Just a Minute ..... in July

Running.......home from school, all set for the summer holidays. My favourite day.

Discovering......this amazing book, The Art of Embroidery by Francoise Tellier-Loumagne.

Surprising...... myself, to see that I'm in another Treasury. Thank you, Liane (enhabiten: http://www.enhabiten.etsy.com/)

Speculating.....on the whereabouts of the crock of gold: surely it's just there - at the end of our garden??!

Bringing....the glorious outdoor sunshine inside.

Learning.... to become a very modern girl (unlike her mum! Don't grow up afraid of a computer!)

Thank you to August Street Blog(http://www.august-street.blogspot.com/) for this inspiring meme. Do you want to join in with 'Just a Minute...', once a month? Pop over to her blog and let her know.

It's On My Desk Wednesday....

Bit of an invasion today! Well, it is the school holidays....so my table (actually, our dining table) is a shared workspace. Youngest is continuing her quest to build the biggest ever lego city, but there are limitations - how much she can physically fit onto her two thirds of the table top, and the biggest factor....how many bricks we have! Not enough, apparently! She's realised that low-rises will spread the bricks further, and I'm relieved because then I don't run the risk of accidentally bulldozing prized tower blocks...you know how that goes!


So, what's on my desk today? It's all looking rather tidy, don't you think? My new best friend, the computer, (I admit it...that's a bit sad!) is displaying my new etsy product.


I must mention those two books - such inspiring reads, both of them: the bottom book is 'three-dimensional EMBROIDERY' by Janet Edmonds. Joyous items made by manipulating, painting and stitching various fabrics - art, all of them. The book on top is 'the art of embroidery / inspirational stitches, textures and surfaces' by Francoise Tellier-Loumagne. This is an absolute feast for the eyes in glorious technicolour - amazing close-up shots of unbelievable stitchery, based on images from the natural world and everyday life. I could eat this book, it's so fantastic.


ps: if you want to take part with the 'on my desk wednesday' blog meme, pop over to kootoyoo's blog and join the list of players!

Going folksy!

A little gift from youngest this morning! Beautiful, thank you, twirlie xx

Some news crept into my 'inbox' yesterday. Has anyone heard of 'folksy' yet? It seems it's the UK answer, if you like, to etsy and DaWanda. At the moment, it's in its beta period, but sellers are there, there are products to buy, and I'm one of them! There's also a pool in flickr if you're interested! Go and try folksy out...it's light, bright and from a seller's point of view, easy to negotiate when it comes to uploading your wares (something that can prove to be very time consuming in some situations). Open at the present time to sellers of handmade items from the UK, you can find it at http://www.folksy.com/ . I'll tell you more once I'm more familiar with the site, but I say, give it a go! There's no commission to pay whilst they're in their beta period, so that can't be bad, and there's a very nominal fee to register your product for sale.


Thank you to Natalie from The Elves and the Shoemaker http://www.folksy.com/shops/theelvesandtheshoemaker for pointing me in the folksy direction!

Paddling in the...Rain

Finally, I've got a bit of work done. This was a long time in the making...why does it go like that sometimes? The real shame? I don't think the photos do this justice at all...ah well. On sale from my etsy store later today.


Any how, I thought this pic was quite amusing...you can just about glimpse ye olde woodcutter in the background in his overalls. Looks a bit...dodgy....doesn't he? Actually, he's doing nothing more sinister than filling the girls' paddling pool up - only to finish two seconds before the heavens opened up and gave forth an almighty, boneshaking downpour. Ah, the joys of an English summer!

A New World on My Table!

Fun and games!!

This photo doesn't do their handiwork any justice at all, but I like the sunlight! Both girls and daddy went lego bonkers yesterday. They ended up with a complete town spreading the length and breadth of our table...hours of complete absorption. We had helicopters to the rescue (thank the woodcutter for that), peculiar cars with wing-shaped boots I'd never seen the like of before and dainty gardens and roof-top terraces.
I'll tell you something...I'm off to pack my bags now - this place looks like fun; I'm moving in!!

