ATCs and Danglys

I've had a host of atc from the Surface Design 'technique' swap. There are ten of us in this swap and they are almost all in now.
Tracy made a double sided atc using bonding, painting and heat stressing techniques. Maria used tinfoil, paint, gel media and embossing techniques.

Joanna used Yupo handyed fabrics I really like the depth of field she has created in this atc. Mags, as usual has produced a really pretty atc with transfer paint and paper resists on felt.

Dotti has used rusted fabrics, metal embossing and beading and a really attractive envelope.

I love this atc and enveloped made by Aynsley using monoprinting techniques and a lot of creative imagination.

Michelle has used similar techiques to Tracy but hers have a base of scrim over cotton. Jan's atc is layered throwsters silk, threads, glitter, leaves soaked with diluted textile medium. She then stamped and painted it further.

I've loved everyone of the atc's so far and am looking forward to remaining one.

In the meantime I've actually been doing some sewing. My effort for this month's 'nautical' theme turned out slightly different than intended. My first thoughts had been mermaids, ships, rock pools, anchors etc but in the end I decided on a coastline approach. I free cut the background fabrics into a roughly sea/sand contour, covered the sea part with irridescent sheer and started stitching and beading.

Friday was the monthly U3A meeting and I needed something to show what the craft group was going to do in October. We'd decided loosely on a Christmas theme - giving people plenty of time to complete before it arrived with a bang!! There is a great variation in people's ability in this group so I needed something that would suit all. I couldn't come up with one item but made four for them to choose from.

The one-winged angel (she is still knitting the other one!!) is a bit fiddly and as the skirt is knitted lace should appeal to those who want a bit of a challenge.

The folded patchwork 'dangly' is not quite so complex and can be made very quickly. The beaded dangly is very quick and easy to make so should suit those who want to complete something within the class time. (I hope!!)

But I could not resist making an Angel Dotee for those members who like something a bit more 'funky'.

We're off again in the morning to Warwickshire to look at gardens - ours is a patch of weeds. I will be back in a week and this time should be around long enough to blog more often.

On the home front Keith had his steroid injections into his spinal cord on Friday and is now beginning to get over the discomfort. Hopefully he should feel the benefit of it while we are away. It's Alix's 30th (shhhhh we have to say it quietly) and last night she celebrated with two of her friends who are also 30 this week. They took over the Students Union in Leeds for the night and at the moment I haven't heard how it went. I expect they are all sleeping it off.

Still miss Mum, I keep seeing places, things I'd like to talk to her about - then I remember but I expect I'll keep doing this for quite some time to come.

Goodies from the postman

I got back from Kent on Monday to find lots of goodies from the postman, bless him. First to open were the Dotee Doll from the MixedMedia ATC swap. This Dotee isn't really for me it was sent to me by mistake but isn't she lovely. Its from Pat Reeth and I will be reluctantly sending her on her way to Kari tomorrow.

Such a self-satisfied grin and with cause, her beautiful beaded hear and tail make Maureen's Dotee feel I'm lucky to have her.

While Kari's dotee is a little red head with a dazzling beaded dress and tail. I love all the dotees if anyone has made one you'll know how addictive they are. I'm in the process of making an angel dotee for the U3a meeting on Friday. The members of the craft class wanted to make something small that could be hung on a Christmas tree. I've made a beaded bauble but thought a dotee angel wouldn't look out of place.

The private swap theme this month is 'nautical' and the sailing ship above was done by Cindy who has gone home to the States for a month, but not in a boat like this one.

Christine's nautical card is very clever. She has manipulated a photo she took, played around with it in Paint.com then copied and painted it onto fabric.

I had seven atc's to show but blogger is refusing to download them so I will save them for tomorrow. I might also get to show you some of my Kent photos.

As time goes by

Last Thursday was our birthday - Keith and I share one (too tight to have one each!!) and to celebrate we thought we'd pack an overnight back, jump in the car and go off into the wild blue yonder. And so we did.... but not before we'd walked the dog, put the washing on the line, cleaned the bathroom etc etc.

