Moments of Mine... 73mw

Fabric Bowl and Ear Bud Pouch

2012-02-26T09:51:00.000Z

I've made my first little fabric bowl and it came out rather sweet.

I couldn't find any cotton clothes line which is regularly used to make these objects,

and the other alternatives (such as sash cord) were way too expensive,

so I had to think outside the box a little.

It worked, and I'm happy :0)

I also saw this sweet little ear bud pouch on Jen's Inspirations, Jen, in turn,

had originally seen the idea HERE in this tutorial.

I made two, one for Bella (not photographed... it will be in the pits of her school bag by now

and I really don't feel inclined to venture there) and another for myself using some of my

precious Quite Contrary fabric - it's really cute and I'm happy :0)

Have a lovely Sunday,

Shell x

Bella and Aunty Margaret

2012-02-26T09:37:00.001Z

Some of the things my Bella is...

This image reminds me of Eleisha and underneath her 'cool' exterior image

she is a sweet heart.

Aunty Margaret's card....

I got the ribbon heart idea from a utube video....

It's an idea which I will use again and it was fun to make :0)

Symphony Across the Sky

2012-02-26T09:24:00.002Z

They come every evening, a little scattered at first.

Gradually pulling together

A hundred and more... flocks swooping in to join

As the dusk settles in, they arc and curve

Moving as one flowing entity

Forming shapes and patterns

Like a nebulous

All fluttering at the same time, all gliding at the same time

And as they pass overhead, you can hear the rush of the wind beneath their wings

Until the night creeps in, and they dive as one, to their resting place.

It is a joy and a wonder to watch.

Because It's Worth Fighting For...

2012-02-17T12:35:00.000Z

Hello :-)

I mentioned last week that I'd seen a quote on Sandra's blog that I wanted to do up as a stitchery...

Powerful words and a great mantra to start each day when those blues threaten to become the over-riding factor in life.

I used the sweetest fabric which Terri had sent me for my last birthday - those chirpy little birds and images are perfect for this quote.

And I'll keep on battling the dark clouds with any strategy I can, exercise, healthy eating, loud music and some groovy dancing, chatting with friends and family - because,

I'm choosing it, and I'm fighting for it!

Inside a ballpoint....

2012-02-12T11:49:00.000Z

As I posted yesterday, for this page, I was greatly inspired by the art work of Andrea Joseph, enough so, to spend hours upon hours meditatively cross-hatching a selection of designs. It was a process I enjoyed very much.

This is a selection of some of my own personal favourites - little pieces of whimsey (build a little birdhouse). Moon Loon is a reference to Andrea's Zine - how to draw like a loon, I'm a moon child, so therefore a Moon Loon.

Drawing small circles gave me a manageable area to focus on and practice in - and that's what this page was, an experimentation of a new medium and stretching my own ideas beyond that of copying (of which there was also a fair share).

I'm really happy to have added some of Andrea's artwork to our home (which I mentioned yesterday).

Baffled hubby didn't quite get my enthusiasm for the above dotty circle ('yes dear' face) which out of all of the circles probably took the longest - time quite escapes me with this particular technique though.

I'm now ready to take a break from my sketch book - I feel the urge for some sewing. I saw a quote on Sandra's blog this morning - as I fight my own clouds of darkness, it really struck a chord. A stitchery it shall be :-)

Maybe with a nice colourful border, or little applique - when I see things like this, it makes me want to get stitching again.

Thanks for stopping by - here's the full page (you may be able to get a better look here, if you so desire).

Enjoy your Sunday and half-term holiday (UK) if you have one this week. We do, and I'm off on Thursday and Friday of it so only 3 days at work... fantastic!

Love Shell

The Ballpoint Experiment

2012-02-11T20:45:00.001Z

I'm wrote this last Sunday as a scheduled post (trying to be all forward thinking) - ~~schedule thingey went wrong~~ I messed up somehow so this is a written last week post getting posted today!

*********

A couple of years ago I came across a post somewhere entitled 'what students doodle...' at least I think it was that - it was a few years ago. Anyhow, I digress, I remember sending a link to Terri so she could check out the amazing art for herself.

Flash forward to a fortnight ago and I was mulling over ideas for Bella's birthday card... she is really into chucks (has asked for a pair for her birthday) - and I remembered the above mentioned art and seeing this amazing ballpoint drawing. It took me an age to find - you know how it is when you remember seeing something, somewhere and every google search fetches everything but the remembered item up (no longer a problem with pinterest but I didn't have pinterest back then).

Anyhoo! Found the drawing... Found the blog of the lady who did/does the drawings... Realise all of the drawings on link sent to Terri many moons ago were done by this lady and wow! that's all I can say really - WOW!

I ordered two of her zines - to see more.. learn more... admire more! They arrived the very next day.

There are a couple of tutorials in them (the drawings are done in a standard ballpoint pen) but this kind of art can only be developed by doing - by grabbing a ballpoint and a piece of paper and practising. Mostly the zines, to me, are inspiration - packed with drawings to study and have a go at.

You know where this is leading don't you... my own ballpoint experiment - HEAVILY inspired (meaning not quite all but quiet a bit-edly copied) by the work of Andrea Joseph.

My first ballpoint drawing which was most definitely copied.

This one was my own design.

This one is my own little birdie.

This is a close up of a collaboration (meaning partially copied and
partially me) - for scale I could fit at least 5 of the ladybirds on
my thumb nail.

And here's where I'm up to today... **current self interrupting - this is where I was up to last Sunday -
I'll update tomorrow (hopefully) with where I'm up to today (goodness, how confusing am I!)**
(again a mixture of copied and me)

I'm highly enthused about this experiment! Until I came across the work of Andrea Joseph and the other talented ballpoint artists like her, I never imagined it was possible to get that level of shading and degree of detail into a drawing from your average ballpoint pen - I have a newfound respect for biros!

I'm off to practise more :-) and yep, I bought a copy of the ballpoint chucks drawing for Bella for her birthday (she doesn't read my blog so I'm not spoiling any surprises) - as a budding artist and chucks fan I just know she will LOVE it as much as I do.

Have fun and stay inspired.
Love Shell x

A Little Bird Tells Us....

2012-02-05T13:44:00.000Z

All of my February cards are complete, except one which will be for Bella so here's my round-up for this month...

For Melissa - who is a teenager so I wanted to do something
a little more funky.

For Aunty Lula-Babe (who is turning the big 60 - but I
didn't want to shout this out on her card as I think she'll get enough
reminders on the day!)

As I'm not sewing much else at the moment, at least I'm getting
it onto my cards :-)

For Agnes

I like this little bunny stamp - it's a cutie!

All images were coloured with watercolours - my colouring medium of choice (for the moment).

Happy Sunday to you.
Love Shell x

January Complete, February Starts....

2012-02-02T12:48:00.002Z

Hello,

Just quickly popping on with January's completed Page and February all ready to go... and as I've already noted myself, yes, February is a leap year, and yes, I only dated mine up until the 28th. Will have to get a little bit creative there for the last day when it arrives.

Linking in with The Kathryn Wheel and the uber talented Kate Crane.

January

February

Love Shell x

Chicken Soup for our Souls

2012-01-29T13:27:00.000Z

Warning: If you're not a nature lover (and/or dog lover), then this post won't be for you :0)

For all I live in the city, I'm a Nature Girl at Heart. And, for all I like people... I could quite easily go without seeing another living person for weeks on end. I like being by myself, and I love being by myself in Nature.

You will know from following our art card series last year, that one of the things I was looking forward to was future walks with Willow. I find nothing as relaxing, or soothing, or refreshing as a hike in the woods.

Yesterday, although I always seem to have a gazzillion other things to do - the call was too strong and we made a run for it :0)

I think it was something like... 'where are you going?', me... 'far, far away' lol.

And so after a rough journey for Willow - we arrived, and now, I will be quiet and let the pictures tell of the trail...

Days like this, are indeed, Chicken Soup for our Soul.

Hope you enjoyed our adventure as much as we did.

Love Shell and Willow x

Creative Plans - January Update

2012-01-28T16:17:00.000Z

I'm very pleased to say that my Creative Plans as outlined in the previous post are going very well indeed. I had 4 birthdays in January to make cards for and I thought I'd save them up and post them all together.

For Sandra

For Sandra (I have lots of Sandras lol)

For Michelle

For Fay

February's cards are all done too (apart from 1 special one) and in addition to that I've made another cobweb scarf for a future gift and have lots of journalling pages which I'll post some of soon.

Just wanted to catch up with these as I've been a bit slack on the ole' blogging front lately :0) - time to get back in the swing of it.

Hope everyone is having a lovely weekend -Willow and I have just returned from a walk in the woods which was a delight for both of us, apart from Willow has really bad travel sickness and was positively green around the gills by the time we got there, and then got home again - poor thing, I'll have to either find a more local woods or try out some travel sickness remedies for her.

Until next time....
Shell x

Creative Plans

2012-01-02T10:12:00.001Z

Awwww, all of the decorations came down this morning... usually I'm itching to get them down but not so this year - I really liked the tree twinkling away in the corner of the room and the baubles hanging from the big old beam - but down they must come, and down they are.

Tomorrow I go back to work, and the children go back to school - it's been such a happy Winter holiday, one filled with lots of nice memories, it would be nice if it could go on a little longer...

As is the norm with most of us, we don't do new year's resolutions as we all know we'll break them before the first week is out - but I wanted to cement (so to speak) my creative plans for 2012 which are a lot less extravagent then in previous years!

My 'creative plans' for the year are to:-

*make my own cards;
*make my own gifts (at least for those who I know will like them), and;
*to journal... lots!

I also plan on doing a page for my 'home plans' and also my 'personal plans' - I think they'll help me keep my goals in sight during the year.

I'm off to enjoy the very last day of the holidays and hope you all have a lovely day too.

Love
Shell

Twenty-Twelve

2012-01-01T09:54:00.000Z

Happy New Year Everybody!!!

I like New Year's - I love starting a new diary, a new calendar, a whole new shiny year...

There are two journal challenges which I am joining this year as they have both been a source of inspiration during 2011.

The first is Kate's 2012 366 challenge on The Kathryn Wheel Blog as I've always loved the look of these calendar pages. I put together this initial lay-out last night which will be added to over the month of January.

I used a circle punch for the patterned papers and also a heart punch for the banner, then I added some dimension with watercolour paints, letter stamps and coloured pencils.

I've a feeling finger-print people are going to feature regularly in my art journal in 2012, they just make me smile!

Yesterday my lovely Big Sis presented me with a journalling box - I'm so happy with it!

Not too big, and not too little.

Contents and dog nose not included!

Some of my new alphabet stamps...
I wasn't sure if they would fit - but they did! Percy Perfect :0)

After following this blog for the whole of last year, I'm going to try to participate in the challenge theme's this year. I didn't know what the theme was last night when I doodled this, but January's theme is 'doodelling' so this fits in nicely!

A little ode to zentangles which are cited as being meditative and relaxing... my mind always talks away to itself when I'm doodelling so I suppose that's a good thing, I think?!?! (it depends what my mind is talking about!)

And to round off this New Year's Day post, I found two art cards which I'd not had the means to post about (Willow... chew, chew, chew.... Computer Charger!!!... iphone blog the other day.... photo's pants!.... PC World.... 35 flippin quid.... Back to Blogging.... amended photos in previous post.... Ahhhh that's better!.... Smiles) so here they are....

No prize for guessing this was Christmas Decorations Week :0)

Because I just love the flickering glow and the wonderful smell of scented candles.

A Very Happy New Year Everybody - now I must get back to preparing the prawn cocktails and roast chicken lunch for our big family New Year's Day Dinner. Have a super 1st day of the year!

Love Shell

Final Art Cards

2011-12-30T10:20:00.004Z

Hello and hope you all had a lovely Christmas.

I've missed a few weeks of art cards in the hustle of getting ready for Christmas and making last minute Christmas gifts but as it's the final week I really wanted to make a set. Except for the cards I'll be sending to Terri - these are my last ones for my Little Book of Joys.

A playing card makes a perfectly sized pressie! One of the best gifts that Christmas gives is that it draws all family and friends together and that's what I like most about Christmas.

And I always enjoy the feelings which come with a new year - the memories of the year we are leaving, and the twinkle of the year we are about to step into.

I'll be stepping into the year with new hopes and plans, old and new friendships and a dash of colour and fun.

For the first time in months I entered the shed - this was after several hours of de-cluttering (and I do mean decluttering!) - the shed seemed to have become the official dumping ground following the loft clearance of a few months back!

Of course, as you should whilst up to your elbows in hoarded stuffness - I decided to re-string the pom-poms which have been stored in a carrier bag since they were taken down from Bella's room.

I now have very funky shed window dressings! Though I don't think I'll ever love them as much as I did in Bella's window....

So I'll catch you all in the new year! Thanks for your friendship in 2011 and raising a glass to all of the adventures of 2012!

Enjoy xxx

Merry Christmas

2011-12-19T21:27:00.001Z

Just a quick post from my phone to wish you all a Very Merry Christmas! Willow ate the laptop charger so I'm unable to post properly at the moment and my phone is v-e-r-y s--l--o--w (and frustrating) for getting round the blogs and leaving any comments so I'm mostly feed reading.

Hoping your Christmas is full of Merry and Bright and that 2012 is good to you all.