The building frenzy continues this morning...

Shopping List Saturday!

1. sea urchin bracelet/gooseflesh (http://www.gooseflesh.etsy.com/) 2. landscape with thread/enhabiten (http://www.enhabiten.etsy.com/), 3.red berries earrings/loopsdesigns (http://www.loopdesigns.etsy.com/), 4. portrait of the airship captain's wife/totusmel (http://www.totusmel.etsy.com/), 5. double dutch gift card envelope/autumntomay (http://www.autumntomay.etsy.com/), 6.two deer, letterpress coasters/paperedtogether (http://www.paperedtogether.etsy.com/), 7. driftwood mirror with violet/blackeyedsusan (http://www.blackeyedsusan.etsy.com/), 8. billow ring no 2/tinctory (http://www.tinctory.etsy.com/), 9. on a limb 5x5/standingflower (http://www.standingflower.etsy.com/), 10. summer combo charlotte and scarf/morelle (http://www.morelle.etsy.com/), 11. low carb chocolate and violets cuff/bayousalvage (http://www.bayousalvage.etsy.com/), 12. fused glass hair stick/groovyglassgirl (http://www.groovyglassgirl.etsy.com/) (This mosaic was created using flickr toys)


Okay...got your glad rags on? Let's go shopping!
Today's post sees the start of a new, regular feature - Shopping List Saturday. Here, I've given you a pint sized round-up of my selection of coveted products available from various sellers within etsy.
I love natural colours, materials and organic forms, so this List is quite representative of that. Living, as I do, in the heart of the forest I'm very influenced by the changing of the seasons. I'm always keen to grab my girls and go scavenging in the woods - on the lookout for beautiful twigs, seed pods or branches to decorate our home - so to discover so many products that have their roots in the natural world is wonderful.
The twig-like nature of the tatted necklace; the soft tones of the driftwood mirror; the rich red of the berry earrings; the ethereal dewy quality of the landscape with thread; the earthy feel of the fused glass hair stick; the feather-like ring; the organic form of the bracelet; the natural hue of the bag ; the 'unearthed' quality of the cuff; the images of the deer, a bird and an embellished flower...I've got it all, in one easy shopping trip!
And the best bits? I didn't have to leave the comfort of my armchair (frankly, always a bonus...who looks forward to a Saturday afternoon scrum in a department store?), and I know that these gorgeous products are quality, handmade items. Go on...dive in...get shopping!!

Do you fancy playing along? Just contact me, and I'll add you to the list!


To see more Shopping Lists from fellow etsy artisans, please click on the 'Shopping List Saturday' link on the right of the page.


Added note: thank you to those of you who have managed to post your lists today - it was very short notice!

Etsians, Let's Go Shopping!!

Looks familiar? Well, remember my post last Saturday....I put a list together (pics above) of things I desired from fellow sellers. Why don't we all do it? Let's start a meme - Shopping List Saturday!!

If you are a fellow etsian, and you blog, come and join in the fun. Comment here if you'd like to play along, or follow the thread in the 'promotions' section of the etsy forum - it's posted by me, fancypicnic (http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5728166). The more, the merrier, and we can compile a list of players too.

We'll all make a 'shopping list' that we post in our blogs on a Saturday, with pictures of our coveted products, and credit the item/seller within our post.

Let's all go shopping! (A bit of promotion for our fellow friends and sellers can't be bad, can it?)

A Laid Back Day

This is what I love about school holidays. No rushing around first thing in the morning (a HUGE plus), being able to be outside together during the best part of the day - mid-morning, and being able to (this is youngest's best thing) wear what the heck you like!! And she works it!!

I've decided to omit the photo of me in my fairy costume....oh, okay - hands up, I don't really have one. But if I did...!

