Colouring the Days

Yesterday I felt compelled to rush out and fill my house with blooms.  I don't usually spend too much on flowers, and will often pick up a little bunch of daffodils for a pound or so and be content to look at their sunny yellow heads.  But yesterday, overcome by a sudden need for colour, I went out and treated myself to a veritable armload of the things and plopped them in jam jars and vases around my house.

Candy pink tulips, indigo irises and a starburst posy of tiny, sweet scented narcissi.

I know it seems frivolous, but the satisfaction that these colourful visitors are bringing me is magnified and deep seated each time I see them.

Determined to make this a week of colour (to counteract the overcast behaviour of the weather) I also found myself some new threads...

Now I'm quite excited about these; you see I'm planning on making a necklace, but before I could start, I needed to unravel the rainbow skeins and instead of creating tiny balls from which to crochet from, I took inspiration from Pinterest here and did this:

 

Old style wooden pegs are the best thing ever for looking after your skeins of floss and embroidery threads.  I got very excited when I first saw that picture on Pinterest and was determined to do it myself.  

 

I shall share more about my necklace project with you soon!

In the meantime, we have been enjoying a snow laden weekend here...

Much fun was to be had out sledging, making snow angels and snowmen before retreating inside my Mum's cottage to be handed big steaming mugs of hot coffee and cookies.  I took mine outside, and went for a wander.  I do like how snow makes everything look so effortlessly beautiful.

  

 The seedheads looked particularly beautiful against the white snowy ground, and a recent vapour trail looked ever so much like a pretty garland against that bright, azure blue sky...

I must confess to liking being indoors at the moment though.  I like my cosy house and all it's homely corners and I'm slowly getting used to the fact that I have all this extra time on my hands now my Small is off being busy at school.  There are often too many hours in my day, but gradually I am fillling them with nice homely type things, such as tea drinking, crochet or like today, a spot of baking.  There is nothing more comforting to the soul than to have the aroma of baking in the house on a snowy day.

Todays bake was oaty cookies, enhanced with a generous scoop of chopped brazils and juicy sultanas.  I've already consumed three, and am tempted by a fourth...

On the arty front, I'm pootling about with my sketchbooks, contemplating a new painting and working on a couple of commissions here and there.  Here's one I recently finished, now safely in it's new home in Italy:

One last thing before I leave you (to dash into the kitchen to replenish my cookie plate) ~ a copy of Her Nashville came through the door just now.  Seeing it in 'real life' is all rather exciting I must say!

I hope you all have a lovely week, I'm so pleased you came to see me today!

Love Julia x x x

Things that make you go Mmmmmmm (or Oooooh or Aaaaahhhh)

Hello there

I have been knocked for six this last week with influenza - yucky nasty virus.  So today, as energy levels are still way below par I am sending you a post full of delicious things of the visual and edible kind. 

These cakes were a treat yesterday afternoon - taking advantage of the very warm February sunshine, I was coaxed out to Wentworth with my other half and daughter.  Tea and cakes under a bright blue sky on the verandah of the cafe was just the tonic - now that's what I call medicene!!

And Ohhhhhh would you look at those beautiful primroses? So very, very bright and spirit-lifting after so many of those dreary, colourless days we've had around here.

And more flowery lovliness - a little bunch of buttery yellow tulips - these have been glowing like sunshine on my table this last week and make me smile everytime I see them.

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm of the highest order here.  This is about as good as chocolate gets.  Have you ever tried Raw Chocolate?  No?  Well neither had I - and I decided to order some from my friend Kate Tregellas who is an artisan chocolatier based in North Devon.  I was curious to try it as the health properties are second to none.
They also taste pretty damn good too - Im so happy to have given raw a go and if you are curious, you can contact her directly by visiting her FB page for more details of the fabulous flavour creations she makes.  Hot off the press news, she is currently working on a divine Easter chocolate range!!!

Oooooooohhh!! Now what have we here?!!

In my last post you might remember that I fell swoonily in love with a certain crocheted waistcoat.  Well, a bit of investigating on the interweb brought up nothing...I was starting to wonder if this waistcoat actually existed so I got in touch with the company to ask about it.  My mole at CK tells me it is going to be launched at the end of March but I'm too impatient to be hanging around that long, so as you can see - I've been getting busy....