Enjoy!

From Shell and a naughty (but nice) Willow :-)

The Colour of my Life:-

2011-12-04T14:19:00.000Z

As we enter the last month of the year, I decided today to revisit a blog post I did back in January 2011, Key Words...

Rather than setting resolutions I chose to focus on 3 keys words during the year, home, garden and colour.

Looking around my main living room yesterday, I noticed all of the pockets of colour - I like pockets of colour, they draw my eye and make me happy!

And the colour spills over into the crafts I enjoy - I mentioned yesterday how I was enjoying setting up my work space and sorting out my floss in readiness for new projects.

This adorable little suitcase came as a free gift with a magaine subscription - it's small enough to be portable, and large enough to hold everything I need for embroidery projects.

Hoop, sewing case, a few additional supplies, and beneath the sewing case, oh, my eyes dance with delight.....

And still.... the colour spills over into other things too...

Buns baked this morning.

And more buns baked this morning - I was on a roll!

A rustic sausage stew, with homegrown leeks picked from the garden this morning.

And the colour spills over into everyday life - Willow had her first walk at the beach this morning - it was a chilly but beautiful morning and I do love the beach, but mostly I love walking on the beach with my two girls (the main girl in my life was still in bed lol)...

Loving Eyes and Sandy Noses :0)

So the colour of my life.... well, I'd say it's a rainbow. Counting as my little book of joys post for this week - it's been a busy colourful day wouldn't you say, and most definitely joyful :0)

So now I will love you and leave you as that sausage stew should be just about ready for serving up!

Have a joyful, rainbow filled week.

Love Shell

Stockings and Robins

2011-12-02T19:51:00.002Z

Finally a non-Sunday blog from me, which can mean only one thing.... a day off work - yeah!

Daisy Dog needed a trip to the vets, and I needed to get some Yuletide Shopping done. Both missions accomplished.

My Big Sis has been getting crafty - Christmas Crafty!! Tis Good :0)

She surprised me last night with this cute little fellow:-

Isn't he a sweetie!

I've recently added a new pen to my sewing kit - well 3 actually as that's the pack that they came in. Many people may be aware of them already, but if you're not they are well worth the money. They have a lovely fine point for stitchery designs and the best thing is.... well, watch this and see......

Pretty amazing isn't it - that's nothing I like worse than that blue hazey spread of water erasable pens that aren't quite as erasable as you would hope!

Pilot Frixion Pens

I picked mine up from the stationery section of our local super market - they aren't actually sold as quilting/sewing pens but boy, whoever discovered they can be used as such needs a gold star... and thanks to the u-tube lady for a great demo :0)

I finished up my latest applique/embroidered block - and yes, I used my new pen for the lettering lol.

The block is a bit frayed as I had to give it a wash before restarting the lettering (I mentioned that I had to unpick the first attempt in my last post).

I'm loving that holly berry stocking (Moda Fruitcake).

Willow after a run and slide around the garden today (look at her mucky pup leg lol)

Pop by tomorrow where I'll be sharing some fun projects I'm planning on joining in 2012 - you might fancy jumping on in too :0)

Much Love

Shell x

LBoJ and Figgy Pudding

2011-11-27T15:17:00.002Z

Good afternoon sweet blogging friends, it's been such a busy morning so it's nice to sit down and have the chance to catch up.

I'll start the post with my art cards for this week - only 4 weeks left after this one, goodness, really?!? The end of this year is flying by.

I am so enjoying this new hobby of mine, I find it both relaxing and exciting. The best piece of advice that I've picked up for this technique next to finger pressing your lines before you start, is to concentrate only on the bit beneath your thumb - don't try to work any further ahead than that :0)

I love my basket of bobbins and rummaging through them to find a matching colour for the fabric that I'm working with.

And I'm enjoying thinking of new designs and how they might work out.... I still need to improve on my curves as they are not as curveylicious as I would like, but that will come with time and practice I hope.

Sometimes the design works out.... sometimes it doesn't, all part of the fun don't you think? This lettering had to be unpicked, despite the hours spent sewing it because from a distance it completely faded into the background which was not the effect I was going for!

My second art card this week... well, it's not often I am stunned into silence but I was yesterday. A sitting on the floor with a package before me, stunned, lump of emotion in my throat kind of silence.

Terri and I, often send each other letters and small gifts, most of which don't get blogged about - but I couldn't not blog about this one as it is too big and special not to - I hope you don't mind Terri.

I mentioned to Terri well over a year ago that I loved the Moda Figgy Pudding line of fabric but had been unable to source any in the UK - she kindly sent me over a few pieces of the above fabrics which I've used sparing in some projects.

When she e-mailed last week to say that there was a package on the way, I was of course excited, but I never imagined THIS!.....

I can't even begin to put into words how overwhelmed and touched I am, not only by this beautiful gift, but also by the friendshipTerri has given me.

The piecing and design are perfect, not to mention how utterly adorable the fabric is - it's just so Figgy Pudding and Christmassy (though it will definitely not be put away after Christmas :0) hehe).

Such gorgeous quilting too! My head truly spins at Terri's thought and generosity - I can't quite take it in.

The back, so so, sigh, blissful... I said a fortnight ago that I felt that I had a fairy godmother as life was being so good - well, this time it isn't a fairy godmother I have to thank but a very special and dear friend.

Thank you Terri, you have blown me away and I hope someday I can do the same for you x

So from me and a snoozing Willow (as friends come in many shapes and sizes and I'm so happy I also have this gorgeous girl to share my days with)....

We hope the light of friendship burns brightly in your world this week, both in the friendship which you give

and the friendship which you receive.

Shell and Willow x

Midnight Blogger

2011-11-21T23:26:00.000Z

Well almost!

Lying here in bed in my PJ's catching up on the week gone by.

Terri had sent me this lovely zippered pouch a little while ago (thanks Terri!), aren't those cupcakes so sweet.... and it's the perfect size for keeping my hand-sewing supplies in...

Over the weekend I've been revisiting needle-turn applique which I confess I did not do so well with the first time I tried it - however!!!! I think I might be getting it!!!!

I made this design up as I went along and there were two challenges that I had set myself.... the first, well, to do needle-turn applique - and the second, to work without a hoop and become acquainted with the 'fluidity of fabric'. I'm so used to working with a hoop, or a frame, or fabric which has been made more 'sturdy' with backing that to get used to the floppiness is quite strange.

I told myself if I could pull off the snow-lady's curvey nose, then I can pretty much do anything (needleturn wise)... and I think I did ok.

I painted the eyes on but the lashes and everything else is either needle-turn or embroidery. I gave myself a lovely neck-ache and throbbing head by overdoing it with the sewing, but I am happy with the outcome so it was worth it, and the lesson to pace myself has been learned....

Other news....

Little Willow Wood has had her first walks - here she is watching the world go by with Daisy Dog.

And I got a lovely surprise when I went down to the veggie patch at the weekend to see this beauty blooming away (which of course isn't a veggie at all - but it still lives in the veggie patch) :0)

And now I must get some zzzzz's in before the alarm goes off and it's time to take two lovely girls out for a walk again.

Have a fabbo week!

Luv,
Shell x

Cogs and Cookies

2011-11-13T12:56:00.000Z

It doesn't happy all that often, four days of it are quite rare indeed - fluke happenings which just happen to be perfect. The week started a little shaky - I had an overflowing toilet (just water) at 4.30am, another night an escapee puppy act at 3am to name but two, so by Thursday lunch-time I was feeling rather shaky. I decided that a little rest and relaxation were in order and booked myself off work for the rest of the week - a small holiday was screaming my name like a tantrum-fueled toddler.

Having signed myself out by noon on Thursday.... Thursday afternoon through to 'right now' a small series of events left me feeling ever so wonderfully touched by fairy-god mother twinkling dust (Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!)

Like the faulty fence paneling (purchased to retain escapee puppy) - it's faults making it a perfect fit for the area I needed. Or the chance conversation with a neighbour which lead to me being iPhoned again (pinching myself)!! Reduced Christmas Gifts falling into my basket (yes!!! I feel virtuous that I've started my Christmas Shopping though I know some mega organised people have finished theirs by now - swots! lol)

It has been a flukey couple of days...

Doesn't that feel great - when chance happenings all seem to be fortuitous. Even down to my new painting palette having 'just' the right number of compartments for my paints. Wow - what a roll I've had :o)

Yummy

Scrummy!

Even Daisy Dog has gotten in on the act of making my world a happy place as she has been playing with Willow - not much you might say, but Daisy Dog has not played in the 11 years we have had her, despite numerous play-pal opportunities and ball-throwing attempts by us. Yesterday she picked up 'Mr. Foxy' and started a tail-wagging, yodeling game of tug with the pup! (pinch me again, I must be dreaming).

My writing/painting bureau slotted perfectly into the small bay window - small things each and every one of them, but all making me happy, happy :0)

And finally, with such a bountiful sprinkling of happiness, what could be better than a homemade cookie to snack on whilst contemplating the goodness....

And now I know I MUST be dreaming because not only did my darling daughter bake cookies (lovely but not unusal), SHE ALSO DID THE DISHES TOO (faint!!!)

So actually, don't be pinching me, cos this is such a nice dream, I think I'll enjoy it a little longer :o)

Wishing you a 'cogs and cookies' week!

Much love

Shell x

LBoJ (44) 6th Nov

2011-11-06T10:36:00.000Z

Hello,

Sorry I haven't been round visiting blogs much or replying to comments - been crazy busy or crazy tired but mostly a combination of the two.

LBoJ/Art Cards is coming close to it's end - only another 8 weeks/cards to complete - some weeks it's been challenging, other weeks there were so many ideas that it was hard to pick only 2. Almost a year on I still want to say thank you to Terri and Sandra for sticking with it - without them my own efforts would have more than likely dribbled off and been forgotten about.

I'm thinking of what I would like to do when this project is over - working on the art cards has helped me to narrow down the mediums I enjoy working with and where I would like to focus my energies in the future (and that has changed several times over the past 10 months!). Although I've enjoyed working on my art cards, I'm excited now that the finishing line is in sight and moving on to new subjects, practising and learning more about drawing, watercolours and ink and these are the mediums which have really hooked me (truthfully, although I've enjoyed mixed media and acrylics in the past I'm too lazy to clean up the mess that these make - too many products, paints, crayons, pencils, pens - brushes to wash, palettes to clean - yup, just too darn lazy - I'm drawn to something a bit 'less')

A sketchbook, pencil and painting palette I can throw in a bag and go - which has always held the biggest appeal to me. This week, that is what I have been dreaming of. It seemed appropriate to work in these mediums to depict my visions. They are keeping me going through the sleepless nights of puppyhood lol.

Keeping it simple.... walking through open fields, or down leafy, tree lined tracks - feeling the peace and quiet of an early morning stroll - sitting contentedly on a hill, sketchbook in hand, with a patchwork of fields before us, and soaking it up, together.

Thanks for stopping by.

Love
M x

All Hallows Eve Eve

2011-10-30T11:28:00.000Z

Red, Umber, Brown and Gold,

Orange, Yellow, softly fold,

Into the Earth, into it's care,

Fallen gently through the air.

That which once was green and bright,

Is now on fire, is now alight,

The tree she does not cry and weep,

For she knows they were not hers to keep.

Against an inky moonlit night,

When the last of the leaves has taken flight,

There she stands, tall and strong,

Bending to winter winds harsh and long.

Another year older, wiser some may say,

A backrest to travellers on their weary way,

Shade and protection, a place to rest,

Home to small creatures, cupping hands for a nest.

Does she dream I wonder? Does she dream as we do,

Does she hold her memories of me or of you,

Does she know in her spirit, more ancient than ours,

That each leaf is reborn in the sweet spring time flowers.

********************************************

And so October is drawing to a close, it's Halloween's Eve - the clocks have gone back and the swirling winds of Autumn are claiming the last of the leaves from the trees. It's quite a beautiful time of year in it's own special way.

This week I worked with Inktense pencils, white gel pen, beads and thread.

This card was more of a journalling card, the spiralling whirlwind that life can be and the

various strands that flow into and through.

This card is Halloweeny! Cos I love Halloween :0)

A catch up on giant granny - well, it's progressing, all be it slowly - a certain little lady has certainly been keeping us on our toes (in the most delightful way). Who knows, maybe I will get it finished for Christmas, maybe I won't - tis the way it goes :0)

Still squew-wiff - but just as warm and snuggly so no matter. I'm on orange at the moment which is quite a fitting colour for the pumpkin mood which has invaded the house.

Willow had her first jab on Thursday - only 3 weeks until we can take her for walks (I am sooooooo excited (squeal) to get out into the woods with her and watch as she explores and dives through the leaves)!

Daisy is tolerating a full-on Willow whirl-wind - I'm sure she will be just as excited as we are for the 'first walk date' to arrive - then she'll show mischief a thing or two I'm sure lol.

But oh, my goodness, ADORABLE!!!!

Have a happy and safe Halloween, watch out for low-flying broom sticks, bats, and things that go BUMP in the night. Boooooooooooooooooooo!

Love Shell x

Autumn and Willow

2011-10-22T18:27:00.000+01:00

Autumn days are upon us again, colourful trees, falling leaves, darkening nights, bitter winds, homemade soups, cosy blankets, clear bright skies with a chill in the air, frost on the roof-tops. How I love autumn!

