are right back where you started!” In a really high pitched whiny voice!

Those thoughts may lead me to feel a failure if the same issue comes round again. So not only do I have to have the same issue, but I also load on the guilt for “not sorting it” or “not getting over it”.

So instead I like to think of my rejection sensitivity is something that happens now and then, just like my foot. It hurts, sometimes it really really hurts, I need to give myself tender care for a while, nurture myself and know that the pain will ease, in time.

Maybe it will happen again, and maybe it won’t, who knows? It doesn’t mean I have failed.

It might not be something that works for others, but for me it helps.

with love

Spring has sprung!

2010-03-28T21:25:00.005+01:00

What a lovely weekend, the sun was shining again, after the rain it was great to enjoy the sunny days.

The lovely Karen came over for a crafty evening in the shed on Friday; we made some very pretty photo frames using napkin decoupage. Haven’t quite decided what to put in mine, but they both looked lovely, Karen went home with her gorgeous poppy frame and here is mine.

I learnt napkin decoupage from my charming friend Anna; I made this little canvass when I visited her last week. It is so addictive, as you can get some very lovely effects; I have bigger plans so watch this space.

After our chicken keeping course last week, we decided to revamp the chicken coop (I think we are on the sixth revamp now, I am sure Clive enjoys the challenge and needs to get out his saw, nails and hammer!) We put them in a little run in the garden and they had a glorious dirt bath! They really love to lie on their backs, rolling around in the dirt, scooping it up with their wings. They make the most delightful cooing sounds while doing it!

Digging out the earth was no mean task, but it needed to be done, they now have a nice little grit box so they can bathe with ease! The only problem is that they could not find their bed when the time came so I had to gently put them to bed this evening when it got dark.

I tidied up the garden, which has not really recovered from the devastation of the free range chooks in September. I am also delighted to see my seeds are coming up nicely and will hopefully be ready for the beds in a couple of weeks. It is the first time I have used seeds, so this year I bought a little plastic green house, to see how it goes and maybe next year, (if I keep it up and it isn’t another of my five minute wonders!) We will buy a glass green house next year.

While out shopping with Karen on Saturday, I found a gorgeous pre loved Boden spring dress for a tenner! However I was a little disappointed to find it was a little tight! After my leg injury last year I put on a little weight, but I don’t seem to get the exercise I used to. After seeing the photo of me at the murder mystery I could not ignore it anymore! Clive has decided he wants to lose weight and as usual approached the challenge by purchasing an all singing all dancing weighing scales! It even has a USB option so you can put it on your pc and graph your weight loss! A fantastic device, it will even tell you how much water, fat and muscle you have! Unfortunately it told me that I now weigh more than I have ever weighed in my life!

As usual I have approached the challenge in my usual way, with an IPhone app! There is a wonderful one called get running. You are able to listen to music and it kicks telling you it is time to walk, then you have a minute of running. The idea is that you will be able to run 5k in six weeks, so we can only try! Just in case the app is not enough I have scheduled a run with my friend Julie tomorrow! Then at least I won’t be able to back out of it!

Happy Sunday!

By any other name!

2010-03-23T20:16:00.001Z

I was out shopping last week with my gorgeous boy! It was his nineteenth birthday on Friday so we celebrated by shopping our hearts out! I know he is a talented hairdresser, but this creation was my attempt at seeing if blondes really do have more fun! (we had lots of fun in the wig shop!! I am still a very dark/mahogany brunette!) It was terrific fun and we giggled most of the day, unfortunately I did not get a picture of us at the hat store!

Easter Egg Tree

2010-03-20T18:19:00.001Z

I saw this delightful tree in John Lewis on Thursday, I have always wanted one, as the simplicity of the little wire tree opens up a host of lovely ideas for the seasons. My gorgeous son Will bought it for me and the charming little birdies that are nesting within. (See if you can spot all three!). I had all the little yellow and pink eggs already, so it is nice to have a little tree to hang them on.

I am enchanted with this little object, and look forward to using it throughout the seasons but for now it heralds the joy and beauty of spring with all the new life.

.....

We were visiting our favourite tea shop after our chicken husbandry course today, and there was a lovely little girl who must have only just been around three. She had the most gorgeous pink wellie boots and pink flowery rain coat! It left me wondering, why do we as adults stop wearing bright colours? (I obviously haven't grown up as the lady at the course laughed when she saw my bright pink wellies and flowery raincoat) I hear so many of my friends and colleagues talk about wearing bright colours as if it is a shameful thing to do! One of the secretaries in our office coveted what she described as a beautiful pink coat, she wanted to buy it for her birthday. When she talked about it she was really animated and excited. A week or so later, I asked her about the coat and she said she looked at the sleeves and they were a bit puffy, so she talked herself out of buying it. She was also worried that everyone would stare at her if she wore a pink coat!

I was also talking to someone about their childhood and they told me about a lovely red coat they had as a child, it was their best coat and they only wore it on special occasions, so she only wore it twice before it was too small for her. Her mother passed it on to her cousin, who because it was second hand, was able to wear the coat every day!

So, don't save things for a special occasion, or worry about what other people think, you only have this moment, so wear your party pants and live!

Its a mystery!

2010-03-17T23:25:00.001Z

Here we all are gathered for the Mystery of the Missing Clock! I enjoy playing these games as it gives me a chance to act and dress up! This was set aboard HMS Gigantic a year after the Titanic Disaster! I was playing a can can dancer, and as you can see we all got into the spirt of the thing!

It was a great evening, I can thoroughly recommend them, although make sure you invite your most extroverted friends, especially if they know each other! We usually buy the Murder a la Carte boxed games, this was one we purchased from the internet, and it was not as good. The characters were a little one dimensional, and the game was a little disjointed so I won't recommend them here, but as I say the boxed games are very good.

I won't tell you who the culprit was, just in case you fancy having a go yourself!

Happy Mother's Day

2010-03-14T18:04:00.000Z

Oh what a lovely Mothers' Day, the sun was shining and the cold winds dropped and it was a lovely day for a walk on the beach! This is my lovely mum, we spent a really happy afternoon wandering along the shore chatting. I am so lucky to have her in my life. She is amazing, and only 72! Happy Mother's day

Feeling Hearty!

2010-03-05T21:40:00.005Z

Perhaps it is because we have just celebrated valentines day,
but these little square canvasses caught my eye and
I found myself using a heart motif.
After that it became a little addictive.
(I seem to get an idea in my head and go over it again and again!)

It all started with this little heart,
I must have had these little roses for at least five years,
sitting on my shelf waiting;
then an idea struck to use these beauties to create a little heart.

Anna came round to the Shed on Sunday, she is such a lovely friend,
so easy to talk to! She made a beautiful earring frame,
while I created yet another heart canvass.
I love the combination of beads, hearts and pink paper.
I adore the indigo background but I love the sparkly glitter.

This is my attempt to move away from Pink,
so this is baby blue, sparkly blue admittedly!

All three of these little canvasses are
currently being exhibited locally
which is very exciting!

As it is Mel's birthday soon,
I thought I would make her a little heart canvass.
The words say, First the Dream,
because she would like to write a book, I am sure she will.
I hope she will keep this close to encourage her!

When Mel came round to the shed for our usual Writing (gossip) session,
my heart addiction was still going strong
so I suggested we have a crafty session instead!
Here is her lovely heart all done in a couple of hours!
I just knew there was an artist bursting to get out!

If you must have something, it should be beautiful

2010-02-21T21:46:00.005Z

This started out life as a boring cork notice board, continuing my theme of dotting flowers over everything I thought I would brighten it up a little!

the colours have altered on the screen, it is a lovely pale baby blue.

The corners have little button bow and the top has the same in its centre and of course some lovely sparkly glitter swirls!

Girlie Alert!

2010-02-20T14:10:00.002Z

Perhaps it is the time of year, when the frost is still thick on the chicken coop, although there are some brave crocuses and snowdrops bursting through the frozen ground, I have found a real passion for flowers of every kind! Last week I was glamming up my dump mirror which gives me so much pleasure in the mornings when I am putting on my make up, that I am a woman possessed!

I spotted this lovely frame in a charity shop and an idea was born! Simply remove the glass and cover the backing board in some wadding and fabric, (using a glue gun!!!! Yipppppeeee) glue the fabric on tightly to form a little pad. Rub down the frame if you are one of those people who like to do things properly, or like me just slap thin layers of ordinary white emulsion over the frame. Glue your padded back to the frame and add a nice ribbon round the edge.

The flowers were purchased at a wonderful little shop called Emerald Crafts in Lyndhurst, at just £5.99 they were an absolute bargain. There are so many beautiful paper flowers available in many different colours you can go for more subtle effects or for a teenager go for bold. (Does that make me a teenager?)

Glue them in place where you feel free, or if you are a little more considerate you can place them around until you get something pleasing to your eye then glue them. (I use the top of a knitting needle to hold the flowers in place while the glue is setting, not only does it give a lovely cup shape to your flowers, it also stops you burning your fingers on the hot glue!)

When you have a nice centre to the flowers, drop a little blob of glue and add some contrasting seed beads to the centre, which makes a realistic flower you will have to keep the bumble bees away!

Use pins placed at a sharp angle to dangle your earrings onto voila! A pretty frame for your earrings and more importantly, somewhere to keep them together! I could have made a lovely display of my hundreds of divorced earrings but I wanted to inspire you instead!

Of course I have very little self restraint and have over done the flowers, yours will probably be far more tasteful!

(you are free to make one of your own, but please respect my copyright thanks!)

Good bye my friend

2010-02-17T21:46:00.001Z

I am so sad to report that our lovely cat Oscar was put to sleep yesterday, we are totally devastated. He was a rescue cat, older than we realised, but a gentle loving creature with a very determined nature. He adored baskets and boxes of any kind, so here he is sitting pretty in my crochet basket.

Good night and god bless my sweetheart.

Thank you so much for all your kind comments, it has warmed my heart

Finding Gold!

2010-02-09T20:54:00.005Z

I have a beautiful cane dressing table,
but the mirror was a little small and slightly damaged.
We were taking some things to the local dump,
I love going there and often make a little request as we head off,
(I ask the Angels and they really seem to delight in answering my request!)
Imagine my delight when I found this lovely gold mirror for a fiver!

The great thing about having a bedroom
of your own is that it can be unashamedly girlie!

Here is the finished mirror,
very OTT but I simply love the girlie kitch look!
The big roses are rose fairy lights,
so when I put my make-up on it gives a beautiful rosy glow.
The smaller flowers are little paper ones,
which have been glued to the frame.

I have some beautiful Chinese brocade to make some curtains,
when I get the time!
It is just so much fun to have a room of my own!
and no it does not mean Clive and I are arguing
I have very restless nights sometimes,
which really disturbs him, even though
I try not to!
Having a room of my own means
I can just put the light on and read for a while
until I feel sleepy again!

It is a work in progress
Will post more as I gradually complete the room!

A Great day out at the Stitch and Hobbycraft Fair in Brighton

2010-02-06T13:50:00.008Z

Wow, I am still buzzing from a fabulous girlie day out with the gorgeous Karen! We headed off to Brighton for the Hobby crafts/Stitching show!

Here I am in my gorgeous new coat - Johnnie Boden is simply a genius, I adore his clothes. This is a delicious pink velvet, to wear it out is pure delight! As you can tell, I am the typical wall flower!

The show is still on until Sunday, so if you have the chance I would recommend it! The exhibitions are simply fantastic! I have just a few pictures to share with you, but they just don't do it justice!

I saw this exhibit in the WI magazine, but its beauty simply cannot be captured in a photograph! I adore this bag, it is soooo perfect! There are so many beautiful crochet creations to see. Very inspirational.

It was a perfect day for a walk on the seafront, the sun was very warm! Karen is such a good friend with a real appreciation for beauty! She was happy to admire the many beautiful Victorian buildings we saw as we ambled around the streets.

She was also very patient when I completely forgot where we parked the car! It was a fun adventure wandering the streets, fortunately Karen's sense of direction saw us back to Tiffany before it got too dark to see!