...making my very own Cath inspired waistcoat.  Now, I want to just clarify - this is going to be my Own Pattern - I'm not copying anything here folks.  I was very inspired by the colours of the original one in the magazine (which is what caught my eye in the first place) and have picked similar ones from the Rowan Handknit Cotton range (thinking cotton would be nice for summer).  I also thought it would be fun to design my first garment, something I haven't attempted yet apart from a scarf which doesn't count, as it's just a long rectangle.


I have already started one of the front panels as you can see, and it's going really well.  I will of course do my best to work out an understandable pattern for you in due course, but when it comes to things like this, I tend to just launch head on into it with the idea in my head and hope for the best.  But I will do one, I promise.


I'm working it in a cluster stitch.  I tried a sample of granny stripe as I originally thought that would look good but afterwards I didn't think it suited the look of a waistcoat.

Although I do love the granny stripe - can I feel a blanket coming on?? No, no...I must stop tormenting myself like this!

Well that's it from me - I'm feeling in need of a cuppa - got to keep those energy levels ticking over, and a slice of that Raw Chocolate might be necessary too...Ooh, just before I go, many thanks to all of you for the kind comments you left on my last post about the Oyster Catcher textile art work.  Thanks also to all of you who stop by and visit my little world and read my ramblings, it's so very nice that you do.


Sending you sun~filled days and things that make you smile.


Love Julia x

Lovliness

How exciting!! I was given an award today by Suzy's Vintage Attic! Big happy smiles :D

And more smily moments followed when I saw the faces of these gorgeous violas beaming up at me - we have had a few days of people being unwell in our house (including me) ~ all sorts of tummy upset and runny nose things going on so it was uplifting to see these on my little meander around the garden this morning after being cooped up indoors for the last 2 days.

I wandered down by the river at the bottom of our little garden and along the scruffy path that runs along the side of the river and discovered that the daffodils there are now blooming beautifully! Their big yellow heads are a lovely contrast against the dark peaty water and rich green stems! Oh I love spring time! I feel so much better for all this flowery lovliness! You may notice that the picture is a little skewed (that tree doesn't really grow on such a strange angle)...well so was I as I leant precariously off the bank side to try and get the flowers in shot! The lengths I go to for a photograph!! :)

Another thing also happened to cheer me up, and that was the arrival of some new wool which is to be added to the stash for summer garden blanket squares...Im on 22 now, only a hundred or so to go I think, but I do love the quiet methodical nature of crochet, I enjoy how it relaxes and makes everything alright again, its a soothing thing for me.

Its all lovely and quiet here now, the other half is back at work after a day in bed, and little one sleeps peacefully upstairs...I can feel another cuppa coming on, and my fingers are itching to put those new wool shades to work!

See you soon!

Sending you tiny posies and peaceful moments today

J x

Spring Posies

My evenings of late have been spent with my wool stash and crochet hook, creating these little corsages. What started out as an idle way to pass an hour or so (without having to think too much about anything in particular) led to a bit of a minor obsession.

I am to be found making excuses to visit much loved wool emporiums whenever the chance arises, losing myself for several hours in colours and textures that leave me in raptures! I know mere mortals will think I am beyond help, but fellow crafters and crocheters will nod in a deeply understanding manner.

I feel all this might be because March is upon us, and spring is busily springing up all over the garden whch has led to this burst of inspiration, this veritable love affair with crocheted little buds and posies. I am at the moment swooning over Rowan colour charts as I contemplate a blanket...oh yes, Im serious about this!! Anyway, you can find these little bunches of colourful deliciousness currently in my etsy shop!

Its a nice departure from painting, to have a crafting side from which to create as well. This Friday I am hoping to begin a new painting which I will share with you along the way - its one of the paintings Im hoping will be picked for the show, so Im keen to get started with it.

Im also keen for a break, a change of scenery! Its known to do one good isnt it, so Ive decided,I need a trip to the seaside soon, the kind of day trip that involves fish and chips, icecream and walks on gusty beaches...its been too long. Perhaps I shall bring it up in conversation this evening, there is only so much inland dwelling I can stand before I have to have my fix!

Im also searching for a picnic basket, the traditional wicker kind to take on these excursions, full of delightful old napkins, plastic plates and tasty treats - we have a toddler so the nice china stuff will have to wait 'til she has grown out of crashing absent mindedly across the picnic blanket and demolishing the perfect 'Country Living' scene :-)

So much to do....but what lovely things they are indeed!