MAGPIE-PIXIE

2011-07-29T03:47:00.000-07:00

Father In Law

Passed away on 7/7/11 ..... around 7pm .

Above is a heart i made for one of my sister in law . .

From the hankies he used .. stuffed and filled with lavender

with a small pocket on the back incase she needed to put a

message in it for him ..

I`ve been putting off this post .. or even deciding whether to

hit publish at all .. But i think it`s for the best keeping some

of my followers up to speed .. so now ... for those who aren`t on

Facebook will know the sad news ...

And for those who wish to continue reading .. you can ..

I am being very honest and say it is my own

opinion only and experience .. so i do not wish to offend anyone ..
Death is something which we cannot avoid .. Whether it is sudden

or expected .. you are still shocked and saddened that it has

happened to a loved one . Even talking about it in this day and age ...

We can see it as something which we will deal with later ..

It`s one of those taboo subjects that people often get edgy about ,

and think .....i have plenty of time .. we never know how long we

have .. but to do some preparation for it .. does help your family

or those that are dealing with it for you .

As a family .. we are thankful that our father had prepared somethings

like life insurance to help pay for the astronomical funeral costs ..

When i say astronomical .. i am not kidding !! I was completely shocked and

to say the least fuming , at the charges we were given .. It seems that when you die ..

those left are charged such high prices at a very emotional time and

are not thinking properly themselves and do not question charges or shop around .

That said .. of course you do want to give lost ones the best or what they requested..

But it could cause more worry for those who do not have the money and they

may end up in debt with it . So .. that lesson gone through .. is to try and sort

something out for myself .. and maybe you too ..

Death is something i am afraid of ... i will openly admit it ..

I don`t like heights .. and a few other things ... But this ...

i can`t get my head around it ..

It`s probably at least 10 years .. since i have had to go to a

funeral .. so you do not think about .. you`re too busy trying to live

your life .. you see things in the media .. word of mouth etc .. and you will

just stop maybe for a moment and think maybe why .. how sad it is ..

express your sympathy and then carry on " as normal " ...

But i think because i am getting older myself .. when a death happens ,

and this seems to have affected me more than any other ..

It`s actually stopped me in my tracks and made me really think ...

My father in law died when we should have been away on holiday .

He was taken into a hospice for the final 5 days of his life ..

He was only given a bed there .. because a few days beforehand he was

very fidgety and couldn`t settle , not eating and very confused and we

could not cope between us to care for him ... Seeing him go in .. was heartbreaking

as he wanted to go home .. but it was the best place and care for him ..

Then being told that his confusion .. was the onset of the dying process ..

when i didn`t know there was one ... was the news we did not want hear ..

We were all at his bedside . most of the time .. still chatting with him

as normal and just waiting .. that`s all we could do .

I was with him when he died .. I had my head on a pillow noddding off in a chair

close by as i had done a night shift with him and had no sleep for 36 hours .

I was woken up , amidst the cries for help .. i saw him take his last breath

.... something that i will never forget .. and he was " gone " ...

Later .. with all of us around him ..... we had a drink

and toasted his life ...

I was honoured to know my father in law .. ...

To help take care of him during his last few weeks ,

never hearing once of him complaining or questioning why he had cancer

and i can still hear a thankyou Carolyn in my head i got on the

day before he went into the hospice .

He was a proud , old fashioned gentleman , who doted on

all his family ...

That`s what i want to remember ...

2011-06-28T23:57:00.000-07:00

A couple of weekends ago .. i travelled to

London to finally meet a blogger and facebook

friend Tracey

Aside from going shopping ;o) We went to a park

which was in the middle of the area she lived in

called The Rookery , quite an unexpexted piece of gardens

in a built up area of a big city .

Just a few pictures are below ;o)

Tracey taking a photo of me while i was taking

a photo of her !!

Both of us ;o)

Taken by Tracey ..

Although i`m not keen on flying .. and the flight was

less than an hour , on my way back

it was a beautiful day , 19.000 miles up in the air .

To see a sight like this from my window seat , was

something i will never forget .. breathtaking

and magical !

It was a lovely trip away for a few days

and i hope to visit Tracey again in the near future ,

and it was lovely to finally meet you in the flesh !! ;o)

2011-06-09T23:48:00.000-07:00

Here are a few select photo`s from our

couple of days away , which seem so long ago now !

View out to sea from the Northumberland coast

We visited a couple of places , this is Cragside .

The first house to have hydro electricity installed

and built in 1863 .

View of the house taken from the iron bridge

my arty shot of the bridge ;o)

You could take photo`s inside .. as long as no flash was used.

Just one of the many rooms ..

and the other part of the same room with a magnificent marble fireplace

and a places to sit inside .. one of the most beautiful things

i have ever seen !

Next day was Parceval Hall gardens .. the house was out of bounds

to the public .. but the gardens were so well maintained and beautiful ..

And with a view like this from the house .. who wouldn`t

want to live there !! ??

just one of the many plants in the gorgeous garden ..

And it seems everywhere we go .. we see a robin !!

And this is the leather sofa i fell in love with

at our hotel ;o)

Thanks for popping by .. to see my more random postings

on here lately ;o)

I am currently looking after my FIL more so now ..

He was sent home from the hospital earlier this week ..

His cancer has spread dramatically and well .. to tell

the truth , it`s basically to die at home .. that`s his wish .

We`re not sure how long he`s got .. so i know you`ll understand

my absence fron here ...

2011-05-26T01:15:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone ;o)

Where has my followers link buttons gone on my side bar !! ??

Does anyone know how to get it back ! ??

Anyway .. i will try and sort it out later ...

For those who are not on Facebook following me ..

The past few weeks have been worrrying , tiresome - to say the least ..

due to my FIL being rushed into hospital with internal bleeding .

3 weeks on .. he is better and getting ready to come home ..

He is such a fighter and proud man , and having seen him at his

worst with oxygen and tubes everywhere .. i have to admire him more

So i am sad to say .. i have not had any creative time to speak of ..

We went away for a couple of days recently , once we knew

that dad was in the clear and i have photos but not downloaded

them yet .. So i hope to share some with you soon ;o)

Thanks for dropping by .. and i hope to get back to

normal as soon as !! ;o)

2011-05-03T23:54:00.000-07:00

I hope everyone had a good easter break !

And my international friends got to watch the Royal Wedding ...

I finally feel like getting back to "normal " after 2 long weekends

of visiting friends , having great weather and 3 BBQ`s ;o)

This is a vintage tablecloth i found .. It had worn holes

in parts , otherwise i would have kept it whole ..

So i`ve been coming up with things to reuse it in ..

I cut out 2 circle pieces and made a quick

pomander filled with lavender ....

vintage seam binding hanger

reverse side ...

Now it`s time to think of something else to create ,

as my muse was on holiday too !

Thanks for popping by ...

2011-04-16T01:54:00.000-07:00

What do you do when you have a nice summer

blouse that does not fit you anymore ! ??

Why you .. repurpose it of course !!

I hadn`t worn this as it was tight on my arms

so i thought of a way to reuse it ..

And came up with this lined cushion cover !!

I cut the main body as it had ruching stitching

and the buttons on the front act as the closure

at the front - so not messing about with a zip !!

So easy to do !! ;o) Just cut to size of the cushion pad you

have then sew all 4 sides up ...

Mine fits an Ikea " Irma " pad which is 14 " square ...

I also lined it with white cotton material from a

pillow case i didn`t use ;o)

I then made a fabric flower from circles . some

folded into quarters and sewed it on , then added

a couple of hand felted leaves...

Back view .. with some ruched detail already on the blouse

Inside view where i lined it .. it needed

a lining as the blouse material was thin ..

So ...now i`m offering this to purchase ;o)

OOAK neutral dotty flower lined cushion cover

14 " square and will fit an "irma " Ikea

cushion pad - an excuse to go visit the place maybe ! ? lol

All cotton apart from linen in the flower i made and i would

handwash it warm .

Price includes shipping £ 8.00

Hope everyone has a great weekend !!

2011-04-14T06:37:00.000-07:00

Flowers ...

With the weather being so nice .. I have been

outside in our gardens trying to put more

colour into them and along with a general

tidy up too ..

New front planter that i stained and created

and a couple of the neighbours came for a " nosey "

and said the loved it ! ;o)

small coated metal container .. made for under a fiver

now how much would a garden center charge for it !! ??

So with flowers still on my mind..

I finished this altered postcard ..

Gesso paint then stamped while still wet ..

various papers , butterfly stamp and watercolours.

The grid texture below is left over roll from

when we have some plaster work done ..

sticky on one side , white and can be painted or

whatever you think of to do to use a roll of it up !!

Thanks for popping by ;o)

2011-04-04T00:41:00.000-07:00

Spring Bunting Swap pieces.

I am taking part in a spring bunting swap that Amy

is hosting and i decided to take part in it .

It`s something i have never tried myself so it

was alittle challenge for myself to come up

with something ! I decided on fabric bunting , as we

could do any art media to create them ...

We send 5 pieces in , then Amy mixes them

and you get a complete bunting of other participants work .

sent back to you ..

I created 3 of these , varying the flower colour / button

and ribbon

Then 2 of the same of a pink version

Something completely different to what i

create .. and no birds , eggs or a nest in sight !! ;o)

Thankyou Amy and i cannot wait to get my

complete bunting back and see all the other

artists work !!

2011-03-27T00:58:00.000-07:00

EDIT .. THIS HAS SOLD !! THANKYOU !!

Vintage Hankie Journal

Size 5.5 x 4.5 "

Made using half a vintage hankie sewn on thick

watercolour paper , vintage seam binding tie with

a bead / cord page marker

Back view of journal ...

