Talking #Sharon's 48

Okay, so I still haven't got the hang of doing this blogging thing on a regular basis yet!

I've had a bit of a roller coaster year, and it's flying by at such a speed that I can't keep up. To slow things down, I've started doing some 'photo a day' projects via Instagram. I did #AugustBreak2014 first, and since then I've also started doing #fmsphotoaday for September.

I loved August Break, and took my time sorting and presenting many of the images, which I will present on here at some time. But it lead me to wonder what I do throughout the year, until it started again next year. I've therefore set a challenge that I'm calling #Sharon's48.

My mum is giving me a new word every week, in the run up to Autumn Break 2015, and I will take that photo prompt to take and present different images every week. Sometimes it may be one, others I may take half a dozen or more. It's all going to depend on how much time I have each week. All my photos are taken on my current iPhone 5c.

So back to this week, and the prompt is Talking. I will be honest, I was a bit flummoxed when that popped up, and wasn't sure how I would tackle it. When you live alone with a cat, the only talking you do at home is to them, and they don't often make sense when they answer you back! I therefore had to think a little more abstractly, and I didn't think I could get away with taking photos of random people having private conversations.

 Photo One - Talking from the radio, BBC Radio 4 and The Archers.

 

 

Photo Two - Arranging to talk to my boyfriend, a screen shot from our text messages.

 

 

 

 

Photo Three - Me. I used the selfie idea to take a serious of photos while I was talking, and then put them together on Diptic as a collage. No make up apart from a slick of lip balm!

 





I think I've covered this photo prompt well for my first attempt, and I am looking forward to tomorrow's new prompt word.

Patch

Of course the half made toy, was in fact a bunny! 

He's made out of Sirdar Snuggly Baby Crofter, and I called him patch as I gave him a little patch inside his left ear. I was surprised how much I enjoyed making him and will definitely do more. Everyone who saw him fell a little in love lol My favourite bit was the uber cute tail.

Finally, here he is with his new mum :-D awwwwww

Knitting a toy...

I'm well on the way to completing my first knitted toy in years, and yes you've guessed it, it's for Matilda! Isn't everything at the moment? Wonder if you can guess what it's going to be? 

Completed quilt for Matilda

As I've said in my prior post, this quilt is for my second cousin. I've used several different pink fabrics, many a roll of fat 8ths from Sunflowerfabrics.com called "Pinkberry" http://www.sunflowerfabrics.com/fabpack2.htm?Next 

I used a design idea by Kaffe Fassett called 2x2, which is a series of 2" blocks joined together after I randomly placed them out on the floor. I did spend time getting the random pattern correct, and making it look balanced. Then these were stored in pinned rows and joined when I had time. 

Once when I had all 21 row if 15 squares joined, I picked a pale rose pink fabric to create my own bias binding (first time for this too!). I picked this from Viking Loom in York. I also chose a pink and white modern fabric. But upon finding out Matilda's name I couldn't resist ordering the Matilda by Roald Dahl fabric from Amazon. I picked a lightweight bamboo wadding for the middle of the quilt as I didn't want this to be a heavy quilt. 

As it divided by 3, I quilted large square 3x3 blocks across then down the quilt sandwich before applying my bias binding. 

Matilda's Quilt

This is a quilt that I've been working on since New Year, for the gorgeous Matilda :-) 

This is it just prior to quilting,and below is it quilted and ready for some home made binding! 

Here are a few recent pieces of work x

A blanket made by crochet, for Sonia Christmas 2013 

A quilt I was involved with making in my quilting bee 2013

Testing lol

Testing to see if I've cracked getting photos directly from my iPad onto here! 

This is a quilted wall hanging made for Lesley, using the Lancaster Tree design. Christmas 2013.

Forgot it but now sorted!

I have remembered how to update it! So hopefully now I can and will lol .

Latest creatings

I've finally worked out how to use this on my IPad so should be able to post regularly. Or just add photos! Well maybe if I can link them to this. See ms I need another app...

I knew it had been a while...

But I hadn't realised it had been quite so long. Not sure where the last year has gone.

I'm about to hit 36.

Still single.

Teaching part-time.

Recovering from grief and depression.