No crafting and stitching for me today, I suspect. Woodcutter man is wending his way to Somerset to supply poles for and erect a tipi, so the three of us are going to indulge ourselves with a quiet cosy day, filled with making bead pictures, lots of drawing, catching butterflies (although eldest usually ends up catching her sister's head), maybe a film, and plenty of reading...punctuated, naturally, by the yells and tears of the many arguments these two continue to have. My kitchen cupboards are very poorly stocked, and we have decided to 'make do and mend' for the day, ie: no-one wants to partake of a trip to the shops, so we'll make do with whatever we can retrieve from the depths of the cupboards! That'll be onion soup with a jar of peanut butter then! The challenge is on...

(The lower photograph was edited using flickr toys)

On My Desk Wednesday

Amongst the aftermath of yesterday's work still to be tidied away, a gift from my eldest shines...a tissue girl, with moving arms. Yes, I melted! What a lovely surprise.

To see more On My Desk Wednesday: http://kootoyoo.blogspot.com/2008/06/on-my-desk-players.html

Things of Beauty...

I am in love! I was having a little shufty through flickr (so many gorgeous photos), and I came across these simply wonderful items of jewellery. Aren't they divine? I absolutely crave the blue and tan choker. Well, not the choker...no, all of them! These creations are all available for sale from enhabiten (http://www.enhabiten.etsy.com/). Based in New Hampshire, her background is in fine art and painting, and she lists her inspirations and favourite things as 'little hand stitches, beautiful sentences, soulful rooms, long, long walks and art.'

I think that sums it up in a nutshell. Go and take a look - she makes very desirable pillows, bags and artworks, too! I am so glad I found her...

Welcome to the Sweet Shop

The latest edition to my etsy shop. Chocolate on my mind...think rich, luxurious chocolate indulgences...soft, oozing sweet centres....rasberry fondant fillings...are you salivating yet?! This is the Chocolate Fondant Pendant, yum!

Treasury City!

Crumbs..I am honoured. I discovered that I was featured in two more Treasuries on etsy yesterday - mistflowermarket's (http://www.mistflowermarket.etsy.com/) 'Summer Brights' curation with Grandma's Attic small pendant (top photo, top left pic), and gracenapoleon's (http://www.gracenapoleon.etsy.com/) 'Deeloverly' one, showing the Midsummer Collar (bottom photo,bottom row, centre pic) - very different collections, but aren't they both beautiful ones?

Florcita (http://www.florcita.etsy.com/) left a comment after the previous post about being featured in thebluebutton's treasury - are my sales affected by being featured? Well, thebluebutton's curation was selected to go on etsy's front page. That meant I received a huge influx of hits to my shop, so it generated interest, but to date, no more sales...but you never know. People like to sit and cogitate before purchasing I've decided. These two treasuries (above) have not been front page listings so far, so we'll have to see.

An aside about yesterday's post...remember the unique ring that eldest made for me? It's in one of my flickr sets http://www.flickr.com/photos/27738539@N05/, and an admin for the 'V&A Your Glamorous Jewellery' invited me to post it in the group..so I did! Glamorous mummy, that's me...

Wildlife-o-rama

No, this isn't going into one of my shops...I just wanted to share with you the lovely little surprise eldest made for me at the weekend. A wonderfully unusual ring, made of cotton and felt scraps, and sweet little butterfly beads - and the most important feature, the letter 'C'...just for me, as it stands for 'Charlotte'...me! How lucky am I?!
I wonder if there's a market for them?!

Now, then...there was a lot of excitement in our garden today...thanks to a neighbours' cat! Yes, it obviously loves us, because it presented us with a, how can I say, 'lovely' (?) gift!! Take a look at the photos, below - I think you get the picture!

