Isn't She Lovely*

Look what I got today!!!!! My giveaway win from Debs at the unfailingly excellent Kickcan and Conkers. I think this has to be one of the nicest parcels I have ever received. Beautifully wrapped (although not for long when the little hands got to it) and more gorgeousness than I could have possibly imagined. The snap game, puzzle and book are divine, and Debs even sneaked in a beautiful little Polish story book and a card of one of Mark Hearld's ace linocuts (which I have somehow omitted to photograph - bad blogger).








Isla found her favourite thing in there too....

If you've not seen Deb's eyewateringly good blog, you must go immediately...your life will be the better for it.

*alright, alright, so I've used the L word...hey if it's good enough for Stevie Wonder...

Hands up who likes to look at pretty fabric, vintage fabric, modern fabric, oh just any kind of fabric?

Yes, I thought so. Me too. How did I not know about True Up before?

I was researching mid-century farm imagery for a small panel I'm doing (a partner for Cockerel #3 - they were so pleased with it they want to order another...a cow this time). Here's just some of the bounty I found via True Up...

from janssendesigns



from sewing geek


sorry can't find provenance of this

No cows alas, but I couldn't sleep last night for dazzling patterns dancing through my head.

I'm just crazy about...

...this little letter stamping set that I picked up (for one whole English pound) at the carboot. I want more parcels to send! I am having so much fun playing Post Offices!

I had a terrible day today, I won't go into too much detail, suffice to say it involved a lot of poo (not mine, i hasten to add, but children and dogs and inopportune places). Hope that hasn't put you off your dinner, now.

On the plus side, I have exciting news about a giveaway win...I shall wait until I receive the booty to tell all....

Tyneham (part 2)

The other place I spent a considerable amount of time was the old school house. Some of the original fixtures and details had been retained.

And the desks had some beautifully hand-painted pictures on them.

The building had a quiet calm about it, as well as a touch of sadness, somehow.



Nelly seemed to make herself at home there though.



Here's what's on my workbench tonight - glass all cut and ready for leading-up (for the front door at the former doctor's surgery)

Tyneham (part 1)

We visited the deserted village of Tyneham after our woodland walk. It was evacuated during the Second World War to be used for military operations, but the villagers were never allowed to return. Needless to say I spent most of my time in the church. The above two windows are rather special aren't they?



I also got some nice detailed close-ups from some of the other windows...I like collecting repeating patterns. These remind me of this design by this clever lady.

In the woods.

A stolen weekend at one of the finest campsites Purbeck has to offer, set in fairytale woodlands. Now with added shafts of sunlight and dewy mornings.

We woke up...

We looked around us and found shades of green we had forgotten existed...

We ate a hearty breakfast...

And set off through the woods...

Climbing up and up a little track, past storybook trees...

...stopping now and then for little paws to collect fistfuls of treasure...

and arrived at.....

...erm, Canada, seemingly...




Further adventures to follow...

PS nice giveaway over here

Wanted: Interesting new superlatives. Hackneyed cliches need not apply....

The problem with blogging is that eventually, you're going to run out of nice things to say. So to nip that problem in the bud (well, I've not been blogging for that long, or that regularly but I'm already getting very weary of "lovely") I'm putting down some alternatives:




Hmmm....even some of those are looking a bit jaded. I might have to resurrect one of my dad's favourites - "Marsupial*". Any other suggestions?

*I should add the background to this...about 300 million years ago when I was a little girl, my mum and dad ran a pub. My dad claimed that, being the thrusting trend-setter that he was, he could start using a word behind the bar, and eventually everyone would be saying it. His word of choice was "Marsupial", (which is a very splendid word and rather limited in its usage, so he appropriated it to mean marvellous, super and special all at once). It did indeed catch on.

Cockerel #3

New patterns, new colours (dontcha just love tomato red?) and a slight tweak to his comb. All parcelled up and safely despatched to Sunny Scotland.

It's the end of the holidays...

...but we've had a lovely day to finish off a great summer.

Puppets

A long overdue post about the brilliant exhibition of Marc Parrett's eccentric puppets at Bridport Arts Centre. We've visited so many times now we should get a loyalty card. The puppets (most of which you are encouraged to "have a go" on) have such a charm and warmth about them, and I loved all the funny little bits and pieces, like sketches, shopping lists and cardboard cut-outs that were pegged up on an overhead washing line. We also saw his latest performance - "Across the Deep Blue Sea" - funny, sweet and simple. I'd love to post a link to his website, but I've googled and googled and cannot find one. Sorry!