Handsewn pages using 140gsm extra wet strength

watercolour paper . 14 pages : 28 sides not inclu cover .

Ideal for personal journalling or however you wish to use it !!

Listed below to purchase ....

Price includes postage £7.75 - approx $12

Thanks for looking and i hope everyone`s

weekend is going great !!

2011-03-23T07:25:00.000-07:00

Vintage Retro Holdall ..

size 8 x 5.5 "

Made from a thick wool cloth , the pic shows it more

blue when it`s a more teal colour !! Nevermind huh ?

Then i cut out a circle from the wool cloth and sewed a flower piece

from an old vintage tablecloth that was too worn in places

to reuse myself .. sort of like reverse applique ;o)

And added 2 of my own felted leaves hand stitched ..

And lined with a cotton stripe material ..

Hopefully i will have more time tomorrow

to list this for purchase along with a few other items !

Thanks for popping by ;o)

2011-03-18T09:17:00.000-07:00

" Pilgrim`s Nest "

Wear then store your art ...

A new idea i had to store part of a piece of

artwork , which i don`t think i`ve seen before ..

I could be wrong ;o)

For the " house " part .. I used a cardboard inner

left over from parcel tape !! I couldn`t throw it as it was

a thick piece of card and i thought it would

come in handy .. one day ..

I lined the inner with vintage wallpaper then cut a circle

of card for the back and stuck vintage ledger paper on .

The size is 3 " diameter and 2" deep .

Glued thick paper on the outside and painted the rim of

the short parcel tape tube a white .

I hand crocheted a nest in chunky wool, then made a wire one to fit inside

with 3 vintage beads as eggs .Then sewed a brooch pin on on the back ,

so it can be worn then housed when it`s not being worn ;o)

Nest brooch size is 1.75 " diameter

I put some seam binding on the top , to hang it ,

but it didn`t sit right on a wall ..

So i came up with it`s own stand !!

A small jewellery box bottom lid , then sewed 2 small twigs

so the decorated roll tape wouldn`t roll off !

Pretty good idea , if i say so myself !! ;o)

Stand size is 3 x 2.5 "

Inside close up ..

Vintage text , bleached twig piece , faux moss , vintage flowers

Many thanks for the well wishes for my FIL

at the moment things are going good ;o)

And any interest in the above piece to purchase it ,

please get in touch , but i will try soon to list it ..

I`m just short of time right now

Thanks for popping by ;o)

2011-03-08T08:25:00.000-08:00

" 3 Poppies "

canvas size 5 x 10 "

I`ve had this done for a few weeks

but with our FIL having health problems

and another stroke a few days ago , time is

spent more on him , as he now refuses to go

into hospital now ! So it is a very trying time

for us all ..

Anyway , i thought i`d better show my face ,

so to speak on here ;o)

The textured background is DIY filler ! ;o)

Much cheaper than textured paste and easy to use too

painted with acrylics , 3 dried poppies that i grew in my

garden last year , a small bark piece from a day out

that i aquired ;o) which is stuck with the filler onto the canvas.

Inside the bark piece is florists foam to place the dried poppies in

but covered with dried white moss type stuff ;o) Not sure what it`s called !!

Green Faux moss , skeletal leaf and 2 partial dried acorns

I`m still not 100% sure on the colours of it

though ;o)

Thanks for popping by ;o)

2011-01-25T05:04:00.000-08:00

" Mabel in her garden .. "

Pen / watercolour drawing in an A5 sketchbook.

closer view of Mabel ;o)

Apology`s for the watermark on there .. fellow

artists will know why i did it ;o)

I`ve not done much else ... our father in law

had a stroke this past sunday

besides his terminal cancer diagnosis.

So we`re making constant trips to the hospital

he was made stable , having tests as to why it happened .

So i know you`ll understand why i may not be

on here or visit you ;o) I will try to though ;o)

Thanks for popping by !

2011-01-21T04:39:00.000-08:00

Feathered Egg ..

size .... 2.5 "

Just a quick project i did , covering a plastic

egg that i had , which before just had some

painted design on , and i wasn`t keen on it ;o)

Just gluing feathers onto it ..

really simple and quick !

Thanks for popping by ..

And have a great weekend !

xoxoxoxoxox

2011-01-17T03:55:00.000-08:00

Mini Spring Wreath

Size 3 " dia

I reused a small christmas willow wreath ,

which i spray painted matt white .

And added faux moss , 2 feathers ,

vintage flowers and a tiny mushroom bird ;o)

The top has 2 fabric leaves and i dried the flower head myself

the yellow ball head , but i cannot remember what it

is called !! lol ...

It can be hung , so i used a pale yellow seam binding .

Thankyou to all for my birthday wishes too !

I had a great day !!! ;o)

2011-01-07T00:01:00.000-08:00

" Happy Birthday Carolyn !!

I`ll be there soon !! "

Thankyou David .. and i`m sure you will not

behave yourself today ... seen as though you`re no Angel !!

WELCOME EVERYONE !!

To my own private island beach blog party !!

And it is my 500th post ! Wow !! Did i ever think i could

post that many and keep it going too !!

Hope the flight wasn`t too long for you all ..

But here is our own private island for the weekend !

Whoo Hoo !!!

Here is where you`ll all be staying ...

Doesn`t it look beautiful ! ??

With views to die for like this ...

Here i am waiting to greet you all ;o)

Grab yourselves a rum coconut drink ...
And let`s get this celebration underway ...

I`d like to introduce my date ! ;o)
Boy have i been waiting for this day !! lol

Ian Somerhalder - from The Vampire Diaries
Mr sex on legs , with thee most gorgeous blue eyes
I have EVER seen !!

You may also notice that we do quick changes throughout the day too !!

Looking absolutely gorgoeus in the suit Ian , but that
won`t be on for too long !! lol ...

Ian " Hello Carolyn .. I have been busy getting ready
for your special birthday celebration ..
checking my teeth , so i can sink them into
you later !! "

( ooo ..... bite me now...... Ian !! ))

" Plant one here .... on these lips .. "

Caz thinks - as if he needs to ask me !! ?
Running on over to have a birthday smoochy babes !!

And for a cuddle .. don`t we look good together !! ;o)

here is my main swimsuit .. I hope you like it too Ian ! ;o)

Ooooo .. now where has he gone ! ??
I can see someone in the water ..
Let me go and have a closer look ..

OMG !! I have died and i am in heaven !!... lol
Knock me down with a feather ....
Just look at those abs .. and you`re all wet ....

Put it away boy for now . .. i`m having some of that later !! lol

anyway Ian .... enough of flaunting yourself !!
I`m drooling enough now , i don`t know about my guests !!

Look where we`re sleeping tonight hun !! ??

Aaawwhh , he`s giving me a cuddle now and whispering

naughty things in my ear ...

Oooo .. you naughty naughty boy Ian !!

........ Maybe later .... rofl .....

So then girls .. How about a dip in the waterslide pool ! ??

yeee hawww lets go !!

Oh damn !! this cozzie bottom keeps riding up

my behind !! ;o) he he ... ;o)

Let`s try scuba diving in the gorgeous warm clear water ..

Strike a pose ... he he !!

Look no hands !!

Phew .. just need a quick rest girls ..

But how about riding a horse on the beach !!

So .. now Ladies ;o)

You`re probably wondering who else has come ??

Let`s see who we spot as we ride down the beach front ...

Super .. Man .. Tom Welling ...

He can come and save me anytime !!

Gorgeous ! Sorry Ian !! lol

Paul Walker ... Hope he`s not

Too fast and furious !! lol ...

Jason Statham ...Cranking ..... up the heat up !!

Gerard Butler ... Loved him in 300 ...

Hugh Jackman ....

James Mcavoy -- looking a little tired already ..

He may need some help ... any offers girls !! ?

Bad boy Colin Farrell ..

And showing off ..... David Beckham !!

Time for a slow dance me thinks now ... ;o)

I`ve waited along time for this !!

Ready to go in again girls !! ??

On jet ski`s this time !!

Oh my .. how`s this happened !! ? lol

Well hello boys ... ;o) Fancy running into you here ..

Quick now .. let me put some clothes on and run

to my date ..

Otherwise he`ll be off !!

That`s better ... ;o) A picture to remember this

day .. along with some other of my guests ha ha !

bet you didn`t think i`d get a snap !! lol

Just a few to give you the idea !!

My friend Tracey ! ;o) Seems to be distracted ..

maybe by all the hunky men ! ?? you`re looking good in

the red swimsuit !! ;o)

OMG Rhonda !! You`re looking hot girl !!

No wonder you`re still with Brandon Flowers !!

Well . it is near the end of my birthday celebration ladies ;o)

Time for abit of relaxation now ...

and to top up that tan ...

While some of the men play a last game of

beach volleyball ..

So would you all like to join me in a drink ..

Cheers everyone and thank you so much for coming

helping me celebrate my birthday today ..

and reading this long post too !

And Hope fully it has given you a laugh !!

Enjoy the sunset on this piece of paradise ...

Please also say so in your comment , if you have done a post

to help me celebrate my birthday - and i will be over to see it -

I can`t wait to see what you have come up with this year ...

Thankyou all so much !! I had a wonderful time getting ready

for this day .......

I hope you all had a great time too !!

xoxoxoxo

2010-12-30T08:48:00.000-08:00

First of all i would like to wish my readers ..

A Very Happy New year !!

May you all have love , peace , health and happiness

in the year to come ..

Also as you will see below

It`s my birthday next friday !!

Also it`ll be my 500th post !! wow !!

So keeping the tradition of a blog party ,

here are the details ..

Do a post on your blog , so i and others can comment on it ,

along with what outfit you would wear - get those bikini`s out ladies !!

accesories etc.

