Spring things

Its quite some time since I was here again! But here I am. 

Look at this I spotted on a walk the other day. What looked like an oil slick from a distance on the Lodge(Lake) in the park. When I got up close I found it was a whole lot of floating Hazel catkins all piled up at the edge.

Amazing.

The ducks weren't at all concerned and when I went for a closer look they were expecting food and came ploughing through it.

I've been very busy for the last two months doing my online course. What a lot of fun I've had. I'm sure my lovely ladies won't mind me sharing the two pieces I worked on with you.

First we made a flat piece of felt 

 and stitched it

 and stitched it

 and stitched it

 and stitched it some more.

 Then I made a piece using pre-felts..

and stitched it

 and stitched it

 and stitched it some more

 Haha! The last video is going to be made tomorrow and I'm feeling quite sad thats its over. Its been fun.

 Today was lovely bright and sunny and I took some pictures of some bright and sunny brooches I made at the weekend. I put them in my Etsy shop

I've sold four already!

Ballyvaughan again..again.

Another year another trip to Ballyvaughan. Every year we find something different. This year it was The Burren Perfumery where the fragrances are subtle and the welcome warm.

Walks on beaches of course but this time a slightly different beach with inspiring flora.

While my husband had his concertina lessons my friend and I walked and explored.

 Walking down a lane we heard a piggy noise and came upon this not-pig eating hay very noisily!

At the end of the lane a tall tower with a mysterious interior glimpsed through a gap.

The view through the slit windows was of the sea..what else?

Look how the castle seems to grow out of the landscape.

 Then we found another little beach on a spit of land we had often seen from the harbour and didn't know we could walk on it. I found out its called Rine...not sure of the spelling.

 We took off our shoes and socks and had a paddle.

 Later in the week we drove to the town of Ennis and saw a textile exhibition at The Glor Centre. Here's a favourite little piece , you can't see the lovely pale duck egg blue fabric background.

The exhibition was small but lovely. There was a piece I couldn't photograph by my friend Breda McNeilis. We met later in the week in Galway and caught up in a super cafe called Ard Bia at Nimmos. Lots of lovely chatting and eating.

And all week I was working on this.

We enjoyed catching up with our friends and sharing their company in the bar in the evenings. 

Sadly we came home with flu. Yes I am certain it was flu and not just a cold. We were wiped out and are still not better 10 days later.