We took the back road to the coast passing one of our favourite walking spots - Roseberry Topping on the Northern end of the North York Moors. We were in such a hurry not to loose much more time that we set off without having lunch and so by the time we arrived at the top of Carlton Bank on top of the moor I was starving. We pulled into a parking stop and bought a huge bacon butty and mug of tea from the 'tea caravan' there. You can see the sea and for miles around up here, the thin pole whose top has disappeared off the top of the photo is a signal fire basket. This one was set up to herald in the Millenium.We arrived in Scarborough to a beautiful sunny afternoon where the whole town seemed to be in holiday mode.

Donkey rides, can't remember the last time I saw them on the beach.

Sandcastles were never like this in my day.....

We had a wonderful couple of days and stayed in a hotel at the top of the South Cliff with a wonderful view of the sea. In the evening Keith booked a meal at one of the restaurants so we thoroughly enjoyed our birthday.

Before I went I made a start on the Dotee Dolls for the MixedMedia_ATC group swap. I made two then got carried away and made another two. Now I have the problem of deciding which Dotee will go to their new homes as I've grown fond of them all. They took on personalities of their own.

I've got four postcards to finish and put in the post before Tuesday for the private swap. This one is based on a nautical theme. All sorts of ideas ran through my head but I found myself making something completely different from my thoughts. I'll post photos once they are all done.

We're off to Kent on Wednesday to see Leeds Castle, Sissinghurst and Pankhurst gardens. I did hope to get to the quilt show at Hever but not sure I'll have time as my friend Judy has just moved to a small village in Kent and I would also like to spend some time with her.

We'll be back a week then are off again, this time to Warwickshire with the U3a Garden Club after that I think we can take time to catch up.

off for the day. We thought we'd pack an overnight bag and stay out all night if we so desired.

Ripley Castle

I've been meaning to share these photos for over a week but just never got round to downloading them onto my laptop until tonight. Ripley Castle is just outside of Ripon and has its own tiny village to go with it. The Ingilby family have lived in the castle for over 700 years. We've passed the village of Ripley many times but as its just off the main A61 to Harrogate we've never been there until last Sunday when we went with the U3A to visit their gardens. As you would expect there is a lot of history attached to the castle (more a crenellated manour house really) no dungeons but it does have a priest hole. The walled gardens are beautiful but on the day we went many of the beds were being redug and the plants moved.

Still there was quite a show. You can see the magnificent hot house at the back of the picture. The entrance to the walled garden has a bell. This was where the young servant was sent by the cook to collect the daily veggies. He would ring the bell and wait for one of the under gardeners to come and take the list the cook would give him. He would then wait for the gardener to return with the goodies. He was not allowed inside the walled garden.

This is the back entrance to the hot house which leads directly to the walled flower and kitchen gardens. There were several single under gardeners and they all lived in bothies built onto the back of the hot house (they were lucky they had central heating in the wall of their bothy coming from the hot house).

This is one of the bothies, now used to store plant pots.

Today they grow modern and medieval vegetables (above is not an artichoke but something beginning with a C - forgot its name). They also grow old varieties of apple but are not allowed to sell them or use them, they are grown for their seed and go to various agricultural bodies.

Trees are one of the attractions at Ripley and many were planted around 1840. This sweet chestnut tree has a very convoluted trunk and I saw this lady in the folds. Not everyone could see her, some thought I was hallucinating so can anyone else see her?


This Beech is self perpetuating. They do not know why but where the branches have reached the ground they have rooted and new trees have grown there.

I always knew the U3A were a lot of tree huggers - again can't remember the name of the tree but its a Canadian redwood. The bark is warm and spongy and just asks to be touched.

And here is our own little tree hugger - Buster on his morning walk in the local woods.

Take a Stitch Tuesday

I've made a start on the Take a Stitch Tuesday challenge - again - the photos are in reverse order. The threads I've used so far are fine pearl type threads in varigated colours. I set out with the idea of using monochromatic colour scheme. I've used various shades of white on white and cream on cream 100% cotton and perhaps I would have been better to have used a counted thread background for some of the stitches. Week 4 was Buttonhole Wheels, some are with the bars on the outside, some with the bars on the inside and some have an extra detached row of buttonhole stitch.