Your dream date , and what you would virtually gift me with !

That`s it , pretty simple .. Or if you`re still busy with the

holiday season , i hope you will pop by on the day and see what i

have instore for you all !!

Fun and some laughs along the way .

Thanks for popping by and if i do not post before my

birthday , then i will see you here !!

xoxoxoxo

2010-12-24T05:03:00.000-08:00

Wishing everyone a

Very happy Christmas !!

I hope you all enjoy yourselves and spend time

with those who matter to you the most

xoxoxoxox

2010-12-14T07:56:00.001-08:00

Canvas book

using A4 sized folded pieces from a pad halved to create pages

This is another on going project ;o)

I bought a pad of canvas pieces and wanted to make a book

I painted the outside in green red and gold acrylic

paints before sticking this sewn piece for the front .

I would have liked to sew it on , but my machine isn`t working ...

Maybe santa will bring me another !

using white crinkle material , nearly like muslin , with a

green square crochet mat i found , then added other pieces

of material . vintage buttons and a bird in a nest with chicks image .

Also once complete , it has a seam binding closure

My second page , using vintage wallpaper and ledger paper,

and a house created from material scraps .. I need to do something

else with this .. but i haven`t thought of anything .. yet ;o)

Canvas on a roll or in a pad is a wonderful medium to

create on , painted , collaged , stitched , tags , postcards etc

why not have a go yourself ! ?

2010-12-08T06:14:00.000-08:00

Scrapbook journal .. page size 5 x 3 "

I bought a book of study cards with a wirebounded edge

and decided to use it and make a small scrap journal ,

all those small pieces and scraps i cannot bear to throw ,

you know the feeling , if you`re a serious crafter / hoarder ;o)

It will be an ongoing project , and below are some of the pages

that i`ve done .. I will be going through them again to add

any text or drawings to each page at a later date ..

Many thanks to those who have given me support

on the news of my father in law`s cancer ..

At the moment , he is awaiting on an appointment to

go see about having chemo , which we think will

be sometime in the new year ...
Otherwise , he is doing well ;o)

2010-11-20T00:10:00.000-08:00

2 " Vintage style postcards "

christmas themed .

I created these on some free postcards i aquired

Covering the fronts with various items

like vintage music paper , wallpaper scrap , angel

images , green velvet trim and red / gold ric rac..

I have been absent .. once again ;o)

We had some sad news that our father in law has

pancreatic cancer , they cannot operate due to his

heart problems , so we are waiting on the news of

what treatment he can have , which is most

likely to be chemotherapy ... We find out next week ...

So i have not had that much time creativity wise

as we are taking care of him ...

Thanks for popping by once more ..

Have a good weekend everyone ..

xxxxxxxx

2010-11-06T01:02:00.000-07:00

Felted acorns ..

I had seen other artists create felted acorns using the

wool , but i had none and no proper equipment for it.

But this way is so easy to do , anyone can have a go ;o)

Gather acorns and remove the inner ..

then you need some felted beads , and all you do is

cut them , i cut them in half then put them inside to see first

if they looked right if not trim more off .Then just glue them in place

These are mine ...

Then i had a bead cap lying around for ages ,

so i used the same technique , but put a head pin in before gluing

the bead inside , so i can use it as a charm on something .

How easy is that ! ??

Have a lovely weekend everyone !!

xxxxxxxx

2010-10-29T01:05:00.000-07:00

Wooden Bird House

Size 6 x 7 cm

Sorry i have been absent once again , for the past 3 weeks

we have been decorating and you may know that

if you follow me on facebook ;o) Now we`re doing the back room !

I did manage some creative time , but not much ,

as our stuff is all over the house including

my studio which is already full to bursting !

A wooden house shape altered with vintage wallpaper

inked edges , a bird stamp , scrap of lace and an egg shape pearl

from an inner of an old earring . Which can be hung , as it

has a hole in the back ..

Here`s just a few pics of our front room decorating ;o)

Cube storage unit ..

dark wood blinds ..

And just one wall with new wallpaper which was a

real pain to cut around that fireplace i can tell you !!

Thanks for popping by .. and i hope everyone is well ! ;o)

2010-09-25T00:01:00.000-07:00

" Argyll " the sock puppy ;o)

I decided to make a soft toy , out of a new sock

i had , you can of course use one that you just

have one left of , or an old washed one ..

Here he is playing in my back garden ;o)

Playing with his ball ..

Bringing a stick for you to throw ..

Playing peek - a boo ....

And wanting his tummy rubbing ! lol

Created with a sock , stuffed , felt pieces on

underside of ears / feet , vintage button eyes/ nose

and leather strip for a collar ..

I used this tutorial ..

HERE

2010-09-12T14:52:00.000-07:00

Felted items ..

made from this mens sweater i felted

a while ago ..

handsewn purse using matching wool ..

my sewing machine has decided not to work !

and these fingerless gloves . from the top photo ,

showing where i cut it to create them .The V neck ribbed

part is the bottom as just seen on the below picture

These are very soft and warm , and i shall be

using them for my outdoor photography !

2010-09-02T03:10:00.000-07:00

Vintage blue flocked notebook

Size 3,5 x 5.25 "

I`ve wanted to make a fabric covered notebook for a while

and i had a blank paged notebook insert finally i

could use .

I used vintage blue flocked fabric

Sewed a vintage crochet piece with a part from

a clipon earring , pale blue seam binding tie

and 2 cherry applique`s

Inside is over 80 pages of quality paper

and i made a quick gift tag as well ..

I sewed a piece of another crochet trim on the

book spine too

This is for sale .. for £9.00 ( approx $14 )

postage / packing included . Any interest please do get in touch ;o)

Thanks !!

2010-08-26T00:01:00.000-07:00

Tiny crochet nest on a real branch piece

size 4 " long .

This is my first time at crocheting and i ended up

with a small nest shape , so i decided to use it

and came up with this .. You can just fit your finger inside the

nest to give you an idea of how small it is ;o)

I sewed 2 egg shaped beads inside ..

added 2 of my felted leaves

Cut a small piece of a branch then sewed it onto

the branch with the wool that i had left over from

the crocheting ..

And this is another i made after - and added

3 small beads this time and ready to attatch to

another project . I`m not sure what i will use the nest on

the branch for .. maybe artwork or turn it into a brooch !

Thanks for popping by , and i hope you`re

all doing well ;o)

2010-08-02T23:07:00.000-07:00

Summer wrap bracelets ..

I made myself some of these easy to

make bracelets a while back .. and not had

2 of them off my wrist so far this summer !

Made like those skooby laces that were all the craze

a while back , just using a length of suede folded then weaving

in a scrap piece of vintage material , then adding a button

if you like to keep it closed . I made 4 , as they only took

about 20 minutes and are quite addictive !

I can`t believe it`s August already ...

Where has the time gone ! ?

I hope everyone is enjoying their summer ..

and thanks for popping by ..

2010-06-30T00:01:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to say firstly Thankyou

to all those who have visited me so far ..

Being absent for a while can make you "forget"

to visit people , so i greatly appreciate it ;o)

"Life Let Us Cherish "

7 x 5 " canvas .

2 layers of sealed watercolours ,

face image in bottle cap - sealed with glossy accents

with metal side wings

Vintage ledger paper / text , millinery

bouquet held by velour ribbon and brads and a

recycled butterfly brooch piece hand sewn on .

Close up of the text ..

Thanks for looking - and have a great day ! ;o)

2010-06-27T14:53:00.000-07:00

I seemed to have lost my blogging voice recently..

And i`m not one to prattle on just about any old stuff ;o)

I`ve just enjoyed the time away doing other things and

being outdoors while we`re having some gorgeous weather -

which i hope everyone else is having ..

But hopefully i am back

for now ... my muse has had a rest as well ..

but i managed to create this ..

Seashore shadow box .

All things i have collected , along with a couple

of purchased shells in a compressed wooden box lid .

Mounted onto thick card and backed with a cream linen effect paper.

Just something simple that i can look at and bring back memories

of being at the beach ..

I was pleased to find a small piece of driftwood -

my first find as it seems to be difficult to come

across here !

Vintage stamp with seagulls and a couple of feathers

placed at the top ...

Thanks for dropping by to see what i`m up to ...

2010-04-30T00:01:00.000-07:00

Sunset

Mixed media on canvas / board - A4 size

Hand dyed muslin pieces sewn onto a piece of

canvas roll , sequins and various fibres

and gold thread hand stitching .

Then cut down to A4 size and glued onto a piece

of acid free matt board .

I have been having a little bloggy break -

and now a bank holiday weekend is coming up .

We are going away for a couple of days -

HERE

Never been before , but it has excellent reviews

and we`re near the beach ! ;o)

I hope everyone has a good weekend !

xxxxxxx

2010-04-23T00:01:00.000-07:00

Altered game piece necklace.

17" long on a faux blue suede thong .

Using a mini domino piece and mahjong

game piece , alcohol inks in blue / yellow / brown and silver.

I love using alcohol inks , the way they go on any slick surface

and merge together creating many unique effects .

And finally a couple of shots of some

new plants i have in a tub -Persian Buttercups .

A pinky / red just budding open ..

And a yellow variety ...

I`m in love with these flowers ;o)

Have a happy weekend !!

2010-04-20T06:35:00.000-07:00

Cascade Dragonfly necklace.

Length 28 " with a drop of plus 4 "

Long chained necklace - made from other jewellery

found pieces i had , apart from the new chain and

heavy cast dragonfly .

Stone and glass beads

Mother of pearl button and silver toned puffed heart charm.

Comes with this lined fabric pouch .

Available to purchase ..

