Oh My!

I thought March went quickly, but who stole April??  I haven't even done a single post for April.  I'm sure you lot haven't missed me but I missed the sort of routine, just to put something down somewhere to know it happened, lol. 

The baby quilts went off to meet their new owner last week.  Baby Leo arrived on the 6th April, all 7lb 13 oz of him.  Perhaps I could sneaky knit him a few bits here and there too.  I have finished a couple of little cardies but in girl colours so they will go on the charity table in the Autumn. 

I have also been working on the wedding guest book for Elsa and Mike.  I'm sure Elsa and I can come up with making a quilt together for them some time after the wedding but in the mean time we need this for the actual day.

I am really quite pleased with it, especially how the tartan is not too overpowering.  There is a gentle nod towards Mike's Scottish heritage with the tartan and that we will be taking over a whole castle up there for a couple of days.  So looking forward to it!

I also managed to raid the shredder and make some paper.  I only have a small, square washing up bowl though so I will have to buy a bigger one before I make the next batch.  The adding of a little paint to the water worked well too.  Not sure what for or when I will use it but it was fun making it. 

I've added the borders on the black and batik sofa quilt and that is now residing on the longarm frame waiting to be loaded and finished.  I have a trapped nerve in my back at the moment so the last thing I want to do is play on Ariadne!  

I read on a blog somewhere where someone was fed up with putting full sleeves on art quilts and they had discovered fast finish triangles.  Well I think they are good for the journal sized quilts but I prefer a full sleeve on anything larger.  One thing I do do though is split the sleeve.  The photo below is of the two quilts I have just finished for my C&G and show what I mean.  This way they can just hang on a single nail in the wall and are easy to swap around, just like a normal painting. 

This little fellow was adding classy decor to his nest box from a clump of sewing bits I had put out for them.  I hope the Mrs liked what he chose. 

My ever faithful companions.  The other two, Tully and Oscar were, as usual, under my desk under my feet.  I'm glad Ellie is growing too big for under there too!

Well that could be it for this month.  We spent Tuesday morning working out the tulips for three days of the Monte Carlo Rally and one for the San Remo Rally tour.  My back is already twitching again after seeing all those hairpin bends.  Hopefully I will be able to bore you all and blog a few photos but if not, we will be up a mountain somewhere!

Evening Bag and Tweets

Back in January I downloaded instructions for a bag by Angie Hughes and this week I spent a little time making it.  The base is black cotton velvet with bling added including Angelina fibres, painted Bondaweb and bright fabrics.  All these were overlaid with organza and stitched to within an inch of it's life.  I then beaded and finished it off.  I'm quite pleased with it myself and can see me making a few more with an alteration or two.

The My Tweets blocks are all now finished!  I know they are a little late as it finished in December but I was really struggling with the boredom factor with these!! 9 - 12 below.

All there is to do with them now is wash them and hope none of the pieces float away, size them up and decide how I'm going to finish the top itself.

Whilst rooting around in a cupboard I found this untouched box of inks waiting to be rediscovered.  I love using dip pens so perhaps this is a hint to dig out the nibs again, and perhaps a brush or two.

I have also raided the shredder and made some paper today à la DMTV. I even added some paint to tint a couple of the sheets.  They are now drying so will have to wait for the photos of that!

While I was having a wonderful time finishing this and that poor John had the task of moving two tipper truck loads of logs. The truck can only come halfway up the property and John has to move them the rest of the way to the woodshed with the trailer (sometimes we are lucky to rope in a son or daughter!).  Even that many only half filled the bay behind him but they won't be used for about three or four years anyway so I expect they could be added to.  The middle bay is what we have been using this year and the nearest one is next in line.  They joys of being lucky enough to have two rather large wood burners have to be earned and John will be the first in front of one of the fires tonight with his very deserving whiskey!

Have a wonderful weekend!

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Recovery

Phew, what a weird week I've had!  I wasn't feeling well as you know from the last post, but it has taken all this time to be able to do something simple like walk up to the top of the garden and back without having to sit for ten minutes in the G&T hut. Not sure what it was but hopefully it's gone now.

I had managed to put together this play quilt for a baby.

But seeing as he hasn't actually arrived yet (due this week) I thought I'd better put in a fleece cuddle blanket and some matching burp cloths for a new born.  They are so quick to make and lovely and soft.

When I've had the energy I've done a little tidying and actually managed to clear the space in front of the door that goes out from my studio into the little courtyard.  In the winter the door is not used so it attracts all sorts of things that can just sit there for a while.  I remember once hearing someone say that if you put a newspaper down on a surface before long other things are attracted to it and you end up with a little pile of bits around it.  I have seen this happen!  Good job we don't have papers any more.

Not too much on for us this week so perhaps some pottering in the garden in between the pup training.  It's so tempting to start the garden too early when the weather is this lovely.  Two years ago we had a glorious March and snow in April and we lost so much fruit blossom.  I'm sure the garden centres are rubbing their hands together in glee at the thought of all the things they have to sell twice. The tomato plants can stay in the house until I can put them out in the greenhouse next month.

