Top Shop again!

Firstly, yes, I had to go back to Top Shop. The other day was just a reconnaissance, yesterday she had birthday money burning a hole in her purse, so back we went again. I was very good and tried very hard for her sake, you would have been proud of me!

I got up this morning and thought that her cards looked very nice on the dresser and seeing that jackie had posted about her china collection, I thought I would too! Pic quality rather bad I'm afraid, no excuse, just laziness to go back and retake. The dresser contents are a mish mash of chipped items picked up over the last 25 years. Everynow and again I fight the cluttered collector in me and have a sort and put stuff away....but eventually it returns, dusted off and put back up.

Holly ~ is taking an art course where I work and her final major has been on the theme of Japan. I have sneeked a couple of photos to show you from her sketch book. She has collected imagery of Japan and collaged. I'm really proud of what she has achieved.

Also on the theme of Holly. I have in the past uploaded pics of the contents of Holly's school bag which I think was a couple of years ago. Things have not improved with time. This is the contents of her College bag......ughhh. It never ceases to amaze, but that's the generation gap for you!

Persisting down

Text in a nice spring green today. And seeing that it is still persisting down. We all have a face as long as this last wet week :-) here, we need a nice cheery colour. Sorry to harp on about the weather, so boring.

Anyway. I have squirred myself away and got on with making lots of greetings cards using some of the 100s of buttons I have acquired. Don't know what it is but I can't get enough of them. I don't know why. Barking mad maybe???

Changing the subject rather dramatically......

It is my Holly's 17th birthday tomorrow. Yesterday I spent the day trailing round Top Shop like a little puppy dog but with a purse. Is it just me that hates going shopping with their daughters for clothes? Or any family member come to that???? I find it exhausting, irritating and expensive. Finding myself surrounded by skinny, young things , and to make matters worse, I catch a glimpse of myself, the old fat bird in the mirror, as we twist and turn around the hangers and it just makes the whole thing a lot worse!!!! I do insist though on sitting down somewhere half pleasant and having a very large skinny latte which helps to keep me going through adversity;-)

My friend on Flickr

My lovely friend Michelle Hutchings has joined the ranks of Flickr ~ go take a look at her work, it's stunning! michelle

Big hat ~ windy day!

Thought I would write in a nice cheery colour today to try and cheer anyone up from the UK who might just be visiting. Whit week and the weather is vile. I know, I know the Brits do nothing but talk about the weather...but!

Anyway, I just thought I would post the latest.......not really very sure about this one. I have used a piece of beautiful 1943 ledger paper, then I photocopied and cut out sewing pattern and then a piece of photocopied acetate (back of a postcard). It was a bit tricky embroidering through acetate, a few swear words thrown in here and there!!! Oh and the fabric is photocopied onto acetate too. Hope all this mumbo jumbo makes sense. Then of course it just would'nt be complete without the old button. Not quite sure what to do with it now, but it was a good experiment.

I have to start work towards a Fair soon, I have no stock, so I must get busy on making cards etc. to try and sell.

Thanks for calling by x

Thank you

A big thank you to gunnels . I now have to pass this on. This will be done soon!

A little concoction

Oh I am enjoying this blogging thing! I've made such great new friends, the community is so supportive and encouraging. I do so resent having to go out to work, why can't I stay at home and play......spoilt child ehh?

Anyway, this is the latest in my series of embroidered envelopes using the Deightons Transfers.

It's only little but it's a nice little concoction of this and that and it makes me happy and keeps me from mischief ;-)

I don't like to boast but......

I have been chosen as one of five blogs for the arte y pico award by the wonderful greenphoenix
I am thrilled to bits and very honoured to be chosen alongside such wonderful blogs, thank you so much Nicky.
This is what greenphoenix had to say:

and the award goes to.....
It's always difficult to single anyone person out, there are loads of blogs I visit and lots of people whose creativity I admire that haven't got blogs.Flickr has proven to be an unbelievable meeting place, allowing access to work you'd never get to see if purposely searching for it.(Actually some of the groups you couldn't make up, if you know what I mean....) But I digress.So here they are, the arte y pico award, in no particular orderLittle cotton rabbits, gorgeous hand knitted toys, lovely, as I'm sure you'll know. Abigail glassenberg, seriously funky bird sculpures, fantastic attention to detail.Some girls wander.I love Emily's slightly dark paintings and she makes wonderful soft toys too.Molly chicken.I love her work and she makes me laugh.Hens teeth, a recent discovery, Viv makes exquisite embroidered hangings and pieces using vintage envelopes.Hope you'll all accept the award, post the rules etc (see previous post).Enjoy!

