Oh what a beautiful blue

I've just a few minutes before setting off, I've got to make the most of a gloriously dry and frosty morning. Before I go, I thought I would waffle a bit whilst I finish off my huge mug of coffee as well as say hello to my new followers - welcome to my little corner of the world x

Following on with the success of the Halloween alternative of 'Chase the Pumpkins', the village organisers have gone straight into 'Spot the Poppy's...

 '.... and yes, I realise there is a completely incorrectly used, surplus apostrophe however, I am just typing it as it has been written by the organisers.  

Every time I read it, in my head it continues with .... 'Spot the Poppy's ..... spot the poppy's what?' sigh.

Any hoo, I am now in the process of making card 'poppy's '  - not 100% sure how I will display them, if I could be sure that we would get a spell of dry weather (the display has to be out from today until the 12th) then I would adorn the tree in the front with a cascade of them, however, this being a) November, b) the north of the UK and c) the north of the UK during November - you get my drift.... any way, best be off as I have work to do, can't be late :)

LATER

Well, I'm back for a quick lunch then off to the next job - it is such a gloriously beautiful day it truly blows the dreadful stuff out of the water. The sky is wrapped wall to wall in the most delicate clear blue, the sort of beautiful blue your eyes can see to forever and back. The occasional cloud drifts by in a soft gentle haze, gone are the angry vindictive storm clouds of the last few days. The trees - still and quiet, resting after their violent dancing are now bare and naked.

At the front door when I returned was a package, a book I had ordered a little while ago - from an alternative source (so not the omnipresent amazon), I am so looking forward to reading it. Leafing through the pages you can see this book has been definitely preloved and has probably been read by several different people which feels rather delicious - as if I am sharing in a secret book club and our collective readership is the bond.

Yesterday's deluge was time well spent. I had bid for (and won) a package of festive fat quarters and had sent the message out to the boys and their girls that festive face masks would be made. 

There was such a flurry of comments and choosing of fabrics. After what felt quite a 'bun fight' the decisions were finally agreed, I wrote down everyone's chosen colour combinations then I started cutting them out.

Each mask needs four pieces - the front, inside and two folded sections which one covers your nose and the other is beneath the chin. Then there is the little sleeve which holds the pipe cleaner to help shape the material over your nose making a closer fit.

Only one of the four requested two identical masks while the others requested various combinations of the fabrics. I am so glad I wrote down all their instructions.

Any hoo four were completed yesterday - minus the elastic and I just need to top-stitch the final four, then all eight masks can have elastic bands cut and I will then post the whole lot out. My boys and their girls might be out in the big wide world, but I can still do something for them to make their day a little easier. xx

November's scavenger hunt

I had quietly dwelt under the wrong impression that after the arty weekend at the end October I would be able to drop back into blogging with ease.

Strangely that has not happened. In a good way though - I am still very busy.

So, now, here at the beginning of the week I am trying to get my words and photos down. It is early morning and still dark, Himself has just left for work and Youngest will be doing the same shortly.
I can remember those 'going-to-work-in-the-dark-and-coming-home-in-the-dark' days - and I don't miss them.

Post/mailbox
This little box is actually a 'letterbox' - you might wonder what makes the difference - well, in 1854 an intrepid hiker - James Perrott - set up a cairn in a wild and windy spot on North Dartmoor. There he stashed a glass bottle where the next walker could drop off a card and pick up the previous one. It was seen as a rather exciting and dangerous venture.

I imagine dressed in full Victorian walking garb - just setting off out to the shops was a rather epic.

Any hoo, fast forward and letterboxing is still a 'thing' and although still predominantly in Dartmoor in Devon, it has spread out into wild and wonderful pockets all around the UK. This particular one is in Langass Woodland on North Uist. A place with some wonderful stories of it own.

Decay
Chosen because of the season here in the northern hemisphere - after a long and glorious summer, autumn firstly flattened out the garden with her winds and rain then winter started join in - for a brief moment or two there was that beautiful inner glow autumn sometimes shares before the decay sets in.
On the moorland side of our village is a waterfall which has an otherworldly air - like minded folk are drawn there and small talismans and gifts are quietly tucked into the trees.They too fade and decay this time of the year.