These little houses are completely made from stitches. To gauge the size the sign is roughly A4.

The little shop windows contained stitched items for sale! They were simply wonderful!

This is an absolutely perfect mini quilt, I think it must have been approximately 6 by 6 inches.

The flowers are made from the smallest yo-yo's I have seen ever! Every stitch is perfect, I am in awe of the talented people around!

There were a few of the costumes from the Film the Duchess! Oh to be an actress and wear such beautiful gowns! This is the purple dress used for the poster of the film! Kiera Knightly must be so tiny to fit into this dress!

If you haven't seen the film yet, then I can recommend it, it is a tear jerker, but a great film nevertheless.

This little object was sublime, the little garden room was complete with stitched plants and watering cans!

I loved this work, a line of little canvasses with little stitched creations on each. Karen liked the knitted one on the left hand side, but the centre left takes my vote, completely machine stitched.

(I think I must lean slightly when I take pictures because this had to be really adjusted! not a single alcoholic beverage in sight honest!)

Oh I wish I was a better photographer, this quilt was simply amazing! The middle section was three dimensional with gorgeous fish and under sea creatures! Inspirational!

The day was absolutely glorious, the sun was shining and we just talked and talked the whole day! It is so wonderful when you have such a special friend who you can spend all that time with and never run out of things to say! I can recommend a fantastic waffle and ice cream shop just round the corner from the Brighton Centre, their cakes are delicious and home baked! The cafe itself was so light and airy, the epitome of Brighton I think!

I do get rather frustrated with this blog account, the window is too small to navigate round posts, and I try to get the words to link up but it all goes wrong!!!! So I do apologise if the layout is a little odd! I had my coat picture last, but then it got deleted and I had to load it again, then it messed up all the text so I have left it where it is! LOL, perhaps I need a lesson on how to blog!

House for rent!

2010-01-31T20:13:00.000Z

I was watching some beautiful blue tits nesting in a friend's bird box and decided it was time I put up one of my own. This one was rather plain so I spruced it up, I think it resembles a Swiss cottage now! Hopefully Clive will put it up just at the apex of my little shed, it will give the birds a lot of shelter. Clive suggests I put it to one side to save being decorated when I step out the door, only time will tell which one of us is right!

I saw two sparrows munching on the bird seed I put out yesterday, such a joy to watch!

January has come to an end at last, lets hope the bitter cold of today gives way to a little spring sunshine! I bought a huge bunch of daffodils, which are to me like a vase of sunshine!

To give me something to look forward to I spent time this morning sowing seeds, carrots, sweet peas and tomatoes. I am hoping to get a green house but before we go to the expense of buying a glass one, Clive wants me to try a plastic one for the first year he seems to think I will lose interest after a while... me? er um...let me think... fads.... lets see shall we?

A touch of luxury

2010-01-28T18:34:00.000Z

I am a fan of old fashioned white cotton sheets, this was a plain oxford pillowcase that I added a beautiful lace trim to. It looks far more expensive now!

Look What I found!

2010-01-24T21:36:00.001Z

All the bags and magazines have been full of corsages, I am loving the vintage look that is currently in vogue! I made this little one a little while ago, (glue guns are so addictive!) the centre is a massive sparkly gem, I bought it at a discount store, two for 50p (they were enormous earrings!!!). These are really good fun to make, and the glue gun makes light work of it, far quicker than stitching!

I bought this adorable cardigan in the Oxfam shop this weekend, (the ribbon is my addition!) It is a beautifully fitted knit, in angora wool! a snip at £3.99 and luxuriously soft.

Yellow, I know is not every one's favourite choice, but about a year ago I sent for a dress from Jonnie Boden, when it arrived it was yellow! Yellow I said to myself, well that is going straight back!

Being firstly very inquisitive and secondly a strong believer in serendipity I decided to try it on! Oh it was really gorgeous! I have very pale porcelain skin, and the yellow did not make me sallow at all! I loved it so much I wore it for the Prima Photo shoot last year, (my profile picture is the one they used in the magazine!) So I am a yellow convert!

This looks gorgeous with my back dress, but today I wore it with a royal blue pinafore type dress! As you can tell I am a poor shy wallflower!

It has been quiet here lately, since the art booster I have been painting and catching up with some fabulous new friends I met at the group.

I also attended a meeting of the HSP group. I discovered I was HSP about three years ago, but only discovered the meet up group just before Christmas. It was absolutely wonderful, so nice to be in a room with people who struggled with the same things. HSP's are like Empaths, I can stand next to someone and experience their emotions, which is not always great fun! HSP are are more sensitive to their surroundings as well as the moods of people around them, they are unable to watch violent programmes, need to have time alone as they become overwhelmed more than non HSPs.

There are also HSS, which are high sensation seekers, (I am one of those too) who need to find new experiences enjoy novel items! They want to do it all, courses, classes, hobbies, etc, they get easily aroused, (not sexually but creatively) by objects such as fabric, or ideas but may become so overwhelmed they become exhausted at times and need to withdraw. (Find out if you are HSP here)

I recently bought the book and it has explained so many difficulties I had in my life. I was told as a child "don't be so sensitive, harden up" but I just could not do it and still can't. I have had so many problems with so called assertive people but never understood why I could not stand up for myself, I think I have at last found the reason! I feel as if I have been given the key to understanding how to stop making the same mistakes over and over again!

So much has happened in the last couple of weeks, I can't wait to see what the rest of the year has in store! I am going to the Brighton stiching show in a couple of weeks, should be great!

For Syd

2010-01-16T20:18:00.000Z

As part of the creativity booster session we have to send a fellow artist a little piece of art, so on the same theme as the butterfly canvass, here is Syd's little canvass, (it is small 6cm by 4cm!) I hope he likes it!

Begin

2010-01-13T22:24:00.000Z

Here is my latest picture, inspired by the workshop on Saturday, we discussed all the blockages that stop us painting, or engaging in art or craft activity. The background consists of comments from our 'inner critic' as well as all the excuses we use to stop us from being creative. On top is an intricate butterfly: black background with silver overlay. (I did these wings three times, once using parchment and once on the card and then again because the glue smudged all my intricate drawings!!!
At the bottom of the canvass is the word

'Begin'

Daily sketch and what I am reading

2010-01-12T20:21:00.000Z

I apologise for the lack of craft at the moment, but I am concentrating on the daily sketch challenge set last Saturday. Here is today's sketch based on some beautiful tulips, a wonderful reminder that Spring is on its way despite the snow!

My new book arrived today, after the great book Taking Flight, I thought I would try this as Amazon recommended it as a partner. It is all about making the most of your life!

It has been a really hectic day, so I have had a little tipple then I am off to the bath with this slotted into my bath book rest!

Oh look what arrived this week!

2010-01-10T13:16:00.001Z

It's arrived from KapomCrafts Etsy store, a lovely new case for my new iPhone! When I saw it I fell in love with the gorgeous fabric, and when it arrived it is simply beautifully made, each stitch is perfect! The gorgeous soft fleecy fabric is going be a cosy place to keep my little toy!
I adore it.

If you do get the chance, it is well worth buying stuff on Etsy, not only do you have access to some very wonderful talented people, but it is so satisfying knowing you are giving your money to someone who will feel encouraged that their skills are appreciated, and not some poor child working in a sweat shop to make a profit for a huge business! So, not only do I get something wonderful and unique, but I also get to feel a little smug about it too!

I don't know if you remember back in November I covered a large A4 diary, well I had a great idea for using it. Laying in my lovely warm bubble bath the other night, (after hearing about a colleague's boiler break down) I felt incredibly grateful for the warm water, warm towels etc, so I decided I would start a diary called threes and fives. Now that sounds a strange name for a diary but bear with me.

I was listening to a programme on the radio, about how time seems to speed up as we get older. When we are children a year seemed such a long time, but when we are adults it just spins by. The presenter said it was all down to new experiences.

New Experiences are the markers in which our brains mark the passing of time, so as a child has lots of new experiences every day, time seems to be made up of lots of markers. Of course when you are an adult the new experiences reduce, hence fewer markers through out our year and therefore it seems to just vanish.

Well, back to threes and fives. Every day, I plan to put in three things that have made me happy. This may sound a little Pollyanna but it can actually lift depression. (Don't get me on to how our society is driven by making us always stay in a state of need) So that is the threes.

The five is my attempt to slow down time, I will try and find something every day, or at least once a week, where I experience it using one of my five senses - as if it was the first time!

So if I want to reach for a lovely bar of chocolate, i would record what that experience is actually like, what senses do i use? How does the chocolate smell? What does it feel like to have it melt on my tongue!

I am pledging to do this at least once a week, but I don't want to make this blog an extension of the book so I will post it on my flying blog, if you fancy a go just add your experiences in the comments part. I would love to hear about yours!

Happy New Year to you all.

here's to slowing down time!

Creativity Booster Workshop

2010-01-09T22:51:00.005Z

I went to a creativity workshop at the Art House in Southampton today, what a wonderful work shop it was too. It was so nice to get together with like minded people and talk about all the fears that stop us expressing ourselves fully. I met some wonderful people today, their kindness was so encouraging. I have struggled a little at work, being myself, sometimes I worry that when I talk about all the things I do my colleagues think I am boasting! I was thinking of holding myself back, not talking about my art, painting or dancing. Not everyone has the courage to be creative, and sometimes it means they resent the people who do.

So I was absolutely delighted to receive this from the tutor on our course today, I thought I would share it with you.

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We are born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us, it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others." - speech by Nelson Mandela was originally written by Marianne Williamson

So I was absolutely delighted to receive this from the tutor on our course today, I thought I would share it with you. If you have a talent then show it to the world, be proud of who you are and don't let others stop you.

Birthday card for Claire

2010-01-07T20:17:00.000Z

I made this lovely card for my colleague Claire, as it is her birthday next week. It is all hand made, the handbags are made from label templates, folded into little bags with double sided stickers.

I went a little overboard with the glitter but it turned out OK, I hope she likes it. It is all January birthdays in our office, four in all. I had mine on Monday and C bought me a wonderful new toy - an iPhone. It is fantastic, I love it, the combination of iplayer, phone and contacts list. It is simply great fun, as I can keep in touch with my face book and email too.

We went dancing for New Year's Eve, it was a great way to see in the New Year surrounded by friends. Let's hope this year will be full of health, wealth and happiness! Happy New Year to you all.

Snow Day!

2010-01-06T19:38:00.001Z

Well, I apologise to those of you suffering in the snow, but the weather today filled me with joy! I was able to work from home, so I did not have to struggle through the snow! All my clients were happy and accounted for by 10am!

I am so grateful that our boiler packed up a few months ago, as I woke to the sound of our nice new one working hard at six this morning!

Today has felt like a gift, time to relax and feel cosy at home! It has also been wonderful to hear the children's laughter as they travel down the little grass hill in the park at the end of our road. It isn't often that we are given the chance to simply stop, and as a Nation we have been given a little holiday!

Although we had snow falling most of the morning it was not as bad here as the rest of the country, listening to the local radio last night, I was so sorry to hear about people trapped in their cars but there were also some wonderful stories, like the cafe owner who had delivered over two hundred free cups of tea to stranded drivers. I think we are a caring nation, it is just sometimes we need adversity to bring us all together.

This has been a wonderful day, a chance to stop and enjoy the sensations, the crunch as it settles under my feet; the wonderful swirls and patterns left by the ice, there is nothing quite like the silence that comes with snow. A great opportunity for mindfulness, just enjoying the moments! What made a wonderful afternoon was that C had been sent home early so we had a lovely afternoon together!

The snow wasn't so popular with the chooks, they were reluctant to leave the coop this morning, usually they are squawking loudly! They spent most of the day in their little dirt den, which gives them an opportunity to scratch round the dirt, but protected from the weather as it has a little roof. However, Edna and Dolly were more than happy to eat the bird seed I put on the roof of the coop, their favourite place to watch the world go by!

What a fabulous day!