Rules :
1) Pick 5 blogs who deserve this award for their creativity, design, interesting material and who also contribute to the blogging community no matter what language.
2) Each award must have the name of the author and also a link to their blog.
3) Each award winner must show the award and put the name and the link to the blog that has given her or him the award.
4) The award winner and the one who has given the prize must show the link of the "Arte y pico" blog so everyone will know the origin of this award.
5) Show these rules.

Watch this space!

New envelope

Had a really great response to the last embroidered envelope, so here is another ( I don't need much encouragement). I am drawn towards the postage stamps though, the subtle colours and the franking marks are a thing of beauty to me! The stories that these little pieces of paper could tell......... if only. This particular envelope, as you can see, was posted in 1947 from Plymouth, Pennsylvania, to Stourbridge, England ~ just how interesting is that?

My 'finds'

In our local market, a new junk stall has opened and my day was made when I managed to find this great 1950's book....Dryad Handicraft Instruction Leaflets.

Full of every craft imaginable, so lots of inspiration!!!!!Love these patterns.




And here,
a beautiful Bank Ledger from 1900 ~ I'm hoping to 'do' something with this!


























Lovely script writing.
















And the find of the day..............Vintage Photograph.
The seller and I did have a bit of a titter about the..... errmmm..... Gentleman ???
Either a Gentleman Actor, or a very 'plain', shall we say....Lady.

Either way, every time I look at this it makes me smile. ;-)

Mommy and Daddy Swan

Yesterday, finished work and started to walk through the park back to my car and there was a crowd on the river bank taking pics. It was such a 'good to be alive moment', as there was Mommy and Daddy Swan proudly showing off their (I think) seven Cygnets. Such a lovely sight. Oh and a mallard trying to get in on the act, as they do!

Woolly Pully Hugly

Had a splurge of energy last night and made woolly pully Hugly. Made from an old welsh pure wool shirt, yes shirt, the very thought makes me itch. Anyway, I'm really pleased with this little girl (girl, I said... dogdaisy!) She's very sweet and my daughter said that she is quite rabbity. I suppose that's the tape measures ears. I was really tired when I started to make her, but when you get absorbed in something you enjoy and feel inspired with, it's wonderful how you can forget everything and lose yourself.

Ancient Order of Foresters

Yes....I've been at it again! Another poor envelope has been vandalised!

I was lucky enough to be given some beautiful Deightons Transfers and a few pressed leaves by a work colleague, so over the weekend I put this little piece together. I just followed my nose with it and hey presto, a strange concoction appeared from nowhere. I wish I could report that hours of preparation, sketches, thoughts and hand wringing went into it, with deep and meaningful levels of reflection, deliberation, concepts and musings but no. If you have any 'thoughts' about this little envelope, I would love to hear from you...good and bad. (I think).

Friends having a chat

Hey....... so.......
what's with the pointy head then?

Pointy Head Hugly

Got up really early today with the idea of making a pointy head Hugly and here we are ~ odd would perhaps be a good word! Wanted to try a change to the usual format and she has turned out quite well. Made from soft ticking and I've used a piece from a grandad shirt as decoration. She is very happy and pretty with her vintage mother of pearl eye and her dumpy little body! She shouts a big "hello" to you all! (I really must get out more).

Celebratory post!

It's happened. Finally. After all this time.

SPRING HAS SPRUNG! We have actually had one full day of sunshine....no cloud bursts........no wind to chill your extremities.......just lovely warm sunshine, blue skies and blossom! OH THE JOY! How long has it been follow Brits since we last sampled decent weather, last April...April 2007..... I mean, since we had some consistent decent weather and boy do we need it!

So to celebrate, I have added a photo of Maude, this evening, enjoying her garden and an envelope I have been embroidering.

Enjoy the sunshine fellow Brits....enjoy:-)