Cross Stitch

Cross Stitch Picture Gift

A friend of mine (a relation by marriage) spent many hippy years  (no - not a typo!)  living in Chile. She lived on a mountain plateau, which looked down a valley to the river ... and in the valley were always sheep and mountain goats and fruit growing freely. If she looked upwards she could see the high mountains topped with snow.  She earned a living by running her own little craft shop for which she made all the stock. Today, now living in London, she continues the tradition of making all her own gifts. She paints, knits, prints, sews, and crochets beautifully and has done many cross stitch pictures depicting this rural Chilean landscape. This is one lovely picture that she has made for me ...

Sadly it has not photographed well as the reflection of the garden rather spoils it.

The picture depicts the sky, the birds, the snow topped mountains, the plateau, the oranges, the sheep, and the river.  Isn't it just wonderful?

 Thank you G. xx

Wonky Little Houses

Little House Swap

I have worked at these little houses for a week or two now - sadly by hand as the house has been in such a mess I have been unable to get at my sewing machine - except for one house. I am not good at sewing by hand and have found the detail fiddly. I now have a row of wonky little houses and am busy working on the last with the sewing machine (yippee) and hoping that that will be the successful one. Meanwhile look at some detail of my efforts so far - they are all to become pin cushions so will not be wasted!

Please do not worry Teresa (my swap partner) all will be well in the end - I do promise you!

I so love these little felt birds - shame about the front of the house - and the roof agghh!

I have discovered that it is easier to concentrate on the front and use a heavy linen and to only do the back in a light cotton - this way it is easier to put together and can be sewn easily in a straight line. I do wish someone had pointed this out to me sooner - the pattern did not explain how difficult it is to sew two lots of bias binding into seams with two lots of linen and two lots of cotton fabric on the roof!  So look out for a lovely front and a simple back (but with very pretty fabric!) I shall call this street 'Rotten Row'.


Today missed my knitting circle and sadly did not get to complete my last little house today as have spent all day at the hospital with my son - 'The Devil Child' - who has got pluerisy and has been having breathing difficulties. He is now home safely in bed so back to my last (and best) little house, which must be posted by Thursday!

Monday Morning Fix

Some Lovely Flower Art

I came across some lovely paintings  by the American artist  Lulie Wallace .  On checking out her website I found that I loved her work  -  do take a look.

'Flowers For Roberta'

'Flowers For Sophie'

'Flowers For Annabel'

And, of course, this was my favourite - I wonder why?

'Flowers For Abigail'

And while on the topic of flowers I thought I might show you one of my favourite flower paintings by  Charles Renee Mackintosh  (1868-1928).  He was a famous Scottish artist and architect and this painting is of 'Petunia Walberswick' and was painted in 1914.

'Petunia Walberswick'
Charles Renee Mackintosh

It was drawn/painted between 1914 - 1915 around his home in Kent and Sussex (although he came originally from Glasgow). He painted over 100 typically English flowers and over 40 paintings still survive. They are known as the Walberswick Collection and have a very Japanese influence and are quite unlike any of his other Art Nouveau works. This is a typically British flower and can be found all over the UK.  I just love its wild deep colours. This pencil and watercolour drawing is especially for Bethany. xx 

http//:enwikipedia.org/wiki/Petunias/


This week I have lots of unfinished business to deal with - choose which of my little row of wonky houses will go winging its way to my swap partner - then actually pack and send it off being the most important as Thursday is the deadline. This morning is my knitting class and I should have finished my 'fairisle' socks, which unfortunately I have not and also I am half way through a small sewing gift - just for me!

Luckily Mr Whizz Kid is again away saving the world so I shall have plenty of time over the next few days to spend in my lovely new sewing room. Have a lovely day to all my virtual friends and followers.

My Desk

A Glimpse Of My Blogging Space

The desk is painted' Platinum Pale' by Fired Earth.
The walls are painted' Ointment Pink' by Farrow and Ball.
The door leads to my utility room - stained panel by Mr Whizz Kid.
I am pretty well surrounded by plants and the garden is very green.

The cupboards hold my stationery.
The small basket holds lots of cards.
The larger basket is my in-tray - always overflowing.

Sidney Seagull came all the way from N.Z.
He was a Christmas present for Mr Whizz Kid from me.
He has a stripey fish in his mouth.

I love his pop-eyes.
He was made by the ceramicist  Ralph Hetzel.

My CDs, telephone, energy gauge and binoculars.

The antique brass lamp was inherited.
The world map has time zones - it is very useful.

**A note here for Hadley.
My files  -  (PUKE is for tax matters!)
SCRAP and PRAT for other unsavoury things!

The apple is my mouse mat.
On the desk is a parking ticket!!!

This is my new blogging space. I have nothing exciting finished to show you so thought I would give you a little glimpse into my world. I have been relegated out of the family room (apparently my desk is too big and I am too messy!)  and into a space in the conservatory, which adjoins the kitchen, the utility room, the family room and a studio. It has a great view of the garden and is near to the kettle for tea (always a plus in my book). My desk is pretty crowded and has a bit of everything on it but best of all it has a pretty new computer, a lovely old lamp, a telephone, some binoculars (used to check out all the  lovely birds in the garden), all my files and papers, and an energy gauge to tell me just how extravagant I am ... oh ... and a very comfy seat. Best of all Sidney watches over me to make sure I am not up to anything improper!

Most of my blogging takes place here except early morning and late night when I use a laptop in bed.
Do show me your space - it would be lovely to see where all your emails and blogs come from.

New Fabric

Some Lovely New Fabric

Today is a good day for me - the house  is getting back to normal (ie mostly painted and newly carpeted) and we actually are in a position to live a more normal kind of existence without tripping over workmen. This is exciting ...

This afternoon as a treat I am going to do some sewing (yipee) with some of my lovely new fabric and two new jelly rolls. There is rugby on TV so I will definately not be interupted!  I have been making a few gifts recently but now for something entirely for me. I wonder what it will be? These are the fabrics ...

Central Park by Kate Spain

And

Soul Blossoms by Amy Butler

My yummy new jelly rolls

Central Park by Kate Spain

Soul Blossoms by Amy Butler