Taking Flight

2009-12-27T18:13:00.000Z

Over the last couple of days I have been reading this book about discovering your creative self. My dearest friend Mel calls me her butterfly friend because I do so many different things, so I thought I would do the first creative project in the book and do a semi self portrait, the butterflies represent some of the different activities I do. My life coach Amy has worked very hard with me to help me accept myself just the way I am instead of feeling that I should be committed to one activity. I had a lot of fun doing this, as it was completely from imagination which frees up the obsession with getting it exactly right.

I have signed up to a exploring your creativity workshop in the New Year, so that is my plan over the next year.

By the way the colours in this painting are so much duller than the actual one, it seems a photograph can't do paintings justice!

Happy Christmas

2009-12-25T18:22:00.001Z

Here is the lovely Oscar sleeping off his Christmas Turkey!

This has been the most relaxed Christmas for years! We decided to have a family Christmas and have a break from socialising! I let out the chooks around 7am, so I thought it was a great time to wake everyone up! I don't know what time they went to bed, I left L wrapping pressies just after midnight and W was out partying as usual! However, they managed to rouse themselves to open stockings.

We had turkey for the first time ever, in my twenty years since I left home I have never eaten turkey! It was lovely!

W and L headed off after lunch and we enjoyed a very peaceful afternoon cuddling up together.

Fabulous!

Christmas Cushion

2009-12-23T18:21:00.001Z

I just love the retro colours in these fabrics!

Last October we stayed in a Warners Hotel, (the same one featured in to the Manor Born no less!) Well my favourite shop is very close by called Becca's Emporium and I found to my delight she was having a workshop on the Sunday.

So I went to the workshop which included a rummage in the shop to find fabric inspiration. This little combination really caught my eye and I created the templates myself! (not really all that difficult just a few triangles!) The background was some lovely stretchy velour fabric which really gave a lovely wintry feel. The only difficulty was the workshop was held in a very cold room with just a bar heater which needed to be unplugged if we wanted tea! So after cutting out the trees I decided to head home to complete the job!

The velvet material was just the right shade (I bought about 3 meters at a WI auction for a couple of pounds a few months before!) I stitched the stars above and finished the insert. I must say the colour combination is wonderful a nice change from the traditional reds. It was a wonderful project and I found Becca very inspirational, how anyone gets the time to sew with two little boys is amazing to me!

The weather today was amazing, we could not leave the house as there was a thick sheet of ice everywhere! The chooks just slid down their little slope, as if they were on a child's slide it was so funny! They are getting wiser and now spend wet days in their little dirt pen which has a nice roof! I have to admit I did work from home today as the forest roads were simply treacherous! I made up for the disappointment of not getting to work by creating a painting in the shed most of the afternoon with the heating up full blast! I just love winter!

Christmas Reading

2009-12-21T21:17:00.005Z

A good Christmas read seems to put me in the festive mood so I thought I would give you a few recommendations:

Maeve is the Queen of warm Irish feel good novels, this collection of stories based around Christmas will gladden the heart. The good thing about story collections is you can fit the odd story in between all the hundreds of tasks to do this time of year. I particularly enjoyed the one where the little girl was given a digital camera, should be a warning to everyone!

If you are up to your neck in Christmas preparations, your list of jobs to do is getting longer and longer and everyone is putting pressure on you then this book will appeal to you. The protagonist and his wife decide to completely skip the Christmas Celebrations and go off on a cruise instead - a wonderful idea! However, plans don't always work out the way we expect them to. Lovely read.

A gem of a writer, I love the way she adds just a little hint of magic to the ordinary! This is about a guy who would like to be in two places at once what a great gift! This is a quirky novel, but a great read all the same. A little bit like Christmas Carol in that our protagonist has a change of heart.

Play dough!

2009-12-20T22:25:00.001Z

I made this large lump for my three year old nephew. It brought back some lovely memories making this with my two, how the time flies! One minute you are making pounds of play dough the next they are boxing up their things and moving to their own flat! (yes, W is leaving home and moving into his little flat tomorrow!) I will miss him, but he isn't all that far away.

Well, this is part of my nephew's present, he has a little baking kit, a gorgeous apron I bought at the University craft fair together with these colourful lumps! I was quite surprised how expensive play dough is compared to how cheaply you can make it!

I expect you all know how to make it yourself, but in case you don't here is the recipe for you.

1 measuring jug full of flour, (strong bread flour is best if you have it, or plain is fine)
1 measuring jug full of water (add drops of food colouring to the water)
1/2 measuring jug of salt
1table spoon of oil

Place in a saucepan and mix ingredients together to form a goo, don't worry too much about lumps.
cook the mixture slowly under a gentle heat
Keep the mixture moving, stirring all the time, this will get harder as the mixture thickens.
Remove from the heat when it starts to thicken, even though there will still be some gloopy mixture left.
Knead on a board, the mixture will eventually even out and become a nice dough. If it is still too gloopy return to the heat. (you could do this in the microwave but I am a little old fashioned! My adivice is put it in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time, then stir.)

Store in a plastic tub to keep it from drying out, it will last for a month or two and the salt will discourage eating!
The good news is that if you do get it on the carpet, just allow it to dry out and you will be able to hoover up the crumbs.

Can't wait to have grandchildren, I miss playing with this stuff!

Argentine Tango

2009-12-19T22:43:00.003Z

Mel calls me a butterfly, in that I flit from one thing to another, this blog is testament to the many things I do but not a comprehensive list by any means. I have been dancing for over 18 years, regularly every week! It is simply one of the best ways to keep fit.

I started Argentine Tango over a year ago, Clive and I did an all day workshop and it is one of the most challenging dances to learn. After years of jive dancing, swing, Lindy hop, blues and salsa - tango is a completely different dance. It is a soulful dance, you are led by his energy alone responding to yours, the dancers have to connect on a deeper level than any other dance I know. I was only just really getting a feel for it before I hurt my leg, and there are people I know who have been dancing for years and still find it difficult.

Over the year I have watched lots of Tango lessons on you tube and seen some teachers and dancers at the Milonga's but Vincent and Flavia's Tango left me utterly speechless. It is the most wonderful dance I have ever seen, phenomenal and the epitome of why I go week after week, as it nearly breaks my heart every time I struggle. I would like to think that if I stick at it enough one day I will be good at it, but I don't think I will ever come close to this perfection. What I really mean is this is so difficult but they make it look easy!

So here it is for you to enjoy.

How Twilight should have ended,

2009-12-14T21:34:00.003Z

I was reading fabulous since 1961's blog and saw this there, hope you don't mind but I loved it so much wanted to share it too.

hope this works!
enjoy

Vintage Apron

2009-12-10T23:00:00.001Z

I just love the wonderful aprons I see in the advertising of the fifties, so when I saw this gorgeous vintage inspired strawberry fabric, it was just crying out to be made into a gorgeous vintage apron.

I used my gathering foot but unfortunately after attaching the bottom the pocket was not centred! I am not sure about the pocket, so I might remove it. But the apron is wonderful to wear, it is so feminine. Just in time for me to do some Christmas presents!

Feeling Christmassy

2009-11-29T17:29:00.001Z

What a Christmassy weekend we had! The wonderful Christmas market opened in Winchester: there is a lovely ice rink surrounded by little log cabins full of crafty people! It is adorable, sadly no snow, but the mulled wine and stollen was absolutely perfect. (Thank you Dawn)

After my long weeks of convalescence I daren't hire skates! But it must be fantastic to skate in the open air!

We went with my best friend Dawn and her lovely hubby Gavin, Clive wrapped up warm for the trip as it was so cold last year. It was a tremendous atmosphere, very busy, Christmas does really seem right round the corner.

I love going with Gavin and Dawn, it gives Clive someone to chat to while he, very patiently, waits for me to browse through the stalls. Dawn is the only person I know who can actually out shop me, and that is saying something!

I bought this adorable case for Lucy, it will hold all her stocking presents this year, she is a real box addict and will love it I am sure.

Sunday we went to another fabulous fair in Southampton University. (I cannot divulge the promises I made to Clive to go to yet another crafting event, needless to say I shall be busy over the next few days!)

I am so in awe of the talented people who run stalls there, I always come home laden and full of inspiration. One stall that simply took my breath away was from Jolly Interiors, Nikki's eye for design is stunning, I could not resist this little birdie! The journal book is also beautifully hand made. While buying it I convinced myself it would make a lovely gift for someone, but I don't think I can let it go! We had a lovely tea and cake with Sally and Tony, it was great to catch up with them.

I love going to these events, it is a great way of finding all the talented people in the area, so that I know about any workshops or courses in the area. Will definitely be checking out the courses at Jolly Interiors they look fab!

Inspired by the fair I finished putting the berries on my Christmas Wreath. It is made from a coat hanger and my wonderful Rosemary bush that grows in abundance just outside the back door. (Someone told me that Rosemary only flourishes in a home where the woman rules the roost, which just can't be right in my case!) I wanted it to look a little natural, and I am quite pleased with the results.

Now where did I put that mulled wine recipe?

Book Review - Found Wanting

2009-11-28T22:10:00.001Z

I have been a fan of Robert Goddard for about ten years. I read hand in glove and could not put it down, it was absolutely brilliant. I think my favourite is In Pale Battalions, which had me desperate to read right to the end as the plot weaves its mysteries until the tension builds to fever pitch!

This is his latest out in paperback, a bundle of letters that could identify the mystery surrounding Anastasia the Russian Royal Family mystery. The story weaves around the colder countries in Europe during a cold February, and the protagonist, Richard Eusden is trying to help his school friend by delivering the case of letters to a buyer.

What follows is a wander from Belgium, Germany and Copenhagen and Iceland, Eusden getting his hands on the case only to have it snatched away. There are a number of interested parties trying to get their hands on the case, a world wide corporation, an American, a seedy guy called Straub and a young student. They all are trying to get at the case and its contents with their own motives, the contents was supposed to solve the mystery of Anastasia. There is a love interest for our protagonist, which is usual in Goddard's books.

I wanted to enjoy this novel, but I have to admit, after the fifth time Eusden was hit on the head after getting his hands on the case I just got bored. Basically I did not care about the mystery, it was just the same incident over and over, just different characters getting their hands on the case.

I have noticed the last few novels just don't seem to have the pace or the twists and turns of his previous books, Goddard always writes about historical facts, the JFK, Winston Churchill, WW 1, the mysteries believable and interesting, but this one is just boring. He writes that he was asked to write about this mystery, but it isn't written with enough passion or conviction. While he does give a sense of these bleak countries, the descriptions of the cold are very good, there just isn't enough to keep me reading. I actually skipped to the last chapter. The ending was a little predictable, but I would not recommend this book, it isn't his best. However, I think I will pick up the next one and hope the magic is back.

If you enjoy mysteries, then I would recommend Nicci French, Beneath the Skin, secret smile or land of the living. They are real terrifying page turners.

Yipeee

2009-11-25T22:43:00.001Z

Well, I have my life back! The physiotherapist was delighted with my progress, and has given me the go ahead to go back to dancing! Yippee, I am thrilled!

I am making headway in the gym trying to get rid of the 10lb I had put on while sitting on the sofa for 9 weeks!

I have bought two new pairs of trousers for work as I am struggling to get into my uniform!

Tiffany, seems to be delighted to travel around with me, she is my beautiful red mx5. It is so delightful to have the music blaring travelling along. Only short journeys for now, but I am getting further and further away!

Once again still drooling over goreous Antonio tangoing!

New Moon was great, I am actually getting into the Jacob fan club! Pwaarh! He is a lovely young man!!!

OH Dear!

2009-11-19T15:47:00.001Z

I thought I would post a little eye candy on this post because I have been rather lazy in terms of the crafting front lately!

Here is the lovely Edward Cullen, if you are already a fan of the Twilight books you will be in love, if not then I would advise you to try them, as I have mentioned before! Well the film is out this Friday, so I am hoping to go and see it on Sunday, can't wait!