Any interest - please let me know ! ;o)

2010-04-15T06:42:00.000-07:00

OOAK - Doily drawing

" Happy days "

Taken from one of my drawings and

reproduced - in pen / watercolour on a

paper doily

Size 7" total - drawn inside - on 4.5 "

ready to be mounted in a frame -

available to purchase / trade

Anyone interested - please let me know ! ;o)

Thanks ..

T .F . L . !!

2010-04-09T00:01:00.000-07:00

Tree pendant .

Size 2 x 1.25 "

These pendants are ceramic - i think ;o)

I was given 2 of them in a swap i did with

Lynn sometime ago now .

I used some metallic dark green fimo to make

the tree and drew lines for the bark on the trunk .

Then baked in the oven for half an hour on a low heat.

Then covered it with glossy accents - to make it

shine even more and seal it . It was quite

difficult getting a shot of the sparkle of the fimo

but i hope you get an idea of it ;o)

The next i created a leaf 2.5 " long

and folded the stem over to make a loop

and added a resin rose - which i knew wouldn`t

melt in the oven ;o)

When cooled i sealed with a gloss acrylic

and it`s ready to put on a chain/ thong .

I have another flower leaf pendant in the works

so to speak - available to purchase soon !

Enjoy the upcoming weekend !

xxxxxxxxxxxx

2010-04-05T23:31:00.000-07:00

Over the Easter break - we ventured out to

visit Rievaulx Abbey - in North Yorkshire.

Founded in 1132 , it was one of the first cistercian

abbey`s in the North of England .

We also found out that a medieval falconry display

was being held there - so we stopped for 2 of

the displays ! ;o)

I found this old photo - from around 1850 -

of the inside presbytery with the altar stone

These looking down the opposite way today .

We had 20 minutes before the falconry display began

and i was excited about this . I want to have a go

myself at this , and found out , that the birds do not form an

emotional attatchment to their owners and petting them is not

the right thing to do . It was a husband and wife team with commentary

and various species of birds , including a Harris hawk , brown owl

and a kestrel . These are my best photo`s - which i`m pleased with

as i used my longer lens and you usually need a tripod for

stability and i forgot it !

My favourite - the brown owl ..

It was a delight to see them flying around ,

swooping down for some food and the information

which was given .

A lovely day spent by both of us !

2010-04-01T04:20:00.000-07:00

I would like to wish you all

A Happy Easter !!

Here are a few of my friends who want to wish it

to you as well ! LOL ! - Done in my own kooky way !

I have been away for a while - i was poorly a couple of

days with a stomach bug - and my partner is away

on a works course - so i`ve been doing other things -

Hopefully back to normal after the spring break !

Have a great time everyone !

xxxxxx

2010-03-26T00:01:00.000-07:00

Spring Pink nest scene

Size 6 x 4 " approx .
I have a thing for frames at the moment ;o)

This " frame " was a wood light switch surround

i found at my local DIY store in the bargain bin !

So i backed card with ledger paper , painted it

with white then rubbed green ink on .

Added a real twig , small bird -

then i came up with the flower heads ..

By using these vintage birthday candle holders !

Which i cut the spike off and glued in place .

Filled a tiny nest with a handmade fimo egg

feathers , a vintage millenery flower

I may use more of these " flowers " in other

work - something really simple -

but quite effective !

Have a fun weekend !!

We change our clocks on sunday - and

i`m looking forward to lighter evenings coming !

2010-03-22T00:01:00.000-07:00

Hooped Bird In A Tree

necklace .

Hoop size 6.5 cm

The hoop is from a cotton covered bangle

i had kept to reuse , and i wanted to create something

inside it . I had a chance this weekend -

as our internet / phone was cut off - again !!

I tied pieces of brown wool and started loops

and knots to create the tree in a green chenille wool .

The finished tree .. Then i sewed a bird bead on -

i`d like to put another one on - but can i find

the beads ! ? Nope !!

It hangs , from my first time crocheting -

a single chain in multi coloured wool .

Which i tied so you can change the length .

3 wooden beads are hung on the bottom

and the other strands left as is ..

looking a little like the roots of the tree .

I can`t wait to wear this piece -

although my other half said it

was quite large to do so !!

2010-03-18T04:13:00.000-07:00

" Summer Garden " Framed scene

size 5.5 " squared - recess size 2.75 "

The back has vintage music paper -

and 2 D ring hangers screwed in , with cord across

the top for hanging .

The small frame before the makeover -

It had a piece of burlap inside and a really

tacky looking plastic shell . So i removed them

as best i could and sanded it all . Applied various

acrylic paints to it .

Took a scrap of pale blue vintage dotted swiss fabric , backed it ,

then sewed some vintage millenery flowers with the

stalk still attatched and sewed them in place

with embroidery thread .

Added a wire / net butterfly

And the odd grass accents ..

I`ve decided - to offer this piece as a trade swap -

If anyone is interested ;o)

I am looking for some craft supplies -

Like these small birds which come in different

sizes - 6 on each piece of the card - or something simliar .

And some plastic eggs - in various sizes

and if possible - cream / white ones -

so i can colour them myself ;o)

Also i cannot seem to find - some white

paper photo corners approx 60 of them .

I`ve seen plastic ones but had no luck with the

paper ones - perhaps it`s a dying thing

with going digital on photographs !!

So if you`d like to do a swap -

get in touch please !! ;o)

Email on my side bar ..

2010-03-16T02:19:00.000-07:00

New digital college sheets

available ... Mostly backgrounds

with the odd bird and eggs - of course ;o)

Emailed in J-peg format ASAP - after payment

is received . To use as you wish - to sell

items made with it , but not to sell the actual

sheet yourself please ...

Price each - £ 1.25 -or all 3 for £ 3.50 .

Let me know which one you`d like

- and i will get back to you - about

payment details - Thanks ;o)

Flower Wood -

Spring flower scenes , bleached wood effect

Various Elements 1

bird sky watercolour , squiggles , french flower label

vintage wallpaper , bird cut out .

Various Elements Eggs ..

wood effect - stamped arch grungy background ,

watercolour sky background and various sized eggs .

2010-03-13T00:54:00.000-08:00

" Home " - House hanger miniature .

Size 2.25 " high by 3.75 " wide

made from scraps of supplies using -

card backed with vintage ledger paper

trims , bird stamp, seam binding hanger .

small corner cut from a picture frame -

for the roof - rubbed with copper acrylic paint .

Have a fab weekend everyone !!

xxxxxxxxx

2010-03-10T00:01:00.000-08:00

" Spring Pot "

Miniature assemblage .

Terracotta pot size 5cm high

Last week we visited a garden center-

and i saw some tiny real terracotta pots -

i bought 3 of them ! And i knew what i

would create in one of them ..

Photo`s are clickable ..

Inside is oasis , then on top some faux moss

vintage millenery flowers and teeny tiny bird .

next a small split real piece of tree branch - which i`ve had
for ages - i cannot remember where i got it !
With another tiny bird perched on the top .

I love working in miniature - as it has

a cute factor - i hope you like it too ! ;o)

2010-03-01T00:01:00.000-08:00

Hooty Hello !

To the first day of March ..

Pen / watercolour drawing -A4 size

Taking a few days off -

my partner is off work -

So we`re out and about

Be back soon !

xxxxx

2010-02-26T00:01:00.000-08:00

Untitled - illustration .

Pen / watercolour .

A different type of sketch for me ,

after looking in a magazine at the

latest trend fashion pages .

I wish you all -

A great weekend !

xxxx

2010-02-24T00:01:00.000-08:00

I have some books and a film to share -

if any of you are interested in my

recommendations ;o)

Bright Star -

Bittersweet love story of the poet

John Keats - and Fanny Brawne who was

the source of his misery , and his muse .

It focus`s on the last 3 years of their

relationship until Keats dies

at the young age of 25 . Filmed in beautiful

locations , with great music and costumes , it`s

well worth watching !

I found this book - at a charity shop . An old edition ,

originally published back in 1970 ! So you may have read or

know about this one already .

Johnathon Livingston seagull , is a seagull who thinks

differently to the others in the flock , who are only consumed

by squabbles for eating. He wants to learn to fly better , is outcast

by the others , and discovers other things along his way.

It took me an hour to read it - as it`s only a short story .

One of Bach`s quotes is -

You have the freedom to be yourself, your true self, here and now,

and nothing can stand in your way .

And lastly - i am drooling over this book .

It is on my wishlist to purchase .

Tips / ideas on how to decorate a country home.

Lavish photos - photo`s of real people`s homes

simply beautiful ! All i need is the house !!

One day .... Maybe .....

Just a few scanned pages ...

An outside area - with a bed !

Perfect on a summer`s day to read and relax !

As i finish this post .. i look outside ...

And we have snow !!

I guess the daybed will have to wait !!

Monday smiles ..

2010-02-22T00:01:00.000-08:00

" Little squirt Big squirt "

A quick drawing completed in 15 mins .

And the continuing antics of 2 of my soft toys..

this is what happens when you`re partner does

silly things , when you`re in the shower to find

them doing this ...

I`ve called this..

Rome wasn`t built in a day ;o)

And this ..

A cuddle sandwich !!

I just wonder what they`ll be up to next time !!

Have a great Monday !!

2010-02-19T00:42:00.000-08:00

While out shopping - i came across this -

a record card notebook . I of course - had to

purchase one , and i covered it with a piece of

vintage wallpaper and 2 quotes , sealed with modge podge.

I thought it was ideal , to store scribblings / ideas / quotes

all in one place , as i have them dotted about in various

other notebooks . And i liked the fact , that it was wire bound .

My chosen quotes are Power and Imagination .

The power of the written word can be profound

and illuminate the imagination .

