Hello Chummies everywhere. Today I will be dancing around in a posh dress and pink ballet shoes doing the housework!

Haha of course not.....who wants to do housework when there are more exciting things going on, such as.....
walking on the beach and collecting driftwood to make into Moby Dick!

and a little boat to sail away to sunny places, where the sea is blue and the beaches are full of shells, and the wine is chilled!

No, you're eyes aren't deceiving you, there are wheels on the boat. It's stabilisers for trainee sailors! haha

and here is my beach buddy Archie. He is smirking at me, wondering how far he will get if he grabs the boat and starts chewing it!!

On to this weeks linky parties....
handmadeharbour.blogspot
the-chicken-chick.com
/thediydreamer
finecraftguild.
ivyandelephants.blogspot
lavendergardencottage.blogspot.
lambertslatelely
.craftsalamode.com

Painting on wood folkart style

This week I have been rescuing bits of wood that have a painted background and crying out for some little houses to be painted on top. I imagine they are from an old fence or similair. The first ones had a lovely green background and so made a good start to these two folkart type pictures. Joined up they make one long scene.

Not only that, but this' house in the woods' and  'house on a cliff' also match!

                                                         Close up

This one had lovely pink paint on it.....my type of fencing!  It is now a key/lead hanger!

                                                Closer look.

                                              That's my little cottage with the shed attached.

It was nice to get some paints out again. Sadly they have been put back into the cupboard until I get the 'urge' again! I have got a project in mind, but that is a sewing one and too soon to show and tell.....well it's still in my head!

This week Archie has found out that he is possibly going to be a father. So he realises it's time to stop lying around and get a proper job! lol

So he pulled himself together and helped his beloved Nikki to spring clean Daisy the caravan ready for the summer months.

                                                   
Hi de Hi everyone! Archie will you stop slobbing on the glass I've just spent hours cleaning it....oh go and make a cup of tea....men!!

This weeks linky parties:
handmadeharbour.blogspot.co.uk/
the-chicken-chick.
thededicatedhouse.
thediydreamer.
lavendergardencottage
/ivyandelephants.blogspot.
finecraftguild.
lambertslately.com

Shell Mermaid Spoons

Hello folks. Seems awhile since I last posted, once again time has zipped past, but I'm here now!

Starting to weed the garden and plant stuff in the polytunnel. Much to our amazement the kiwi fruit is flourishing,  and actually has lots of buds on.  When we planted it we didn't know that it was a climber as I assumed it was more of a bush. The grape vine, which I thought had died, is now sprouting lots of leaves. Gardening is so full of suprises, isn't it? Soon it will be veggie planting outside, but until then we still have room for more seeds to go into the p.tunnel. One of the seeds we bought and not tried before are Rainbow Beetroot, you can eat them raw when they are small and all of its edible. Worth a go, eh.

These past few weeks I have been making my 'Mermaid Spoons' this one along with a few others, will be going into an art exhibition that we have every year up here.

This one is called  'Bridal Mermaid Spoons', which has lace on the back, something a bit different I think which would make a nice pressie for a bride.

 Unfortunately the photo can't pick up the textures and the lace pattern properly, but it is very pretty in real life.

These are only found in special parts of Scottish Beaches. The actual spot is a closely guarded secret! haha

Hope you like them, they are my own idea so please, don't copy.

Archie, just back from the groomer.....he wont last long looking all smart.....back to his usual scruffy self within an hour!

This weeks linky parties are;
handmadeharbour.blogspot
the-chicken-chick.com
thediydreamer

A mixture of cross stitch pictures.

Hello everyone. Suffice to say that the crafting front is still at a standstill with very little being made. Although some mermaid spoons are coming along.....slowly. Up in our little corner of Scotland it has, and still is, very cold and overcast and with very little sunshine. So here is a mixture of cross stitch photos taken over the years.
But first of all lets have a cuppa.......cake/biscuit, don't mind if I do!

                                 
                                              Good friends together. My daughters two cats.

