Half-Term, Happy....

I never understand why it is always the simplest projects that cause the most amount of grief.  Is it because they don't hold my interest? Or is it because they involve a lot of repetitive work?  I don't know, but I am certainly glad this knitted stained glass window is well and truly done.  I didn't knit this in intarsia as I knew it will have light shone through it, so didn't want the yarn passing behind the work to interfere with this.  This did mean, however, that I had to knit and sew so many tiny triangles, and then enbroider the 'lead' over the top of it.  So the back of the work looks pretty much the same as the front - not that it will ever be seen!

To add insult to injury last night, I was so keen to get it sewn into the frame I was half way through it before I noticed I had the frame the wrong way round with the seam showing.  I toyed with the idea of leaving it for a minute or two, but then thought that after a week's hard work I wasn't going to ruin it by having a slightly lumpy frame!  Tricky sewing it into the frame too as there is a sheet of acetate behind to keep the 'glass' flat.

Yesterday the weather was appalling, heavy rain for most of the day which was a worry for all my tiny seedlings left outside to their own devices - if I get a single tomato this year it will be a miracle, those poor plants have been floating this week due to waterfalls from blocked gutters...which I can't get unblocked as the dear builders have sealed our back garden up with a large piece of wire fencing....long story, hopefully sorted soon.

However, with rain stopping play outside, it was a golden opportunity to put in some serious work on the leopard.  Lots of pencilling, blending and inking to get that soft chest fur in - whoever said art is relaxing never picked up a pencil in their life!  It's hard work - but oh so satisfying.

I've been quietly purchasing various beads and bits lately - the fab bee and sheep beads are from Laura Sparling.  I love her quirky little glass critters and really must get around to making some jewellery with them!
The sighthound earrings are from Greyhound Cleyhounds on Etsy - if you love sighthounds, this is one for you.

The sun is shining and there is a food festival up the road, so probably not much work getting done today.....