Phew, It's A Scorcher!

 

We've had what the press have been referring to as a heatwave here in the UK the past few days - yes, it's been quite hot, but I am sure those of you living in sunnier climes would laugh at us calling 32C hot.  It was rather muggy, especially after a few spectacular thunderstorms and torrential rain, but that didn't stop me getting on with things.

I finally got over a bad case of artist's block and have started this little watercolour.  It's the view down through trees to the water below, using a photo sent to me by Midge from Soggibottom blog in Devon.  I'm not sure how it will turn out or if it will be worth it, but I am very happy to be using a brush again.  

On the other hand, my daughter has been painting like a maniac the past week - we've gone back to using the 'Paint Your Own Masterpiece' book and she has churned out another version of this Cezanne.  All I do for her is make a light sketch of the main objects, the rest she does by herself. (For those of you who are new here and are thinking 'so what?', my daughter has Down's Syndrome, so this is really quite an achievement!)  I think this one might deserve framing!

As well as knitting a grizzly bear (hot work!) I have been teaching myself how to make loom band bracelets.  It was getting embarrassing at work (infant school) being shown up by six year olds who have mastered this and I hadn't the first idea.  So when I got a bag of the bands free with a magazine, I took the bull by the horns and had a go - turns out it is not that hard after all, and I can see the attraction, they are strangely addictive!  I want to try one of the very intricate designs and then I can file this under 'done it'!

Despite the heat, we have managed some lovely leisurely walks with the dog in the fields behind our house.
They are sown with a crop of beans this year but in amongst them are millions of daisies.

It is so pretty - shame they want to plough it all up and build 450 houses on it.  We are praying that this doesn't come to pass as long as we are living here.

I don't know what Clovis would do without his daily canters through the countryside - he's never been a dog for road walking, it has to be running through the grass and bushes or it just isn't a walk.

Some sunflowers have snuck into the mix as well!

Busy Bees

For the past year I have worked in 'Bumblebee' class - tomorrow is my last day.  As a thank you to the teacher who has been terrific to work with, I have made her a bee-mobile to hang in the class.  I used the patterns from that good old book, 75 Birds, Butterflies & Beautiful Beasties - where would I be without it!

I strung three bees and three daisies onto clear fishing line, and attached them to a ring of garden wire which I then covered with white florist tape.

A very cute result - I'm thinking to make another one incorporating butterflies.  It's the summer holidays as from next week, so perhaps I will get the time to actually make all these projects lining up in my head!

p.s. shhh, I can barely believe it, but after me throwing a major wobbly a couple of weeks ago, we actually have some bricks being affixed to our porch...no more blue tarpaulin that has been gracing our frontage for 4 months!  Could this be nearly the end?

Come Walk With Me...

We are very lucky in that just behind our house are farmer's fields which make for a lovely easy access country walk with the dog.  In years past they have been sown with such crops as wheat, barley and rapeseed.  This year it was beans, although you wouldn't think so to look at them.

Due to the poor rainfall in Spring, the beans on this particular field have failed miserably, but in their place has sprung up the most amazing wildflower meadow.

I don't know if the seeds were sown together with the beans or if they have just lain dormant for a few years and suddenly sprung up, but the result is spectacular.  This particular corner is predominantly daisies, although amongst them are poppies, vetch, marigold, viola, campion and even a lone sunflower.

 On the brow of the hill it looks like summer snow....

It's enough to make you dizzy...

I took my camera with the hope of photographing some of the beautiful poppies I saw this morning, but today is roasting hot and all the petals have since dropped, save one....

...still with the crumples from being a bud.

We are lucky indeed.

Latest Etsy Commission - Complete!

The interesting thing about commissions of any sort is being made to think outside your comfort zone. Now potholders, let alone highly decorated ones, would not be something I would think of making normally, but I got the above commission from a lovely American lady (who I made the wedding corsage for) and have thoroughly enjoyed it.

I started using the same daisy motifs as for the corsage - because she liked them - grouped with a few leaves in a decorated pot, all crocheted and appliqued onto an ecru base.


Then I got a bit daring (got a new book on how to crochet flowers and fell in love with the pansy design!) and made some bright pansies with different leaves and attached them inthe same manner.

Finally, I tried a different way of making groups of leaves on a stalk which looked very effective, and put simple little five petalled flowers with French knots for centres scattered over the leaves.

All three are crocheted in cotton yarn, and have scalloped edges as requested with a corner loop for hanging - I believe these are for decoration rather than to be used to pick up hot pots!

If there is anything you'd like me to crochet for you, just let me know - I'm open to suggestions!

Keeping Promises....

With all the work coming in lately, I'm still very aware that I have not kept a promise made to my daughter many weeks ago. She loves a necklace I made for myself and asked if I would make her one similar...well, it got put to the back of everything else, and she never complains, bless her. So today, I actually had an hour spare before lunch and decided to honour my word and the above is the result. It's actually turned out really well - far prettier than the photo shows. It's made up of pink glass daisies on gold-plated wire, interspersed with small greenish glass AB coated faceted beads. Very sweet and feminine - I think I'll make another one for the Etsy shop. In honour of my daughter, this one is called Anastasia.