Here is one of my quotes that i wanted to share ...

I`ve not heard this one before ..

but it seems very apt - even years after

it was said doesn`t it ?

Even with all the technology today - it could be said -

it can be a blessing - or a curse ..

We have to seek out and find our own answers ..

and that`s what part of life is all about .

2010-02-17T04:21:00.000-08:00

Fairy canvas envelope .

This is a replacement for this which i sold

towards the end of last year - picture below .

It had " got lost " on it`s way to Canada -

and i was - and let me put it nicely - peeved

at that thought , when Pea had purchased this .

So she kindly said , create me something else

instead , which was very gracious of her -

and a blessing that we do know each other !

The pressure was on - but here is my creation -

I knew she loved fairies - and the colour

pink - and i just completed this today ,

after weeks of trying to coming up with something !

Painted canvas - with gold / pink paints , sheer

organza on the flap . Pale pink vintage seam binding

enclosure ..

Butterfly & white flocked leaves ..

Flower fairy image - recycled from a card

and sewn behind plastic .

Pink lace stitched - with a crochet flower and

felted leaves - the same either side .

Inside top flap - vintage music paper

and the rest is lined with a striped material .

Something for you dear Pea - to store some

precious things of your own in !

I do hope you like it , and many thanks for

being so patient and understanding !

I will be posting it for you very soon !! ;o)

2010-02-15T04:25:00.000-08:00

" Carefree - Happy days "

Pen / watercolour drawing

To run free with mother nature -

being happy in the sunshine ;o)

Not necessarily being a cat either ;o)

Not for sale .. but i will happily email you the

scan to print out yourself - personal use only please .

And a happy day to you all !

xoxoxo

2010-02-11T08:57:00.000-08:00

" Bouquet "

Watercolour drawing done on an A4 size

paper .. bouquet size 8 x 6 "

This is what i did this afternoon - a week has gone by

since i last posted - sorry ;o) I know i shouldn`t apologise

but i`ve been busy doing other things , like writing a story

i have planted in my head - which i had to get a book on

creative writing from my local library for some guidance !

I`ve been writing in bed way past 1 am - which i may have to rethink

about - but i`m enjoying it !!

I` m also doing a little more poetry and reading .. and my muse

seems to be on a go slow at the moment !

So i just picked a brush up and off i went ..

Some are made up flowers - others you can make out what they are ..

And someone - naming no names - said it looked like

an old fashioned wallpaper from the 60`s !! HUH ! ???

This was said when i was halfway through it !

More of a close up ...

Thanks for peaking - and hope you`re

having a great day !

xxxxxxx

2010-02-04T04:52:00.000-08:00

We had a sprinkling of snow yesterday -

so i decided to venture out this morning ,

as it was very foggy - to get some photo`s

from my local cemetry once again ..

Which gave the place more of a mystic eerie feel .

Trees through an old church archway ..

View down - one of the paths ..

Moss covered bird wreath head stone cross ...

A frozen grave

covered leaves starting to melt ..

View onto a playing field - with a dog walker

just in view in the distance .

Trees lining the playing field ..

And a lady walker - and her dog

kindly posing for me ;o)

One colour / one black and white shot

Many thanks - to Fudge - for happily

playing while i snapped away ! ;o)

2010-02-01T00:40:00.000-08:00

You know the saying ....

And now for something completely different ?

Well here it is - for myself , creatively .

I watched Little Ashes - a week ago .

And OK - i have to admit , it was because Robert

Pattinson starred in it ;o) If he was not in it ,

i do not think i would have seen it .

However , i was completely enthralled by this movie -

An account of the young lives of Salvador Dali , the

poet - Frederico Garcia Locas - who fell in love with

Dali and the film maker , Luis Brunel .

The flambouyant exhibitionism and the huge ego

of Dali as an artist - believing in himself and

taking art into many facets of creating , has inspired me

to look at things differently and try out new ventures

Dali encuentra Picasso - numera 9

( Dali meets Picasso - number 9 )

Size 9 x 12 "

Watercolour / pen drawing .

I did Dali meets Picasso , because they did meet in Paris

and reportedly did not get on . Most likely a clash of ego`s -

so they are facing each other and shouting .

Picasso - on the left

Dali - on the right .

I then included some objects that each artist

had used in their work .

Picasso - the wings from a dove sketch

tomato plant and leaves , silhouette underneath

the lips . The blue and the rose colour - from his

named painting periods .

Dali - the lips - from The Mae West Lips sofa ,

an egg , and melting hair from

The Persistance Of Memory - with the

famous melting clocks .

Both of them did skulls - and Dali did

a sketch with 7 naked women - which was turned

into a photograph - which i love !

Their faces are made up of numbers -

i hope you can make out all of them ;o)

Picasso is a mirror reflection of numbers

and more angular - from his cubism work .

Dali - an out of proportion

body with long thin legs

I had the thought then of looking up

what the number 9 could mean , not

really thinking of why i did just

go up to that in my drawing . I just could not

find a way to go higher in my drawing

of the faces ;o)

This what i found ..

Nine represents attainment, satisfaction, accomplishment, and our success to achieve an influence in our circumstances. The spiritual meaning of number Nine deals with intellectual power, inventiveness, influence over situations and things. Nine beseeches us to recognize our own internal attributes, and extend these abilities out into the world to make a positive, influential difference , also the perfection of ideas and plentitude of talents .

So after finding this ..

I thought this was very fitting for the artists

i drew .. and you now see my finished piece ,

it has stretched me in a way i have not embraced

before . The time spent thinking what to do

on a blank piece of paper was the hardest to begin -

then humming and hah - ing - is it right , what

else should i place in there .. What do i want to convey ,

made it all worth while in the end -

I really enjoyed creating this piece and it

has given me more food for thought on a

another way of expressing my creative side !!!

While it may not be to eveybody`s taste -

and not my usual artistic way that i create -

something out of your comfort zone - creative wise -

is always a great thing !!

2010-01-28T02:12:00.000-08:00

Mushroom keyring

I made myself this keyring -

a mushroom from baked fimo -

along with a hand sewn leather leaf .

Mushroom size 1.75 "

leaf - 4 " long .

I then painted it - using acrylics , brown base

with ochre , purples , cream , grey and sealed it .

The ring was another screw eyelet - which you

can purchase from any hardware store .

Which was put in the top before baking it .

I also just wanted to say -

My dear friend Rhonda is going through

a tough time right now . Her darling dog Sandee

was run over near her home on Tuesday - and the woman that

did this - drove off without doing anything about it .

Sandee managed to crawl to the kerb

where she died a couple of minutes later . A witness saw it all ,

and had the decency to tell her .

I am devastated by this - and of course all of Rhonda`s

family are too . The cowardliness of the woman , for not

stopping , even if it were an accident - to tell her and explain .

The witness shouting at her - then the woman ducking and

hiding her head while driving away - shame on you !!!

My thoughts and prayers are with you dear Rhonda .

2010-01-25T02:58:00.000-08:00

EDIT : I have 2 generous people - thankyou -

But if you wish to take part , why not still do a

post - to carry this on ? Please let me know -

I will be adding a list on my side bar of participants !

Thanks so much !!

What`s the above picture for ??

You maybe asking yourself .. ?

I had an idea a few days ago -

To spread some love throughout blogland -

in an easy creative way - i`m hoping ;o)

If you`re fed up of the cold weather ,

you do not know what to create and your

muse has vacated . I thought this would be

a good idea , as a jump start back to creating .

I know i am in that position !!

If you would like to help me start this - and help spread

some love , who doesn`t love getting something

handmade , then continuing it yourself ! ?

Well then ... here are the " rules " .

Ideally you should have a blog ;o)

Grab the above button picture ,

do a post on your blog , explaining the following ..

1 . Create a tag , any size , in your chosen meduim .

2. Show your created tag as the " gift "

3. Ask for 2 people to sign up .

4. The first to comment - will get your tag .

The second person will send one to yourself

and if they wish , do a post with another made

tag or just a link to here - for someone else to

carry it on from their blog .

That way - you get one back too ;o)

5 . You have to incorporate a heart - and the colour red

in your tag .

So here is my mine ... waiting for someone

out there ...

Size 2.25 x 4 "

Mixed media photo pocket tag .

Organza , lace - dyed muslin stitched , with fibres

and a white velvet hanger . Small paper inked

pocket - to put a photo inside - apperture size

1 " x 1.5 " long .

I`m hoping this will take off and spread -

bring some love , and joy to others -

So what are you waiting for ! ??

2010-01-21T00:01:00.000-08:00

Dangle Birds ..

Made from mostly recycled materials ..

An inner crochet circle picked from a larger old doily -

approx 3 " diameter

Folded in half , stuffed , button eyes ,

material scrap wings

Reusing beads , hung on a cord with

legs of knitted ribbon and a bead end .

The same way - except done with

a vintage scrap of material .

Felt wings and beak , all hand sewn ..

A good way to use any scrap items you

have - instead of throwing them away !

And they did not take too long to make !

********* To the person who commented

anonymously - you know who you are ..

But i don`t know - who you are ! ********

2010-01-15T03:07:00.000-08:00

Edward Cullen

Pencil / watercolour drawing - size approx 12 x 10 "

It`s no surprise to my regular readers - that i

would try my hand at drawing Robert Pattinson`s

Twilight character ! ;o) As i`ve been reading the books

and i needed a rest from my tired eyes ;o)

But not ever looking at him - of course !! LOL !!

This photo was what i worked from the past

couple of days ....

Here is my version ...

I`m still not quite happy with his lips -

and someone said he looked funny with

lipstick on !!! I said he always has red luscious

lips that stand out against his pale skin ..