After much squealing, and lots of pleading with us to keep it as a pet (I think not), my two girls paid this dear grass snake a lot of attention. It was very stunned when it was dropped at our feet (I think I would be, too, if I'd been marauded by a feline with sharp teeth), and spent a good ten minutes hardly moving. This gave us ample opportunity to look it up in the 'Wildlife Field Guide', to assure ourselves that yes, it is a grass snake, and not some deadly python or other, let loose here in the forest...one does like to be sure!! The children listened intently to various details gleaned from the information in the book, so I'm left feeling mildly smug that they've learned a few things this holiday..and it's only the first day!

Ooh, There's My Collar...There, Down There!

Will you look at that!

What a way to start your Sunday...having a quick once over on the computer before croissants and tea for breakfast - checking for sales that may have occured overnight - to see this! Thebluebutton's (http://www.thebluebutton.etsy.com/) simply gorgeous Treasury, being featured on the home page at etsy!!
I feel totally honoured to be included in this rather ethereal and beautifully conceived collection. Thank you so much, bluebutton!

(My item is the Midsummer Collar: bottom row, centre).

Being featured has had a huge impact on the number of people viewing my products. The featured Collar received an extra 300+ hits whilst the Treasury resided on the front page. Wow. Back in June, I was lucky enough to be featured in another Treasury (by Heloise http://www.heloise.etsy.com/) with my Collar of Delights; I was still very new to etsy then, but I have to say that the immense feeling of joy that I felt then is in no way diminished now. I'm on Cloud Nine!

Saturday is for Shopping!

Right then..as it's Saturday, I thought I'd do some armchair window shopping, and these are my picks for the day (all found on my 'Love These!' pinboard at daWanda.), from daWanda.

Working from top left:1.RedBowl/florcita; 2.Birne und Apfel Leinen/ lilleStofhus; 3.set of 4 heart magnets/mymiyel; 4.home-3xhandpainted gift tags/SiebenMorgen; 5.Utensilo-beidseitig verwendbar-Shabby/Pucki-Design; 6.Traumschones Rosenherz/Freude am Naehen; 7. Subes deko hauschen haus tilda greengate shabby/cherryblossom; 8.Love Boat Necklace/maggiejo; 9.Big Hearted Stiltwalker/zoel; 10.(I Heart) Cupcake Purse/tabithaemma; 11.Hearts-personalized pocket mirror/andischu; 12.chickie the kissen/astifantasti

I quite fancy the idea of doing this regularly. Does anyone want to recommend anything? Anyone have a list they'd like to share?

Happy shopping!

A Quickie for Friday

The school summer holidays are now underway, so here's a little something summery in readiness for those warm, long days ahead.

The cotton based Midsummer Pendant is small and light, with delicate muted colours and a sprinkling of beads for added interest and texture. I'm listing it in my Dawanda shop tonight.

A Happy Customer!

How nice to switch on in the morning and find this waiting for you! This beautiful French lady, Karine (http://en.dawanda.com/user/giokiko), bought the Peacock Random Necklace, took a photo of herself and sent it to me. How nice is that?! She also left a comment on my DaWanda page (black random necklace) about how pleased she is with the necklace!

So thoughtful of you, Karine...and hugely appreciated - I'm glad you like your new necklace. Lovely when that happens. xx

WARNING! If You Are Of A Delicate Disposition, I Suggest You Look Away...Now!

Gosh!!

Really? Yep - if you go down to the woods today, beware of this rather big surprise..I kid you not! Whilst woodcutting in the...erm, woods, look what went sailing past...!

You'll be pleased to know that the rider was partially decent. He was sensible enough to respect fellow forest users, and wear a helmet. Well, thank you so much!



*note: this is a reconstruction...the unknown rider's modesty has been spared!

