I love snow

I love the quiet falling snow. Holding the ground.
Here kissing snowflakes anchor the loose scrims and linens                                                                                                           

Fairy light rosehips on the Rambling Rector.

I found this fabulously quirky fabric in a shop in Shrewsbury which was crying out for cushions. Et voila!

Autumn Stitching

a watery pinkish sun struggles to erase the November frost

the last apple falls

whilst the crab apple glows in its Autumn pride.

The threads and fabrics in the picture I won in a Blog Giveaway hosted by Carolyn Saxby at Love Stitching Red.

 I love her site, I love her fabrics 

and I love that the package arrived on my birthday!

A Tale Of Two Cities

Yesterday I visited two cities. I felt like a Japanese tourist on speed. My husband had a business meeting in London which was cancelled so I had his train ticket. First I got off in Birmingham and had a quick survey of the Rag Market and a couple of Christmas pressie purchases in The Bull Ring Shopping Centre.

Birmingham has changed such a lot since I was a child. It has everything you need in a big city including the fabulous Selfridges building which looks like it's got CDs stuck all over it! It's like a design museum inside too - wonderful for browsing.

Then I lept on to a passing train and nipped into Covent Garden, London for a wonder. I do miss living in London in lots of ways but on the other hand I don't think I could keep up the pace I used to have as a musician there any more. The congestion charge, where vehicles have to pay a sustantial fee to drive in Central London, has certainly eased the traffic where I went yesterday and the fumes are much diminished.

It was lovely to see the lights and decorations in the shops but I feel a bit Christmassed out today!

Had a bit of therapy on the train in the shape of a little sewing for a Christmas card, a very nice huge turkey sandwich, some strong coffee and about a pint of free red wine. No wonder hubby's never hungry when he's been to a London meeting!

Today is the first day of the holidays for my oldest child - I shall entertain him by going to get new school shoes for next term (beat the rush) and helping me in Sainsbury's (can't make it too nice because number two child hasn't finished term yet....).

However I shall have to make time to sit and have a read of my new book bought for me by my friend Catie as a belated birthday present (no I'm not rubbing in the belated bit Catie!). "The Painted Quilt" by Laura and Linda Kemshall. It just looks divine.

Autumnal Stitching

It's been a lovely sunny Autumn weekend but tonight's wind is fetching the leaves off the trees and winter is looming.

Here are a few Halloween stitchings that are in the kitchen! I'm sure people must think I'm a part time witch.

Do you think it could be that one's favourite time of year can reflect when one was born? My birthday is in early November and the oranges of this time of year are so appealing to me.

We all supposedly have birth stones...have you ever thought about what your birth vegetable might be? Mine is definitely a pumpkin!

My daughter has just turned seven and started cross stitching today. JOY! She suggested that we turn the playroom into a sewing room. Picture nine year old son's eyes rolling heavenward (like father, like son).

She suggests we have a few friends over to sew, chat and have cake. My, my this girl is shaping up!

Janome or Bernina... that is the question

May be getting a new sewing machine for Christmas. Tried out Janome Memorycraft 6600 today and a Bernina 440QE. Still can't decide. Ideas, suggestions anyone?

Autumn days

It's a fabulous Autumn day and I have just enjoyed trimming a long lavender hedge in the garden - the smell was wonderful. All the clippings have gone in the compost so even that is fragrant!

Am a bit depressed though because my sewing machine has gone on strike as far as free machining goes so have just done the smoke on these trees by hand and they turned out quite nice really! It'll make a ditsy cushion.
Yesterday at Westhope I started this felt background for stitching at a later date and I've finished it for now. I NEED my machine to work. How frustrating. Well perhaps it will make me do a bit more gardening!






At Westhope a fellow student has been Kelly who makes fabulous roving and synthetic dreads and sells them online all over the world. Here she is and here's a link to her website http://www.thecutealternative.co.uk/










All of us have had fun felting over the 4 week course and here are some examples of what we have been taught by Stevie Walker the tutor.





The gardens are lovely there too and are a joy at lunchtime.

How I Felt

I felt potty and made my first 3D felt vessel. I am so pleased with it. The unpredictability of felt making is fun but using these autumnul colours in merino fleece created a lovely pomegranite like object - or is it a seed head? Well it doesn't matter but my furry pot is very tactile, smells nicely of Body Shop Olive Oil soap, which the wool was rubbed with, and is awaiting stitching I think...but then again it's nice as it is. Decisions, decisions.

I just find it amazing that seemless pots like this, bags, purses, animals etc can be made entirely by hand-rubbing sheeps fleece. I'm ready for more!

Here are some images at Westhope yesterday. It's an inspirational place for taking the felt-making course with tutor Stevie Walker. There's a fabulous walled kitchen garden hidden away in the grounds which is perfect for a peaceful lunch break and to rest those weary felt-making arms!

On the way home I drove along Wenlock Edge in the golden sunshine of a late Autumn afternoon and then had some butternut squash, onions, garlic, beetroot and tomatoes from the allotment roasted with lamb and rosemary. How much more seasonal can I get! Can you tell it's my favourite time of year?

Where it all begins

Today is the beginning of the rest of my life...well, OK, isn't it always? This blog is really a personal diary of discoveries, ideas and general loveliness.

You could say I am mercurial, chameleon like or just a damn slippery fish, but I like to keep evolving. I have moved from musician and teacher, to homeopath and am now on a new journey into art, textiles, sewing and quilting.

This will be the story. I don't know yet where it will take me...