And that his famous quiff hair should be darker , but i just

wanted to accent it a little - and in the book it`s

described as auburn coloured anyway ;o)

Here i`ve done a black and white photo ..

My favourite part of my drawing ..

Those eyes !! ....

Now i think , i can get back to my book !!

2010-01-12T00:01:00.000-08:00

With the weather being very cold - snowy and

having to stay inside more than normal .

I craved some heartwarming food .

Like this soup i made yesterday .

Just a quick simple vegetable soup .

So here`s the receipe ;o)

For 4 good portions

Put some bought veg stock or a good quality cube

dissolved in a pan of hot water - approx 2 pints .

While that`s coming to boil again , i chopped an onion /

leek , 3 carrots , 1 small swede and 5 potatoes into

bite sized pieces . Place in the pan , and slow boil until soft .

take out approx half and liquidize and put back into the pan .

heat through and season . I then added some frozen garden

peas and a tin of kidney beans and heated through

some more .

You`re done !! It`s that easy - and you know what`s gone into it !

Any other veg or beans can be added - or even cooked

meat - like chicken ..

Guess what i`m having for lunch today ! ?

Enjoy !! ;o)

2010-01-08T00:02:00.000-08:00

A huge thankyou to all who dropped

by yesterday to attend my birthday party !!

To those who sent me Ecards and emails -

it brightened my day even more !

All in all - i had a wonderful day ;o)

I do have a slight hangover though after ...

But here is Rob - he was up bright and early !! ;o)

I did get a small celebration cake ;o)

And had a small piece ..

I do need to get back in the swing of creating

now for this new year ..

But i`m undecided what to do right now !!

I guess things come to those who wait ..

A few last words ...

Wishing you all a happy weekend !!

xxxxxxxxxx

It`s here - The Red Carpet Event of The New Decade !!

2010-01-07T00:01:00.000-08:00

Breaking news on celebrity CNN .....
With Twilight star .. Robert Pattinson ...

Security was tight for this special event ...
Christian Bale - mouthing off as usual !!!

But we did manage to snap just a few male celebs

on their way in ...

Daniel Craig ...

Brad Pitt - minus Angelina !!

just incase there is an emergency ..

Hugh Laurie !

And Simon Baker ...

Who wouldn`t go " mental " over that guy ! ?

But where is the birthday girl ??? ...

I am here Robert !!! LOL !!
But where is my date ..... ??

No sign of him here - to greet me ..

Here i am Carolyn .... Just getting changed my sweetness
and light !! ;o)

I know you like me in a brown suit .. but ....

" I look great in black too - so here i am " ..

( Looking into the camera all moody !! )

" And i didn`t shave - i know you do love my bit of stubble !
" And not for the chin pie either - i try and give you !! "

LOL !!

Carolyn - " Never mind about the autographs !! "
" I didn`t pay you big bucks to hire you for a
couple of days - you`re all mine " !!! LOL !!! ;o)

" And sort that hair out Robert " !!

OMG - Look at you !!!!!
You look AMAZING - STUNNING !!!

Am i the luckiest guy today - or what !! ?

I think i just popped my cork !! ROFL !!!!

Carolyn thinks - " well - that`s something else i`ll

have to teach you then .... !!! "

Let the celebrations begin girls !!!!
Thankyou so much for joining in my birthday
party today - if you have done a post - or not-
There is going to be more fun
done in my own humorous way - so i hope
you all enjoy yourselves !!

Here is my cake ... yum yum ..

And a swan ice sculpture ...

Chocolates in their hundreds !!

And canape`s too ....

Here is what i wowed Robert with ...

The dress ....

of course - only Jimmy Choo`s !!

Clutch bag ...

Diamond choker ... Beautiful !!

Diamond earrings ..

Long satin gloves ...

And to complete my look -
a faux fur stole ...

While we mingle , drink and eat ..

I got this inflatable twister game !!

Looks like fun - anyone game ! ?

Now then , left hand blue circle . right leg

red circle ....

Now we`ve partied a little , a fleet of limo`s are here .

To whisk you all away !!

Step inside everyone ...

My private jet is waiting to take us to an

undisclosed location !!

Our table awaits inside ...

Here we are girls !!
A french chateaux !! Isn`t it just gorgeous !! ?

Just up this staircase are your rooms ...

An example of one of the bedrooms ...

Where Robert and myself will be .... ;o)

OK - so back downstairs we all go to the ballroom ...

Where there is an orchestra playing for us ...

But here`s the best bit girls -

A foam party !!!!

I hope it won`t ruin your dress`s !!
Let`s all dive in !!!

I`ll go first then ....

Whoo hooo !!!

Come on in - the foam is great !!!

Slipping and a sliding !!

Ooppsy - i`ve lost a shoe !!

That`s not my heel i have hold of ... !!! ;o)

OOOww - great !! Look girls - some of my guests
have taken the plunge !!! LOL !!

Glad you could join us ...

Sherry - Pea - Rhonda and Meggie !!!!

And look at Noelle - with her new hubby ;o)

It is his birthday too !!

Fun fun fun !! ;o)

My glasses`s are steaming up girls !!

Ooooppps - i think we over did it with the foam !!

Oh dear !!! Look what`s happened !!

My dress has shrunk and lost it`s colour !!!!!

Guess i shouldn`t have shopped in the clothing

section at Wallmart !!! LMAO !!!

Let me take it off and change -
Quick girls make a circle around me - so Robert

doesn`t see his surprise later tonight !! Haa Haa !!!!

Too late !!!

" Oh boy - i get to see all the shebang later on -

I am in for one hell of treat , i can`t wait !!! "

Well , it is getting late now my dear friends ...

we`ve partied hard this year , laughed

talked and of course i loved and enjoyed all

of your company !!

So now - grab your dates , and we`ll all
have a slow smoochy dance ....

Rob wants to say also ..
he`s never had so much fun with so

many women in one night !!

Before he makes an exit ...

Hang on a minute ....

What`s that banging noise !! ?

I wondered where he had disappeared to !!

" ... Just maybe i can tempt her more
with " That Look " !!!
I know she can`t resist me now " ....

*** swoon ***

And wiping the dribble from my mouth !! .
No ! You`re right Robert - you know me too well !!

I`ll be right with you ....

Thankyou all of you who dropped by today .

I hope you enjoyed yourselves , didn`t drink

too much champagne and had fun reading this !!

But most of all ,

my heart felt thanks to my friends - old and new

that visit here . Normally it`s tradition to give a gift for each and

everyone of you - but i have something which you

cannot buy - which i treasure most deeply ..

my love and friendship with you ;o)

Now away i go gracefully - gotta get me some of what Rob`s offering !!!! .....

See you all at breakfast - with the hangovers !!

Here are the other guests that are taking part ..

any others will be added as is -

Please do visit them - and i will be with you all

very soon . I can`t wait to see what you have done !!

I will be stopping up late tonight - due to the time difference

between us all ...

Let the blog hopping begin !!!

Rhonda

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

2010-01-02T00:49:00.000-08:00

Do you want to come to a party !! ?

Then next Thursday is the day !!

It is my birthday - and once more i am

celebrating in style on here -

The past couple of years have been Oscar`s style -

Last year you chose your dream date - a toy boy ;o)

This year i am leaving it open ..

All you have to do is a post on Thursday 7th

January - with your dream date -

along with what dress / accessories and present

you would gift me with . That`s it !!

Be prepared to be whisked away - so don`t

forget an overnight bag !!

Grab the button - if you so wish ...

I hope you will join in my celebration -

and hop about to see what others have done !

Have a great weekend !!

xxx

New Year Wishes ..

2009-12-30T05:16:00.000-08:00

Yup - it`s that time of year again !!

Time for an appearance from moi ;o)

Not one for really being in the limelight - but

seen as though i did not do my christmas video -

this one i thought will make up for it ;o)

Enjoy your celebrations on new years eve -

and i hope all your wishes and hopes comes true

for the coming new year ....

If i seem a little " stiff " - i woke this morning

with a pulled neck muscle !!

And i hadn`t been doing anything - honest !!

I hope you enjoy it !! ;o)

Hugs to you all ..

xxxxxxxxxx

2009-12-29T07:16:00.001-08:00

" Love`s Bond " card

size 4 x 6 "

I do hope that everyone had a happy

Christmas - and yet again a new year is fast approaching us .

My creative time has been sparked by a new book i had

bought by Ruth Rae .. Layered Tattered and Stitched .

A first project to try was a scrap card - and i made this today .

I changed it slightly - why should you exactly copy

something out a book - when it should inspire you to change and put

your own mark on an item ?

Muslin painted with gesso , scrap material -

text and organza heart , inked edges .

Vintage text

I hope to list this in my shop soon !!

Dare i say - an option for a valentines card ! ?

2009-12-22T02:19:00.000-08:00

Christmas is fast approaching , the time when

we all are busy organising , shopping and

spending time with loved ones.

So i want to wish you all

A very Happy Christmas !!

I wish you all a peaceful time -

full of love laughter and joy ;o)

I am taking a break - until next week -

but i have these 2 last photos to show ..

A robin on a neighbours hedge -

yesterday morning ..

A house i saw one of my walks - dressed up

women mannequins !! Isn`t this great ! ??

A huge thankyou - to all who visit here -

taking time to comment , means so much to me ;o)

I hope you get all that you wish for ... and more !

Enjoy yourselves !!

xxxxxxxxxx

2009-12-18T02:51:00.000-08:00

We`ve had a fall of the white stuff !! ;o)

I ventured out this morning- and i have a question on my

video - for a certain someone out there !! * Giggle *

Here i am - cold - wet - listening to

Debussy on my I-pod - but happy !! ;o)

If you have snow - stay safe - and warm !