The Midsummer Collar

I think this is just about finished...the Midsummer Collar. It takes the place of my showcase (?) item, the Collar of Delights, that sold at the beginning of the week. This is considerably smaller, and feels quite summery to me - hence the name! I'm listing it in my etsy shop later this evening.
I think reading the Violise Lunn feature on bettyjoy's blog put me in the mood for a summer wedding....if I was to have my big day all over again, I think I'd try to squeeze back (well, actually I'd have to suffer the humiliation of needing to get it ..ahem..adjusted..somewhat first) into the same bronze dress and old gold coat I wore back then, but I'd make myself one of these to go with it.

On My Desk Wednesday

Thought this sounded like fun...so this is my entry for kootoyoo's On My Desk Wednesday. I read their page, and nipped over to take this. My next blog entry should see this finished....later...later.... just need to sew some beads and buttons on ...

Work in Progress

Okay - look very closely at the second picture. Check out the poor old frazzled dear in the kitchen (bottom right). That's me...apparently. Oh, yes...many a time youngest has come for a chat whilst I'm cooking, only to find me face down, slumped onto the hob, sizzling my cheek off!

Honestly - I had to laugh. Apologies for blurry pic....too much heat in the kitchen again!

Back to reality...the top photo, taken in poor artificial light, is a taster of the work in progress at the moment. Tomorrow, I should be showering it with beads and spangles and whatnot, and it should be on sale in the evening. Until tomorrow...

Treasures

Now then.

In my household, this quaint, homely pottery is referred to as 'ugly' pottery. Ugly! !

Poor things. I have collected many pieces along these lines - fruit and vegetables, with the occasional flower or fish thrown in for good measure - for quite a few years now. They were rather 'out of place' in our last home, and so they have been resting (I like to say), or dormant, snuggled up in newspaper and a cardboard shelter for some time.

Now, they have freedom...light...room to live...breathe...gather dust...no, I tend to them, I love them so. But it seems I am the only one. The only one who covets them. Who doesn't offend them with rude names...

I love them!!

So I thought I'd share them with you. Maybe someone out there will appreciate them?! Maybe I'll turn this into a Monday feature...things in my house that I love, maybe. Hmmmn...



P.S: Today, I'm featured on someone's blog! Take a look at http://bettyjoy.blogspot.com/ (you guessed it - the cursor problem continues); make sure you scroll down the page and read on (I'm assuming you've checked it out!) because it's a lovely blog, and you really must see the Violise Lunn feature. Take a good look, now...paper?!

The Sunday Club

As a child, I didn't really like Sundays. I love 'em now! We usually have a stay-at-home day, and today was no exception. The man of the house was felling and selling a set of tipi poles, and packing up sets of the logettes (see June 26 entry) that he has sold on ebay.

Youngest kept herself busy flitting from crayons with paper to bead pictures, to paper and crayons to bead pictures...all day. Eldest was in raptures with the view from the landing - see below - and I kept myself equally occupied making some earrings. Busy, busy, busy!! These will go into my etsy shop tonight.

Eldest has spent the weekend in ecstasy thanks to these two beauties. The field at the front of our cottage used to be home to a pony who was taking its annual leave from towing holiday makers in a romany caravan. My daughter and the pony became firm friends, and often indulged in long conversations over our gate and an apple or two. When pony moved on, eldest missed him terribly. The pining was almost worth it, because now one has been replaced by two!! Mother and foal have arrived for a sojourn, and my daughter is in seventh heaven.
This photograph was taken by her, whilst practically dangling from her toenails out of the upstairs window (not literally) trying to get as close as she possibly could. This is the best of many, many shots of two quite far away ponies...

This is where we live...can't you tell?!!
I wish I lived wherever my youngest does, where the sheep are yellow and walk around on their hind legs, and are not merely sheep...no! By day, these sheep are caryatids, proudly holding our house up straight (you can spot our house....it's the vibrant bluey reddy spotty hearty building that's obviously about to collapse in the middle), where we are all greeted by a stripey yellow dog with an unusual proboscis - unusual, too, because we don't have a dog!
The forest is spot-on!