   

                                          This jug and bowl is very big and took ages to do. It now hangs in dd dining room.

                                          I stitched this for my little grandson. It wasn't until the backstitching was finished that the picture came together. Such a lovely design, which is by Maria Diaz if anyone is interested.

                                            This little dove and robin design was for a g'daughter with her name/date added in the middle.
                                     

                                       My sister and her hubby had just bought there first caravan so I thought this design was very fitting for them.

OkayDokey, there is more but that's it for this week. I used to enjoy cross stitch, but other crafty things have taken over. I do some every now and then tho. just to keep my hand in. I found that marking out every 10 blocks with a washable pen was invaluable and kept me from making mistakes......well not so many!

Here is Nikki reading the latest copy of Your Dog magazine, just to make sure that I'm uptodate with all things doggie. (this was taken on a beautiful day early March, now long forgotten!) Notice the cocktails for her and Archie haha.

Archie is busy watching Crufts and was delighted that a little dog called Colin came second.

 Now onto this weeks linky parties.

handmadeharbour.blogspot.co.uk
the-chicken-chick.
/thediydreamer
/www.finecraftguild
lavendergardencottage.blogspot.
ivyandelephants.blogspot.
lambertslately.
craftsalamode.com
myfashionforwardblog.com/

•  

Focus is on blue!

It's been a blue couple of weeks, colourwise that is! The following makes were made for my daughters new home.

First up is the extra large blue 'stained glass window' cushion.

The sashing is calico and the blue squares are pre-cut cotton.

Close up of the 'doodling' machine stitches.

.









Here is is next to a 'normal' sized cushion so you can see it's quite a biggy.


The other crafty make is a blue candle holder. Made from paper clay and beads

                                                      All Lit Up

Daughter liked it so much that she wanted some more....so now she has 3 very Quirky candlestick holders.

Two loveable rogues, Jazz and Archie, plotting up some mischief whilst taking a quick break!

This weeks party links are:
/handmadeharbour.blogspot.
/thededicatedhouse.blogspot
.the-chicken-chick.com
thediydreamer.com/from-dream-to-reality
lavendergardencottage.blogspot.
/ivyandelephants.blogspot.
myfashionforwardblog
thededicatedhouse.

Van Goph inspired painting.

After the last posting of 'not a lot going on' I have to report that it is still the same! Seem to be busy, but not getting anywhere in particular. Oh dear. Anyways my daughter painted this for me.....

Quite a largish picture painted in oils and acrylics. Very Van Gophy don't you think? It is at the framers getting a mount cut. A nice bright and cheery picture to brighten up all these dull days.

Archie had his first haircut the other day. Gone is the little scruffy hairball, and here he is all super smoothed.

I have to say I think we both got a shock seeing the new hairdo for the first time. His very coarse top coat has revealed a super soft under coat and he's not as tubby as we thought!! haha
Guess who drove him to the salon......Nikki, she wanted her man to look super suave.

Nikki is quite good at learning new tricks and has learnt to wave bye bye. So another little party trick under her collar. Whereas Archie is very lazy in that department and thinks it's all a con and has better things to do with his time!
Well, that's it again folks.

This weeks party links are;
.the-chicken-chick.com/
handmadeharbour.blogspot.
thediydreamer.
ivyandelephants.blogspot
/lavendergardencottage.blogspot.
.lambertslately.com
finecraftguild.com/linky-93/
/myfashionforwardblog.com/
craftsalamode/what-to-do-weekends-60

Not a lot going on.

It's been a bit of a downturn in making anything this month. Lots of projects in the works, just not getting down to them!

 For any that like to crochet tho, here is a stunning pattern for a blanket/cushion. I love it as it's a bit different. which is here   How gorgeous is that! It is on my todo list as I have a big bag of wool that could be used. I particularly like the shell stitch, most lovely.

