Fantastic Felt

Good Morning,
I hope that you are keeping warm, and are not covered in too much snow.

Last week I was lucky enough to have space at a felt making workshop.  It was run by a lovely lady called Jo Polack and was held at the Ecopark, on the north coast of Cornwall.

I always look at different courses and classes and think wow I would like to that one or that one, but never get round to actually booking a place, but this time I thought  would actually do one of these brilliant courses that Jo runs.

Come prepared to get wet was what the email read...... we are talking about the middle of winter in Cornwall, getting wet is not something high up on my list of to do things!

Also I was nervous about meeting new people, what sort of people would sign up to a felt making workshop?  There were eight of us, a real miss match of people.  We were given an introduction to the art of felt making, where it originated from and the type of people that made it.  Apparently when they made felt to cover houses it was dragged behind horses to felt the wool, so that it was extremely thick and durable.

As you can see we were set up with our own individual tables, complete with net curtain, bubble wrap, towel, length of dowel and a carrier bag, it felt like being at play school.

We started by selecting our lengths of merino tops,

 and then laid them in three layers, one layer horizontally, the next vertically and the final layer horizontal, this was to ensure that when we started agitating the fibres that they would mesh together.  Whoever thought that felt making was easy have obviously not tried it.  It was like having an aerobics session.

This picture shows our small squares of felt hanging in front of the fire to dry, as you can see we all chose some amazing colours (would be lovely to make a rug of all different squares of brightly coloured felt).

When we had mastered the art of making a small felt square we were allowed to be adventurous and make a wall hanging.  I decided to make a hanging of grass, sky and some blue flowers.  This was definitely harder than making the small square, but so worth it, to be able to lay out your fibres to make a picture and then by the felting process produce a picture (that was surprisingly recognisable) was amazing.

This was such a fantastic day, it was run on the Sunday as well as the Saturday, but I could only afford one of the days, but I will definitely do another another course with Jo in the future, and I really recommend felt making to anyone.

Thank you for stopping by.
take care xxxxxxxxx

Making the best of a bad blind!

Well good evening,

Since moving into my new home I have been painting walls and generally making it personal to me.  Yesterday I decided that I needed to address the issue of my tiny, bland bathroom.  As I have mentioned before I live in a caravan so space is an issue and decoration can be quite boring.  Also being a caravan some of the walls are covered in shiny un-paintable material.

The bathroom has a small window with a small pale yellow blind, as the blind has been rolled up for a period of time prior to me moving in, the bottom of it was marked with mildew (not nice) and rather than get a new blind, I thought I would have a go at using various fabric to create a scene on it to cover the offending marks.

I have bought some 'modge podge', which is fantstic for sticking all manner of things, I had never used it before but my sister Colette of 'Poppy Cottage' told me that I should try it.  Wow, it is brilliant, why oh why had I never used it before.

So therefore I sat cross legged on the floor and started marking out a design, sorting and cutting fabric.
I had decided on a coastal scene of a lighthouse on some rocks with the sea in front, but you know what it is like when you have an idea in your head but are not entirely sure how to set it out.

I was so pleased with the variety of blues that I chose, these were fat quarters that I got when I took my sister to the hospital the other week.  I still have loads of fabric left, so I will have to think of another idea to use them for, or I may just keep them for a while.

The various colours were amazing, it was difficult to try and pick the most appropriate ones that would look like the items they were supposed to predict.

The picture below shows how how I was trying to set it out, I laid it all out, then panicked when I realised that  I would have lift the pieces up to stick them down. I managed to get Modge Podge everywhere, I can now vouch for the fact that it dries out the skin on your fingers.

I was pleased with how the material I had chosen for the rocks looked when set out, though there was a little artistic licence on using peacock material for rocks.

I was really pleased with the birds, the material was so beautiful I seemed to go overboard on the amount of them that I included.

                                       

The finnished blind is now dry and up at the window of the bathroom, it is so lovely, I am so pleased with it that I don't want to roll it up, do you think I could get away with leaving it down?