Crafting is still a massive part of my life, so I will be mentioning that on here, along with a few other things no doubt.

Will be back soon
S xx

Working on these things recently

Just some images of recent pictures I've made. The Fabric Hearts are a twist on the Union Jack, and the top one was made with the scraps of the first one beneath it. They are for sale in Thirsk in Number 8 near the cinema. As is the black one, which replaces a black one I sold there at Easter.

Remembering

Wednesday 18^th April 2012

I’ve been thinking that this could be the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but in planning what I wanted to say, I’ve actually laughed and smiled more than cried. I am hoping I can represent through my feelings, the thoughts and some memories about Nana from my family. I am apparently after all, the one who’s trained to speak out publically amongst us!

For someone I didn’t know well until my teens, I can say that over the last 15 years Nana was in my thoughts on a very regular basis. Once I was capable of the drive, I started visiting her alone. It was then that I really got to know the woman that was Eleanor King.

It was in getting to know Nana that I recognised some of the parts of me that came from the King/Oxley/Harrison side of the family. My hair, which apparently is the same colour that Nana’s used to be when she was younger, (well it would be if I hadn’t started dying it to cover the grey!), my flirtatious nature and my ability to grow things.

I loved hearing the stories about Nana’s youth, how she met Grandpa and dating in the war, and then much later their move to Harwich. Well, if I’m honest, the first 2 dozen times I heard them that is!  But even if Nana did repeat things, there was usually some small different detail within each version that she told me. We often laughed and giggled about her early dates with Grandpa and the nights she was fire watching in Goole and he used to pop by to visit.

Nana’s love of Grandpa was there until the end, and despite the attempts of several gentlemen in Harwich, she was not looking for anyone else. I think she became, for a time, quite a strong independent lady once she adjusted to life on her own. She continued to play her bowls, see friends, walked everywhere and was a familiar face in and around Harwich.

I looked through some of my favourite poems to find something appropriate for today, and as soon as I read The Glory of the Garden by Rudyard Kipling I knew I’d found the words I was looking for. Not only did Nana love her garden, plants and flowers, but she also had a great appetite for Kiplings Cakes and Pies J

THE GLORY OF THE GARDEN

Our England is a garden that is full of stately views,
Of borders, beds and shrubberies and lawns and avenues,
With statues on the terraces and peacocks strutting by;
But the Glory of the Garden lies in more than meets the eye.

For where the old thick laurels grow, along the thin red wall,
You will find the tool- and potting-sheds which are the heart of all;
The cold-frames and the hot-houses, the dung pits and the tanks:
The rollers, carts and drain-pipes, with the barrows and the planks.

And there you'll see the gardeners, the men and 'prentice boys
Told off to do as they are bid and do it without noise;
For, except when seeds are planted and we shout to scare the birds,
The Glory of the Garden it abideth not in words.

And some can pot begonias and some can bud a rose,
And some are hardly fit to trust with anything that grows;
But they can roll and trim the lawns and sift the sand and loam,
For the Glory of the Garden occupieth all who come.

Our England is a garden, and such gardens are not made
By singing:--"Oh, how beautiful!" and sitting in the shade,
While better men than we go out and start their working lives
At grubbing weeds from gravel-paths with broken dinner-knives.

There's not a pair of legs so thin, there's not a head so thick,
There's not a hand so weak and white, nor yet a heart so sick.
But it can find some needful job that's crying to be done,
For the Glory of the Garden glorifieth every one.

Then seek your job with thankfulness and work till further orders,
If it's only netting strawberries or killing slugs on borders;
And when your back stops aching and your hands begin to harden,
You will find yourself a partner in the Glory of the Garden.

Oh, Adam was a gardener, and God who made him sees
That half a proper gardener's work is done upon his knees,
So when your work is finished, you can wash your hands and pray
For the Glory of the Garden, that it may not pass away!
And the Glory of the Garden it shall never pass away!

Rudyard Kipling

I have also been looking over a book that I had inherited from Nana when we were packing things away in the house, before her move back to Yorkshire. Reading through the book of ‘Garden lovers Quotes’ I came across a couple by an American poet and gardener called Celia Thaxter her words struck me with their simplicity, love and understanding of gardens, gardening, and the plants and flowers which flourish there. Well they did if you were Eleanor King!