I love sending Autumn care packages to the dearest of friends.

I love family days out, exploring new areas...

Where the magic and history of a place can sweep you up.

And I love Autumn Witchery-Pokery and a baby named Willow.

Willow

And after saying goodbye to our sweet Larna in December last year,
we are happy to welcome a new girl into our lives this week.

This week's art card.

Until next time....

Shell x

Hooking, Snapping and Sleeping

2011-10-16T11:07:00.000+01:00

Happy Sunday Blogging Buddies!

Aren't weekend wonderful! Unless you're working of course :0(
But for me - weekends are fab because you get to lie in past 6.15 and spend time pottering.

Hooking
I've been happily hooking this week - adding some woolen stash to the basket and some treble rounds to the blanket.

This blanket looks a little squew-wiff at the moment but I'm sure it will sort itself out :0)

Rounds added since last we spoke.

Snapping
The sun was shining yesterday - and also today! Yeay!!!
I got the opportunity to check out the camera in blue-skied daylight rather than cloud-covered dusk.

Snapping Geraniums

And playing with the zoom (I LOVE ZOOM) (this will be so useful for my arting projects - I love the colours)

Capturing Canines

And playing with the ZOOM - love this big pudding.

And Sleeping (well art cards really)
Onto this week's art cards....

Hooking has made me happy this week - especially hooking with new sparkly woolen stash.
I inserted a paper hook for the purposes of my card though the wool is 'for real' lol

I love my bed. I love climbing in on a night time, snuggling under the duvet and letting that feeling of
total relaxation wash over me. Picking up a good book and reading by the glow of a night
light - definitely one of my favourite things.
For this one I fussy cut a girl from a piece of fabric and made a sheet, duvet and pillow similar
to the ones I used to make when I was little and had just watched Jerry (of Tom and Jerry fame)
snuggling into his matchbox bed (all snug and cosy).

AND ZOOM - you know I had to (don't you lol)

Have a fabulous Sunday - chores and fun are calling, and so I must answer :0)
Love as always
M x

Dusky Happenings....

2011-10-11T18:35:00.001+01:00

Dusk is starting to settle in, even though I did race to get my camera as soon as I got in from work to try and get some of the daylight.

I mentioned yesterday that crochet is the evening time choice of the moment - and I've finished my previous blanket I was working on so decided I would start a new one. I'd been doing smaller granny squares but having realised I'm not a big fan of sewing in ends - I decided to just keep going in rounds like I did with my previous blanket.

Luckily I still have a nice big basket of wool to pick and choose colours from, left over from various other wooly projects.

Though I'm not proficient at crocheting, I can get away with trebles without too many problems and I'm happy to keep on going round, and round, and round lol.

Of course, I have a sewing project on the go aswell! Or should I say, a new sewing project on the go, as there are several UFO's sitting in the 'current WIPs' drawer.

Haven't really gotten very far with this one! Need a brighter light to work under on an evening as mine eyes are not very good.

And some dusky autumn flowers - as the leaves are falling and the winds are howling, the nights are closing in and nature is preparing to slumber, enjoying every last bloom, even in the dusk, is worth it.

Enjoy your day/evening - whatever you have planned.

Love M x

Art Cards

2011-10-10T23:45:00.001+01:00

Feels like so long since I blogged I'm having to blow off the cobwebs from the keyboard...

I hope you are all keeping well - I'm fair to middling, floating along in my own way. Work has been YACK, a big fat yackety yack. Depressingly energy sapping and I must fess up that I've had little time for anything else barr work and family. Crafting has been thin on the ground - computer time even less so. I've been without a camera for a couple of weeks now (which I've missed terribly), and internet access has been limited to lunch-time and I don't like jumping around the blogs in an open plan office where everyone can see what you're looking at (and we are allowed on our lunch hours so I'm not breaking any rules) :0)

I've received some lovely autumn art cards from my swap buddy Terri, they really are a treat.

I love them - Terri has captured the colours of autumn which I love so much, the deep russets and oranges, pumpkins (I always get excited about pumpkins) and the sentiment carried across the two cards is lovely. I'm a lucky girl to receive such special cards. I was really tickled that Terri had managed to incorporate background texts which reflect the months that our swap related to. I love how Terri's individual style of art is always evident in her art cards and how she translates the things which are happening in her life, or around her, and expresses them on paper. Thank you Terri x

On Saturday, knowing that being without a camera was too much of a miss in my life (I love capturing moments and details), I decided it was time to spend a little of my savings and treat myself. So I'm now the delighted owner of a little Samsung - which was bought primary for it's macro ability. The guy in the shop indulged me and tested it out, taking snapshots of leaflets and coupons on the desk so I could see how it shot 'up close and personal'.

I've been squeezing in bits of crafting here and there - mostly crochet because it doesn't take too much mind effort and I can watch strictly and the x-factor whilst hooking.

Some art cards I've posted on flickr and the cards I made for Terri are here, but mostly I've not had the mojo to keep up - so I was happy to find myself dabbling again at the weekend.

Unfortunately I've not tried the camera out in 'day-light' because we have been under a constant blanket of heavy grey cloud during the day and the light is fading by the time I get in on an evening - I'm looking forward to the weekend to take some 'natural light' shots instead of under a desk lamp.

Things which make me H a P p Y :0)

Glitter Gels Pens - I rather like them :0) - who am I kidding? I LOVE THEM!!

Ooops - smudged the pen a bit but what the hey :0)

Midnight is approaching, and bed is calling so I'll bid you farewell for the moment.

Happy crafting, snapping and musings in the meantime.

Love M x

Loft Clearance and Unnamed Project

2011-08-20T11:18:00.001+01:00

Yoohoo!

It's been a busy week full of work and play.

Our area is doing free cavity wall and loft insulation. Fabulous you might say... Fabulous we did say... We signed up... But that meant that we had to clear our loft. One word described our loft perfectly... FULL!!! Another three words describe it perfectly (and then some)... FULL ~ TO THE RAFTERS!!!

I kid you not - 15 years of "stick it in the loft" will come back and bite you in the bum at some point in your life :0)

A skip load of "
stick it in the loft
throw it in the skip or charity bag" later and it was clear and ready for the workmen and their insulating rolls.

I must say it's one of those jobs that we have put off, and off, and off, for the last decade and it's very nice to have it done.

And of course there were one or two delightful, forgotten about treasures up there.

Like this very sweet French pincushion which must have belonged to my Grandma (I know it's French as it has the name of the French town where my Gran's sister used to live on it).

I also found all of these ornaments and vase which had graced my childhood bedroom or adult home at one point or another. It was fun to discover and remember them :0)

Unearthed were lots and lots (armfuls) of photos and diaries (and it's very hard to stay focused on clearing 15 years of "stick it in the loft" when you come across photos and diaries! Ahhh, the pull is almost irresistible.

Once the clearance was complete, and the wagon had come for the skip, a small pile of irresistible made it's way onto my desk in the shed and ideas started formulating.

Acrylic paints were brought out, the floss box and needle were brought out, papers, scissors and craft knife were brought out as too was the vintage typewriter ~ because I know where I want to go with this - but I'm having trouble classifying it.

Put it in a mixed bag of scrap-booking, sewing, art journalling, hand-made embellishments - using very basic craft tools - and I've got myself an absorbing long-term project that can run indefinitely, be added to and expanded on.

The purpose/intention (at the moment) is to make 3 books - one for me, and another two to be given to each of my children. The focus on hand-crafting...

Here, a small mulberry paper house with sewn elements and a teeny painted portrait of me and my hub.

A layered circle flower, each layer whip-stitched around the edge before sewing on a paper button.

Testing the placement of the various elements and deciding it needed something else, hmmmm...

Out with the white and pearl paint - adding a flourish and wording.

Testing the layout again, all that's left to do now is add some further sewing, doodles and matting...

And I have my first finished page to add to my own 'yet to be named' book.

I've promised myself to keep crafting supplies to a minimum, paints, papers, fabric, thread, sewing notions and ink, in other words, stuff I already have in my shed and to enjoy the creative journey, taking as much time in the detail as I like.

Sounds like a happy plan to me and a way to combine all of the things I love to do without needing a loft to store them all in (which I'm sure the rafters will be eternally grateful for) ;0) wink.

Home...

2011-08-15T17:19:00.001+01:00

..... here lives love, where wishes are kept safe until you're ready to use them.

This week:- pen and ink doodles before colouring with watercolours and cosmic shimmer watercolours (inside the wish jar). I also used some Tim Holtz idea-ology adage tickets (love <3) and Anita's clear 3-d gloss liquid to make the jar look like glass, sprinkling on a little wish glitter. (The 3-d gloss goes on cloudy but then dries to a clear finish.)

This week I also enjoyed making a card for a friend at work:-

Hope you are all well, I'm enjoying a few days holiday with the children (and the sun is even managing to make an appearance) so it's all good stuff.

Have a good week.
Luv From Me x

LBoJ's week 31

2011-08-07T17:52:00.001+01:00

Hello :-)

Hope you are all keeping well. I'm mending {slowly} the back keeps nipping away at a nerve but on the whole I'm waddling less and doing more so that's good.

I had no idea what I was doing with this weeks card so it just emerged this way (which is always a fun method of working - going with the flow and seeing where you end up).

I was just going to write 'of the possibilities' and leave it open ended - however, the flow ran out of paper space by the T of possibilities, so it quickly became possibility... Ummmmm, brain search, flash... Within Positivity :0)

The blanket continues to grow... and I'm positive I'll get there someday lol.

Have a fun week!

Love Shell x

Jumbleberry Santa

2011-08-03T17:33:00.001+01:00

Just a quick pop on to share this mega cute pattern which I was lucky enough to find at my local quilting shop last week.

Still needs to be stuffed... I really enjoyed making it over the last couple of days whilst recovering from my back strain. Hand sewing and working with felt have to be two of my favourite things :0)

Such a cute cheeky face and round bottom! I can see many more jumbleberries on the horizon.

Take care and lots of love...
Shell x

The ceiling looks interesting... NOT!!!

2011-07-31T12:20:00.001+01:00

Bah, I'm flat on my back and it's boring as heck. My own fault for an overzealous room change on Thursday.

Because I'm not the type to sit around twiddling my thumbs or examining the ceiling for minor defects (and as hubby is a plasterer there really are none) I'd snuck out of bed (as well as one can with a dicky back) and spent an agonising hour on the floor doing this weeks art card (grin, grin).

Last week Terri had picked 'dog days of summer' and this week I picked 'zodiac'.

I found it really interesting to research! I had no idea when I picked the word randomly, just how much I would get into it.

Like I had no idea that as well as a sun sign, we all have a moon sign (based on the date, time and location of your birth) and an ascending (or rising) sign!!! Pretty darn cool and it certainly shed some light on the different aspects of my personality which don't always seem to fit in with my sun sign (I'm not hugely into horoscopes, I don't read mine on a daily basis or anything) but I've always been intrigued with the moon, stars, planetary alignment and that type of thing.

This week I went for a more scrap-bookey approach and after calculating my moon and ascending sign (there are loads of online calculators where you key in your details) I found some horoscope images on google which I shrank down in a word document.

I was really interested to learn that I'm a Taurus Sun (which is the core of who you are), a Sagittarius Moon (and the moon sign is more associated with your emotions and for women can be more important than your sun sign) and my ascending sign is Leo (which is how other people see you, kind of like the mask that you show to the world).

Side 2 - I used a small gift tag which I decorated lightly and inside did a fold out, print out, of my Sun Moon Blend (I love that term... Sun Moon Blend) :-)

A lot of fun and a very insightful exercise.

Luckily, I have quite a few photos on my phone so I can have a catch up on some other stuff too.

A week or so ago I got round to adding the borders to Love Is. Now I just have to decide how to quilt and bind it.

Bella had a dolls quilt which I'd made for her last year and now she's not into dolls so I repurposed it into a cover for my thread box, complete with little pockets for scissors, machine oil etc.

Spring stitchery is complete, and I've almost finished the hexagon border - photos of that soon.

Tweaking little corners of the flower garden.

Being amazed at how big the veggies are getting!

And enjoying capturing some of the visitors on film.

Take care and have fun!

Love Shell x

Gardening and Painting.

2011-07-24T11:07:00.001+01:00

I've had a long weekend :0)

Bella said goodbye to her Primary School on Friday and year 6 host a special leaving assembly, so I took a days holiday to attend. It was lovely and very moving.

Friday afternoon we got busy with our flower garden project. Having witnessed Ishka's approach to gardening a week or so ago, a plan was most definitely needed! And a plan was most definitely had!

We constructed a small trellis fence around the patio area, complete with a hinged gate.

And I went shopping for lots of loveliness to start my 'groupings'.

Going with the Alan Titchmarsh theory that groupings look best in odd numbers (3, 5, etc).

This one not only looks beautiful but has the most heavenly lemon scent which the bees seem super attracted to (and I love bumble bees!)

My Sister and Mam surprised me with this sweet little plant stick which went perfectly with one of the Phlox.

It's turning out to be so pretty and just how I saw it in my minds eye.

I love vibrant flowers and I also like the odd hidden trinket which is pure fun and makes me smile!

Bella got me this little gnome on a swing for my birthday - he looks great hanging on the bush :-)

I filled my strawberry planter with rock roses which I am rather fond of.