Week 3 - Arrowhead stitch, not one of my favourites and I'm quite sure I could have done a better job if I'd thought about it a bit longer.

Week 2 - Sheath Stitch, not a stitch I'm very good at, I find it difficult to make the stitch length even but perhaps that's more to do with the fabric I think this is one that would have been easier on counted thread fabric.

Week 1 - Bullion Stitch I know many people don't like this stitch but its one of my favourites.

I've been collecting Quaver packets way back when I did my C&G I used to make fabric with these sorts of packaging and at the back of my mind was the intension to make something 'useful'. Ah, the useful items proved to be atc's for the Surface Design Group 'Technique' ATCs. I bonded the crisp packets onto a fabric backing and cut the resultant fabric into strips. I wove the strips together and zigzagged them in place onto another piece of cotton (one of my son's old shirts). The flowers are again recycled sheers, old blouse and bits of left over fabric from other burning projects. Using a metal stencil I burned out the flowers and stitched them onto the background using beads. My techniques are burning, bonding and recycling.

When I put them together I thought they'd make quite a nice bag so I'd better start collecting more bags.

My elder son Marc has spent the weekend cycling the 'Coast to Coast' route from Whitehaven to Sunderland, about 144 miles in aid of breast cancer. One of their friends is undergoing chemotherapy at the moment for breast cancer and she is in her very early 30's. As his partner Alix's mum died of breast cancer and I'm a breast cancer survivor he thought it an appropriate charity. He did the ride with two friends and they set out on Saturday morning in a gale force wind with lashing rain. He said by the time they'd got to Keswick (about 30 miles away) they were ready to give in but they didn't. Today he is stiff, sore and achey but they've raised nearly £300 and are planning to do it all again next year but in one day!!! My own little action man.

Beginning to come out of the fog

This has been partly due to our sons and their partners who thought we needed a nice surprise for a change. They clubbed together and bought us a four day trip to Bruge but because it's not until November they got us 1st Class train tickets to London for last weekend. Marc and Alix came with us and we stayed in Russel Square where we enjoyed an early morning walk and cup of coffee while waiting for them to wake up.

I admitted that I'd been to several museums in London but never the Britsh Museum so we spent Saturday morning looking at all the treasures. Alix had wanted to see the Egyptian Mummies so that was our first port of call. I was surprised just how small Cleopatra's sarcophagus was and how wide in comparison to height it was. I think she must have been small and volumptuous either that or she took a lot of grave goods with her.

I was rather taken with these small grave dolls, I think they are called Sabuti/Subati?. The belief was that when first entering the 'other world' the newly passed over had to labour in the fields. These small clay dolls were made to carry out the more arduous duties in their stead. You can see the flails and scythes these dolls are carrying so the deceased doesn't have to work the fields.

I rather liked the idea and thought Mum would appreciate one with a duster and a vaccumn cleaner. I might just make one for her later, it would have to incorporate a bingo card somewhere there.

These mummified cats reminded me so much of log cabin and railraod patchwork blogs that I'm sure these would be easy to replicate too. There were some beautiful section of tilework in the. I think this one is from the Kings Passage. Everywhere I looked I could see quilting sources.

Sunday went to Covent Gardens then took a walk along the Thames Embankment, well who doesn't when they're in London. There were quite a few Sunday performers but I spotted (no pun intended) these trees wrapped in red and white polka dot fabric. People had written their names in each of the circles and around them. I rather liked the look.
The short break revived both Keith and I and at last I've got down to some sewing, not a lot but at least its a beginnng.

I finished Mariel's 'Ethnic House' swap card and it is now winging its way to Argentina. The back of the card and the igloo are made from layers of sheer fabrics then embroidered. I made the eskimo/Inuit Indian from left over paper fabric I'd had laying around for a while and used white fleece for the fur. I drew the face and patterns on the tunic. Finally I made a fishing pole from a bamboo stick and strung fish shaped beads on the end.
The postman had not forgotten me either and Christine's 'Feather' card was awaing my return.
Christine has not been in good health recently so I was particularly pleased to receive her beautiful card. I think I've posted it upside down!!!!

