We Have Heating!

New boiler was installed on Friday and there is now copious amounts of hot water.  Of course the heating has been off most of the time because it's just been too warm to come on!  We're not complaining though. 

I had some red paints left over from a Flora Bowly session (I've managed to do 2 of them so far!) so didn't waste them and put them to use in the sketchbook.

The little bits of embellishing from the last post had extra stitch and beading added.  They are now in their A5 cards and cellophane wrappers and in the charity stall box. 

In the evenings I have been knitting this little cardigan.  I am often sitting up in bed until silly o'clock because of partial insomnia and wanted a little cardigan for in bed.  I hate the cold feeling that I have across the top of my shoulders and neck.  I chose this pattern because it is shorter in the length and I made the sleeves 3/4 length too.  I also didn't bother with all the buttons.  It's not bulky and just right to stay comfortable.  (Granny and those bed jackets was onto the right thing me thinks!)

The rugby is calling, I hope you have a great week.

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Eventful Week.

Chris commented that he hadn't seen the blog this week.  Well that's because I haven't managed to type anything as yet but it is really nice to know he reads it.  And just to show you all what a wonderful son he is, here's a little selection of the fabulous sea glass and bits he brought me home the other week.  He has a little pocket in the leg of his wetsuit, for keys etc, and he stuffed it full a couple of times.  Not too comfortable when surfing I'm sure!  I am over the moon and can't wait for more!! (heavy hint there).

On Wednesday June and I took our embellishers to the sewing group to have a play.  She was lacking confidence and a lot of the ladies had no idea what they were so it was a fun morning.  I managed to put together these three little panels.

They look very different when they are put behind the aperture of a card, mock up below, but first I will  hand stitch and bead and put in the fish.  They sell very well as cards and will go in the charity stall pile. 

 I saw this on Facebook and thought it was quite appropriate.  I hope you can read it clearly.

The sketchbooks are still in use but I have now started the Studio Journal course so that is my direction at the moment.  Mind you I'm finding most of the exercises I have already covered in my City & Guilds. This week we had been asked to put washes over some of our pages to do away with the dread white page, well I did that last week as that's what I had already learned.  Both this course and the Bloom True one, which involves lots of smearing and sloshing of paint, have helped tremendously in me 'just doing'.  They have also helped with a little change from sewing!

The doodle page was finished, I just forget to post it last week.

A certain young puppy who shall remain nameless found my 2" roll of masking tape which resulted in a thick layer having to be cut off.  

I haven't thrown it in the bin however as it's quite a nice thickness for one little job.  Very useful.

This is the little rug I have under my desk.  My feet are supposed to be on that rug, it was a gift from a friend who rears Shetland sheep.  I don't have the chance to put them on there very often though!!

Ellie does love her Grand Paw Oscar very much. (Shame I can't post the snoring going on from both of them at the time though.)

Please keep your fingers crossed for Ruger who slipped on the ice last week and hurt his stifle joint.  After a week of rest and pain killers he had an anaesthetic yesterday to be x-rayed.  There is a little damage to his cruciate ligament, nothing requiring surgery thankfully, and it will hopefully stay that way as that can be a long term problem.  Another two weeks rest and anti inflammatory medicine.  

Our boiler packed up on the 9^th, the igniter thing didn’t want to ignite anymore, so we’ve been without central heating for a week.  Thankfully our two log burners are big and can really throw out the heat.  The hot water, however, has been virtually on rations and the emersion bit doesn’t seem to be big enough for the tank.  The repair man arrived late last night with a couple of the parts needed and managed to force it into limited work.  Not too worried about the heat, we've become used to wearing lots of layers and this is a very warm home with good insulation. (Cavity wall insulation does = mice and shrews in the loft however.  It makes wonderful pathways and bedding for them.)  End result is a whole new bolier as the oil has contaminated something or another and it would never work again properly.  Another week gently encouraging the heating to work.

I have some blocks calling me to finish them today, a puppy to play with and my Ruger needs lots of TLC.  

Have a great weekend.

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Some Stitch and Scribbles

I've started to put to use some of the batiks that came through from Hancock's last week.  This makes a change as I usually just hoard them not wanting to cut them or damage them.  You would not believe how I just want to keep them all nice!!  Anyway one phobia broken, I dived straight in!! Fifteen 9 inch blocks waiting to be trimmed and then I will make fifteen more!

