Monday, 20 April 2009
bits and bobs
Wednesday, 15 April 2009
the business of books....
I have started to practice 'morning pages' as recommended by Julia Cameron.
A book, made simply by collecting handmade papers, bought over the years and sandwiching them between some card.
More books, each made in a different way. From the top:
- A4 copier paper, folded into 16 squares, cut and folded
- A4 graph paper, cut and folded
- handmade cover, stitched signatures
- the handmade paper sandwich
- envelopes with rings
- my work diary (I didn't make this, it is just ever-present in my existence)
Inspired by lobster and swan, my collection of cuttings, tearouts, adverts and bits and bobs from magazines, newspapers and any other piece of paper I've had my hands on over the last few months.
Friday, 10 April 2009
I'd just like to thank....

In the spirit of the award, I must now list seven things I love and pass the award to seven others. I think the first element of this process will be much easier than the second, so much so that I am going to limit the things I love, otherwise I could fill my love quota in a trice.
7 lovely things:
- bamboo knitting needles
- my embellishing machine
- sketchbooks - making them, looking at other people's sketchbooks
- embroidery floss
- my camera
- pens
- blank paper
As a recipient of this prestigious award, I will now pass it to:
Brown Dog at Little Brown Blog
Jackie at Stitchworks
Shani at Stranded Yarns
Anna at See.Be.Draw
Calico Kate at Calico Kate
Abigal Thomas
Garden Girl at All things lovely
I'm not sure what I do now. Do I tell them? I think I'll just wait for them to realise.
Happy Easter.
Tuesday, 7 April 2009
do as I say, not as I do!
My lovely embellisher with some fancy ribbon yarn that I bought in Leigh and seems to combine vintage and modern all in one strip of usefulness. I felted it to some fleshy felt and it's crying out to be incorporated into a collage or doll.
My lovely radio (inherited from my late, departed Grandpa. THE only thing to listen to whilst pottering in the greenhouse. I have occasional panic attacks about the analogue signal being turned off. What will happen to these lovely old wirelesses?
Referring to my previous post on slowing down and general, deeper contemplation of matters small and large....it's an interesting concept.
Mindfulness....a fascinating theory.
- clean house for granny inspection (check - with help from my glamorous assistant)
- make easter egg tree displays (check - all my own work but fading fast)
- sow more seeds (sweetcorn, black and white kidney beans and parsley)
- pot up seedlings (courgettes, done)
- clean windows (are revolting - not quite so anymore)
- sew SOMETHING (nothing unless you count the sweater I sewed up for one of my knitting learners)
- do some more of newborn baby blanket (am not sure if three stitches of single crochet count)
- go swishing (last Monday - forgot due to memorable creative arts evening at eldest's school)
- book club (tomorrow - went, the book I chose was branded as twee - not impressed)
- girls' night in (thursday - very successful and everyone brought lovely things to eat and drink)
- get some flaming exercise as my bottom will start falling off chairs shortly if I do not (see sewing)
- write some reports (started, drafted, not finished)
- take stuff to the charity shop (took it and was told to take it elsewhere)
- be nice to children and husband (managed beautifully until this morning's meltdown)
- finalise a knitting project I've dreamt up (it's in the sketchbook)
- prepare for knitting meeting (meeting done and dusted, thank you, next meeting planned)
- draw a bit (started daily sketchbook - lasted 3 days)
- knit a bit (bought some beautiful colinette)
- watch ER (because I keep forgetting and it's the last series - FORGOT)
- clean the inside of our kitchen cupboards - well, no
- make new list for NRH - he's so efficient these days, he makes his own
So...you can see, a little room for craft and contemplation, but not much. It occured to me that the seedlings were teaching me a little lesson. No matter how many times I watered them or went to check on them, they were just getting on with growing in their own sweet way. Nothing I could possibly do would make them hurry. Maybe I should spend more time with them?