Went totally mad yesterday, took my beautiful little red MX 5 out for a spin the first time in 9 weeks! It was great, playing I Kissed a girl at full volume! (It happened to be on the CD!) Sadly all this progress went straight to my head, I played dance music most of the afternoon and was gigling about! I thought I would have a little go on the Wii fit, but sadly I discovered i have put on 10lbs in weight in the last 9 weeks!

So off I went swimming, which was not a great idea, as I ended up in a lot of pain this morning.

I have signed up to gym membership for the next five weeks and I am hoping that supervised exercise will soon have me slimming down into my clothes and getting me fit enough to dance! How I miss it! Still I can at least drive to the shops and back now, so I am grateful for small mercies!

if you want to see why I am so keen to get back to dancing take a look at this

Work is going great, it is sooooo good to have something to do at last.

Afternoon Tea

2009-11-15T17:03:00.001Z

I simply adore the idea of tea at four, I am so pleased to hear it is making a come back. We had a great games evening last night, T, who works for a famous flour maker gave me a huge box of flour so it is a great excuse to do some baking. My cherries were a little bashful and sunk to the bottom, but I heard that if you replace a spoonful of ordinary flour for strong bread flour it supports the fruit much better (shame I did not hear that before I made my cake!). The chooks are laying some lovely golden eggs which gives the sponge a beautiful colour. The tea cups were a delightful find in the Broadwindsor Craft Centre a couple of years ago, they are Edwardian so almost qualify for antique status!

We spent a lovely hour tidying up the garden putting right all the mess the chooks made! It was such a lovely autumnal day, the sun shining while raking the leaves. Clive made the chooks a lovely dirt bath from an old pallet, he gave it a roof so they can stay dry and they love having all the leaves to rake over, it kept them quiet for an hour or two! After all the hard work I can eat cake!

At the bottom of the cake stand I have made some Ginger Snaps. I love the aroma of ginger, it seems to make me feel all Christmassy, as a biscuit they are so easy to make.

4 oz SR Flour
1 to 2 teaspoons ginger
1/2 teaspoon mixed spice
2 oz butter (it should be butter for the flavour)
1 1/2 oz sugar
1 level teaspoon of black treacle (now that is christmassy!)
Milk to mix

Sift flour ginger and spices into a bowl, rub in the butter to resemble fine breadcrumbs, enjoying the delightful smell of the ginger.
Add sugar and mix to a stiff paste with the treacle and just enough milk to make a dough you can roll out
Roll out thinly and cut into 20 rounds using a 2in cutter and place on greased baking trays
Bake in a moderate oven 180C 350F GM4 for around 10 minutes
Leave in trays for a few minutes before transferring to a cooling rack
Store in airtight tin, or enjoy them while they are warm! ahh.

The boiler man came thursday and Friday spreading himself all over the house meaning I had to retreat to the shed! He is coming back tomorrow to finish off, but I shall be at work away from the chaos thank goodness! However, I won't complain we were so hot last evening we had to open all the windows!

I am counting down the days until my favourite Christmas Craft Fair on the 29th November, as well as the opening of the ice rink and craft village in Winchester Cathedral. Oh don't you just love this time of year?

My gorgeous vintage girl - vintage make over

2009-11-13T20:46:00.001Z

Dear L is off on a golfing pub tour tonight! Apparently it is an eighteen pub tour dressed in vintage golfing gear! So I tried to give her a little bit of a vintage look. Doesn't she look fab, she liked it so much she is thinking of becoming a vintage girl!

There is a great tutorial on you tube if you fancy having a go yourself. I have already started using the vintage look, as I am an hour glass it really suits my body shape.

Good news, I spoke to my boss and she has organised me to return to work without having to drive. The doc is happy but I can only do part time for a couple of weeks, but I am so thrilled, it is good to get back to normal. Yippee. Maybe I will feel differently at 7am on Monday, but it feels like a step towards the dance floor! I will be tangoing soon!

Cover Job

2009-11-10T16:46:00.001Z

It is the time of the year when a new diary raises its head. I was given a rather dull maroon page a day diary and while I love having the space to write the cover was just crying out for some beauty!

Here it is, the cover is padded and the button has an elastic closure to keep the book shut. I also added some elastic edges to keep the diary pages.

This is a little tricky to keep the edges straight with the glue gun, but I found edging it with a little lace covers a multitude of bumps and creases!

I am happy with the result and I am sure it will bring a smile on my face throughout the year.

It has been a strange day, I was not focused enough to finish the dress I started or the bag I cut out. Instead I made yet another wheat bag, this time for me. It is a little longer this time, which helps it to go round my neck and shoulders after being hunched over a machine. It also is very good for my leg!

A tour of the Shed

2009-11-09T18:56:00.001Z

Yesterday I posted that my rag doll was going to live in the shed, and I realise that the shed sounds a rather dark dingy place, so I thought I would give you a tour.

this is the corner of my desk, the drawers contain zips and threads. The piece of driftwood was collected on New Years Day in the local beach. There are three boxes of pens, and the basket towards the edge of the picture contains little flowers. The little blue pot holds all my drawing pins, with a couple of pincushions. The pink hat box is a beautiful sewing box, and the blue flowery hat box contains ribbon and the white basket in one of my favourites that is filled to the brim with tapestry wool. I am a bit of a basket fanatic. The book is a diary.

Following round is one of the noticeboards in order to encourage me, I pin up my certificates, letters and cards. As well as beautiful postcards of Dorset. The chairs were £2 from the local dump and they are so comfortable. The Over locker is stored there until I use it and the little boxes contain all the fabric, patterns and papers.

Another noticeboard sits above the desk, at the centre is a saying,

"If you want it you have to make it possible"

moving further round is the little dresser where little dolly sits, there is lots of paraphernalia, including ribbons and bows, once again you can see my desire for glass jars!

The last corner is my book case with some of my craft books. I love having inspirational material close by. Of course Dolly the mannequin, is an excellent model.

So now you have it, my shed. My favourite place in the world.

What I am reading

2009-11-08T21:48:00.000Z

I have just finished this book, I came across this book in Tesco's and as I enjoyed the film P.S I love you I thought I would give it a go. I am so pleased I did.

Cecelia writes wonderful tales with just a hint of magic! This is the story of a rather disillusioned teenager who has just lost her father. Her Father's death coincides with huge monumental debts and Tamara finds herself homeless without a penny to her name and has to go and live in the Countryside with her Aunt and Uncle.

The magic comes in the shape of a book that foretells what is going to happen the next day. The house in the country seems to be full of secrets and Tamara goes on quite a journey. Tamara is not a likable character at the beginning, but Cecelia writes so well you grow to like Tamara as each page turns and she actually realises what is important. I felt very sorry for the Rosaleen character, she seemed to be working very hard to look after everyone. The little country cottage seems to be a lovely abode, but Tamara doesn't seem to appreciate it.
Be warned, this isn't a light fluffy read, there is a dark side.

I would thoroughly recommend this book as she seems to write lovely stories with some great characters. I did not realise until I read the blurb, Cecelia wrote the series Samantha Who, which is one of my favourite programmes!

So in my usual fashion, I am now reading another of her books, the Gift, which is a lovely Christmassy story. Just the right time, pass the tea, I am snuggling under the quilt beside the fire. Bliss.

Saturday Sewing

2009-11-07T23:00:00.002Z

I simply adore the crochet doilies you can get for pennies in charity shops, so I thought I might use them in my latest project for the sales table at the WI. They give a lovely vintage feel especially if you combine it with linens.

I love making wheat bags, they are so easy to make yet make great presents and are so comforting.

They are just simple rectangles you can make them to any size depending on what you would like to use them for. Long and thin for round your neck, or more square for your tummy.

I fill mine with pearl barley which costs 39p from tesco and I add my own lavender from the garden.

You simply put them in the microwave for one or two minutes depending on the size, the lavender really gives up a lovely relaxing scent as you let the warmth relax tired muscles or they are simply wonderful for period pains.

It is always a good idea to do a double seam, as it stops the wheat from escaping.

When I was a child I always wanted a rag doll, a proper home made doll but I never got one. So I started this rag doll for a competition and run out of time to finish it. She ended up naked in the shed until I found her while I was having a sort out. I decided to give her some clothes. I still have to make her shoes but I like the way she has turned out. I will keep her on a shelf in the shed. At last, after nearly thirty five years, I have my own rag doll!

Make over

2009-11-06T22:20:00.001Z

I wanted this blog to be a cheery place to come, so up to now I have tried to edit any moaning! However, I also want it to properly reflect who I am and my life isn't all sugar and spice!
I hinted on my gastroncnemis hints and tips that since being home all the time barely able to walk I got a little bit in a rut, but on Tuesday I could not remember the last time I put on make up and my hair was going orange!!! I think I hit an all time low this week as everyone was out for the evening and we had a power cut! So there I was, the boiler broken now for three weeks, no electricity, no radio even, no way to leave the house I just huddled over a few tea lights!

It has really surprised me, in my workplace I was nick named "Miss Stylish" as I really enjoyed dressing up for work, now, after a few weeks at home I struggle to wear anything other than jogging bottoms and jumpers. Add to that the fact I clean out the chickens every day and you can imagine what I looked like!

Fortunately my wonderful friend D, conspired with my son, W (a hairdresser) to get hold of me and sort me out! She brought over her whole make-up stash, and did a great make over, and he did a wonderful cut and colour on my hair, here are the results! (I am too ashamed to show you what I looked like before.) On D's advice I am going to Town next week and plonk myself in front of the Bobbi brown counter and try and find some foundation maybe even get some nice tips on my nails!

I had my physio therapy today, despite my wishes that I would be back at work next week, the therapist made an appointment for a week on Tuesday and told me I might just be able to sit in my car and push the pedals by then but not drive! So I won't be back to work as I drive all over the New Forest for my job. However I am very hopeful I have some exercises to do now so I am wishing it will progress soon! We are having a new boiler fitted, (the electricity is being cut off again next week to fix the fault) so lets hope it will all be well in a couple of weeks.

This is actually the third attempt to photograph myself as all the other pics turned out to only feature my eyebrows and the top of my head! Perhaps I need longer arms.

Easy Christmas Card Template for you

2009-11-04T12:40:00.001Z

While C was potting his pots, I went to get coffee and was distracted by a fabulous craft store. While browsing the many aisles of Christmas related card making toppers and embellishments I was struck by the feeling I often do when I have made cards like this, somehow they don't feel like my work, in addition they can end up very expensive!

These blank embossed cards caught my eye as well as a card full of 'Christmas wishes' etc, looking at the Christmas Trees I was struck by an idea. So all you need for this little project is some blank cards, a template (see below) some Christmas Greetings, some gold stars, gold and red glitter pens! They work out around 23p each, (including the cost of the pens!) but they include enough of an element of creativity to feel you have made them yourself.

As you can see the trees are simply made of swirly curly shapes, all you do is cut out the tree and it's little tub, (it helps to fold the card) leaving the tree shape behind.
Lay your template over the card roughly in the middle. Use your finger to find the edge. (make sure the card is the right way up! I managed to do one upside down!)
Draw your swirly shapes in gold staying in the cut out shape. You can use dots at the edge to refine the corners.
Do the same for the bucket. (I used red but you can use any colour you want.)
When you remove the template you will have a delightful tree shape with a delightful bucket!
Just join the tree to its bucket with a few little dots.
Glue the star to the top
Add your little Christmas Greeting at the bottom
Run your pen around the square.

there you have it!

The great thing about this, is that it is as relaxing as colouring in, but each card will be slightly different.

I know this is rare for me, as I never know when to stop when it comes to embellishing things, just take a look at my jumper bag for an example! However, it is the pure simplicity of this card that makes it wonderful.

If your fingers really itch to add more then you could add a little bow to the bucket but then STOP!

hope you make some of your own, or it is that easy your kids could have a go!

If you want to alter the pattern just use the little square handles around the template to adjust it larger, thinner or fatter!

Happy crafting!

