Friday

I`m later than usual posting today -
but our weather is glorious and i had
to come inside out of the hot sun at nearly
4pm . After some local shopping , i have been out
in my garden , re potting plants and got a shot
of our rhododendron shoots .




I was going to go inside , then a bumble bee
came to a partially open bloom - so i managed
to capture him ! Going inside the flower head .



And i let my veggie plants that are inside , for
now , have a sun bathe . We`re both quite "chuffed "
how our first try at growing peppers is
progressing - first signs of the bell peppers
appearing !! ;o) Whoo Hoo !!


And last , but not least -
a quickly made , make up bag for myself .
Out of this cherry material i have had for a year
at least ! Kind of kitschy and a little different
but it makes me smile and reminds me of my
other half - his surname is Cherry !




I need to sew press studs on it still .






Lined inside ..

I hope everyone has a great weekend !!
We have some more predicted good weather
days ahead of us - so i will be out
enjoying it !!



Thursday


I took a couple of short video clips ,
the cherry blossoms in our local park -
it was a canopy of fragrant blooms -
and covered the ground like snow .
Sadly it has gone now , and the planted
flowers have been recently pulled up too !! I
suppose ready for more to replace them - i am
so glad i filmed when i did do !!





And this is a page in my drawing book -

inspired by the video below ..

It`s only 9 seconds long , but if you listen

you can hear Mr robin singing right near the end

and fly off !! It`s a shame the video box is small ,

you cannot really make out the robin in this size .

I have since tried to get a photo

but i think he knows when i carry my camera !!

The one day i do forget it - who do i see there hopping

on the grass taunting me !! ??





Tuesday

We had a gorgeous weekend ,
the weather was perfect , sunny and hot.
So we were out visiting places amoungst
other things .
Nunnington Hall - a Yorkshire manor house
from the the 17th century

The bridge across the river ...




The back from the garden - it was originally
the front with a long drive up towards the house .




side garden where the tearoom served
food grown from the garden .





They had 4 resident young peacocks ,
meandering around and very tame.
Here i am sat on the grass - waiting to get a
close up shot ;o)





The young miss pea hen ..


and the shyer Mr peacock ...


Part of the grass had been cut - the rest was left ,
it looked like a wild garden .









And just a small selection of the blooming flowers ..





It is a place that we will revisit -
just to see how the seasons affects the
beautful garden !




Friday

As it was suggested by my friend Sherry
in a comment she left on my sleeping mouse
watercolour ..
" just do it " , and have a go at
illustrations for a children's book .. Please !!
I had already had that thought , and not done anything ,
but when someone else has the same idea , then it
confirms it even more to yourself .
So - i am starting , slowly , and in between
all my other projects i want to create ,
some characters for a story and write it !!
Here is Buttercup ... the fluffy chick ..
just a prototype drawing ,
as i may leave out the pen marks , change the
beak / legs .
What do you think ? ?
Any suggestions will be most welcomed .
This will be a huge challenge - as i have no children ,
and may seem strange to those who have them
that i am even attempting this !
I have more research to do , what age range i
wish it to be in etc ... etc ...






It`s our spring mayday bank holiday this
weekend , and we`re busy , visiting relatives
and our first outdoor BBQ this year !
I`ll be making my famous potato salad ,
and the weather is supposed to be good !
So i wish you all a great weekend -
and i`ll see you next week !

Thursday

Using some of the material i made for
my eco bag on the post below ..
I came up with these ...


A set of scented sachets .
2 hanging and 1 drawer , poly fill and also
contains Yorkshire dried lavender .







Then i wanted to make myself a small
travel bag ..
This is the larger one - 9 x 10 "




Fully lined ...




leaving the raw selvedge that will not fray
and sewing a piece on for the twill tape
draw string .





I then made a smaller version ...
I`m keeping this one - but i am listing
the others in my SHOP









Tuesday


I`ve been busy the past few days
making the extra give away winner
prizes . A sneak peak of one completed below.
I`m not saying who`s it is * giggle *

But i will posting it tomorrow ;o)



And i finished my own large Eco friendly bag .
This turned out to take longer than i expected !
Just 2 rectangles sewn on 3 sides , one turned
right side out from having right sides facing each
other .Then place one inside the other - so it is
lined , and then sandwich the handles in between the
2 pieces and sew along on the top edge .
I bought this vintage looking material a while ago
and i wish now i had purchased more of it !



The finished bag ..



Inside - which can be turned inside out .

You could put a contrasting material - but i

wanted the same .




I re-enforced my handles with iron on interfacing

and i liked the selvedge edge of the material -

instead of having to turn it over to sew !


