Giving Something Back ....

My dear friend SHERRY

during the month of october - is contributing to

Breast cancer aware month . Many of you know

that she , herself is a survivior , and in her own

words " This is my way of giving something

tangible back " . During october - she is selling

items from her Etsy Shop - with all the proceeds

going to The Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation.

Many of us have been affected by the 6 letter word -

knowing loved ones who were - and are diagnosed with

this disease . Affecting not only the sufferer - but family

and friends too . Like a pebble dropped in water -

it spreads out - and changes your life from that point .

If you would like to contribute to this , either by

selling items , donating money , or want to

promote this month - the above button image can be

added to your blog side bar .

Please get in touch with Sherry .

It does not matter to me - that it is not in

my country . I support my charities here .

But any money- however small will help find

a cure , and be felt across the world .

I will be showcasing some items on here to

purchase -

Thankyou !

A Halloween - Boo !

click on the above photo - to see the details ..

Below is the image from Gail

Of Mind Wide open

Set for this months challenge -

With the word - Boo .

This is what i came up with
a digital collage again . Trees in a
graveyard , a full moon with bats -

a ghost , and the lady appearing to be

inside a spell potion bottle .
After words of inspiration from

Sherry - i finally had this idea -

( thanks so much !! ))

As i found this one difficult - not
being really into Halloween myself .

But once i got going - a couple of

hours later i had created this !

I found out what i could acheive and we

surprise ourselves of what we can all

acheive and enjoying it in the process !!

Voting begins today - so if you want to see

all the artists creations -

And choose your favourite visit HERE

What`s The Time ! ???

It`s my 300 th post giveaway time !!

It doesn`t seem 2 minutes since i

were " celebrating " my 250th post .

But - here i am with something unique -

to have a guess at this - just to make it more fun ......

Wasn`t i a beautiful baby !! ?? * giggle *

My question is ...

What time was i born ??

A - 7.45 am

B - 8.15 am

C - 8.30am

Please state which time you think i was born

in your comment left ! It`s that easy !!

And i have proof to show you - incase

people think it`s a fix !! ;o)

The lucky 2 winners will receive

Either this vintage wall paper pouch

with a selection of ephemera included ...

or if you do not craft - and this is a second choice

as well for the first comment winner to pick correctly ..

Blue bird wool wreath .




The second correct comment wins this

vintage christmas bingo card hanger .

You have until

Friday 12th september

to enter - so time to choose

and good luck everyone !!

Enjoy your weekend !!

Wishful Thinking ...

Recently upon our travels - i acquired the

magazine " Country Life " and another

one from Oxford - which was a what`s on
for summer including gardens and properties

for sale . I was thumbing through them , and

like anyone else - was wishing i could have a

bigger home - large studio to work in etc , etc .

We can all dream can`t we ??

I spent some time looking on the estate agents

websites - drooling over the properties for sale - as

if money were no object for me - and i have picked out

what i fell in love with - and wanted to show what is

on offer in our country .

Burford Priory

Oxford

A grade 1 listed priory dating from 1662

set in 15 acres - 17 bedrooms , 7

bathrooms , library - and a chapel .

I found out that you could visit this place -

but alas - it has just been sold - for £6.5 million !!

I would have loved to have visited this

place .Part of the priory was still lived in by

monks and sisters , where they prayed .

It was managed by English Heritage -

until they put it for sale - and has been bought by an

undisclosed buyer . 20 people who worked there-

have lost their jobs - and i`m hoping that

whoever has purchased this - will keep it - as is -

It would be so tragic if they turned it into small

apartments - like many are doing with

similar properties here .

The back topiary gardens

This is still for sale ..

Heath House Estate at 3.5 million

grade 2 listed mansion , set in 125 acres ,

including 8 bedrooms , and 3 seperate

flats within the house with a stable cottage , barn to

convert , coach house and woodland .

Both of them - i could see myself in .

Although i do appreciate new designs and

architecture - i am at most at home - in

older surroundings . To wander about as a lady

of leisure and languish in my surroundings ;o)

And it would go without saying -

You`re all invited !!! ;o)

Breaking away from my " dream " -

My next post is my 300th one !!

So i hope you`ll come back to see tomorrow -

I am having a giveaway - and i have thought

of something which you need to do - to win !! LOL

Autumn Rose Wreath ..