By the way, while I was half way through this I had yet another power cut!!! As if living without heating, being alone because C was on a course on top of all that we had a power cut! What made it harder was it only affected a couple of houses in the street, I could gaze longingly at the houses lit up like Christmas trees! Fortunately we have power once more I now have lanterns, torches, a gas kettle and batteries, now I am prepared I am sure we won't have a power cut again!!!

Rainy Sundays, lets have fun!

2009-11-01T20:03:00.001Z

We woke to rain and wind today, so plans for a trip to the beach were shelved in favour of a trip to a local art shop.

C has always wanted to have a go on a potters wheel so here it is, he did really well for a beginner and it turned out much harder than he had imagined.

The art shop is a fantastic place, they have life drawing classes in the week so I am hoping to go, if I can persuade someone to drive me! (I forgot to tell you I can walk now! Without crutches, but still not able to drive!)

The real joy of this place is the sculpture, the owner Y taught sculpture in Poland, and has some wonderful work on display all from members of the public! Y is a fantastic artist and he has drawn some lovely full length sketches of horses.

Oops I don't think that will hold water!

So apart from taking pictures of C's great efforts I managed to pass the time decorating a little pot (not one I had made sadly! this is definitely C's area of expertise!).

This one is simply adorable! Well done!

We have to go back (Yippee) next week to refine the pots and then C has generously asked me to decorate them for him!

It was a wonderful day, we had lunch in a nearby restaurant and by the time we walked to the car the rain had gone and the sun had come out!

Customising finished at last

2009-10-31T19:18:00.001Z

Last night I went to the first Friday Night Knitting Club at our new wool store, there was a lovely atmosphere with knitters of all ages, tea and cake. Dulcie showed us some wonderful wool, even self patterning of all things! She is also selling gorgeous Al paca wool from a man trying to support an Inca village, by selling direct. They are fantastic women who have made the shop such a lovely place to go I am sure I will be doing much more crochet.

I am on my second scarf at the moment, they make such great pressies and so relaxing to do.

I bought this cardigan a few years ago, it had a thick rib bottom and cuffs. It was one of those items of clothing that I would put on, look in the mirror and then take off again. So I removed the ribbing and created a lace crochet trim on the bottom edge and the cuffs. I finished it at the group last night. Now it seems to fit much nicer round my waist I am happy to wear it.

Back edge details - I added the ribbon trim too. Dolly is such a great model!

I think the most wonderful thing about crochet is you can add to almost any garment. Great for customising, as well as lace edgings and corsages. Knitting by comparison is just boring, or maybe that is because I spend most of my time picking up dropped stitches!

Happy Halloween

2009-10-31T17:38:00.001Z

Isn't Halloween fun? When I was a child we were exposed to the American festival but I just wasn't encouraged. I am so pleased that children get a chance to participate now, dressing up and getting sweets.

One year I thought I would go the whole hog, dressed up to the nines and played my creepy music every time someone knocked at the door, but one little boy nearly ran away in terror! (I can't remember if I had my make up on or not!)

I think the good thing about Halloween is that it is an opportunity to meet your neighbours and have some positive interaction with children in the community. Which sounds just fine by me.

Mind you if you saw these two at the door would you want to knock? At least the frog is friendly. Dearest L decorated the house for us just before she headed off to a party dressed as a fairy!

I am putting my feet up with a little crochet!

Happy Halloween

Bath bombs and British Flag Cushion

2009-10-30T13:28:00.000Z

It has been quiet here lately, but I have been busy, honest! You can see my handiwork above, I am still in my fiddling with tweed phase! I just love working with it as it is just soft and kind, so far this has proved a very cheap option as these cushions usually retail around £25 to £35 each, but the material only cost me a tenner, the cushion inserts have come from a charity shop, most of the zips and ribbon was already in my stash so all in all I made three cushions for around £25 at the most! Oh and a really good tip to get your cushion nice and prim at the corners, tuck in wadding as cushions tend to miss the edges.

I bet when you were a child you did not realise that making sandcastles is actually a useful activity! There is a simply joy to creating the right mix of sand and water to create a really wonderful sandcastle with all the detail! Well this is a really useful skill for making bath bombs as the consistency required is just the same! The great thing is after leaving these to dry for a day you will be able to handle them easily and the sand won't wash all your hard work away! These lovelies can sit in your new spa bathroom and give you another lap of luxury! (By the way the bath bombs are in the basket on the left). If you have never used a bath bomb then you are in for a real treat as these fizz beautifully giving off their lovely scent as they go. If you want to increase the experience even more put it under your back and let the bubbles tickle you! The other wonderful thing is that you can decide what essential oils you can use to suit your needs.

Recipe for Bath Bombs

Buy at least four pots of bicarbonate of soda
(I usually get eight because I just love making them)

Cornflour
at least 350 g

Citric Acid 350 g
You can get this at health food stores or anywhere they sell beer making stuff.
Despite the name it isn't nasty stuff, it is actually used in bread making too! Honest!

A small jelly mould

Food colouring
if you wish

Essential oils of your choice

Sleep enhancers are: Lavender, Chamomile, Clary Sage
(Clary sage will give you nightmares if you have been drinking alcohol)

Revitalizing oils: Rosemary, peppermint Orange or Mandarin

Uplifting oils: bergamot and Neroli
(don't use late in the day!)

Sensual Oils: Rose, Sandalwood, Jasmine and Ylang Ylang

Empty the four pots of bicarbonate of soda into a large bowl, then using the pots as a measure add two pots of cornflour and two pots of citric acid. Carefully mix the dry ingredients together lightly in your hands, add the essential oils and mix again.

Take a pot of water and fill up to around 1/3 to 1/2 of water and add food colouring.
Add water very slowly and very carefully, not all the water at once add gently, mix quickly until you have the sandcastle consistency.
The mixture will foam but don't panic and keep mixing it in quickly!

Lay a large tray with kitchen roll to place your little sand castles.

Once you have the right mixture use small jelly moulds or what ever you wish to mould the sandcastles carefully releasing them from their mould.

Allow to dry overnight and fully harden.

Tightly wrap in clingfilm, to stop them from being inadvertently set off by a stray splash of water.

If you are giving them away as gifts then you can make some lovely labels.

My only advice is just add a few drops because when the bomb dissolves in the bathwater the fragrance will be quite strong for a while. The combination of warm water and steam increases the effectiveness. However, be careful if you are pregnant as some herbal infusions are not advisable, I am not an aromatherapist!

......

I have also been in negotiations with my local WI and currently in the process of organising an alternative schedule of meetings for women of our age! I have made a list already, including revamping, restyling clothing, making chocolates, belly dancing etc!

So as you are all so fantastic with your ideas can you let me know what you think? What would you like to do at a WI meeting? Life drawing with a lovely fit male model? Pole dancing? Making your own cosmetics?

I would really value your ideas!

Thank you for reading this long post!

Bathroom bliss for the goddess!

2009-10-26T17:59:00.010Z

You might think that cleaning the bathroom would be the opposite for creativity but my Halloween capers gave me an idea!Change your bathroom into a sanctuary for very little cost!

Charity shops are simply brimming with press molded glassware, decanters and bottles. I am a romantic at heart and the idea of pouring bubble bath from a heavy crystal decanter seems deliciously decadent!

So I filled all these delightful bottles with all my gels and potions and I must say it is simply wonderful to pour shampoo out of these vintage bottles rather than the boring plastic ones! (Little tip, if your conditioner is a little bit thick just add a little water to help it run out of the bottle smoothly, after all you are going to add water to it anyway!)

Mr C, ever practical, would tell me it might be difficult to tell shower gel from shampoo when there are no labels, so I used a little of my glass painting out liner to label the bottles and I could not resist adding a little bling!

Bottles of shampoo that advertise the fact you consider you hair to be brittle or especially for coloured hair might not be a great impression to give your friends! I love the words Elixir and Tonic, much nicer than shampoo or conditioner, (easier to fit on the bottle!) and some how more vintage

Even soap can look gorgeous when it sits in a sumptuous glass bowl, I just love the rose candles they sit really nicely among the soap. I love to use candles in the bathroom especially as a wind down after a long day. However, beware that some soaps and gels are very flammable so don't have your candles too near the bath!

Just one last thing, those monthly essentials don't look pretty, so I created this little bag to keep them snug! I just love applique, I made it a little while ago so it isn't as pristine as it could be!

So after all this hard scrubbing to make all things bright and sparkly, I am off to relax in my little home made sanctuary

Twiddling with Tweed!

2009-10-25T18:15:00.008Z

Fantastic news, a lovely wool boutique opened up this month, and they are starting a Friday night Knitting Club, so I am off this Friday! Yippee.

I went to Fabricland last week, (twice as I never pass up the offer of an outing!) they have some delightful tweed. As I had been leafing through Cath Kidston's Make, I found some fabric for the cottage cushion! I really enjoyed doing the embroidery on the cushion, I played around with the composition! I made the hearts one as well this afternoon. Unusually going for a more subtle effect maybe the muted shades were having an effect on me.

We are going scarf crazy at the moment, having found some lovely vibrant wool, I am getting sorted for Christmas! However, L is delighted with her first crochet scarf and is even more happy now I have found my pom pom maker, she is winding as I write!

I also made this corsage for this bag I bought in a charity shop. It was just plain pink, so I crocheted the edge, (this is why crochet is much better than knitting!) I think it might make a good Christmas present! (oh no I have mentioned the C word sorry!)

C has completed his bag challenge by filling up three bags! (This is a great thing you should try as he did lots of housework before hand trying to put it off!) We took them to the charity shop but unfortunately I bought some more stuff! Don't be too hard on me, three cushions which I used to fill my new ones and a basket to organise our mail! (And you thought I had slipped off the wagon!) I bought some lovely leather boxes to go under the coffee table, we have a box each and one for the wii stuff!

Only the TV cabinet to paint and then the list is done! If only I could find where I put the book to find the next challenge!

Women's Institute - Halloween 2

2009-10-22T20:28:00.004+01:00

This is enough to scare away any children wanting sweets, I grew the double chin to look authentic!

I love dressing up for Halloween I missed out when I was a child as it hadn't crossed the pond then, so I am more than happy to make up for lost time! I turned up dressed as a witch for the WI meeting, (you can't see the black and white striped stockings!) it was J's idea and she looked fabulous!

I am so proud to announce we won the cup! They loved the crazy witch's desk!

Now I will add a little about the Women's Institute here: I am a little worried that unless it starts to attract younger members we will lose a great institution! I know it has a certain image that does not seem to relate to women our age and younger, but I really feel we are missing out! The competitions are great fun, there are also opportunities to make a contribution to our communities as well as make great friends!

Where else are we going to learn skills to really be independent? Our schools no longer teach children life skills such as cooking, it is all about manufacturing as home skills were considered non aspirational! This will be a whole generation dependent on pre package foods and take aways!

Colleges and evening classes no longer get paid to run 'vocational' classes, so they aren't able to run dressmaking, cooking or creative crafts. There are so many women now who can't sew a button or take up a pair of trousers, yet with the way clothing is made it is so hard to get a great fit without knowing how to take it in here or let it out there! Don't even start me on customising things - I just love being different!

Anyway, the solution is the Women's Institute, it is stock full of women with skills who are able to pass down the generations. I was taught to crochet from a lovely lady from the WI, she was so patient and kind, and I think of her every time I make something! There is also the wonderful Denman College, which holds such a huge variety of courses from beauty, creative writing, dressmaking to exotic cookery and chocolate making!

So, if you are thinking about it then just do it! Yes it will be full of older women, but they have so much to offer us, if we only had the courage to go for it! After all if we all started joining then it would be full of women just like us too!

There are new WI's starting up, activities include burlesque dancing, life drawing (with a male model!) for info check out this from the Bramley Lite WI - just give me time and we will be soon shakin' our bootie!

Halloween is nearly here!

2009-10-21T20:17:00.010+01:00

I have created this display for my WI in a local competition! It has been great fun and difficult to know when to stop! I did not realise we had so much Gothic stuff in the house! I am glad the kids are out of their Gothic phase!
The bottles were in the shed and the contents is made up from various cleaners in the home, they come in such great colours! It is surprising how lovely thick wool can end up looking like intestines when it is immersed in window cleaner!

