The state I am in...

Do you ever feel you a living in chaos?

I thought I would share my work space with you, which may explain why I haven't managed to get on top of anything this weekend! I did tidy my desk up last week would you believe? My work room is converted from our small garage and I work on an old oak office desk. Usually when I sew I clear a larger space, but as I was just sewing zips in, I didn't need much room. Opposite this desk is the computer which I can swivel round to.  Here are a few close-ups.

Putting zips in these purses is a rather fiddly job and I haven't cracked it yet - not sure they will make it onto Etsy.

The windowsill is full - although it looks like chaos each thing is in its special place!

I made this pot from self-hardening Nu-clay back in the 70's, it has lasted remarkably well.

 Some sewing projects fighting for space...

I have a few brushes!!

I have a busy week ahead, lots going on, all routine stuff unfortunately, but hopefully I will find some time to locate the top of my desk!

It is absolute pouring with rain this evening - I hope you haven't been washed away and are having a good week.

Jill

After....and before

Just thought you might like these two images - my sister and I were given these Noddy and Big Ears egg cups rather a long time ago - late 50's early 60's and they both ended up living with me. They live on a rather high shelf in my kitchen and when I was looking for something to photograph for a project called Top Shelf I though I would get them down. Well as you can see, they were in a very sad state, but a little TLC soon had them back in the pink!

Noddy's hat is a little faded, his neckerchief has frayed and his bell has lost it's tinkle, but they are still quite charming.  I have lots of other old bits and pieces on that shelf - old tins and packets collected over the years, perhaps I should get them down too!

Shopping - an ugly rant

I do not like shopping any more - I'm not counting the weekly supermarket trip, I do not consider that to be shopping as such, what I mean is window shopping, browsing, choosing and spending.  I don't mind the spending bit,  if I find something that I want, I'll go for it, but I can never find what I'm looking for!

Getting to the shops is the first hurdle, and this time of year it is even worse. I want to know WHY AREN'T ALL THESE PEOPLE AT WORK? When I was working I imagined empty car parks and echoing shopping malls, but they are full of  people - and not all of them look like pensioners like me. If they are unemployed I feel very sorry for them, but what are they doing down the shops? (I know that is horrid of me, but I am in a very grumpy mood). When I do find a parking space and fight my way through the crowds no one has what  I want. Don't start me on clothes,  I am not slim, not eighteen but not yet ready for 'classics'.  I want clothes that are warm and washable and a bit trendy - why have chunky jumpers got short sleeves this year? I get cold arms.

I also want a birthday card for an 18 year old nephew  - not a decent one anywhere, of course the shops are full of Christmas cards - I know I should have got one last month and I know I could make one, but 18 year old lads want something  a bit cutting edge.

Even the craft shops in my local shopping mall has run out of the craft paper and the pens I want. Everyone is making birthday cards for nephews.

Back home to my journal - a few old magazines, glue, paint, a touch of Teesha Moore and I'm feeling myself again. I can make do with the clothes I've got, wait for paper and pens 'till I make that special trip to the art shop and  the nephew will have to put up with the only card I found in Luton, I'm sure he won't care after that first legal pint! Aah that's better, who needs retail therapy - it's blog therapy for me.

PS I'm thinking of making a January calendar challenge for all those of you who have said you are going to make one - what do you think?

A New Month Dawns

Along with Art Journalling I have discovered calender making - so I thought I'd share some of my efforts so far. So here are August and September...

If you click on the image you can see some of the detail - but I apologize for the less than brilliant photographs. These are in  A4 size Pink Pig sketch books.

Here is October with just Friday and Saturday to fill in. These are great fun - especially if you like doodling. Sometimes I feel like writing, or sometimes just a minimal bit of rubber stamping will do - 'cos on some days nothing much does happen.

So today I prepared November.

I layered the background with gesso, acrylic paint and watercolour pencil - and printed with leaves and my favourite sequin waste. Then I cut thirty squares from various coloured papers, made days of the weeks labels and the month title ...

... and I am all ready for November.

'Mums

Today is grey and damp - a horrid mizzle in the air - scuppering my plans to go out with my camera - but never mind, I am definitely in a better mood than yesterday morning, although by the end of the day I was cheered. Today I have played with paints and ideas for actually painting on a canvas. It is so cheap to buy stretched canvases these days, I have got them from B&Q and and from Dunelm. They are probably knocked up in a Chinese sweatshop (but I won't think about that today) I have gessoed my canvas and added a layer of paint and now must wait for it to thoroughly dry. I have aims to develop my thistle head idea from here
Here I have posted a drawing of a bunch of chrysanthemums I did several years ago, which I always liked when I came across it in a trawl through my sketchbooks. So I thought I'd give it a second life and cut round the drawing and stuck it on a prepared background in my art journal embellished with a bit of stencilling from sequin waste - a mainstay for art journal creators.
Chrysanthemums in October always make me think of my poor old mum, who spent her last few years in a nursing home, where she was cared for with much consideration. Her birthday was in October and she always seemed to have chrysanths on her windowsill through out the winter months. So these are for her.

Let go

It is such a lovely morning and yet my body is feeling it's age plus - I want to go out make the most of the mild weather and beautiful sunshine, but my body says curl up with a book. Sometimes we just have to let go, stop trying to control our lives. I shall sit indoors and look out at the garden, may be with my sketch book, may be not. Appreciate not having to go to work, appreciate being able to go with the flow and relax rather than making myself feel I ought to be out gardening or walking or something active. This is what I am learning to do... there will be another sunny day, let it go, it doesn't matter.

Time to move

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