And I love how colourful and inviting it is out there. It's so wonderful to have a flower garden again, somewhere I can potter to my hearts content knowing it's husky safe lol.

Just had to share! :0)

Terri was very sweet and didn't point out I was still a week behind on the art cards, until she got an 'awww shit - I'm still a week behind aren't I!' e-mail. Though she stressed it didn't matter, I really want to complete a full year, so I've got 2 sets to share this week.

The first set, Terri suggested we pick a key-word and base both of our cards off that to see what different ideas we came up with.

She chose 'dog-days'. Now I have to admit that I had never heard that term before but a quick google later... it's those baking hot summer spells where you're too hot and lethargic to do anything. Which I found hilarious as although certain parts of America are having 'dog-days' - we in the North of England (and probably elsewhere in the UK) have had rain like nothing I've seen before. Sheets and sheets of it.

My dog day cards:-

I think it's so funny (if you're allowed to find your own art comical!) I had so much fun doing these two cards and that dogs face still makes me chuckle!

I also completed two other cards, the first, a message to a friend who reads my blog:-

And the second which are words from a Tina Turner song and have helped me through some tough personal issues.

Thank you for popping by today, the sun is actually shining so I'm off to finish my potting in the flower garden.

Have a great week and don't forget it's pj party Sunday if you want to join in.

Links to both Terri's and Marg's blog are on my side-bar and as always, click on any image for a closer neb :0)

The Problem With...

2011-07-17T19:43:00.001+01:00

Falling behind is that you have no flippin clue of where you're up to!

LBOJ's (I think I'm finally caught up - Terri, correct me if I'm wrong (please).

Terri has posted we are up to week 27, now if I'm right, week 22 was strawberry week (posted), week 23 was photos at the beach week (posted), week 24 was art card swap week (posted) which leaves me with 25, 26 and 27!

Well, not in pyjamas (but certainly sprawled on the bedroom floor) - that counts I'm sure...

Do you see how my nifty rainbow drawer lifts out and came to sprawl with me!

So first up (we'll call this week 25, when I was having my blogging wobble)

Thank you to my blogging friends, to everyone who left comments and/or sent messages. A globe with fingerprint friends, all linking hands, because you all leave fingerprints on my heart... cheesy but very true.

Sticking with the globe theme... for the two tiddlywinks who are my world - I knew I wanted to do a card that symbolised how much they mean to me - the world :-)

Week 26.

I've shown this picture before but as it has special meaning to me I decided to take it from my journal to put into my little book of joys. I chose not to add text as I know!!! (you know what I mean)

And since said blogging wobble (which was to do with life in general) I've been giving quite a bit of thought to one of the key words in my banner.... Simplicity... sounds simple right? Not always so!

Last night whilst soaking in the tub this thought popped into my head - simplicity ~ it's as simple as I make it. Simple as that!

And finally, week 27 - with my recent activities of wobbles, re-organising, trying to get onto some kind of track... it's back to school days of timetables and the dreaded r word (ROUTINES) wash my mouth out with soap and water!!!!

So that is me caught up! I have muchness of elseness to show but I think that can wait till another day, because my internet slot is almost done for and my new routine has it's arms folded and is tapping it's foot - all right, all right, I'm coming!!!

Linking to my lovely friend Marg, who is hopefully tucked up in her pj's in bed...

Terri and Sandra have kept their cards bang up to date, please pop by and check them out...

Love
Shell x

PJ's fit for a Party

2011-07-10T17:20:00.001+01:00

2nd post of the day! Because... It's Pyjama Party Sunday!!!

And don't forget, you can join in the fun too over on Marg's blog - PJ's are completely optional, though please give fair warning if you are planning on prancing round without any!!! Lol

You may remember a few weeks back Shay sent me some gorgeous dotty fabric all the way from Australia.

Well, I knew what I wanted to do with some of it....

Pyjama bottoms! Wonderful pink, dotty pj bottoms.

Shay had wrapped the fabric in pink tissue and tied it with a pretty pink lace trim which I thought would look uber sweet around the ankles.

I really hope you don't mind Shay that you rugby tackled elderly ladies to send fabric to England and that I made some pj bottoms with it. It's the first pair of pants I've ever made for myself and I love them.

And just in case you do mind... I've thought it through, and when my pants are no longer fit to wear (say, in 5 to 10 years, cos I seriously wear my clothes until they are falling to bits) then I can take all of the good bits and recycle them into a quilt!!!!

And I still have enough fabric to make some quilty things with.

But in the meantime I'm just enjoying swishing around in my new pj bottoms :-)

Thank you as ever to Marg for hosting and to Shay for my rockin' pj's!

Rearranging

2011-07-10T09:54:00.001+01:00

I was going to call this post decluttering. But then it occurred to me that really it's not.... because you can't really call it decluttering if you don't actually get rid of anything... So instead I'll say, there's nothing I like better than organising my clutter into an eye pleasing arrangement - there lol.

Ahhhh, though really, I did DECLUTTER as I DID get rid of something!!!!

Big old ugly craft desk (affectionately so even though I took the sledge hammer to it). It really was just too big, and truthfully too past it (the drawers were horrible to try and open) - so it went. As I was moving it myself this time (it took 4 of us to get it up there in the first place) I broke it into manageable pieces - a task in itself, but highly enjoyable lol. Hello Shell with a Sledge Hammer, Bye Bye Big Old Ugly! Our bedroom looks massive now :-)

An update on the patio.

Tis coming along quite nicely don't you think? I'm thinking Ishka should have her own gardening show. Maybe called 'It's all in a days work'.

And of course after a "days work" it's nice to have some garden furniture to relax on.

Needless to say - re-thinking the whole patio/flowers/dog situation for the time-being. I WILL have pretty flowers, it might be next year, but I will have them lol.

Back to the
decluttering
rearranging.

Does this happen to you too?

Clutter, clutter everywhere, oh look, there's my stitchery - well, maybe just a little bit....

If Yoshi doesn't mind it, well, neither should I :-)

Though really, all of this is leading to my very happy rearranging eye-pleaser.

I saw these a while back and they are just my cup of tea! Hubby was warned as I walked through the door not to say a word (and I didn't look at his face as I was heaving them through as his eyebrows have a habit of speaking for him when I've asked his mouth not too!)

Rainbow drawers... HAPPY drawers, and yes, plastic fantastic drawers! But so HAPPY and COLOURFUL and RAINBOW! With castors on the bottom no less. All fabric stash, wool stash and selected art stash... in those drawers. I'm getting there :-)

And once I get there - I have things I would like to make from here, here and here:-

But until I get there, I'll content myself with squares a-la granny:-

And maybe get a couple of them joined to the blanket as my stuff sack is almost full!!!

And I'm sorry, but no little book of joys cards as yet (I know I'm going to have to play catch up) - I will, when rearranging mood has abated and arting mood returns.

Have a fun day - I'm off to play with my
rainbow drawers
, clutter.

Baking and Stones

2011-07-05T20:03:00.001+01:00

I was browsing round the supermarket on Sunday and this book just happened to fall into my hands.

It includes a wealth of the old traditional home comfort cooking and baking as well as a few modern classics in the Granny's Travel section.

I pulled out some of my other cook books too, including the Bero book which has been around forever and I have to say....

I've come over all bakey!

Buns and Chocolate Chip Cookies emerged from the oven on Monday evening.

Today, I added to my cooking utensils with these:-

I've fancied some for ages and since I wanted to try my hand at one of my sons favourites... a custard tart, thought it was a fine time to get them :-)

We baked it together and whilst we were waiting for the egg, milk and sugar mix to cool, we whopped a few of these in too.

There's jam in the centre and an almond cake mix on top (hubby's favourite nut).

I used to bake lots as a child and I'm enjoying it so much more now that Mark has rigged up an outer mesh/wire door to keep the dogs out, but allowing the back door to stay open (cos phew, it's hot around here at the minute) whilst we get all floury and cakey :-)

The dogs are not impressed but it works for me! There's nothing worse than watching a batch of cookies disappear into the mouth of a naughty husky when you've turned your back for a second! Ha! I have my kitchen back for baking and meal times at the very least.

I've been inspired recently by a flickr group I came across so I decided to have a try myself.

Crochet covered rocks, though the group also has rocks covered in other mediums. I've not done a whole lot of crochet apart from granny squares so wasn't sure how I would fare but I'm rather pleased with my first rock.

I'm hoping to add a whole bunch of then to it over time. I like the idea of collecting a stone from a day out and then adding to it with yarn. I think they look really pretty collected together in groupings. There is a tutorial on how to get started here, if you're interested.

Luv n' Hugs
Shell x

It feels good!

2011-07-03T15:44:00.002+01:00

Normally the weeks feel quite elastic... during the week - time seems to stretch and then at the weekend - ping! It's over.

Well, not so this weekend. Time has moved at the correct speed (none of that pinginess) and it has been a very good weekend.

Friday night, I managed to do 80% of a project that I had been dancing around for weeks. And I'm very happy to say today that it's complete. It wasn't a big project, just something that I had told a friend I would try and do, and then kept finding other things to do instead.

A painted plaque for a little girl's bedroom. Although you can't see it in this photo the wing and flowers are sparkly.

Yesterday, I spent the whole day in the garden cleaning and clearing the patio. It was a bit sorry looking but is much more welcoming now, though there is still more to do... I'll put up some pictures when I'm further along, here's a little peek...

Though I can show you some some plants I got today that will help to make it more colourful.

This is called a balloon plant - the buds are really quite large, then they open to reveal a lovely star shaped flower.

And I love geraniums - so I've got two to pot on and find a nook for.

After such a productive patio Saturday, I was even more happy on Saturday night to cast this off the knitting needles.

1 cobweb scarf/Christmas pressie complete. It was quite slippery wool to knit with, hence the relief to cast off. I'm looking forward to a little hooky time rather than knitting needles next.

Today, I headed over to The Crafts House to have a catch up with Sandra and it was equally as nice to meet some blogging friends who I'd previously only known via the screen. Kate, of Kate's Floss Box and Lucie, The Happy Quilter were sitting painting merrily, along with Doreen who I don't think has a blog, and Lucie's daughter. So nice to sit and chat in person and meet the ladies behind the blogs.

Whilst I was there I made a new little friend!

Isn't he cute!!!!! A tiny little Suffolk Puff Bee. I love the projects that Sandra comes up with :-)

And so now I'm home, having just completed the food shopping and I'm about to go and make a chicken salad for our evening meal - using some of our homegrown lettuce/salad.

Yum! And some other quick snaps from down the allotment....

HUGE potato plants!

Tiny alpine strawberry seedlings.

Peas a plodding in their poddings.

Beets and cauli's coming on very nicely indeed.

And finally, stocks, almost... hinting... but not quite ready yet.

There is the tiniest glimpse of pink on one of them.

Sorry, no book of joys yet, but what a GREAT weekend it's been.

Hope yours has been equally happy and unpingy!

Linking up to Marg and Pyjama Party Sunday :-)

Love Shell x

Art Card Swap

2011-07-02T09:04:00.001+01:00

Last week both mine and Terri's packages arrived at each others houses.

We had agreed to use a technique on these cards of painting over/on a book page and a local newspaper page.

These are the lovely cards which I received to add to my Little Book of Joys.

Aren't they wonderful. I especially love the fairy girl. It's so much fun to take part in this seasonal swap and receive such fantastic cards.

In return, I sent Terri this card:-

I liked the poem beneath, The Queen she sits upon the strand, fair as a lily, white as wand. So I painted a summer queen with golden highlights in her hair.

For my other side I used our local newspaper and found an interesting article about an area which is 5 minutes drive from our house. A BBC wildlife team had come to film some footage of noctule bats and the Coral Root Orchid.

I googled 'Coral Root Orchid' for an image, having previously looked at images of the bats which were a little too "YIKES".

I found an image on google images of a native Coral Root Orchid and painted it on the newspaper article.

It's not the most showy of plants but it was certainly fun to find local news, research it, and turn it into an art card for my friend.

You can click on any of the images for a more detailed look. Thanks Terri for your beautiful cards and for our fun swaps :-)

Awwww Poop!

2011-06-29T17:36:00.001+01:00

I sincerely wasn't doing it to get attention - I just wanted to say goodbye. BUT after a couple of heart tugging comments and then my 'total undoing' from Sandra (who is the lady that inspired me in ways I can't explain... AND to start a blog in the first place) - okay! okay! it stays/I stay. So if there is a load of rambling, crappy, uncrafty posts for a while - well, that's just the way it goes!

You ladies are both the best and the worst influential friends a girl can have!!!

Goodbye

2011-06-28T12:45:00.001+01:00

Hello my blogging friends. I'm sure it won't come as a great surprise to many of you, but I've decided to wrap up my blog. I was driving with my son the other night, thinking of what I remembered from my own childhood and the thing that stood out the most was time I had spent with my parents, grandparents and sister doing 'stuff'.

Working full time, having a houseful of pets, bringing up my children and generally (trying to) stay on top of the chores, squeezing in a little crafting here and there - well, it's enough to keep me fairly busy so after a think, I've realised it's time to say goodbye.

On 30th June I'll be hitting the delete key. Didn't want to just disappear without saying a fond farewell and happy days to all of you.

With love and thanks,
Shell x

LBoJ's Strawberries

2011-06-26T08:28:00.001+01:00

Welcome to Little Book of Joys, brought to you from Early O'Clock on a Sunday Morning.

