A Mixed Bag

This week has been a bit of a mixed bag hence the title of the post. My peonies reached peak perfection.

We discovered this Dragonfly Sanctuary whilst on route for somewhere else.

If you click on the photo above you will see an electric blue dragonfly in the centre of the picture.

The views were stunning but you cannot tell the scale of this meadow by the photo.

A view down the stream.

Open space that just goes on and on.................

A family of ducks protected within the confines of the sanctuary.

Back home I have had some weird and wonderful wildlife in the garden such as the strange caterpillar above.

We have had many of these butterflies visit this week.

I haven't a clue what this is going to turn in to but it is very pretty in fashionable stripes!

This creature always features somewhere in the garden.

I've been busy painting creatures too.

A well-loved toy cat......

............and a curious pair of chickens.

A Taste of Things to Come.......

All is quiet in the blogging world.

I wait patiently for my peonies to bloom.

I wait for my sweet succulent strawberries...........................

.......................and ripe, juicy plums................

and clusters of purple grapes.

I wait for the ripened tayberries........................

and handfuls of blueberries.

I wait for a picnic blanket to be strewn with picnic food, and whilst I wait for the long, hot, balmy days of summer, of picking and eating fruit and sharing edibles on the lawn, until then.....................

I have a beautiful compassion rose to look at........................

..................and a pretty corner of the garden................

and Gizmo.x

Friendship Doll

When I started this blog it was mainly going to be a showcase for all the crafty projects that I do. I don't know how it happened but somehow I got sidetracked into reading and commenting on other people's blogs leaving me little time for crafting!

I hastily made this friendship doll on Saturday evening determined that I would get some crafting done. She is a prototype and there is definitely room for improvement. She is entirely sewn by hand and I embroidered her little face without drawing it on first and the word 'friend' on the front too.

This is what she looks like from the side view. She is backed with woollen felt and her face is made with a tiny piece of a recycled woollen blanket. There are heaps of friendship dolls on the Internet and I think one of the most famous people for making them is a lady called Dot who 'Dotee Dolls' are named after. She can be found here.

An Update at Mutant Trees

I have just updated my other blog at Mutant Trees. With regards to my painting I sometimes feel that I am going one step forward, two steps backwards but I guess that is part of the learning process. I am always looking towards other artists for inspiration and direction. I find that my tastes have changed quite dramatically over the years and I am now appreciating the style of primative art work a lot more. What artists from the past or present do you find inspirational and why?

Clarity

I finally got around to sorting out the bookshelves and surrounding area. A dusty and time consuming task but one that has brought clarity to me.

Among the books was one that I wasn't too familiar with. I then remembered that I was given a selection of my Auntie's books when she died a few years ago.

When I opened the book there was a cutting from a publication placed inside.

After reading this I had a sense of even more clarity.

A Fidgety Kind of Day

I have been having a very fidgety kind of day so far today. I have faffed around and achieved nothing apart from blogging about it! I can't quite pinpoint why I feel so restless but the fact that I am surrounded by chaos may have something to do with it. The bookshelves above are an indication of how a lot of the nooks and crannies in my house look at the moment. I have lack of storage and lack of organisational skills. Despite having nowhere to put my books I just still keep on buying them.

This used to be a linen cupboard but crafting supplies seemed to take over and the 'linen' became a pile on my bedroom floor. The pile has now been joined with several other piles of homeless items.

Despite the chaos around me I divert my attention to other things such as the books above which I have had for ages and not yet got around to reading.

The books above are my new books that I bought over the last few weeks. I devour a new book within hours and am then looking for the next thing to do. I enjoy receiving new books immensely but am often disappointed with the content. There is never enough to keep me absorbed for long enough. Saying that I do go back to them over and over again.

I am nearly at the end of this blanket. I usually work on it during the evenings when the t.v or radio is on so I don't feel like I am just wasting time. This blanket gave me fidgety fingers! I have the dreaded task of sewing all the little ends in once I have completed a few more rows, unless I find something else to become preoccupied with such as sorting out my dilapidated hovel!!!