It is one of the precious gifts that I have definitely inherited from Nana, the delightful green fingers. No one who knew her doubted that Nana gained a lot of pleasure from plants and flowers, and she was rightly proud of her achievements in the garden at Harwich which we all have fond memories of. I also know, from her own memories and comments from Dad, that in Goole Nana not only grew flowers, but plentiful fruit and vegetables. Tomatoes are the main thing I can remember in the Greenhouse, and I am hopeful that she’ll be watching over my harvest this year and every time I pick and smell the fresh fruit I will be taken back to Harwich.

I’ve adapted this quote slightly from the original, to suit; Celia Thaxter (1835-94)

‘Like the musician, the painter, the poet, and the rest, the true lover of flowers is born, not made. And she is born to happiness in this vale of tears, to a certain amount of the purest joy that earth can give her children, joy that is tranquil, innocent, uplifting, unfailing. Given a little patch of ground, with time to take care of it, with tools to work it and seeds to plant in it, she has all she needs’

I know as I design, develop and plant my new garden I will consider the plants I choose carefully, and I’ve already plans to find a camellia and a couple of roses as a reminder of where my green fingers come from.

I’d like to thank everyone from Ryhill Country Lodge for their care of Nana over the last two years.

I can’t continue to speak without saying that Nana was loved by Andi, Charlee and I, and of course Dad and Mum, and her parting will leave a sadness in the family which will take some time to heal. But I anticipate that we’ll remember her with that love and smiles rather than sadness. She will be reunited with Grandpa and at peace, and that’s what we all wish her. Peace, love and happiness.

A final similarity I had with Nana was our sweet tooth, especially when it comes to chocolate. Therefore, I could not let today pass without chocolate, and at the end of the service, please feel free to help yourself to one of the Champagne Truffles I’ve brought for us all to celebrate Nana’s life with one of life’s little pleasures.

A Quote I didn't use, but I really like and I think sums up my Nana 

“As I work among my flowers, I find myself talking to them, reasoning and remonstrating with them, and adoring them as if they were human beings. Much laughter I provoke among my friends by so doing, but that is of no consequence. We are on such good terms, my flowers and I.”

Will miss you always xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Long time!!!

Ok, so I am going to start working on this a lot more, and not only include my artistic/creative work, but I will also include information about my social life and weight loss ups and hopefully more of downs... I NEED TO LOSE A LOT, and therefore I think that using my creative elements to distract me from food may help too!!

I've been busy with the knitting and crochet this last couple of months, have recently finished a cushion for the http://www.woolsack.org/ project, and I am well on my way to completing another. The reason that I can work so much on these at the moment is that my back has been playing up again and I've been off for 3 weeks.

Another project that I've been working hard with, in planning is producing things for Andrea's twins. They are due to arrive in June, and by then I'd like to have a few bits for them when they arrive, as well as two cot blankets. I've seen the colour scheme and I can be nice and bold and bright, brilliant! http://www.littlelambwool.co.uk/ will be my source for the materials as Sally stocks amazing bright beautiful colours that aren't all wishy washy and pastelly like most baby wool stocked in my local wool shop.

Well off to get in the garden and make things beautiful for later in the year. A spring photo to make you smile, Have fun :) xx

Best get on with

Christmas Presents

Evening... I made a couple of presents I was really proud of last year. Best be wishing you a happy new year

One has been on the go for the last couple of years as I was unsure about how to take it from a tapestry to cushion, but I bit the bullet and made it up with a gorgeous velvet backing.

I think the recipient was rather pleased with the finished item, suited her to a 'T' :)

The other piece I was really pleased with was a button heart that I made. Its in purple and black and has an old diamante broach attached to it too. I've taken to picking up pieces that interest and make things different rather than just plain buttons.

Photo Update

I promised a bit of a photo gallery the other night, to show that I haven't been a lazy ass lately and I've been quite busy just not good enough to post the results on here.

Two themes can be covered, one is my contribution to the Woolsack Project (http://www.woolsack.org/) and the other is my button hearts.