Well all for now, thanks for stopping by to my little corner of blogland.
Take care
xxxx

Walking on the beach

Good evening,

Yesterday I decided to make the most of the unexpected sunshine, I had worked a night shift the night before grabbed some sleep and woke up to the most amazing sunny day.  You know the type of day where you have the overwhelming desire to be in the outside world.

I am so lucky to live just up road from the beach.

The sea was such an amazing blue, almost lilac in colour, luckily I had bought my camera with me and couldn't resist taking some photos.  I just wish that  I hadn't had to sleep and miss half the day, I am so grateful for days like this days when you want to just sit, do nothing but watch.

For once I didn't beach comb, just wandered along in awe of the day.

Perfect sea, perfect sky.  Do I sound daft? Sorry if I do it is just that I found the day so perfect.

Heart shaped pebble just sitting there minding its own business.

I couldn't resist taking this photo, it doesn't make any sense other than it made me smile.

What do you think of the wellies? My ordinary ones had sprung a leak, and my friend Alice was going to the local agricultural store and offered to pick me up some wellies.  This was her take on the 'what wellies do you want? And me saying it doesn't matter as long as they fit'.  Mmmmmm well at least you can see me coming.

The sun was going down as I walked back to the car, I had enjoyed my little walk so much, and it seemed so sad that  the sun had to set.

Any way all for now, I just wanted to share this little view of Cornwall.
Take care, thank you for stopping by.
xx

Christmas Time

Hello,

I managed to be in Dorset for part of Christmas Day, but then had to travel back to Cornwall that  evening as I had to be at work at 8am on Boxing Day.  I had been buying and making lots of things to put into Rose's 'pillow case', notice the little clip in the hair of Rose, I wonder how long that  will stay in?

I had the idea of making Rose some building blocks, and seeing if I could crochet the covers for them.  On one of my trips up to see Ashley Ray and Rose, we had popped into C&H ( a lovely shop with lots of yarns, material and craft materials to name just some of the things they sell), and Rose and I decided on the colours. I think that  they work well together, well Rose seems to agree.

Hair clip still in place, and finding her foot extremely interesting.

Rose is definitely going to be a star, well I think she is already, but then again I am biased.

It was lovely to be able to see everyone that I love and hold dear to me, and have lots of cuddles with a special young lady.

Thank you for stopping by,
Take care xx

Flying visit to Chichester

Good evening,
Well last week I got the train up to see Ashley Ray and Rose, sometimes I fly up, but at this time of year the cost of flights tends to be a little steep, so therefore I took the train option, as it takes so long it is a good time to catch up with some Christmas WIP's.

It seems so long since I had seen them all, and Rose is growing so quickly, she has gone from being a little baby to a proper little girl.  The problem with living so far away is that I cannot just 'pop' in for a coffee and catch up.  I couldn't resist plonking my hat on Rose, she did look cute, and not quite like 'Frank Spencer'.

Rose has decided that  she wanted to be part of the Iphone generation, though she seems to be more taken with the Cath Kidson cover than the actual phone.  Talk about starting young with the 'can I have a mobile phone Mum!'.

                                               

While I was visiting we took a walk down to the park and Rose loved being pushed on the swing, with big smiles on her face.

While I was there Ashley managed to finnish one of her Christmas presents, sort out Rose's clothes into age groups and also to plant all her bulbs for the spring.  While Ashley was in the garden I got the chance to give Rose her lunch, she found it highly amusing to throw things on the floor from her highchair, giving the biggest smile as if to say 'look what  I can do'.

I cannot wait for Christmas day to seem them again, and I have done Rose her first 'Christmas pillowcase', as this is something I have always done for Ashley (she still gets one now) and it is a tradition that I wanted to continue for Rose.  By the way the pillowcase is full of presents (like a stocking, if you get my drift).


Oh well all for now
Thanks for stopping by xx

The move!

Good evening, and huge apologies for the huge gap in blog entries.

Since moving to Cornwall, I have moved three times, which is not that much of a big thing apart from when you consider that I have only been here less than two years.  The thing with moving is that  it involves huge changes, they do say that  one of the most stressful things in life is moving house, I seem to be a glutton for punishment.  