The labels were made using an ordinary word processing program, this font is called parchment, I also used Gigi.

I aged the labels by painting them with cold tea, then letting it dry in the oven!

The stink bugs eggs are made with some yellow cleaner, a necklace with white beads and some green oil.

I used red paint to fill this bottle, but I think red ink gives a better colour, not quite so muddy. The drips of blood were created using sealing wax and running it down the edge.

Candles don't burn down with bumps so the best way to get a runny effect is to drip the wax from another candle onto the sides. You can adjust the rate it falls by raising or lowering the candle that you are dripping from. It should give a lovely gnarled effect when you have finished.

Use an old fashioned font create a spell, using a velum paper, then cut it to form ragged edges. You then soak the edges with

cold tea and curl the edges round a knitting needle while it is still wet. Put in the oven for a few minutes to crisp up! You will have an aged spell for your ensemble!

I also had some small china cups, (used in Chinese food). If you drink herbal tea especially a red tea, (strawberry, raspberry etc) Empty the contents into a small dish and let it dry, it will look just like dried blood!

So it hasn't all been fun and games, I have still managed my de-cluttering task! I can actually see my dining room table! It is surprising how lovely it looks! The chooks are still enjoying all the shredded junk mail! The cups have started a bit of a frenzy, I have sorted out quite a few more cups and crockery to go in my bag. I also went to Primani today, so I filled the bag with unwanted clothes! However, I won't be de-cluttering the shed, after all those bottles have been hanging about for ages and they came in useful!

Declutter challenge 3

2009-10-20T20:33:00.004+01:00

I will admit this isn't from the book but today's task was decided by these lovely stacking mugs I saw in M and S today! This will keep things nice and neat and tidy!

Our mugs are a wild assortment of shapes and sizes, they seem to take up loads of space and C is always moaning that they are hard to put in the dishwasher! So here is the solution! Aren't they lovely! I will send the old mugs to the charity shop, (still have a bag to fill.

I am not sure this was quite in the de cluttering mode, C said buying stuff to throw out stuff did not seem quite right, but I am trying!

Horader to order challenge 2

2009-10-18T21:02:00.003+01:00

OK so it is confession time, C was not as enthusiastic about this 'Hoarder to order' idea as I was, it might have been that I hit him with it the minute I woke up Saturday morning, when he was still in a state of slumber! (he thought I was shouting at him, but it was just my enthusiasm, honest!)

The carrier bag task caused a little bit of an argument! After changing the nets we both fought over who could put the old ones in their carrier bag! C won but has yet to add anything else!

It was while I was looking for sellotape to wrap a birthday present I thought I would sort through the drawer on my dresser: I found a shortbread mould, (I had been looking for it some months ago! What ever possessed me to put in that drawer?) and a diary for 2005 still pristine! My daughter argued that I could not put it in my carrier bag as even a charity shop would not be able to sell it! I think it counts but maybe I should do two bags - one for the dump or I would have to drop it at the door of the 'lucky' charity shop and run! If you would like the diary,( it might actually be OK next year as it was only a day out for this year) I would be more than happy to send it to you. I also found two other books, (from psychologies about re-organising your life, but even though they had been in the drawer for a couple of years I am sure I am going to have time to read them!)

C did get quite angry when I tried to tell him about the task two , but that was probably because he was trying to load the car with ballast at the time. So, what is task two? Well, it is take a ten minute challenge, re-organise your notice board. As C was still busy with the ballast, I thought I could tackle the task for both of us, (after all he still has the rest of his carrier bag to fill).

If you really what to know about someone, don't bother with their bookshelves, blog or private journal, just take a look at their notice board, it will tell you all you ever want to know about their actual life style and their aspirations! (if you are feeling brave take a look at yours!)

I found this task a little sad, as it seemed to be full of good intentions, such as a gym membership leaflet, a invitation to an art gallery, shamanic healing
( Who on earth found that one?) and a leaflet for a local craft event. This all sounds very cultured, however, there is also two local take away menu's for an Indian and a Kebab house, (well that's dispelled the culture vulture image!) we haven't had a kebab since C read in a woman's magazine at work (there is nothing else to read at lunchtime apparently) there are over 3,000 calories in a single kebab! Now that sounds very impressive, except he only found that out last week!

I am happy to report I now have a little pile of paper, including receipts, dental appointments, a free herb with your spring bulbs offer and a January to April live bands programme! (we did not see a single band!)

Now here is the challenge, the oldest thing on my notice board was a dentist appointment for April 2008! See if you can beat that!

Jumbled to junk-free in 100 steps

2009-10-17T18:41:00.005+01:00

It was at around five this morning, I decided that something needed to be done!

I couldn't sleep ideas were swirling round my head because I had been looking at Flickr, and other crafty websites just before bed!

I felt a bit of a failure, as I seem to lose interest in projects very quickly with very little ability to see a project through to completion. I find myself maybe half way through a project when suddenly I will be filled with an idea or I will spot some fabulous fabric or wool and will be filled with enthusiasm to start that. My shed is crammed full of such projects, my lounge was a mass of wool, books, magazines and other paraphernalia that I was embarrassed when N popped round for a coffee. The dining room looked like a junk shop, piled high with a general array of items, and I can't remember the last time we actually sat round the table to eat! Yet it is so wonderful when we do.

I am like a magpie, I collect lots of pretty things from shops and charity shops, yet they are all jumbled together that I am unable to enjoy my lovely finds. Upstairs is even worse, and I ban any visitors from stepping one foot on the stairs. My clothes are mainly heaped and I really struggle some mornings to find items which I know I have but I can't locate!

C says he comes home and is surrounded by jobs and to do items that it is hard to tell the difference from home and work!

What a very sad state to live in! We have a spacious four bedroom home, that feels cramped and quite frankly a hovel most of the time. Spending so much time at home I am unable to escape and I actually started to see it for reality.

Fortunately, because I am a hoarder, the answer was laying on my bookshelf! It is called hoarder to order by Sue Kay, part of the Get a Life Series from Hodder and Arnold. So here it goes!

challenge 1: fill one carrier bag with stuff and take it to a charity shop!

(luckily I am ahead on this one, as I did sort through my clothes to pack away my summer stuff. I bought some boots and comfy clothes at Matalan, so I filled the bag up with clothes. Sadly, clothes that no longer fit!)

It was great to see a starting point so we sat and compiled an additional list of jobs to do this week. I suggested we work our way round the rooms in the house starting with the lounge, as it was the easiest to sort out!

The first thing on our list is a good coffee table with STORAGE so we can put away some of the stuff we don't want to display, such as wii controllers etc.

We have pictures on the walls that we seem to have grown out of, yet I have paintings galore in my shed. So I have hung my poppy picture on the wall, and intend to create another canvass of the same size for the other wall.

I have made a contract that I will keep only ONE project in the lounge, all other craft stuff must stay in the studio.

I also finished the beaded trim on the new nets for the front window. (I am not a fan of nets, but as we have a busy footpath outside our house, I prefer nets to being looked at like an object in a zoo!) So the windows were cleaned and the new nets put up. Snother tick off the list!

In the end we had around 18 objects on our list, and by the end of the day we had completed 6 of them. The list is on a white board, and we are creating a word document with a list of completed projects next to it. As it grows we will print it out and put it next to the white board so we will know how far we have come!

So, the gauntlet has been thrown down, 100 steps! I am going to post here, so that I feel I have some sort of incentive! So here goes! I have decided that we shall treat ourselves to a massage each if we get to 30!

Another two weeks on the Sofa!

2009-10-15T17:57:00.005+01:00

The chooks dug up this bounty! My entire potato harvest from a sprouting potato back in the spring! As a farmer I think I have a long way to go! Had to dig them up as the chooks had eaten the entire plant!

I saw the doctor today, sadly my leg is no better than when I first hurt it, in fact it is actually worse in terms of pain!!!! I am signed off for another two weeks, if there is no improvement then she will refer me to a specialist.

I discussed going swimming to help it she thinks it is a good idea, so now I have posted this I must actually go! (she also advised me not to go to far from the edge in case i get cramp!) so hopefully everything will go well! If you don't hear from me again, then it didn't!

Twilight Series - New Moon Film

2009-10-14T19:45:00.005+01:00

Warning, approach with caution!

Do you remember the snow? Well I was fortunate enough to be tucked up at home as the school had been closed. Did I see any of it? Well no actually! You see I was in the grip of a real addiction which started with the first book of the Twilight series!

Now you will have seen Twilight everywhere, in fact True Blood is a follow up for all the stirred up passion created by the books. But I will say the books are seriously addictive, you will actually kill someone who gets in the way of you starting the next book because you will be under some sort of spell. These books are seriously fantastic! I know that sounds ludicrous coming from a forty year old woman, but you will fall in love like it is the first time all over again!

Let me tell you I never read any books on vampires before this, but my partner was complaining that he only saw the top of my head for the whole eight days it took me to read all four books.

When I say it is an addiction, it is an understatement! It left me restless for weeks as I tried to find something to read that could even come close to touching me as these books did.

So why the post now, well I am counting down the days until the next film in the series is out, it is called New Moon and I can't wait!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYBF3HKzrmE

You can preview it here, but really it is better to read the books first and you just about have time!

If you have read the books then you will know exactly what I am talking about! you might like to take a peek at the chapters from Midnight Sun, (Twilight from Edward's perspective)

http://www.stepheniemeyer.com/midnightsun.html

the film is out on the 27th November in the UK, so I am counting down the days!

Gastrocnemius tear and tips!

2009-10-12T23:05:00.007+01:00

Well, it has nearly been six weeks, and I thought I would share a few things I have learned since tearing my gastrocnemius. The first lesson was knowing I actually had a gastrocnemius, realising it was in my leg rather than a word to describe someone who enjoys their food, or a posh way of saying you have been on the loo more than usual!

If you are reading this because you have torn your gastrocnemius muscle then you are obviously sporty! As this usually occurs during sporting activities! (you can't injure yourself while sitting on the sofa!) Although government guidelines state you should participate in 30 minutes exercise a day, most hospital casualty departments are filled with people with sporting injuries, so you decide!

I could go into some brilliant description about tears, first aid advice etc, however, there is a brilliant website dedicated to the medical stuff, http://www.physioroom.com/injuries/calf_and_shin/calf_strain_full.php and from my little diagram, you will realise that I am not really an expert scientist! Anyway this blog article is really support to help someone who is looking for advice once they have their diagnosis!

This picture / sketch is supposed to be the inside of your leg, showing the muscles and more importantly the gastrocnemius! If your leg actually looks like this then seek medical advice immediately! As there is something seriously wrong with you!

How I found my Gastrocnemius

I was dancing, well technically I was actually walking, when I felt a sensation similar to an elastic band pinging on the back of my leg, followed by the most awful cramp I have ever experienced! Now my first real piece of advice to you is not to do what I did immediately afterwards. I had just asked someone to dance, a rather fast rock and roll dance and my gastrocnemius chose the moment I was walking onto the dance floor with this young man. (he was rather good looking but that is another matter!) The fact was I did not know him well enough to turn round and walk off, or to explain that I had hurt myself. So, I actually danced, well rather hopped through the dance while leaving my foot firmly on the floor. It must have been the worse dance in the world, but the man (obviously a very polite gentleman) asked me for another . I declined and slowly, trying stupidly not to limp and pretending everything was fine (Embarrassment can be a dangerous thing!), I struggled off the dance floor. Reaching my long suffering partner, I told him I had hurt myself and scuppered his chances of actually enjoying the pint he had to his lips, explaining, in what was to be quite an understatement, that I thought I might not be able to drive home. The understatement became apparent when we got outside and I admitted it was actually agony to walk! I managed to hop, using C's shoulder for balance all the way to the car! I got to bed, by going up the stairs on my bum, hoping that all would be well in the morning after a dose of the strongest painkillers in the house! Sadly, we found ourselves among the footballers and pub brawlers the next morning at the casualty department! That is when I discovered I had a second degree tear on my gastrocnemius! And luckily for me I had not ruptured it, or the Achilles tendon! So we returned, armed with crutches, a sick note and some small round tablets called co-drydamol.

