Mid-Life Crisis

For most of my life I have felt invisible. I have never stood out at school, at work or at social events. I now realise that I am of an age where I am entering the 'invisible' years. The age when older women are often cast aside for new fresh faced female forms.

As a person who has always struggled to be seen and heard I know that these years are going to be even tougher for me , the quiet mouse who doesn't even register in most people's minds. I unobtrusively tip toe through life but I feel that is about to change.

When shopping for a pair of shoes for a function I am obligated to attend, I didn't choose the sensible, low heeled black classic that I would normally go for. I went for the shoes pictured above. Now I am sure to get noticed even if it means I grab attention by tripping up in them! I think it is time that I stopped hiding. Time I stopped apologising for being who I am. I like my new shoes. I can't walk in them. They are totally impractical but I WILL get NOTICED and just maybe even LISTENED to.

Craft Project No.2 - Watercolour Cats

A few years ago I drew a picture of a cat and attempted to colour it in with watercolour paints. I didn't know where to start with shading etc and gave up. Today I have found a much more easier and interesting way to add colour to my cat. I add the colour before I draw the cat!

To have a go at this project collect all the necessary things together as in Craft Project No.1. This time don't worry about masking sections off. Just tape down the corners to stop the paper from moving about.

Mix up a suitable cat colour using shades of yellow, orange and a touch of Burnt Sienna.

On one half of your paper dab splodges of paint randomly. To add interest and texture, press wet paint with a piece of scrunched up cling film.

Add some black paint over the top by mixing Ultramarine Blue and Burnt Sienna to get an inky black colour or just use black paint.

On the other half of the paper just apply paint as you would a colour wash - from side to side and from top to bottom.

When the paint is dry draw your cats directly onto the paper with a black pigment ink drawing pen.

Roughly cut around each cat and then take a bit of time and care to cut closely around the cats leaving a tiny space between the drawn line and edge of the paper.

The colour wash backgrounds that were made in Craft Project No.1 can be used as backgrounds to mount the cats on to.

Using the drawing pen sketch a design on the background and attach the cats with foam pads or double sided sticky tape depending on how much dimension you want to create. You now have an interesting litter of kitty's to do what you will with! Try mounting several on a card, or create a picture or scene with them. If you are not too good at drawing then trace a design or use a rubber stamp with a suitable ink pad. Go and experiment! It is fun not knowing the kind of fur markings your cat is going to get!

Marvelous Marmalade

This is the first batch of marmalade I have ever made. I have enough to last me until the following year. I didn't even know that I liked marmalade until I tasted the results of my labour.

I had searched the Internet and various books for a good marmalade recipe but I couldn't find one I liked until I found this recipe. The difference between this recipe and the others I had seen was that in this one the fruit is poached before the insides are scooped out and the skin is chopped up.

After poaching and draining the oranges, the skins go all wrinkly and soft. It is then easy to slice the fruit in half and scoop out the flesh and the pips.

The skins are reserved to be cut into strips whilst the pith, flesh and pips are simmered with a little of the poaching liquid for 10 minutes and then strained through a muslin lined sieve.

The chopped orange skins are returned to the poaching water and the liquid from the fruit pulp is added too. The next day, sugar is added to the ingredients and the whole lot bubbles away on the hob for 2-3 hours.

The marmalade was potted up and lids went on whilst hot into sterilised jars. Now although this recipe was easy to follow it does take up time and concentration. It actually took me over 3 days to make as the first day was spent looking for my preserving pan, jam funnel etc etc. Luckily I already had a supply of jam jars, lids and labels stowed away. The second day I poached the fruit (3 hours) and did all the messy part and the third day I actually got around to making the marmalade (2 hours on hob) and potting it up.

The recipe came from 'The Wonderful Weekend Book'. This book is a joy to read and there are plenty of ideas to 'reclaim life's simple pleasures' one of which is making marmalade.