In association with Technicolour Extreme Plc. and Interactive Bloggers Direct (please click on any image for a closer inspection).

It's like that part in The Wizard of Oz, with Dorothy and Toto (who live in a Shades of Grey world... yesterday's post) when they step out through the door of Auntie Em's house into a land of bursting colour. I hadn't realised how vibrant this week's cards are until I photographed them.

Some weeks, coming up with something recordably joyful is brain taxing. Yesterday I sat, thinking and thinking, in a short intense session and came up with zilch. Nothing leapt out from the week - and in a year long project such as this, I suppose that's bound to happen. Particularly when the main things which bring you joy are things like home, family, friends, hobbies etc. and I've done them already and don't want this to turn into a project of repeats, even though they are the things which repeatedly bring me joy.

I took it to a more basic level. A fresh cream Strawberry Tart Level. Don't tell me I'm not deep!

It's the strawberry, and the syrup in which they rest, that does it for me. The pastry and the cream, whilst adding a certain element, are nice but not essential to the taste bud melt down of biting into a strawberry coated with red, dripping syrup. I wrote various strawberry scripts on watercolour paper before paying homage to the quintessential fruit of British Summertime (and Wimbledon). Coloured with watercolours, finishing touches and details added with coloured pencils and ink.

For side 2 I wracked my brain even further but nothing was forthcoming. Remember those colouring in pages we did as children (I'm sure my sister and I were amongst many) where you draw a continuous line over the paper, lots of loops and cross overs until you get a pattern with lots of sections that you then sat and coloured in. That's as far as I got with side 2. But I like it!!

My loops did not go as loopy as they used to on childhood pictures, and I added doodles at whim, before watercolouring. Doodling doesn't particularly bring me 'joy' but I do find it relaxing and absorbing. I'm not a pad doodler per say (at all really) but I enjoyed making this card and I'm becoming quite the watercolourholic.

It's now moving onto Not-So-Early O'Clock, which means today's episode is drawing to a close.

But as I'm still in my jarmies (not essential to joining the party I know, but I'm taken with the notion so I like to have them on whilst writing my post at the very least).

Linking up to Marg and Pyjama Party Sunday.

And please do visit Terri and Sandra to check out their art cards - Sunday's just wouldn't be the same without them :-)

Time Lapse

2011-06-25T09:11:00.001+01:00

I always love seeing progress pictures in books and on blogs. I find it helpful to take pictures as I go along as often my naked eye does not pick up things which the camera does, it also makes a useful reference for myself.

Two things I learned during this drawing are (1) that even the smallest amount of shading can make a big difference and (2) noses are weird to draw!

I also learned not to be so hesitant in rubbing out an entire section (like the left eye) and moving it over by a fraction - I always feel a little scared at rubbing out in case I make a worse job of redrawing - but what the heck, if it goes terribly wrong there's always a fresh page, something I need to keep reminding myself of :o)

Tail Chasing.

2011-06-19T23:12:00.001+01:00

At least that's what it feels like. I had planned to post yesterday, I had planned to post today. I had actually planned to post last Sunday but my blog app had other plans. So here I am, squeezing one in whilst lying in bed lol.

Last week I chose to make photos my Little Book of Joys, I'm not even going to attempt to work out what week we are up to (I invariably get it wrong and then have to come back in to correct myself).

We had a fair day last Sunday so we loaded Daisy and Ishka into the car, picked up Bella's friend on route and headed to the beach.

How I love the sea air, watching the waves and looking out at the vastness.

I tried to zoom in on the boats bobbing along out there. This next one is side 1 of my card.

And side 2 is this shot - 2 friends, side by side.

This weeks card is underway but I won't be showing it just yet as it will be heading off to Terri as part of our seasonal card swap.

Other bits of prettiness:-

A new plant for my desk at work - I can't not have a little bit of nature around me - it just wouldn't be natural.

Foxgloves blooming - aren't the inside of their petals so very pretty.

Raspberries forming - and in the background of them, the Climbing Rose looking all ruby red.

We have had rain for around 70% of the weekend. This morning during a lull in the raindrops mam spotted this:-

Doesn't it look fantastic - like a big gem stone! I would have loved to have a super microscope to see if there was a little Eco System of Life within it!

Tiny blooms on the prickly bush (a pyrocantha) forgive the spelling if it's wrong :o)

Today we attended the 1st birthday party of my twin nephews/godchildren.

Happy 1st Birthday Liam and Oscar. They are totally gorgeous!

There has been crafting but I haven't got pictures tonight - cobweb scarf is progressing nicely as is crochet blanket and spring stitchery.

And there was a journal doodle with watercolour play.

Hope you all have a great week.

Luv Shell x

Where's Summer?

2011-06-11T10:25:00.001+01:00

Has anyone seen it? It seems long gone are the days of sipping traditional lemonade out in the garden whilst an angry wasp bothers you (there's always an angry wasp which makes me go arms flailing into the house... normally with angry wasp in hot pursuit... and no sitting perfectly still DOES NOT make them go away!) Anyhow, if you're having a deliciously warm summer in your part of the world, then please don't tell me about it, it makes me envious lol.

Despite the lack of decent sunshine (sigh), things are growing quite jolly in the garden.

Radish, Leeks, Onions, Potatoes, Sweetcorn, Chilli, Strawberries and Woodland Strawberry Seedlings, French Beans and Sweetpeas.

Ohhh look, sunshine - Mark chillin in the garden with the hairy ones. It didn't last long (the sunshine that is).

So on the evening, I've been knitting with cob-web.

Soft, whispy, airy, lighter than a feather cob-web. I'm in love with this wool.

I spotted it during the week (the shop had a sample scarf on display and as soon as I picked it up and it floated weightlessly through the air, I knew it was a must make).

Kidsilk Haze - it's like working with mist and I'm enchanted.

And how I love this beautiful girl (the real life one, not my drawing lol) she makes my heart happy... so too does her brother. One day I hope to be able to capture just a tiny bit of the love and joy that I feel for them and put it down with pencil and paper, that's my very grandest dream.

Off to potter in my own little world. Have a special kind of day.

Hugz
Shell x

THANK YOU SHAY!!

2011-06-07T18:07:00.002+01:00

Happiness comes in many forms - mine happens to be random dots and awesome quilty friends who will rugby tackle elderly ladies to get someone on the other side of the world some dotty fabric - just because. Shay, you rock!

T H A N K Y O U from the bottom of my dotty heart.

Elfs wear Pyjamas too you know!

2011-06-05T19:26:00.001+01:00

It's not official or anything but I might be losing the plot. When you start making fictional characters and giving them voices and opinions then that might be taken as strange by people (but not any friends who come visit my blog surely so I'll jump right in) :-)

Auditions are being held for 'Who Lives in a House Like This?' who sings that song, can anybody remember cos I've got it playing through my head...

So far the contestants, and their thoughts/opinions.... (there are only two so far, the process may take a good while!)

If I were writing a song it would go...

My shirts too big,
I'm wearing a face wig,
I'm never gonna live,
In a house like this!

But I'm not - so next...

This one is the hot favourite at the moment (and don't he know it!) but seeing as how there are only 2 in the running, we haven't taken down the 'For Sale' sign yet.

If I were writing a song it might go...

She really digs my belly,
It's because I likes my jelly,
But I'll have to wait and see,
If she chooses me.

But I'm not (writing a song that is... just as well really) - so there we go.

I do like a finished page - wonder what will be on the next one... eeps!

Or when that will even be... double eeps!

Best not to think about it huh...

Linking this to Pyjama Party Sunday (though should I really? if a new visitor comes they might think I'm a bit odd, which you all know I'm not really, I just have odd moments. Ach, what the heck - if Shay can post about a loo roll tower (I mean building a tower out of loo roll??? really!) rofl *wink*, then I think it'll be okay :-)

Thanks for hosting Shay while Marg is mysteriously incapacitated! The mind boggles - really it does.

LBoJ - 22

2011-06-05T10:25:00.002+01:00

Half way point on this years Little Book of Joys - I'm so enjoying doing these and seeing the art cards that Terri and Sandra make each week.

We had glorious sunshine on Thursday and Friday, it was a little too warm for me - the most I could bare was a slow stroll through the dappled shade on my lunch hour before retreating back indoors for the cool of the office.

I like warm - I don't like too warm and Friday it was too warm.

Before I hit Little Book of Joys - some other bits and bobs (click on any of the pictures to enlarge).

Test curves completed - I ran an overlocking stitch around the edge and called it a day. Might revisit this technique again (at some point, somewhere down the line).

Inspired by a set of postcards sent by Terri with my birthday goodies {thank you Terri} - here I'd laid down the colours.

This is the postcard which inspired... when I see them both together like this I'm pretty pleased with how much my freehand drawing has improved {there is hope for me yet rofl}

The finished watercolour (with ink detail) I named this one 'the skies are darkest just before dawn'. He's (she's??) my bird of the dawn.

Little Book of Joys....

This week's card has a humorous twist :-D

Side one is ink and watercolours.

As hubby and daughter are away at an event this weekend, I was giddy with anticipation on Friday afternoon at the thought of a weekend doing absolutely

NOTHING!!!!

(haha - side 2)

No work, no puppies, no chaos - it's been lovely. A change is as good as a rest and I feel well and truly rested ;o)

To round off this weeks post, an art journal entry. This one is called 'the house where he lives'. Who is he? Even I will have to wait and see :o)

Have a good week x

Hugs
Shell

Certainly Getting There...

2011-06-01T22:01:00.001+01:00

Turns out, if you mess around with your iron a little while ago and put the thermostatic knob on back to front, your iron is actually on the cool setting rather than the hot. And when it's on the cool setting it won't stick freezer paper very well. What a ninny!

So that's the freezer paper problem solved - and oddly enough I'm now getting lovely sharp hem turns too - nothing like making life difficult for yourself is there :-)

Needless to say I stuck with it because for all it sounds really fiddly - I rather prefer this to the thought of cutting with a rotary cutter and ruler for piece work, and I love the curves, the flowing lines, the idea of picture building.

It's starting to look like something (I tried to wash the blue pen (so impulsively applied) out of the green bit) - didn't come out completely but then this is just a test piece.

And you're supposed to use either matching thread or invisible thread but I thought using a contrast would help to not only improve my lines (so I could see where I was going wrong) but also give it a more doodled feel.

Still improvements with practice to be made, maybe playing with the stitch length/width - I like those sharp points and the way the lines flow into one another, makes me feel like flowing too :-)

2 more pattern pieces to add followed by the border curves. I don't think I'll add any quilting lines - it would probably be too much on this one.

To round off, a card and tag - Happy Days Always x

Love Shell x

Quilting Curves (Kind of...)

2011-05-30T21:51:00.001+01:00

Hmmmm - yeah - interesting.

So I start the beginners quilt - well mini quilt. Number of things to consider here, the first being you have all seen my stash and would agree it's rather, small. That's fine - I can work with small.

So you start by tracing the whole template onto freezer paper and pinning it to a stabiliser. Now I probably should have used proper stabiliser right? But I didn't - I used curtain liner which I'm thinking is stable, right?

Then you cut out an individual pattern piece, only one though, iron it to your chosen top piece of fabric, turn over a hem where appropriate, pressing it down, then slot it back into position on the stabiliser... the freezer paper is still attached at this point to help positioning but then you ease it off and pin the piece down. Before repeating with the next pattern piece.

Once you've got 3 or 4 pattern pieces pinned you blind stitch the hemmed edge. I'm thinking this is needle turn appliqué on a very large scale (i.e the whole quilt top... top-pieced)) but you don't use a needle to turn and it's stitched on the machine - so really it's not like needle turn at all (but I still think it is).

Number of things I'm not liking much.

1. Having a pattern pinned on the whole time and trying to work around it just isn't particularly nice to me.

2. The freezer paper is not adhering very well to the pattern piece, particularly at the narrow points, so is moving slightly when it comes to the hem turning bit. I don't know WHY the freezer paper isn't sticking very well. Help!

3. It says to use short pins - which I don't have. Yeah, I know, buy some short pins!

4. I'm finding visualising the picture in amongst all of the swirls quite difficult - even with a photo to use as reference (this is the photo in the book....)

So I made an ooopsie here:-

Cos I think that blue bit attaching to the green dotty is supposed to be green.

So I cheated and coloured it with pro-marker...

And only on this last seam have I managed to pull off the blind hem stitch to a degree that I'm happy with.

And I think that paler section of green should have been blue! Amazing the crappy solutions you come up with during a blog post - I've just coloured that too:-

It looks worse I know :-) that'll be cos you're not supposed to use felt-tipped pens on quilts, not cos the quilting police said not to but it kinda defeats the object of buying a certain colour fabric and it looks naff lol.

The other side of the pattern is a bit more undefined - so I'm thinking scrap this one without wasting any more time/fabric etc. as I wouldn't use this one in any case because of my initial dodgy attempts at blind hem seam sewing (and the coloured pen, clearing throat and looking all innocent).

So I'll doodle a design and colour it first so I know what I'm doing and then start again. I'm tempted to say quilting curves isn't my thing - specially with that pinned on freezer paper flapping around - but I can see possibilities so I don't think I'll throw in the whole towel just yet - just the towel on this particular one.

