* Navigating By Stars *

To busy to blog

Oh dear time has flown! I have been so busy with work for the last 12 weeks that I have not had a moment physically or mentally to sit and write my blog.(sorry).

I am now happily at home on 4 weeks holiday .A break from what is a wonderful but tiring job. So I now can do what I want to do.................... indulge,sew,craft,garden and maybe tidy the house.

The one thing i haven't given up is my obsessive Charity shop habit. I have become very selective otherwise my house would be full of (useful)stuff.

I have one fave.. A Salvation army shop,it is a real jumble sale.Tucked away down a back street,nothing like the ordered,colour co-ordinated,over priced high street variety.

I have just been reading a blog on Katie's site about her fond memories of Noggin the Nog. I love noggin the nog, I too have fond memories of those magical stories.This bird was bought because it reminded me of images in those books and looks like it could have been in an animation.It sits on my mantle piece and makes me smile each time i look at him.

I have been the proud ower of this little beauty made from old curtain fabric for a while now.The patchwork is tiny, each piece about an inch across. I love the colours and it is beautifully hand stitched. I don't find to many cushions but there are still some gems to be found...

Like this one, lovely orange linen with beautiful hand embroidery.

Another lovely find this year was this quilt.It cost me a whole £2.50!

When i first spotted it in the shop I thought it was modern.Then when i got near and inspected it i found that it was quite old I think 40's or 50's by the fabrics.

It is going to take pride of place in a bedroom when i have decorated.

Apron swap

 

This is the apron I completed for the apron swap devised by Lucy Byrd .I made 2 but the first one was not good. Ill and in a rush before going to Morocco. I don't think i was concentrating .This one just seemed to happen. I have loved the process of devising and making an apron for someone.That someone was Addie at Waldeck drygoods in America.

I was able to browse her site beforehand and had time to think about what she might like.

I am a big fan of that Ralph Lauren 'All American'  New England feel. American folk art has interested me for a long time, whilst at college I researched folk art for my degree show, both European and American. So this was starting point for my apron. The Apron swap brief was to make an apron with a spring feel .

With this in mind I decided to draw unfurling Ferns, Primroses and some birds,I know they are Swallows and they dont arrive here until Summer, but sometimes you have to use artistic licence!  My next move was a visit to one of my favorite places and a well kept secret ,maybe I shouldn't be posting it here? It's somewhere i visit when i need some inspiration and amazing bargins can be found.

like all of this! oh dear i can't resist nice fabric.

I also can't resist Amazon books. Sorry i was wandering! back to the apron swapping .

Another must was to include a pocket, I wanted to do something different and came up with this.I have been making these corsages for my bags and wanted to include one as a present . it was good that it made a nice decoration and finishing touch.

A couple of my other experiments (work in progress).

Which one to use next?

Back to the apron swap. This is the exciting bit. I also recieved an apron from a lovely lady called Karen  who lives in Canada. Sadly Karen hasn't as yet started her own blog, so i can't show you a link for her. When i opened the parcel it contained this sweet reversible apron.

The parcel also contained these bit of treasure. also some craft and fashion magazines. I have promised to make something for Karen as a thank you ( eek! that was 3 weeks ago) Shame on me! i must do it this week. Sorry karen.

The pocket on my swap apron is made from some sweet vintage fabrics and a hankerchief.You can view these and more here. or see more in the album at the side of the page. See Ya, back soon. x

Marrakech

A few weeks ago I went with my students to Marrakech.A study visit to soak up the culture and to do some drawing.

Tea glasses.I just wanted to buy everything I saw,a feast of colour pattern and gorgeousness!

wool and felt in the Medina

slippers.

There was so much inspiration everywhere.When we returned the students produced  some lovely work.

I have so many images i will post them in a photo album in the next few days.

A bit more crafting and thrifting

 

This little bundle is waiting to be printed. I thought i would make something  with a Nautical theme, there seems to be a lot of it around this spring. Mind you there is always somewhere in a 2 year cycle that a Nautical theme will appear in Fashion . I suppose it is timeless. I have always loved sailor pants, those flat fronted trousers.There are pictures of Coco chanel wearing them in the 1920's, what a woman, such elegance.