Craft Project No.1 - Easy Watercolours

If you fancy having a dabble in watercolours then here is a quick and easy project for you to try. Firstly gather the materials you need together: paints, brushes, palette, jar of water and kitchen roll. You will also need an A4 sheet of good quality watercolour paper, masking tape and a board to tape it to.

Set your equipment up as above and divide your paper up into sections with the masking tape, around the edges, horizontally and vertically. You are now ready to begin painting.

Wet your largest brush and brush over one of the squares of paper. You want the paper wet but not soaking. Then dilute some paint with some more water and brush over the wet paper. Start from the top to the bottom working from side to side. You are just looking for a pale wash of colour at this stage.

Continue to work in this way for the rest of the sheet of paper.

When all the sections have been painted leave to dry.

The next stage is to add your painting. I have shown two imperfect images above. You will be able to do much better than this! The idea is to produce a 'flower like' image. With your chosen colour of paint, load your brush with colour and quickly dab on the paint to form a flower type shape. Whilst the paint is still wet, pick up another colour on your brush and add to the centre of the 'flower'. Don't try to move the paint around. Just let it bleed naturally into the other paint. Whilst this is drying move on to one of your other backgrounds and do the same. It is surprising what effects you can get. The results of watercolour painting are unpredictable!

When you have completed your designs and the paint is dry, remove the masking tape.

Using a guillotine or paper trimmer cut between the paintings.

Because you masked off the paper you will have nice clean white borders around your work. I enhanced the border further by edging the cards with a Sakura Pen-touch gold calligrapher pen.

Use your favourite designs to mount onto card stock or make tags or even frame them! If they don't meet the mark then remember that practise makes perfect!

Belated Thanks

Back in December 2008 I did a giveaway and the winner was Funkymonkey.

She said she wanted to send me a 'little' something by way of a thank you for winning. Well, the 'little' something turned out to be a set of lovely tin Christmas tree decorations and the most beautifully made button necklace that she had made herself. The necklace is wired and includes an array of unusual buttons and beads and is fastened with a fine satin ribbon. Thank you Tracey for the time and effort you put in to making my gift. It was truly appreciated.

I would also like to say thank you to those of you who have put themselves down as followers of my blog. I know that I may not have the most riveting blog around but hope that it contains something of interest to you from time to time. I am hoping to feature a lot more crafty bits and pieces over the coming months. That is if I ever get around to actually DOING something rather than just THINKING about it!

Kew Gardens 2009

The first day of January 2009 was spent in a winter's chill at Kew's beautiful botanical gardens. The picture above shows some of the detail of the architecture of the Temperate House which is said to be the world's largest surviving Victorian glass structure.

From the end of November to 4th January an ice rink is set up in front of the Temperate House. It was too cold for skating for me though! Fingers numb from the cold we sought solace inside the Temperate House and took in the warmth and greenery surrounding us. It was a welcome sight after the bleak grey sky that hung over us outside.

This little Robin came to greet us. He was the most rotund Robin I have ever seen! You just can't tell how plump he really was from this photograph!

I didn't get to see the front of this statue but it has a great behind!

Lovely bright green ferns.

A winding staircase.

A view from the balcony after climbing up the winding staircase.

Back out in the ground we walked across to the Treetop Walkway. As you can see it is a long way up!

As we followed the crowds along the walkway I was shocked at how much the structure wobbled and felt like I was bobbing up and down in a boat!

This view is of a museum across the Palm House Pond. The pond had frozen over apart from the area surrounding the fountain.

The picture above is of the Palm House. Inside is a tropical environment - hot and humid. Such a contrast to the weather outside.

This is the Princess of Wales Conservatory.

Inside there are many types of cactus plants.

Every single plant at Kew is labelled.

This looks like something out of Dr Who.

Yet more cactus plants........

.....and more.

Away from the Princess of Wales Conservatory we made our way to the 'Badgers Sett'. Outside was this huge wooden carving of a badger.

The 'Badgers Set' is a series of tunnels for 'humans' to enter and explore.

I wasn't up for exploring the home of a badger but I was up for exploring Kew. I had the most wonderful day out in the fresh air and hope to have many more outings in 2009.