Happy weekend to you all !!

xxxxxxx

2009-12-16T06:00:00.000-08:00

" Bird Cage " necklace .

I was browsing a magazine last week ,

and i saw a silver necklace in the shape of a

birdcage with leaves and 2 birds on . It was in the Christmas section

of things to buy as presents . The only thing was the price tag

that put me off ! So i got inspiration to make and change it

slightly .

Mine is silver metallic fimo - that took me quite

a while to cut out - and i was happy with !

I added a small flower charm , then rolled muslin

and sewed silver thread through it .

2 small beads for eyes ..

I`m really happy with the result -

and of course saving myself some money !!

2009-12-14T02:58:00.000-08:00

Another good day last week , to get out and about

and see what i saw through my lens ..

I am drawn to trees at the moment . Their organic nature ,

the way they continue to grow through the seasons .

See more changes in their lifetime - than we will ever do -

of their enviroment . Those that shed leaves - lie dormant in

waiting for spring and are " reborn " - like flowers - giving

a sense of renewed hope and anticipation ..

Reflections ....

A hello - from a horse ;o)

I found my Joy that day ...

I hope you find yours today !

2009-12-11T04:23:00.000-08:00

Fimo Robin ornament .

Made from fimo and baked in th oven . I added

an image from last years christmas card ( paper insert )

and sealed it with modge podge , added a festive

ribbon - et voila !

This is a part present - winging it`s way - you know

who you are ! ;o)

I rushed doing the photo`s - so they`re not the best !

Next i made a christmas pudding from felt .

felted wool holly leaves , glittery pom pom

and sewed beads on before sticking it down

Have a great weekend !!

xxxxxxxxxx

2009-12-09T00:01:00.000-08:00

" Waiting for santa "

Pen / watercolour drawing .

Size 8 x 5 "

Two nestled robins in paper chain waiting for santa

to arrive !! ;o)

2009-12-07T02:12:00.000-08:00

Saturday was perfect - to venture out with

my camera. I walked for only over an hour , but it

seemed much longer , enjoying the scenery , solitude and music

on my I-pod . We have a place called Fullneck

Moravian settlement Est 1744 , where there is a tiny village

church and private school - where the actress Joanna

Lumley attended .

I came arcoss this gated house in extensive grounds

- this would be a wonderful place

to live - would`nt it ? !

View up from the public footpath behind the house ..

and where i sat on a dry stone wall taking in the views .

The sun going down through the woods ...

I hope you enjoyed your weekend too !

2009-12-03T04:03:00.000-08:00

My latest whimsy robin watercolour

" The Christmas present "

Size 6x5 "

Pen / watercolours ..

If you`d like this cut version to print out

and use for tags .. I will gladly email it to you !

Personal use only please ....

A sort of a freebie - as i noticed it is my 450th post !!

I know i am WAY behind on visiting most of you -

I am just busy with job hunting , so thanks for

being so patient - and still visiting here to see

what i am up to !

xxxxxxxxx

2009-11-30T00:01:00.000-08:00

Well - i am back ;o)

After a much longer bloggy break than i

anticipated . I did spend a tiny amount of time

creating this time - i think my muse took time off too !

And away from our computer which had that pull on me.

It seemed less important this time and i

thought i had better get back here , the longer i left it,

the more the habit would leave me .

I have been reading more , we did venture out for a day -

and i have seen many films recently .

The main one being Twilight New Moon .

I am " late " in joining the frenzy of the 2 films -

but seem to be bitten by the bug - no pun intended ! ;o)

I went last friday afternoon , it being the the second

time in my life that i went to the cinema on my own -

as my other half has no interest in it ! The only

thing i got was the odd stare from a young girl ,

no doubt maybe thinking why am i alone -

or i look "abit old " to see the film !! ;o)

Having not read the books - yet - to compare it to the films ,

I did think it was a great film with brilliant CGI and

a rollercoaster of emotions . So if it`s your thing

it`s a must see !!

Here`s some eye candy of the British actor Robert Pattinson -

One of the main characters -Edward Cullen .

Who i might add - scrubs up rather well !!

2009-11-20T03:05:00.000-08:00

I hadn`t done a new swap

in along while -so when Robin commented

on my bird on a tree stump assemblage , i asked her if she

wanted to trade it for something . It`s always nice to meet

new fellow artists and make new friends along the way .

Robin got this yesterday ...

And i got mine this morning - and had to share it .

Beautifully wrapped ..

Along with this gorgeous tag !!

This is it .... Isn`t it a gorgeous assemblage !! ?

It looks like a small fluted tin , sprayed painted with card

placed on the back - am i right Robin ? ;o)

I love the girl image - and the tassle trim on the bottom !!

This will take pride of place in my studio Robin !

Thanks so much for the trade - and i do

hope that you enjoy yours too !!

I will be taking a bloggy break - for a few days ..

my other half has booked off work , and we have

things around our home to complete , and we may

go off for a day somewhere ..

So see you all soon !!

xxxxx

2009-11-18T00:01:00.000-08:00

Owl on a branch keyring

Hand sewn with honey soft leather

lightly stuffed

Tree branch leather scrap piece

fabric owl cut from material -

stuck with fabric modge podge

2009-11-13T00:01:00.000-08:00

I decided to wrap my Christmas presents

the other day - yes - i have them all -

well apart from two more possible ones - and i`m done !! ;o)

The mood stayed with me , so i looked at

what stash i had to create with .

Various blank cards / toppers that i`d had for

a while , so i made these 4 cards ..

Then i created some gift tags -

the thin card , is from my roll of wrapping paper-

would you believe it - it was a roll and near the end

was this brown card to keep it in a tube shape -

perfect i thought to recycle into tags ! ;o)

So after folding , cutting gluing and 2

hours later - i had made 40 of them !

All are folded , so you can write your message inside

and has vintage green wool

Just a few examples of them ...

These 3 recycled from last years cards ..

2009-11-11T00:01:00.000-08:00

Today is Remembrance Day .

While anyone - and everyone remembers those

who fell and gave the ultimate sacrifce -

and all those who were injured , and who are now serving

and in foreign lands today . I thought that i would do

something a little bit different - and i have an interview

with a mother and her son , who is serving in Iraq

at this present time .

Deborah - of mid life poet kindly said she would like

to take part after i got in touch by email and her

son SPC. Ryan graced us with his presence this way too .

I have not known Deborah , for that long , so asking her

was taking a risk , but they both kindly agreed -

so i would like to say a huge (( Thank-you to both ))

Unless you get the chance to actually talk to a

soldier , even just to say Thank-you . I thought this would

shed a ray of light on and give an idea of what

their lives are like and their thoughts .

So i hope you appreciate their answers - and take away

with you something positive ;o)

Firstly here`s Deborah ...

Can you tell us , what you thought when you heard the news that your son Ryan was being posted to Iraq ?

Ryan enlisted during wartime, so I was expecting him to be deployed, especially since he chose the Infantry. He was always interested in the military growing up and was in ROTC in high school, so it was not a surprise that he enlisted. My father is an army WWII veteran and Ryan spent a lot of time listening to his grandpa's stories about landing on the beach at Normandy.

A mother/son relationship is usually a strong bond - has this helped you in any way to cope with the seperation ?

Ryan and I have always had a very close relationship and yes it certainly does help, and it makes me miss him even more. When he first arrived in Iraq and I heard some of his stories, I was in shock, but the truth is, you do get used to it. Now when they have a black out, I search the web for any news, and I know that after six hours or so, no news is good news. I completely believe in what he is doing there, and knowing that he believes in it too allows me to accept any consequence. The army has given my son the chance to become the man he always wanted to be.

Have you a message to give those out there at all?

Regardless of political stance and opinion of the war, even if you do not support our efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan, please support the troops serving. They believe with their lives in what they are doing, and in protecting our freedoms at all cost. If you see someone in uniform, stop and say thank you, shake their hand, and offer to buy them a cup of coffee. That means the world to them.

SPC. Ryan is 22 years old , and has been in the Army

for only 19 months . It is his first tour in Iraq - and has been

there for nearly a year .

Here is what he could say ....

Was there any doubt that you would follow in your fathers footsteps as a serving soldier , and can you say , why you joined up ?

My father didn't serve, but my Grandpa did, but I joined simply because it felt like the right thing to do … and they were hiring lol

Can you describe a " typical " day in the life of a soldier ?

The daily life of an infantry soldier varies every day, some days we get up at 0300 and stay out searching houses till 1800, others we get up 0700 and do our hygiene, eat breakfast and go out in the city for a few hours; sometimes we get hit and we fight back, but most days we come back safe and sound, then we hit up the gym - got to stay in shape, but we spend about 70% of our time out in the city and sometimes we are out there for a week or more at a time, in a old building. Sorry I have to be vague.

What things do you miss the most , being so far away from home ?

My family of course, and my fiancée. Believe it or not, the first thing I did notice while I was home on leave was the air; it made me feel like a child at Christmas … it smelt sweet......and a cold beer.

How do you spend your free time ? - As i would imagine that total relaxation is impossible as you`ll always be aware and alert ?

I usually like to catch up on sleep or talk to my mom and my fiancée, and I'm hooked on that show "Supernatural", but we all goof around like brothers (we practically are). We wrestle, play football, basketball, box and a ton of pranks.

Has being out there , taught you anything - if so , what ?

Yes it has; live life to the fullest, don't waste what God gave you! I have learned that I don't need all the fancy things in life, just the people I love.

Can you say , that you / all of the soldiers out there , are making a positive difference out there ? . I only ask this , as reports here in the UK are limited and tell the public only the negative news , that there has been , yet more tragic deaths of soldiers .