Also thought it about time I completed a commission for a pair of earrings that has been outstanding for a while - these will go with a bracelet & necklace set I made for a colleague.

So the time management is not as difficult as I imagined...so far! Getting the craft orders done in the evenings and the potatoes in the afternoons while the light is still good. However, just received the Japanese yarn (the carbon footprint for it must be obscene as it has travelled from Japan to New York to Cambridge to Fleet!)....I now have stinging nettle yarn, pineapple fibre yarn, paper yarn and some rather lovely knitted tubing. So many crafts, so little time......

Daisy Bagel Bangle

It seems a long time since I posted anything I've made on here - it's not that I've not been crafting, but the fact that I'm in the middle of about three larger projects. However, after receiving some lovely cotton yarn in the post yesterday, I got to making the above.

It's a bangle, crocheted in a tube using green yarn and then stuffed to help it keep it's shape before being sewn into a circle. I then crocheted seven white daisies with yellow centres and seven leaves and sewed them around the outside. Very fresh and summery - it will be appearing on my Etsy shop later on.

Calling it a bagel was a typo but I quite liked the fact that without the flowers it is bagel shaped, so I think the name should stick!

Projects still in progress: a full length crochet curtain, a watercolour painting and a painted treasure box. Also a jewellery commission to complete and my first commission through Etsy - at least this week I have plenty of spare time in which to get on with them all! (Toe now a lovely shade of purple which is spreading to the surrounding toes....mmmm, nice!)

Buttercups & Daisies...

Here are the latest felt doo-dads. There is a Michaelmas Daisy necklace, with five flowers and some leaves this time. The flowers are slightly larger than the previous wild daisies, well, because they are in real life too! The stems and leaves are in a rather nice blue-green felt that I found, very understated. All painstakingly embroidered too. £20 + P&P

In the centre is a little buttercup brooch, with a flower, a bud and a leaf. Small and cute! £5 + P&P

I'm currently working on a bright orange marigold - would have finished it last night if not for passing out in front of the tv and waking at 11.30 with my needle still in my hand! I also have to frame 5 paintings this week ready for a local exhibition at the weekend - more on that later. I loathe framing, but it's a darn sight cheaper than sending them off to be done at a shop - five would be beyond my means at the moment! So I've taught myself how to cut a proper mount and how not to drop kick the lot across the room when I've taken an hour to frame and seal a painting only to discover a dog hair smack bang in the middle under the glass......

Daisy-Chain

Which one of you doesn't remember when you were small and summers seemed endless, sitting on the grass in the sunshine making daisy-chain necklaces, bracelets, and circlets then decking yourself out like Titania? Even now as a 40-something adult I still love making daisy-chains and think they are the simplest and prettiest of adornments. It always shocks me in my job at an infant school how few children have been shown how to do this and it gives me great pleasure to see their faces when they learn and can make themselves such finery - for an hour at least until the blooms wilt!

So a while back when I made a little daisy as a decoration for a teddy, I was so taken with the idea I decided to see if I could expand it into jewellery. First there was a brooch, which was lovely but not enough - it had to be a full-blown necklace. So after two solid 4 hour evenings of sewing, the above is the result. I love it!! Hope you do too - if you'd like it for your very own, it is £20 + p&p Be assured there will be more of this type of thing - after I've given my poor eyes a rest! SOLD!

Despite the Confusion....

It's a busy time at home, but I have still found the opportunity to get on with some crafting. The above is a very small knitted bear, made with pale blue baby yarn (thank you free stash!) on size 14 needles - there goes my eyesight.... She is in a (removeable) pink felt dress, embroidered with tiny blue flowers and a ribbon corsage. Looking for a home, £10 + P&P
This little chap already has a home and will be on his way there very shortly. It's a little felt dragon I made by way of a swap with Sybille at Magpie Magic. In return she has made me the most fantastic necklace with a marine theme (you know that is my weakness...) and I am so excited. You can have a look at it here, as well as the rest of Sybille's simply amazing jewellery.

And as the dragon will be going to Sybille's son, I thought she should have a little something for herself. The above is a felt daisy brooch, embroidered, and I am so pleased with it. Ever since making separate daisies for decorating a bear, I have thought about turning the idea into jewellery and am thrilled that it worked so well. There will be more in this style - if you would like something similar, let me know.

I have been working on a commission (not quite ready to show as need a couple of findings) and then got carried away making the above. It is a plethora (!) of glass leaves, flowers, AB beads and vintage brass charms - leaves and a humming bird - all hung on an antique-look chain. Very pretty when worn and produces the requisite tinkling noise as you move! £15 + P+P

Don't forget the 200th post giveaway - still waiting for more than two people to enter!