Has anyone else done this technique - does anyone have any advice on getting freezer paper to stick a little better? I don't prewash my fabrics - could that make a difference to it's sticking power? I use a travel iron - do I need more heat maybe?

See Marg, I'm quilting curves... almost lol.

Though its more appliqué top-piecing curves really.

Ps I've posted this so when I'm a 'quilting curves old hand' - I can look back at my first attempt and shake my head with a bemused smile upon my face, the kind of smile you get when you see a dog chasing it's own tail, and think to myself with wry amusement 'what on earth were you thinking!' ahhh, what it will be to be older and wiser. I mean felt-tipped pens! Deary me.

PJP and LBoJ 21

2011-05-29T12:13:00.001+01:00

Yeay - it's Pyjama Party Sunday again and since Marg announced that you don't actually have to be in your jim-jams (though I do have bed-hair) I look forward to joining in :-)

You can too by clicking on the picture and adding your link.

Right, onto Little Book of Joys and crafty goodness knows what.

This little card is a real experimentation of techniques. The underneath fabric (which you totally can't see now) was covered with angel fibres and then free motion stitched. I then decided it looked too wishy washy so coloured over the top with some promarkers. I coloured some white fabric with promarkers for the toadstool top before machining it down and thread painting dots.

What you can't see on the photo above is how much the background shimmers... I tried to catch it for you here:-

This card was the result of a doodle I'd done earlier in the week - which is part of the whole 'joy' theme because sketching designs and then transferring the idea onto fabric/quilts etc. is part of what I was talking about here.

As it's become disgustingly windy, wet and grey again (again, again, again) it's made photo taking problematic.

Side 2 comes from the relief I feel at having made some personal decisions by stepping back.

I didn't like this side much last night (well, I wasn't too thrilled with either side to be honest) but they've kinda grown on me this morning.

Filling up rather nicely though there's no way 52 weeks are going to fit on that ring!

I finished up this mini quilt which I have enjoyed totally - I was mindful not to over embellish it which I can sometimes do and I love it. I'm going to give it to my Mam as part of her birthday pressie.

The next mini quilt is already taking shape in my mind - this will again be a gift so I'm not saying too much :-)

I'm ready now to try out a very new technique to me, from a very old book that I have...

This technique involves using machine blind-stitch and building up the picture on a foundation - a bit like a jigsaw puzzle. I've had this book for years and love the stories behind the exceptional quilts but I've never actually tried it... I'll let you know how it's going :-)

Hmmmm - what else?

I've created a blog-button for anyone who might feel inclined. The grab code is over there >>>>>> on my side bar.

Treat myself to a new haircut after feeling like a was beginning to look like one of Macbeth's witches (slightly hag like) bubble bubble toil and trouble.

And generally just recuperated after a bad dose of ibs followed by migraine :-( though I'm feeling much better now :-)

So that my friends is me for today. Don't forget you can also check out Terri's and Sandra's cards/blogs as well as linking into Pyjama Party.

Have a great week.

Luv n stuff
Shell x

Little Book of Joys - 20

2011-05-22T22:35:00.001+01:00

I thought I'd better get this up today as I know once I hit work (followed by school visits) tomorrow that stringing together a cohesive blog post is unlikely.

This week has been quite eventful and once again life has changed significantly in the woody household. It's becoming a habit, I know! Anyhow, more of that later :-)

Book of Joys...

Here's a bit of a clue - and you may be forgiven for thinking it was one of the childrens' birthdays but it was, in actual fact, mine! And I did, in fact, request a caterpillar cake because I am, actually, very childish and ridiculously tickled with childish things rofl. (and I hope I never grow out of that! seriously)

So BoJ side 1 is:-

Just in case I forget when I am very old and wearing fluffy slippers and massive flowery bloomers that in 2011 I turned 38 and ate cake!

We had a little party in the office and then in the afternoon there was a stir of excitement and we all went rushing outside to see this:-

Looks like big black clouds but it is smoke from a huge fire - a scrap yard had gone up in flames. Someone suggested it was the candles from my cake (very original, very droll, har dee har) ;o)

And side two - which links to one of my favourite emails (see previous post).

So in addition to art cards I also had a bit of a doodle during the week:-

I quite like the coloration on this - atmospheric and molten! (wink)

I could show some garden piccies but then I would be hedging and seeing as how time is moving on I'll spill the beans on the significant change happenings.

Yes - there's another one of these to join:-

And can it just be noted that I did object quite significantly because I am with Daisy Dog on the whole, let's get another dog debate, i.e.

But my objections were falling on deaf ears and so enter Ishka.

This sweet little girl is 16 weeks old and is from husky welfare (we are the 4th home she has lived in during her short life) but she is now at her forever home and family and I am (as expected) falling for her, despite my initial reservations. She has a hell of a set of lungs on her and does a very heartfelt moon howl/yodel (haven't quite figured out which it is yet) but she also gives a comical high-five and is full of love and life. She gets on great with the other dogs and has settled straight in.

So from this crazy (not so old) bird - good night and god bless. Have a great week and catch you next Saturday - if not before!

Pyjama Party Sunday

2011-05-22T12:50:00.000+01:00

This week I'm linking up to Marg's Pyjama Party with this blog page as technically I have

sat all morning in my pyjama's creating it. Yes! it took far longer than it really should have done.

And seeing as how us girls blog ~~more, nearly, almost,~~ about the same amount of

time as we craft then I figure it counts.

Will be back later with LBOJ (or maybe tomorrow)!

Follow your HeArt

2011-05-21T13:42:00.001+01:00

Warning - thought sifting ahead...

I've been struggling with my crafting/art and have been feeling overwhelmed sometimes at the amount of inspiration and enticement out there - "try me!!!! buy me!!!! make me, and me!!!"

You know art and crafting... there are lots of different elements, lots of inspirations - the list of things to make and things to try constantly grows as you come across another technique, or see someone else's work and think WOW... wish I could do that.

There are always new products to buy, new paints... pencils... fabrics... threads... the latest innovations in making your crafting experience that much more enjoyable and productive (yes, you really can make "this" in "that" amount of time if you have a gizmo whizzmo gadget!

And being a craft greedy kind of person (yes, I confess that I find it hard to say no to the lure of new creative outlets) and wanting to give everything a try... well, it gets a bit tiring and instead of feeling inspired and raring to go I end up feeling a bit flat, useless, and needy (think of the possibilities if I got said gizmo whizzmo).

So where is this thought sifting leading?

Well, it leads me (personally) to a stop. A sift. A rethink. A slow down and a back away from all those little voices chanting me, me, me. And a coming back to grass roots.

My grass roots - which are fairly basic and humble. I crave less, not more. I want a deep and meaningful connection with the things I've created (even if it means only creating one thing every couple of months rather than a big pile of makes that I've ploughed my way through)

So this little art quilt I started last week, I believe was the start of digging for my grass roots.

Taking the time for sewing slowly - thinking and connecting with what I call 'my simples' the deep down things that relax, calm and ground me.

It lead on to a little beading, one small seed bead at a time (Yoshi interrupted my 'connecting with self' time by proceeding to walk into the room and puke on the carpet but hey, I'm not wearing rose-tinted spectacles here... it happens lol)

And going with my own flow - adding some painted flowers and whimsies.

When there are so many niches out there, it's hard to find your own - particularly if you're a craft greedy girl like I am. I hope I'm slowly learning that no amount of gizmo whizzmo's can bring me as much pleasure as my own imagination and time can - with basic cloth, needle, thread, wool, paintbrush and paint.

There are still elements to be added - I don't know exactly what they are yet but I'm prepared to wait until I do.

On this piece and on future pieces - whatever they may be and in whatever form they might take.

Love Shell x

Little Book of Joys - 19

2011-05-14T10:29:00.001+01:00

There has been need for one of these the last few days. It's turned a wee bit chilly and we've had some good old downpours (which the gardens have been very grateful for).

I quite like the rain (not so fussed on the wind) and I like the rain even more so when I can use my rainbow, twirly umbrella.

What's not to love :0) you can't help but be happy under this umbrella. It shouts HAPPY!

Little Book of Joy Card - side 1, week 19. Bring on the raindrops....

Coloured with a mix of these new babies:-

Which were on special last week at my local craft store - worked out at around £1 a Promarker so I went wild and bought 10 (it's a start) and a few flesh tone Copics - they work well together. With a touch of these:-

Right that's the rainbow themed section over lol.

Side 2, oh joy of joys, clapping hands together and doing a tiny happy dance....

My baby is serviced.... Mike the repair man called in last Sunday, her timing was out and the tension dial was having no effect - some oil, a twiddle, some delinting and whatever else repair men do whilst you are making them a cuppa... later and hum, whirr, hum - yes - she's good to go. Welcome back Gloria - it's been about 8 weeks and boy have I missed you.

Jumped into a new crazy quilting block with some felt appliqué which really I should not have done as

1. I haven't done any further crochet;
2. I still haven't finished spring stitchery;
3. I STILL have Love Is sitting in the draw waiting for borders to be added;
4. I STILL have a huge amount of circle blocks I should be working on!

But I didn't feel like working on any of those - I FELT like starting this, so I did teeheehee :0).

No skipped stitches now - how very happy that makes me.

Some other little treats from the garden this week:-

See these lovely red and orange flowers - well, just over a week ago they hadn't bloomed - and I almost dug them out thinking they were WEEDS! What?!?!? Phew, so glad I didn't - what a treat they are :0)

Look at all of the little green cherries! And you'll notice well publicised clematis is still blooming away (didn't give her a picture all of her own though as you would all nod off lol).

And finally for Bev, as I'm still keeping my fingers crossed that her Foxgloves take off this year. Here's a self-seeded one that's coming up in our garden - I'll take a piccie for you when the flowers open.

Right, I'm sitting here in a scarf, which is so not right for almost being mid-May... Come on Mr Sunshine - do your stuff - my body is in need of some proper warmth. Hmmmmm - might have to go put on a pair of wooly socks too - ridiculous if you ask me :0)

Little Book of Joys - week 18

2011-05-07T19:14:00.002+01:00

Hello :0)

I treat myself to a little something this week... nothing major but makes me happy all the same.

A new pencil roll for some of my polychromo's. They won't all fit in so I narrowed down a decent colour range which is about half of the tin that I originally got.

Oh and also a china marking pencil (the big white one at the end there) as white pencil never seems to show up very well and this one seems to be a bit more up for the job.

Anywhoos - moving on...

I played around this week with the markers that Terri sent me in our Spring Card Swap but I used them in a slightly different way. This is the card I made for Terri... I forgot to take pictures before sending them.

Instead of applying the pen directly to the paper, I scribbled a little on a ceramic tile and watered them down...

I then applied it like watercolour paint or I suppose, more correctly, an ink wash to my doodles.

I really like the results which are much softer than using the markers directly.

And it was quite easy to get lots of variation in colour from a pack of 8 pens by mixing the colours on the tile.

I used the cards as a background and wrote quotes from a book I've just finished reading, I Shall Wear Midnight, by Terri Pratchett. There were a couple of lines which really struck a chord with me and I wanted to remember them.

Finally I got a surprise pressie from Terri this week which I love.

A beautiful bracelet from a trip she took to China. I love the stones in it which I think are Rose Quartz, Hematite and Jasper. I like looking up the properties which are believed to relate to each stone.

Thank you Terri <3

All in a days work...

2011-05-02T12:08:00.002+01:00

I'm such a Gorgeous Girl.

Ohhhhh, what's this?

Have a nibble. Me Likey?

Oh YES!

Me likey A LOT.... How Much?

Stick your head in A LOT!

Nibble daintily...

stuff that, yank it out (roots n' all)

(forgive the blurry shot, I forgot I was star of a photo shoot for a moment),

but this stuff is gooooooooooooooooooood!

I think I'll get my human to fetch me more of this green goodness!

It's rather delectable (correct pronunciation dele-cat-table)...

And rest.... one should allow ample digestion time after a fine feast.

It was nice m-eat-ing you all (I'm refering to the grass, not your good selves)

However, it was nice to meet you all too.

Now, if you don't mind, I think a snooze is in order -

Looking this good and entertaining the human is hard work, yawn,

but someone's got to do it.

Recycled Allotment etc...

2011-05-01T17:21:00.001+01:00

We've had quite an industrious day down the garden today.... the allotment has made big leaps forward and we are managing to use nearly all recycled materials (yeay!)

The second raised bed is in and we used a load of old iron railings that we had from a previous fencing episode... the ply which we lined the inside with was the remains of a previous aivery episode (hence the two parrots on the end which hubby had cut out at one time or another).

I asked him not to jigsaw them off as they add a fun touch. We still need a load more compost/top soil to fill this bed, but at least the weed supressing membrane is partly down (to be covered by bark once the final raised bed is in place).

The potatoes are planted - in that square green planter between the potting table and the bush so things are beginning to take shape :0)

Other planty goodness:-

Sorry, couldn't help but take more snaps of the clematis - it is a wall of pink and green beauty which doesn't last long so I'm capturing it while I can.

It might look like a pot of compost but just at the front there is a cauliflower shoot! Both the sprout and cauli shoots appeared today - fantastic :0)

Strawberry flowers (note to self... get more strawberry plants) and baby radish plants from seeds which I planted just over a week ago.

The catgrass is now at the point where I'm almost ready to give to Yoshi to see what she makes of it all. I think I'll present her with the pot tomorrow.