So now you know how I met my gastrocnemius, I would be interested to hear your stories!

Actual Advice

Well, that was six weeks ago, I am still on the sofa, (sorry to disappoint you it can take up to eight weeks!) hereare my tips for anyone surfing looking to benefit from someone else's experience (mistakes), while recovering from a tear in their gastocnemius!

Rest

When they tell you to rest your leg, that actually means sitting on the sofa with your feet at roughly the same level as your hips. It does not mean you can climb stairs, do housework or stand up to cook a meal, try and feed chickens or bake cakes, it actually means REST. This may be the only time in your life when you can justifiably leave the housework! Horay!

Rescue and old bag!

It is a good idea to carry a bag around with you, as your crutches tend to take up both your hands! (this does not work with a cup of tea!) It is also advisable, (sadly it took me several days to realise this) to bring all objects down with you when you come down the stairs in the morning! (glasses, books, etc! Are best brought down together rather than one at a time when you remember!) This of course won't be a problem if you live in a flat!

Billy don't be a hero!

Or heroine! Call all your friends, get as much sympathy as you possibly can! After a couple of days you will find you are drifting into a world of Jeremy Kyle and GMTV, the four walls will be closing in on you and your brain will turn to mush! You will need your friends to keep your sanity! It is difficult, I know, to ask for help, but remember how good it feels to actually help someone? Don't deny your friends the chance to feel good!

Take pride in your appearance

You might be a little more sternly built than I am, but after a week or so, you may find you are wearing soft stretchy sportswear, comfy clothes that are the equivalent of pyjamas, or they are actually pyjamas! This is not good for your self esteem, with no work to dress up for, you may find you haven't worn make-up for weeks, (or if you are guy, you might consider growing a beard!) Take a firm hold of yourself, and pick at least one day a week when you are dressed, spruced up and ready to go! Even if it is another day on the sofa with loose women.

Seize the day!

You can take advantage of services for the disabled even though it is only temporary! (sadly not a blue badge!) but enjoy parking in the disabled bays at your local supermarket! Watch as people wait and spy on you to see if you really are disabled! Then get out your crutches and go for it! Some supermarkets actually have electric wheelchairs! Go on, you have been dying to try them. There is a great organisation called SHOP MOBILITY, http://www.disabilityuk.com/mobility/ambilidx.htm They usually operate in most towns and they actually let you borrow an electric wheelchair or a mobility scooter! Yipee, this is fun! They will also stamp your parking so you park for free! However, be warned, shops, lifts and people are really hard to negotiate! Fortunately the shop mobility people cover you for insurance!

You will encounter two distinct groups of people as you make your way around the shops, hostile and friendly!

Hostile people will swear at you, walk directly in your path and then shout at you if you narrowly avoid hitting them by performing an emergency stop procedure. People will hit you with their handbags, as your head is now at just the right height. There will be hostile stares as they try to work out why you are in a wheelchair and not dribbling!

Kind people smile at you! They will press the floor numbers on the lift and risk white finger by holding the door open button while it takes you ten minutes to reverse out without hitting the side doors! They help pick things up when you have knocked them off shelves and still smile at you! (perfuse apologies are a really good idea at this point, don't lean out of the chair, as you could actually fall out of it with the chair on top of you!)

Manage your pain

Although they give you really strong painkillers, take as many as you need to help with the pain. Even though you can have six co-drydamol a day, you can actually lose days or even weeks if you do this! (I lost a whole day and I only took half the recommended dose!) I might be going against medical advice, and I am not advising this for anyone here. I am an ants in the pants sort of person, when I took the painkillers, during the five minutes I was not comatose, I did stupid things, like walking in the garden etc! I think pain is actually my body's way of telling me to sit on the sofa and be nice to gastrocnemius. So just because I preferred to be awake, I did not take the painkillers all the time. As I was in some discomfort I did not feel up to chasing the chickens or mopping the floor!

Keep busy! (A blog challenge!)

You will be aware of many things you are no longer able to do, while you are resting and being really kind to your gastrocnemius! I have started a little list of suggestions, but I am opening up to you guys to come up with some ideas of your own!

1. Complete a crossword, Sudoku or even a whole puzzle book

2. Write a blog

3. Write a book

4. Learn to crochet,

5. Meditate

6. Plan a holiday for when you are fit and well again

7. Shop on line and get it delivered to your door

8. Write a letter, (or thank you cards for your friends)

9. Read a book (this site is a great way to buy books cheaply and save the planet!) http://www.greenmetropolis.com/index2.asp

10. Come up with your own ideas and post them here!

11. Tell me how you got to know your gastrocnemius and post it here!

12. Take out the whole series of Ugly Betty, Desperate Housewives or lost (it might make sense if you watch it all together!)

Well, that is about all for now, take care of yourself, more importantly, be kind to your gastrocnemius!

Home Again!

2009-10-11T16:27:00.005+01:00

We spent a wonderful weekend in Dorset, I booked this for my mum and I to go away, but sadly as I still can't drive, Clive took me down instead. Mum and I will go in April so we can go back to see the signets at the swannery!

If you are ever down that way, do go to the saturday market at Bridport, there are some fantastic stalls selling vintage stuff! Another great place for lunch is the Arts Centre, their ploughmans lunch is fabulous and a bargain for a fiver! We visited the great reclaimation yard, the guys are very friendly and chatty. There are all types of dressing tables, wash stands and chairs! If you are lloyd loom fan they they have them a plenty! Under a dressing table I spotted a whole basket full of vintage lace and crochet doilies, they are so beautfully delicate, I can never aspire to such heights! I bought four for two pounds! Clive was wonderful, as I am once again in the wheelchair! the leg is really not great, and I am in pain if I try to stand for too long!

Still the sun came out today, so I took up a little stool and managed to harvest some of the lavender, (there are still three bushes to go!). I am going to make some lovely weat bags for Christmas presents.

I have also come up with a very cunning plan! I was putting straw in the nesting box for the chooks, but it was very tricky to keep clean. Spotting some shredded correspondence I realised it would make excellent bedding! Shredding is so satisfying, and it makes cleaning out so cheap, as you can take away the soiled stuff and replace it! It also means that we aren't collapsing under piles of junk mail! They love the cosy nest and lay in it quite happily, it also is quite clean to remove from the eggs.

Another Week!

2009-10-08T19:31:00.004+01:00

Saw the Doctor today and I have been signed off for another week! I am struggling a little because it has now been five weeks since I hurt my leg and it still hurts whenever I try to do anything! It is no fun now!

I realise one thing, I really enjoy my job and I could not be at home all the time. Maybe it doesn't help that I cannot get out of the house, but it is having a strange effect on me. I am spending my time in comfy sportswear, no make up, my hair is just left to dry naturally and I just don't want to go out! This is just so unlike me! I am usually out dancing tango, jive, I meet up with friends, as well as dancing at the weekends. I jog three times a week with another friend and I always wear makeup! What is happening to me? (sitting beneath the patchwork quilt, cat on knee, crochet hook in hand and a pile of wool by my feet!) dare I say it I am getting old? LOL (The quilt is necessary because our boiler has gone to boiler heaven! I wonder if fire and brimstone might suit a boiler more?)

Anyhow, a lady complimented me on my new bag, my mad bag, and no she did not need glasses! In case you missed it here it is again!

Rainy days and Wednesdays!

2009-10-07T20:29:00.004+01:00

The weather has been very wet today, the chooks looked very sad and bedraggled as they sheltered under the rosemary bush! It is one of those days when it is just wonderful to be cosy and warm, (using the gas fire as the boiler has decided to go to boiler heaven!) sit with a good book and listen to the rain drops on the window!

The book I am reading is called the Thirteenth tale and is rather Gothic! Despite feeling cosy and happy when I started reading the story is very oppressive and after I while I had to give up and make some biscuits! (Don't get me wrong, I love this book but with the weather outside it was getting a little oppressive! Think Jane Eyre or the turn of the screw! and you will understand what I mean!)

After listening to the radio and baking I felt in much lighter mood, and returned to my crochet! With a tea tray, my little tea pot (with cosy) and some lovely home made biscuits! I discovered the plate in a charity shop for a pound! It matches my tea set perfectly! I have always loved little rose buds!

Personally I think we have lost something by using mugs and tea bags. Using a tray, tray cloth, tea pot, cosy, milk jug and tea cups with saucers make it a real luxury! You can always have another cup!

Re-cycled jumper bag

2009-10-07T18:01:00.015+01:00

Well here it is, the jumper bag! I have seen this idea floating around, when I spotted this jumper in a charity shop I thought it would make a good bag.

I went really mad with the crochet! I don't apologise, the idea behind this bag was to use it for work! I have to wear a uniform for work so this is my opportunity to make a little stand! Which is why it is so wild!

With work in mind, I created a mobile pocket, front pocket (for a water bottle) an inner pen pocket and a secret zip up for those little essentials!

To make one of your own, here is how it is done!
Cut the jumper just below the arm holes and then over lock the edges to keep them from fraying. Using this as a template cut out the lining material adding a seam allowance.

Using a pen as a guide cut a rectangle the same length of the pen, then add a finger gap between each pen to get the width, (the finger gap helps the seam allowance).

Cut a larger rectangle to form the secret pocket with another piece the same width but only a third deep which will be the top edge of the pocket.

So you should have a back, front, a pen pocket rectangle, and two more rectangles to form the secret pockets.

Over lock all the edges to stop them from fraying.

Taking the pen rectangle, turn over top seam allowance and sew to edge. Turn over the other three sides and press. Pin to one of the linings, and sew round the three edges.

Using the pen as a guide, sew channels through the pocket. I have added some trim to each channel on my pen pocket, as you can see! I also finished it with a blanket stitch from my machine!

To create the other secret pocket sew the two pieces together along the width.

Press the seam open, lay the zip across the seam and sew round using a zipper foot to get close to the edge.

Press the seam again, then using an unpicker, carefully remove stitches from the zip opening.

Press seam allowances on all four edges and sew to lining, you can also use a decorative stitch.

Iron the top edge of the lining pieces, then sew along the top edge. Sew the two lining pieces together along the three edges.

Cut the arms off and remove cuffs. Take one sleeve and cut it length ways to create narrow strips. Over lock all raw edges, sew the sleeves together around the cuff edge to make the handle.
As the knitted sleeves may stretch, cut the ribbing off and thread it through the sleeves to strengthen the handle.

Use the shoulder edge (which is a large area) and zig zag the handle to the wrong side of the lining bag at the side seams. It is essential to create a large surface area so that any weight in the bag is distributed.

Use the ribbing to create the mobile phone pocket. Sew the bottom of the pocket to the jumper outside, and then tuck the side seams and sew. Create a larger pocket from the remaining sleeve, with the cuff uppermost. (don't forget to over lock the edges)

Your jumper should be still intact at the side seams. Using the rib as the top edge, sew the lower edge to form the bottom of the bag. (I included a pom pom trim).

You can then decorate the bag with daisy stitches, and crochet trims, or if you prefer something more subtle then you can leave it plain!

I will blog the crochet flower patterns later.

Place the lining bag inside the jumper bag and hand stitch the edges together.

In order to make the phone pocket a little more secure I crocheted a loop and flower button. It means the phone won't slip out. I also created a ruffled edge to the larger pocket. (will post later)

I hope these instructions are clear, but if you have any difficulty please don't hesitate to contact me! This is my first attempt at putting a project here! I hope you like it!

all the best

Where did Sunday Go?

2009-10-04T23:41:00.002+01:00

One step forward, two back! I took my very strong painkillers yesterday morning, and was walking around quite well without the crutches! I was beginning to think I might actually get my life back! Oh Dancing yippee, work, well to be honest it would be nice! All this sitting left me with a little bit of a back ache, and so I took another painkiller around four then just before bed, because I thought it was really doing me good, I took one more just before bed. (I am supposed to take six a day so this was way below the prescription levels)

My advice to you, never take three co-drydomal tablets! Could barely wake up this morning, had a splitting headache and felt as if I had been boozing all night! After taking some headache tablets I just thought I would doze for another ten minutes - when I woke up eventually it was 12.30! Admittedly I don't have back ache, my leg is hurting today but I felt really groggy all day! So back to the drawing board or rather sofa!

