Picnic and a break

The picnic was delightful on Saturday. Instead of sitting and reading I went for a long walk all over the park. I made a delicous noodle salad which I will have to share the recipe for.

 I'm going to take a blog break for at least the next week. There's quite a bit going on at the moment and I just know I'm not going to get here in the next week. (yay - I actually managed to let you know instead of just disappearing!)

I hope you had a lovely weekend and that you have a good week ahead. x x

Relax

I'm packing a picnic, a blanket, some good books, and taking the hour train journey to Richmond Park to sit in the sun all day and relax. It's going to be good. Hope you have a lovely weekend.  

Circle prints

Earlier in the week I had a creative evening at my desk. I returned to printing on fabrics and experimented by carving new stamps and exploring patterns. This is an activity I really enjoy. Just two hours work can transform white cotton into something exciting. Now I'm wondering what to make with these printed fabrics. . . .

Any ideas?

Lastly, a picture of my desk as I was printing.

Thank you for all the  comments and suggestions you've been making this week. It's good to hear from you guys. x

more cushions

A few quick shots of the other two cuchions I made at the weekend.

Green fingers

I've fancied getting some succulents for a long time. How can I not, with all the pretty pictures on the web. Once I saw Paula's picture I realised that I could just get cuttings, rather than looking for affordable plants. And that's what I did. A friend has so many in her home and garden so I went around pulling bits off and pulling up little roots. Here's my bag of treasure.

I started to draw them but the sun was shining and I felt I needed to get them planted.

I need your advice on caring for them (if you'd be so kind): I know they like dry soil. I read online I should water them every two to three days for the first month until they take root and then only once a month after that. Do you agree with this? How do you get yours to take root?

Yesterday I discovered a load of moss growing nearby. I collected a bag full, thinking how pretty it would look and I've now put it around the succulents. Although, I'm now unsure if that was the right thing to do as moss tends to like wet soil. Do you think I should remove the moss and put pebbles around the top?

I'm fairly new to gardening but this year I'm enjoying it more than ever. I have so many plans and ideas for out little 'garden' (the front steps and window sill). Thank you in advance for any gardening advice you can share.

my favourite garden blog

the prettiest succulents

and another inspiring 'garden'

Cushions

One of my new years resolution was to not buy stuff. I have a lot of stuff already, and I really don't need more. I have given in and bought some things (books), but mostly I've been quite restrained (I haven't bought any clothes so far all year!).

Well, yesterday I made five cushions for the living room. I wanted to smarten the couch up a bit. It's old and well loved, as you can see. So sticking to the 'don't buy stuff' thing I only used what I already had. Fabrics, trimmings, decorations, filling.

I took these photos when I had made three new cushions, whilst it was still light (they're the three on the left), the other two I made after dark and will show pictures soon. The cushion on the right I made years ago.

I got my hands on a selection of good quality vintage fabrics about six years ago. I'd kept hold of them but hadn't used them. I used three of them.

 It looks a little bulky, but will flatten down quilckly I'm sure.

I attached a little bird brooch for decoration. See the way the satiny fabric has a bark effect? Nice.

This one I made from a vintage pinnie which I used to use but had since put in my fabric box. See the little pocket? cute hey?

The top cushion I made with more of the vintage fabric. It's a think sort of satin with wool woven in. I used turquiose ric rac as a trim.

Had I not been trying to be resourceful and use what I have, I know I would have gone to the shops and bought the exact fabrics I wanted. But this way, I have put a dent in my fabric stash (if a very small dent) and not spent money. Just an afternoon spent sewing and now I have five new cushions!

Did you make anything nice over the weekend? Do share.....

Reading

I used to find reading quite difficult.

 I thought I should read novels but could rarely finish them. More recently I've been reading what I think is described as nature writing. I read Notes from Walnut Tree Farm and loved it. Then Brooke recommended Summer at Little Lava which equally inspired me. Both stories of connectedness to nature. Not even really stories, but observations, journals. Really enjoying those accounts of living within nature helped me to relax about reading and now I can't stop buying books, nature writing or not. These are the ones I've got my hands on recently, which sit beside my bed. Three of these books are individuals journeys of connecting with nature and the rest a mix of things that currently interest me - herbs, japanese asthetic, japanese cooking, and places to walk in London.

Japanese cooking

London Walks

Waterlog

Wabi-Sabi for Artists, Designers, Poets and Philosophers

my journal

Neal's Yard Remedies

Far Out Isn't Far Enough

The World of Interiors

The Woodland House

Tell me, which books have you been reading lately? Or have you read any nature writings which you would recommend?

Basketry

I've started to make a basket. This basket is coiled together from string and sewn into place with speckled wool. The slow paced action of wrapping the string around and around allows my mind to wonder. I think about my Gran trying each and every craft - spinning wool, bee keeping, knitting, crocheting, dyeing, stitching, beading, lace making, wickerwork. Perhaps basketry was one of the few she didn't try.

I have a basket in my home which I love. Made from willows of different colours. Decorated with shells. As I wash the dishes or make tea I stare at it and think of Molly Rathbone, it's maker, slowly gathering the materials, then building this piece from such simple things she has found.

Invites

A while back I showed a glimpse of some wedding invites I had been working on for a friend. Well, those invites have all been sent out now and I have taken a few photos to share. The invites included a card with the invite details, a map, an RSVP postcard, an information sheet, and the envelope to send it all in.

I hope you had a good weekend. I spent all of saturday in bed with a cold, then on Sunday I went for a walk in Regents Park. It's very fancy around there.

Butterflies in the rain

Butterflies in the rain, painted by me

I often find myself looking through the pile of paintings from the drying rack, picking out black rainbows, homemade dot to dot pictures, squiggles which are 'bath time' or experiments with brushstrokes, and hoping there is no name on the back (there usually isn't) so that I can borrow it.

 At the age of three and four (the age I work with) they are still so free from outside attitudes. They haven't yet heard anyone say 'I can't draw'. To them everyone can draw and paint. It's just something we all do.

The other day I sat with them to paint and just copied the way they were painting. So free, experimental, and enjoyable.

Oh Blossom

I guess I needed a blog break. Sorry I didn't see that coming and forewarn you guys about the quietness.

It's that time of year when I'm waiting for spring. The blossom comes early here. It fooled me last year, I thought spring had arrived. Not this year. It seems each year we get a spell of warm weather, the blossom appears and then it is cold again for a while before spring.

The blossom was starting to appear, in bud ready and waiting for that warm spell. The sun shone. Oh how it shone. Warming all our faces as we smiled and soaked it in. And just as we removed our coats and played outside in our shirts the blossom appeared.

The  blossom trees at the end of my street which glimmer at dusk as the sun sets beside them. The blossom tree which is peaking over someone's wall on my walk to school. I cross the road just to admire it. The blossom at the school entrance as I enter the building and start my day.

It seems no matter where I look I can see blossom, bringing it's joyful reminder that spring is round the corner.

The warm spell has gone already, only lasting a few days, leaving behind the blossom, like a gift from spring.

oh blossom, how I enjoy you so much each year.