New Begginings

Wow - I can't believe its been almost 3 YEARS since I last updated this blog, and SO much has happened.
2 years ago we lost my beloved grandma Queenie, my inspiration for crafting and my number one fan. She was 98 years old and had lived through 2 world wars and a world that had changed in incredible ways, not least the digital revolution that makes this post possible! I miss her, and think of her often.

Baby Fig has gone off to university in London to study fine art, and is loving being in her favorite city - and finds coming home to our quiet little part of England quite dull now.

For myself, well - I took the plunge as well and am just starting the 3rd year of a degree in contemporary textiles at our local collage. It has been a struggle at times with much soul searching and angst but I must admit I am enjoying it immensely, and looking forward to this last year (although the 10,000 word dissertation is like a looming black cloud at the moment!)

Mr Fig continues to make jewelry in his shed and has invested in a pressure pot - I steer clear as it all sounds a bit dangerous!

There has also been another major development in my life - but more of that at a later date...

So - some of the pleasure crafting has taken a back seat for the university work, I have learned lots of new things, and played with modern technology like the laser cutter, digital fabric printers, sublimation printers and computer programs like illustrator as well as learning how to do gold work and teaching some Russians how to make felt!

I shall leave you with a couple of images from the pieces I had to make for my course at the end of last term, and hope you are all well and happy and crafting!

the big and the small of it...

Inspired by a tiny vintage brooch at a recent fair I have been busy sewing this tiny little lady. 

She has turned out a 'little' larger than anticipated but I am quite pleased with her. I shall however be trying to make a smaller version. I have no idea why I suddenly become engrossed in these miniature adventures, possibly my life long wish to own my own dolls house I can fill with tiny treasures. I seams to be some kind of oxymoron that I need a bigger home to house a miniature house. 

Pink Linen Roses

 Our poor computer has been poorly with evil vile viruses for over a week - and thanks to the combined efforts of brother in law, daddy fig and mr juicy it is all back up and running now.

The silence has been deafening! how strange not having the pooter fan whirring away in the background all day, and I have missed checking my twitter and e-mails every time I have passed by.

 I have been in a bit of an embroidery mood - I had picked up some sublime linen embroidery floss a few weeks ago, I saw it in a sale basket, and immediately thought of dusky roses. As the floss was linen, the fabric had to be linen too! My stitching is slowly improving!

I chopped the linen into pieces, and did a slightly difrent rose on each - then had to think of some way of using them - so here is a cushion top WIP!

DRAMA - Our little tiny black cat -Bodkin - came out for a walk with us on Monday evening, shot up a tree, then in an effort to get back down stepped onto a dead branch and fell onto a barbed wire fence, making a huge gash on his leg. He spent a night in the vets, and is back home now recuperating. Mr Juicy however has not recovered from the whole traumatic event!

Way out (north) West

You wait all month for something to happen, then 3 events are run on the same day! on the last Sunday of the month, Whalley has it's Farmers market, a table top sale and of course our knit n natter meeting.

It's a pity more of the shops don't also open and fetch more people into the village, there seam to be quite a few visitors wandering around looking for something to do - and the market, still in it's first year is getting smaller and smaller - such a shame!

Mum and I popped over to the table top sale - I love the way it has been advertised locally, "full of interesting items from GOOD homes!" - what constitutes a good home?
My mum, fantastic as ever, treated me to these guys (above) they are money boxes! I have always been a huge fan of Laurel and Hardy - especially Stan Laurel who is an Ulverston boy, so almost local! plus he reminds me of my long departed grandad!

A few weeks ago through FreeCycle I managed to get some embroidery equipment, a 1930's biscuit tin full of silks, a pile of very old transfers, and a linen table cloth with the pattern already on it - I haven't done embroidery for a while, so have been trying to get back into it - like I don't have enough to do!!! I have had to look up some of the stitches a few times, and haven't done any that are too adventurous, but I am really pleased with the results so far.

At the table top sale, mum also bought me these two embroidered pictures, they are absolutely gorgeous, in pristine condition and have been professionally framed - the lady wanted £5 each for them!

This morning I received my swap partner for the APRON SWAP - Cathie at Melbourne Epicure

I have been over to her blog from a preliminary sneaky peek, WOW - take a look, it is gorgeous! can't wait to make contact with her, and get my thinking cap on for this project.