Sorry not such a great picture.This where my ideas started. I was playing around, making these corsages in a Nautical stylie, took me ages to source some Naval buttons. These are new from John Lewis. I was hunting everywhere... sure that in the dim and distant past my grandmother had lots of vintage ones in her button tin.' My one weakness'.I think i am going to adopt this saying by Dorcas 'postmistress extrodinaire' in Lark rise to Candleford. She must have 100 vices but justifies them to everyone individually as her 'one weakness'.

I am rambling I know ,but just the sight of an ancient button tin makes my heart beat fast.I have now also got my mitts on a few vintage buttons,one of which I used for the corsage for this project.

I have screen printed the fabric with some boats, little fishing trawlers and ocean liners.I quite like the spots underneath.This fabric is sooo nice.A very fine linen.It takes the image well. I am going to make a skirt with some of it.

The final corsage has a vintage button, so much nicer than the repro ones.I am quite happy not to have found a hoard of them,it gives me one more thing to hunt out and an excuse to rummage through charity shops ( like I need an excuse!).It is built in layers .The back layer is a large flower shape, crocheted in Hemp. Then there is a ruffled strip of fabric printed with my boats, 2 suffolk puffs and my lovely Vintage Naval button.

Hope you like the results. I am quite happy.This is such an easy bag shape to make.I think on my next post I will include a tutorial.

This is the print on a piece of blue cotton chambre.It will become the next bag.Laura has already put in an order.

Laura and I went to see Juno.GO AND SEE JUNO.Such a lovely film,the acting is brilliant and the sound track is cool,so much so that the following day I bought the CD.

Feburary is flying

Last Sunday Mike awoke to me sitting in bed with headphones on knitting a sweater for my new i pod.

I obtained my i pod by default.I bought one for Laura as a Christmas present but by 23rd Dec it hadn't arrived .  So i ordered another one by express delivery.It arrived on Christmas eve.  Laura had her i pod for Christmas and was happy. On 28th of Dec the first one arrived. I should have sent it back, cus to buy 2 would break the bank..but i didn't.Now i dont care ,I love it .It needed looking after so a sweater was needed the Orange one is mine and the pink one is Laura's.

At last some sun!

This was taken later that day on a walk by the canal at Appley bridge.Such a nice day,we also paid a visit to Cedar farm.The highlight of the day was the warm sunshine.It has been dark and cold for so long,bring on the spring.

The photo is upside down.I think it looks better this way up.sometimes things do,I dont know why? maybe it's just my strange brain!(my family would probably think so!)

Well February is speeding by for me,I am struggling to find time to keep this blog updated.I knew that would be the case when I returned to work full time after 2 weeks of Flu and then a 1 week cold.

I have however so far kept my other new years resolution which was to make something every day.

Some of the results you will find later on

Valentines day

What can i say? Last week Mike and I had arranged to meet up at the weekend to do something romantic, as a belated Valentines celebration.However..I trundled (good word for the way I was feeling) home from work last night, having spent the day interviewing  candidates for a contextual studies post , listening to 9 X15 min presentations on DADA (enough said!)

Only to find Mike had snuck into the house(not literally he has a key)and made me a Valentines dinner!

Cod and Pancetta skewers and vegetable pancakes with a lovely bottle of my favorite fizzy stuff.An amazing surprise,earning him a supreme amout of brownie points!!

He did recieve a card,but I have some catching up to do at the weekend!

I have been adding some printing blocks to my collection

Neoprene..This is such an easy material to use.It can be bought cheaply and is easy to cut.I have just made a chicken block  but more about that in a later blog.                                                                           

I found this idea somewhere on my travels around the web.Not sure where tho?

Maybe Martha Stewart ( love this website)

It was a childrens craft idea. A Cheap pack of eraser topped pencils .These cost 99p for 30 from The works.

With a sharp blade you carve your letter.I drew mine on first with a pen,remembering to make my letters backwards! of couse i did. so I wasted a few pencils.