Today I have been playing with the jumper, I now require yet another trip to the candy (wool) store then hopefully all will be revealed!

For my friend in the North

2009-10-03T12:36:00.006+01:00

It is Marylin's birthday this month, so I have been busy hooking! I created this corsage especially for her, hope she likes it! The pink flower is on page 114 of Jan Eaton's Compendium of crochet techniques. (I love the word compendium, such a rolling round your tongue word!) As I mentioned before this is a fab book. I think I have had a little more success this time because I stuck to the instructions! Normally I get so far, can't work out what they are trying to tell me, and then do my own thing with disastrous results. However, this is what happens when you actually follow instructions and I am rather pleased with it. The middle flower is my own creation (yellow and white) sort of lots of chain loops round the white circle. The back of the pin is made from a larger green circle with the leaves made from chains, doubles and trebles. I hope she likes it!

L was sorting out her room, trying to find all the Halloween stuff, attempting to persuade me into holding a Halloween party no doubt! We found a couple of wigs and I thought I would model the corsage as a hair clip, it looks as if I found my twin sister! I think I will cut my hair shorter!! It looks like fun!

Well, now I have manged to get up, dressed and showered, I am off to the shed with a jumper and some sharp scissors! Happy Saturday!

All frills and spills!

2009-10-02T16:34:00.004+01:00

I do not apologise for the frilliness and sheer girlieness of this tea cosy. Going to the local woolshop is like visiting a candy store! So many beautiful colours and shades! I fell in love with this wool, (or rather cotton) it is called baby bamboo. I found it a little tricky to work with, the strands would come loose and I ended up with split stiches!

The pattern idea is my own, a combination of techniques I wanted to try out, namely the fringed lower edging, together with the loopy curved top. The flower is from the book compendium of crochet techniques by Jan Eaton, I cannot recommend it enough! The instructions are very thorough and she covers lots of stuff including using colour, blocking and various edging and trims. Being incapacitated on the sofa offers the opportunity to practice and I am now getting better at the techniques!

It is such a relaxing hobby! I am feeling a little old now, as I am on the sofa, cosy under a little lap quilt watching countdown of all things! LOL, I really have to get back to work!

Ahh friends

2009-10-01T20:55:00.000+01:00

The fabulous M came round today for more writing in the shed. (we are both attempting to write novels!) As I had been unable to get to the shops, I decided to make some little cup cakes (D is coming round tomorrow too and I promised a nice lunch!) It was a great day for editing, feedback and general encouragement, Mel is one of those people who always makes me feel cheerful and I am so lucky to have her as my friend!

Around ten minutes after she left, H and P popped in for tea and cakes! So we had a great catch up as we hadn't seen them for a while!

After tea I found a great tutorial on you tube about how to crochet a heart! I am making a flower corsage for my friend in the North, Marylin, this will be perfect! The great thing about crochet is you can do it on the sofa while watching an Poirot on the TV! Not good for the figure (struggling with no exercise and lack of dancing!!) but very relaxing! Now where has that crochet hook gone?

Poppy Painting

2009-09-27T20:37:00.000+01:00

It has been a glorious day, warm and sunny the chooks have been revamping the garden and I no longer have a single flower left on a plant! C has been frowning and devising a new system, as he is fed up with having to watch where he walks!

I have spent the last couple of days painting, it is surprising how quickly the time passes when I have a paintbrush in my hand. (I am a rather messy painter, I have managed to get paint all over my lovely white linen trousers, my pretty blue top, and on the handle of my crutches!) so here it is, (still debating with the colour round the centre, but I could fiddle for eternity!) It is roughly twice the size of A3, I can't seem to paint small things! I intend to pop it on the wall in our lounge, (C is happy to do so) but at the mo it is drying in the shed, (have had to move the poster of Edward Cullen temporarily)

Butternut Squash Soup

2009-09-25T20:17:00.000+01:00

Butternut Squash sums up Autumn for me! Maybe it is their golden colour or the gorgeous creamy flavour. The fabulous M came over to take me to the doc's (two more weeks and I might be back to normal!) then we had a lovely day in the shed! Mind you we spent a lot of time watching the chooks! I make this soup for all my friends when they come over and have very positive comments. So here it is for you. The ingredients are not exact find a combination to suit you! It is lovely with granary bread doorsteps thickly spread with butter!

1 large butternut squash
1 red onion
1 1/2 pints of good quality vegetable stock (I use marigold)
A good handful of red lentils
a good squidge of tomato puree
500 ml of creme fraiche
Olive oil
Good teaspoon of ginger
coriander or parsley

Saute the chopped onion gently in the olive oil,
Peel the butternut squash, use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and cut into cubes of roughly the same size add to the onions and allow to soften. Put a lid on the pan and allow the onions and squash to sweat for a while, about 15 to 20 Min's. (stir now and then)
Add ginger and stir, (you can add paprika or chili powder if you like it hot)
Pour over the stock, add the squish of tomato puree and let it slowly bubble away for 30 - 45 minutes. (keep the lid on and stir now and then). Remove the lid and allow the soup to reduce a little, (around 15 minutes). You can either use a liquidiser to smooth the soup, or if you prefer it a little more chunky use a potato masher stir in the creme fraiche, serve with chopped herbs of your choice.

The tomato puree is great for adding colour which is why I use red onion too. You can mix up the veg, I sometimes add carrots or sweet potatoes! I hope you enjoy it! The ginger gives it a little kick, add as much as you want.

While we ate, I could not help take a pic of Oscar, I think he has taken up meditation! Such a gorgeous boy!

Dorset Mumbles

2009-09-23T17:56:00.000+01:00

As I write we are in the foothills of the beautiful Dorset countryside, my favourite place on earth! My leg has been quite painful the last few days, fearful I would be a sad lonely old wretch, I invited friends to the shed to help lift my sprits, Tuesday being a really busy day with L&M visiting, W&G back from Corfu, my dear friend D came over with her daughter, (actually I ordered her over, but that is another story) as well as the vivacious N! That evening I could not sleep as the leg was giving me jip! So much so, I risked drug addiction and took my co-drydamol tablets just to get some sleep. (the media are reporting how easy it is to be addicted to painkillers containing codeine!) Fearing I would never get back to a normal life I spent the entire Wednesday on the sofa with my leg dutifully raised. (I also picked up my crochet book and mastered lovely roses!) Clive decided my shed was a strong tempting crutch walk to the end of the garden so the best option was to head off in the caravan. It really is the only time I can fully relax! We sleep usually at least 12hours a day!
I must say after our trip to Abbotsbury I was a little nostalgic for Dorset, so we booked a new site close by which has proved to be wonderful. (They have baths joy of joys!) Mr C is the most tolerant person on earth, gladly wheeling me round Lyme Regis seafront, which was so delightful in the September sunshine. Usually I love to wander the hills and narrow streets but this time we stayed on the front people watching! While sitting, I realised I rarely live in the moment. I am always seeking out some new stimulus, reading, or looking for the next project, etc, that I forget to simply be. What a wonderful gift! We ate fish and chips with the clear sea air blowing softly in our faces, watching the brown (never seen before) seagulls flap and skit about. I am so lucky to have someone who cares enough to lug me around in the wheelchair, not only that we seem to chat easily about this and that. He also showed his absolute fabulousness by going back via Becca’s Emporium in Broadwindsor, as well as stopping by a market stall in Bridport that was selling some fabulous Kath Kitson Fabric at under a tenner a metre. (They are there every Saturday well worth the trip!)
However, the time away has given me the opportunity to catch up with some reading as well as mastering the art of crochet flowers!

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society

2009-09-23T17:53:00.000+01:00

“the only bad thing about this book is that it ends” this is like no other book I have read, I must admit that it took two attempts, as I found the Juliet’s voice a little bit posh for my liking. But I finished the ‘story of us’ and brought this along with me so gave it another go! I am so glad I did, I could not put it down.
Once you get to the Guernsey letters the characters in the story are wonderful, most of them quirky, yet endearing, the extra ordinary name is all explained, so I won’t give it away here. It just shows the strength of the writing that the characters come alive so well in the short letters going back and forth, each character’s voice comes across clearly, I found I did not need to read the short introduction.
This is an uplifting book, about people finding solace in reading through adversity; it does have some sad stories to tell, but told with such humanity and lightness of touch, you are drawn in. Don’t think for one minute this is ‘mis-lit’ there is so much to laugh at it is a joy to read leaving me very optimistic and full of hope.
Read the postscript comments by Annie Barrows, it tells you a little about Mary Ann Shaffer, clearly an amazing woman. I particularly liked Annie’s last remarks,
“We are transformed magically into a literary society every time we pass a book along, each time we ask a question about it, each time we say, ‘if you liked that, I bet you’d like this.’ Whenever we are willing to be delighted and share our delight, as Mary Ann did, we are part of the ongoing story of the ‘The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society’. “
Anne Barrows 2009.
Read it, you will love it just as much as I did!

Book Review The Story of Us Marcia Preston

2009-09-23T17:45:00.000+01:00

‘The story of Us’ by Marcia Preston

After reading the Butterfly House, I was intrigued to read more from Maria Preston; I found her writing so evocative I did not want to just read one of her books before passing judgement, I am so glad I did. This book is so much fuller than the Butterfly House, the characters are more developed, Marcia writes beautifully. It is rare these days for me to just stop reading for a moment and savour the lines, but I had to stop at one point and simply admire her skill of writing! The emotion she conveyed in that moment really touched me.

You will think I am very maudlin at the moment, because this is the tale about a young man dying in a car crash, however, it is more about the characters around this event, namely his mother, his girlfriend the recipient of his heart, his father and the man who causes the accident. Their stories are beautifully woven, sometimes you see the same event through two different perspectives; it is delicately done.

It is about loss and coming to terms with grief, but also about how damaged people can find their way back as well as how we can all be connected through circumstances. The chapter where the mother places her hands above her son’s heart is simply beautiful, I had to stop reading and just savour the writing. If I could change one thing it is that Marcia seems to pile on the difficulties, her characters seem to be drowned in tragedy rather than just one event, I think it stresses the point a little too much. (the butterfly house was layered on too thickly!). I think this writer just gets better and better, however, I think it is time for something a little more light hearted!

Vanals not chickens!

2009-09-17T21:23:00.000+01:00

I don't have chickens, but garden vandals! The girls love to wander round the garden especially in the flower beds. I heard they really enjoy slugs and was quite happy to let them wander however, as gardeners they aren't all that successful, it seems they don't understand the difference between flowers and weeds!

Edna has a particular penchant for busy Lizzie's, the pots are now full of stalks rather than flowers! It is such a wonderful way to De stress, watching them as they scratch and peck! They are so fascinating and very inquisitive. They will follow me all over the garden, running full pelt to me when I step outside the door. (Of course I realise that they are just hoping for corn! and it isn't my chicken magnetism!) It is amazing how fast a chicken can run, it makes me smile every time I see it.

The Shop on Blossom Street

2009-09-13T22:53:00.000+01:00

This is a wonderful read, if you want to get away from all the miserable credit crunch the end of summer and how most people around seem to be grumpy and downright nasty. Debbie is a fantastic writer amazingly she has dyslexia and really struggled to get published, I am so glad she did.

This book is about a yarn store, and delivers a cosy tale of four very different women, (this lived up to the promise of the Friday Night Knitting Club, which I personally found rather disappointing!).

I know it all seemed to fit very neatly at the end, with a lovely happy ever after, but it is so nice to inhabit a world where people connect and care about each other.

Pippa this one is for you, especially as it is a lovely crafty tale! You just want to pick up your knitting, curl up under a cosy quilt and enjoy the lovely Autumn evenings.