I saw a Japanese book on ebay http://www.stores.ebay.co.uk/Simply-Pretty-Japanese-Beads-Books with details on how to transform your children's drawings into embroidered works of art. I questioned the reason why at the time, but as the days go by, I can feel myself rather drawn to the idea...

It's Showtime...at last!

What's all this? THREE posts in one day? Well, I just thought I'd show you that finally (imagine please that you read that in italics....cursor problems continue!) I've managed to complete something, after the inconweeniences of the past couple of days. One 'Showtime Pendant'. Yes, just one, but I've nipped out and stocked up on replacement machine needles, so I hope to have one or two more by the end of the weekend. Think ringmaster regalia, bygone times, the end of the nineteenth century and all the decadences and fun of a day at the fair. I think I'll put it into my etsy shop tonight http://www.fancypicnic.etsy.com/.


On a lighter note, youngest enjoyed a school trip to some underground caves today (http://www.clearwellcaves.com/), but dreadful and neglectful mother that I am, I forgot to send her to school in jeans...but I did remember to tell her to enjoy the day and to listen to what she's told, and to make sure that she's in the right place at the right time. So maybe I'm not such a bad mother after all....because she didn't get left behind!

Another Fine Mess

Now, why ever would I have wanted to alter the balance of the fine day I had yesterday, I wonder? Well, I didn't, as you can see....three brand new sewing machine needles snapped within the space of seven minutes, topped off with a nice big spillage. What joy!! Beads everywhere.....half inching their way into the computer, gliding about on the floor and slip-sliding away down between the gaps in the floorboards, never to be seen again.

And the moral of this tale? Don't live in a house with bare floorboards!!! (At least this didn't occur upstairs in eldest's bedroom...the gaps up there are big enough to lose your shoes in...and yes, she pretty much has done just that!) .

Have Some Art For the Weekend

Woodcutters Cottage

Ice Cottage

Just had to show you these. Aren't they fabulous? This is someone who knows what to do with a scalpel - it's just a dangerous weapon when it's in my hands! They're the work of Helen Musselwhite, and you can find her ...hang on, the cursor is still not working properly, so I'll have to type it here for you...at http://www.helenmusselwhite.com/, and http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5115405. Go and take a look, and marvel at all of that intricate cutwork.

I'd love to get my woodcutter one of these - they're so evocative; I can only really think of here, of our home, when I look at them. Anyone reading who knows me, do you agree, I wonder?

What with my dodgy cursor and whatnot, I apologise for the badly aligned titles of these pieces...I'll try and sort it out......*mutter, mutter, mutter...*

Another Day in Paradise

This just about sums up my day, I think...except I would most certainly be showing more teeth!!

It all started quite sanely, really, with some enjoyable chit chat with fellow sellers and bloggers - which successfully lulled me into a general feeling of well-being - followed by a spot of light lunch with ye olde woodcutter husband. Ahh, let me just savour for a minute or two that moment of calm...
Because then my day simply disintegrated before my very eyes..!!

Circus-esque pieces completed? No. Not even one? Nope! One, and only one 'creation' is perched on my tailor's dummy, looking longingly at me to GET SEWN TOGETHER! I had to take it apart several times because it just wasn't ...right, you know?

School pick-up time arrived, and two argumentative little ituses made their way back to the fold, in order to carry out more yelling competitions with each other (and me)...which continued all the way to swimming lessons. A brief moment of respite ensued (hurrah), until they were reunited in the car, in order for them to pick up where they left off, and carry on for the duration of the journey home! They obviously have inherited this trait from their father....ha,ha!!


Now? Beautiful little angels, sleeping soundly, not a trace of hideousness on their faces. You can't help but love 'em!

See you tomorrow....

Just thought I'd throw in one of these button and wire hearts. I think they're quite cute, but I'm not really sure what to do with them! Photograph them on a better/lighter background might help, granted...but I'm not sure whether to dismantle them for the buttons (I'm always in need of more buttons), or give them away....