The end result was great.I also carved some tiny flowers and petals a heart and a leaf. I am about to make some more .Also some bigger ones on larger erasers.

Have to go now .I will extend this months entry in a couple of days...Lots more to show and tell... lots of thrift bargins and crafting..new bags.. fabric printing..apron swap info see you in 2 days.

Cabin Fever

For about a year now I have been thinking of setting up on line.As an avid reader of many brilliant blogs, I will be sharing my favourites soon. For those people a big thank you. You are a real inspiration.

Why navigating by stars? -- Its like setting sail and not knowing where this may go.

I also have been making a series of stitched and screen printed work that uses this working title.

More about this work, along with some images in the next few weeks.

A few bird related items made for my house .

                                                                                                                

Because of the effects of cabin fever I went out to the garden.(haven't been down there for weeks) To give the birds some 'past their best' apples.

To my surprise and delight I found a lovely green patch of self seeded Rocket.

                                                                                                                         

A sign that although this year has only just started, time is moving along and spring will soon be on it's way.

It was also a welcome addition to the salad we had with a homemade roasted pepper quiche that day for tea.

Last spring a family of Blue tits nested here.I hope they will be back this spring.I must claen it out for their arrival.

We have a serious case of Cabin fever.

After a lovely but hectic family Christmas........The Flu!

It was my own fault though(tempting fate),everyone around me went down, even my cat had a cold! A couple of weeks ago, I had been sounding off about getting through to Chistmas without having contracted a virus.(more out of surprise than arrogance I have to say).

My New Project

I started this blanket over the holidays:

Thinking it was time to find out how to crochet. Investigating the matter on line I found some good tutorials.

This is one of my favourites.

It has become a little obsessive.When i have finished one row, i am planning the colour of the next.Then i have to see how it will look.I change colour and then start thinking of the next colour and have to finish that row, so i can start again. So it goes on hour after hour.( i think i need help!)

Today I managed to put it down. Putting it in a draw so I can't see it.

Mike has also had the flu and has been holed up at my place. Along side the flu he also has the dreaded Cabin fever .

He decided to make bread for the first time. Being a breadmaking virgin, he used this great booklet that was free with the Saturday Guardian a few weeks ago.

The results as you can see were very good.Today it was my turn to be bored.(must be getting better)

My solution to cabin fever. Make a cake. An Orange drizzle loaf.

Inspired by beautiful Blood oranges that arrived in this weeks veg box-

The juice of the oranges .............Pink!   

 

I LOVE MY JUICER Found last summer at a local village fair.I cant work out how old it is.It's shape is kind of 30's. But has a quirky 50's feel about it. It has a Goebel,W.Germany, mark underneath.Internet research has not been fruitful. If anyone could help me out with some history that would be great.

Another posession that gives me joy to use is a collection of hand made wooden spoons this one bought in a market in Northern Lithuania.I also have others made from different kinds of wood.One lovely is a giant ladle made fron apple wood. Bought in Latvia from a little old lady outside the market hall in Riga.

Orange drizzle loaf the recipe.

100gms Plain flour

3 teaspoons of baking powder

100gms caster sugar

100gms butter

1 large egg

Grated rind and juice of 2 blood oranges

3 tablespoons icing sugar

In a large bowl blend the butter and the sugar.When pale add your beaten egg. Mix in the rind and juice of 1 orange, save the rest to make your drizzle syrup.

Next fold in the flour and put into a lined loaf small loaf tin.

Bake for 40 mins at gas 5.

Cute matches from Lidl

Whilst the cake is cooking make your syrup. Combine the remaining juice and rind of orange with your icing sugar in a small pan heat until disolved.

When cake is cooked remove from tin and place on a trivet over a plate.To collect the drips of syrup.With a skewer make small holes all over the top of the cake. Whilst still warm spoon over syrup. Any syrup falling onto th plate can be picked up and poured over the cake.

These were another pre christmas find. Soooooo pretty.I found 6 of them in a charity shop for £1.50. Nice to end the year with a bargin.

Anyway back to the job in hand and time for tea and cake ."How very English" said Mike.