Mark loves this stone with the ivy growing up it... he moved it out of the allotment today onto the none-allotment side of the garden, as well as the chimnea, which was repositioned to a more elevated location so we feel the heat from it more when we are sitting out on late summer evenings...

I love chimneas - love their little pot-bellied stove appearance. I can't wait until our first BBQ party of the year when we can all sit round it toasting marshmallows and drinking wine - happy days.

And now I am ready for a sit down and nothing but a bit of sewing or crochet to fill the evening. Bliss :0)

Dear Diary...

2011-04-30T11:17:00.001+01:00

Who loves bank holidays? I do! I do!

Spring cleaning, gardening and crafty catchups...

Little Book of Joys!!!

Week 15 LBoJ's

Week 16 LBoJ's

I think The Seeds of Potential is my own personal favourite (of my own cards) so far. Though rainbows and lollipops by Terri is the card which has totally captured my heart... love it :0)

And finally this weekends Week 17 LBoJ's...

I love music! I have unclassified music tastes from rock to show songs. If it has lyrics which I relate too or a great melody then it doesn't matter what genre it is. There's nearly always a song or lyrics running through my head.

I LOVE my new job, absolutely love it and was
quite
, ~~a little~~, ~~somewhat~~, whoopingly excited on Thursday to get my first full paycheque.

The last 4 cards were done with coloured pencils for those interested in arting supplies used.

Playing Hooky!!!

The current lunch time and evening activity of choice. I have it in mind to make my mam a new blanket for her birthday at the beginning of June.

I like this new method I found on utube of piecing them as you go rather than sewing them together.... still gotta stitch all the pesky ends in though.

Long way to go on this one before it's double bed size... my hook will be on fire over the next few weeks but it's a great stash buster :0)

Stitchy Time!!!

As spring is now in full force it was appropriate to get going on Spring Angel.

Down the Garden!!!

Clematis reaching to the sky!

Reflections in the pond :0)

Fresh green new growth on my beloved Twinkle.

Daisy relaxing in the spring sunshine whilst...

The workers prepare new raised bedding areas. Daisy has the right idea me thinks!

A new garden journal to plan, record, capture and remember all of this seasons happenings.

Enjoy your weekend.

Hugz
Shell xxx

Forget-Me-Nots

2011-04-15T18:14:00.001+01:00

My sister recently made some beautiful sympathy gifts for some close friends of hers who have lost their Mother.

She wanted to give a personal gift to each of the family members who are more like family to her than friends.

She crochet these beautiful Forget-Me-Not flowers and some butterflies which she then framed up.

I think it was such a lovely gesture which I know her friends will greatly appreciate and I'm always in awe of her crochet skills!

I've also popped on to say that as I'm falling so far behind on catching up with blogs and maintaining my own blog in general that I won't be posting here for the foreseeable future. I'm just going to be uploading my pictures to flickr - so the Forget-Me-Nots (and my lovely Sister) seemed like a nice post to be ending on for the moment.

I wanted to say thanks as always for following along with my adventures (leaving such supportive and encouraging comments) and for letting me follow along in yours - maybe see you in the land of flickr if you go there too :0)

Love and best wishes
Shell xxx

Little Book of Joys - Week 14

2011-04-10T11:34:00.001+01:00

Yesterday was a gorgeous day here in the North East of England and today looks to be equally as bright and sunny.

It was lovely to be back in the garden - I realised how much I enjoy digging in the earth and looking at all of the plants close up.

The bush from the other night...

There are so many tiny flowers! I don't think I've even seen it so laden with bloom.

Blossom on the cherry tree - I wonder if we will actually get to eat any of the cherries this year as the birds are rather partial to them :0)

Perfect little balls of blossom... these are the only plants that I know the Latin name for and are one of the inspirations behind this weeks Book of Joys card:-

Side 2 is just my general love of being out in the garden - I've included a ladybird, bee and snail as I saw all 3 yesterday... I got a little buzz of happiness to see my first ladybird of the season :0)

Both cards were done on watercolour paper with watercolours and I used an ink wash on the gardening tools.

I finished side two of last weeks card during the week....

Our local buses aren't actually red but I like red buses so that's what mine is. I really enjoy my trip to and from work each day, letting someone else worry about the traffic lol.

I enjoyed some walks around campus in my lunch hour during the week.

I enjoy looking at the older building though there are also lots of modern ones and new additions.

The weather has been really good and the park is getting busier. I took my journal on Thursday and started a sketch

It's amazing how quickly that time passes and how chilled out and relaxed I am when I return to the office - it is my little mid-day treat :0)

Although I'm enjoying doing arty stuff I can feel my fingers itching to get stitching so next week I plan to take some embroidery supplies - I'm excited just thinking about it :0)

Have a great week.

Luv Shell x

Virus...

2011-04-08T23:47:00.002+01:00

Just a quickie to say if you get any strange e-mails from my address please just ignore them - apparently my e-mail has been hacked and has been sending out messages of it's own accord. The joys of modern technology!

Playing Catch Up

2011-04-04T21:14:00.001+01:00

I'm playing catch up - but at a very slow pace lol. Just keep thinking of the hare and the tortoise and you've got me at the moment.

I came in from work tonight, glanced down the garden and thought "wow, when did that happen?"

It's taken in poor light but the sight was none the less spectacular for it.

All of my photos are taken on an evening at the mo so please forgive the quality.

Last week I managed a small doodle - I was thinking of my dad at the time.

Often it helps me to think that's he's watching over us all - still offering his love and support from afar.

I've also been slowly doing some hand-appliqué. I'm leaving it raw edge and doing a backstitch around the circles. I'm not sure where this project is going, I'm just enjoying the process for now.

And this evening I got side 1 done of my little book of joys card - side 2 will follow during the week :-)

I never have been one for big gestures - it's the little everyday ordinary things which matter the most don't you think?

And on that note I'm off to bed for a wee read.

Happy slumbers....
Shell xxx

Lunch Time Delights

2011-03-28T19:39:00.001+01:00

As some one who has never ventured into our town centre much, I now find myself with a lunch hour to fill and explore.

Less than 5 minutes walk from my office is a beautiful city centre park where I can go sit and eat my lunch.

There's a large boating lake in the park which attracts lots of birds.

Birds of course = bird poop on the ground, but I love watching the swans glide across the water and the ducks going 'bottoms up' with their little orange legs waving in the air - I can't help but smile when I see that.

There are some fabulous trees, all twisted and sculptural.

And pockets of vibrant spring flowers as well as:-

Gorgeous Forget-me-Nots blooming away in the spring sunshine.

I was interested to read more of the park's history...

1879 - wow, to think people have been wondering around this park for 132 years!

I don't think this photo of a lady in her attire was taken then... you see the lion she is sitting beside...

Here he is, still where he was put all those years ago, right in front of the terrace

And when you get up on the terrace you can look back over to the bandstand:-

Which I think is a beautiful structure - in the summer I think they have bands playing there.

I'm looking forward to taking my sketch book tomorrow and spending some time putting pencil to paper - there's certainly plenty of inspiration.

I'm also looking forward to watching the park burst into life over the coming months and following it's changes through the season.

Not a bad place to eat your lunch huh :-)

Hugs
Shell x

Little Book of Joys 11 and 12/2011

2011-03-27T14:24:00.001+01:00

Today I have a special Book of Joys post as it includes both week 11 (my swap week with Terri) and also week 12 (which is this current week).

My week 11 card swap with Terri is very special... my package arrived yesterday and I'm super excited to share it with you.

We agreed to swap about the season which is just to begin and as last Sunday was officially the first day of Spring - our cards reflected this.

My beautiful cards :-)

Terri had picked up on my blog posts regarding my walks in the park, the daffodils that are emerging everywhere and also the fact that we air-mail each other and created this wonderful picture postcard. I love the bright, happy daffs, the stamp and postage label and also the sentiment!

We also discuss song lyrics quite a bit and I had mentioned to her that one of my favourite lyrics (because of the picture it paints in my head) is from a Bob Dylan song... "just to dance beneath the diamond sky, with one hand waving free, silhouetted by the sea, let me forget about today until tomorrow" I love the imagery behind those lyrics. Well, Terri had remembered that and I was hugely touched that she incorporated it into a card for me. They are both wonderful Terri, thank you x

Terri had also popped a few extras into her package (naughty but nice) :-)

A set of pens (she uses these a lot when doing her cards and thought I might like to try them), some lovely ribbon and a sweet mini notebook.

But that's not all!!!!

She'd also included a magazine, but oh my goodness not just any magazine.

I was so surprised and delighted when I turned to page 8 because look!!!

Whoooo-hoooo - Terri has been published - how mega fantastic is that :-)

And she hasn't told anyone yet - so guess what???? I AM lol

Here's her project - it's on page 50, no wait...

Page 50, 51 and page 52 hehe - isn't it fabulous... WELL DONE TERRI I am so pleased for you! It looks brilliant and I am so proud to have a copy of the magazine (though next time you must sign it) :-)

What a wonderful spring time swap - thank you so very much.

Now moving onto my own card (week 12)... it had to be something to reflect the friendship we have...

We joke about the ocean between us :-) not that it hugely matters with today's technology. I enjoyed trying out the new pens as well as watercolouring.

And yesterday I mentioned how nice it is to hear the birds singing so abundantly again so this is side 2.

Thank you for stopping by and I hope you get the chance to also check out Sandra's card (she has created a beautiful card about HOME), as well as her talented students cards (which are uploaded to Sandra's blog and her own flickr) Terri's cards and also our flickr group.

Luv Shell xxx

Hand-Pieced

2011-03-26T10:27:00.001Z

Good morning gorgeous people of blog-land. Hope you are all keeping well.

Firstly I'm sorry that I haven't commented on blogs much this week - I have been popping by, catching up but have just been too plain old pooped/short on time to comment lots.

Spring is definitely here - I have the spring head cold to prove it - lots of sneezing and nose blowing going on - at least I'm keeping Kleenex in business which is good for them (not so good for me lol)

Gnome Sweet Gnome! Decided to go circular with this mug rug, basically cos I couldn't be bothered to get the iron out to smooth out the dent of the embroidery hoop (that's how lazy I'm being at the moment). I'm quite happy sitting sewing but anything that involves anything remotely strenuous like ironing a crease is jeeze, just too much work. Although I'm diggin the circular thing.

I used owl fabric from Amy on the back... you notice how I'm getting outdoor au naturale shots here :-)

If spring has arrived in your area have you noticed the birds singing again. I love it - morning and evening they are chirping their little heads off.

And like a good little bunny I've been hopping off to work each day - that's my first week completed in my new job and I absolutely LOVE it. Totally liking the new people, totally enjoying the work, totally relishing learning new things and TOTALLY feel like I landed well and truly on my feet. GOOD STUFF which makes me very happy! :-)

Last night I finished my new mug rug for work (they probably think I'm a weenie bit eccentric with my patchworked/fabric bits and bobs but they'll get used to me hehe).

Everything is hand-pieced/sewn on this and I'm thrilled with it. I discovered that I prefer doing the binding fully by hand instead of using the machine for the first bit (Gloria by the way is out of commission until she has been serviced which won't be until the beginning of May at least... expect lots of hand-stitching!)

After conversing with Madam Samm (who is simply fab) I also tried hand-quilting it - it took several initial attempts before I decided stitching in the ditch was the way to go until I get more proficient at it. I admit that when I first started stitching the hexies together I wasn't particularly feeling the love - I think because the ends were all odd angles - but now that it's squared off and finished I am smitten!! What else can I make?!?!?

I had a spare pin-wheel in my drawer so used that as a backing - I like how you can see the hexie quilting showing through though the back is a little 'not as flat' as it could/should be but hey-ho, that's hand-crafted for you lol.

Have a wonderful Saturday and don't forget to.....

Now that there are actually some flowers to smell - oh yeah!!!!

Art Card Swap Week

2011-03-20T10:47:00.001Z

There's no Little Book of Joys card to show this week - not because I haven't done one - but because Terri and I agreed that once a quarter, on the first day of each season, we would swap our cards - so I've done one... but I'm not showing, as it's off to America :-)

I still have other yummy things to share though.

Little baby ducklings at the park, they are so sweet and very busy!

We had two days of very foggy weather during the week but this ribbon of daffodils certainly bring some sunshine.

On Friday Mark and I visited his parents... we drive over the North Pennines to get to their house in the country and we stopped to sit by a stream while the sunlight glistened on the water.

Almost the same photo but not quite... do you see that beautiful blue sky :-)

I love our rolling landscape, I love blue skies and white whispy clouds. Taken from the car, looking back over where we had just come from.

So, hexies....

Slight variation lol - me and the kiddies made a load of these years ago, I still use this one as a coaster, I love it's bright rainbow colours!

Hexie flower 1 - I have no idea what I'm going to do with these hexie flowers - I initially was going to make a lunch bag, hence the teddy with the watermelon in the centre (brown polka dots fabric from lovely Amy) - but that idea wasn't grabbing me.

Hexie flower 2 - again, no idea what I'm going to do with it - I might make cushions but I don't know.

Pretty hexies - now I was thinking of making a mug rug with these, squaring them off and making a binding - but you've guessed it - I'm not sure... maybe I should continue and make a pillow or a quilt. I'm in a indecisive mood at the moment so I'll do nothing with it at the minute.

