Almost There!

Just like it says in the Andy Williams lyrics,

"Close your eyes for we're almost there".

The gallery is due to open on Friday, despite

all the problems.

Mr C's had a setback in his recovery, so I have had to

 step up to the plate and get it ready to open.

Alongside this, we have had a house guest for the last week.

Meet Holly! She has come to stay for a fortnight,

while her lucky owners have gone on holiday.

She is a real live wire and takes a lot of looking after.

The walks have fallen to me, as I am the only one fit for purpose.

Spotted these bluebells

and the  Lady's Smock, whilst out with them at the weekend.

Today was the day I started hanging the work in the gallery.

Didn't realise how crooked they were until I looked at the photos!

What a time I have been having .....

A real 'baptism of fire'!

Just giving you a taster !

I enjoyed it so much, I'm going back again tomorrow, to tackle the front room,

(glimpsed through the doorway).

I apologise for the photos, they're not the best but give a flavour

of the interior. When I had finished, I have to admit to feeling a

little pleased with my effort.

Feeling very excited now that we are near to opening.

Keep your fingers crossed that it will be a success.

Won't be for want of trying .......

Have a great week everyone!

An Apple A Day!

The weather has been very mixed this week!

Torrential rain last night but yesterday, it was a different story.

The field below my house is full of dandelions.

A carpet of yellow!

Can you spot Daisy's ear (bottom right).

She got home with bright yellow feet from running through it.

She looked so funny!

Spring is really springing, as you can see from 

the leaves on this tree on the river bank.

I am still busy making for the gallery, which we are hoping

to open next week.

I have added to my pin cushion fruit bowl.

An apple, which I am particularly pleased with.

and

a Pumpkin.

and

 then there were three!

Really had fun making these, a welcome diversion from

all the organisational things, which go together with opening a shop.

The nitty gritty is left to me while Mr C. has been

 painting and cleaning the space.

The dynamics work well and is what makes us a good partnership!

 Ethel wanted me to tell you, she is really looking forward to going 

back to work.

She has been complaining of feeling a bit lonely

 in my work room, lately.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Birthday Week!

I've had a birthday this week.

Would you believe, it snowed!

Never happened before, that I can remember.

I had a wonderful day, which culminated in a surprise

dinner party with friends, cooked by Mr C.

Received lots of lovely presents.

Felt slippers that my best and oldest friend, bought all the way

back from Marrakesh!

           

From my youngest son and family.

A button badge maker from my eldest son.

Had a little go and these are the result!

Wool and a sock pattern to go with it.

Can you see a theme emerging!

My friend Ali, from Random Wooliness, made me this ....

A little crochet purse. I love the colours and the

flap is a triumph of freeform,

By one of life's strange coincidences,

she too had a birthday this week!

A lovely little frame, in which 

I put a picture of my granddaughter, Maud.

There was more and some lovely cards too.

Wasn't I a lucky girl!

Hoping to open our gallery in one or two weeks, so

the rest of the week has been spent in making little things.

A tomato pin cushion.

The main body is knitted and the green stalk is crochet.

Pleased with the way it's turned out. 

 Designed and printed some tags to attach to my work.

I have adapted it from a photo of the freeform flower that 

I sent to Australia for Prudence Mapstone's collaborative

artwork, 50 years of flower power.

 It was such a great image and makes a perfect tag.

Hope you have all had a good week.

Enjoy the Bank Holiday weekend!

My 'Spark' is relit!

Woke up yesterday, to a beautiful morning and the 

return, I am glad to say, of my Inspiration!

Although we still have no transport, a kind neighbour offered

Mr C. the use of his van for the weekend, so work on the gallery had begun.

I was taken there this morning, early, for a quick peek.

Very exciting to see it taking shape!

The best thing about this weekend has been, having the house to myself.

After finishing all my household tasks, I went off for a day in my work room.

Although I have not been idle of late, knitting and crocheting a plenty,

my true creativity has been sadly lacking.

