Oh Felty Christmas Tree!

Hello!

I couldn't resist popping in today to share this little tree decoration we made with you all.

This morning, Little Bean woke up full of cold, coughing and spluttering so nursery was cancelled.  Dosed up with Calpol, the temperature subsided, and energy levels seemed to return to normal!!  Quickly bored, I decided that we ought to make the most of the wild squally weather and make something festive (I know, I know, it's only November...)  Anyway!!! We came up with this, I have seen something similar in shops, and wondered if we could make our own with a stash of gorgeous thick felt (purchased last year from the delightful Blooming Felt - highly recommended for great quality felt goodies and smashing customer service).

(the stash)

SO! Without further ado, Little Helper was settled at the table and drew a template from a ramekin on a piece of card.

Grown up Helper then proceeded to cut a circle out, drawing around it onto the felt, before slightly decreasing the size of the cardboard circle and continuing...I probably should have used a compass for a perfect circle, but we went freehand, and to be honest, I kind of like the wobbly hand made effect it gives!!!

(drawing ever decreasing circle templates...)

After a while of drawing and cutting, we had a suitable pile of felt discs that made a rough Christmas tree shape.  Oh, and we also cut out a star for the top.

Next thing we needed was a little stumpy trunk for the base of the tree.  We did this by cutting a long slim rectangle of pale fawn felt, rolling it up and sewing the edge to the main part of the roll...

After securing the sewn edge with a knot, I then neatly weedled the needle through the 'trunk' popping it out at the opposite end in the centre.  This is where we would begin to join our discs.

Between sniffles, the Little Bean had a fabulous time with a blunt needle, sewing through the dots I'd drawn onto the felt to help her.  She was most excited to be using a Big Persons Needle for the very first time, and I must say, she did an excellent job!

I finished the tree off by sewing up through the star - this felt is very thick so it was easy to do this, I then made a small knot to secure and left a length of cotton so we could hang our tree up!

I'm now debating raiding the daughter's Mister Maker box for some tiny rainbow coloured pom-poms to use as baubles, but I'm not sure...for now though, I think it looks grand!

I was really hoping to share pictures of my new painting today, but alas, with a little one in the house, working on a painting is impossible - however, I've been inspiring myself with my surroundings....

...and sketching seed heads regularly...I do love the sculptural silhouettes they create against a bright sky!

Leaving a painting is generally a good thing however, as I've learnt over time; it gives me space to look at it, see parts that need attention, or bits that need adding here and there.  For now though, Im happy with how it's progressed and am itching to get stuck in again!!

I'll share some more work in progress pics with you soon.

One more thing before I go...last week three lucky ladies were the first to comment on my Pay It Forward post...I have left comments on their blogs so I'm hoping they are aware of this, however if not, would you lovely souls named below please get in touch with your addresses, so I can mail a little something out to you in due course to keep the PIF love a-flowing!!

Twiglet (I think I have your address from before)

Lhia from The Rainbows Zen

Hello Gorgeous

Righty-ho!! That's it for me, I'm off to make a nice cup of lemon tea and a browse through my new mag (Country Homes & Interiors, its a lovely one this month!)

Sending love to you, Julia x x x

Pay It Forward (and a work in progress)

 Hello again!

Thank you for dropping in, I am a mite bit tired today, having only got six hours sleep under my belt but I was determined to do this post as it's going to involve gifts!

(my cheery red £1.00 gerbera sitting on my table ~ isn't it lovely?!)

I was up until almost midnight last night, reading a book I'd picked up recently in a charity shop by Carlos Ruiz Zafon, it's called The Angels Game, and I scared myself half witless with this dark, menacing story set in the tormented streets of Barcelona, but could I put it down???  Not a chance!  Anyway!! Come six o'clock this morning, I was wide awake as I heard the other half setting off for Peterborough and could NOT get back to sleep.  And the harder you try, the more sleep will evade you as you all probably know...and the reason I couldn't go back to sleep this morning was because an idea I'd had for a new painting crept into my conciousness...

Yesterday saw the idea beginning to take shape in my sketchbook...

This idea was born from the imagination, but sparked I think, from the inspiring farm and moorland scenery that surround our home; watching a line of sheep piling through a hole in a drystone wall whilst dry seedheads bobbed in front of me in a chilly breeze - an idea for a farmer, driving his sheep homeward, with his sheepdog dancing about up ahead began to take shape...welcoming lights of the farmhouse cottage spilling onto the ground in a fuzzy warm glow...the palest of pale suns, setting in a creamed apricot sky...

The original sketches had a sea view included, but since then, the work has evolved to be a purely rural piece...and I'm liking how it's taking shape.  I love sharing work in progress with you, so you can see how a painting transforms and changes during its production.  I wonder what you will think of it so far?  I've decided to call it 'Heading for Home' and here's the first glimpse!

Now...at the beginning of this post, I mentioned GIFTS.  Yes, that's right.  I was very, very lucky to be one of the first three people to comment on The Patchwork Heart's Blog way back in September which meant I became part of the Pay It Forward movement!!

This is a really blissful way of spreading a bit of Goodness in the world without expectation of anything in return...just giving for the sake of giving, to make the planet a bit more cheerier (and oh it works, it really does!!)

Yesterday afternoon, the postie rapped on the door and dropped a parcel into my hands.

I opened it up to find some beautifully wrapped gifts in blue tissue paper, secured with a red and white polka dot ribbon (forgive me, no pictures of this, far too excited was I to see what was inside!)

And inside dear people, were these generous presents that I love so very much, and which made me literally GLOW with happiness!

A beautiful gemstone heart, a gorgeously shabby chic heart to hang on a lonely, unadorned door, and the prettiest of needle books (which I've been wanting for an age!!)  Heather is so clever, and I can't tell you how delightful it is to receive a gift like this!  Thank you so much Heather!

If you would like to take part, then you need to be one of the first three people to leave me a comment on this post.  I will get in touch to ask you to send me your address, and in due course I will post a little something out to you!

The first three people then in turn, will send out a little goodness to three others and so the love and the happiness continues to spread around our little globe!

There is no time limit to this by the way, within the 365 days should be time enough!

Sending love to you, thank you for reading!

Julia x x x