Everything is beginning to return to normal. Emptying Mum's flat and tying up loose ends has been difficult for us all but iit s something that had to be done. Mum's funeral was on Tuesday and her Wake was held at a local hostellry. My brother was a bit reluctant to go feeling he would be too upset. We persuaded him and in the end all talk and laughter about the good and funny things Mum had done relieved some of the heaviness in all our hearts. It was a time of catching up with the family and we now feel stronger and more able to face the future without her.

Mum died this afternoon

Mum's health took a downturn yesterday and sadly she lost her last fight and died this afternoon. I was with her at the time and it hasn't really sunk in yet. As there is a lot to be sorted out now I probably won't blog for a couple of weeks. After that time I hope to beback up and running Mum would want me to continue sewing.

Good news at last!!!

Wonderful news, my elder son Marc and his partner Alix have decided to get married next summer and announced their engagement yesterday. We are so pleased and I'm sure they will be very happy they suit each other so well. Good news on the Mum front too - she is confounding the medics and is beginning to stay awake long enough to talk to us. In fact this morning she told me I needed my hair washed!! I'd just washed it as I was going to get it cut after I'd seen her but there is quite a lot of grey in it at the moment and it was very flat.

I have also done some sewing, not a lot but a start. I think my muse is returning. These cards are for July's 'feather' theme. I started to make windows thinking I'd write the addresses around the outside then thought better of it. I backed the windows with paper fabric and beaded the feathers.

Cindy's 'feather' card was the first of the set I received and she has chosen to depict the feather theme with an indian wind chime. I know there is a name for them but it alludes me at the moment I'm sure someone will remind me of it. It will probably come to me around 3 in the morning!!

Jennifer and Brigitte have both depicted feathers (as did I). Brigitte's card is machine embroidered and beaded. It's the last card Brigitte will make for the group as she is leaving us to do other things.

Jennifer's 'feather' card is not done justice by this photo. The background is red velvet and the feather is a black rook's feather painted with a red stripe. Jennifer has beaded the end and it looks really good when seen in 'real life'.

We've decided to have August off from making cards and will resume in September. Brigitte will be missed five was a good number to swap with and we hope eventually someone might like to join with us to replace Brigitte.

I still don't have a printer and I'm beginning to feel incapacitated by its loss. I've tried to find a wireless printer that also has a duplexer so I can do double sided printing. So far I haven't found anything suitable, I can find all in ones but I have a good scanner and can live without a copier and a fax. Guess I'll just have to get my nose to the grindstone again but I've just had a thought for a bag so I'm off to the sewing machine.

It seems like life is hitting hard at the moment

It's been a hard few days but the sad news is that Mum doesn't have much longer to live. She suddenly deteriorated just after my blog and since then I've spent most of the time at her bedside. We're not sure what happened, she was doing fine but the pain was getting much worse and her pain killers much stronger. There are two thoughts a) she's had some sort of mini stroke and b) which they believe more likely the tumour she had radiotherapy for last year has spread to her spine. Fractures have appeared that weren't there previously. Either way she is far too ill to go for further investigations and there is little that can be done but to keep her comfortable.

I will get back to blogging but at the moment my incentive to do anything more than hold Mum's had has gone. Hope you all understand but watch this space, I WILL be back.

I'm back but not yet up and running

I was kept in hospital longer than expected but thankfully everything went fine and there were no nasty surprises. Well apart from the fact that my Mum had a fall and ended up in the A&E Department so I spent my last day in hospital trailing up and down between the surgical ward and A&E. Luckily she is okay just a bit shaken and we were both discharged at the same time. I'm feeling sore and exhausted and don't have a lot of motivation at the moment. No stretching, lifting, carrying or holding things for any length of time, at least for the next week. So I guess I'll just have to think about sewing.

It's 6:30am and I'm beginning to feel hungry

And a bit nervous, the day has arrived at last. In an hour I'm going into hospital for my op. I've had nothing to eat since teatime yesterday so I'mblogging to take my mind off things.