I found these today, by Tabitha Emma, and had to share them! I'm a bit of a sucker for anything cake-y, but the sweetness of these hits the spot, don't you think? I never use a teapot (unless the entire family is in attendance!), but this tea-cosy makes me want to start. I've had difficulty with the 'link' button - you can find more of her lovely work at http://www.tabidesigns.etsy.com/.

Etsy is overflowing with talented artists, designers and crafters. Buy handmade: quality, individual designs direct from the source. Let's not forget all of the artisans at http://www.dawanda.com/ too!

The advert break (to go out and buy handmade!) has now ceased; the author has thankfully removed herself from her soapbox. Please resume your seats, and enjoy your evening.

Someone slap me with a wet fish, please

Phew! What a day!

The day began with some all singin', all dancin', wrappin' and despatchin' of another sale, this time wingin' - okay, enough - winging its way to France. Farewell, mon collier! Oh, enough of the dramatics...where's that wet fish? I've replaced it with this, above. Click on my DaWanda shop link on the side of this page, if you'd like a closer look.

That's several items sold, now, whoopee! - not that I'm counting - so it's about time I got my derriere (francais, n'est pas?....leave it!) into gear and knocked up (with a large amount of love, and a bucketful of talent, obviously) a few more items. Some claret-coloured velvet has been uncovered, and I've received some sequin trim from India, which is tres fantastique....so I think the creation of few 'Showtime' pieces (circus inspired, remember?) can hereby commence...!

But before that, I just have to go and put the finishing touches to a little gift I've very quickly thrown together for a friend's birthday. It's only very small, but small means fiddly, and I'm not exactly famous for my patience...!

The World at His Feet

Nothing really artsy or craftsy (from me) today, but I've added some great blogs to the blogroll - be inspired! I've also found these beautiful aprons...aren't they gorgeous?
I'm working on more Grandma's Attic items to replace sold ones...but I feel very moved to sidle into a bit of red..and purple...and old gold...Yep, still talking circus-speak! It's had an effect on me...


No doubt you've all seen this above, but even if you have already, go check it out again. That sense of people uniting - it's overwhelming. Can't watch it without welling up! A real feel-good factor...and something I think shows the internet at its best. Enjoy! I wish I'd been part of it...

Circus Skills Workshop in Progress

I think you can see our trip to the circus was an amazing success...this is eldest and her father having their own 'skills' workshop in the garden. I'll have to be careful - he'll be handing down his fire-breathing and unicycle riding tips to her next!
A huge, great big thank you to my fab friend Rachel, for recommending it to us!

''...join the spirit of the nomad...liberate the Gypsy in your soul and let your spirits soar...'' (Sarah Llewellyn, Gifford's Circus)

The children were completely enthralled from start to finish, as were we. A wonderful travelling troupe, with fabulously evocative costumes, harking back to the end of the nineteenth century. We were members of an intimate audience, part of one big country-style party, privy to all of the goings-on and shenanigans at this very special showtime fair, with the girls ending the evening by dancing in the ring with the performers. What more could you ask?


Eldest has just walked in to the room, and said, 'Yesterday, d'you know, I actually held hands with a juggler?!!'

Thrills, spills...and all the fun of the fair!

Roll Up, Roll Up...

Lots of peeled poles made their way to Bath this morning, to become supports for a tipi in a garden. Lucky garden!

Sadly, I had to miss the field events sports morning for my eldest at school. However, it was lovely to pick her up and be presented with two certificates gained for first place in the skipping race (from last week - yes, I was there for that one!) and stilt-walking! We belong to a circus family, don't you know?! No, seriously...well done, twirlie!

A lovely assembly this morning, too, from youngest and her Reception class. As always, they were all super - confident, well behaved and entertaining. Thank you!

