Easter Day.

Easter and there's a bit of thieving going on.


Red tulips I picked from the garden of a house waiting for demolition.
I felt sorry for them and thought I would appreciate them more than the car drivers whizzing by that don't see them. Then I felt bad for taking them and my Mum said she used to pinch a carrot from the farmer's field when she was a little girl and then feel guilty! We are no good at crime.



I made a Rice Krispie cake for Easter and there must be a thief around as the mini eggs keep disappearing!



Have to keep an eye on this Easter bonnet......



Happy Easter!

Postcard from Hampton Court Palace.

Finished at last!


You can read a bit about how long it's taken me here!


I've painted a piece of Pelmet Vilene with acrylics, mounted my embroidery onto it and satin stitched around. It's not exactly square but it'll have to do.

Count the knots!

Harmony Hill 'Play Day'.

It was Play Day at Harmony Hill last Thursday. This was something new that we hadn't tried before .
Margaret G. had the bright idea of bringing in some of our' Gizmos' so we could all play around with them.
You know, those craft items we buy that seem like a good idea at the time, and then we never use them?!

Maureen brought in her card making supplies and these stamps - there was something for every occasion.




I made this card under her instruction.



Here she is with Ann. There was a great variety of stuff on this table for us to play around with.



There was a lace- making table with Vivienne and Mavis in charge.

Despite Vivienne's best efforts it was all Double Dutch to me!
I never was very good with numbers...

This was Dorothy's table and you would think Carolyn was flipping a pancake.

But look what's in the frying pan, its Dorothy's favourite "Friendly Plastic!'

What's at Sylvia's table? Shrink Plastic!

Elizabeth was delighted with this little golfing man.




Margaret and Jennifer's table. Pom-Poms, cording and Suffolk puffs.

We had all these lovely wools and metallic threads to choose from.




Margaret demonstrating to Pamela how to make a mini pom-pom!




Not sure what's going on here girls. Country dancing?  Whatever it is, Jennifer is in charge!




This was Carolyn's card.

Happiness, I thought it summed up the day.

It takes a lot of preparation and work to organise all these activities - so thanks to everyone for their efforts. It was a fun and happy day!

Just plain weird!

When I was in Donegal I picked some gorse petals to try some egg dyeing. I wanted a coloured egg to go with one of the birds I'm making.
I hard- boiled the eggs along with the gorse but didn't have much success. I probably needed a whole lot more gorse.


So I boiled an egg with red food colouring. I liked the result and painted on spots with a Lumiere metallic paint. I then gave it a coat of varnish.

I like this egg but it's too big for my bird so now I'm going to try a smaller egg.



Mother bird is patiently waiting for her egg.

I'm going to tuck the egg under her feathers.

It was Mother's day today and my son gave me the ' little birds' book from the Design Collective that my friend Sharon had shown me.

Sharon is making the owls in this book and they are gorgeous.

The girl who compiled this book says she likes projects that are 'beautiful and sweet' and that she's seen her share of the odd, irregular (and just plain weird).

Well she ain't seen nothin' yet!!

Father bird, almost finished but I don't like his collar. It's coming off. And I think he needs a knapsack.

Then there's a nest to make and a suitcase and I'm thinking I might make a mouse, or a rat..........

Weird or what?

Weekend in Donegal.

Went to visit our middle son at the weekend and this is the view from his conservatory looking towards Derry.


Just up the road from his house.

We took a drive to Doagh Island and Carrickabraghy castle.

The sea was rough and shot up through the rocks like a fountain.

Lovely views of the sea.

I always go on the same walk here and my son's house is just down this road on the right.

We walked over the Peace Bridge in Derry.

This Cockerel lives next door, but it's my two grandsons that wake us up early in the morning!

Love going to Donegal!

Castle Espie Flyer.

Just need the passengers now!

Out Swanning About.

I like this grey, wintry looking photo. The pussy willows are out and nature is showing signs of life.


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We went for a walk along the canal today. It got me thinking about which season I like best. I like the winter colours and landscape but it's also nice to see signs of spring.





The swans are used to posing for photographs, it seems.







We are down at Broadwater, near Moira, and I was sure I saw an image like the Turin Shroud!










This lovely old signal box could do with refurbishment.

I like the colours and the lines in both of these landscapes.





This bullrush obligingly posed for a photograph.




So, was it an image of Christ I saw?

The truth is out there!

Decadent Dolls and Works in Progress.

You might think that I am a slow worker. Take these dolls, for instance. I went to a workshop in March 2011 and I'm only finishing them off now. Over the two days we made our dollies the other girls mostly had theirs finished, but as usual I wasn't in any hurry. In true City & Guilds style I came home and started a bit of research into the papier mache dolls. At the time I was working on other things and the dolls were cast aside.

So, although I'm slow, I would describe myself as a methodical and thorough worker. I'm always planning in my head what I'm doing and what I will be working on next.
I'm envious of the people I know who are prolific with their textile work and I wish I could be more like them.







Here's something else I started last year and have just finished. I made these gingerbread men for an Afternoon Tea display but I always had it in my head to turn them into a Christmas decoration.





I also started on this hat just before Christmas and I've just finished knitting it - so now all my WIP's are all completed.



So what's next?

Another WIP to finish ( that's the postcard of Hampton Court Palace). I've sent for some Pelmet Vilene to make a surround for the little knot garden embroidery.

Then it's the turn of Daddy, Mummy and Baby bird!

Postcard from Hampton Court Palace.

February already and it's time to start thinking about the Harmony Hill Craft Group exhibition, because before you know it, it will be May and I'll be running about wondering what to put into the show.

This years theme is 'A Pocketful of Dreams.'
If only it was as easy as this...more like 3 steps forward and 10 back when you're stitching.



As a group activity we are all making a postcard so I've been working on that. This is where my postcard is from.

Thinking about the 'dream theme' I sometimes think I would have liked to have been an apprentice at the Royal School of Needlework, based at Hampton Court. It must have been amazing to have had a part in making this dress.
So I thought, for my postcard, I would make a little knot garden and it's already taken quite a while. Laura, from my group, lent me a stitching tool to speed things up!

This is a Russian Punch and I've been using it to make the hedging around the edge of the garden.

It is most definitely 3 steps forward and 10 back. It's very frustrating but I like the effect.

Laura also gave me an old book, 'The Embroiderer's Garden' by Thomasina Beck, and in it I found the plans of the gardens at Hampton Court.

Look at all the knots!

Now how to make it into a postcard? Why do I give myself all this work?!