French Knots

A little sprinkle

We never get much snow here, but we had a couple of centimetres yesterday and The Little Brother was delighted to make a little snowman when he came home from school.
We were sadly lacking in the carrot department but made do with celery!

The Big Brother went off to the park for a snowball fight with his friends and came back good and soggy with cold hands and rosy cheeks. Glad he's not too grown up yet and a bit of snow can still be enjoyed.  
I was running a workshop in a local craft supplies shop and watching the huge fluffy flakes falling. So beautiful, I love the way snow paints the world clean and fresh. Makes it feel magical and other worldly, even if travel becomes a pain I love a sprinkle of snow.

 

Loving....

I am loving making these little brooches at the moment. A carefully chosen selection of colours that lift my spirits, a little time sitting and gently sewing and a lot of french knots. My absolute favourite stitch in the whole wide world. Sitting by the fire, thinking, planning and stitching is a perfect way to fill a few quiet moments during these chilly January days.
Hope you are snuggled up and cosy too.

Studio days, good for the soul

My little studio is buzzing with life, I get to share it with so many wonderful creative people. They take my ideas for classes and put their own spin on them which in turn inspires me even more.

Serveral called round just before Christmas with a card & gift but also to tell me how much the time in my studio means to them, a couple of hours away from everyday life relaxing, chatting and connecting with people on their wave length. 

I was utterley delighted and moved ( yes, a little weepy ) that it means so much to them too. And that was their real gift to me.

Cosy Crochet

Crochet is such a cosy winter craft, warm and woolly, colouful and cheery. I have been making these starburst grannies ready for covering a lampshade, an idea I've had in my head for ages. I imagine them lit up like glowing boiled sweets! Just right for cheering up a blustery January and beating the blahs.
What is your favourite winter craft?

Brave Boy

The Little Brother celebrated the start of the Christmas holidays in style! Not ideal for a five year old who has asked Father Christmas for a new scooter, luckily there was a Spiderman Hotwheels set for him too which was much easier to enjoy with just one arm.

The cast on for six weeks and as he has a cabin bed he is rather enjoying camping on his matress on his bedroom floor - always an upside!

Busy Sewing

The studio is toasty warm once the heater is on and there is nothing better than sewing away to my hearts content. Radio on, Studio Dog curled up at my feet stitching samples for workshops - it's the best job in the world :)

Sent from Samsung Mobile

Hello again.....

I started blogging in December 2006, I had been made redundant and wanted a way to connect with people who cared about the same things I did. 8 years have passed, lots of blog posts later and I fell out of love with blogging for a while due in part to my health struggles and something had to give.   

But I miss the record of our daily life, the wonder of the ordinary and everyday. Connecting and sharing creativity. The rhythm of the years and the pattern of my days. My blog was a special place to me and I wonder if it can be again?

The biggest change was when this little cutie joined our family

 

She is Meg, my studio dog. We rehomed her in May and have been so lucky as she has fitted into family life so well. 

More from me soon, I hope!

 

Oooops

 

My apologies for the spam that was posted yesterday, not only was my email hacked but my typepad account too.

April whizzed by in a flash,

 

lots of sewing,

a bit of crochet and plenty of juggling busy days and rest too. My laptop was poorly and as my Surface tablet wont upload photos to Typepad blogging ground to a halt.

The Baby Brother turned 5 last week, I can't believe it- he was only born about 10 minutes ago. He changed into his new Spiderman outfit as soon as he got home from school and had great fun with his Lego and Playmobil campervan before going to bed as Spiderman!

And today brought excitment, a new member of our family. Welcome Meg!

 

Vintage TV

Sometimes when I am resting I don't feel like crochet or embroidery so turn to tv instead but, despite having dozens of channels there often isn't anything interesting on ( though my secret tv shame is    Extreme Makeover - Home Edition don't tell anyone! ). Happily I have manged to find a few gems to lift my spirits.

How did I miss Cranford when it was on telly? I have devoured all the episodes loving the village, the houses and costumes not to mention the gossipy ladies around whom it revolves.

 

from guardian.com

Nothing too taxing, no complex plot to concentrate on or subtitles to read just a warm and cosy feeling like being wrapped in a snuggly blanket. Perfect.

Then I found  The Bletchley Circle a more modern period drama but still full of wonderful sets to appreciate and notice all the little touches and some fabulous clothes to enjoy too. Period eye candy of a different sort.

So now I need to find more - I'm wondering about Mr Selfridge or Bleak House but I'd love your recommendations too please.

 

 

Something Amazing

When I heard about The School Run I knew I wanted to be involved.

Mike was going to be driving a converted landrover from here to a nursery in the Gambia, having fitted it out as an ambulance and filled it with medical and educational supplies. His wife Oooh Betty had the wonderful idea of sending handmade toys to the children at the nursery and that is where I thought I could help.

Flo at Serendipitea and Coffee offered a venue and  I asked my friends and customers to come along and help make toys, so many did and we had a fab evening sewing and chatting. The pile of toys we made for Mike to take with him was heart warming, stuffed with love, and the thought that we could give them to Mike and he would give them to a child so far away - just amazing.

So when I saw this picture of my spotty eared elephant it made me cry.