This little doggie was a commissioned piece, worked by my daughter in pastels. The client was very pleased with it. Isn't he a little cutie? (sorry the photo is a bit blurred)

This is what happened to Reggie Rat after Archie thought I'd made him as his new playmate! Chewed ears, loss of limbs, untidy scarf, eyes popping out and worst of all whiskers askew! Still Reg is still smiling. Must not leave things within reach of puppies!

One of the few makes I did manage was this little tartan coat for Archie. Made with an old sponge bathmat sandwiched inbetween a discarded scarf and some nice red material.

This is lightweight, but a nice density to keep the wind out. Although neither dogs like it very windy, which is just as well cos I don't either!!

That's if for now dear readers. Hopefully have something to show next time.

This weeks linky parties are;
Sunday;
handmadeharbour.blogspot.
the-chicken-chick.com
Tuesday;
thediydreamer
Wednesday;
lavendergardencottage.blogspot.
ivyandelephants.blogspot.
Thursday;
lambertslately.com/
myfashionforwardblog.com/

The Girl With The Wild Red Hair

You might remember that a couple of posts ago I showed you this photo.

This is the skeleton which was made from aluminium foil, masking tape and half a plastic bottle!

Hmm does this head suit her?!

Her body is completely wrapped in masking tape and she sports a tam o'shanter.

Here she is with a skin of paper clay and her wellies on. She has a toadstool to sit on.

First step of the painting....stripey tights and red boots.

New head and hair and a petticoat.Which to choose a bobble hat or tam O'shanter? Nikki doggy has joined in as well.

All finished and sitting comfortably on her toadstool seat, the tam o'shanter won!

                          Side View
Little feather in the tam o'shanter which is held with a little blue bead.

                      Back view with her flowing locks.

Closer view. She has little beads along the bottom of her linen skirt,her jacket is made from paper clay. You may recognise the little dog, she has been wrestled off Mavis!
The flower was made from aluminium and masking tape and then dipped a few times in acrylic paint until it was the right colour.
She now sits on my daughters mantelpiece who was the original inspiration behind 'The Girl With The Wild Red Hair', as, when she was younger, she permed her very long red hair.

This was a fun project to make and I'm pleased with how she has turned out, now it's given me a bit of a taste to do some more modeling with clay.

Also on the crafty front these two little plants were made. No watering needed, and can be put in the sun or shade and it will never fade or die or attract the greenfly!
The hand embroidered sayings are 'be strong,grow,bloom,flower' and 'how does your garden grow?' Planted in a little milk jug and a baked bean tin, they have 'earth' to finish the effect off.

A most unusual chicken in the hen house!

The weeks linky parties:
Sunday;
handmadeharbour.blogspot.co.uk/
the-chicken-chick.
Monday;
thededicatedhouse.blogspot.
Tuesday;
thediydreamer.com
Wednesday;
lavendergardencottage.blogspot.
Thursday;
ivyandelephants.blogspot.
lambertslately.com

Big Mat and his little siser Mo Mouse

Here is a Big Mat sharing his hearts out to anyone that might need one!

And with his little sister Mo Mouse who also has an armful of hearts to give.

Big Mat has been secretly eating the cheese during the night when Mo is asleep. He will have to be careful his toadstool doesn't give way! lol  Don't they look cute?
 

Had a fancy to make something with paper mache...without any paper! This is foil and masking tape so far. Paper to come. Can you see who is peeking around the side, hmm wonder what they are upto!

Well, would you believe it. Two little mice scampered inside with a piece of lace to make a little house for themselves, can't take my eyes off these rascals for five minutes. lol

As usual I will leave you with some doggie pictures.

Here is Archie keeping upto date with doggie news.

                            Like children, they look so innocent when they are asleep!!

This weeks linky parties are;
Sunday;
the-chicken-chick.com
handmadeharbour.blogspot.
Tuesday;
thededicatedhouse.blogspot
thediydreamer.com
Wednesday;
ivyandelephants.blogspot.
lavendergardencottage.blogspot.
Thursday;
myfashionforwardblog.
lambertslately