Being a Bit Bookish

I've had a tub of wonderful shells for a few years now and a lot of them I've collected with the specific purpose of making books.  I have actually achieved this on a few occasions but this last couple of weeks I had another rummage as the urge was upon me again! 

The scallop shells were pretty standard but the enormous cockle shells (those are 5cm squares they are sitting on) needed a little thought.   I ended up grading the pages to fit the concave shells better.  Rather pleased with them. 

I will actually take some decent photos soon!! 

There was another scroll book finished too and I have another in the pipeline which still needs a little thought.  

I also put together this little palm sized notebook in leather.

It feels lovely to hold and I can see where I could take different fabrics to make covers with this one.  Perhaps a few to sell at the Art Weeks for the GSP Rescue UK charity.  

One thing I have been working on for a little while is another compendium.  This one came from the fact that I bought this beautiful, chunky frame some time ago and then promptly broke the glass in it.  

I am constantly on the lookout for little bits of 'stuff'.  They usually end up on display in my printers trays but I do have a basket where I collect up things that will need a home at some point or another.  This was the perfect chance to showcase them.  That and I had a clock mechanism to use too and it all came together nicely.  As with my other ones there is still spaces to fill but these things do evolve.  And to clean them you just use a soft paint brush, just in case you were wondering. 

I have several little bits on the go like knitting and crochet and also a bit of a bead-a-long with Fran Griffith for National Beaders Week so no excuses to be bored at the moment! 

I hope the sun eventually decides to show it's face again up here soon though I do feel for those in southern Europe at the moment.  

Happy creating! 

That Was a Week That Was

We thought we had been organised in using the back bedroom to store everything from the hall and bathroom but then the plumbers arrived.  That meant emptying the airing cupboard too.  And then they wanted the carpets and floorboards up as well. John was here alone as I had been rushed into hospital and so everything was moved rather quickly into the only room left, our bedroom!  Well that was a bit of a mess.

The thermo store looks like something Heath Robinson would be so proud of.  John managed to take out the remains of a chimney in there and gained a lot of room. There is still plenty of work to be done to tidy everything up and totally rebuild the airing cupboard but we have heating and hot water again. 

I was in hospital from the Monday to Friday night as I had lost 8 pints of blood in less than 36 hours from 3 lesions in my stomach.  Looking at the photos of inside I have very thin stomach lining and I know I'm ulcer prone, too many years taking Voltarol.  Unfortunately one of these lesions seems to of happened over a vein and bled rather heavily.  We can only guess that, as it is very near my hernia, it rolled and split. I wasn't very well for a time and had to have four blood transfusions. Mind you with all the moving of stuff and no water perhaps the hospital was the best place to be for a while there! 

The rest of the build is coming along nicely with more plumbing in the bathrooms being finished, plasterboard going up and the whole of the old roof being replaced as well as the new bit. We also opted, after a lot of thought and looking at many options, to go for lovely eco cedar cladding along the back and gable cheeks. That has also all arrived.  

The new windows arrived two weeks ago but they had made them in the wrong colour.  As they were timber and not painted they have had to be totally remade again, a bit of a delay!!! In less than two weeks we leave for Australia.  Luckily the builder is staying here to carry on and hopefully the windows will arrive for him to fit so he won't be working in the dark for too long! 

As you can imagine I haven't been too well to make much. The brain has been more than a little foggy.  Not sure if it's lack of blood, lack of oxygen or just me in general! I could spend a little time sitting at the kitchen sink using up some of the felting wools I bought for the Fiona Duthie workshop on making felt wrapped soaps.  Quite a pleasant task and something to go on the charity table at next years open studios. 

I also completed the online workshop to make wands.  A strange subject I know but one that took my fancy. I also made a stand to keep them in and this is the end result. 

They were very hard to photograph!  I think it was because of all the bling and spangles. 

I think I have an appointment to finalise the bedrooms today and then I will go and potter in the studio.  No bending or lifting to strain the tum and plenty of sitting down as I run out of puff pretty quick. 

There and Back Again. Again.

 I know were were in Scotland a couple of posts ago but John decided we had to go back up to here...

To have a play day on this...

She is the Lancashire Fusileer pulling the Jacobite Train.  This is a sort of photo of us going over the Glenfinnan Viaduct.  Unfortunately we were facing towards the back and I had to scootch around and the windows were terribly dirty. (Left hand side is the best for views Julie!!!) You can see more HERE with much better photos!! There was no sign of Ford Anglias flying overhead but plenty of young people with wands.

Our destination before re-boarding to come back again was the pretty sea town of Mallaig where we had a lovely fish and chip lunch and a wander around.

Later that evening we went for a drive around and up Glen Roy and some more lovely views.

On the Wednesday we drove up to the Isle of Skye which, unfortunately was rather wet.  Only on the island mind.  Coming back, as with going up, from Castle Eilean Donan south it was lovely sunshine!

Oh, this was our room and I can tell you I looked absolutely everywhere for Mel Gibson.  It's where he stayed when filming Braveheart.  I know it was a few years ago but he might have popped back for a bit.  John did his best but found the blue paint got everywhere and the kilt drafty.

A dawn picture of Glen Coe heading for the airport.  Another amazing trip away.

I did return to this mess though.  There is a desk under there somewhere, honest.

I'e been making these danglies from some of Chris' beach finds.  It seems a shame just to keep the piled up in a pot.  They're wonky because they were stil swinging!!

I'd foiled some of the glass and finally managed to drill others.  Some shells, stones, pottery and a few beads and they twinkle quite nicely in the window.

And I have layered up another group of silks and scrim to hand stitch with a goal in mind for this too.  

Apart from having another quite large tummy problem before we went away, we knew the signs this time so it was to the doctors straight away, I managed to go to the Stitch and Creative Craft Show at Sandown with Elsa and Jan on Friday.  We were a right three I had no energy, Jan is about have a knee replaced and Elsa with bump but I think we all had a great time nattering and ooing and ahhing.  I brought more things home to play with I just have to clear that desk a little!

I know there seemed to be a problem with one of my followers commenting last week.  I think it's because I went over to Google +.  On reading further is seems if you have a blog with Blogger and are on Google + the only people who can then comment on your blog are other Google + users. Absolutely stupid set up, but it doesn't surprise me.  Anyway I am no back to being a normal Google user but please let me know through my email or facebook if you can't comment now.  I'd hate to loose any of you.

I'm about to start another whole new round of blood tests etc in a bit and then I will clear that desk today!!! Have a great week.

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Little Panel Finish

I've wanted to explore a little more into the mixed media area and with the likes of Jan Messent, Maggie Grey, Dale Rollerson, Beryl Taylor, Angie Huges Ro Bruhn et al out there who can resist!!

I started collecting bits together and did some painting of papers and fabrics, stamping, stencilling and printing and then made some little panels up with them.  To bring them all together I thought of a loose theme and stitched away.  Lots of beads and bits later and I have a pile of interesting fabrics and papers and this little panel.  It is 13.5 x 16 inches in size and it is still technically a quilt as it's at least three layers.

I think this one could possibly qualify to be OK to show for the Dorset Art Weeks.  Maybe.

Must do some more with embossing next!

Oh PS, my Google Reader seems to have gone early.  I thought they weren't doing away with it until July but I cannot see where they have shoved it on my dashboard.  I'm trying to find out where to read you all next so if I go missing, it's those blooming clever clog at Google messing around yet again!!


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