A couple of sketchbook scribbles this week. An exceptionally quick group of sketches of the dogs.  I hate the bottom left one of Ellie but I have left it in.  I haven't done my usual thing a spent ages tweaking it or then giving up and destroying it completely.  I will learn from it.  Two more phobias broken.  One a bad drawing I will live with and two I am showing you lot.

And after the alphabet I though numbers would be good.  I really enjoyed this one and using the brush pens again.  The Indian ink in them flows so nicely.

Thank you for your comments and responses to the last post. I do enjoy what I do I just need to find a stronger cage for the little devil on my shoulder. Over the years I have taken several of those Left/Right side of the brain tests. I am always virtually down the centre with a slight leaning to the right, but not by much. I have done them because they often accompany those analysis of left handed people. I am and am not one of them so I like to test their theory. I paint and write on paper with the left hand but paint and write upright like on a blackboard or wall right handed.  I can fly fish and fence (the one with the sword John, not the one with wooden panels) with either hand. I will peel vegetables with the knife in my right hand and then chop them with my left.  I knit and crochet right handed but can do it left handed with a little thought when asked for help by a left hander. No I don't consider myself ambidextrous as this means you can do all things with either hand.

In the past I have taken one or two absolutely enormous leaps of intuition and been very lucky with the outcome so why do I shut that gut instinct away when it comes to simply creating something? You can tell I've been analysing this week can't you!! Lol.  I must say a huge thank you to John who has born the brunt of my strange week yelling at myself and trying to rationalise, it's very out of character for me.  I have had firm words with the ghosts of people in my past who constantly dragged me back on the 'proper' course, the course where the left side of the brain should be dominant. I want to give the right side an airing. Anyway, result is I am going to make a great effort to just DO and not give a flying fig about what is right, proper or expected of me. Don't watch this space too closely though.

Have a fabulous weekend and I hope the snow and ice doesn't slow you down too much!! (Unless you're in Australia where you'd have a problem if it was!!)

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Conversation With Self.

“Oh that’s nice.”

“What is?”

“That is, that they’ve made.”

“What is it?”

“I don’t know but I want to make one.”

“Why?”

“Because I think I can make one.”

“But what’s it for?”

“I don’t know!”

“So why do you want to make one?”

“Because I can!!”

“But what will you do with it once you have made it?”

“I’ve no idea.”

“So what’s the point in making it?”

“Just to see if I can.  I just have to make something.”

“But without a use or a home to go to there is no reason. Everything has to have a reason”

“Why does someone walk around a golf course hitting a little white ball?”

“Exercise? To be with friends? To gain a score?”

“But to me it’s a pretty pointless pastime.  As is taking a walk from A to B and back again.  You have a bit of fresh air and a memory.”

“And if you sit and scribble, paint, stitch etc you just end up with a cupboard full of stuff that doesn’t go anywhere.”

“That’s alright then. We’re agreed that I can just make stuff just because I can, just like I could just go for a walk or have a game of golf.  All absolutely pointless stuff that won’t change the world, just make my world a little nicer.”

“OK, I’ll agree to that.”

“Good. Now go away I want to create and fill my cupboards!”

A genuine conversation I have with myself, and not just the once or twice.  I do envy people who can just churn stuff out whether it has a purpose or destination or not.   Everyone has to have an outlet but why do I have to keep justifying the one I enjoy?

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Rip Off Britain

I finally took advantage of one of the Hancock's of Paducah's shipping free offers.

2.5 yards of 108" backing fabric, five packs of 12 fat quarters (that's 60 in total) ((I know I like batiks!!)), and a kit.

With the VAT and Parcelforce handling fees (£20.51) over here the lot cost me a total of £114.

I will say no more.

Very Happy Bunny.

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An End! Sorta, Kinda...

Only a year on from the finish of the Magical Minis and I finally pieced the last three months.  Twenty five 4 inch blocks to add to all the others, 97 in total.  All I have to do now is make 96 or so connector blocks and put it together.  No rush.

Not many doodles this week.  I really like this one and it was fun to do.

I had a funny five here with the robin.  Not too sure whether to colour the flowers.

And I wanted to play with a set of Faber Castell artist big brush pens I have.

At the moment I'm slowly adding to this page as the mood takes me.

Monday sees the start of the Bloom True painting course with Flora Bowley so I may show you some efforts of acrylics being splashed around.

And I couldn't post without a pup pic or two.  The first one was easy, we just showed them a treat.  The second one however took three of us and quite a few treats and Tully still managed to sneak off at the last moment.  It's still the best picture of quite a few we took though!! 

We will have another go the next time Remi and his Mum and Dad visit.  They grow so fast!

Have a great weekend.

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