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.

felt and fibres and furry

Hetty before Thursday

 Hetty now. 

 Its like having a different dog. 

I know she's cute with long hair but something 'Audrey Hepburn/Holly Golightly happens when shes's had a trim. 

 I know Holly Golightly didn't have an orange beard but...

Can't you see her in a

diamond  tiara?

And just

 look at her little tootsies.

Well Ok ..I know not everyone is as besotted as I am. 

But who couldn't resist drooling at this?

 Wow!!! Imagine my delight and amazement to have received these wonderful fibres from Dale Rollerson of the Thread Studio in Perth, Australia.

 I can't wait to get using them. Gorgeous colours and if you could just feel them..they're so soft and delicious.

Now, the reason they arrived in my possession was that I sent a piece of work to Dale for an exhibition in a show in Summer.

Owing to postal delay it didn't arrive in time but Dale did a feature on me it the online magazine. Threads in Fusion.

She returned the piece and filled the bag with these amazing beauties. They are stunning and I'm so grateful.

Overstitch

Maybe I have?

 'Overstitched'? 

The stitches are to tie the areas together. .

 I like the different bits and its a good sampler.

Bright!

Day Out

The winter has been so bad we've been going stir crazy. The sun on Sunday made us want a trip out so we set off and crossed the border into Yorkshire. 

An hour later we were here. 

Bolton Abbey

 I'd been past a long time ago but never actually stopped, and it was well worth the trip.

For anyone who doesn't know, it seems to be an outpost of the Chatsworth estate and is a Village based around the abbey and some ruins and a lot of  walking areas. 

It looked so mellow in the afternoon winter light.

You have to pay £7 to park but that allows you to park your car at any of the three car parks.

We stopped at The Cavendish pavilion for a snack. 

There were HUNDREDS of people and dogs there, but it didn't feel crowded. 

There are lots of places to walk , some don't allow dogs but others do.

The river runs through the woods and fields, its very pretty.

Gnarly roots.

Gnarly woman

 (When people get old they are deemed less beautiful to look at, but building become more romantic and beautiful with age. Just a sudden thought)

Around the edges of the Abbey are the ruined bits, some date back to the 12th century.

 Just in front of the Abbey are the 'stepping stones' across the river. Can you see them? 

 No we couldn't either! They were under the water and the sign said they'd been partly washed away.

Hetty didn't care.

  Some more views and inspiration.

 From Iron work

 to stone carvings

 and Victorian wall paintings

And some unexpected dogs!

 Hetty didn't see them, they were high up on the front of the Abbey.

 All around the estate there are plenty of tearooms and this was the path leading out from one of them. 

Pretty holly bushes and wallflowers for later blossoming.

 Around every corner a lovely scene.

 Happy day. It would have been perfect if Hetty was a better traveller. (Don't ask)

Back at home, Hetty's Hippo has his beady eye on a big white sack.

Its my new consignment from Wingham wools, all ready to make some lovely felt in my On line course.

I have a gorgeous array of colours and I can't wait to get it going.

I've got quite a goodly number of students but there's room for a few more!

Last weeks heart brooches were well received by the gallery. I have one or two left and I've listed some new ones in my etsy shop.

I just wanted to share this one. Its big. But don't you think it looks like a 'fishy' thing?

Here it is with its chums for scale.

I had a little note from 'Moo' to let me know there's a 25% off sale. I said I'd mention it. I absolutely love their beautiful business cards, greetings cards and mini cards. They are amazing quality, so if you need some nice business cards at a decent price, go to MOO.

You can have as many different pictures on the front as you like, uploaded from your own pictures, and they are a great way to get your work noticed.

I had these lovely greetings cards made from my own photographs last year.