So, first of all Woolsack. I've now attended and helped at two Woolsack Stuffing events. The first was at the British Wool Weekend that was held at the Harrogate Showground, and the second was at the Knitting and Stitching Show held at Harrogate International Centre. Unfortunately there is photographic evidence for both lol http://www.woolsack.org/node/35 
http://www.woolsack.org/youth In the first even I took my cushion and mums, and stuffed and finished them off. In the second I knitted two smaller squares to be part of a multi effort cushion to help make enough to send to the Youth Winter Olympic team who were about to go out for training.

Having bought pot luck bags, the colours had come back on both as 5 balls of the turquoise and 1 of pink each. I've since bought more real British wool in other colours that I'm using for a second cushion, and if I get time, third. Mum is just sticking to this one, unless I can persuade her otherwise! Mine is the one on the top in the cable stitch... I challenged myself to the cabling, and was pretty pleased with the finished result!!!

The second item I want to post on here is a picture I made with a bit of a difference. Again the Living North Christmas Show was an inspiration and I decided that a picture didn't have to be all buttons to be special. So this time I mixed buttons with stitching and pretty fabrics and had a go at a Scandi themed picture. Let me know what you think... its in the Gallery now for sale!

I'll be back shortly with some of the Christmas projects I've been working on :) x

Christmas Wishes

Wow, can't believe its taken me so long to get round to doing this again! Once I got back to work its been none stop... I have managed a few little projects, so I'll post details of those later in the week, but otherwise Charlee's Aunt has been a very frustrated crafter!

To the point where I even suggested to someone who's set up as a professional educational crafter that if they had any jobs I was interested... was shocked that her reply was, send me your CV its possible right now!!! I've been asked to do some workshops at the local gallery with kids, so I'll see how that goes, then I may be tempted to take it further. Watch this space!

On other ideas, I'm going to set up a 'Stitch and Bitch' style group in Thirsk over the next month or so, well attempt to anyway. See if I can get a few people interested in Knitting, crochet, tapestry etc together once or twice a month either at mine, or if I can get a small group together in the local library or gallery space.

Have a lovely new year, and I wish everyone the best with their projects and plans for 2012 :) xx

Screening the summer stove!

I've been wondering for a few days now how to screen the empty stove in the sitting room, as I found it quite depressing. Although I noted that a few friends on Facebook were resorting to lighting their stoves today as the weather has turned rather autumnal and chilly.

I worked out the size of the window in the stove, and using a piece of card to create a screen which I then covered with a small piece of my statement wall paper from the study, 'Sanderson, Dandelion Clocks in Blackcurrant', which reflected the colours I wish to use in the lounge in a summer colour scheme eventually when its finally decorated. I'll use red to cosy and warm it up in winter and lime to cool and brighten things up in the warmer months.

Anyway, back to the screen. Once covered with the wallpaper, I thought that it needed a little more interest. I've used some of my buttons to highlight certain points and pull a few colours and ideas together. I'll be using wood as a natural element within the room so popped a bit of that in there too, with a silver heart to keep the theme of hearts going throughout the scheme of decoration.

Latest Projects

I referred to the fact that even though I'd not created anything out of buttons lately, I had still been creative. I've completed 3 projects in the last couple of months that I don't think I've mentioned on here.
The first was a cushion for my close friend Anna. She's a fan of purple and so when I saw this kit I just had to have it. I'd knitted it up fairly quickly as it was done in strips and then sewn together for the front. The back was done in one piece. Although it was man-made fibres it was lovely to work with and I think the end result was rather nice. I stuffed it throughly and its made a very soft and welcoming cushion, which Anna really likes.

The next pieces I have been working on are the blankets for the two neighbouring babies. I may have mentioned that I've babies on either side of my terraced house. Ellie is now 7 months old and Fin is 5 months old. I couldn't resist making something for them, and so I chose to make a blanket.
I took the traditional route, and have made a blue buggy blanket for Fin, and for Ellie I've had a go at a crochet blanket out of 42 'granny' squares which I then joined together with double crochet and edged neatly finishing with a picot edging. I chose purple and pink for the blanket, and joined and edged it in a green that her room is painted in, which is a great contrast. I've really enjoyed working on these two projects and think the pictures show that.

