Blame it on the blog

It all started with a lovely surprise.
A little Marvin arrived in the post from Lesley of Printed Material

'How did  you do it?' I enquired.
'It's needle felt' replied Lesley, 'You need wool and a needle.  You stab the wool with the needle.'
'That sounds interesting' I thought.
Google
shop
wool, needles, foam (to stop you stabbing yourself supposedly)
roll wool
stab
stab
OW!
 more Google and Youtube
stab, stab, stab
twiddle, fiddle, stitch


Tra laa

...only drew blood once!

This could be the start of something big!

I've got a way to go before I can create such lovelies as the cute cat, but a furry fish is a start!

A quiet moment

Here is my contribution to a quiet Advent moment.

I don't know about you, but all creative activities have had to take second  place to Christmas preparations. Trying to fit in a few minutes quiet contemplation seems to be difficult, but I usually manage to stop and watch the birds on the feeders while drinking my morning cup of tea. I enjoy the fact that as well as the cyclamen flowering,  I have an azalea about to bloom and my orchids will be out for Christmas.

This was a couple of years ago, it is considerably larger now.

I hope you manage your own few moments of peace.

A more cheerful note ...

Here are a couple of pictures I took of our resident robin last winter.  He went on to find a mate and raise a family.  I would like to think it was the same robin who is in my garden this year, but it is probably very unlikely.  A couple of winters ago I joined the BTO garden bird watch scheme which entails keeping a weekly record of the birds that visit the garden and then submitting the counts on-line.  I have always enjoyed bird watching in a rather casual way, and I am pretty good at spotting the common varieties so taking part in this programme was not much bother. I keep a list of the usual visitors in my kitchen and tick them off when I see them adding any unusual visitors as I go. I feel it is important to make sure our little feathered friends are protected as they give so much joy.  It is probably hypocritical of me to keep a cat as I know domestic cats can wreak havoc especially at nesting time, but luckily Marvin is not much of a birder and vary rarely makes a catch even when there are fledglings about. Counting the birds has made me realise what a variety do visit and I have at least 15 different species a week. Special visitors have included flocks of redwing, a gold crest, greater spotted woodpecker and sparrow hawks. Gold finches have been daily visitors all year and I often count eight at a time, and a group of house sparrows are now regular callers since I feed daily through out the year. But my favourite are long tailed tits which arrive in flurry and are off again after a few minutes frantic feeding. More information about British Trust for Ornithology  here.

(Feeling much better thank you all)

Knotted breath

Last year, a few months after I stopped teaching I had a few health issues, one being trouble with my breathing.  I had always been a bit wheezy but this was a rather frightening episode linked to damaging some nerves in my upper back. It was even suggested I was having panic attacks. I am now on a daily regime of inhalers  but like many asthmatics vulnerable to chest infections.  I had drawn the figure above when I was feeling really bad, I wanted to convey the feel of restricted breath.  Earlier this year I scanned and enlarged it using it in one of my journals which have been instrumental in helping me evolve my new life-style. I found it very difficult to let go and allow myself the indulgence of exploring myself, so a pictured like this represents a lot more than a physical restriction. Sharing it with the world on my blog is another step.

I have a cough right now which always makes my back vulnerable and consequently I have pulled a muscle which I have done before.  I am well equipped with ice-packs, heat pads and a support belt and hope to be back to normal soon. I'm not looking for sympathy, but hope my picture conveys the desperate feeling of having to work at taking a breath both physcally and metaphorically.

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!

How exciting!

Don't you love it when you get a package through the post - I was too excited to photograph it before I opened the jiffy-bag, but grabbed my camera before I  unwrapped the parcels from Jane at Marigold Jam. I'll let the pictures tell the story.

I had an extra surprise when I double checked the jiffy-bag before disposing of it, as nestling at the bottom was another little package! This was a length of woven Santa Claus ribbon.

Thank you Jane!

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?