Secondhand
Nearly all our pets are 'secondhand', rescues and adopted from shelters or veterinary surgeries. We take them on without knowing their backgrounds or 'baggage'. Some have been the perfect addition to our family - others have been a little harder to reach through their 'self defence' walls. We had a cat who had to learn again to walk in a straight line and eat without falling over - we had 'Awful Annie' for 16 years. Then there was 'Polly' who through no fault of her own was to be destroyed (her owner never came to collect her after surgery) she was my personal furry angel for 21 years. Our latest three also have their own backgrounds.
'Pepper' abandoned in a box at the back of a pub - the cheekiest little furbag imaginable - has no personal barriers and firmly believes in 'what's mine is mine and what's yours is mine too prrrr).
'Pan' - a Princess with a feral beginning and a suspicious heart. She lives alongside us rather than with us and has moments of magical purry-love and days of angry eyes and flattened ears - we would never abandon or rehome her as we understand her mood swings and accept her for what she is - someone else might be less tolerant.
Then there is Moss - we are her 5th and forever owners. She is an amazing dog despite all the trauma and tragedy this dog has had in her short life - she loves her pack (us) so fiercely and loyally.

Strand
I have a permanent dull ache for the sea, so it seemed only right that my strand was a strand line - however, when I trawled through my photographs of the sea and coast line, I ended up falling into the rabbit hole of holiday memories. It took some time before I surfaced and decided on this image. An abandoned fishing boat on the Isle of Skye, left high and dry with fetid seaweed on the strand line.

Fold
I have found a new distraction for my hands - or rather, I have found a new direction for an already acquired skill. I have always loved origami and have transferred that into making little books - be still my beating heart.

My own Choice
I've been busy 'makkin' in the studio - for a couple of festive events and pop shops - these wooden apple roundels I made on Monday evening - I just liked the way the wood glows in the evening light. I just need to finish the art work on the back, add ribbons and package up.

Right, off to see what you lot have been up to :) Have a lovely weekend.

Meet. Eat. Fold. Tea.

After a rather lengthy but fruitful meeting,

after lunch and chat with a friend,

after dodging showers 

and settling down in my studio ...

The gentle art of folding,

was just what I needed.

Tomorrow, 

a small dog needs drawing out in pen and ink,

origami envelopes need developing,

tea needs drinking.

I am looking forward to tomorrow.

Love grows here

Thank you every one for your lovely comments and positive feedback for my little books and I am rather happy to say I have since been invited to take part of a small fayre, with them, at the end of next month - I better get making and introduce them to the world!

On a different note - thought I would share some photos from last week at the walled garden (a favourite holistic place of mine) - I am lucky to volunteer with some other wonderful ladies who feel the same way as I do.

Even in the rain, the garden glows in jewel colours and exudes a wonderful calmness. 

This final photo I can not take credit for - it is from the National Trust facebook page.

..."Our walled garden is awash with colour and alive with pollinator activity.
See if you can spot any colourful, bee friendly areas when you’re out and about this weekend! "...

National Trust Yorkshire Dales

Just a short bit of waffle today - have a good week and hope you get to spend time somewhere you love.

Sun between the showers

Bathed in a welcome ray of sunlight after a few days of (necessary) rain and (dull) cloud - I have just finished another mini book.

I can not explain or believe the pleasure it gives me creating these little creatures. Each one I have completed has found a home rather quickly so they must be sharing that happiness too.

In which I fall in love ...

There are some days that stand out as being a 'good'un' and Tuesday will certainly be on of them.

Part 1....

I had a most wonderful artist's jolly out with a fellow artist and brilliant friend over in Pateley Bridge (a small town that warrants a full day in it's own right) where we stopped off at the King's Street Workshops to see the Handmade Books Exhibition - Envelop held at the Number 6 Studio.

Our day started with a beautiful drive over the moors between Skipton, Grassington and Harrogate, with a most welcome stop at a lovely farm cafe.

We chose to sit outside and admire the view - besides it was a lot cooler with a rather lazy breeze tickling around us.

The King Street workshops were a gentle hive of activity. Not all were open when we arrived but through out the day more artists opened their doors.

Stepping into Number 6 Studio was like having a light switched on - I have never seen so many gorgeous beautiful amazing fantastic intricate detailed astounding hand made little books. We were encouraged to pick up and investigate each book and believe me ... I did....each.and.every.one. And I was completely and utterly bewitched.

I was so engrossed that I only took a few photos (not like me at all!) I moved around that gallery inch by inch. My dear friend who was with me responded to this gorgeous-ness in quite a different way - she bounced from one pretty thing to another and back again - she zig-zagged around me (by this time I was sitting on the floor visually devouring a work book) until she found something that caught her and she stopped and sunk into it's magic.

Not all the books were crafted in paper, there were some beautiful fabric versions - felt and tweed and others that felt and smelt like something out of an army tank. Rusted, bolted, oiled and decorated; they had been inspired by the artist's father's workshop.

The fabric books told stories, some very emotional. One in particular was a record of the creator dealing with a personal difficult process. She explained, carefully, the underlying reason for her book and I looked at her work with new eyes.

It was a really beautiful day - I was truly inspired.

Part 2 next time xxx