Before i sewed the sides - i wanted a pocket
so i made a lined one . Which will be on the outside
or the inside if i turn it about .




This is going on holiday with me in a few weeks time-

although it did take me longer than anticipated -

it was well worth it ! I try and carry or reuse bags

all the time and i have an original created bag for myself !

I have some of the material left and have plans

for that - so stay tuned ;o)


Saturday

We had real bad thunderstorms and
lightning late yesterday - so it was decided to
turn our computer off - and a good job that
my plant was inside safe and sound !
My Voodoo fuchsia has it`s first bloom !
After having my first one drop off - due to it
being too heavy for the fragile stem .
Isn`t the colour gorgeous ! ?





Underneath shot ...







And a full moon - a few nights ago -
I left it - so more light got in during the exposure
- and these are 2 of the best photos -
to see the cloud illumination .









Have a great weekend !!


Thursday

A Sleeping Visitor ...







At the bottom of my garden ,
Under the old oak tree .
Snuggled up tightly ,
And as small as can be .

Just hidden from sight ,
Was a sleeping mouse .
Silently i gazed ,
Without making a sound .


Nested under a mushroom ,
As contented as can be .
I left him alone ,
I wonder if he knew me -
That i could see ?



Pen / water colour drawing - 5" square
and poem by myself .



Wednesday

The winners are ....

Thankyou to everyone who entered

my giveaway ! So here are the winners .

I decided to have 3 in response to the

leather wallet - so it gave you more of a

chance to win something ! And i am feeling generous ;o)

Below is 3 short videos done in succession ,

and on the 2nd video - you may notice that i had to

click twice - as the same person came up again ! !

The other 2 winners will receive something done

in leather and will be posted as soon as i create it .

Congratulations to the winners !!

And thank you to everyone else - new and

regular readers who popped by !

And if you have the sound up - you can hear

my budgies tweeting in the background !

They`re never quiet when you need them to be !

I will be in touch , unless you see this first -

as we are heading out for the day -

to get your address`s !

Monday

Golden Butterfly ..

I got some more leather pieces in other colours ,
and wanted to try something
different with it. I decided on the black
leather - as it did not look right on another
colour i tried - just something simple -
but it looks effective .

I call this the Golden silhouette butterfly .
Using acrylic titanium gold paint ,
using a stamp , then filling in by hand
and an antique copper chain .
The leather butterfly sits nicely on the collar
bone or can be extended a little either way .





With a coating of glossy accents -
to give it an "embossed " effect












I hope everyone had a good weekend -
especially those celebrating Mothers day !!

Saturday

A tiny watercolour i did last night .
Just 10cm x 8 cm high .
Next time - i may try something larger,
as it was a little difficult to paint !









And a free image for those who want
to use it ... A Happy Mothers Day to
my international readers !!
I hope you spend an extra special day
with your loved ones ..





Friday

My 2 year Blogger-versary and giveaway ! ...

2 years ago today , i began this blog .
Quite by chance that i did start it ,
as i had just read about it in a magazine -
and i decided to create one that evening ,
just to see , and not really intending to stay
on here as long - truth be told ....
Two years on now , and so many things have
changed , my style of work , how i see things and
hopefully write a little better than i did at the
beginning ! Although i know i`m not one to go on
about things - all around the houses so to speak -
i can be abrupt in descriptions , but that`s my way ,
and what makes me unique ;o)
So - i have a give away to celebrate - in
true blogger fashion !!
I was up late last night creating this - as the date
dawned on me at 10pm ! So here is what i made
and i hope you like it ....
A soft leather deep red " wallet "
Size 8.25 x 4.75 "
That has a sewn thin strap to tie ,
with a handcut flower and vintage button trim .
It is a deeper red than the photo







Lovely red suede on the inside ..





And hand sewn edges ...





Perfect for keeping papers , cheque book
passport / holiday items in etc etc ....

To have a chance to win this ..
Please comment and say what you would use
it for - then i will use the random number
generator and announce the winner on
Wednesday 13th May .


Oh - and if you spread the word -
let me know and ..
you go in for 2 chances to win !

A huge thank you to all who visit me -
i have met and made many new friends -
and my life is richer with you all in it !







Thursday

Sometimes you have to look down ...

Seeing the small things - consciously
recognising them ... the beauty around me ..
And not always looking up - sometimes
you have to look down ...





The changing dandelions in my garden ..





A starling egg caught on my garden wall ..





And i took it inside - a
gorgeous shade of blue and so delicate ..




Other times - you have to go through a door ..
not knowing what you may find ..

Old Parsonage hotel -Oxford .


A snail climbing a fence ..




Vegetables ..


Helmsley garden .




And a pin cushion Pro tea head .






What will make you stop and " look " ??