When I moved to Cornwall I moved into a lovely little cottage right on the harbour, and thought that I would have been there for a long time, but the lady who owned the cottage decided that she wanted to move back in for a while, while work was being done to the next door property.  I couldn't believe it, my little cottage was so perfect and couldn't believe that I had to move, and also where would I move?



As mentioned in previous posts I have a delinquent pony called Copper who was totally settled where she was, so therefore the search for another property close to where she is stabled was commenced.  The only property that was available was more expensive, but I thought well, I will take it even if it is only for six months.  The only snag was that the owner of the cottage lived directly behind the cottage, so it was a little like being in the big brother house, or a goldfish bowl.

I started looking again for somewhere else to live that was more affordable, and this resulted in relocating to a mobile home, I worried at first as to 'what  had I done', but I can honestly say that this is the best thing that I could have done, I have a definate feeling of being 'settled'.

This was the morning of the move the the little Tin Cottage, organised chaos, but once I has packed everything, at least I could relax.

My sister came to visit for a few days, which was lovely as I don't see enough of her, and we got to watch several DVD's and do lots of craft type stuff.  Colette said she felt very lazy sitting down during the day.  But as I said to her, this visit was about her having some time 'out'.

This picture was taken by her one morning, and this is half a mile down the road from my little Tin Cottage, quite a spectacular view don't you think? (I was sneaky and pinched the photo from her blog - sorry Colette).



I have named my new home the 'Little Tin Cottage', and she is situated on a farm, and I have six chickens that seem to have taken up residence under the caravan, and can even be cheeky enough to wander in.  It is disconcerting when you go into the bathroom, and find that one of the chickens has sneaked in and is watching you!

The photo below is rather messy, but as you can see it is mid craft session as Christmas is approaching.  I am doing the classic for my family, in having so much on the go that I cannot seem to actually finnish anything!

I will have to put some better pictures of my new little home on here, but haven't got any to hand at the moment.

This is the view out of one of the lounge windows, totally peaceful, very restful environment.

Now you have to use your imagination with this one, as this is my garden, with the decking all ready to be put up.  I am going to plant lots and lots of bulbs, so the garden is a mass of colour in the spring.

Sometimes you just have to treat yourself, and while I was in the supermarket I spotted these carnations in the reduced bin, they are so bright and cheerful and brighten up the most dull of days.  Considering they were in the reduced bin, they are still going strong over a week later.

Oh well all for now, thank you for stopping by to my little corner of Cornwall

xxxx

Granny Square Cushion

Good afternoon,

I have been thinking about making a granny square cushion for a while but have had so many things on the go that I never seemed to get round to it.  But the other day I thought I would make a start on it, I wasnt sure what colours to use, do I go for pastels or something a little brighter.  As I has a lot of Stylecraft yarn in various amounts I thought I would go for a little randomness.  I wanted it to be bright but not so bright that you would need to pick up a pair of sunglasses to look at it. 

As I have been working nights this week it seemed an ideal opportunity to get on with making lots of little granny squares.  The squares were easy to do, but I still struggle with the whole joining on the go thing, sometimes I get it right and sometimes they end up all bunched up, I think the term is less haste more speed!!!  

Once I had finished all the granny squares I had the task of deciding which colour to use as the background for joining them all together.  I couldn't make a decision between the beige or the olive green, but after much thought I went for the beige........ and I think I made the right choice as the beige sets off the colours of the granny squares really well.

Below is the picture of the first two squares joined together, this is always the easy bit, it is when you have to add another one into the mix that I tend to get confused.

Well, eventually I succeeded in joining all squares together.  I wanted to have a contrasting colour for the back of the cushion, and settled on a rich red, for the large granny square, the only trouble was that I ran out of red before I reached the end...... don't you hate it when that happens, so for the last few rounds I used some more of the beige, but also used the olive green.

And there you have it, my first granny square cushion, and I can honestly say that I am really chuffed with it and it now has pride of place on the sofa.

Oh well, thanks for stopping by for my ramble of the day.
Take care
xxxxx