A carpet of mauve crocus at Kew. Delightful.
A blog lady gathering in my kitchen. Inspiring.
A famous line-up of dolls. Exciting.
A stack of pretty fabrics to play with. Satisfying.
All these things add to my Zen.
Saturday, 9 March 2013
Friday, 1 March 2013
The Red Nose Day Dolls ...
You may already be aware of the fabulous Red Nose Day Doll project that is the brainchild of Emma Mitchell and Ros Badger. It is a collaborative craft project in which I am thrilled to be part of and all for one of my favourite fundraisers - Comic Relief.
You can read my blog post about the quilt I made for Mac here.
The dolls are going to auctioned on eBay from 7th March 2013. If you'd like to donate to the project you can here.
You can read all about the Dolls on their very own blog or follow them on Twitter or Facebook.
Wednesday, 6 February 2013
Signs of spring ...
I had a much anticipated walk around Kew Gardens today with the lovely Kristina - I even remembered my 'big' camera! I'd forgotten how much it dislikes the chilly wind that was blowing all the delicate winter flowers around though and so, sadly, many of my {blurry} photos have disappeared into the recycling bin *sigh*.
Wrapped up in untold layers, and with coffee and cake in our tummies, we braved the cold, cold wind and grey skies.
I find it so cheering to see the emergence of the first signs of spring. My own garden is beginning to tease me with its new growth too. My last remaining patch of snowdrops is very thin on the ground as it seems to have established itself bang slap in the middle of a well-used doggy pathway beneath the big conifers.
Winter aconites are one of the first things to meet the challenge of the low temperatures of winter and early spring and I feared I had lost the few I had in my front garden, but today I spotted a solitary yellow bud and so I am hoping that mine are just extending their hibernation and getting up late. At Kew, however, there were lots of cheerful little clumps dotted around.
Swaying bravely in the wind, Kew's hellebores were the main casualty in the photography department today and this lovely lime green one was the best of a {very bad} lot. How I love them - a complete work of botanic art.
A new-to-me plant that is fast becoming a necessity somewhere in my garden, is witch hazel. I've absolutely no idea why they have been off my radar all these years of gardening. I adore the slightly scruffy flowers. This gorgeous yellow one caught my eye immediately so I can imagine what a focal point one will create if I planted one in the border at the back of my garden.
I love all the spring bulbs and cannot wait for my own garden to burst into colour over the coming months. I know for certain it is the anticipation of my tulips, narcissi, anemones and alliums that will get me through February now. There are signs of spring all around.
Wrapped up in untold layers, and with coffee and cake in our tummies, we braved the cold, cold wind and grey skies.
I find it so cheering to see the emergence of the first signs of spring. My own garden is beginning to tease me with its new growth too. My last remaining patch of snowdrops is very thin on the ground as it seems to have established itself bang slap in the middle of a well-used doggy pathway beneath the big conifers.
Winter aconites are one of the first things to meet the challenge of the low temperatures of winter and early spring and I feared I had lost the few I had in my front garden, but today I spotted a solitary yellow bud and so I am hoping that mine are just extending their hibernation and getting up late. At Kew, however, there were lots of cheerful little clumps dotted around.
Swaying bravely in the wind, Kew's hellebores were the main casualty in the photography department today and this lovely lime green one was the best of a {very bad} lot. How I love them - a complete work of botanic art.
A new-to-me plant that is fast becoming a necessity somewhere in my garden, is witch hazel. I've absolutely no idea why they have been off my radar all these years of gardening. I adore the slightly scruffy flowers. This gorgeous yellow one caught my eye immediately so I can imagine what a focal point one will create if I planted one in the border at the back of my garden.
I love all the spring bulbs and cannot wait for my own garden to burst into colour over the coming months. I know for certain it is the anticipation of my tulips, narcissi, anemones and alliums that will get me through February now. There are signs of spring all around.
Friday, 1 February 2013
feather your nest ...
I didn't mean to leave it quite so long to make my little announcement over here on the blog so here goes:
Do you see that little shop widget over there --->
(Perhaps not, I guess, if you're reading on Reader or your mobile device, you'll have to take my word for it!)
Having an Etsy shop is a project I have been thinking about for a very long time; a project that I have been working on for quite a long time; and finally, after all that time, have had the confidence to open up its doors.
After much procrastination I found that, along with some amazingly supportive friends, the Universe sent me a couple of gentle prods to set the ball rolling. I pinned the above picture just recently as I believe this to be very true of me. I cannot help making things and I'm certainly not happy if I am unable to make things.
But who knew that there would quite so many things to think about in opening up an Etsy shop? The actual making of the things I wanted to sell was the easy bit - I've had to think about mail bags and wrapping, postage costs, what I wanted to be a strong point for selling my wares. Many, many details that have kept me awake at night.
Then there was the actual name of the shop itself. 'feather your nest' was always my first choice but after trying to get past the first page of the Etsy template, I realised it wasn't very original. Other names were toyed with but there was always a negative comment when I was trying them out on people to get some feedback that really put me off and so I always found myself back at my first idea. Hence the numbers on the actual web address, which aren't ideal but I can live with it!
The biggest hurdle I had to overcome was one of pricing. It is a minefield and then serendipity handed me the thing I needed to read. Arounna sums it up perfectly in this blog post. I read it, digested it and it was the final thing my confidence needed to hit the 'open shop' button.
It feels good to have a direction to take my creative sewing in and I'm looking forward to becoming part of the Etsy community. I'd love for you to have a wander through and let me know what you think. I'm happy to do custom orders too so if there is something that you like but maybe have your own ideas or colours, then I can make it happen for you!
