Hen's Teeth Workshop

I've admired the work of Viv Sliwka from Hen's Teeth for a while now, so when a chance came up to attend one of her workshops I couldn't resist. 

Known for her use of  beautiful old textiles, combined with embroidery and other ephemera, she creates all manner of delights.

So it was that on a murky Saturday morning several weeks ago I set off for Weston Park. 

The brief had asked us to take along any bits and pieces that we would like to incorporate in our work, so I had spent the evening before cramming my basket with all sorts of 'tat'!

As I pulled up I was greeted by the friendliest black cat. Monty has 'adopted' Weston Park and, more particularly, it's visitors in exchange for lots of attention and the occasional titbit.

He showed me to the workshop and it was there that I suddenly realised everybody looked like they knew what they were doing, were incredibly creative and would soon be sniggering at my embarrassing attempts at French knots.

I needn't have worried.

The other participants were lovely. All had different levels of expertise and all were willing to share what they knew.

Viv was an absolute star. She encouraged us to just 'have a go' at something, take ownership and go with our instinct. I think this was my biggest barrier. I am so used to following a pattern and working within a framework that I found it quite difficult to just let go.

The only thing I knew was that I wanted to make a needle case. So, using some templates and a stamp that represented dear old Jessie, I got stuck in. 

Early thoughts

Or rather I stared at things a lot, had a look at what everyone else was doing and ate some cake.

Then got stuck in.

And do you know once I got started it was difficult to stop. I ate lunch between stitches. I drank coffee between stitches. And it was only as the workshop came to an end I realised that I hadn't even visited the ladies room between stitches!

There was cake. There was laughing. There was the inevitable discussion as to who was going to win the Great British Sewing Bee.

And I even found out how to do a French knot! 

I was a bit worried about the group photo as I knew my work wasn't in quite the same vein as the others but, do you know,  the more I looked at it the more I liked it! And it was for that very reason of having let go and creating something that was completely my own. Something I will definitely tap into in the future.

Can you spot Jessie Dog in the middle?

I completed the case over the following few days.

Want to see?

 If you ever get the chance to go to one of Viv's workshops grab it! You can find out more about them on her blog.

Meanwhile look what popped through the letter box the other day. 

Hmmmmmm? 

Could I?

Bit scared!

 Watch this space!

Jane

xxx

Something to look forward to!

Thank you.

And I mean that from the bottom of my heart.

The comments that you left on my last post were so thoughtful, so kind and so warm. They have helped both myself and the whole family come to terms with a sad moment.

But I don't want to dwell too much more here.

There is indeed something to look forward to!

Some time ago I met up with some lovely bloggers over at Shugborough. Before we left there was talk of getting together again. Gilly from gilly makes suggested Stratford as a meeting place as that's not only her stomping ground but also the home of the fantastic Sew Me Something (oh and of course an old writer called Bill). 

What could be better? 

After a recent flurry of emails a date was set and we oh so hope that some of you will be able to join us. Gilly has posted all the details over here - take a look! I know some of you might feel a bit shy about meeting up but I can assure you we will all be in the same boat.

So check your diaries and get in touch - either over here or at Gilly's.

Look forward to meeting you!

Jane

xxx

Sad news

Some of you lovely followers out there will probably be aware that our poor old Jessie dog has not been too well of late. At sixteen she was almost blind, pretty much deaf and struggling very much with her back legs. Yesterday it all became too much and the decision was made to have her quietly put to sleep. It was a decision I'd been dreading but we've known for the last few months that things were getting worse and there was a sudden nosedive this week. 

Today I've had a quiet day. Not working on Fridays, I decided to stay close to home and found myself on auto pilot - cleaning, washing, and generally trying to keep myself busy.

 But it was hard. 

Jessie used to follow me everywhere - she had no manners with regard to following me and staring whilst I visited the bathroom! I found myself automatically stepping over where her bed had been, and saving her some crusts from my sandwiches. When I answered the door earlier I automatically put my hand out to hold her collar. It's going to take some time to get used to.

But I have some lovely memories.

We 'rescued' her from a dogs home when she was six months old. She had a strong sense of wanderlust and would often take herself off on an adventure while our backs were turned. She sometimes got returned by complete strangers looking very pleased with herself. It was as though she'd found some new friends and was very glad to introduce us! She was picked up by the police and spent a night in the cells when they went off duty, she visited various offices on the local industrial estate, and once even made it across quite a busy dual carriageway to be found in the kitchen of a popular restaurant. On several occasions we would have a call from our local dvd store whose automatic doors would generously allow her entrance - 'Hi there - we've got Jessie here again - don't rush!'

And of course whenever she was returned people would say the same thing, usually along the lines of 'Oh but she's so lovely - and she does enjoy a custard cream!'

She adored our girls and put up with many years of being snuggled and squeezed by gaggles of toddlers.

When we had fourteen ducklings hatch in our garden she would lie there patiently while they waddled around and over her on the way to our little pond. And Ned rabbit could often be found stretched out next to her in a sunny patch of grass.

She really had the sweetest nature and gave us years of unconditional devotion.

She was gentle, loving and fun.

And we will miss her.

Jane

xxx

Apologies .....

This weekend sees the second ever Yarndale event over in the beautiful town of Skipton. I was so hoping to attend and meet up with some fellow bloggers, but I'm afraid life's events have taken over at the moment and I can't guarantee that I'll be able to make it. 