Yes, I know we are making a positive difference. The children here cheer us on as we go down the street. We have rebuilt and trained their military and they can stand on their own two feet after we showed them how. They now have structure in this country. Every soldier that has given the ultimate sacrifice here died knowing he was making a difference and truly believed in what we are doing for this country and their families knew that and they are proud of their boys and I am forever grateful for knowing them. They are lost but not forgotten.

You`ve been out there nearly a year now ... What will be one of the first things you do when you get home from this tour ?

The first thing I'm going to do is a secret. You can ask my mom about it afterwards. I'm going to give my girl the biggest kiss in the world. Then I want some good home cooking.

Is there anything else you might like to add , or i may have forgotten to ask ?? Or maybe what you thought when you were asked to do this interview ;o)

I wish I could add more on our daily activities, but I can write a whole book on that … any other person in the military knows what I mean, lol, but this is my job and I love it.

I hope that you will all be safe out there , no doubt all your familes will keep telling you all this - and i can take this personal opportunity to say . that you`re doing a brilliant job in difficult circumstances . We`re all very grateful that there are such people willing to fight , protect and serve in foreign lands . And just a thank you seems such a feeble word to express our gratitude .

Actually, when I'm in the airport and I'm approached by a complete stranger and they tell me thank you, it warms my heart, and usually they are veterans or family of a veteran and we talk forever. Thank you and take care. SPC.Ryan

2009-11-09T00:01:00.000-08:00

Edit : i have posted some prescheduled

posts , due to computer problems !!

Canvas tag

3 x 5.5 "

Cut from canvas roll and painted ,

then i sewed a piece of sheer material

and a dyed crochet piece over that .

Punched a hole , added various fibres ,

and a vintage brooch pin , because the crochet

piece has holes and is only attached around the edges ,

you can remove the brooch

and add another for a different look .

2009-11-05T00:01:00.000-08:00

Christmas felt robin ornament

size 2.75 x 2.25 "

This chubby fella took 2 hours -

as i made the pattern from scratch , all the pieces

are seperate and hand sewn , same on both sides

and then stuffed .

This is my last post - for a few days .

Not to go into too many personal details -

my partner is off Friday / Monday -

so we`ll be doing other things and we`re trying to

sort out our ISP - whether we can keep our Internet

connection or have to cancel it ;o(

So i hope you`ll come back next week -

as i have something special lined up for

Remembrance Day !!

xxxxxxxxxxx

2009-11-04T00:01:00.000-08:00

" Bloom " decorative pillowcover

size 11 x 8 "

I saw something similar on the friskars website ,

so i wanted to make a smaller version.

Made with heavyweight olive cord material

the cut circles are sewn in half - all from vintage

material then placed on and sewn in a petal

flower shape . The center has a vintage button

and doily scrap

I wanted the pillowcover to be very simple -

as i have not made a one before -

so i just did a button flap closure with

2 large- ish vintage green buttons .

I think it turned out pretty good ;o)

2009-11-02T00:01:00.000-08:00

Do you need to look at the sky -

To see a rainbow ??

3 day collection of local autumn walks -

I bent down to photograph something else -

and saw this as well - i`m afraid it looked

like it had died there .

I picked some of this - to use in my artwork

And i thought it was too cold outside for these ..

Mushrooms in my garden ...

Dewy clover ..

chippy paint and rusted letterbox -

my favourite photo ;o)

And look who`s keeping warm inside this leaf

I hope you too are enjoying what autumn has to offer !

2009-10-31T00:12:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween everyone !!

Stay safe and enjoy the weekend !!

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

2009-10-30T00:38:00.000-07:00

Time to show you some more baking

i did last weekend :o)

Homemade - Swiss roll -

or i think in the USA it`s jello roll ?

It had been years since i made one with jam ,

i didn`t have any - so i used lemon curd

instead - I got some help later on - as you`ll see -

my other half videod me rolling it !!

When i was just going to snap pictures for you ;o)

Preheat oven to 200 f

Whisk together 3 eggs and 3oz caster sugar

until it forms peaks , then slowly fold in 3oz flour .

Pour into a tin lined with greased proof paper

my size tin is 12 x 9 " - an inch in depth .

It will only take 10 minutes to cook -

so don`t go doing something else ;o)

While mine was cooking -

i prepared another sheet of paper

sprinkled with sugar - no caster sugar left

it will look better with that though ;o)

I then put 4 Tblsp of lemon curd ( or jam ) and warmed

it in the microwave - to spread better .

10 minutes later ...

You have to be quick with the next stages -

Take it out of the tin and place the cooked side on the sugar -

then quickly peel away the paper .Spread the warm

chosen filling on - Then it`s rolling it up !

Not bad huh ??

Here i am rolling it up - ahem -

excuse the mess - and if i`d have known

i was going to make an appearance on here -

I would have tidied myself up a little !!

I`m not one for being in the limelight , only

on the odd occasion - and my Christmas video message -

i do have an idea for that this year - he he !!

And hey - it was late sunday morning -

that`s my excuse and i`m sticking to it !!

Leave to cool and slice -

and enjoy !!

This only lasted 2 days ..

the day after was better when the

filling had soaked into the sponge slightly .

2009-10-29T06:17:00.000-07:00

Looking for some pink this morning out on

my walk - for the final Pink Thoughts

Thursday ..

I came across this ..... Not quite at the pink stage

but ...

A hydrangea bloom - in several stages of decay .

Which made me think of life - and how we have

but a short time here - to grow and bloom ourselves .

Each of us is at a different stage of development

and trying to do what we can everyday while

we are here .

So it goes without saying -

Each day is a gift - use it wisely -

Be happy with yourself - and spread it around -

Love what you do - if not - change it .

Make a difference- however small it is .

Just be - you -

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

And i`ll take this opportunity now -

to thank all who purchased items

from me - to help raise funds for

Breast cancer awareness month !

2009-10-28T01:21:00.000-07:00

" Autumn leaf " banner .

Length 72 " - 6 feet .

This is my first banner i created yesterday .

There are so many versions about - and i did not

want to do a paper one . I thought this version

would last and can be used year upon year .

Example of it hung on my fireplace .

2 of each leaf colour - which is a soft velvet

material - sewn onto vintage aubergine

seam binding .

Each leaf has a brown felt backing .

beaded fruits either side - 2 " long

an apple and a pear - which can be

removed and replaced with something else

In the center is an aged tag - 4.5" x 2.5 "

with a vintage owl playing card sewn on -

this is removable also .

2009-10-26T00:01:00.000-07:00

" Autumn Acorn " - necklace

We turned our clocks back this weekend -

so autumn is officially here . So to celebrate

it - i created a necklace .

I`ve wanted a large real acorn for months , but

i have not managed to find one - so i decided to

make myself one - out of fimo .

Acorn size 1.5 " - painted and sealed - and the nut

part has gloss on it . The leaf is from a copper brooch -

a hammered effect and to get the pin off - i soaked it in boiled water

- and it just came off ;o) Then i cleaned it and drilled a hole

in the top .

Photo - done with the flash and is clickable ..

The loop on the acorn is from a metal screw

eye that i carefully screwed in before i baked it.

The oven temperature is so low - it didn`t melt the metal ;o)

Then strung them both onto a piece of

faux suede thong .

2009-10-23T00:01:00.000-07:00

Leather owl coin purse

Size 5 x 3 "

Carrying on my obsession with owls - i made this ..

Hand sewn from embossed brown leather

Popper enclosure

Red suede beak / wings and suede eyes

Have a hoot of a day !! ;o)

2009-10-21T00:01:00.000-07:00

" Bird On A Tree stump "

Assemblage on a wooden coaster-

Diameter size 3.75 "

My fertile mind came up with this a

few days ago . I had a wooden coaster

and i wondered what to do with it -

and this is the result . Green felt and a tiny amount

of stuffing , hand sewn felt tree stump ...

faux moss , real acorn , berries

and a mushroom

And a tiny bird ..

2009-10-19T00:00:00.000-07:00

We had a large carrier bag of apples

given by our neighbours from their tree -

- so i`ve been trying to use them and i did some baking

yesterday and made use of the oven while

it was on . I`ve been making scones recently - so i

used that recipe ..

Folded apple scones -

Peel , core 3 small apples and cook with a little water

and sugar in the microwave - i added fresh nutmeg -

but cinnamon goes well with apples too

-while that`s cooking -

Put 8oz S.R flour , pinch salt , tblsp sugar in

a bowl and rub in 3oz butter until like breadcrumbs -

then add milk to bind and knead for a minute .

Cut dough into 4 pieces

Roll out into a rough square

Place cooked apples in center

Fold over corners as shown -

milk dabbed onto corners to stick together .

Onto a greased baking sheet - glaze with milk

oven - 200F for approx 15 mins

Here they are - puffed out and golden -

Serve on their own , dust with icing sugar

cream / ice cream and enjoy !!

Alternatively -

add half a small tub of chopped glace cherries

and cut out - or omit the sugar and add 3oz mature

grated cheese - these are my cheese scones -

Yummy !! ;o)

2009-10-16T00:01:00.000-07:00

" Doily Nest" assemblage

Hoop size - 5 " dia .

i`m always trying to come up with ideas

of how to include a nest in my work .

Here is my latest idea .

Using one of my many crochet doilies ,

that fitted inside the hoop , made

a nest from sisal and sewed it onto a

real twig and then onto the doily . Added a

couple of feathers - the 2 side shot photos are clickable

The "egg " was a long almond shaped felted bead

that i squashed down a little .

An alternative background -

when it`s hung - whatever wallpaper

you have up will show through .

I have seen fabrics displayed this way too

using different sized hoops -

and you could even do the same with your

doily collection .