I hope your week is full of things you want to do.

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Air Ambulance E Petition

I've not been feeling too well since Sunday.  I've had something strange that's knocked the wind out of my sails.  At the moment I'm struggling to stay upright for too long but each day is a little better.

It's at times like this that you consider what may happen.  On Sunday I passed out but luckily for me, and John, Elsa was there to help.  But what if it had been more?

Recently a certain little Hobbit at Bag End reminded me of how lucky we are to have the Air Ambulance.  When you live a rural life even popping out for a pint of milk is something that takes a little more thought.  We see our Dorset air ambulance fairly regularly.  A double edged sword.  We are grateful it's there but usually doing a job we'd rather not think about perhaps.

Please go to http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/29349 and sign the e-Petition to help this charity save some of its money on fuel VAT.  Like the RNLI it is totally funded by donations, not by the government.

I have a quiet day ahead planned apart from Ruger's hydrotherapy for his knee, but right now I have to rescue Brian the gardener from a certain pup who is overjoyed he is turning out the compost bins and revealing all things gooey and smelly.  It could be bath time again later too.

Can a Girl Really Have Too Many?

I think I many have over estimated how many 132 foam brushes are.

I had bought a few crafting versions of these to do the Flora Bowley class with but they soon wore through so I found these on line at a fraction of the cost.  Probably because they didn't have the word 'craft' in the description.  Anyway, I think I won't have to worry about buying more for quite some time!

We've had a few really beautiful afternoons here, a little misty in the mornings but clearing by lunchtime and turning into glorious evenings.  Ruger has been on rest with his cruciate injury but he has been going a little stir crazy at home or on the lead.  We took them on a gentle walk along the drove road behind the house to see how he would be.  Slowing down a Pointer is a bit like slowing the tide but it wasn't too bad!

Of course he had his partner in crime with him all the way!

In the distance you can just see that they have been stripping out the hedges.  I would have thought March was a little late in the season as the birds are beginning to nest.  It is nice seeing the laying coming together though.

We disturbed this herd of Roe deer who disappeared off into the next valley.

The grass is always greener.  Especially when those two brown dots in the other field are hares wisely going in the other direction.

Ellie is very good at making sure we are never too far away.  She's growing so fast too, now 4 months old.

 I hope the weather is good for you too, have a great week!

The Need to Bead

Last week I had a little bit of a tidy up in the studio.  (Yes, I know I had a hangup about calling it a studio before but I'm over that now.  It's a place to create and I do create things.)  After all that time making things for the City & Guilds, I was almost sad to see it all being put away.  The enormous feeling of relief soon outweighed that though!  I passed very happily with distinctions right through.  If you would like to see some of my work it is on the Design Matters student gallery here.  I must say I was quite scared of what photos Laura would post!  I think she has been very kind.

Well with no creative deadline to drive me around the bend and all the tidying done I have totally obliterated all work surfaces with 'stuff'.  I've been chopping and changing what I'm doing and actually quite enjoying it.  I found a project basket with some beads in that I had stashed.  In the bottom were some fabulous cabochons I had been picking up here and there.  There may be a project in mind but it's usually a case of just having to own and handle some of these things!!

Fossils...

Agates...

Jaspers and a little turquoise and bronze...

And I have been beading a little with a rather lovely bead made by glass artist Manuela Wutschke.

You can just see the depth of the iridescence inside.

I'm liking the Blogger reply in the comments!  I't nice to reply directly to you.  I know I chatted to a lot of you through email before but it always looks as though you've been ignored on the blog, and there are a few of you with no reply so at least you have one now!

I had the very exciting job of re measuring my tailors dummy the other day.  The diet is going quite well and there are a few inches missing now.  I felt quite smug actually.

The hazels are all out in the garden dripping their catkins, and their pollen.  There are not many things that  I have a reaction to but it seems over the past few years catkin pollen is one of them.  I'll just keep the pills handy.

The rugby is about to start for the rest of the day.  Have a fabulous weekend!

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Bereft!

I have just clicked 'send' to Laura with my last module of the City & Guilds.

I was full of needing to to other things a couple of weeks ago and was going to put the C&G aside and do them, then I had a change of heart.  If I carried on with them, the C&G folder would still be there, on the corner of my desk, glaring at me.  A feeling I have been almost dreading each time I picked something up that wasn't anything to do with it.  I girded my loins and hit the last couple of modules hard.

I think (hope) I succeeded.

Now just to wait on the results of 17 months of course work, mostly thoroughly enjoyable, but sometimes frustrating in being there when other things needed doing.  Not the course's fault!! I'm just not of the natural scholarly type and tend to buck the traces now and then.

Now that list of things needing doing.....

Totally out of reach and inaccessible in my head.

I can't think of anything that was on it!

Good job I have it written down in a notebook.

Somewhere.

It can wait.

A glass of celebratory wine calls.

Now did I cover everything that needed doing..........?


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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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