Saturday 19 January 2013

A mixed bag

It's been an odd week. Snow doesn't help, we're just not used to it.
I seem to have spend an awful lot of time staring out of the window at the birds.  A flock of Fieldfares has totally stripped the cotoneaster of berries and so our half a dozen or so blackbirds have had to resort to other tactics.  Tried to capture this behaviour with the camera but it is impossible without camping out in a hide!!!
The blackbird is getting better as balancing on the feeder, but it is just too big. I have never seen a blackbird attempting to use a feeder before.

Marvin rarely ventures out beyond the nearest convenient bush. But just before the snow, last weekend I got fed up with him not eating his cat food so put it out for the magpies, all of a sudden he found it tasty. (He is on a strict diet, and eats his 'pellets' reluctantly)

He is still a favourite subject for iPad drawing.



 I spaced dyed some tulle in the microwave using disperse dyes in a jam jar.


 Started a bit of appliqué.

 Started another bit of shadow appliqué.
and then started another piece... all waiting for some hand stitching to fulfil my City and Guilds brief.


I have experimented drawing on the iPad trying to create different styles.





I also spent several hours with Joanne photographing her wonderful textiles for her web site here.
Her Harris tweed bags are a real treat.



But mostly this week I feel as if I have been asleep!

Fingers crossed for next week's weather.  My sister is off to New Zealand on Wednesday for a once in a life time trip. It's a long story, but it is her first holiday for many, many years and she really deserves a good time.  We are just hoping it gets off to a good start with no weather hold ups this end.
I hope you have a good week.
Jill