So you can imagine my joy, when I woke yesterday with my mind

buzzing with lots of ideas.

A quick coffee in the garden looking at Mr C's new sculpture

for inspiration and I was away!

I have been struggling for over a year on how to mount one of my recent 

textile pieces.

I have needle felted threads and silk on pale grey scrim. Free machine embroidered it in parts

and attached pieces of dyed newspaper, beads and buttons.

I am drapping it over a strip of copper and attaching it to 

a piece of mount board. Delighted to have found the solution, after all this time!

Also made this,

to finish off a little bag, to go in the gallery.

 Made a smaller version for the front.

Hope you've found your spark, this weekend!

Set Back!

This week's tale is full of woe!

We have really been put to the test, in the last few months.

Definitely a case of, one step forward and several back.

I want to apologise here in advance. I have not been keeping 

up with reading all the blogs, I follow.

I seem to have lost my joie de vivre!

Our van, that we thought was fixed is not ....

Mr C. took it out on a longer test drive and it failed.

A much more serious and looks like expensive fault!!

So it's back to 'shanks pony' for me.

Anyway, Daisy's happy about life.

Can you spot the Celandine's, nestling in the grass!

Also spotted some Ransomes and  Wood Anemones ....

                                                 

Our gallery plans have been set back again, until our transport is fixed.

It is so frustrating but have decided to be positive.

These things are sent to try us!

Lastly, the hap I have been knitting has hit a snag.

The wool I was using proved to be unsuitable.

Have started again .... it's a bit bright and the colours 

probably not to everyone's taste .......

I'm liking it though! I couldn't afford to purchase more wool,

even though I was very tempted, so had to make use of what I had.

Do you think Ethel will like it!

Will be more up beat next time, I promise.

Have a good week, everyone!

This Week!

This week, the weather has been gorgeous!

Took this, this morning on the early dog walk.

I love the trees, reflected in the water.

I'm glad to say that, Mr C. has recovered enough

to fix our van, so we are back on the road again.

Yippee!

This week, or should I say, last week now, I managed

to spend some time making things in my studio.

Dorset buttons!

A crochet flower brooch!

An I phone case,

I had to purchase the phone to run a chip and pin reader,

 for the gallery. Mr C was so taken with it, that he 

suggested I made some more to sell. So.........

Lastly, it was cast on day for the 'hap along' on Friday.

It wasn't without it's difficulties though.

I came upon an abbreviation I'd never used before.

'ssk' (Slip,slip knit). I took it literally and used three stitches,

then of course ran out! Off the needles and started again.

Researched the term on this great website I found and it turns out

you have to slip 2 stitches and then knit them together.

Silly me!!

Been a very busy week, culminating in the 

Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race.

Having lived in Oxford for many years, we were rooting

 for them and they didn't disappoint.

Have a good weekend, or what's left of it!

Happy Easter!

The weather is on the turn, this weekend

and Spring is in the air!

Mr C. is showing definite signs of improvement and has

managed a few jobs around the house.

Still no transport though, which has been challenging,

to say the least! 

These egg filled, Easter chicks were given to me to celebrate the day.

The one on the left, is sporting a Yorkshire flat cap!

My favourite thing by far was this little gem,

from Ali, from Random Wooliness. It was nestled inside a lovely

hand made card. I loved the colours and shape and it sent

my mind into a whirl of exciting ideas!

It reminded me of an ammonite and I saw all sots of possibilities for it being

part of a much larger piece of freeform crochet.

So watch this space!

Spent yesterday Spring cleaning my work room, which was a very

 arduous task but well worth the effort. Rearranged some of the furniture

and its much more user friendly.

Hoping it will spur me into spending more time in there.

Inspiration has been sadly lacking over the past few months.

Am in the process of making something special for a friend's

birthday, though! Can't share it with you yet, in case she sees it.

It only remains to wish you all, a very Happy Easter!