oh no!! What are they going to do?

This is very worrying if you are interested follow this link, Hope this works, First time I have done this. if it doesn't, bear with me I will consult with my 11 year old technocrat daughter, who will no doubt fix my jam.


Please support this cause. It is so terribly important to allow the continuation of handmade craft availability and to nurture this creativity, Yes to safe sustainable materials and yes to good quality items but yes also to recycled items. Handmade originality and the freedom to create!!

Doves redone, getting there

It's very satisfying finishing details and getting things right. As you can see the doves are better, although now I look at them; the one on the perch could be a parrot. Hurrah for artistic license!!
I have filled the hearts in red on the door, the window box and the chiken coop. I have also sewn a base made of wollen blanket with iron on interfacing on the back, then little stiches all round, laced with orange thread. The title, date and signature did not come out as well as I had hoped. I think this is because of the open weave of the blanket, I have had more success with closer weave fabric or the basic calico as I have used here on the wall sections.
Next the roof.
The days have been bright and sunny and they're exposing the dust and clutter. I despair when I look around at my flat, its a heap!! So I decided to do something about it.

Finite space + heaps of unwanted things = emergency space clearance.

Luckily there was a block cleanse in my area and thanks to a fantastic council driver I finally got rid of the sick and terrifically heavy monitor. (I swear there was a ton of glass in the thing). I also had heaps of tropical fish gear from my beloved uncle who sadly died in January of 2008. I tried to Freecycle them all but no avail and I lost hope, then the kind man from the council (who had helped with the clearance of the Godzilla monitor. A gorgeous huge screen, when they work, one exactly the same as the one I am staring at the screen on as I speak.... or type to be precise. ) mentioned that he had kept fish until someone poured coffee in the tank. ( I ask you, who are these people). e also wanted to encourage his grandson to keep them, Hurrah I thought. The uncle in question would surely approve of these two men having the equipement. A circle, completed. I was never a fish person until 8 years ago my dear dad appeared to drop my then three year old daughter back to me after work. They had five little goldfish in bag and a matching little tank with gravel, a tiny bridge, and a pump for the air stone.
I was hooked. Watching her watching them, and then watching them with their beautiful shiny scales, flowing tails. Our own little shoal. When the light was popped on, it made the most entrancing vision. Brilliant.
The man in the petshop said when they had clearly outgrown their tank, "You need a new tank. Try a 2foot tank. They never outgrow their tank." So A new tank was bought. Two then died. This left Harry, Ron and Hermione.
Five years have passed since then, three more tanks. The petshop man laughing throughout ;) and we now have a 4foot tank. Each fish grew to about 30com with long flowing tails. Harry died and we solemly buried him under the new plum tree. About three weeks ago Ron died. He was 35cm. By now we had discovered they were comets. Beautiful fish. I will search out some pictures. ~Hermione, the almost pearly white fish is left alone ;) I get scared when I watch her in case she goes. I never did find out exactly how long they live, but I think that 8-9 years is very good. I remember the poor fish we used to win at the local fair and swing home in their little clear bags and keep for a week until the floated at the top of the globe fish tank. Despite there very messy habits these fish are great pets and exquisitely pretty. Like watching mermaids.

But the lure of sun and blue skies is almost unbearable, so off I go. Sowing more seeds coriander, huge sunflower seeds, Lupins (you can never have enough Lupins) with their turrets of colour pinks, yellows and oranges in this case and tall Foxgloves with creamy middles and speckaled petals. I do indeed predict a riot!

I have made some more space. Tidied up my big cupboard, found heaps of seeds, finished the embroidery, chased my compost delivery, planned a school mural (more about that later). So far April, so good. Shame the boiler broke down day before yesterday and I am coming down with a cold. But you can't have everything can you . Thanks for reading. More coming soon. I promise.

Doves end

Hmm, harshest (but most welcome) critic, pointed out (correctly) that the doves looked like pidgeons or seagulls drawn by little child. Hmm, slightly more naive than I was aiming for. Had to rip em out and do 'em again.

Finishing the house

Wisteria end, I still need to fill in the hearts, This photo makes the drawing look very wonky, but I am hoping this adds to the charm.

making and getting it all finished

Making things is a passion, but not finishing them seems to be a condition or in my case an affliction.
So, I am on a mission. Here is my list of shame.
Things I have not finished:-

1. A cable cardigan in slub wool. Very complicated but lovely if I could just count my way back into the pattern.
2. 2 Ribbed cardigan in gorgeous Jaegar ivory wool. Probably will fit barbie ;)
3. Frock coat for daughter, stumped by the button holes.
4. Grey dress for me!!
5. Rabbits for Easter
6. Book for a sailor
7. crewel book for a gardener or whaler
8. Here is the house door stop I am currently trying to finish.

So I am determined to finish all of these or at least 1-7 by end of April. Promise!

Busy, busy, busy

Spring and BST has arrived and this has encouraged me to pull my finger out and get sowing. So far hardy and half hardy annuals in my tiny greenhouse at the back of my flat and lots more veggies in the proper greenhouse on the plot.
I had some great help from my lovely daughter who sowed the big seeds like Giant sunflower, beef tomatoes, Aubergine and Spaghetti squash, ooh and firm favourites Sweet peas.



Sadly some naughty thief broke into another plot holders shed & nicked their brand new strimmer (yes it was a present for Christmas) and their father in laws, hedge trimmer! Sadly they had not even used the strimmer! Watch out cheeky thieves, karma's going to get you!!!!

Friday after the storm

Phew, what a week! I want to send big love to every parent with a child who found out this week where they are going to secondary school. Its such a tough process, full of fraught feelings, big stress & emotional roller coasters.
Finally we got our letter and divine inspiration came to our house. My daughter has a place at her second place. I am so so proud of her, she will be going to The Latymer school here in London and about 200o children tried to get into the schol(180 places only) and she did it!!!!!
Truely amazing achievement. Only it didn't seem as great a success as I had envisaged (don't get me wrong, I also worried that it would not work out at all). Her best friends are going to a different school and she is the only girl going to the school from her class. A bittersweet day with more tears than laughter. So, although hours spent working on papers and exam skills did pay off, I still feel it is an unfair process. All the able students who didn't quite make it. The refusals along the way were painful and hard to explain. I know, I too realise that learning to take refusals and rejections is a life skill and paints a realistic picture of real life. It is just so hard to watch your beloved child ache with regret and experience doors shutting in their face at such a young age. After all, you are a child for such a short period of your life. And let's face it adulthood is overated in so many ways.
I am one of the lucky parents and my daughter has the luck she deserves, she worked for it and sacrificed so many sunny afternoons, and snowy days but today finally when she looked at the school website she jumped up and down with glee and had moments of appreciating what a special school it promises to be.
I am filled with gratitude x