Our weather is starting to change slightly ..

darker earlier evenings - and a cool breeze .

So i was inspired to make an autumn wreath ..

Autumn Rose

With the fragility of a rose - still clinging

onto a summer bloom ...

Hand dyed satin leaves , berries ,

vintage earring piece ..

Pine cones wrapped with fall fibre ...

I feel ready to embrace this season ...

September Image ...

I thought i would start the month of by

sharing these 2.5" square altered images .

Click onto save - and use as you wish !

Apology`s All Around !!

I know Christmas is a few months

off - but when i get an idea - i go with

my muse . So i apologise if you`re not ready

to see anything yet !!

An altered bingo card hanger.

Sewn material , vintage metal bingo marker

and one of my favourite birds - A Robin -

Pom pom berries - and my hand felted holly leaves .

This will be one of my giveaways -

as i am near to my 300th post !!

And i caught this creature - a slug -

which i nearly stepped on in my garden

while bringing in my washing early last night .
They`re not one of the best loved creatures -

but i had to snap him - and another apology

if you`re squeamish out there !!

I would also like to wish a

" Happy Labour day weekend "

To all my readers out there !!

To everyone else - Enjoy your weekend !!

And - if you`re interested in knowing how to

alter a book - i have just posted part one

HERE

Sitting Pretty ...

I saw some styrofoam rings in a craft shop

and thought it was ideal to create something

for the Fun friday challenge on Etsy cottage .

The chosen theme`s were :

Circles - And the colour - Purple

Having not used these before , i wanted to do

something bright and cheerful - along with being

simple . The colour of the chenille wool was perect

for it . 2 layers were wrapped around , with a

vintage clip on earring piece , with a seam binding

hanger .

I then " sat " a glittered bird , along with

fabric peonies flowers on the ring . And a small

pom pom - to look like an egg .

And there you have my

" Sitting pretty "

Bird in a ring !!

Time for another break here ...

It`s a long bank holiday weekend again here -

the final one for this year ...

It`s my time to fly and do my things -

to complete creations , sort out , rejuvenate

myself , then be back to share with you all soon .

In the mean time -

Here is a Halloween image - for you to

grab and use as you wish !

Enjoy your weekend !

Giving Hope ...

Above is my gift of hope and support

to my dear friend Rhonda`s mum - Lynn .

She is one of many breast cancer sufferer`s ,

and will be having radiation treatment soon .

Rhonda had asked anyone - if they wished to make

and send her a card - to help her through this

trying time , give her hope that it can be beaten

and that we are thinking of her - however far away

we are , and of whom we have not met .

I have done a hanging card collage . Just something

simple - that only took an hour of my time to

create - but may it bring Lynn - everlasting

inspiration - hope - For many more hours / days

that she needs to overcome and beat it . When she

will have those down days .. She can glance at this

one of many sent for her ...

I hope she likes it !

Glossy accents are on the butterflies

and you can click on the photo - to read

the message .

Mine will be winging it`s way to her soon -

But if you feel you can help - i know many have

already done so - please read it HERE

Little Castle

I haven`t much in the artsy way to show off

yet . . I am on with a few projects and my

creative and blog time has been limited the past few

days now - with bad headaches .

However i do have a place we visited a few

weeks back ...

Bolsover Castle - in Derbyshire .

Dating from the 12th century , and the only thing

left in tact is the Little Castle , Venus garden ,

and some stables undergoing renovation .

The view from the castle ..

What it would have looked like .

We walked in from the left handside -

The Little Castle and Venus Garden is on

the far right handside

The entrance to the Little castle

Outside back view from the Venus Garden

Looking down from the Little castle into the garden

which had many alcoves with love seats .

To say it was called The Little castle -

is an understatement ! It had many tiny rooms and

stone stairs - and what`s more - i got to take some

inside photographs ! Which is very rare - even in stately

homes - photography is banned . It was unmanned as well

but had CCTV - as there were many large oil paintings hung

and i found it odd , that no-one was there just to keep

an eye on things .

So here`s a selection of my best shots as

some of the rooms were very darkly decorated .

Every room - had a corner fireplace like this -

No central heating in those days !

And my favourite - a gorgeous painted cherub room

Just a short video of the fountain . The

only original piece - is theVenus staue on the top

and the rest is restoration - of how it would have looked .