working with ephemera

or seeing what can be done with paper, maps and newspaper. I am thinking about the transient nature of flowers and enjoying sticking, gluing, tearing up strips and all that as well as working with cups of tea, both for real and otherwise. It's the day to day, mundane and what is around rather than looking for some Holy Grail.

Consequently I love things that aren't that precious, rare, and sought after. Rather, it's about turning something discarded into something else through some kind of transformation. I have collected the dead roses heads, left over from my birthday bunch, and continuing to enjoy the quality of dried rose petals. I have tipped out the fruit from the gloriously kitchen golden goblet that once housed the bananas and now it's filling with incredibly romantic faded roses, and the soft peachy tones of the papery petals.

I intend to make a papier mache cup and saucer, and instead of tea, the cup will be filled with gold and inspiring words of wisdom. The cup that cheers!

it started with an idea....

I bought a fabulous book a while back called 'Ribbonwork The complete Guide' by Helen Gibb and started playing around with a very simple petal idea.. and then I found some tatty little fake flowers, which looked pretty good when incorporated into the petal (which I made in layers) and then I went into the garden and snipped a bit of clematis and wound it into a wreath, and then decorated this with my new flowers.

Then I looked in a book by Sue Reeves which had some fabulous totally over the top type fabric wreaths and took this up into the hills at the back of Buxton to absorb (with OH and a flask of coffee). Saturday night was spent painstakingly putting all this together and I am really pleased with the result!

This evening I tackled another unfinished knitting project, made from old bits of yarn, which I then pulled off the needle and backed with bondaweb and made a lovely knitted hanging heart which is like recycling recycled stuff. I quite like the idea of working with something and turning it into something else. It means I make quite a mess.

experimentation

Why is it that I always want to try something new? These past few weeks I have been making cards, houses,dolls, crochet stuff, painting, drawing and I think I have been pursuing a certain kind of emotional response. I love Julie Arkell's work

Warm, cosy, comfortable, funny, poignant and colourful. The colours are a little odd - I am not going for obvious bright splashes but something more subtle, like the almost random selection in my crochet blankets.

And then I have been keep a daily facebook link to my influences for the day like these:

LIfe has changed

My dear darling daughter Amy passed away in March. No time or inclination for writing blogs, when your world has caved in. We have had a terrible time of it, and so had Amy, suffering from organ failure and struggling to survive. You think that hope and love can make a difference, but it didn't. Now we have to pick up the pieces and find a way through.

Needless to say, I am finding crafting keeps me sane, just about, but there is a huge sadness and hole in my life. They say time eases it, but the longer I am without her, the worse it is. The flowers have now all died on her grave and I am determined to keep fresh flowers there, to remember her by. I have inherited her wonderful cat, Mr Darcy, and he is a constant comfort and companion.

I am making tea cosies as they are small and cheerful like this:

New Year

I see I have been far too busy to blog and no wonder. Amy is out of hospital but due for a transplant in a few weeks. She has done brilliantly and we have had some scary moments but met some wonderful caring nursing staff at the MRI.

Crafty wise it's been all about ACEO's! Wow I love these little tiny pictures only 2.5 and 3.5 and there are some amazing ones around. It's whole new field for me brought into spotlight by teabreaks.

who has done this tree in springtime which I love:

and also Mochalulu who does some beautiful work like this of the parrot. as above (not good at getting my pictures in the right place!)

The great things is that people are having a go and seeing what they can do - there is a great outpouring of creativity and people are starting their own collections which is good for everyone. I have got quite hooked and here is one mine of a still life (now sold!)

nearly two months on...

Funny how what was such a faff before is now history - the wedding was perfect, the bridesmaid's dresses found and a wonderful day had by all.

Now on to the next thing. Amy is having chemo now and is on day 3 - so far, so good. She has having plenty of visitors and I have been getting her pj's from primark. The docs are now saying that this is leukemia, so that's it now - she joins the ranks of cancer sufferers (one in three?) and yet, she is still Amy, not a disease.

I have been making Christmas cards for the gallery - found some super little beads and sequins in save the children shop - 50p a packet and nicer than Paper chase. I am thinking more subtle rather than in yer face santa fest. So far so good.

It's great to have a creative outlet and hnelps me to stop being simply a worried mama.

too busy

for blogging. But I have made more of the flower pictures and have an order for another one. I am working with hydrangea flowers which are the most glorious colours.
Life in this household is stressed just now. Amy has had three blood transfusions in the last two weeks and is still struggling with walking. She is now getting stressed about finding the bridesmaid's dresses, which are selling out fast from Coast. Not surprised, as they are stunning. But a lot can be achieved by us all pulling together.

I have been working hard on the invitations and they are now done, complete with organza ribbon to tie. I have used YARDS of the stuff and kept miscalculating how much you actually need to tie a bow.

just found this on folksy. I love sea glass. I used to spend hours collecting it on those warm sunny days by the seaside.


Here is a picture of Albert, who now has a friend called Arthur, (not yet been photo'd) and my latest blanket which has sold! Hooray!

Went out with the family at the weekend to celebrate eldest daughter's 30th (scary to be that old...), and since they are so up on soaps and celebrities they spotted Jim Mcdonald from Corrie and DCI Manson, I think, from the Bill. I hadn't a clue who they were to be honest. I think DCI Manson was taking his mum out. Sweet.

Here is a pic of me with my souvenir from the Grenada in son's kitchen.