do you mind if i knit

I got these name tapes made up a while ago now, and they make an appearance when I'm making something for someone as a gift.....................
...............Like a corsage for my sister, as part of her Birthday present.
I fancy it gives a slight 'professional touch'!
And the wrapping....... vitally important element of the gift.............
For me, when something is beautifully wrapped, it creates just the right first impression............... at least it does with me when I receive a gift artfully wrapped.................. I think that when someone wraps something beautifully for me, they have really understood something of my personality............. like my sister-in-law, Tamsin.............. she gives me the most exquisitely wrapped gifts, knowing it's not a waste of money, but money well spent, because it means so much to me............... ..............So here's my 'little something' for my sister.
It's not the main part of the gift........ oh no.......... I'd be considered 'cheap'............... it's just something small, made with love.................... of course that most definately doesn't guarantee the recipient will like it ................. it's the risk I take when I make things for people.
In this case, I take it the cursory "thankyou" means it wasn't my sister's cup of tea................. oh well, these things happen.................still, it is a little hurtful......................
That thing of someone not liking something you've made them................ it's a whole can of worms of a subject, isn't it.....................? Handmade gifts should probably only be given to people who understand the 'instruction manual of receiving handmade presents'.............. or maybe it should be the other way round........... handmade gifts, made by the giver, should only be presented to people, if the giver understands the 'manual of pitfalls involved in making and giving gifts'.
Sometimes you just think.............. why can't they just pretend they like it.................!!!

Following on from yesterday, and the blaze of colour of the daffodils, I want to introduce you to a slightly different floral experience..................
..............The world of Primulas..................
......................While Daffodils charm with their bold colour, Primulas are exceptional for their delicacy of flower and form.
...................Narcissi sometimes have the fragility of Primulas, and the dashing bright colour of Daffodils, both traits complementing each other perfectly.
.........................When you are given detailed information such as the date of sowing, they make you realise just how involved and caring the owner is..........................
These plants have been nurtured with love, and the utmost care ................ just imagine how important this one little plant is .......... the time spent examining each leaf and flower petal............. all I can do is marvel at the involvement, and admire the dedication from afar............

Sometimes, something comes along in life that makes me feel especially happy.
The Spring show at Alnwick Gardens was one of those things............
I'm not sure I want to know how these perfect blooms were coaxed and created............ .............
.....................It all looked perfect to me................
Such a profusion of bright colour was gripping................. flowers on a stage.............
...............Giving their best performance for the audience.................
This show looks like it might have been the  daffodil equivalent to to a performance at the National Theatre, in London.......... all the actors in the play of the highest calibre............
..................I can't remember what category this was................ 'daffodils in a basket'............?
Whatever it was, there was something charmingly old-fashioned about this display.
...................First prize in this category was well deserved.......... I love Snakeshead Fritilleries, and Grape Hyacinths.............. and I'm also partial to that more 'informal' style of display that has been used here..........
................The one lone stem........... so much to prove all by itself........... the scrutiny..........
The effect this Spring show had on me was ..........tipsiness............ I walked out the door drunk on colour........... as experiences go, it was very uplifting.
.....................I felt I had been in the presence of greatness...................

It's that time...............
We have reached the moment in the alterations of our basement, when we are choosing colour for the walls.........
The first stage was to buy these beautiful little sample pots from Farrow and Ball...................
..............The next stage will be to try the colours out.........................
Verre de Terre..........?
Powder Blue?....................Green Blue?................... Elephants Breath..............?
Or..................
................Maybe none of these.....................

Nature's freebies.

 

I'm always on the alert for 'freebies'......................... 

I mean nature's freebies..........

 .............. Like shells from the sea shore ...........  

.............. When we take the dogs for a walk on the beach, they run around, and bark their heads off at any dog who will listen .........while I  'scavenge'............ 

..... I trail along behind, picking up shells with holes in them.............. 

I then push them on to my fingers............. 

......... rather than carrying them in my pocket .............  

...........And I say to myself............."I could do 'this' with these............. 

....... Or 'that' with these"..............

The problem is deciding which idea to go with .........................

......... And of course.........................

.......................... Actually doing it!

Sometimes, actions speak louder than words............

Flowers in a plastic bag.