Tuesday Keith and I went with the U3A Walkers trip to Bridlington. There were 26 of us altogether, 19 walking round Flamborough Head and the remaining 7 rebels decided to go into Bridlington and walk to Sewerby Hall along the coast path. It was a lovely ride over the moors but naturally as soon as we stopped to drop off the long walkers heavens opened. We smuggly sat on the coach while they donned waterproof trousers and jackets and waved them off.

We thought we'd stop for lunch before going on to Sewerby and found a rather nice fish and chip shop to do that. An hour and a half later and a couple of bottles of wine under our belts we set off walking (well it was a walkers trip we felt we had to do some walking). By this time the sun had come out and we were in a silly mood. It was a lovely stroll along the front (Sewerby Hall is just about where the lamp is pointing) When we got there there was a craft fair, better still. Four of us went into the house to view it, Amy Johnston memorabilia is on show there, and the other three went round the gardens. We caught the little train to bring us back into Bridlington, waving to all the people we passed. We thoroughly enjoyed our Walkers trip out but when we picked the others up they were very quiet, it had been wet, windy and they'd inadvertently cut the walk short by four and a half miles and had to wait an hour and a half to be picked up. They slept onthe way back, we laughed all the way home.

Better go now, will blog when I feel better.

Out and About

I've been trying to upload these photos for the past three days but Blogger wasn't having any of it. At last though I've managed. Over the past few weeks we have been so busy taking care of family matters that we haven't had much time to do much more than eat and sleep. This weekend though we've been out and about. On Sunday we went to Winderwath Hall and Acorn Bank with the U3A Garden Club. It was hot and the gardens were at their best. First call was at Winderwath Hall near Penrith. It's a private house with wonderful gardens owned by Jane Pollock. The garden is well know for rare alpine plants as well as trees and plants from South Africa.

The colours were really bright and cheerful in this part of the garden, red, white and blue, very patriotic.

Can't remember the name of this plant, there were three of them and this was the smallest. They take 13 years to flower then die!!!!

We picked up a couple of these Monk's Head plants several years back not knowing what they were. We were staying with some friends in a caravan park and their caravan was being moved from the old walled garden. The owners were putting in sewers or something when we say these bulbs just lying on the path. We asked what they were and the owner didn't know but said we could have them if we wanted them. We took them home and planted them in a border, they grew to over 6 feet!!! Gradually over the years they are increased in number and decreased in size, they were one of the victims of Keith's new shed but we did manage to save a couple of bulbs. Now I know what they are I'll probably take more care of them and they'll die off.!!

Our next stop was Acorn Bank, again near Penrith. This estabilishment is known for its herb gardens. The house itself has a chequered history and is in very poor repair, unfurnished and normally not open to the public. It started off as a religious house for the Knights Templars in 1228 then passed on their suppression in 1323 to the Knights of the Hospital of St John, an order of nursing monks. They held it until the dissolution of the monastries and then in 1543 it became the property of the Dalston family. The Dalstons refashioned it and put a new frontage on in the 1740's and most of the latter buildings are now either lost or incorporated into the building.

Such as the original staircase to the tower rooms. This became the servants staircase.

Acorn Bank with its 18th centurary frontage, the to floor windows on the right are painted on, this being the original stable block.

The day before, Saturday we went to the Woolfest in Cockermouth where I had a wonderful time drooling over all the colourful wool tops. I came away with a big basketful so I have no excuse now for not getting some felting done. On the way we stopped in the layby just outside of Eggleston for a view over Teesdale. We did not take buster with us as he really is not a good dog with sheep but he too drools over the wool tops and I had a great deal of difficulty keeping his head out of my bag when we returned home.

As you can see Buster has taken over the garden completely and is becoming spoiled. This is Julie who is only there to rub his tummy.

Buster at Gibson's cave in Teesdale, he wasn't too sure of the waterfall but loves to play in the water. He's determining whether or not to go in, he decided not to. We took him for a walk yesterday round one of the local nature reserves where there is a large duck pond. The ducks were quite unconcerned, they'd dealt with dogs before but he loved running in and out of the pond. On the way back to the car he decided to do what dogs do against clumps of weed and fell into a deep pool headfirst. His expressions was wonderful and we couldn't stop laughing, well until he shook himself all over us.