Hello again!

So did you?....Let the sunshine in? :) 

Its been a Scottish summer revelation..that we can have summer WITH  sun! Who'd a thought?!

I certainly didn't need to be told twice....soaked it ALL up, well and truly, and had a real treat of a summer,

chock full of adventures and sweet times with my family.

The recent break from blogging has been a blessing, as I now return to get on the ol' bloggy horse with a revived and refreshed bounce. There's been changes going on here.... in home, heart and art...and it's my goal to get this here space reflecting that too. I do hope you continue to enjoy visiting and come back often.

And here is my youngest cheeky cherub that started school last week.....

*sigh* how time flies when you're having fun x

holidays and a change...

A change IS as good as a holiday..indeedy. However I might add  a change coupled with a holiday is the total remedy! Oh yes, a self imposed sewing ban alongside the spring term school break has given my weary fingers the full recuperation they required and I'm good to go again!

Of course with 2 girls (and myself) to keep occupied over the bitter cold days where the fingers and toes could only sustain short periods amidst the elements (alas, picnics have been few and far between this year), I decided clay would be a fun thing to play with. 

We started off trying out paper clay,but I'd bought it as a powder and think I'd added too much water as it was quite tricky to work with and VERY sticky....aherm...so another trip to el Hobbycrafto and the faithful airdrying clay seemed to work quite the trick.
Skye sat for an age with a rolling pin and lots of old play dough tools, and made quite a collection of "beads" which are now awaiting some paint. Maia also sat for an age and made this incredible little model below of one of her favourite charcters "Totoro". She's a BIG fan of Studio Ghibli and Japanese animations and this little fellow features in one of their animations...(yep, it's been a learning curve for me too!)

I was so impressed by the minutae of detail, and luckily for her the proud mumma hormones were in full swing on realising his whiskers had been created out of my ancient but all time favourite hairbrush!!

Deep breath :)

I had sooo much fun with clay playing too..... took me straight back to the days when I made brooches and earrings as a teenager, which my mum would so sweetly let me sell at the craft fairs she exhibited at.

As you can see from the top photos I made brooches (and dinky ornaments) in spring colours to brighten my surroundings. I got carried away and made so many I'm deliberating whether to add them to my shop.....I have 3-4 weeks for the brooch blanks I have ordered to arrive and decide!

Thought I'd end on the sunny and recent decor that graces my living room window sill. Skye set them up and insists they remain in their row. I feel like I am about to be serenaded by some yodelling alpine chicks :)

Jaunty jig

I'm feeling a little smug...just returned from a little family jaunt WITHOUT webbed feet...perhaps even a little tannage! Sweet!

It was a few days over "the border" in Northumberland, and ultimately was spent between beaches and castles..thought you may like to see a few photos!

Bamburgh Castle...certainly has the "wow" factor when you arrive in the little village of Bamburgh...

Loving the zingy green leaves against the weathered rock....

The beach view.... wonder what chances the sea fairing marauders thought they had! 

The universal activity that will keep kids of all ages happy..wave watching...followed by splashing in the sea with nothing but your undercrackers on :)

The Holy Isle of Lindisfarne was my favourite...a causeway cross took you over to the little place, where St Aiden arrived from Iona and set up a monastery. This is the castle perched on the end of the tiny Island....

Delighted by the bright pops of colour against the weathered wood... Salty air makes for wonderful sculptures!

And impossible not to smile at the dormant boats just waiting for that incoming tide and a wee "lift"!

Hope you enjoyed the little trip too :)x

A wee trip! ...and a nice surprise!

Bonjour! Its been a bit longer than normal for a post..so much going on!
I've been away on a gorgeous holiday together with the whole family... a big house on the west coast of Scotland, which mum and dad hired for the week as a lure to get all the siblings and their young uns together...it worked well! :)
Such a lovely time was had by all...we started off in flipflops and tropical sunshine and ended in snow and wellies. Yup 4 seasons in one day!

castle ruins 

rugged coastlines and meanders

nature love 

bright blooms suddenly appearing from nowhere!

Oh! And a thrifted find that had to be carried around all day! 

I needed a table for the trade fair I'm now getting ready for, and spotted this in a little charity shop on one of our days out! So funny standing at the harbour throwing stones with a little side table to rest my bag on...felt like royalty! :)

And then I came home to the welcome of an email telling me one of my handmade books has been featured on Imaginative Bloom! How coooool! Sooo delighted to have my winged girl amongst such other beautiful sewn work. I'm a big fan of this website and the art that is shared here. So I am VERY chuffed!

And last but not least..if you're still with me.....

the next time I post I'll no longer be a Trade Fair virgin.....eeeek!

Its a crazy amount of last minute organising (atleast I have a table now!)..but I feel so GOOOOD about it all. This is the next step, a MAHOOSIVE one....but my BIG girl's pants are on and I'm ready for whatever is to come!

Wish me luck :) xx

Making Happy Memories

(a wee stitched postcard)

We've been off holidaying......

In the end, what with the battle required to take the tent out of the very back of the VERY full cupboard and the rain, rain, rain..we opted for a so-called "wigwam".

Plonked on the beautiful hills that surround Loch Tay. Where trees meet the clouds...

And where it still rained,rained and rained some more

But I like to think we made some very happy memories :)x

Giveaway winners plus spring fever!

We are having the most cracking weather EVER here! And all living things are soaking in those rays and bursting forth..(including my girls who no longer have trousers long enough!)

So its picnics galore, explosions of blooms

New leaves popping, fern fronds unfurling........I soooo love this time of year :)

Thankyou soooo much everyone for joining in my print giveaway...luckily I have 3 trusty assistants all eager to pick a winner...

And so ..the winners are.....

A pink dreamer

Eydie

and Toad in a boat :)

Yayyyyy and congratulations to you all! The prints of your choice shall be on their way as soon as I have addresses. Happy days :)

Enjoy the rest of your weekend everyone, I'm away to enjoy that evening lingering sun..luuush!X

Holidays- Creative Tuesday

Oh I do like to be beside the sea-side...... (front)

(back)

Today's Creative Tuesday's theme is "holidays".....and to quote a good friend ..."I am not meant to be a polar bear!"......so rather than going for some wintery scene to reflect the festivities that are fast approaching I've gone instead for the nostalgia of the summer holidays I used to have as a girl.

I know I am definitely NOT alone when I say many a day in my summer holidays have been spent on a beach, spade and bucket in hand, constructing magnificent castles adorned with feathers and shells, hunting for crabs and fish in rockpools, trying to dig the biggest hole that could reach Australia, and trying to keep the castle moat full of water....

My Mum would always be found digging like fury in the sand to create super duper sand vehicles which we could sit in and pretend to drive....Dad would be moaning about the sand that would inevitably end up in our picnic....(sandwiches ...i mean what else could they be called??!!)

And do you remember the severe exfoliation that would ensue the speedy towel dry followed by the impossible change from swimming costume to clothes, all attempted whilst wrapped in your towel?! ( partly for discretion and partly to prevent hypothermia!)

Ah memories....and actually I have to say I am guilty of keeping up the same tradition with my own kids because despite there never being a huge amount of sun on our summer holidays I certainly have many sun shiny memories of them :)

Where all postcards end up in our home...on the fridge! :)

I've hand sewn this weeks piece as I had so much fun sewing my postcard for the Big Stitched Postcard Swap and thought the postcard theme fitted perfectly!

You'll find a whole lot more interpretations of "holidays" over here at Mr Toasts place...go and check it out!