Sunshine and friends.....

I am loving this burst of warm weather, this was the colour of the sky this morning, and this was the Darenth Valley on Saturday morning

The scent coming back in the evening was amazing.
Last Monday I spent a day with friends being introduced to doll making, I had a wonderful fun and laughter filled day which rounded off on Saturday when one friend presented me with these

which I learned were terrific for turning things inside out and for getting stuffing into tiny places. The other gift was this adorable, handsome little gentleman

Thank you so much girls. All this in Wimbledon fortnight. If this is the kind of weather it brings long may the roof on the centre court last.

'orses 'ead 'andle......

For the last few months I have been helping out with a children's theatre production. One of the items is an enactment of "The Lion and Albert" the monologue by Mariott Edgar made famous by Stanley Holloway. I have loved this fun piece since I was small, the children (all from the London area) are making a great job of their "northern" accents but the piece needed a vital prop, as in this verse,
A grand little lad was their Albert
All dressed in his best; quite a swell
'E'd a stick with an 'orse's 'ead 'andle
The finest that Woolworth's could sell.

So........


I formed this out of Crayola Model Magic and then covered it with a layer of scrim and PVA, a layer of gesso and then a layer of Paverpol Next came the paint with beads for eyes, I added the "silver" band(tape covered in silver Rub and Buff and a final layer of Paverpol.(I am hoping it will last more than one performance!!)

I have never attempted anything like this before so am quite pleased with my efforts, obiviously my time watching Royal Ascot wasn't entirely wasted! (I thought there were some really stunning hats this year which made up a bit for me missing the exhibition at the V&A)
If you want an old fashioned chuckle listen here.

My new keep fit regime......

A friend sent me this link. May not please the purists but it is amazing.

Keep up at the back there.............

I know I had a week away but I have just realised, with horror, that I have not shown my appreciation, here, of the wonderful cards I have reveived from the Calendar Girls for the last three months.
April came from Lynda
A glimpse into a magical forest.
May came around the world from Debbi in Australia.

A beautiful soft felted "Monet".
June came across the Atlantic from Sandy in the U.S.A.

A vibrant landscape with great stitching.
And here is my June contribution from the picture
chosen by Sharon

I made mine by simply collaging fabrics, it is not as vibrant as I would have liked but I hope Carol likes it.

Blame.........

the Bank Holiday, the glorious weather.......whatever I am so behind with everything and now we are goinbg to take a short break to my home town on the edge of the Lake District so production wise things are not going to get any better. Here is one of the main reasons, the weather has been so beautiful that we have spent loads of time in our tiny garden. The roses this year have been almost the best display I can remember, the best photos (I hope) are on my non digital camera and have to be developed but this is one view of my little garden

and here are two of the stars I took today


and here's one to play with

after playing with negative,displacement and crop





I am stitching, I promise. I am working on a piece which I hope I will be able to offer for the branch stand at the EG South East Area day in July, so hopefully I will have something to show soon.

Super issue of Workshop on the Web just out with very tempting tutorials by Maggie and Lynda

And last but not least I have signed up with Dale for Holey Moley. I love Dale's blog and work and her gorgeous threads and fibres have had me opening my purse at the Knit and Stitch for the last few years. The title intrigued me and when I found that it was a years course but only one lesson every two months I couldn't resist. Watch this space....or should that be hole?