Without going into too much detail we have a very poorly dog and her future looks a little uncertain. She might rally and, by Saturday, be bright as a button but I do feel I should be with her just in case. Several of you had expressed an interest in meeting and I apologise again for not contacting you personally, but I can't get hold of everyone's email. 

It would be lovely if you could still meet - 1pm at the main entrance - and pop some photographs on your blogs for the rest of us to see! 

I'm crossing everything that I might still be able to make it but the 'ifs' and 'whens' are unclear.

So once again I apologise. I don't like to let people down but sometimes it's unavoidable.

Thank you so much for understanding.

Jane

xxx

Around the block.

This morning I went for a walk. 

That's it.

Nothing remarkable in that. 

Not anywhere new or of any distance.

Just a little walk around the block.

But it was such a simple uplifting little walk that I found myself really appreciating what was around. 

Like the neighbours geraniums.

My favourite colour door.

Old Neddy. Not his real name I'm sure but suits him to a tee.

The luminous depth of this tree.

Down to the allotments.

And back along the canal.

Where the early morning mist had lingered - just enough.

Although at some points it still seemed like midsummer.

Small details.

And signs.

The perennial 'trying to get Jessie dog to look the right way when you are trying to take a photo of her' caper.

And home.

That's it.

A walk around the block.

Hope you enjoyed it as much as I did!

Jane

xxx

P.S. A sneak peek at a little project we have coming up. All very exciting but not quite ready to reveal yet.

Catch up!

You'd think that my excuse for being absent for such a long time might be really interesting. Perhaps I've been hiking the Himalayas or rescuing rare sloths from the forests of Peru. In that case I must apologise. Life at the moment has just quietly been slipping by and before you know where you are it's the middle of August. 

Summer holidays always mean particular things for us. All year we'll discuss things that might need doing in the house and happily put it on our 'to do in the holidays' list. This allows us to feel like we are actually addressing certain issues in a methodical manner without actually lifting a finger. Needless to say the list is never finished. But we have been busy decorating. Want to see?

This is my favourite bit at the moment. Or at least it was until Mum told me it was the same colour as a double yellow line. And yes the picture is a bit dark and a bit wonky but I was trying to focus whilst sitting on the piano. Poor Jessie dog didn't know what was happening. I suppose I should have closed the lid first.

I don't have a photo of our living room but that's now a lovely sash red - strangely making me look forward to cold Winter days when we can light candles and have a crackling fire! And then there's the perennial glossing - yawwwwwwwwwwwwn.

Back to Summer!

We've had a fair few day trips. Last week we visited Biddulph Grange in a vain attempt to actually make use of our National Trust membership. It was beautiful. 

This bit however is always my favourite.

Although feeding the fish was a close second!

We also enjoyed a trip to Ludlow which took us through the most stunning Shropshire scenery. I thought of  the lovely Dorothy as we passed the turn for Blists Hill. We bought sweet peas from the market - aaaaah the fragrance - frequented the charity shops (for that is the law), and wandered along past the castle to the river. I wish I could show you the pictures but no - they are stuck on my little iPad thing and I haven't got a clue how to get them off. They are very nice though! 

 Back home the obligatory holiday jigsaw is taking up the kitchen table.

Anyone else enjoy a good jigsaw? Mr K is baffled by them and can not understand why you would spend so much time putting something together that ultimately gets taken apart again!

 And crochet? Ah yes there has been a little of that. Inspired by Jennifer I decided to make a start on the Flowers in the Snow blanket. Now bear in mind that my half finished king size ripple is approaching it's third birthday you might have thought that I would concentrate my efforts on getting that finished but no - not me - I delved into my stash and happily started crocheting little round flower things.

Only one hundred and fifty to go!

Other than that there isn't much more to report. Poor old mum hasn't been too well and is waiting for a pacemaker, and poor old Jessie dog is still struggling with her arthritis. But we're lucky - some of the news stories of late serve to prove that.

So there we go. An uneventful catch up perhaps but a catch up nonetheless!

Hopefully next time there might be something more exciting to report.

In the mean time - what would you do with this marrow?

Jane

xxx

Witter me not!

Or in the words of the late, great Frankie Howerd 'titter ye not' (but his version does not apply as readily to this post). No. This post came about following a recent conversation with Mr K. He took it upon himself to put forward an observation that perhaps - without the loooong summer break we have just spent together - he might have kept to himself. Under his hat as it were. An observation that had we not been together for a ridiculous amount of time I could have taken great offence to and waltzed away in a wonderfully dramatic fashion.

 Are you ready? 

He said that I witter.

Can you imagine?

Me - a wittererrrer.

Sadly I know that it's true. Even my thoughts are wittery. Most people develop a sort of filter that allows only important words of any significance to be uttered whereas I seem to have missed that evolutionary step. 

I have a faulty filter.

In an effort to rectify this I have given myself a challenge. Those of you out there who have heard of the haiku will know that beautiful imagery can be presented with very few words. I am going to follow this path with as few words as possible. Indeed I am only going to use three words for each image. I call the following a selection of 'triku's'!

Here we go.

Finished a shawl

Started a cardigan

Borrowed a book

(hello Mr Toe)

Bought a pot

And some spoons

Looked at plums

Dreamed of boats

Admired some rust

Laughed at this

Picked some tomatoes

Nursed poorly dog

Drove past this

Howled at moooooon

There we go.

How was that?

Hard for me!

I'd rather witter.

What think ye?

Bye for now

Jane

x