There is a village not far from us called Etal. It's a beautiful place........ with the remains of a castle, it also has a pub, a village shop, tea room, and a delightful plant nursery called Jan's Plants. If we are driving by, and it is a sunny day, we stop for a cup of tea, and maybe a little cake, at The Lavender Tea Rooms. The tea room also functions as a post office and village shop. There is a small lawned area to the front surrounded by borders of flowers and a neat hedge, on the grass are placed tables and chairs ........... We sit and sip tea, and everything feels comfortable and just right. Last time we were there I started having fantasies about having just such a little tea room........ which would also sell yarn.............. People could sit on the sofas provided, and chat and laugh.......... Of course, Hugo could bake, and we could run a bed-and-breakfast ........... Everyone and everything would be jolly, old-fashioned, beautiful..............The sun would always shine................ At night, when everyone had gone to bed, there would be the pitter-patter of gentle rain ........ We would wake up the following morning to blue sky and rain drops....... on roses.................. Of course, while all this delightfulness was taking place, I would be miraculously finding the time to knit and craft all day............. ........... We lingered over these thoughts, enjoying the sunshine........... .......Once the tea pot had been drained, and we had both agreed that this was a fantasy unlikely to become reality, I put my knitting away. (I take my knitting or crochet with me everywhere, and don't feel the slightest bit embarrassed by knitting or crocheting in public........... luckily Hugo is very sympathetic, and doesn't appear to be embarrassed by it either). We then crossed the road to Jan's plants, and I became a little more down-to-earth......... by purchasing some plants.......... I wonder how many people have fantasies about opening tea rooms..................

Someone else's yellow.

Colour is a very personal thing.......... so before I go any further, I want to say I respect other people's colour choices................ I love the combination of (particular) yellows, set against grey............... I know it's a fashionable combination at the moment, and I'm glad of that fact............. But................ ............ When we first moved in to this house a number of years ago, the first wall colour we changed was this bright yellow on the kitchen walls. When we came to start the works on the house, Hugo ripped away the kitchen units, and the old yellow was revealed. It wasn't that we found the yellow too intrusive, (which we did!), it was more about making our own mark on the kitchen. The simple act of a change of colour, made that kitchen............ our kitchen.............. I found a few flakes of zingy, zesty yellow in amongst some rubble I was sweeping up yesterday........ The last of someone else's yellow.........

Lawn days.

I know this is risky.................. but I do believe the time has come when I might be able to say the "S" word................... SUMMER. ..........Now............ I know I've jinxed it................ sunny summer days..............lazing on the lawn............ bees humming............ birds trilling............... contented sleepiness............. stretching while looking up at the cloudless blue sky.................. ................ We'll probably not have any of these experiences now.............. no more distant hum of lawn mowers............ cool drinks............... happy barbeques and summer dresses.............. taking off sandals and walking barefoot on the soft green grass............ Sorry folks............ it's all my fault because I've mentioned the "S" word.................. blame any bad weather on me...............

My little pot.

When I saw this wonderful post on november moon's blog, I immediately printed out her instructions on how to make a similar pot................ .................I then selected a vessel, and thought, yipee....... I can now use up some of those sweet wrappers, and oddments of pretty paper I have been collecting for years, (and hadn't a clue why I was collecting them)............ and make my own version of Cathy's creation. I loved cathy's use of the moss, but could not stop myself having a Viola instead............... just like cathy's next planting. .........This sits on the window sill in my studio, at weekends it's in the house , so I can tend to its needs......... When I dead-head the Viola, the flowers are never quite dried up enough to have lost their intense colour, so I pop them in water, in any pot that is to hand, and am always amazed at how long they last........... ........... Knitting the collar was quick and easy, just using garter stitch, and it really does finish off the look of the pot nicely............... I've become very emotionally attached to my little pot............. and may make more some time...........

Diary of a tooth fairy.

I've just had a new book published........ Diary of a Tooth Fairy, published by Walker Books. Alan Durant wrote it, I did the illustrations................ It's sort of a 'prequel' to Dear Tooth Fairy.............! It's all about a tooth fairy, Pip, learning her trade at a special school, and recording all the events in her diary. You know, how tooth fairies do............ This clasp keeps all Pip's secrets safe and secure................ ............ This is Pip, 'introducing' herself.......... as you can see, she's a confident little thing. .............Here is Pip, trying to master the art of spells........ essential trickery for tooth fairies........... ............. The teachers at the Tooth Fairy Training School are an interesting bunch, some stricter than others........... .............. I was sent to boarding school myself, and it wasn't my cup of tea at all, but Pip makes some good friends at her school, and they all seem to have a great time together.............. Pip's diary is packed with all the highs and lows any aspiring tooth fairy would have to go through in the process of her training. When I was sent this text by Walker Books, it was quite a bit longer, and some editing took place........ but even when I first read it, it made me giggle......... I know I'm biased, but it's an excellent read, very humorous........ I was very keen that the design of the book had a 'lavish' look to it ............. so I love the changing decoration on the edge of all the pages. I painted over a hundred vignettes and full page spreads, so that the book is crammed with pictures.............. One thing about this book which we felt was important, was that our names should not be on the cover, or the title page, as is normal with publications. We wanted this to look as close as possible to a tooth fairy diary, so all egos had to be repressed for this project, because it's important that a book is as good as it can possibly be.............(though our names are on the spine.............). ..........Of course, this book really belongs to Pip........... and if you read it, you'll enter a charming world of excitement and adventure.............