Sunday 27 November 2011

Is is worth it? Soul searching on a Sunday morning

Over the last few days I have had my sister and her partner (sadly him for only one night) to stay. After B left, Jani and I had a day in Lewes and then an afternoon in London. We walked miles we talked non stop and we looked at art, antiques, charity shops, parrots (my girls have a favourite West African Grey in a pet shop in Lewes that we always visit)
books, polish pottery, exhibitions and were both dazzled and drained by the visual overload. We spent time in the V&A so that she could do some research and happily for me we were pointed in the direction of the British Galleries, and to The Arts and Crafts Movement displays. My sister is an artist. At one point I would have said a landscape painter, but her work has evolved and she draws and knits paper and canvas strips. She is on a pathway. I admire her strength and perserverence because it is not easy and she has said that at times she wonders if it is really worth it. I say yes! But then I am a huge admirer of her passion and drive while at the same time feeling so void of any of my own. My small bursts of creativity feel limited to me. I constantly feel as if there is more potentail only that I cannot see it or how to tap into it.
The fact is that I love to crochet, but I do not talk to people about it, except here in blogland, and let's face it, have not produced much!! I am frustrated by the desire to be making something all the time, while not knowing what to do.
Now that Ava has her blanket and her blue dog
I am in limbo. More than just hook and yarn limbo. Blog limbo too. I think I need to sit down and figure out what is next.

Friday 25 November 2011

Glow of pride

and a tiny bit of intrepidation as who am I to really 'get' all of this....

BUT

www.facebook.com/risingtideuk

and

www.reverbnation.com/risingtide

are where the NEW SINGLE can be heard.

Watch this space. Cold Play should be feeling a bit shakey!

Monday 21 November 2011

THE BIG REVEAL - AKA - BABY BALNKET TA-DAH!!


Here it is: the paint box colour palette baby blanket for Ava Eloise....


What a thrill now that it is done and I am really pleased with how it looks and feels.

It is a wonderful feeling to actually finish something....

Shots taken in a dimly lit living room, but it still looks cheerful.

Hope you all like it.

Tuesday 15 November 2011

Artist Sister comes to town

Artist sister flew in from Sydney yesterday. We have just spoken on the phone. She is tired. BUT, we have a day of sisterly goss, shopping, eating and hanging out on Saturday AND part of that day will be with brother and his wife and Ava. A family get together on this side of the planet. Yiipppeee.

You may remember artist sister was in Rome earlier this year. We caught up in Australia too and now this....THREE times in one year....but I did have to wait for five years to see her the first time.

Feeling good.

Saturday 12 November 2011

felt fetish

For some reason little felty ideas are in my head at the moment. All three of us were in the kitchen stitching this evening. Han is not well and put hers aside for a while. But Em has made a marvellous owl - a symbol of good luck in Japan, for her friend who is about to sit high school entrance exams.
This little star is my creation. Hope you like it.

Saturday 5 November 2011

my first felt owl ---TA DAH!

Even though 6th Form was the main focus of the week, I bought a copy of PRIMA CHRISTMAS MAKES as a distraction. Bit of a spur of the moment thing because let's face it.....apart from looking at all the loverly stuff, chances of making anything are slim.

But, life is full of surprises and this afternoon this little bloke came into being, wonky embroidery and all...

Here he is lying on the page with other similar owls....His ear feathers are more like horns and too far in, but it is so nice to have made something and finished it and have something to show off....

Breathing in

This week has moslty been about 6th Form. My darling Han is considering various options and while it has been busy, it has also been a bit of an emotional time for me. She is nothing like I was at her age. She is a confident, capable young woman and she is making her choices based on all manner of things, mainly how well they will work for her and her plans and ideas for her future. She seems so adult and at the same time she is still my little girl. I have been very proud watching her conduct herself, how she ask questions, discusses things and interacts with people. The search continues next week as well. It won't be long before Em is in the same boat and they will be one step closer to their own lives....

Wednesday 2 November 2011

A quick detour

En route home from an appointment I popped into Ardingly Antiques Fair, which I had no idea was on....just luck really. With barely a penny to my name, getting in was a task...luckily there was a scrunched up fiver in my bag.

There was much to see and a lot of it required imagination and creative juices to see how it could be used. I steeled myself over the gorgeous linen from Sweden and some fabulous retro fabric. I cannot indulge the desire to own something that will sit in a basket or cupboard becoming nothing.

I have a craving for a mirror in the hall, but decided inspiration for one was free!

At a £1.00 table I found this:

The owner said there would be strictly no bartering and payment in cash only....I had .76 pence. Her hubby said that he would take it as long as I didn't tell, so after thanking him, I slipped silently into the crowd. It will look nice after a wash and a bit of blocking.

Great day.

Tuesday 1 November 2011

Back at the blog face

The end of October was a blur and for much of it my camera was in the clutches of some young miss who has been to a gaming show in London (dressed as a Japanese school girl for those anime fans out there - complete with floppy bow tie and calf length black socks... and may I add, looking INCREDIBLY normal....she is after all a half Japanese school girl!!). Still she so looked the part that many asked her to pose in their photos.

Tonight the camera is mine once again and this is the latest.

We had Halloween and prepared thus:


We are not very big on the event in this house. It seems somewhat forced, although in my distant youth I did carve a turnip once. I think there was a shortage of pumpkins in my granny's shop in Newtownards!!

The results were:

Strangely, the girls were very protective and did not want to put them out until the actual night...a bit of coercion persuasion did get them out on Saturday night where the slugs then snacked on them leaving them with unsightly facial blemishes...

A neighbour had a fancy dress party where the focus was how fab one can look. I mean cat woman costumes were EVERYWHERE, but not on this bod! I went as a car crash victim (apologies for offending anyone as this is a serious thing to happen) but it was really easy to prepare for.

Dress up all posh
Wear stockings
Slash said stockings at knees - Get daughter to apply fake blood
Get daughter to apply nasty split lip and black eye makeup (source: the Internet)
Mess up hair as if one has crawled from a ditch
Go to party - drink pink champagne - come home!

On the crochet front this little thing is happening


Tiny granny squares with sock wool and four ply rowan wool. I am really happy with my little kneeling pad for the garden finally getting used to block squares on.... On the colour. This is not ideal, but I just had to START something.

Phew, got to blog. I needed that.