I have made a really cute mini clipboard though!

And it's pretty on both sides - might clip my bus tickets on that, it's about the only thing I can think of for it lol.

Flowers are continuing to emerge. I'm starting to potter out there now - it was quite warm again yesterday.

The hosta is even starting to poke it's head through - that is a very odd angle photo!

Ewwww - that is not a very pretty photo - look how patchy the grass is. Anyhoo, this is going to be the big project this year, turning this area into an allotment with raised veggie beds - so that grass will be getting covered over in any case.

Also not a pretty picture, the back panel has fallen out of the greenhouse and there's quite a bit of junk with zero plant life in there... soon to be rectified once the morning frosts have passed - we still have white sparkling roof tops on the mornings so it's not worth setting anything away yet.

Righty ho - off to make the not so little ones pancakes and maybe have a potter down the garden path.

Have a good one....
Shell

Thank you Jennie and Amy

2011-03-15T14:43:00.001Z

Jennie sent me this beautiful card which she made. It has the coolest background (I have no idea how it was created... Jennie is a textile student/artist so has all kinds of techniques under her belt).

It is machine and hand stitched too. I love it and am planning on getting a frame for it. It reminds me of fields on a summer's evening - absolutely stunning. Thank you Jen xx

I was also lucky enough to win Amy's giveaway recently and my scrummy prize arrived in the post today with a few added extras. THANK YOU AMY!!!

Gorgeous fabrics... pinks, browns (polka dot!!!) and owls - all of my favourite things :-)

Plus a fabulous set of hand-made cards, they are beautiful. Thanks again Amy... by the way, your recipe today for Chocolate Chip Meringue Cookies has me absolutely drooling at the mouth!!!

I'm so eager to cut into my prize!!! I got myself a little wicker basket (well, it's actually our nut basket but it only gets used at Christmas so it's fair game) to put my hexies in... I've seen wicker baskets with hexies on quite a few blogs now (and loved them) so I've officially joined the hexie wicker basket club...

Too cute!!!! Too empty!!!! Need to make more hexies, like now lol.

Garden Flower Pillow Complete

2011-03-14T17:07:00.001Z

Yeay - I'm super dooper happy with this pillow.

Lots of firsts with it - first free motion appliqué, first circle quilting and today first piping and piping installation (that makes me sound like a plumber!)

First up the piping - the casing for which was made from these pieced jelly rolls which have completed quite a few projects now....

Larna's Memorial was made by cutting Dresden templates out of them...

Christmas pressie bags were made from them....

And this scrum-diddily-umptios piping was made from them as well as the backing for the pillow (no photo of that, it still needs ironing!) pretty good going huh?

Anyhow, I am drifting... back to the pillow.

There we go :0) mega delighted with it - really pleased with how the piping came out, especially for a first attempt - I can see more piping on more projects... Yes, I definitely sound like a plumber :0D

All this needs now is an iron and an infill and it's a wrap. Thanks as always for following along and all of the encouraging comments - I really appreciate them.

Think Gloria needs to go in for that service now... ho hum... which gives me the perfect excuse to do some hand sewing... I'm thinking spring section of my stitchery or hexies... lots and lots of hexies... or maybe (probably) both lol.

And if you're wondering why I'm not at work it's cos I have a week off between jobs - and what a lovely springy day it's been - I even sat out in the garden by the pond watching the fish for a while (without a coat too!!) wow!!!!

Little Book of Joys 10/2011

2011-03-13T12:37:00.001Z

Good Afternoon and thanks for popping by :0)

As you all know from my last post things are changing for the Woodie Household.

I feel about 16 years old again, going out to work in the Big World and all of the excitement and trepidation which comes with it.

Like I'm standing before an entrance and...

I used watercolour paper and paints for this side of my card, sketching out the design in pencil before painting it... then outlining and shading with my dip pen and ink (which I have to say are now my favourite items in the shed). I then opened up the doorway using a craft knife and scored down the left hand side to 'hinge' the door.

For side two of my card I wanted to add some journalling space so I made a little book. I used mulberry paper for the cover and a delicate patterned paper for the pages of the book. I sewed the book together, down the centre, on my sewing machine.

I distressed the edges of the pages to give it a shabby chic look.

It was the perfect little journal to record my thanks about the past and also my thoughts and hopes for the future.

Quite a dimensional little card of joy this week which I had a lot of fun creating.

You can also visit Sandra and Terri to check out their art cards as well as our flickr group.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

Hugz
Shell x

All Change....

2011-03-09T14:23:00.001Z

Yes, it's going to be all change for me and my little world. Remember I told you I was being made redundant, well on Friday I went for a job interview...

And I got the job!!! I feel so lucky in this climate to get offered a job at my first interview.

And it's a really good job too, but I'm going to be going from very part-time hours to very full-time hours.

I did agonise over it at first - my babies! (who are no longer babies, but still).

So I sat down and had a rational talk with myself... the children are at school for 6 hours a day, not including travelling time... I will be at work for 7.5 hours a day - hmmm, it isn't that bad really.

I'm very lucky also that my Mam lives in the same street as me and helps me out loads... she'll be here when the munchkins come in from school.

So that's it - I'm going to be a full-time working Mam... I've not worked full-time for over 13 years!

Things are going to have to be organised and efficient (splutter!) I am also likely to be rather pooped at the end of the day until I get used to it.

And as family (1), work (2), probably sleep (3) are going to be my main focus lord only knows when crafting and blogging will come into it - especially at first until I adjust lol.

I'll still try and squeeze things in but am not going to worry about crafting as I don't want it to feel like a 'must-do'.

So I've made myself a notebook to help me get organised... you know me and my lists hehe... at the moment it's just the dividers and cover - I still have the pages to insert.

I was going to use it for work but it's far too pretty for that so I'm keeping it at home :0)

I will still call in for a nightly visit to your blogs but you will understand if my blog seems a bit inactive for a while... it's probably because I am
dribbling
, ~~snoring~~, having a nap in the chair or hanging out with the munchkins! I'm certainly keeping up with Little Book of Joys each Sunday.

So that's my big news... I'll pop off now but have a great day and happy crafting :0)

Little Book of Joys 09/2011

2011-03-06T11:23:00.002Z

Happy First Sunday in March to you all. Daffodils... aren't they just lovely!

Bright, happy fluted edged flowers - sunshine in a cup :0)

Wow - week 9 of LBOJ, we're almost one fifth of the way through!

And aren't they starting to fill out nicely - I've been tempted to keep one or two out (especially last weeks as it would look so nice hanging from that key, don't you think) but I haven't - can't bring myself to have a week missing from the book.

I didn't really come up with a theme for this weeks card - so instead I DID something which brings me joy. I PLAYED - no plan, no theme - rebel, rebel lol.

Really shimmery, messy, make it up as you go along fun! That sounds pretty joyful to me :0)

Side two is a bit more mature - I've got a tag stamp yesterday which I thought would be ace to create journalling spots or stamp onto fabric to make fabric tags (pretty nifty huh?) and I edged this one with lace... Oh so girly! Where ever you go, go with all of your heart. That's a joyful place to be to :0)

Don't forget to visit Sandra and Terri - it's always a treat.

Moving onwards... gotta show you my new (old) chair in the shed. Ahhh, nothing like a bit of comfort and luxury when you're sittin in yer shed!

I am the captain of my ship rofl. This chair weighs a bloody tonne and was a bit big for the house, so I've put it in the smallest place possible (I'm nothing if not logical) but it works, ahhh, I could go and sit in it now just looking at the photo - how inviting it is.

Moving onward again... had a change around yesterday and moved the ridiculously HEAVY and HUGE but extremely LOVEABLE sewing table upstairs to my bedroom. Now when I wake up each morning I get to see this....

Oh yeah!!! btw my walls need painting badly but who has time for that when there's crafting to be done?!? Do you like my owl jarmies? I do! Got them for Christmas from my Sis and could live in them - seriously.

I adore my sewing table - so roomy and inviting, so ugly and battered which makes it practically perfect in my eyes.

So, speaking of crafting, oh quilty bubbilicious joy. Didn't have much of a plan after all with the quilting of the flower garden pillow - except for bubbles or circles (whichever is your preference).

It has started....

It Continues.....

Where I'm at Today....

OMG - loving it. Seriously loving it.

Quilting is like cosmetic surgery for quilts - it takes all of the loose, flappy bits and pulls them in tight!! I NEED TO BE QUILTED!

I thought about doing more open quilting but I think I'm a 'quilt it to death' kind of girl. I love seeing all of the pockets of puff.

And it makes all of the flowers so puffy and squidgey too! It's like bubble wrap - I keep on poking them with my finger just for the pure thrill of it.

Isn't it looking fab... tell me it is even if you think it isn't lol.

Little bird - so cute, so sweet - he'll be even happier when he has an eye.

Power to the Flower - I think I have found my enjoyment niche :0)

Have a fantabulously wicked and wonderful day.

Hugz
Shell x

Flower Garden Pillow - Part 2

2011-03-03T08:23:00.002Z

Yesterday afternoon and evening I completed the appliqué on my flower garden pillow. I hadn't realised how big this pillow actually is... 20.5 inches square which seems pretty huge for a pillow to me.

My little Janome machine, Gloria, is playing up a bit, seems to be skipping stitches - I gave her a good clean and new needle, adjusted the tension (normally I can just leave her on auto-tension) but still she is missing the odd one.

Which is a bit of a bummer when you are excited to be working on a project.

I think once I've finished this project I'll send her in for a health check and a pamper session... I'm not complaining - she is coming up to 17 years old (I got her as a 21st birthday pressie) so she's doing pretty well bless her.

We whacked some tunes on last night, I sang, she hummed, and we had a merry old time the two of us.

The back... I like it almost as much as the front, apart from the blebs where Gloria had a drunken hiccup.

Next is the fmq - I love doing that but this time I'm going to think about the pattern a bit more instead of going in with no plan which is what I usually do.

Have a fun day everyone.
Hugs
Shell

Flower Garden Pillow - Part 1

2011-03-02T13:41:00.002Z

When I very first discovered blogs (who knew!) I came across Don't Look Now and immediately fell head over heels in love with Kellie's work.

Kellie generously offers some free patterns and tutorials and one in particular had me hitting the bookmark key :0)

So a year and a bit later I finally started the flower garden pillow .

Last night I cut out the pattern pieces and I've adhered them to the backing fabric. It already looks mega sweet :0)

Time to start stitching... I'm so excited about this project and I'm really buzzing about doing the free motion appliqué.

I'll be back with an update when the appliqué is done :0)

Tuesday Treasures

2011-03-01T09:38:00.002Z

My Tuesday Treasure this week is my art journal.

This book of warping pages... not because it is filled with brilliant works of art - cos it sure isn't lol. It's a ragamuffin of a book - filled with randomness.

A place where I learn and try and oftentimes get it wrong.

Where I play with backgrounds that will later be filled with splurges of colour... or not.

A place where I can escape to. There is nothing sacred about this book - anything goes!

I like to try out ideas, mediums... work through thoughts, jot them down.

And I don't worry about messing up - that's what this book is for. If I mess up really bad I just turn to another page. Same goes if I don't mess - I have pieces that I'm quite pleased with but the same pages get turned - good or not so good.

I treasure it because it's a little piece of me and a reminder to myself to not be afraid to try new things if I want to.

Thanks to Melody for hosting and giving us a place to link up our treasures - I always love visiting other people's, even if I don't link up myself every week :0)

I've linked up to a number of thread painting videos in the Tutorials I Love tab at the top of my blog - I found these really helpful in learning this fun technique - hope you do too if it's something you're interested in trying.

Have a lovely Tuesday.
Shell x

Little Book of Joys 08/2011

2011-02-27T10:12:00.002Z

Beautiful pinks set against vivid greens.

The promise of delicious rhubarb crumble, so sweet and tartly mouth-watering.

Shoots appearing through the fallen leaves and debris of last summers glory.

Sticky little buds, toffee brown with a pistachio topping.

The tiny delicate cyclamen emerging and stretching from their winter sleep.

Hundreds of tiny buds, all waiting, all awakening.

Bare branches reaching into a blue grey sky each holding the magic of curling green leaves

and fat juicy pears.

Keeping delicate new life safely nestled and protected before they will stand proud on tall stalks.

And the gentle snowdrops bowing their heads in reverence to the beauty they see unfolding before them.

They have seen it many times before and yet they still find it humbling.

And a new joy is to be found every day in nature.

And the very simplest happiness is to be found right here.

Once again we feel the kiss and warmth of sunshine.

For each season brings it's own delights but for me spring holds so many.

*****************

This weeks Book of Joy card is a little different for me. I traced around the playing card and drew a small design which I then thread painted.

I find it hard to get close up detailed pictures on my camera, especially when working on

such a small scale, so apologies for the blurriness.

I love this technique - I was a little nervous about doing the lettering free hand on the machine but it was actually much easier than I thought.

The girl image at the end is a sketch I did in bed last night - using a graphite pencil and only 5 coloured pencils - I'm trying to see how small I can get a journalling kit down to.

The four seasons photo collague was created in Photoshop - just for the fun of it.

Enjoy your Sunday whatever it brings... look out for the small and simple pleasures....

Don't forget you can also visit Terri and Sandra to see their art cards, as well as our Flickr Group.

Luv.... Shell x