Talking of circuses, we're off to enjoy one tomorrow (thanks, Mum!). Can't wait! What with children's parties tomorrow, and performing in - sorry - watching the show, there may not be any blogging for me on Saturday. I know, I know, you two readers will miss me! See you back here soon, if I don't run away with the circus, that is....our stilt-walking skills are in great demand, you know!!

Me? Nosy? Never!

I should be adding this to my Dawanda shop tonight...
Did you ever have a craving to rifle through your Grandma's chest of drawers - to take a peek at those little treasures she had wrapped away safely in there, those nuggets of her history? Well, I can hand on heart say that I never ever did the rifling thing (honest!), but I did have a yearning to take a little look.

That's what this pendant conjures up for me: Grandma's Attic (well, okay - drawers). Treasured jewels wrapped carefully in muslin sheets to preserve them and their memories; snippets of fabric saved from beloved offspring's baby clothes; shabby velvet upholstery (in a drawer? For me, yes!) harboured since leaving their first home they owned; and of course, just a faint hint of rose-water...yes, rose-water with a bit of carnation thrown in for good measure!



Now, must just get this off my chest - my Choker of Beauty was featured on the front page of Dawanda today! Gave me a thrill, anyway.

Quiet Time

Not a vast amount to report, today...
So, I thought I'd show you my favourite spot in the house: leaning on the kitchen windowsill, and looking outside.
Never fails to lift my spirits! Even if it's raining, or just plain murky, I love this little snapshot of our corner of the world.

This is how I see my outside, really - first, I look at my girls' wendy house that 'ye olde woodcutter' built for them (to remind myself to chivvy us - ok, him - along a bit to finally get the fascia boards on); then on down the path, where I can see (but sadly it isn't very visible on these pics) the tips of our tipi and its poles rising majestically above the hedge at the bottom; then around to the wider view of those towering trees and our monkey puzzle proudly guarding its territory.

Ahh, I love it!!

I've been working on something pink today - should be finished tomorrow, so watch this space.

Treat Night!

I'll hold my hands up and admit that this is a bit of a cheat-y pic (it's a good few months old), but needs must...
Both daughters were party-goers this evening, and husband was left to his woodcutting devices - or so I thought. We returned home to a deliciously comforting waft of something baking in the oven - he'd cooked up his favourite bakewell tart, and even an extra one for his in-laws. Ah, bless him! They'll love that tomorrow. Thanks, love.

As I type this, it's 11.30pm, and we're waiting for someone to collect a set of tipi poles. They're 'this side of Birmingham', and they've travelled all the way from Yorkshire. I don't envy them the journey back at this time of night!

We've amused ourselves with a long awaited viewing of 'The Kite Runner'. A certain close friend will remember (with fondness?) that I bored her to tears about two years ago, banging on about the novel that had, quite simply, blown me away. I loved it so much that I gave a copy to my husband for his birthday back in January, and pestered him for months to get on and flippin' well read it!! Eventually, he did - and he was as hooked as I had been. Such compelling, heart-rending reading. Four times we've tried to rent it, and tonight was finally the night! Armed with a Chinese takeaway (yep, treat night), we settled in for some quality time with the t.v...

Or was it?

Hmmn, I'm not so sure. It's beautifully shot, but it lacks something. The mistake may have been to have read the book first, rather than the other way around, but big chunks of the narrative are missing. The novel reads like a pocket of truth, of real-life, of a true story; the film is exactly that: a film. Does anyone agree with me?

My advice? Get the book - read it, devour it and let the tears flow.

A little something for my DaWanda shop - a Forest Treasures leaf brooch. I'm toying with the possibility of segueing into earrings, and I had a bit of a yen to seek out some cuff-link blanks and try my hand at those...but the woodcutter in the family reliably (apparently) informs me that 'there isn't a call for those things these days!'. That would explain why the gift I gave him on the eve of our wedding has never witnessed the light of day since. Mind you, they are decorated with a bride and groom...