Making Envelopes

Fabric is growing on me but I love paper most of all.  I've been dabbling with card making again, and my taste is veering towards the simple but perfectly executed.  I have been making envelopes to compliment the cards and believe that the patterned envelope is the way to go!

These envelopes still need to have the pencil lines erased and glue applied but I thought you might like to see what they look like in mid-process.  If you want to have a go at making your own envelopes then here is how:

• carefully open out an envelope of your choice
• use this envelope as a template and draw around it on your chosen paper
• cut accurately around the pencil lines
• using a ruler, draw lines where the folds were on the original envelope
• score and fold at pencil lines
• fold envelope together gluing in the same places where original envelope was glued
• put double sided sticky tape around the envelope flap
• all done
• enjoy looking at your wonderfully patterned envelopes!

Home Sweet Home

I have noticed that not many people are posting in blog land recently so I thought I would do an additional post this week.  The very home sweet home above is not my home but as it looked so lovely I thought I would share it with you.  The porch is on the side of the house which is a semi-detached cottage.  The front of the house has candy striped blinds and floral Cath kidston curtains.  The pretty window boxes are full of silvery leaved plants. Someone creative lives here as the upstairs rooms have pots of paintbrushes and pencils in front of the window.  I didn't take any more photos of the house as I didn't want to be too intrusive.  I love all the attention to detail: the bows on the lanterns, the willow heart and the floral curtains.  I had a spring in my step after seeing such a pretty house.  I am inspired to make mine just as pretty!

A Sunday Afternoon View

A chilly afternoon spent at Forty Hall farm.  To my left were a group of people enthusing about the site for our newly proposed orchard, to my right was the sight that I had to capture, as shown in the photo above.

I really wanted to walk into the sunset and leave the chattering crowd behind............................................

Contemplating

A place to contemplate.

* for the curious, the scent is pomegranate cider and it is warm, fruity and very homely.  Back to the contemplating now.........................

Uprooted

I know I said I was only going to post once a week but there is a side to me that has to be contrary once in a while.  I saw this uprooted tree whilst out on  a woodland walk a few weeks ago.  It hadn't been chopped down.  It looked as though a giant had pulled it up out of the ground like a misplaced weed. 

I am in a bit of a strange mood today (what's new?).  I feel as though I have been uprooted (just like the tree) and somewhat scattered.  I really need to feel grounded again. I have being feeling quite stressed out recently, dropping things and not really being mindful of what I am doing.  That needs to stop!

Sometimes I worry about my future.  I am a bit of a drifter and tend to go with the ebb and flow.  No wonder my 'career' is going nowhere.  Stuck on the beach, afraid of dipping my toe in and just allowing circumstances to pull me into the water or wash me up on the beach.  I do have nightmares about becoming a whiskery chinned vagrant looked down upon by some members of society, wondering where my next meal is going to come from and whether or not I will find a place to sleep that night.

I really need to get my act together and find a way of generating some kind of an income.  The voluntary work I do is rewarding and satisfies my 'need' of feeling useful but I do need to be 'earning' too.

I have dabbled with selling a few hand made items here on my blog but that is not sustainable as I only really cover the cost of the materials.  Do I learn a new skill?  Do I perfect the ones I have?  Do I forget crafting as a way to generate an income?  Questions, questions, questions.  Going around and around in circles.   I need to see things differently as I have become stuck in a rut for quite a considerable time.

By putting these thoughts down, I am hoping for some clarification.  My indecisiveness is so tiresome and I can't carry on in this frame of mind.  I don't remember the last time I had a good night's sleep.  I feel emotionally drained with trying to figure out a solution to my conundrum.

Blogging Observations (Part 2)

I first wrote down some of my blogging observations in September 2010.  Here are some of my latest observations.

Bloggers that receive lots of comments rarely leave comments themselves

Blog posts are often misunderstood

It is hard to show irony when writing a post

Most people want you to be your authentic self

A blogging style develops over time (mine is mostly melancholic and candid!)

It is wise not to email a blogger when they have added ‘no comments’ to their post

You are likely to get inflated stats due to spam

Blogging friendships come to a natural end just like ‘real life’ friendships

‘Tagging’ is no longer ‘en vogue’

‘Awards’ still exist but are in decline

Originality keeps your blog fresh

Bloggers have upped their photography skills

Most of us like trees

A Little Rain Must Fall

In our lives a little rain has to fall, for only then can we truly appreciate the sunshine.  That is what I am telling myself.

This last week has been full of sadness.  I have been touched by the amount of people going through illness, pain and bereavement in blogland.  I soak up other peoples painful emotions like a sponge and feel deeply for them.

Tomorrow I am attending a funeral.  I know that there will be relatives there feeling a great sense of loss.  It is going to be hard to stay strong and not cry.  I will have to bite my lip or press my fingernails into my hand.

Despite the tidal wave of grief this past week, I know that life goes on and there is much to look forward to.  The vineyard has even more significance to me.  It is a place to be with nature and experience the friendship of like-minded people.  As well as the vineyard, I am going to be involved in setting up a community orchard and maybe get to have my second go at driving the tractor!

I hope that this week treats you with kindness, and if that is not to be then remember that the difficult time will pass and the blue skies will return. x

Doris Day - More (A Song for the Weekend)