Do you see that little shop widget over there --->
(Perhaps not, I guess, if you're reading on Reader or your mobile device, you'll have to take my word for it!)
Having an Etsy shop is a project I have been thinking about for a very long time; a project that I have been working on for quite a long time; and finally, after all that time, have had the confidence to open up its doors.
After much procrastination I found that, along with some amazingly supportive friends, the Universe sent me a couple of gentle prods to set the ball rolling. I pinned the above picture just recently as I believe this to be very true of me. I cannot help making things and I'm certainly not happy if I am unable to make things.
But who knew that there would quite so many things to think about in opening up an Etsy shop? The actual making of the things I wanted to sell was the easy bit - I've had to think about mail bags and wrapping, postage costs, what I wanted to be a strong point for selling my wares. Many, many details that have kept me awake at night.
Then there was the actual name of the shop itself. 'feather your nest' was always my first choice but after trying to get past the first page of the Etsy template, I realised it wasn't very original. Other names were toyed with but there was always a negative comment when I was trying them out on people to get some feedback that really put me off and so I always found myself back at my first idea. Hence the numbers on the actual web address, which aren't ideal but I can live with it!
The biggest hurdle I had to overcome was one of pricing. It is a minefield and then serendipity handed me the thing I needed to read. Arounna sums it up perfectly in this blog post. I read it, digested it and it was the final thing my confidence needed to hit the 'open shop' button.
It feels good to have a direction to take my creative sewing in and I'm looking forward to becoming part of the Etsy community. I'd love for you to have a wander through and let me know what you think. I'm happy to do custom orders too so if there is something that you like but maybe have your own ideas or colours, then I can make it happen for you!
Sunday, 27 January 2013
In the post ...
I love receiving things in the post and this week has been an excellent one for making me rush to the doormat every time I hear the thump of something falling on to it. Or sometimes, more often in the middle of the day, the doorbell rings and there is a terrified delivery person, shaking at the intense barking that ensues every time it rings, ready to hand over something wonderfully anticipated.
I have Belinda to thank for the introduction of this satchel to my collection of bags. I spent many hours browsing the options in terms of colour, style and size and finally opted for this gorgeous metallic version. I'm not a shoe girl, but am definitely a bag girl (not bag lady!).
Next up were some of Celia's amazing Not just for Valentine's Day cards. My plan for these is to frame them and hang them somewhere prominent in the house. I absolutely love Celia's work and so, for me, this is a great way to be able to own some.
Just as satisfying as receiving things in the post, is making up little parcels to send out to others. I have finished my final block in the #twitknit scarf swap I have been taking part in. Not all my blocks needed blocking, but this one most definitely did to show off the pattern.
It seems like a little sprinkle of magic happens when you use some pins, a water sprayer and a smidgeon of patience.
I'm hoping that making trips to the post office to make such deliveries is going to become a regular happening soon as the last package to have fallen on my mat this week is very exciting (at least, to me) and after a bit tweaking here and there over the next day or two I will be unveiling a little project that I have been working on recently. I've been dropping hints over on Twitter so it's not exactly a secret if you follow me there ...
Sorry for terrible grainy phone photo, but I was just a tad excited and had to take an immediate photo!
I have Belinda to thank for the introduction of this satchel to my collection of bags. I spent many hours browsing the options in terms of colour, style and size and finally opted for this gorgeous metallic version. I'm not a shoe girl, but am definitely a bag girl (not bag lady!).
Next up were some of Celia's amazing Not just for Valentine's Day cards. My plan for these is to frame them and hang them somewhere prominent in the house. I absolutely love Celia's work and so, for me, this is a great way to be able to own some.
Just as satisfying as receiving things in the post, is making up little parcels to send out to others. I have finished my final block in the #twitknit scarf swap I have been taking part in. Not all my blocks needed blocking, but this one most definitely did to show off the pattern.
It seems like a little sprinkle of magic happens when you use some pins, a water sprayer and a smidgeon of patience.
I'm hoping that making trips to the post office to make such deliveries is going to become a regular happening soon as the last package to have fallen on my mat this week is very exciting (at least, to me) and after a bit tweaking here and there over the next day or two I will be unveiling a little project that I have been working on recently. I've been dropping hints over on Twitter so it's not exactly a secret if you follow me there ...
Sorry for terrible grainy phone photo, but I was just a tad excited and had to take an immediate photo!
Thursday, 24 January 2013
For the love of moss stitch...
Now that the snow is melting, I finally cast off the scarf I have been making for the last few weeks. It's nothing fancy, just a beautiful, hand-painted yarn that required no amount of fancy stitches to show it off (I chose the Blue Bell colour way). I've always loved Julie's palest blue moss stitch scarf that has graced her neck over many a cup of coffee we've shared and so I have shameless replicated something similar.
I had no pattern (none was needed, it is that simple), I just cast on 22 stitches and used up two skeins of yarn. I didn't even wind the skeins, I just hooked them over the handle of my knitting basket and prayed that they wouldn't tangle up into something horrific while I wasn't looking (they didn't).
I can't quite make up my mind whether or not my photos are actually out of focus slightly or the soft fuzziness of the yarn is just doing its thing.
No matter, I intend to wrap myself up with later when I head out to the post office with another piece of knitted goodness that is another blog post in itself.
Stay warm!
Thursday, 17 January 2013
Right now ...
- I am facing the fear and cutting out curves.
- Making little piles as part of a very methodical sewing project.
- Enjoying piles of newly delivered fabric for another project.
- Smiling at my stripy, new ironing board cover.
- Drinking too much coffee.
- Bracing myself for the possibility of more snow.
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