Its really brought home to me how much I enjoy creating things for other people and not only that, but I enjoy making homeware more than clothing. Its given me lots of ideas for myself and others for future pieces. I've some great wool to make a joint knitted/crochet blanket with and then I've several other designs I'd like to try too.

My next main piece will be a cushion for the Olympic Woolsack project which is now part of the cultural olympiad for next year. They are hoping to create 20000 cushions from British wool to give to all the participants of both Olympics and Paralympics next year. I'm hoping to create at least two and the first is underway currently!  http://www.woolsack.org/

Woah, its been a while!

I can't believe its been so long since I've been able to write this... time has flown by!

Main problems for me have been the sudden speed that took over as the end of term drew near. It was like all I could do was work all hours to keep up with where I needed to be, and even then I still have a few bits left over to sort for next year!!! That's before I start my 'holiday' work lol

But before then I am going to have a few days of being very creative and try and get my mojo back. One big boost for that was selling an Owl picture in the local gallery http://www.moonmeadow.com/  Apparently it was the last purchase two regular buyers made from the gallery before emigrating to New Zealand!!! I hope it's gone with them and is speading the word far and wide :)

I haven't stopped being creative while I've not been on here. I've handed the blue heart that was on Folksy to the Gallery to keep my work in there, and I have everything crossed I am able to be creative again now I've managed to get rid of a lot of stress recently.

I've been knitting and crocheting a lot, as I find both very relaxing and rarely sit and do nothing even if I'm watching tv etc. I've just been putting the finishing touches to two baby blankets. One knitted for the little boy next door, and the other crocheted for the little girl on the other side of me! Fingers crossed they are well received...

I am also working on my Woolsack Cushion project, which is my next WIP to finish, then I think I'm going to look at making something for myself. Mum was shocked at the multiplying wool stores I now have all over the house and is supplying more boxing for me to keep it safe in as she's working down her stash by making small crocheted blankets for my school project for the Dogs Trust! I have been investigating other charity projects lately as I like the idea of helping others, and I'm probably going to do a wrap for www.irhh.org/wrappedwithlove and I'm also thinking that knitted mice could be fun for http://www.battersea.org.uk/about_us/whats_new/cat_knitting.html Will post any completed projects for either on here.

Next year at School I'm considering renaming the 'group' I'm running Creative Wool Crafts and see if I'm allowed to do some Yarn or Pom pom bombing in the school site to make things a bit more colourful!!! Lets see how far my good will with the head goes :)

Best rest now and get some sleep as I'm off to http://www.mainpinecompany.com/ tomorrow and I'm very excited. How I wish I could afford a kitchen made by them... maybe investigate a mantle piece instead lol Love their recycling wood philosophy. Enjoy and keep smiling :) xx

Artistic Break

I don't usually think about the way my pictures are designed as the heart and start were pretty straight forward shapes. Then came the plane request - thanks Debs! I needed to make a shape that although simple, was easily recognisable as a plane, so I started to scout about the net looking for pictures.

This weekend so far I've been doing exactly the same. I've been doing the first sketches for potential pictures I may try and create out of buttons. An artists suggestions are a great place for me to start, and Bridget at Moon Meadow Gallery came up with a big list for me to try when I was last in there. Transfering those ideas into pictures/shapes I can then create out of buttons is a whole new experience. How do I get the fine lines, the grace of insect wings and the solemnity of the moon to transfer? It is going to be a challenge, but I'm quite interested in it now I've done my sketches. Luckily she wants another heart too, so I've just the question of do I create another, or shall I just give her 'Blue Love'?

Other artistic things I've been up to this weekend are all woolen. I've been making up the lovely blue blanket for Fin next door, and I'm working on a fabulous cushion for a friends birthday. That's the key thing to finish this week, preferably before Friday if I can!!! Best get knitting then again later this evening.

The one thing that may put a big welly boot of trouble into the next 7 days of planned 'Work' and my pleasurable work is that I've toothache... lost a filling in the week, and I'm hoping I can last out till next Monday to have it repaired. It's not played up until today, so will see what the week brings.

Keep smiling and enjoy the sun (it is coming!!!) :) xxx