Sunday 22 October 2017

Catching up.

Such a long time since I blogged.
I just wanted to make a record of what I've done.
I started this post in August and now it's the end of October and I'm just finishing it off.
Partly due to the fact that I can no longer use my ipad to blog since I updated it and blogger haven't updated their app .
Anyway....

I returned from Crafty Retreats at the start of June and had to knuckle down and get work done for Woolfest at the end of June.
I had a super time as usual.




I had some super neighbours.




Rio the Angora


And some sheep of a breed I can't remember.


I met some lovely people..

a satisfied customer.
including Harvey the delicate poodle, a regular visitor to these events. His feet never touch the ground.


I stayed in a gorgeous B& B where you didn't have to take your shoes off.
I would recommend this place without hesitation.
Number Six Castlegate. Lovely food, lovely owners and beautiful rooms.

And in the evening I ate out..alone! The second night I returned to 'The Front Room, a lovely friendly restaurant with great food. 
Baileys Ice Cream for pud.


This is as far as I got in August..so.. what else have I been up to?
Well we went Lyme Regis for a weeks holiday to coincide with our 40th Wedding Anniversary.

Love Lyme Regis.

We had a meal in the posh hotel which was wonderful.


Did a bit of mooching about and fell asleep in the sunshine which didn't seem too strong at the time.
these photos taken at Portland Bill show our red faces.


They were taken at a super quarry where sculptors go every summer to chip away at the stone.
Its a place we'd go again.

Later in the Summer I had a close encounter with a sparrowhawk who accidentally flew into the kitchen.

It beat its wings against the window trying to get out, and I had to cover it with a towel and carry it outside. 
Such a privilege to hold such a creature in my hands.


 A few moments later the starling it had been carrying came out of hiding from under the cupboard.

 Lucky escape. Not so lucky were my sea urchins from Symi. The sparrow hawk flapped them to pieces.
 The next day I found this on the path. So another bird made a lunch for the hawk.

I had a mighty clear out in the Summer and found all sorts of photos.
This one is an amazing collection of people in the one photo.
Little girl with bows= Me.
Woman seated at table=My Mum
Woman standing centre =my Mums best friend who sadly died on 11th September.
Man standing=my Grandfather who lived 100 miles away in Walsall
Two women to the right=my Godmother on the far right, and her Sister who were my father's cousins.
I really don't know what brought them all together for probably the only time. 
Perhaps it was becasue I was presenting a bouquet to a lady in furs...possibly mayor? I vaguely remember. I was about 3.It was a garden fete.

My room got really cleared out but obviously it was worse before it was better!


 I got rid of some goldwork stuff.


To an excellent home.
 A handmade book went to Australia...slow post. Might not even be there yet.


Then I started work for Yarndale.


 Amazingly I came up with some new things. Shawl pins,


 and fish! I've long been planning fish. I was going to make brooches but I thougt I'd tray something different.
 So I stood them on stands.

 They were very popular.


Then I harvested some potatoes! I grew them from rooty cupboard finds.
Such fun!


 At the beginning of October we went for one night to Dovedale in Derbyshire on a uni re-union ..my husband's reunion.Here's a pic of the pretty village of Ilam. The building is the village school . Gorgeous. The Hotel we stayed in was lovely and the food was stupendous.


 As soon as I got home I started my Mums 90th Birthday cake. Fruit at the bottom and sponge on teh top. I researched cake decorating on youtube and I must say I got pretty obsessed. I used all the equipment I bought! 

My Mum loved it.

 It looked good if not tasteful!

 She certainly enjoyed her birthday.



So there we are. And now I'm getting ready to go off to do two days teaching in Honiton and two days in Yate.
Wish me luck for the loooooooong drive.
I'm trying to be brave!










14 comments:

Unknown said...

It may have been a long time coming but it's a lovely, interesting post and reading has been a great way to start my week. Your shawl pins are gorgeous and your mother's birthday cake amazing! Congratulations to you and your husband and thank you for the photo of Lyme Regis which has stirred so many memories.

Erica said...

Jackie, you are so busy! And so very creative. I do love your work so much. It is such a shame that international postage rates make buying lovely overseas originals prohibitive now.

I admire your chutzpah decorating your mother's cake when you have so little experience. It really was quite architectural and quite, quite beautiful. What a lucky mum.

I hope you get some down time before long, just to cherish yourself.

Gina said...

Even though I keep up with what you are doing via Facebook it is still good to catch up with a good read on your blog. Your mum's cake is magnificent!

Mary McAndrew said...

Hi Jackie, I always enjoy reading your posts because your work is so colorful and inspiring. I too am waaaay behind on contact with the outside world via my blog; I've done new artwork but nothing outstanding so I tend to not post about it. That and the garden and visa application have had me distracted. I love the job you did on your mom's cake!! Multi talented! Also love the shawls pins and fish. I have drawings of fish on sticks in a sketchbook from college days...I was going to sculpt them with papier mache but never got to it. I love how you put the water under them. Must have been exciting to have a hawk in the kitchen! All we get are flies or moths! haha
Maybe I'll get around to catching up my blog too now. ;-)

Rachel said...

You've had a busy few months, haven't you! And safe drive for the next adventure...

Heather said...

Fabulous post. Great exhibitions and congrats on your 40th Anniversary. I love Lyme Regis too. Glad you could rescue the sparrowhawk and starling. I have two large boxes of photos to sort through - they are still in the bottom of my wardrobe. Love the shawl pins and fishes. Your Mum's cake was wonderful and good luck for the journeys to Honiton and Yate.

Jackie said...

Thank you all for your comments. They came to a different mailbox where I can't reply so I hope this catches everyone.

Marci said...

I always enjoy your posts. Thank you.

Magpie's Mumblings said...

Oh my goodness! What a treasure trove of interesting things to read about....culminating in that absolutely astounding cake!! Happy anniversary wishes to you (albeit much belated now!) and birthday wishes to your mother as well. The shawl pins are perfect....great idea to do those. And the wee fishes - so cute!! All this and wrangling birds too - definitely a woman of many talents!!

Robin Mac said...

Gosh Jackie, you will be putting up a new post before i get around to commenting on this post at the rate I have been going! I love it, you have been so busy - lots of eating in there as well as all the lovely felting. The fish are delightful, no wonder they were popular.
You obviously survived your drive to Honiton. We tend to think you are wimps in the UK as we regularly drive about 600 km plus to get to a destination - everything is so far away. BUT - our driving is usually on far more open roads with a lot less traffic. I must admit Bill does not drive those distances any more in one day and of course I can no longer drive - but we are quite a lot older than you so we have to expect that. XX

Barbara said...

I just about wear my finger out hitting your blog page in the hope that you will have uploaded a new one, and what a delight when I find you have!
I love to read your 'doings',and of course see what you have been creating...not disappointed this time again....your little fish on stands are beautiful! It's said that we can't reinvent the wheel, but I think you are doing your best!
Congratulations on the beautiful cake for your Mum,too, and on your wedding anniversary and all your other achievements......here's to the next installment!!

Jackie said...

Thank you to Robin,Barbara,Mary Ann and Marci for the recents comments. I don't seem to be able to reply directly so its here. And those above, I've replied above. It's so lovely to know someone is reading!

Jane said...

Wow, what a cake!

Lynda said...

I just found your blog and love your scarf pins and other art. Thanks for the inspiration today!



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